Chapter 8: Master Hao

“Firewood is an art form!”

So Master Hao began explaining the principles of firewood to He Pingsheng.

The firewood used for alchemy falls into two categories.

One is hard firewood!

The other is soft firewood!

Soft firewood is used for kindling and generally requires no special qualities—dried straw will suffice.

But hard firewood has many classifications.

He categorized them by wood type: elm firewood, chestnut firewood, jujube firewood, paulownia firewood… and so on.

Each type of firewood also comes in different sizes: large, medium, and small.

Different elixirs require different kinds of firewood!

And when refining a single batch of elixir, the fire intensity must be adjusted at different stages—this control is achieved by combining large, medium, and small pieces of firewood.

“Of course!” Master Hao said. “You don’t need to know how to control it—burning fire is my job. Yours is to chop and cut firewood!”

“Go up the mountain, cut firewood, dry it, then chop it into the sizes I need!”

“The exact specifications are over there—go check for yourself!”

He Pingsheng walked out of the main hall and circled around to the back.

Behind it stood a shed dedicated to storing firewood.

He glanced inside—the wood was abundant, neatly sorted by type and size.

“No one’s come to refine elixirs lately!” Master Hao said, appearing beside him. “You can start by cutting wood on the mountain and get familiar with the work.”

He Pingsheng grew curious: “How do you know no one’s come to refine elixirs recently?”

Master Hao smiled. “It’s simple. When the immortals of Xiuzhu Peak refine elixirs, they notify us days in advance—telling us what elixir, and when.”

“Otherwise we’d be unprepared, and they’d end up refining nothing but smoke!”

He Pingsheng instantly felt deep respect: “So even the immortals must apply to you in advance?”

“Hehehe…” Master Hao chuckled. “Of course… sure, we’re lowly, but sometimes even they need us.”

Yet there was a hint of falseness in Master Hao’s smile.

After surveying everything, He Pingsheng picked up his axe and climbed the mountain to chop trees.

He recognized all kinds of trees.

Chopping wood was no easier than carrying water, yet there was no daily quota—unlike water, firewood was consumed far more slowly.

Overall, it was relatively easy.

After dinner, He Pingsheng locked himself in his small room and took out the last remaining [Jin Gu Dan], placing it gently inside a worn clay basin.

He set the basin beside his bed, staring unblinking—he wanted to see how the Treasure Gathering Basin turned one treasure into two.

But by midnight, the basin remained utterly still.

No choice!

He couldn’t stay awake any longer—he had to sleep.

The next morning, his first act was to look into the dark clay basin.

To He Pingsheng’s shock, the single pill inside had not moved at all.

Still just one.

Its quality had not changed in the slightest.

He examined the basin from all sides, a faint disappointment rising in him: Had he been wrong? Was this basin not a Treasure Gathering Basin at all?

Was it just an ordinary basin?

Then how to explain what happened before?

Was someone playing a trick on him?

…

“Why are you distracted?”

“He Pingsheng, you’ve got something on your mind.”

Master Hao pushed his bowl aside after eating. “Tell me.”

He Pingsheng hurriedly replied: “No no no…”

“Good!” Master Hao said. “Wash these bowls. I’ll tell you good news.”

He Pingsheng picked up the two bowls, washed them clean outside, then returned to the main hall.

Master Hao said: “In five days, Elder Yu Xuan from Xiuzhu Peak will come to refine elixirs—and it’s Foundation Establishment Elixir!”

He Pingsheng didn’t know what Foundation Establishment Elixir was, but a nervous unease stirred in his chest.

Because others had said that when immortals refine elixirs, it’s the most dangerous time.

If the refinement fails, all the precious herbs gathered at great cost and effort are lost.

In rage, they might take out their frustration on the elixir attendants and laborer disciples—wounding or crippling them is nothing.

How could one not be anxious?

“Huh…” Master Hao took a deep breath. “Prepare. Refining Foundation Establishment Elixir requires a lot of chestnut firewood—prepare well, prepare plenty!”

“Pray that Elder Yu Xuan succeeds.”

He Pingsheng didn’t know what Foundation Establishment Elixir was—but Master Hao knew.

The materials for Foundation Establishment Elixir were incredibly precious—if it failed… hiss… the consequences would be unthinkable!

“Yes… I’ll go at once!”

He Pingsheng temporarily forgot about the Treasure Gathering Basin and picked up his axe, heading up the mountain.

A day of hard work!

But he had gathered enough chestnut firewood.

For the next few days, he only needed to chop the firewood into the correct sizes.

Nightfall!

Back in his room!

There sat the black clay basin again.

He Pingsheng couldn’t let go of his doubt—he fetched half a basin of clear water from outside and placed it beside his bed.

He couldn’t sleep, watching the basin constantly.

Deep into the night, moonlight poured like water from the heavens.

A thread of moonlight slipped through the window lattice, falling upon the blue stone floor in dappled, soft, serene patches.

At that moment, He Pingsheng suddenly noticed tiny specks of light, like particles, emerging from the ground, gathering, and drifting toward the black clay basin.

This…

In that instant, He Pingsheng stirred with excitement again.

No problem!

The Treasure Gathering Basin was truly functional.

Moonlight, moon essence, merged into the water.

The water seemed unchanged.

But after watching it for an hour, he noticed its color had subtly turned greener.

And it seemed slightly more abundant.

When he woke the next morning, eyes bloodshot and dark-ringed, he stared into the basin—and saw it now filled to the brim with water.

Green water.

Emerald green, like jade, reflecting the morning sun in a lush, shimmering hue.

Huh…

Relieved!

Proof—this was truly a Treasure Gathering Basin!

“Splash…”

He Pingsheng poured the entire basin of water onto the floor beneath his bed as fast as he could.

This thing, no matter what, couldn’t be kept.

If the water vanished, it could re-form.

But if anyone noticed anything strange, he was finished.

As the water hit the ground, a refreshingly pure scent instantly filled the air.

Just breathing it in brought a sense of peace and clarity.

He Pingsheng thought: Could this water be drunk?

But now wasn’t the time to investigate—he’d catch a squirrel later and test it on that.