[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-treasure-immortal-basin":3,"chapter-the-treasure-immortal-basin-the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-8":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Treasure Immortal Basin",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2355191,4608,"Chapter 8: Master Hao","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-8",8,"\u003Cp>“Firewood is an art form!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Master Hao began explaining the principles of firewood to He Pingsheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The firewood used for alchemy falls into two categories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One is hard firewood!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other is soft firewood!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soft firewood is used for kindling and generally requires no special qualities—dried straw will suffice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But hard firewood has many classifications.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He categorized them by wood type: elm firewood, chestnut firewood, jujube firewood, paulownia firewood… and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each type of firewood also comes in different sizes: large, medium, and small.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Different elixirs require different kinds of firewood!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go up the mountain, cut firewood, dry it, then chop it into the sizes I need!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The exact specifications are over there—go check for yourself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng walked out of the main hall and circled around to the back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind it stood a shed dedicated to storing firewood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced inside—the wood was abundant, neatly sorted by type and size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng grew curious: “How do you know no one’s come to refine elixirs recently?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Otherwise we’d be unprepared, and they’d end up refining nothing but smoke!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng instantly felt deep respect: “So even the immortals must apply to you in advance?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehehe…” Master Hao chuckled. “Of course… sure, we’re lowly, but sometimes even they need us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet there was a hint of falseness in Master Hao’s smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After surveying everything, He Pingsheng picked up his axe and climbed the mountain to chop trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recognized all kinds of trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chopping wood was no easier than carrying water, yet there was no daily quota—unlike water, firewood was consumed far more slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overall, it was relatively easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He set the basin beside his bed, staring unblinking—he wanted to see how the Treasure Gathering Basin turned one treasure into two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by midnight, the basin remained utterly still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No choice!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t stay awake any longer—he had to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning, his first act was to look into the dark clay basin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To He Pingsheng’s shock, the single pill inside had not moved at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still just one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its quality had not changed in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it just an ordinary basin?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then how to explain what happened before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was someone playing a trick on him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you distracted?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He Pingsheng, you’ve got something on your mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Hao pushed his bowl aside after eating. “Tell me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng hurriedly replied: “No no no…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good!” Master Hao said. “Wash these bowls. I’ll tell you good news.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng picked up the two bowls, washed them clean outside, then returned to the main hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Hao said: “In five days, Elder Yu Xuan from Xiuzhu Peak will come to refine elixirs—and it’s Foundation Establishment Elixir!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng didn’t know what Foundation Establishment Elixir was, but a nervous unease stirred in his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because others had said that when immortals refine elixirs, it’s the most dangerous time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the refinement fails, all the precious herbs gathered at great cost and effort are lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In rage, they might take out their frustration on the elixir attendants and laborer disciples—wounding or crippling them is nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could one not be anxious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh…” Master Hao took a deep breath. “Prepare. Refining Foundation Establishment Elixir requires a lot of chestnut firewood—prepare well, prepare plenty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pray that Elder Yu Xuan succeeds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng didn’t know what Foundation Establishment Elixir was—but Master Hao knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The materials for Foundation Establishment Elixir were incredibly precious—if it failed… hiss… the consequences would be unthinkable!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes… I’ll go at once!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng temporarily forgot about the Treasure Gathering Basin and picked up his axe, heading up the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A day of hard work!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had gathered enough chestnut firewood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the next few days, he only needed to chop the firewood into the correct sizes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nightfall!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in his room!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There sat the black clay basin again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t sleep, watching the basin constantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep into the night, moonlight poured like water from the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thread of moonlight slipped through the window lattice, falling upon the blue stone floor in dappled, soft, serene patches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant, He Pingsheng stirred with excitement again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No problem!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Treasure Gathering Basin was truly functional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moonlight, moon essence, merged into the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The water seemed unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after watching it for an hour, he noticed its color had subtly turned greener.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it seemed slightly more abundant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Green water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emerald green, like jade, reflecting the morning sun in a lush, shimmering hue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relieved!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Proof—this was truly a Treasure Gathering Basin!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Splash…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng poured the entire basin of water onto the floor beneath his bed as fast as he could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This thing, no matter what, couldn’t be kept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the water vanished, it could re-form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if anyone noticed anything strange, he was finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the water hit the ground, a refreshingly pure scent instantly filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just breathing it in brought a sense of peace and clarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng thought: Could this water be drunk?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now wasn’t the time to investigate—he’d catch a squirrel later and test it on that.\u003C\u002Fp>",1079,"2026-06-21T04:08:57.694Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","97f89c4be8a48adb8bcebf2c3c0a474cc7351c85a139383a528d3da8ec52b517","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-9","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-7",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-treasure-immortal-basin-cover.jpg"]