𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐲
Half an hour later, Jiang Chu took Hua Lan out the door.
“Miss, where are we going?”
Hua Lan was delighted that Jiang Chu was willing to take her out, and even more delighted that Jiang Chu’s condition had improved greatly recently, no longer as lifeless as before, so she was full of joy after leaving the house.
“We’re going to the Treasure Medicine Pavilion,” Jiang Chu looked up at the sky and said.
The weather was comfortable, and the birds were singing sweetly, and with a new goal in mind, she felt much more cheerful.
“Oh, are we going to our store? Miss, do you need something?” Hua Lan asked in surprise.
“Mm, I found a recipe in a book, and it might help my body.”
Hua Lan was overjoyed, “Really? That’s great, let’s hurry then!”
“Hua Lan’er.”
Looking at her bouncing maid, Jiang Chu tapped her on the head and said, “Talk less, ask less, learn more, be more observant. If you can’t do that, I won’t take you with me in the future.”
Hua Lan was startled for a moment, but Jiang Chu had already walked away.
In Jiang Chu’s eyes, Hua Lan was loyal and kind enough, but she was a bit too curious, always digging deep and asking questions. No master would like such a servant.
In her previous life, she liked to be alone. Even after rising in status, she only hired some servants to handle trivial matters like cleaning and laundry, and no one dared to ask questions in her presence.
But Hua Lan, she asked too many questions.
She’d tell her this once, and if she continued, she might not take her out again.
“Treasure Medicine Pavilion.”
After arriving at the shop and stopping, she read the three big characters on the sign, and then Jiang Chu walked in first.
Hua Lan opened her mouth but quickly closed it again.
No wonder her previous Miss didn’t like to take her out and rarely talked to her. Could it be that she was too talkative and annoying?
Hua Lan finally understood the reason, and she clenched her fists.
She would change, she would definitely not annoy them again!
“Chu Chu? You’re here.”
The old shopkeeper’s surname was Gu, and Jiang Chu always called him Uncle Gu.
“Uncle Gu, could you help me refine some pills?” Taking a recipe from her sleeve, Jiang Chu handed it over, “I found this in a book, and if I take it, I might be able to practice my martial arts again.”
Shopkeeper Gu was over sixty, and he was no ordinary person.
He was a five-star martial artist and also a profound-level alchemist.
Shopkeeper Gu used to be a bounty hunter. Ten years ago, he and his son went on a journey and encountered villains who tried to steal their newly acquired spiritual grass. During the fight, his son was severely injured, and they were in a dire situation. The Jiang Family’s couple and their small team appeared and saved them.
However, Shopkeeper Gu expended his energy in the fight, causing his martial arts to stagnate, and his son Gu Lei, although saved with the help of the Jiang Family’s couple, was left with lingering injuries.
After that day, Shopkeeper Gu lost the heart to continue adventuring and instead learned the art of pill refining while working as a shopkeeper. Surprisingly, he had great talent in pill refining, and even at an older age, he made rapid progress, becoming a profound-level alchemist in just a few years.
His son, Gu Lei, also found work and married early, having a child.
Out of gratitude for the Jiang Family’s couple for saving their lives, Shopkeeper Gu voluntarily came to take care of their business and also became the shop’s alchemist. Most of the pills sold in the shop were made by him.
It was only because of the life-and-death relationship between Jiang Family’s couple and him that they were able to hire such a powerful shopkeeper.
“You can practice martial arts again? What’s the recipe? Let me see!”
Shopkeeper Gu had watched Jiang Chu grow up and was deeply concerned about her condition. After the incident, many of the pills that Jiang Chu had taken were personally made by him. Unfortunately, they were not effective and could not repair her dantian.
Now hearing that there was a chance, he excitedly snatched the pill recipe.
“Du Ling grass, Cang Yan beast blood. . . . . .”
Shopkeeper Gu’s eyes brightened as he looked, “We have these materials in our shop right now! I’ll go and refine it for you!”
The medicinal herbs listed by Jiang Chu were all common, except for the blood of the Cang Yan beast, which was more precious. But the blood of this beast was often used in many pill recipes, and Shopkeeper Gu, being an alchemist, needed it regularly, so the shop never ran out. Now it could be directly used.
He glanced at the recipe, noticing it was a new pill recipe he had never seen before. There were no conflicting medicinal properties, and it was non-toxic and should be safe.
“Uncle Gu, I want to see it too,” Jiang Chu said.
“Alright, you come in and see too. Wait a moment, I’ll close the shop door first.”
Shopkeeper Gu was so excited that his beard almost curled up. He took the pill recipe and wanted to enter the alchemy room, but thought of something and went to close the shop door first.
To prevent customers from coming in and disturbing the alchemy process.
“Hua Lan, wait here.”
After speaking to Hua Lan, Jiang Chu followed Uncle Gu into the alchemy room.
The alchemy room was specially treated, with formations on the walls that could withstand high temperatures, resist shocks, and soundproof.
So even if the furnace exploded, it wouldn’t easily collapse the house.
“This pill doesn’t look difficult, and it only requires a profound-level. But I might not succeed in one try.”
After preparing the materials, Shopkeeper Gu said.
“It’s okay, I will remind you,” Jiang Chu almost said the word ‘guide’, “I read about the detailed process in a book, but I forgot to bring it.”
“That’s even better.”
Shopkeeper Gu smiled, ready to start the furnace.
He first ignited the furnace’s core fire, then step by step threw in the medicinal herbs.
As he worked, Jiang Chu sat by his side, watching intently.
Everything went well until the fourth herb when Jiang Chu spoke, “Wait two more breaths. . . . . .okay, put it in quickly.”
Subconsciously, Shopkeeper Gu obeyed her and delayed adding the herb.
After placing it, he nervously checked the furnace’s state but found it very stable, with no signs of turbulence.
He looked at Jiang Chu in surprise, having questions but no time to ask, as the next ingredient needed to be added.
“Uncle Gu, reduce the furnace’s fire a bit after adding this material,” Jiang Chu said.
The process in the book was so detailed that it even included this?
Astonished, Shopkeeper Gu complied.
At the same time as he reduced the fire, the medicinal liquid inside began to collide, even emitting sparks.
Shopkeeper Gu was covered in cold sweat. If the fire had been higher, the medicine might have been ruined.
Many professions have similarities, like divination having a daily limit; the same applies to alchemy. Even the most skilled alchemist can’t refine pills non-stop, as physical stamina can’t support it.
Jiang Chu wasn’t afraid that Shopkeeper Gu would fail this pill; failure meant only spending more on materials. But she cared that Shopkeeper Gu wouldn’t be able to start a second pill that day if he failed.
So if possible, it would be best to succeed in one try!
(End of the chapter)
