Chapter 14
Baek-Cheong’s eyes widened as large as lanterns.
Her grandfather’s proposal was beyond unconventional; it was shocking.
It meant he intended to tie down an Alchemist Grandmaster - revered by all in the Cultivation World as Yak-seon - as a Clan guest and his Granddaughter’s exclusive private tutor.
“W-What?”
Gok Jang-Ro was also flustered by the unexpected proposal, letting out a series of dry coughs.
Everyone believed that Gok Jang-Ro, the world-renowned Yak-seon, being bound to a specific Clan was something Unprecedented and would never happen again.
“Mu-ae, your joke goes too far. No matter how close we are, asking me to nest in one Clan and teach a child… To become my Disciple, one must naturally wander with me and personally harvest the spirit herbs of heaven and Earth…”
Before Gok Jang-Ro could even finish his sentence
Baek Mu-Ae smiled warmly and drove the wedge in.
“I will grant you the authority to freely research and use the colony of Vermilion Silver Grass (Vermilion Silver Grass) growing in our Baek Clan’s northern Spirit Herb Garden.”
“Ahem!”
Gok Jang-Ro’s voice abruptly cut off.
Vermilion Silver Grass, considered one of the finest spirit medicines, was famous for its atrocious cultivation conditions.
It was a precious medicinal ingredient that grew in a large-scale colony within the Yeonha Baek Clan’s northern Spirit Herb Garden.
It was one of the ingredients Gok Jang-Ro had been coveting to develop a new medicinal pill.
“Furthermore,”
Baek Mu-Ae went a step further and added a massive condition.
“I will open the Clan’s storehouse and fully support all the medicinal ingredients needed for Cheong-Yi’s Training and Pill Refining. You only need to lay the foundation for the child to handle fire and understand the properties of medicine. It’s not as if I’m asking you to be bound by formally establishing a Master-Disciple Relationship, is it?”
Gok Jang-Ro’s beard trembled slightly.
The proposal was far too sweet to refuse.
Being able to continue his research while using unlimited amounts of the top-tier medicinal ingredients he desired, on top of observing and teaching a Prodigy who perfectly handled the Five Elements with delicate Qi Manipulation right by his side, was an irresistible temptation for an Alchemist.
“Ngh… If you’re going to go that far, Mu-ae.”
Gok Jang-Ro let out a loud dry cough and reluctantly nodded.
“Fine. I will stay with the Baek Clan for a while and pass down the Knack for handling fire and the method to handle the energy of medicinal herbs to that child. But keep in mind, I am not taking her in as a formal Disciple.”
Sighs of relief and exclamations erupted from all over the garden.
The mere fact that Yak-seon was staying with the Clan would cause the Yeonha Baek Clan’s prestige in the Cultivation World to rise several levels.
An unconcealable look of joy spread across the faces of Baek Mu-Jin and the Elders.
However, amidst the heartwarming atmosphere, the only person who fell into a swamp of despair was Baek-Cheong.
‘I’m doomed…’
Outwardly, Baek-Cheong smiled brightly and expressed her gratitude, but inwardly, she was weeping tears of blood.
Her earlier panic over not wanting to walk the boring and pedantic path of an Alchemist was put to shame; she had ended up completely trapped inside the tiger’s den.
A terrible future flashed before her eyes - one where she couldn’t even dream of browsing the forums because she’d be stuck smelling medicinal herbs and focusing on Fire Control every single day.
* * *
“This is basically lockdown tutoring.”
After the banquet ended and she returned to her Abode, Baek-Cheong sprawled out on her bed and buried her face in her pillow.
It was a massive disaster brought about by her shallow plan to empty her grandfathers' wallets and score spirit medicines comfortably.
“I was just planning to roll around in my room and grow my spirit root with top-grade medicinal pills. Now I’m stuck sitting in front of a pill furnace fanning flames.”
Feeling frustrated, Baek-Cheong moved her Divine Sense and logged into the Nameless Forum.
As always, the Chat Board was noisy, but today, the Dao Friends' nonsense posts just weren’t catching her eye.
She was about to write a Provocative Post to relieve her stress, but she hesitated.
Then, she carefully typed out what she was curious about.
『Dao Friend (913.14): What’s it like becoming an Alchemist?』
[Today, an Alchemist Grandmaster told me I have a Talent for Pill Refining and asked me to learn from him.]
It was a question post that ignored the usual nature of the Forum Board, but it wasn’t long before a string of red notifications popped up.
[Dao Friend (11.23): Your pathological lying is seriously at a disease-level. Why would an Alchemist Grandmaster teach someone like you?]
[Dao Friend (88.4): An Alchemist? You make a lot of money, but it’s dirty, exhausting, and difficult. It’s a three-hardship profession. If the pill furnace explodes, you won’t even have bones left to collect. Even if you’re lucky, you’ll spend your whole life sweating in front of a fire.]
[Dao Friend (201.9): If you have the Talent, absolutely do it. Where else in the Cultivation World can you find a job treated as well as an Alchemist’s? Just make medicinal pills and sell them at the Marketplace, and your spirit stones will multiply.]
Among the various reactions, Dao Friend (88.4)'s phrase “three hardships profession” dug deep into Baek-Cheong’s heart.
Even in her past life, she hated hard work and only guarded her spot in front of the computer.
She didn’t have the slightest intention of doing grueling labor even after coming to the Cultivation World.
“I won’t do it. I absolutely can’t.”
Baek-Cheong pouted and closed the Nameless Forum.
She had to figure out a way to somehow slack off during Yak-seon’s lessons and only siphon off the medicinal pills.
* * *
The next morning.
With heavy steps, Baek-Cheong headed to the Pill Room located on the outskirts of the Clan.
The Pill Room was filled with the smell of medicinal herbs and acrid smoke.
In the center, a massive Bronze Pill Furnace sat, emitting a red aura.
Gok Jang-Ro had his sleeves rolled up and was adjusting the fire in front of the pill furnace.
“Oh, Cheong-Yi, you’re here.”
Gok Jang-Ro welcomed Baek-Cheong with a benevolent smile.
However, his stern demeanor from the banquet was nowhere to be found; his eyes were sparkling like a child who had discovered a rare toy.
“The Qi Control you displayed yesterday with the Five Elements Shield was truly astonishing. Pill Refining also requires delicately controlling Fire Qi to extract the essence of the medicinal herbs, and then using Wood Qi to gently wrap and bind the essence together.”
Without warning, Gok Jang-Ro pointed to the ingredients placed on the table alongside his long explanation.
Shriveled medicinal herbs were mixed in among ordinary ingredients like various grain powders, crushed nuts, and honey.
“These are the ingredients for making a basic Fasting Pill. It’s a medicinal pill that any cultivator can easily make, even without a pill furnace. I will demonstrate first, so watch closely and follow along.”
Gok Jang-Ro summoned Fire Elemental Energy in his palm and began to decoct the medicinal herbs.
Surprisingly, the medicinal herbs melted into a transparent liquid under his touch.
The subsequent process of infusing Wood Elemental Energy to bind the liquid and ingredients together into a cohesive mass was as natural as flowing water.
In a single breath, three fasting pills were completed.
“Now, it’s your turn. The key is to maintain a constant Fire Temperature.”
Baek-Cheong forced a smile and approached the table.
Inwardly, she grumbled, ‘What’s the point of making something that barely even counts as a medicinal pill?’ but outwardly, she picked up the medicinal herbs with a serious expression.
She drew up Fire Elemental Energy from her Dantian and wrapped the energy around her palm.
“Ah!”
The medicinal herbs on Baek-Cheong’s palm instantly turned into pitch-black ash.
Because she had poured out the energy all at once just as she had when making the Five Elements Shield, the heat was far too intense.
“Haha, it’s always like that at first. Try reducing the Fire Qi to a tenth of what it was just now.”
Gok Jang-Ro didn’t reprimand her, but gently coaxed her.
Baek-Cheong picked up the medicinal herbs again and focused on Fire Control.
However, the deep-seated reluctance and refusal to do it made her Flow of Qi sluggish.
Dozens of medicinal herb roots turned into piles of ash, and the room filled with acrid smoke.
“Cough, cough. It’s not easy, grandfather Yak-seon.”
Baek-Cheong inhaled the smoke and coughed continuously, pretending to be pitiful.
Her intention was to feign incompetence to make Gok Jang-Ro give up on her.
However, Gok Jang-Ro’s eyes shone even more intensely instead.
“Your clumsy control is merely a lack of experience. The purity when you draw up Fire Elemental Energy is the best I’ve seen from all the disciples I’ve taught so far. Don’t give up, and try to feel the Flow of Qi.”
Instead, Gok Jang-Ro stuck close to Baek-Cheong’s side and began to meticulously point out every single detail of her Meridian Manipulation.
Baek-Cheong’s trick had missed the mark completely.
Her acting skills were insufficient to deceive the old man crazy about Pill Refining.
It wasn’t until the afternoon that Baek-Cheong barely managed to produce a single, squashed fasting pill.
Its surface was lumpy, and its color was close to a murky poop-brown.
“Oho! What astonishing comprehension indeed, to forge your first fasting pill in just half a day! Since you understand quickly, your manual dexterity is good too!”
Gok Jang-Ro cheered as he looked at the squashed fasting pill.
Baek-Cheong stared into space with an expression that looked as if her soul had left her body.
“Um, grandfather. Can I rest for today? I feel like my Dantian is completely empty.”
At Baek-Cheong’s pitiful voice, Gok Jang-Ro realized his mistake and slapped his forehead.
“My goodness, This Old Man got too excited and overworked himself. Yes, go back and rest for today.”
Gok Jang-Ro took out a red jade bottle from his robes and pressed it into Baek-Cheong’s hand.
“This is a top-grade Crimson Flame Pill that I refined myself. It will bolster the Fire Elemental Energy within you and help fill your Dantian. Let’s meet again tomorrow morning.”
Baek-Cheong accepted the Crimson Flame Pill, bowed deeply, and fled out of the Pill Room.
On the way back to her Abode, her legs felt as heavy as lead, but every time she looked at the jade bottle in her hand, the corners of her mouth twitched upward.
“Making medicinal pills is the worst, but the rewards are definitely guaranteed.”
As soon as she arrived in her room, she sat in the Lotus Position on her bed and swallowed the top-grade Crimson Flame Pill.
The hot energy of the Top-grade Medicinal Pill traveled down her esophagus and joined the Cycle of Five Elements Mutual Generation.
Her Dantian expanded, and the roots of her spirit root grew, albeit faintly.
A sense of euphoria seemed to wash over her entire body, wiping away the fatigue of the grueling day.
“If it’s like this, it’s bearable.”
Having recovered her energy, Baek-Cheong logged into the Nameless Forum without fail.
This was the only place she could relieve the stress she had suffered from all day.
『Dao Friend (913.14): Any idiot can be an Alchemist.』
[I succeeded in making a fasting pill in half a day. It’s poop-colored, but it probably won’t kill me if I eat it. The Alchemist profession is hella overhyped.]
As soon as she posted it, red notifications flashed like crazy.
[Dao Friend (11.23): Are you asking to be treated like an Alchemist just because you made a fasting pill? Unbelievable.]
[Dao Friend (201.9): If you eat a poop-colored fasting pill, your intestines will twist and you’ll suffer Qi Deviation while Training. Absolutely do not eat it.]
[Dao Friend (553.24): If by some one-in-a-million chance everything 913.14 has said so far is true, they’re a Peerless Prodigy fr.]
└Dao Friend (238.19): As if?
└Dao Friend (553.24): True. But why the attitude?
└Dao Friend (238.19): Come find me if you’re mad about it.
Baek-Cheong giggled as she read the Dao Friends' replies.
The way they bickered back and forth among themselves was no different from a comedy routine.
“Pfft… Idiots…”
However, because it had been an exhausting day, her eyes began to close without her realizing it.
And before she even knew it, she buried her face in her pillow and fell fast asleep.