After Breaking Off the Engagement, I Started Pursuing My Master-Chapter 79 - Fully Automatic Pill Furnace

Chapter 79: Fully Automatic Pill Furnace

Tianxuan Sect, pharmacy.

When Jiang Huai arrived at the pharmacy, several elders were instructing their disciples to sort the medicinal herbs. Upon seeing Jiang Huai, the elders stood up to greet him.

“What brings you here? And who is this?”

“This is Junior Sister Wen Wanwan from Huangjian Mountain.”

Jiang Huai had been holding Wen Wanwan’s hand all the way. The elders took a second look, and one elder who was closer to Jiang Huai smiled and teased.

“Hmm? You’ve been looking quite spirited lately. Your face is glowing.”

“Come here, young lady, a gift for our first meeting.”

Elder Fang tossed over a porcelain bottle. Wen Wanwan was about to refuse, but Jiang Huai caught it and whispered in her ear.

“Elder Fang and I are on good terms. Usually, it’s him taking advantage of me. It’s rare to get one over on him.”

Elder Fang, his beard quivering with indignation, retorted, “What do you mean I take advantage of you?”

“Hehe, just a mere thief of techniques.”

Jiang Huai placed Elder Fang’s small gift into Wen Wanwan’s palm, and they sat down on a bench. Then he looked up at the elders.

“Have there been any extra pill refining orders lately?”

“You’re looking to take on some?”

“Ah, yes, I’m a bit short on cash lately.”

“How about refining five hundred Qi Recovery Pills?”

“That’s too little, not worth the effort.”

“There happens to be a lucrative order, but it’s urgent. How many can you refine in a day?”

“Up to five thousand. However many you have, I’ll refine that many in a day, guaranteeing over fifty percent of perfect quality.”

“Are you serious?”

“When have I ever lied to you?”

“Three thousand Qi Recovery Pills. I’ll provide the materials and pay you three thousand spirit stones for your trouble, but by this time tomorrow, I want to see the pills.”

Elder Liu spoke to Jiang Huai, who nodded lightly, “Okay.”

“Wait here, I’ll go get the materials for you.”

“And pay me five hundred spirit stones upfront as a deposit.”

“You little…”

Elder Liu laughed helplessly, stood up, and went to the pharmacy’s backyard. Soon after, he came out with a storage ring containing the materials for over three thousand Qi Recovery Pills and five hundred spirit stones.

Jiang Huai took the materials and spirit stones and stood up with Wen Wanwan, heading towards the courtyard.

……

Qi Recovery Pills were yellow-grade pills and consumables that could significantly restore spiritual energy. Many cultivators needed them during sword practice or when adventuring outside when their spiritual energy was exhausted. The selling price was ten spirit stones per pill.

The materials for Qi Recovery Pills cost about seven spirit stones, and the price Elder Liu offered Jiang Huai to refine them was one spirit stone per pill. In fact, Jiang Huai could have asked for more, but his business was already extremely profitable, so he didn’t bother to raise the price, considering it a favor done smoothly.

Jiang Huai and Wen Wanwan returned to the courtyard, where Chu Xianning was sitting by the pond, lost in thought.

“I’m back.” Jiang Huai greeted Chu Xianning, who also noticed Wen Wanwan beside him.

Their eyes met for a moment; Chu Xianning’s gaze was as cool as ever, while Wen Wanwan still looked timid and slightly eager to please.

After the greetings, Jiang Huai led Wen Wanwan to the bamboo grove in the backyard and moved out his pill furnace. It was a large one, a gift from Chu Xianning, capable of refining heavenly-grade pills, but Jiang Huai had slightly modified it. He poured out all the materials from the storage ring, which were already sorted. Jiang Huai turned to Wen Wanwan.

“I need to trouble Junior Sister Wanwan to help me. Take one of each type of material and throw it into the furnace.”

Wen Wanwan obediently began to select the materials, and after everything was ready, Jiang Huai checked them and watched her throw the materials into the furnace. Then he took out an array plate, threw a spirit stone into it to activate the spiritual energy, and placed it under his pill furnace.

The pill furnace started up, emitting steam. Jiang Huai explained to Wen Wanwan.

“In about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the pills will be ready and will drop out on their own. Just catch them, and the residue will fall from that spout. Then you just need to place another spirit stone on the array plate and throw the materials in again.”

Wen Wanwan was still somewhat confused, as she knew nothing about pill refining, but listening to Jiang Huai, it seemed… not too difficult.

Jiang Huai brought over a stool, and they sat watching the steam rise. After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the pills clattered down, and Wen Wanwan, prepared, caught them with a cloth. There were ninety-six Qi Recovery Pills, with over sixty percent of perfect quality.

The next steps were just a repeat: put the materials into the furnace, add a spirit stone to the array plate, and the furnace would start, automatically producing pills after the time it took for an incense stick to burn.

“Got it all?”

“Understood.”

“Great, then I’ll leave it to you, Wanwan. I’m going to cook dinner, and I’ll call you when it’s time to eat.”

Wen Wanwan nodded obediently and began to sort the materials seriously, preparing for the next batch to be put into the furnace. Jiang Huai left about thirty spirit stones there. Refining these three thousand Qi Recovery Pills would cost Jiang Huai only thirty spirit stones, but he would earn three thousand. It was a pity that the pharmacy didn’t always have such lucrative orders. Currently, Jiang Huai had only researched the arrays for Qi Recovery Pills, Gathering Qi Pills, and Healing Pills, so he could only mass-produce these three types of pills.

Jiang Huai returned to the courtyard, where Chu Xianning was still sitting by the pond, daydreaming. He approached her from behind and asked softly

“Does Master have any particular dish you’d like to eat tonight? I’m going down the mountain tomorrow, and it will probably be about half a month before I return.”

“Have the cabbages outside the yard grown yet?” Chu Xianning asked softly.

“They’re ready, crisp and tender. Do you want vinegar-flavored cabbage or dried shrimp and tofu stew?”

“The stew.”

“Alright, I’ll go pick them now.”

Jiang Huai stood up and went to the vegetable garden outside the courtyard, picking several heads of cabbage. He returned to the kitchen, tied on an apron, and got to work. The kitchen filled with steam, and Chu Xianning stood at the kitchen door, silently watching him.

“Are you all prepared for your trip down the mountain tomorrow?”

“Yes, the last time I went to Qingxuan Sect, Luo Yueguan gave me the leftover materials she had from refining the Immaculate Golden Body years ago. I saved the spirit stones Master gave me and spent a hundred thousand on a protective artifact. There’s some left over. Would Master like to take some first?”

“Keep it for yourself.”

Chu Xianning replied indifferently, as she herself had no need to spend spirit stones.

Over the years, she had saved up a modest amount of spirit stones. As an eighth realm cultivator, spirit stones had little to no effect on her cultivation progress.

“Alright. Also, I plan to have Wen Wanwan take over some Qi Recovery Pill refining orders from the pharmacy while I’m away. I hope Master can look after her and make sure she’s not bullied, though there shouldn’t be any trouble.”

“Alright.” Chu Xianning nodded lightly.

“There’s one more thing.”

Jiang Huai turned to look into Chu Xianning’s eyes but then seemed unsure how to proceed.

“Go ahead.” Chu Xianning noticed the hesitation in Jiang Huai’s eyes.

“I was thinking… if it’s convenient for Master, could you perhaps give Wen Wanwan some guidance on swordsmanship during these days? Of course, if Master is busy or not inclined, it’s okay to refuse.”

Th𝓮 most uptodate nov𝑒ls are publish𝒆d on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.

When Jiang Huai taught Wen Wanwan the Slashing the Mist technique, Chu Xianning was sitting nearby. Although it was Chu Xianning’s own creation, Jiang Huai knew she wasn’t petty. She didn’t care to take on disciples, and she wouldn’t mind if her sword techniques spread.

“If Master doesn’t like the idea, it’s fine.”

Jiang Huai quickly added after asking, his eyes showing no disappointment. He hadn’t intended to pressure Chu Xianning.

“After you leave, have her come to the courtyard every day. I’ll instruct her for an hour.”

Chu Xianning spoke indifferently, her expression on her cheeks remaining detached. Jiang Huai couldn’t read her emotions.

“Then she’ll be in Master’s care. I’ll probably pass by Ziyun Pavilion on my way down the mountain. Is there anything Master would like me to bring?”

“No, take care of yourself and don’t act impulsively.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of myself.”

Jiang Huai nodded gently, then turned back to continue carefully tending to the food in the pot while Chu Xianning also left the kitchen.

……

After preparing dinner, Jiang Huai went to the backyard to find Wen Wanwan still intently watching the pill furnace, her beautiful eyes unblinking as if afraid that something might go wrong. At the moment the pills were formed, she was ready with a white cloth to catch the rolling pills, carefully separating the residue to one side. In the time it took Jiang Huai to cook, she had already refined over seven hundred pills.

“Alright, let’s eat first,” Jiang Huai said softly to her.

“I’ve discussed it with Master, and from tomorrow on, if Wen Wanwan wishes, she can come to my courtyard every day. Master will teach you sword practice for an hour each day.”

“Master may seem aloof, but she’s actually very kind-hearted, so you don’t need to worry.”

Jiang Huai added softly, walking with Wen Wanwan to the dining table where Chu Xianning was already sitting quietly, waiting.

Jiang Huai had prepared a sumptuous dinner and had also reserved a portion for Wen Fufu.

After dinner, Wen Wanwan followed Jiang Huai back to the backyard. Pill refining was actually quite simple; even a teenager could do it if properly instructed.

Jiang Huai sat with Wen Wanwan, chatting under the stars while watching the pill furnace. More than half an hour later, the pill refining was complete, yielding a total of 3,172 pills. Jiang Huai stored 3,000 of them in a storage ring and handed the remaining over 400 spirit stones and the extra 172 Qi Recovery Pills to Wen Wanwan, saying.

“Alright, this is your hard-earned reward.”

Wen Wanwan shook her head in panic, about to refuse, but Jiang Huai blinked innocently at her,

“Since you’re preparing for Core Formation, you’ll need a lot of spirit stones to stabilize your Foundation Establishment. That way, if you encounter the energy of the heavenly Dao in the Daoji Ancestral Land, you’ll have the chance to form a Heavenly Dao Golden Core.”

“Senior Brother Jiang Huai always has such compelling reasons…”

“Just accept it. After all, you were the one busy working while I was sitting around and got 2,500 spirit stones for nothing,” Jiang Huai said, not waiting for Wen Wanwan to refuse again, and took her hand.

“Alright, let’s take the evening meal to Fufu, then deliver the goods to the pharmacy. I have some things to explain to the elders there.”