A Song For The Ages

Feiyin's room was quiet, lit only by the soft flickering light of the cauldron's base fire. The scent of herbs, mineral dust, and a faint metallic tang lingered in the air like incense in a temple. Today wasn't about meeting a quota or testing a recipe from a jade slip. It was about pushing the boundaries.

He sat before his cauldron, sleeves rolled up, eyes calm but focused, surrounded by neatly arranged trays of ingredients. Carefully selected, some of them were staples in common pill recipes, while others were rare finds he had exchanged with his saved points, some bought for their known effects, but most for what potential combinations they might reveal.

Today, he would refine an improved version of the vitality pill, a basic healing and body restoration pill, but infused with a trace of stamina replenishment, something he knew Shen Mu could use in his poison experiments and training.

The first step: Extraction.

He took a bundle of Red Boneleaf and gently crushed it between his fingers, feeling the familiar tension of the material resisting, before softening under his guidance. He didn't use essence qi, he couldn't yet guide it outside his body with precision. Instead, he relied on his spiritual sense.

It extended like a web from his mind, delicate yet keen, probing into the fibers of the herb. He visualized the strands of vital energy within the Boneleaf and gently coaxed them out, separating them from the pulp, guiding the vital liquid with the subtle pressure of his will into a prepared vial.

He moved to the next, Blackroot Powder, laying it on a jade plate and directing his spiritual sense through it like a sieve. He felt the heavier components shift beneath his mental touch, allowing the energy-rich particles to separate out, leaving the inert husk behind.

He repeated the process for five more ingredients, each with their own structure and energy density. His spiritual sense danced between them, weaving in and out, measuring and extracting what was necessary.

Extraction complete.

Now: Purification.

He turned to the heated cauldron, adjusting the flames using inner strength. His cauldron was not just a simple piece of equipment. It had been modified subtly, channels that redirected heat in layers, allowing him to heat different parts of the mixture at varying intensities.

He guided each extract into the cauldron one by one, keeping his spiritual sense layered atop the liquid, watching for reaction signs, monitoring the colors and energy pulses.

Lunar Milkdrop extract needed a slow simmer, while Gloom Mint required sharp bursts of heat to retain its potency. His control was meticulous. He used short pulses of inner strength to maintain the fire and his spiritual sense to keep track of every minor fluctuation in the mixture.

Purified, the ingredients pulsed with refined energy. They glowed slightly under his senses, sharper and more potent than before. The bitter edge of Ironpetal had smoothed into something richer, more nourishing.

Now, fusion.

Here lay the challenge. Fusion was more than simple mixing, it required understanding, direction, and purpose.

Feiyin stood up and took a slow breath. His spiritual sense plunged into the cauldron's heart, weaving the now purified extracts together. But this time, he tuned in more deeply to a second layer of awareness, his oscillation sense.

He attuned his perception to the subtle resonance of each extract. Every purified component had a tonal quality to it, a soft hum or buzz that pulsed with distinct rhythm. Fusion wasn't only about blending, it was about finding a shared harmony.

Feiyin imagined the end result, healing with lingering vitality. Not just rapid recovery, but a slow burn of restoration that supported continued action.

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He moved like a conductor, his spiritual sense and oscillation sense layered together. One directed the physical and energetic alignment, while the other listened for the proper harmony, the resonance of success.

Sudden sparks flared as competing energies clashed. The oscillations dissonant, out of tune. Feiyin frowned and retuned his intent, adjusting not just the positions but the frequencies at which each extract vibrated. Gradually, like a disjointed melody finding its rhythm, the chaos began to settle.

After a few minutes, the swirling mass of fused ingredients began to pulse in rhythm, like a newly beating heart, not only whole, but singing in unison.

Refinement.

He allowed the fusion to settle before pushing deeper. He directed his spiritual sense to compress the swirling mass, pushing away impurities, sharpening the effects.

He visualized cutting away the excess, like a sculptor shaping a statue, carving the essence to its ideal form.

The mass contracted, energy compacting into denser, clearer substance.

Then, with a final breath: Stabilization.

He lowered the flame and focused entirely on shaping the pills. Using both hands, he formed spiritual threads like invisible tongs, wrapping around the energy mass and dividing it into nine equal portions.

Each glowed, and he carefully formed them into orbs, reinforcing their structure and smoothing their surfaces.

The pills hardened slowly. With one last inspection using his spiritual sense, he nodded.

They were done.

Nine pills, all perfect.

He placed them into an inscribed jade box and sealed it.

Then he sat down, mind tired but heart calm.

An hour later, after eating and tending to Bai Yu, he turned to his cultivation.

Sitting cross-legged, he drew in world essence using his spiritual sense. It flowed around him like a faint breeze. Subtle, but accessible.

He guided it inward, channeling it into his own essence qi within the body, where it merged, expanded, and began cycling.

Three dantians, each spinning.

Three nexuses, synced by his will alone.

Cultivation wasn't easy, it was a tad slower for him than for others, but he accepted it. He was laying a foundation no one else had.

His mind calmed, his body hummed.

A soft knock echoed before the door slid open, prompted by Feiyin's quiet, "Come in."

Mu stepped inside, a faintly smug look tugging at his lips.

"You're going to like what I found."

Feiyin opened one eye and tilted his head slightly. "Go on."

"There's a cultivation spot deeper in the mountain, called the Molten Cave, with higher essence density and intense natural heat from the volcanic veins below. It's not just a room either, it's a network of underground chambers, each tailored for different cultivation goals. Some are meant for essence cultivation, others for elemental attunement, and a few rare ones allow both simultaneously."

Feiyin raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, controlled by the usual suspects?"

Mu nodded. "Mostly first-class disciples, and a couple of second-class ones who are either well-funded or have faction support. The starting price to use one chamber is 100 points an hour."

Feiyin stood, cracking his neck. "That's more than steep, it's a wall. So who's got the key?"

"Three factions in particular," Mu answered. "The Blood Forge, those muscleheads allied with the Saint Body branch who churn out war tools. Beast Alchemists, who make pills and equipment tailored for beast companions. And the Skyhammer Circle, they specialize in artifact creation, and they've quite a few contracts going on. They all have contracts or deals with deacons, which lets them reserve rooms for days or even weeks."

Feiyin tapped his chin. "Skyhammer, huh… I've heard they're part of the elite circle."

"Yeah. They don't let just anyone in. They gatekeep the best furnaces, the rarest metals, and now the best cultivation chambers."

Feiyin's eyes narrowed, thoughtful. "So, we either spend ourselves dry or…"

"Or make them want us," Mu said, catching on.

Feiyin smiled. "Exactly. They think they've secured everything. But they haven't seen us work yet. We'll raise our value so high, they'll beg us to use their space."

"And if they don't?"

"Then we find leverage. Either way, we won't be left outside for long."

Feiyin crossed his arms. "We need to get in there. For now, we'll have to spend a bit, but we'll soon be earning all of that back, and more."

"Got a plan?"

"Always."

Feiyin's gaze drifted toward the ceiling.

"We'll make our mark. And once we do… they'll have no choice but to share."