NOVEL NEXT Chapter 24 - New Concoctions
"Just as I expected." Jun whispered under her breath. She patted Shui's head affectionately.
Yin Hu could not hear her. Too focused on the Compendium and his next steps. None of them were quick. Rather long arduous steps that would take weeks upon weeks to see results. There were no instant change pills. Even if that time span was ridiculously small in the grand scheme of existing for as long as a cultivator did.
Some stories had them living for tens of thousands of years. A week or two were minuscule in comparison.
"Ancestor…?" Jun said carefully.
He looked up to see the two girls staring at him. Both had blank expressions. Yin Hu had been reading for some time while ignoring them completely. Forgetting they were there. He actually started enjoying the process. Taking pleasure in studying and reading this subject matter in preparation for making moves.
The entire week just focused on this since he finally decided to stay with them on the first day. It was a sense of purpose that he lacked while stuck on the isolated island. A goal to accomplish with others around him.
"What is that?" Shui pointed at his legs.
Yin Hu looked down at where she was pointing. The Spiritual-Root Purification Pill had been exposed slightly during his reading. Rolling a few inches away from him. Unlike the Orb of Dao and Telling's unnatural stillness.
This one was realistic. Acting like a normal sphere and rolling.
He grabbed it before it rolled off the low porch. It would be as simple as waving his hand for it to reappear in his spacial rice bag, but that was just an extra step wasted. He didn't like showing off his inventory to anyone more than necessary.
"This?" Yin hu thought about letting the girls hold it. He threw that idea out. Quickly. "Nothing special really. A Spiritual-Root Purification Pill."
It's no Sage Tear. That's for sure. The basics to get Jun to the bare minimum before we can finally start the process.
"What?" Jun reeled back. "What did you say?"
"A spiritual-Root Purification Pill." Shui answered for him. "That's what he said."
Yin Hu nodded. "You'll need it, Jun. Though there are a few more steps that I need to finish before it's ready."
The Compendium had a ten step process of mixing spiritual herbs, spiritual beast cores, and the Spiritual-Root Purification Pill to create a more potent version of the pill. A drinkable liquid that became their secret elixir. Miraculous supposedly.
Did everything the Spiritual-Root Purification Pill did without any strain on the spirit or her dantian. He worried that he'd mess it up. But the Compendium made it seem very simple. No special technique. No Qi needed to manipulate them. No fire. Just place everything in and crush, smash, then add water and mix.
That was it.
"Me?!"
"Yes, you." He said, already looking down at his book.
He pulled out a high level mortar and pestle that promised almost guaranteed success in its description. Super sage dragon conquering leviathan of the seven seas of crimson wakes and falls. Or some such ridiculous name. He made sure to ignore most of it because it was simply too long.
"I-I can't." Her voice trembled. "This is too valuable—"
Yin Hu looked up with a frown.
"Far too valuable for someone like me. Hu Shui deserves the honor. She's your direct descendent. My blood. It's not pure. Not clean. She's perfect and full of potential. She—"
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Shit! She's spiraling again. This is my fault! I really need to be careful around her in these instances.
"Do you truly think your ancestor is so poor?"
He tried to give her a big smile. But he was sure it was awkward and forced. Completely unlike what he imagined it to be when he tried it. Then again, it was better than what he'd been doing so far. Crushing her fragile ego and embarrassing her.
"What?" She looked confused. Then her eyes began to widen.
The answer to her own question dawned on her.
Good! Make good assumptions from my words. Not bad ones like you usually do!
It felt great to have misinterpretations finally work in his favor. Even if it was tiny ones like this. He needed a few wins to balance out all the losses he'd been facing one after the other. Hopefully it was a string of successes rather than a one off.
Jun took a deep breath. She giggled. Whispering to herself like a madman. Eyes wide and scary.
Yin Hu decided it was better to ignore what was clearly an insane arc Jun was overcoming. As long as she was insane for the Hu clan. No expression. Super focused on the words in the Compendium. Shui joined her giggling and laughter a few seconds later.
She looked as lost as he did. But was happy to be involved in any way shape or form.
He wasn't sure how long she kept talking to herself and occasionally whispering to Shui for. It didn't matter. Jun being preoccupied with being crazy bought him time to bring out all the items and start his process of making the elixir.
God. I hope this works.
Yin Hu did as he was told. Not once attempting to stray or even be slightly off any metrics and measurements they required of him.
One flame element spirit beast core of the Immortal rank. Check and crushed. Two plant element spirit beast cores of the Mortal rank. Check and crushed. The Spiritual-Root Purification Pill crushed after the first two. And mixed with water thoroughly. Then add two leaves of a Lotus King's Flower, half a strand of an Fury Phoenix Grass, and a bunch more of the wildly named flora.
Pour it into a bottle and shake well. Shake well before each use.
Yin Hu followed the steps with extreme focus. Not once noticing the girls stopped playing and laughing with each other. Watching him intently. He didn't break out his trance until he poured the elixir into a bottle. Three of them full. As suggested by the Compendium.
He sealed the last bottle. Let out a heavy sigh and leaned back onto his arms. He waited for the signal of success he was expecting. The system should react to it. It always reacted to new things around it, especially if he made it.
The system chimed.
A smile spread across his face.
Congratulations on your first Alchemic Concoction!
Reward 600,000 exp
Reward Cauldron of the Phantom Alchemist of the DeathWastes of Brumilda
You've created three whole bottles of 'Dragon Emperor Yazhu's Miraculous Potion!'
Dragon Emperor Yazhu's Miraculous Potion - An emperor of the Dao Dynasty. Yazhu was obsessed with the perfection of his lineage's Spiritual Roots. Hoping to extend his progenies' reign for another hundred thousand years. In his madness, he created many abominations, but also a single miracle. Forgotten in time and lost to the annals of history. His lineage died three thousand and forty seven years later when the final Hao Emperor was slain by the first Cheng Ruler.
He felt the cauldron appear in his spacial rice bag. White and opaque. Ghostly hands floated around it to haunt any person that dared use it. Threatening him.
Another useless item into the long list of useless rewards. The system really sucks at giving them.
Yin Hu noted how detailed the system was when explaining what the item was and its history. Everything that was missing from the Compendium. It being miraculous was in the book. That and it was created by some ancient Emperor. Who or what happened to them was not available. Yet the system knew exactly what it was and how it had been made to a tee.
The rest of his items were like this too. How did it know what happened to the Sage who supposedly killed himself and everyone else on their entire planet in the description of the Sage Tear? Was it making stuff up?
He hoped not.
Jun cleared her throat. Yin Hu looked up to see the two girls staring at him. He quickly gathered himself and straightened his posture. Hoping he hadn't exposed himself. The mantra he made for himself returned with renewed fury. He needed to channel its energy.
I am an ancient master! Ancestor of a once mighty family!
"Take this." He handed Jun the closest bottle of D.E.Y.M.P. and his the rest in his spacial pouch.
Shui tried to grab it from his hand. "What about me?"
"I'll make one for you later. This is for Jun."
"Okay." Shui sagged. Clearly upset she couldn't catch his hands or the bottle.
Jun accepted it with both hands. Trembling. She studied it for a few moments before finally looking back at him in askance. She audibly gulped loud enough for both Shui and him to hear. Jun didn't even notice.
"W-What do I do with it?"
Yin Hu blinked at her without letting any expression on his face. He needed to be careful with her emotional state. Anything he said would break her. Quickly. He resolved himself to the most neutral tone he could possibly conjure up that had no hints left or right.
"You drink it."
Shui chortled. Jun turned pink again. The little girl started to howl in laughter when she noticed Jun turning red. A downward spiral for the older girl. Sending her into the abyss of crushed emotions and destroyed ego within seconds.
Yin Hu mentally cursed himself. He'd failed again. There went his theory of stringed successes.