His proficiency in brewing Blood Vitality Pills had indeed increased by one point. Lu Zhiyuan let out a small breath of relief. Some insights into brewing the pills had appeared in his mind as well.
He finished the stir-fried pork liver in a few mouthfuls. Since the trigger condition specified no quantity, he had used as little as possible. There had been only a few pieces in the pan to begin with.
What he had bought would allow him to stir-fry pork liver several dozen more times. But that would not be enough to reach Proficient in brewing Blood Vitality Pills.
Carefully, he cut off a tiny bit of liver and tossed it into the pan. He wanted to see how small a portion the panel would accept.
A moment later, a piece of stir-fried pork liver barely the size of a fingernail came out of the pan. He smiled. Another insight into brewing Blood Vitality Pills had appeared in his mind.
He looked at the remaining liver. There was enough for a hundred or more practice attempts!
Full of enthusiasm, he threw himself into stir-frying pork liver, working until he forgot everything else.
Two hours later, all the liver had been cooked. He was rather tired of eating it. It was the same dish every time, after all, and his cooking was decidedly average.
None of that mattered. The panel now showed his proficiency in brewing Blood Vitality Pills as Proficient.
At Proficient, he could successfully brew Blood Vitality Pills in every batch, without furnace explosions or failed pills.
Their appearance was not yet guaranteed to be perfect, but selling them should pose little problem.
"Should I sell them to the clinic, or to other shops in the marketplace?"
He considered it. Household guards faced far fewer restrictions than menials. The clinic no longer claimed all their extra earnings. A rule like that would drive every guard away.
If a household guard acquired something valuable, selling it to the clinic was preferable, and the clinic would pay fairly. But Blood Vitality Pills certainly did not count as valuable.
His hesitation came from another concern: would revealing his skill in alchemy attract too much attention?
"I'll sell them to the clinic!"
A little thought settled the matter. These were only ordinary Blood Vitality Pills. Showing some value would make the clinic take him more seriously.
At present, he was completely marginal among its household guards.
This world was dangerous. His experience on Mount Stillshade had taught him that. When dangerous assignments arose, the cannon fodder would surely go first.
And people on the margins were easily turned into cannon fodder.
Having decided, he tidied up and hurried back to the clinic. He found Jia Shiheng in the alchemy room.
"Just leave the pill formula on the table."
Jia Shiheng glanced up, then returned to the medical book in his hands. He assumed Lu Zhiyuan had come to return the formula.
"Master Jia, I've tried brewing Blood Vitality Pills over these two days, and succeeded."
Lu Zhiyuan put down the formula and spoke with a smile.
"Hmm?"
Jia Shiheng frowned slightly, displeased. "I told you a few days ago that the clinic wouldn't provide medicinal ingredients for free."
"Yes. I'll buy one set of ingredients for Blood Vitality Pills and brew a batch here. I hope you'll offer some guidance, Master Jia." Lu Zhiyuan cupped his hands.
"I have no time. Find someone else to guide your alchemy."
Jia Shiheng curled his lip. The boy had studied the formula for only two days and now claimed he could brew Blood Vitality Pills? Who did he think he was?
And he expected Jia Shiheng to watch him brew them? Did he think the man had nothing to do?
Others had tried this ploy to get close to them years ago. Once those people actually began brewing pills, the results had been appalling.
He wanted nothing to do with Lu Zhiyuan. Any sympathy he had felt for the young man's difficult rise from menial to household guard was gone.
"Master Jia, I have no reason to joke about this, and no intention of making a fool of you."
Reading his expression, Lu Zhiyuan guessed his thoughts and spoke earnestly. "When I brew the batch, you can stop me the moment you see anything wrong with my technique. Would that be acceptable?"
Jia Shiheng was a veteran at Clearwell Clinic. With his approval, no one else would question Lu Zhiyuan. Befriending him was a good way to secure a firm footing and more resources at the clinic.
Besides, he was known for a warm heart beneath a cold manner and a willingness to help promising juniors. Otherwise, Lu Zhiyuan would not have persisted like this.
"Fine. Brew one batch. Let's see what you can actually do."
"Thank you, Master Jia!"
Smiling, Lu Zhiyuan took one set of ingredients for Blood Vitality Pills from the bundle on his back and sat before an alchemical furnace.
Somewhat clumsily, he cleaned the furnace, lit the fire, and added the medicinal ingredients.
Jia Shiheng frowned slightly. Those movements were too awkward for someone who knew how to brew pills. But the young man had obtained the formula only two days earlier, so that was understandable. At least the basic steps were correct.
Despite his clumsy first steps, Lu Zhiyuan remained calm.
Proficient skill in brewing Blood Vitality Pills was equivalent to several years of an alchemist's experience. Once the ingredients entered the furnace, he found his rhythm.
He anticipated and responded to every change inside it.
Blood Vitality Pills required only a few medicinal ingredients, so their properties underwent relatively few changes. Mastering those changes ensured that every batch yielded pills.
But revealing Proficient skill already would be too much. When certain changes occurred in the furnace, he deliberately delayed his adjustments.
These small errors would affect the pills' quality without causing a furnace explosion.
Jia Shiheng watched him. His initial suspicion became mild surprise, and now he was almost dumbfounded.
There were certainly many flaws in Lu Zhiyuan's brewing process. An experienced alchemist making those mistakes would have deserved criticism and correction.
But for a newcomer who had studied the formula for only a few days, they were entirely normal. To Jia Shiheng, this was already a remarkable performance.
Fifteen minutes later, Lu Zhiyuan opened the alchemical furnace. A medicinal fragrance drifted through the room.
Jia Shiheng stepped closer and examined the Blood Vitality Pill offered to him.
It was not perfectly round, and its fragrance still carried traces of ingredients that had not fully blended. None of that changed the fact that it was a Blood Vitality Pill.
He looked up and studied Lu Zhiyuan carefully. His first thought was that the young man must have brewed Blood Vitality Pills before, but he immediately dismissed it.
How could a menial have had the opportunity to brew pills?
Did Lu Zhiyuan truly possess exceptional aptitude for alchemy, then?