Hearing the system’s words, Nan Sining immediately grew excited. “Do I even need to say it? Of course I’ll try!”
The Sword Bone opportunity being stolen, Senior Sister’s tragic death—that was the start of her sect’s doomed fate. Saving Senior Sister was the first step to changing destiny! As long as there was a way, she had to try!
The system wasn’t surprised by her determination. “I’ll first instill into you the knowledge of Foundational Alchemy Ingredients. Digest that first, then gather the spiritual plants listed in the Great Rejuvenation Pill formula.”
Nan Sining didn’t hesitate. “Okay!”
A sharp pain burst in her head. Soon after, countless images of spiritual herbs, ores, insects, and beasts used for alchemy flooded into her mind.
The information was overwhelming. Nan Sining rubbed her temples in pain, drawing Qin Sangyue’s worried gaze. “Xiao Jiu, what’s wrong? Do you have a headache?”
Nan Sining gritted her teeth, shaking her head without answering.
Fortunately, the pain slowly ebbed. She gasped for breath, nearly collapsing. Her flimsy Qi Refining second-layer foundation was too weak to endure much.
Only when the system sensed she had fully absorbed the basics did it give her a long pill formula. “Go gather the ingredients first. These are all common herbs. Once you’ve collected them, I’ll transmit the full alchemy method.”
Nan Sining agreed readily and began searching nearby.
In just a glance, she spotted several herbs from the formula.
She immediately bent to collect them. Just thinking that she might save Qin Sangyue gave her boundless energy.
Soon Zhou Lixing returned, and Nan Sining enlisted his help in processing the herbs.
Watching him work, Nan Sining was surprised. Though he looked rough and broad-shouldered, his hands were precise and careful. He worked quickly and cleanly—Nan Sining found herself impressed.
With him as a helper, her confidence grew.
After working busily for a while, Zhou Lixing finally asked, “Little Junior Sister, what are you doing with all this? These herbs aren’t rare—you can find them even outside the secret realm.”
Nan Sining said firmly, “I’m going to refine a pill to save Senior Sister.”
“Re… refine pills? To save Senior Sister?” Zhou Lixing’s mind went blank again.
Nan Sining didn’t explain further, pouring herself entirely into gathering herbs.
By the time she had nearly everything, the sky was dark. She led Zhou Lixing back to Qin Sangyue.
When she saw Qin Sangyue lying there lifeless, her heart nearly stopped. She rushed forward to check her breath.
Thankfully, though faint, she was still alive. Nan Sining let out a huge sigh of relief.
Hearing the noise, Qin Sangyue stirred. Her voice was groggy. “What… are you doing?”
The cave entrance was piled high with herbs—yet all were ordinary.
Nan Sining answered, “I gathered these herbs to refine a Great Rejuvenation Pill to save you.”
Qin Sangyue froze, then quickly protested. “Xiao Jiu, don’t waste your effort. At least a fifth-rank alchemist is required for that pill. You need abundant spiritual power and powerful divine sense.”
Her heart clenched. Xiao Jiu had just regained her intelligence—what if her divine sense was damaged again and she returned to a fool?
But Nan Sining already knew all this. As long as there was hope, she had to try.
She asked Zhou Lixing to look after Qin Sangyue, then pulled out an old, gray pill furnace—its legs uneven, one broken. Still, it was barely usable.
Placing it down, she sat cross-legged before it, closing her eyes. “System, show me the alchemy method.”
The system warned, “I can only show you this method twice. You must memorize all the techniques, hand seals, and incantations within those two times. After that, the transmission will vanish, and I can’t find another copy. Are you ready?”
Nan Sining’s face hardened. “I’m ready. Begin.”
At once, her consciousness was pulled into a strange space—dark all around except for a massive pill furnace and a white-robed cultivator sitting beside it.
Nan Sining quickly scanned her surroundings, then focused on him. He warmed the furnace with fire, then began adding herbs one by one. Every motion carried a natural rhythm. Nan Sining was entranced, unconsciously mimicking each gesture in her mind.
He didn’t just add herbs. He constantly adjusted the flame’s size. The system explained, “Here he’s breaking down one herb. There, he’s extracting another’s essence.”
Gradually, Nan Sining felt she could sense the furnace’s interior—the herbs burning away, leaving pure essence, the dross incinerated to ash.
When all ingredients were refined, the system reminded her, “He’s starting the fusion. Condensing the pill!”
Nan Sining snapped to full attention. This was where the hand seals and chants mattered most.
She poured all her senses into memorizing them. At first she kept up, but as the complexity grew, her mind blurred.
“Focus!” the system barked.
Nan Sining forced herself to concentrate again.
When the first run ended, she exhaled heavily. This was no knowledge for mortals.
“How is it? Can you keep going?” the system asked, worried.
Nan Sining steadied her breath and nodded. “Again.”
The scene replayed. This time she poured all her focus into the parts she’d missed.
After the second run, she pulled herself out of the trance, gasping for air.
Zhou Lixing immediately asked, “Little Junior Sister, what’s wrong?” Qin Sangyue also looked at her with worry.
Nan Sining forced a smile. “Nothing. Just preparation for alchemy.”
Qin Sangyue, barely able to speak, still tried to dissuade her. “Xiao Jiu… don’t waste your strength… it’s not worth it.”
Zhou Lixing shuffled awkwardly. After a pause, he muttered, “Little Junior Sister… maybe you should listen to Senior Sister?”
Nan Sining shook her head. “Senior Sister, don’t speak anymore. Rest well. Third Brother, feed her more Small Rejuvenation Pills. She must hold on!”
Then she ignored their protests, closed her eyes, and recalled the entire process. Only after rehearsing it in her mind did she have Zhou Lixing light the furnace.
Seeing that even the fire control was left to him, Zhou Lixing’s heart grew heavy. He thought it impossible for her to succeed.
But he was used to obeying. So he carefully controlled the flames as she directed.
Nan Sining placed the herbs into the small furnace, one by one. Though there were many, each yielded only a drop of essence after refining, so the small furnace could contain them all.
She guided Zhou Lixing to adjust the flames with precision. Gradually, a faint medicinal fragrance wafted out.
Both Zhou Lixing and Qin Sangyue were astonished.
Nan Sining smelled it too, but didn’t dare relax. Condensation was the most crucial step.
She began forming hand seals, channeling all her spiritual power into the furnace.
Very quickly, she felt drained. Still not enough—far from enough!
Then the acrid scent of burning rose. Zhou Lixing instantly cut the fire and yanked her back. With a loud bang, the furnace exploded.
The cave shook violently. Smoke and dust filled the air, choking them into coughing fits.
Zhou Lixing cast a cleansing spell, dispersing the haze. Ashamed, he said, “Little Junior Sister, I’m sorry. I didn’t control the flames well.”
Nan Sining picked up the crippled furnace—it had lost another leg. She hissed in frustration. “Why do you always lose legs?”
She examined it, then said, “Third Brother, don’t blame yourself. It failed because I lacked spiritual power during condensation. Your fire control was fine.”
He had indeed followed her instructions exactly, better than she’d expected.
Qin Sangyue, weakly breathing, murmured, “Xiao Jiu is only at Qi Refining second layer… her power will never be enough. Don’t… waste yourself…”
Nan Sining’s face was pale as a ghost. She wasn’t much better off than Qin Sangyue.
Zhou Lixing blurted, “Can I try the condensation? I have more power!”
Nan Sining swallowed two Spirit Recovery Pills, her chest easing slightly. She shook her head. “Without the hand seals and incantations, power alone is useless.”
Zhou Lixing deflated.
“Both of you… stop this…” Qin Sangyue was nearly unconscious, yet still trying to dissuade them.
Nan Sining stuffed two more Small Rejuvenation Pills into her mouth. “Senior Sister, I don’t want what you think—I want what I think.”
Then she sat down again, determined. She began to think carefully—how could she solve the problem of insufficient spiritual power?