Bai Li turned her head, looked at Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo who were currently practicing, and said softly, "Sister Yaoyao, Sister Shen Mo, I want to go to the academy's Pill Refining Room to practice Alchemy." Her silver eyes flickered with the light of excitement; she could not wait to try refining some Medicinal Pills.
Lin Yaoyao opened her eyes, looked at Bai Li's excited expression, and smiled gently. "Go if you want to, just be careful." Her tone carried a hint of encouragement and concern. She knew Bai Li was full of passion for Alchemy and believed she would surely achieve success in that field. Lin Yaoyao took out a Jade Slip from her Storage Pouch and handed it to Bai Li. "This is a map of the academy with the location of the Pill Refining Room marked on it. Take it so you don't get lost."
"Thank you, Sister Yaoyao!" Bai Li took the Jade Slip and happily pressed it against her forehead. The information from the map instantly flooded into her mind, giving her a clearer understanding of the academy's layout and the exact location of the Pill Refining Room. "Then I'm off!" Bai Li waved to Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo before turning to leave the dormitory.
Watching Bai Li's departing back, Shen Mo said to Lin Yaoyao, "That Child Bai Li is truly becoming more and more impressive. Not only is her Cultivation Base rising quickly, but she also has so many abilities." Her tone held a hint of admiration; she highly appreciated Bai Li's hard work and talent, believing she would definitely make a name for herself in Alchemy.
Lin Yaoyao nodded in agreement. "Indeed, that Child Bai Li is very hardworking and talented. I believe she might even surpass those few from my Family in the future." Her tone carried a sense of relief and pride. She felt very fortunate to have met Bai Li and formed a contract with her, becoming the most important people in each other's lives.
After leaving the dormitory, Bai Li followed the map on the Jade Slip toward the academy's Pill Refining Room. The academy under the night sky appeared exceptionally peaceful and serene. The lanterns along the road emitted a soft glow, illuminating the path ahead and the direction of Bai Li's journey. Bai Li walked with a light step, full of anticipation for the upcoming Alchemy practice. She could almost see herself refining perfect pills, and an excited smile appeared on her face.
The academy's Pill Refining Room was located on the west side of the academy in a separate courtyard. A plaque hung at the entrance with three gilded characters: 'Pill Refining Room'. At the courtyard gate, an old man sat upright. He wore a gray robe, had white hair, and a kind countenance, with a faint medicinal fragrance emanating from him. He was the Administrator of the Pill Refining Room, responsible for managing daily affairs and guiding students in Alchemy.
Bai Li walked up to the entrance of the Pill Refining Room and respectfully bowed to the old man. "Greetings, Senior. I am Bai Li, a student of the academy, and I would like to use the Pill Refining Room to practice Alchemy." Her tone was humble and polite. She knew the rules of the Pill Refining Room were strict and that she must obtain the Administrator's permission to use it.
The old man slowly opened his eyes and looked at Bai Li, a sharp glint flashing through his cloudy eyes. "Are you a new student?" he asked in a gentle tone.
Bai Li nodded. "Yes, Senior, I just enrolled today."
The old man stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Since you are a student of the academy, you may use the Pill Refining Room. However, the resources here are limited." He paused before continuing, "Using the Pill Refining Room requires a certain amount of Spirit Stones. The fee varies depending on the Rank of the Pill Furnace and the duration of use."
Bai Li hurriedly took out a bag of Spirit Stones from her Storage Pouch and handed it to the old man. "Senior, these are the Spirit Stones for the fee. Please check them." Her tone was respectful. She knew the cost of using the Pill Refining Room was not cheap, but she didn't care; what she wanted most right now was to practice Alchemy.
The old man took the Spirit Stones, counted them, and then nodded. "Mhm, it's enough." He took out a token from his robe and handed it to Bai Li. "This is the token for the Pill Refining Room. Take it and go inside. Remember, after using the Pill Furnace, you must clean it promptly and must not damage it." His tone carried a hint of warning. The furnaces in the Pill Refining Room were academy property and very precious; students had to use them with care.
"Thank you, Senior!" Bai Li happily thanked him as she took the token and walked into the Pill Refining Room.
Inside the Pill Refining Room, it was brightly lit, and the air was filled with a thick medicinal fragrance. Dozens of Pill Furnaces were neatly arranged in the center of the room, each emitting faint ripples of Spiritual Qi. On the walls of the room hung paintings and texts about Alchemy, detailing the methods and techniques for refining various Medicinal Pills. In the corners of the room, tools and Materials needed for Alchemy were placed, such as medicinal herbs, furnaces, fire seeds, and so on.
Bai Li found an empty Pill Furnace in the room. It was an ordinary bronze furnace with simple patterns carved on its surface, looking ancient and heavy. Below the furnace was a small fire port for placing fire seeds. Bai Li carefully inspected the furnace, and after confirming it wasn't damaged, she took out the herbs needed for refining pills from her Storage Pouch and began refining Advanced Qi-Blood Pills. These herbs were Advanced Materials recorded in the 'advanced alchemy' book she had borrowed from the Scripture Pavilion and were very precious. Bai Li cleaned them one by one and then, following the method in 'advanced alchemy', cautiously placed the herbs into the Pill Furnace in the correct order.
Bai Li placed the fire seed into the fire port below the furnace and then circulated her Spiritual Qi to control the furnace's temperature. Alchemy was a very delicate task that required an Alchemist to have precise control over the heat and timing; the slightest mistake could lead to failure or even a furnace explosion. Bai Li focused intently on controlling the temperature, not daring to be distracted for even a second.
As time passed, the herbs inside the furnace gradually melted and fused, eventually turning into a mass of liquid. Bai Li continued to control the temperature, letting the liquid slowly evaporate and condense, finally turning into over a dozen round and full Medicinal Pills. The pills emitted a faint fragrance, their surfaces smooth and delicate like fine mutton-fat jade, radiating a soft light. Looking at the pills hovering above the furnace, Bai Li nodded in satisfaction; these dozen or so Advanced Qi-Blood Pills were all of the Perfect Grade. With a thought, the pills flew into her hand.
Looking at the fragrant pills in her hand, a relieved smile appeared on Bai Li's face. This was her first time independently refining Advanced pills, and she had succeeded on the first try, giving her great confidence in her Alchemy skills. "It seems having a max-level Alchemy skill is really useful!" Bai Li muttered happily to herself. With the boost from her max-level Alchemy skill, refining pills was as easy as turning over her hand; she didn't need to worry about failure at all.
Bai Li carefully put away the refined Advanced Qi-Blood Pills, intending to give them to Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo to thank them for their constant care and help. Her fair, slender fingers gently stroked the warm pill bottle as she felt the faint fragrance emanating from the pills, a gentle curve appearing at the corners of her mouth. She had traveled with Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo, experiencing various dangers in the Secret Realm trials—from the deep pool by the waterfall in the trial realm to the Lin Family, and then to Tianxing Academy. They had supported and relied on each other, building a deep friendship. Bai Li kept this sentiment close to her heart.
After a brief moment of reflection, Bai Li took out the 'advanced alchemy' book she had borrowed from the Scripture Pavilion and began to study it carefully. Although she possessed max-level Alchemy skills, it didn't mean she could sit back and stop learning. On the contrary, she should work even harder to improve her Alchemy techniques and strive for perfection, aiming to refine even more and higher quality pills. She flipped through the pages, lines of text meeting her eyes. The book recorded refining methods for various high-Rank pills, the required herbs, and details to watch out for during the process. While studying, Bai Li simulated the refining process in her mind. Her brow would furrow at times and then clear with sudden realization, as if she were completely immersed in the world of Alchemy, forgetting everything around her.
Based on her current understanding of Alchemy combined with the records in 'advanced alchemy', Bai Li improved the Pill Formula for the almighty pill. The improved formula not only had better effects but also reduced the amount of her own blood required, lowering the physical burden of refining the almighty pill. Bai Li carefully transcribed the improved formula onto a new piece of paper and then tucked it away. Her silver eyes sparkled with excitement; she couldn't wait to try the new formula.
After completing the preparations, Bai Li took a deep breath and began refining once more. She skillfully placed the various herbs into the furnace according to the proportions, controlling the heat and timing, following the Alchemy steps one by one. Inside the Pill Refining Room, Spiritual Qi swirled like mist and the fragrance of medicine filled the air. Bai Li's figure appeared exceptionally focused and serious under the soft light. As time passed, the herbs inside the furnace gradually fused, emitting a rich medicinal fragrance that spread through the room, making anyone who smelled it feel refreshed.
After several hours of hard work, Bai Li finally refined a few improved almighty pills. The pills were crystal clear, emitting a dense fragrance with a faint glow flowing on their surfaces, looking to be of excellent quality. Bai Li carefully stored the pills and then meticulously cleaned the furnace, returning the Pill Refining Room to its original state.
After finishing everything, Bai Li left the Pill Refining Room and returned to the dormitory. It was late at night, and the academy was quiet, with only the lanterns along the road emitting a soft light to illuminate the path. Bai Li walked along the quiet path with light steps, feeling secretly happy: "I am a Nine-Tailed Fox who can refine pills!" "Yo yo yo, the host is getting narcissistic already, there's still a long way to go," Xiao Mai teased. "Hmph, who told me to be so lovable and multi-talented?" Bai Li and system xiao mai chatted non-stop along the way.
Upon returning to the dormitory, Bai Li found that Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo had already gone to rest. She walked into the room quietly, placed the refined Advanced Qi-Blood Pills and the improved almighty pills on the table, and left a note next to them that read: "Sister Yaoyao, Sister Shen Mo, these are the Qi-Blood Pills and almighty pills I refined. I hope they help with your cultivation. —Bai Li."
After writing the note, Bai Li pressed it under the pill bottles, then tiptoed to her bed, lifted the covers, and climbed in. Moonlight spilled through the window, casting mottled shadows on the floor. Bai Li closed her eyes and soon entered dreamland. She dreamed that she had become the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, soaring through the sky, free and unrestrained.
The next morning, when Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo woke up, the first thing they saw were the pills and the note on the table. They picked up the note and read the words on it, their faces showing expressions of surprise and being moved.
"Thanks, little Bai Li, you worked hard." Lin Yaoyao's tone carried a hint of surprise and warmth; she hadn't expected Bai Li to refine pills specifically for them, making her feel incredibly warm and happy. Lin Yaoyao picked up the bottle containing the Advanced Qi-Blood Pills and pulled out the stopper. A thick medicinal fragrance rushed out, refreshing her mind and spirit. She poured out a pill and observed it carefully. The pill was round and full, with a vibrant color and a faint glow, clearly of extraordinary quality. "The quality of this Qi-Blood Pill is better than any I've taken before!" Lin Yaoyao said with a hint of shock, not expecting Bai Li's Alchemy skills to be so superb.
Shen Mo also picked up the bottle of almighty pills and examined them closely. The fragrance of the almighty pill was even denser than the Qi-Blood Pill and carried a peculiar scent that made her feel relaxed and happy. "This almighty pill looks very special, different from before," Lin Yaoyao said while looking at the pills in Shen Mo's hand. She was full of curiosity about the almighty pills Bai Li refined and couldn't wait to try their effects.
They understood that refining pills was not easy for Bai Li and required a significant amount of Spiritual Qi and energy. The fact that Bai Li gave such precious pills to them moved them deeply.
"Bai Li is so good to us." Shen Mo's tone held a hint of gratitude. She turned to Lin Yaoyao and said, "Yaoyao, we must truly cherish Bai Li." Shen Mo knew how important Bai Li was to Lin Yaoyao, and she also hoped Lin Yaoyao would cherish Bai Li's sincere friendship.