The miniature pill furnace was only the size of a palm, ancient and unadorned, with intricate patterns carved upon it.
Bai Zhi took a deep breath, then carefully placed the Millennial Dragon Blood Vine, along with other auxiliary medicinal ingredients purchased under the guise of "work expenses," into the pill furnace one by one, following the order in the pill recipe.
Finally, she put on the Pill God Sachet that the system had rewarded her with.
A strange, delicate fragrance instantly diffused, clearing her mind that had been somewhat nervous, making it serene and lucid, as if she could now understand some of the obscure refining methods in the pill recipe.
"I truly am a genius!"
Bai Zhi encouraged herself inwardly.
Using the villain's pill recipe, ingredients bought with the villain's money, to refine pills to deal with the villain!
This perfect logical loop filled her with a sense of righteous mission.
She sat cross-legged and began to activate it according to the method the system had taught her.
"Buzz!"
The pill furnace emitted a faint hum, and its body instantly lit up.
However, the moment the pill furnace was activated, Bai Zhi's eyes snapped open.
She was surprised to find that the air in the entire room seemed to have changed.
An unimaginably pure energy, continuously and endlessly, gathered from all directions towards the small pill furnace in front of her!
That energy was even purer than the spiritual energy she had seen in other worlds!
They surged into the pill furnace as if guided by some force, vying for entry!
"Is… is this the effect of the Pill God Sachet?"
"It's too powerful!"
A surge of ecstasy welled up in Bai Zhi's heart. She merely thought this was the heaven-defying effect of a system artifact, completely unaware that she was currently within Lu Cheng's pill god domain.
The originally complicated and intricate pill refining process became exceptionally smooth under the dual blessings of the Pill God Sachet and the pill god domain.
Those invaluable medicinal ingredients melted perfectly almost the moment they were put into the pill furnace, transforming into the purest medicinal liquid.
The medicinal liquid rotated and fused on its own within the pill furnace; the impurities, without her needing to painstakingly remove them, were directly expelled from the pill furnace by an invisible force, dissipating into wisps of black smoke.
The medicinal fragrance inside the furnace grew increasingly Rich.
Gradually, prototypes of dragon eye-sized, entirely crimson pills slowly condensed in the center of the pill furnace.
On the surface of those pills, mysterious golden patterns even began to emerge!
"Pill… Pill patterns!"
Bai Zhi's breathing hitched once again!
Although this was her first time refining pills, she hadn't eaten pork but had seen pigs run. Having traveled through countless novel worlds, she naturally knew what pill patterns signified!
They represented that the quality of the pill had reached an extraordinary realm!
Legend has it that only ancient pill gods could refine supreme-grade pills with pill patterns!
"I, Bai Zhi, actually possess the potential of a Pill God?!"
She looked at the divine pills that were about to form inside the pill furnace, her small face flushed with excitement, and her "sense of righteous mission" swelled to its peak… Meanwhile, in the study at the Lu Family Manor.
In front of Lu Cheng, a screen was "broadcasting" everything inside Bai Zhi's room in the highest definition.
[Ding! Under the blessing of the "pill god domain," the quality of the "Nine Revolutions Heart-Cleansing Pill" has increased by 1000%, and "First Revolution Pill Patterns" have successfully condensed!]
[Estimated pill formation time: ten minutes.]
Lu Cheng looked at the little girl on the screen, full of fighting spirit and still immersed in her fantasy of "I am a genius," and the smile on his lips grew wider.
This little lamb not only jumped into the pot herself but also added firewood and stoked the flames high.
Truly a treasure.
He picked up his phone and found a number in his contacts.
Then, leisurely, he dialed it… In a third-rate university in Modu, a male dormitory.
Xiao Fan's eyes were bloodshot, and he exuded an aura of decay and gloom, staring intently at the golden, glittering system interface in his mind.
[Urgent Mission: Refine Pill — Nine Revolutions Heart-Cleansing Pill! (Stuck)]
[Warning: If the mission cannot proceed, the penalty after-effects will intensify again and become permanent!]
Just thinking about the terrifying after-effects of possibly "erupting" in public at any time… The Millennial Dragon Blood Vine was snatched by that bitch!
All his plans were stuck at this first step!
"Ding-a-ling-a-ling…"
Just as he was sinking into despair, his phone suddenly rang.
Xiao Fan irritably picked up his phone, saw the words "Unknown Number" on the caller ID, and was about to hang up directly.
But, as if by some strange impulse, he still pressed the answer button.
"Hello?"
His voice was hoarse and full of impatience.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.
Then, a familiar voice, one he would never forget in his life, came through.
"Xiao Fan, is that right?"
"At Returning Spring Hall earlier, I saw you also wanted to buy that dragon blood vine."
"So, do you want a… Nine Revolutions Heart-Cleansing Pill?"
Boom!
Xiao Fan was struck by lightning, his entire body frozen in place!
It was Lu Cheng!
He would recognize that voice even if it turned to ash!
How did he know his name?
How did he know… he needed a Nine Revolutions Heart-Cleansing Pill?!
A fear of being completely seen through, of all his secrets being toyed with in someone's palm, instantly seized his heart!
On the other end of the line, Lu Cheng seemed to hear his rapid heartbeat, quickened by fear, and chuckled softly, his laughter like a devil's whisper.
"Don't ask me how I know."
"I'll just ask you, do you want it, or not?"
Xiao Fan's rationality screamed frantically, telling him this was absolutely a trap!
It was another snare set by that devil for him!
But… his longing for Jiang Lian, his fear of mission failure, and that deep-seated unwillingness to accept defeat made it impossible for him to refuse!
"What… what do you want?"
He used all his strength to squeeze out those few hoarse words from his throat.
"Very simple."
Lu Cheng's tone was as light as if he were discussing a trivial matter.
"Trade it for the cauldron in your hand."
Cauldron!
medicine king cauldron!
Xiao Fan's heart gave a violent jolt!
That was his biggest trump card!
It was his hope of turning the tables!
But… the cauldron was dead, the person was alive.
Without the dragon blood vine, this cauldron was just scrap metal to him now!
If I can't even use it, could Lu Cheng possibly use it?
Back on Antique Street, his group of people even treated this cauldron as some national treasure of the First Emperor, completely ignorant of its true value!
I'll give him the cauldron first to stabilize him!
Most importantly, I'll use the pill to win over Jiang Lian and complete the system mission!
As long as the mission is completed, subsequent missions are unlocked, and various rewards are obtained, wouldn't that be a hundred times better than this broken cauldron?
By then, when my divine achievement is complete, would I still need such a minor skill as pill refining?
This Lu guy just wants to use this method to humiliate me and take away my things!
Right! He just wants to see me agonizing over my choice!
Thinking this, a twisted pleasure once again surged from his heart!
Pain! Struggle! This is what a strong person should experience!
"Good!"
He gritted his teeth and roared into the phone.
"I'll trade!"
On the other end of the line, Lu Cheng heard his "tragic" reply, and the smile on his lips grew even wider.
He hung up the phone and his gaze returned to the screen.
On the screen, the pill furnace in Bai Zhi's room was emitting bursts of clear hums, its lid trembling violently, and dazzling rays of light were already bursting through the cracks, unable to be contained!
The pill was about to form.