Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Without asking, Fang Lin knew for certain that Xu Shangao had failed to refine the elixir which had resulted in an explosion in the athanor.
In his previous life, Fang Lin frequently caused athanor explosions when he just began to refine elixirs. However, he managed to exercise control and skills shortly, so there was no athanor explosion afterward.
Xu Shangao walked to the courtyard with his blackened face. While he did not mind Fang Lin laughing at him, he wore an expression that was a combination of gloom and annoyance.
“Senior Brother Disciple Xu, it’s best to wash your face first,” Fang Lin said to Xu Shangao when he was done laughing.
Xu Shangao heaved a sigh. He washed his face before he was prepared to return to the alchemy room once again. This time, Fang Lin followed him into the room. Xu Shangao did not stop Fang Lin as he thought to himself, ‘I suppose you can come in if you want. There’s nothing to hide in the alchemy room anyway.’
“Senior Brother Disciple Xu, why is your athanor in such a bad condition?” said Fang Lin while pouting his lips after taking a glance at the pitch-black athanor inside the room.
Xu Shangao took a surprised glance at Fang Lin. “So, you can identify the condition of an athanor, huh? Although my athanor is of normal quality, it’s durable at the very least. After all, it’s still intact after a few explosions.”
Fang Lin found no words to respond to him. In his perception, the black athanor was of exceedingly poor quality. Other than being durable, there was nothing positive about it. However, it was an understandable situation. After all, Xu Shangao was just a low-grade disciple, so he could not be able to afford a good quality athanor either.
Whiffs of black smoke were still puffing out of the athanor as a foul whiff of burnt medicinal herb odor filled the alchemy room.
Fang Lin’s nose twitched ever so slightly. He could identify how many types of herbs were used in the elixir by sniffing the burnt odor. He also identified which type of elixir Xu Shangao had been refining.
Xu Shangao appeared dejected as he cleaned up the burnt residue in the athanor before he sat on the ground and sighed.
“Senior Brother Disciple Xu, why are you so disheartened? Isn’t that just a failed attempt of refining an elixir? It’s not a big deal. You can still try again.” Fang Lin could not refrain himself anymore, so he attempted to console Xu Shangao.
Xu Shangao shook his head and answered in a bitter voice, “I’ve already failed a few times. I’m utterly incapable of refining these Clear Heart Pills.”
Fang Lin said with a kind smile, “Isn’t it just a Clear Heart Pill? Don’t refine it if you can’t.”
Sighing, Xu Shangao explained, “I suppose you’re not aware that we have to undergo a monthly appraisal as official disciples. The topic for this month is to refine Clear Heart Pills. If I can’t refine them, then I’m going to fail my appraisal.”
in confusion, Fang Lin asked, “What will happen if you fail the appraisal?”
Xu Shangao said with a bitter expression, “Fail? If I fail, then I’ll be given less time to learn in the alchemy academy next month. That will make the disparity between me and the other disciples grow further and further.”
Fang Lin asked once again, “What kind of place is the alchemy academy?”
Xu Shangao wanted to cry. He was already so disheartened, yet this boy kept asking questions unceasingly. Moreover, his questions seemed to be drifting away from the main topic. Fang Lin should be trying to console him at this time, should he not?
Fang Lin soon realized that he was asking too many questions. Instantly, he patted Xu Shangao’s shoulder and said in obvious seriousness, “Senior Brother Disciple Xu, you must know your limitations. You’ll still have some disparity with the other official disciples even if you go to the alchemy academy.”
Xu Shangao regretted his choice. He felt that he should not have chosen Fang Lin as his junior alchemy disciple. Fang Lin’s sole purpose here seemed to be to crush his ego!
Fang Lin stopped joking after noticing Xu Shangao’s expression that was a combination of rage and despair. “It’s not the end of the month yet. Perhaps you’ll pass in the next attempt.”
Xu Shangao shook his head repeatedly. “That’s easy for you to say. I’ve refined the Clear Heart Pills five times and I’ve failed at the same step every time. I don’t even know what the problem is here.”
“So, why don’t you try to consult the others?”
Xu Shangao chuckled bitterly. “The majority of the official disciples are in active competition. Who’s going to tell you the solution?”
Fang Lin nodded in agreement. He was right.
“Forget about it. It’s useless to discuss this with you. Please help me to gather a few medicinal herbs and ask me if you have any queries,” Xu Shangao said as he passed an alchemy prescription to Fang Lin.
When Fang Lin’s gaze swept over the alchemy prescription, he found that all the medicinal herbs written on the prescription were available in the courtyard outside. They were precisely the ingredients needed to refine Clear Heart Pills.
A moment later, Fang Lin gathered all the herbs needed and brought them over. Xu Shangao was slightly surprised by how quick and agile he was. However, he did not ponder much on that.
“Stay here and take a look if you want. Anyhow, you’ll be refining your own elixir in the future.” Xu Shangao did not order Fang Lin to leave this time, but he allowed him to watch him refine the elixir in the alchemy room.
Fang Lin took a seat on a stool he found in a corner at once. He watched Xu Shangao refine the elixir in a calm and steady manner.
After Xu Shangao calmed his nerves for a moment, his gloom vanished. Soon afterward, he patted the athanor and the fire ignited within it at once. An ordinary athanor would need to be lit with fire. Nevertheless, an alchemist of Xu Shangao’s rank used a flame that was only slightly hotter than the common fire. The temperature of the athanor rose gradually until the entire alchemy room became heated up.
Fang Lin found Xu Shangao’s solemn expression amusing. It felt as if Xu Shangao was not trying to refine an elixir but about to risk his life benevolently instead.
Because the athanor was hot, the next step would be to add in the various herbs. Xu Shangao added the medicinal herbs into the athanor bit by bit. All of a sudden, Fang Lin held his gaze still for a moment. Soon afterward, the corners of his lips curved into a faint smile.
‘I see!’ he said secretly as he understood the reason behind Xu Shangao’s multiple failures to refine the pills. Fang Lin was well aware that Xu Shangao would be failing this time as well. However, he did not point it out but chose to continue his observation quietly.
As expected, a muffled roar was heard echoing inside the athanor not long after all the herbs were added into the athanor.
Instantly, Xu Shangao’s gaze turned into disappointment when he heard the noise. Soon afterward, a loud boom was heard. The flame inside the athanor was extinguished at once as a huge gush of black smoke spurted out and turned Xu Shangao’s face black again.
Fang Lin wanted to laugh out loud again, but he refrained from doing so after considering Xu Shangao’s current mood. Xu Shangao was genuinely depressed beyond comparison. However, since he already predicted that he would fail again, he appeared to be slightly at peace.
Xu Shangao did not speak as he cleaned the residues inside the athanor quietly. Fang Lin did not speak either. He walked out of the alchemy room quietly and prepared the medicinal herbs needed to refine the Clear Heart Pills once again before he walked into the alchemy room.
Xu Shangao was sitting in a corner with a long, sad face. Fang Lin placed the medicinal herbs on the side and said, “Senior Brother Disciple Xu, please try it one more time. Perhaps you’ll succeed this time.”
Xu Shangao shook his head. “I’m not doing it anymore. The medicinal herbs will be wasted if I give it another try.”
Fang Lin encouraged with a smile, “Senior Brother Disciple, as an alchemist, how can you give up so easily? You’ve lost your spirit just after a few failures. How about the numerous alchemists that failed for hundreds and thousands of times? Should they commit suicide by jumping into a river?”
Xu Shangao appeared to be in a daze for a moment after listening to him.
Fang Lin continued to speak again, “The act of refining elixirs is supposed to comprise of constant failures. However, all your previous failures will be worth it even if you succeed in one attempt. Could it be that senior brother disciple Xu doesn’t want to be seen differently by the other official disciples?”
When he was speaking, Fang Lin’s mind was transported back to a scene of his past life in the Alchemy Saint Palace without control. He felt a wave of emotions wash over his heart.
The dejection in Xu Shangao’s eyes gradually faded after listening to Fang Lin’s encouragement. He stood up once again.
“Junior Brother Disciple Fang, I didn’t expect that I as an official disciple would concede that I’m inferior to you albeit you just being a junior alchemy disciple. You’re right. Us alchemists shouldn’t be afraid of failure. I still stand a chance to change the perception of those that despise me!” declared Xu Shangao with a powerful voice.
Fang Lin looked at him in a rather satisfied manner. Even though Xu Shangao’s natural talent was slightly weaker, his appearance was slightly uglier, and his root bone was slightly poorer, his spirit as an alchemist was still worth the encouragement at the very least.
Xu Shangao pulled himself together and positioned himself in front of the athanor once again. He inhaled a deep breath to fully calm his state of mind. “Junior Brother Disciple, do you think that I’ll be able to succeed?” he asked suddenly.
Fang Lin smiled and assured, “Of course.”
Xu Shangao smiled too. “Thanks for your blessing.” He appeared to be extremely serious when he began to refine the elixir once again. He stared straight into the athanor without blinking.
When he began to add in the medicinal herbs, Fang Lin spoke, “Senior Brother Disciple Xu, perhaps you may try adding in the Green Bright Grass first and add in the Hollow Flower last. Maybe it will yield a better effect.”
Xu Shangao was stunned for a moment. Then, he looked at Fang Lin with furrowed brows. He hesitated for a moment but clenched his teeth soon afterward and did as Fang Lin suggested.
First, he added the Green Bright Grass, then he added the rest of the medicinal herbs into the athanor before he added in the pink Hollow Flower last. Xu Shangao closed the lid with an anxious expression on his face. He was fearful that the refinement process would fail again.
Fang Lin was calm. He thought to himself that there was no point for him to live as an Extreme Alchemist if this attempt failed. He might as well kill himself.
An hour passed, then two hours, then three…
Xu Shangao stared at the athanor blankly. There was no sign of an explosion. Everything inside the athanor appeared normal while the Clear Heart Pills were being formed into shape gradually. His expression turned wild with joy. He was so emotional he almost leaped up in joy.
“It’s a success! I’ve succeeded! The Clear Heart Pills have been refined!” Xu Shangao shouted aloud frantically.
“Senior Brother Disciple Xu, it’s just Clear Heart Pills. It’s best to keep a low profile. We must aspire to be more than just this,” Fang Lin said reluctantly.
Xu Shangao suddenly looked at Fang Lin and asked, hesitating, “How did you know that I should add the Hollow Flower last?”
Fang Lin replied proudly, “Because I’m a genius.”
Xu Shangao took a deep glance at Fang Lin and enquired, “Junior Brother Disciple Fang, are you skilled in refining elixirs too?”
“That’s for sure. I’m a genius. There’s no elixir that I can’t refine,” Fang Lin nodded and spoke in all apparent seriousness.
Upon listening to his remark, the corners of Xu Shangao’s lips curled into a smirk. “I call your bluff.”
Fang Lin was frustrated. Suit yourself if you don’t believe me.
Xu Shangao paused for a moment before he continued to speak, “However, I must thank you for your help. Perhaps I’d still be following my old steps persistently without your advice.”Upon saying that, he gave a deep, respectful salutation to Fang Lin.
“Senior Brother Disciple Xu, you helped me by not letting me embarrass myself before the others earlier, so it’s my duty to give you a hand naturally,” Fang Lin responded, patting Xu Shangao’s shoulder.
Xu Shangao was overcome with emotions as well upon listening to Fang Lin’s words. He had chosen Fang Lin as his junior alchemy disciple out of kindness, yet the latter had helped him refine the Clear Heart Pills instantly after that. It was destiny.
“Senior Brother Disciple Xu, I have something I wish to discuss with you,” said Fang Lin with a smirk.