The next day.

Zhou Bin woke up early and went to the breeding grounds. Meanwhile, Jiang Xiaobai was sitting cross-legged, continuing to cultivate. By noon, hurried footsteps announced Zhou Bin entering through the door. His eyes fell on Jiang Xiaobai as he came in with a pleased expression, “Xiaobai, someone outside is looking for you!”

“Oh?”

Jiang Xiaobai’s eyes brightened upon hearing this. He didn’t know many people in the Yunjian Sect. The ones who would come looking for him were either Huang Linyuan or Zhao Qinru. He had just seen Huang Linyuan yesterday, so it was unlikely to be him. That left Zhao Qinru. Sure enough, when he stepped outside the room, he saw Zhao Qinru standing at a distance, her gaze fixed on him. He couldn’t help feeling pleasantly surprised inwardly. Zhao Qinru had come earlier than he expected.

“Junior Brother Jiang, I am ready. Follow me to the place of the Spirit Medicine,” Zhao Qinru said as soon as she saw Jiang Xiaobai emerge.

“Brother Zhou, I’ll be stepping out for a moment,” Jiang Xiaobai said, trying to contain the joy in his heart as he spoke to Zhou Bin, “If Elder Huang is looking for me, please let him know!”

“Sure!”

Zhou Bin nodded, watching the two leave with admiration. It was every disciple’s dream in the Yunjian Sect to get on good terms with a Danmaster. The fact that Jiang Xiaobai had managed to do so just after joining the sect would make many others envious. But what did Zhao Qinru mean by saying she was ready? With that question in mind, Zhou Bin entered his room.

…

On this side, as Jiang Xiaobai followed Zhao Qinru to the Spirit Medicine area, her voice broke the silence, “I have prepared three sets of materials. Is that enough?”

“Enough!” Jiang Xiaobai nodded.

Hearing the certainty in Jiang Xiaobai’s voice, Zhao Qinru wasn’t so sure. The process involved Grade 3 spirit herbs, and she was really worried these valuable herbs would go to waste.

“Don’t worry, I’m here!” Jiang Xiaobai noticed the worry in Zhao Qinru’s eyebrows and reassured her with a smile.

Zhao Qinru gave Jiang Xiaobai a strange look, wanting to say something but ultimately keeping silent. When the two of them arrived at the Spirit Medicine area, an hour had passed. This time, Zhao Qinru did not take Jiang Xiaobai to the Danmaking Hall but instead to a building.

“Come in,” she said, opening the door and inviting Jiang Xiaobai inside.

Jiang Xiaobai took a quick glance around. Besides the cauldron in the center of the building, there were some shelves around. On the shelves were various herbs and some books.

“This is my personal place for refining Dan. Usually, no outsiders come here to disturb,” Zhao Qinru explained briefly. After all, Jiang Xiaobai was from the breeding grounds. Danmaking Hall was off-limits to outsiders, so she had to bring Jiang Xiaobai here.

“It’s nice!” Jiang Xiaobai commented with a smile.

Without delaying any further, Zhao Qinru went straight to the cauldron and sat down cross-legged. After a tap on her storage bag, three sets of materials were laid out beside her.

Jiang Xiaobai checked and, finding no mistake, said, “Let’s start now, but… there is no rush to refine. First, heat the cauldron for the time it takes an incense stick to burn.”

Oh? Zhao Qinru’s expression betrayed confusion, but she did as Jiang Xiaobai suggested.

As she channeled spiritual power and etched an inscription around the cauldron, the inner flames ignited instantly. The intensely hot power caused the temperature in the surroundings to rise. Jiang Xiaobai observed carefully, occasionally instructing on the size of the flames. When the incense time passed, Jiang Xiaobai’s eyes flashed and he instructed, “Lower the flame by half, and add the Heavenly Bamboo Root!”

Zhao Qinru nodded, and with a flick of her hand, a spirit herb twirled into the cauldron. A few seconds later, she looked up at Jiang Xiaobai and asked, “That’s it?”

“Don’t rush!” Jiang Xiaobai’s focus remained on the cauldron. After a while, he instructed, “Use the Shocking Spirit Seal!”

What? Zhao Qinru’s lips parted in disbelief. The Shocking Spirit Seal was a basic Danmaking technique, usually employed to prevent the Dan from exploding. Using this would cause the medicinal effect to evaporate, preventing the Dan’s power from being too fierce and damaging the cauldron or hurting the alchemist.

“Quickly!” Jiang Xiaobai urged.

Hesitant, Zhao Qinru finally did as Jiang Xiaobai said. As her hands moved, the inscriptions around the cauldron suddenly changed. The cauldron shook with the fire bursting forcefully.

“Now, introduce the Green Lycoris!” Jiang Xiaobai’s eyes shined as he issued his command.

“Now? Introduce the Green Lycoris?” Zhao Qinru again looked up.

The Green Lycoris was a Grade 3 spirit herb. Wasn’t it too early to introduce it?

“Listen to me!” insisted Jiang Xiaobai, serious.

Zhao Qinru’s lips moved, but she followed through. As the Green Lycoris was added, Jiang Xiaobai continued to give instructions. Once all the materials were infused, Jiang Xiaobai guided through the hand techniques.

During this time, Zhao Qinru’s face was a picture of confusion. She was surprised at how familiar Jiang Xiaobai was with Danmaking techniques, yet they were incredibly erratic, even illogical at times. For instance, when it was time to use the fusion seal, he asked her to expand. Similarly, during the condensation of the soul seal, he directed her to change the fire seal instead.

As time passed, after more than half an hour, Jiang Xiaobai finally spoke, “Good, now begin the Dan fusion!”

Zhao Qinru, full of doubt, complied with the instruction… but could it really become a Dan? After all, it included a Grade 3 spirit herb. Despite her doubts, she followed through. With the changing hand techniques, the surrounding inscriptions also began to contract.

At this moment, Zhao Qinru’s face showed an expression of shock for the first time; she couldn’t help but let out a gasp of surprise. Indeed, the Dan fusion was going smoother than she had imagined. In Zhao Qinru’s amazement, Jiang Xiaobai’s voice rose once more: “Double the strength of the fire seal!”

“Double it?” Zhao Qinru almost cried out. Wouldn’t that cause the Dan to burst?

With a bite of her lip, Zhao Qinru still proceeded. With the change of her hand technique, the fire inside the cauldron instantly became fierce. About twenty seconds later, Jiang Xiaobai urged urgently, “Quick, extract the Dan!”

“What?” Zhao Qinru was shocked again. No nourishing of the Dan?

Indeed, Dan needed to be nurtured so the medicinal effects could be thoroughly melded. Yet faced with Jiang Xiaobai’s urgency, her hand movements followed suit. The cauldron trembled as the inscriptions activated, and the next second, a red Dan medicine was in Zhao Qinru’s hand.

Having not even smelled the Dan fragrance throughout the process, she was now moved. The Dan’s aroma was incredibly intense, stirring the spiritual power within her. After careful examination, Zhao Qinru looked up at Jiang Xiaobai with astonished stuttering, “How… how did you… how did you do it?”