9: A menial task involving alchemy? Elder Situ's "gift of gratitude" is a bit too much for him!

The chaos at the Waste Slag Pit subsided quickly after the intervention of the Sect's experts.

Those terrifying devilish claws were merely condensation of Devilish Qi that had leaked out after the Seal loosened, not the true bodies of extraterrestrial devilish creatures. After several Deacon Elders joined forces to set up a temporary Restriction, they were forcibly dispersed and driven back into the depths of the mine.

The entrance to the mine was resealed with layers of talisman chains. The cold Devilish Qi that had permeated the air was gradually blown away by the mountain wind, leaving only the pungent smell of medicinal residue and a faint scent of sulfur.

Elder Situ was urgently sent to the Pill Room for treatment. It was said that his injuries were quite severe, but his life was not in danger.

The Geng Gold Jade Casket in his arms, which had triggered the Devilish Qi riot, was also properly confiscated; it seemed to be of great importance.

As for Jiang Linfeng and the other two, they were briefly questioned by the Law Enforcement Hall Disciples who arrived shortly after.

With Senior Sister Yun Shuang's testimony and Luo Zheng's endorsement of having "seen it with his own eyes," the Law Enforcement Hall did not investigate further.

After all, a Menial Worker and a newly arrived female Disciple of the Outer Sect, no matter how one looked at it, could not possibly be related to the outbreak of Devilish Qi.

As for Pockmarked Wang? He had been eroded by the Devilish Qi and fallen unconscious, then buried in the pile of medicinal residue. Although he still had a breath left when dug out, he was delirious and babbling nonsense, so he was dragged away by the Law Enforcement Hall for "strict supervision."

The turmoil temporarily subsided.

Cold Plum Courtyard, inside Luo Yan's independent small cabin.

Jiang Linfeng carefully helped Luo Yan lie down. His Source Spirit Body continued to operate, and the gentle Origin Spirit Power flowed like a trickling stream, nourishing her frightened body and the fetus in her womb.

Luo Yan's complexion was still a bit pale, but it was much better than when she was at the Waste Slag Pit, and the dull pain in her lower abdomen had completely subsided.

She gripped Jiang Linfeng's hand tightly, her eyes filled with the dependency and lingering fear of surviving a disaster.

"Husband... just now... it was so scary..." Luo Yan's voice trembled slightly.

"Don't be afraid, it's all over."

Jiang Linfeng gently stroked her hair, his voice gentle and firm. "With your husband here, no one can hurt you or the child. Rest at ease, don't think about anything."

【Ding! Bloodline connection stabilized! Offspring status: Healthy, Ice Wood Spirit Root natural affinity increased, potential stabilized!】

【Reminder: Partner Luo Yan needs to rest for at least three days, avoid intense emotional fluctuations and Devilish Qi polluted environments.】

Jiang Linfeng felt slightly relieved. He looked up at Luo Zheng, who had been standing silently at the door with a complex expression.

"Brother-in-law, I will take care of Yaner here. You have just entered the Outer Sect, don't neglect your Cultivation."

Jiang Linfeng took the initiative to speak, his tone calm.

He knew that Luo Zheng must be feeling turbulent inside, but now was not the time for explanations.

Luo Zheng gave Jiang Linfeng a deep look. There was inquiry, shock, and confusion in his eyes, but in the end, it all turned into a deep sense of powerlessness and... a trace of imperceptible awe.

He opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something, but seeing his sister nestled beside Jiang Linfeng looking so peaceful and dependent, and then looking at Jiang Linfeng's calm, waveless eyes that seemed to be able to swallow all questions, he finally just nodded heavily.

"Yaner... rest well." Luo Zheng's voice was a bit hoarse. After speaking, he turned and strode away, his back carrying a hint of haste and the implication of fleeing.

He needed time, he needed space, to digest the impact of these successive events that had completely overturned his cognition!

This Brother-in-law... he couldn't see through him! And he didn't dare to look again!

Confirming that Luo Yan had fallen into a deep sleep and her breathing was steady, Jiang Linfeng stepped out of the room lightly and closed the door.

The gentleness on his face faded instantly, and his eyes became sharp and solemn.

The matter at the Waste Slag Pit seemed to have subsided, but in reality, undercurrents were surging.

Elder Situ's final look of shock and suspicion was like thorns on his back!

And that Geng Gold Jade Casket... something that could make Devilish Qi go so crazy was definitely not ordinary! The waters of the Qingyun Sect were deeper than he imagined!

More importantly, although the news of Yaner's pregnancy was temporarily hidden from Senior Sister Yun Shuang, the pregnancy reactions would only become more obvious! Cold Plum Courtyard had many people and mixed eyes; it was definitely not a place to stay for long!

Become stronger! Must become stronger as soon as possible!

Jiang Linfeng returned to his own Menial Worker dormitory, which was filled with the smell of mold and sweat.

He sat cross-legged on the hard bed, his consciousness sinking into the System space.

【Host: Jiang Linfeng】

【Realm: Tenth Level Great Perfection of Xiantian Realm (Bottleneck loosening degree 40%)】

【Origin Spirit Power: Recovering (Currently about 65%)】

【Skills: Invincible Domain (100 meters), Source Spirit Body, Breath Concealment Art (Proficient), Bad Luck Halo Lv1】

【Items: Basic Pill Refining Art (Introductory Chapter), profound ice Vermilion Fruit Seed × 1, Physique Optimization Potion · Partner Version × 1】

【Offspring: 1 (Gestating, potential Grade B High Grade stable)】

Bottleneck loosening 40%! Origin Spirit Power recovered more than half! profound ice Vermilion Fruit Seed! Basic Pill Refining Art!

A flash of brilliance appeared in Jiang Linfeng's eyes! Alchemy! This was currently the fastest way to improve his strength, and at the same time, it could provide a guarantee for Yaner's pregnancy!

He immediately began to study the "Basic Pill Refining Art (Introductory Chapter)" rewarded by the System.

Countless pieces of knowledge regarding identifying medicinal Materials, matching medicinal properties, controlling heat, and Pill Refining hand Seals flooded into his mind like an enlightenment.

With the strength of his Tenth Level Great Perfection of Xiantian Realm spiritual sense, understanding these basic contents was not difficult.

"Alchemy... the core lies in fire control and Pill condensation... requires a Pill Furnace, Earth Fire or Spirit Fire..."

Jiang Linfeng frowned slightly. A Pill Furnace? Spirit Fire? As a Menial Worker, where could he get these? Did he have to steal them?

【Ding! Detected Host's Alchemy needs!】

【Triggered hidden mission: Self-reliance!】

【Mission objective: Use existing environment and resources to successfully refine a batch of Medicinal Pill (no Rank limit).】

【Mission reward: Random Pill Formula × 1, Alchemy proficiency + 100!】

Self-reliance? Use the existing environment?

Jiang Linfeng's gaze swept over the simple Menial Worker room and finally landed on the pile of odd-smelling medicinal residue in the corner.

Medicinal residue... abandoned medicinal residue... was there any medicinal essence remaining in it that hadn't been fully squeezed out? Could it be... turned into treasure from waste?

A bold idea took shape in his mind!

Over the next three days, Jiang Linfeng became the most "diligent" Menial Worker at the Waste Slag Pit.

He no longer disliked the pungent smell, but instead took the initiative to apply for cleaning the deepest, longest-accumulated, and supposedly most "stubborn" piles of medicinal residue.

The dirty and tiring work that others avoided, he did meticulously.

Using the Source Spirit Body's keen perception of Spiritual Qi and life energy, like the most precise instrument, he carefully distinguished and screened the residue blocks that still had weak active medicinal power from the mountain of foul-smelling medicinal residue.

These residue blocks were often darker in color, harder in texture, and emitted a faint, special aura covered by the stench.

At the same time, taking advantage of the "convenience" of chopping firewood, he secretly collected some specific firewood with stable burning and gentle heat (such as air-dried Green Sandalwood cores).

Returning to the dormitory at night, he would hide in the corner, using a broken clay pot as a container, using the screened medicinal residue as the main ingredient, supplemented by some common herbs picked up in the mountain forest near the Firewood Courtyard (Hemostatic Grass, Calming Flower), trying to simulate the Alchemy process.

No Pill Furnace, so he used a clay pot. No Earth Fire, so he used the most primitive wood fire. No spiritual sense to control fire, so he used the Source Spirit Body's absolute control over energy to fine-tune!

Chi la! Pu pu!

The clay pot exploded! The medicinal residue burned! Black smoke filled the air!

Failure! Failure! Still failure!

The Menial Workers in the same room were miserable from the smoke, but looking at Jiang Linfeng's calm, waveless face, and his "fierce" performance at the Waste Slag Pit during the day, no one dared to say a word, and they could only endure it silently, cursing this newly arrived "plague god" thousands of times in their hearts.

Jiang Linfeng didn't care. Every time he failed, the System faithfully recorded the experience. The theoretical knowledge of "Basic Pill Refining Art" was rapidly digested and absorbed in repeated practice.

His control over the heat and his capture of the subtle energy changes during the Fusion of medicinal properties became more and more precise!

Late on the third night.

When Jiang Linfeng again put a handful of carefully screened medicinal residue mixed with Calming Flower powder into the clay pot, and carefully controlled the stable flame of a few pieces of Green Sandalwood core—

Hum!

Inside the clay pot, the originally chaotic energy, under the guidance of the Origin Spirit Power, actually began to rotate and fuse slowly!

An extremely faint but exceptionally pure fragrance of herbs, mixed with a trace of cool calming aura, quietly drifted out from the cracks of the clay pot!

Success!

Jiang Linfeng's eyes lit up! Origin Spirit Power was suddenly retracted!

Pa! The clay pot cracked in response!

Three "Medicinal Pills" the size of dragon eyes, with bumpy surfaces, grey-white colors mixed with pale green patterns, and an extremely ugly appearance, rolled onto the ground!

Although the appearance was horrendous, the faint fragrance that could calm people's minds could not be faked!

【Ding! Congratulations to the Host! Successfully refined "Inferior Calming Powder" × 3 (Unranked)!】

【Completed hidden mission: Self-reliance!】

【Received reward: Random Pill Formula × 1 (Yellow Rank Low Grade · Qi Cultivation Pill), Alchemy proficiency + 100!】

【Pill Refining Art Rank increased: Introductory (0/100) → Proficient (100/500)!】

Success! Although it was the most trashy unranked Medicinal Pill! But this was a Breakthrough from nothing! It proved that his approach was feasible! Waste could also be utilized!

Jiang Linfeng picked up the three miserably looking "Calming Powder", and a smile curved on his lips.

With this beginning, refining higher-grade Medicinal Pills to stabilize Yaner's pregnancy and for his own Breakthrough was just around the corner!

Just then—

Knock, knock, knock!

A rhythmic knocking sounded in the silent night, exceptionally clear.

Jiang Linfeng's eyes tightened, instantly putting the Medicinal Pill and clay pot fragments into the System space, running the Breath Concealment Art to the extreme, and his aura became "weak" and "exhausted" again.

He walked to the door and opened a crack.

Standing outside the door was none other than the strange old man he had met at the Waste Slag Pit who was in charge of the Medicine Garden—Old Man Zhong!

Old Man Zhong was still wearing that greasy grey robe, his hair was messy, and he was carrying his inseparable purple clay teapot in his hand.

His turbid eyes swept over Jiang Linfeng's face, and he seemed to glance inadvertently at the faint herbal ash and a trace of lingering calming medicinal fragrance in the room, and the corners of his mouth seemed to twitch extremely slightly.

"Kid, someone asked this old man to bring you something."

Old Man Zhong's voice was hoarse, with a hint of impatience, and he stuffed something the size of a palm, wrapped tightly in ordinary oil paper, into Jiang Linfeng's hand.

"Who?" Jiang Linfeng took the item, it was slightly heavy in his hand, with a trace of warmth.

"Who else could it be?" Old Man Zhong rolled his eyes and took a sip from his teapot. "Old Man Situ! That stubborn mule could barely get out of bed before he started thinking about you, his 'life-saving benefactor'! He insisted that if you hadn't 'bumped' into the array eye stele, his old life would have been lost in the mine! Here, this is his treasured 'thank you gift', and he insisted that this old man deliver it to you personally!"

Elder Situ?!

Jiang Linfeng's heart jumped! But on the surface, he was full of "flattered" confusion: "Ah? Elder Situ? This humble one... this humble one is unworthy..."

"Cut the crap! Item delivered! This old man is leaving!"

Old Man Zhong waved his hand impatiently and turned to leave. After two steps, he paused, and without looking back, threw out a sentence: "Kid, Alchemy... is not played like this. The fire of medicinal residue is too dry, and although Green Sandalwood core is stable, the heat is insufficient to condense the Pill shape. If you want to play with fire... try your luck at the 'Waste Slag Pit' of the Earth Fire Cave in the back mountain. There are occasionally Earth Fire veins leaking there, and the temperature is strong enough... just be careful not to roast yourself!"

After speaking, he hunched his back and slowly disappeared into the night.

Jiang Linfeng held the warm oil-paper package in his hand, looking at the direction where Old Man Zhong disappeared, his eyes deep.

Elder Situ's thank you gift? Specifically asked Old Man Zhong to send it? Even pointed out the shortcomings of his Alchemy? And even "guided" him to the Earth Fire Cave Waste Slag Pit?

This old man... was he just passing by by accident? Or... had he been observing in the dark all along?!

He closed the door, returned to the corner, and carefully unwrapped the oil-paper package.

Inside was not some Spirit Pill or treasure, nor gold or silver.

It was a palm-sized, bright red, scalding hot Ore that seemed to have magma flowing inside! The surface of the Ore was covered with natural flame patterns, emitting amazing heat!

【Ding! Detected rare Materials: earth fire flame heart (fragment)!】

【Quality: Profound Rank Medium Grade!】

【Characteristic: Contains pure earth fire flame heart power, can assist in Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and significantly increase the Cultivation speed of fire-type Cultivation Techniques!】

【Reminder: This item has miraculous effects for stabilizing fire-type Spiritual Root and tempering the Physical Body! It can also be used as core fuel to replace Earth Fire!】

Good stuff! Absolutely good stuff! For Jiang Linfeng, who urgently needed a stable fire source for Alchemy, it was like sending charcoal in snow!

But Elder Situ sending this... what did it mean? A simple thank you? Or... a test?!

Jiang Linfeng stroked the scalding earth fire flame heart fragment, feeling the surging fire-type energy within it, his eyes flickering.

"Earth Fire Cave... Waste Slag Pit..." He repeated Old Man Zhong's words in a low voice.

It seemed that this back mountain of the Qingyun Sect was worth exploring.

Meanwhile.

Deep in the Pill Room, in a quiet room filled with rich herbal fragrance.

Elder Situ, whose face was still deathly pale, leaned on a soft couch. His broken right arm was fixed with spiritual wood splints and wrapped in fragrant medicinal cloth.

He closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, but the sharp Sword Qi between his brows could not be dissolved no matter what.

"The item... was it delivered?" Elder Situ spoke suddenly, his voice hoarse.

"It was delivered." In the shadows, a blurry figure responded in a low voice. It was Old Man Zhong who had delivered the medicine during the day. At this moment, his hunched back seemed to straighten a bit, and his eyes were no longer turbid. "According to your instructions, I gave him the earth fire flame heart fragment, and also 'pointed out' the Waste Slag Pit of the Earth Fire Cave."

"Hmm." Elder Situ slowly opened his eyes, his falcon-like gaze sharp as a knife. "That kid... what was his reaction?"

"Panic, confusion, and... a trace of vigilance hidden very deeply."

Old Man Zhong said truthfully, "Also... the residual smell of medicinal residue in his room and that trace of faint calming aura... couldn't hide from this old man. This kid is indeed secretly dabbling in Alchemy, using the most trashy medicinal residue and firewood."

"Humph! Bold! Heretical path!"

Elder Situ snorted coldly, but a strange look flashed in his eyes. "Alchemy with medicinal residue... unheard of! Even with the earth fire flame heart, with his Quasi-Innate Realm cultivation and spiritual sense, it is absolutely impossible to succeed! Unless..."

He paused and didn't continue, but the inquisitive look in his eyes deepened.

"Elder, do you really think... that time in the mine... was a coincidence?" Old Man Zhong couldn't help but ask. "That broken shovel handle..."

"Coincidence?" Elder Situ's mouth curled into a cold arc, carrying self-mockery. "This old man has practiced the sword all his life and never believes in coincidences! Once is a coincidence, twice is luck, three or four times... that is skill! It is profound concealment!"

His gaze turned to the window, as if piercing through heavy obstacles, looking towards the direction of the Utility Section.

"The array eye stele at the Waste Slag Pit erupting with golden light to protect them, is that a coincidence?"

"The broken shovel handle accurately refracting and piercing the devilish claw, is that a coincidence?"

"A Quasi-Innate Realm Menial Worker who can be safe and sound at the core of the Devilish Qi outbreak, and even has the spare power to protect others, is that a coincidence?"

"Now, secretly using trashy medicinal residue to refine pills? Is that also a coincidence?"

Every time Elder Situ asked, the cold light in his eyes became more intense.

"This old man wants to see if this kid is really a piece of Trash, or... a Primordial Vicious Beast in sheep's clothing!"

He clenched his intact left hand tightly, his knuckles white. "Watch him! Especially when he goes to the Earth Fire Cave! This old man wants to see what kind of tricks he can play with the earth fire flame heart!"

"Yes!" Old Man Zhong bowed, his figure slowly merging into the shadows.

In the quiet room, the herbal fragrance curled, but Elder Situ's gaze was like a drawn sword, cold and full of inquiry.

The earth fire flame heart fragment he sent out was both a thank you gift and a... hot litmus test!