"What technique is this?"
After a long while, Zhang DaoMing asked Chen Xia in a murmuring voice.
He really couldn't understand it.
Chen Xia put away the half pellet of elixir on the spatula and replied, "Flipping the wok and stir frying."
"But..." Zhang DaoMing's expression was incredulous. The corners of his mouth pulled up as he said, "But isn't that a cooking technique? How could it also produce elixir!"
The other three people also completely did not understand. At this point they were already scratching their heads in confusion. They estimated that if Chen Xia did not explain clearly, they would never want to touch alchemy again in this lifetime.
After painstakingly studying alchemy for most of their lives, they were surpassed by this cook. No matter who it was, they could not accept this.
"I got lucky." Chen Xia shrugged and told the truth.
"You can produce elixir and practice out this kind of elixir just by being lucky. Can this still be considered alchemy?"
Zhang DaoMing's eyebrows were already wrinkled together.
Since ancient times, refining elixir did require a bit of luck sometimes, there was nothing wrong with that. After all, luck was also a part of one's strength.
But Chen Xia's strength was all luck!
You might as well just stand here and let the medicinal materials train themselves.
This way Zhang DaoMing could probably accept it a little more.
Not in line with alchemy
Chen Xia also frowned. He waved his hand and retorted,
"How can alchemy be such an inconvenient thing?"
With this, Zhang DaoMing and the others could not respond. Because the four of them did not really understand alchemy either. Otherwise they would not have failed to condense even a single pellet of elixir.
As long as elixir could be produced, then anything Chen Xia said was right.
The four of them were rendered speechless. They could only look at Chen Xia in confusion. For the first time, they felt doubtful about themselves.
Could this really be considered alchemy?
They really could not understand, nor could they possibly understand.
After all, using luck to refine elixir, this kind of art was still too ahead of its time for them. The shock it brought was like using an anti-aircraft gun to shoot primitive men.
It was simply crushing.
The spread of news at Blue Sky Sword Sea was very fast.
The news of Chen Xia refining elixir spread throughout half the sect after just a couple days.
Outstanding talent, descendant of the great emperor, alchemy prodigy.
These titles were heaped onto him, clearly distinguishing him from the other probationary disciples.
He was not on the same level as them at all.
When the Emperor Capital heard this news, he thought for a long time in his cave dwelling. On a sunny morning, he brought along a lustrous jade box and went to give Chen Xia gifts.
"Hero admires hero. Let us turn jade brocade into weapons and establish deep friendship."
Chen Xia accepted the gift and said that recently there were too many people, so let the Emperor Capital go back and wait for a message.
The Emperor Capital bid farewell and left.
A few days later, Qiu Li also came to visit carrying a box.
Who among the probationary disciples right now dared not pay respects at Chen Xia's door?
Even the little elders had to come give Chen Xia gifts, eager to gain Chen Xia's favor.
A descendant of the great emperor who could refine elixir was clearly limitless in future prospects.
These little elders could no longer afford to offend Chen Xia now, let alone in the future.
However, when there were too many people, things became complicated.
Some people realized that directly currying favor with Chen Xia was not easy, so they went to curry favor with Big Yellow Dog instead, hoping that Big Yellow Dog would say a couple good words about them in front of Chen Xia.
Big Yellow Dog naturally welcomed them without reservation, accepting all the gifts. In front of Chen Xia, it went on,
"ShenMi Mountain Evil is not bad, clever and cunning, full of tricks, great martial strength, double-dealing, crossing the river in one reed, saying it as it is, besieging on all sides, colorful, up and down, returning to one from nine, perfect in every way."
"Ancient Kind White Birch is fine too, has a big brain."
Chen Xia looked at it and asked another sentence, "Isn't White Birch also very petty?"
Big Yellow Dog was somewhat surprised. "How did you know? This White Birch is not poor, yet he gifted so little."
It mainly touted blunt honesty.
Chen Xia did not dwell on this topic. Let Big Yellow Dog accept gifts then. After all they were sworn brothers. He did not care about such things.
Big Yellow Dog's gaze lingered on the white jade mattress. It longingly wanted to buy one too, to use as a dog bed.
Thinking of this, Big Yellow Dog shook its head. It felt that it needed to work harder. Immediately, it got up to go collect more gifts.
The clamorous dog left.
Naturally, the cave dwelling quieted down.
Chen Xia let out a breath. His figure leaned against the wall in the shadows. His consciousness gathered inward as he went to observe the changes in his small inner world again.
Two years passed.
Yun Miao was ostracized very miserably by his master's wife and two junior apprentice brothers. He no longer had any standing in the sect and was imprisoned in the back courtyard, right next to his master's coffin.
His junior apprentice sister Xia Chan often came to bring him meals. She tottered along in her not yet five years old body, carrying the food with difficulty to the door of the back courtyard. Then she would put down the food and lightly knock on the door with her little hand.
Every time this light knocking sounded, Yun Miao would know his junior apprentice sister had arrived. He would smile widely and quickly go open the door.
"Senior apprentice brother, it's time to eat." Xia Chan said adorably. Her baby fat little face was very cute. "Chan Er comes to bring you food everyday."
Although he was imprisoned here on false charges, if Yun Miao wanted to leave, it would be easy for him to do so.
It was just that he was unwilling to watch as his master painstakingly built up the sect only to have it ruined by his master's wife and the other three. Thus he continued to stay.
"Calm, breathe calmly, be calm in heart, act without action, without cause, without thought."
Yun Miao softly recited.
Xia Chan did not understand. Curiously she asked, "What are you reciting, senior apprentice brother?"
"Just a mantra to calm the heart, nothing much." Yun Miao smiled and replied. Then he asked, "Did you bow to the Great Celestial Venerable today?"
"I did, I did." Xia Chan answered lively. Her plump little face was very cute. "Chan Er bows to the Great Celestial Venerable everyday."
"Good, very good. As cultivators, we must be grateful in our hearts and bow everyday to the Great Celestial Venerable, who is the world's benefactor."
Yun Miao replied with a smile. He took a bite of the food, put down his chopsticks, and continued,
"Go bow to the Great Celestial Venerable again when you pass by the main hall later."
Xia Chan's brows wrinkled. "But don't we only need to bow once a day?"
"Bowing a couple more times will naturally make the Great Celestial Venerable like little Chan Er more." Yun Miao said with a laugh.
"Okay, Chan Er will definitely make the Great Celestial Venerable like me." Xia Chan nodded.
After Yun Miao finished the meal, Xia Chan picked up the bowls and plates and tottered away again. Her steps were a bit unsteady, but luckily she did not fall.
A few times Yun Miao wanted to go help support her, but was restricted by the flesh devouring curse on his body and could not cross the threshold of the back courtyard.
He sighed, turned to look at his master's coffin, his expression somewhat bleak. He murmured,
"What would you do?"
In the gloomy back courtyard, Yun Miao sat upright and started reciting the mantra to calm his heart again.
"Calm heart, calm heart, calm heart, act without action, without cause, without..."
He looked somewhat pained.
In the end, he could not recite the last "without thought".
His heart was in turmoil.
S: Just a short update for now. There will be more tonight, but very late. You all sleep first. Read it tomorrow morning.
I am a word typing machine, I am a word typing machine, I am a word typing machine.