CHAPTER 977: CHAPTER 974: ALCHEMY FAILURE?

Lin Tian had no time to appreciate Zi Yan’s natural charm; all his spiritual power was focused within the medicine cauldron. At this moment, various medicinal properties were mixed together inside the cauldron. With one careless move, improper blending would cause everything to be wasted.

"There’s also Thunder Wood and Shaoyang Grass, the two most difficult medicinal properties to fuse in the Shaoyang Pill. Thunder Wood absorbs heavenly lightning and becomes incredibly potent, while Shaoyang Grass absorbs the mild sun energy of early spring. Once these opposite properties clash, the failure rate could reach ninety percent," Jiang Xiu Ying said gravely.

"Is there any good solution?" Wang Wanxi asked with furrowed brows.

Jiang Xiu Ying shook her head slightly, saying earnestly, "There are no shortcuts. It entirely depends on the true skill of the pharmacist to slowly fuse them. This is a test of patience and technique, both are indispensable."

Looking at the Thunder Wood powder and Shaoyang Grass liquid on the ground, Lin Tian hesitated for a moment, then picked up the essences of both materials at the same time and threw them into the medicine cauldron simultaneously.

"Lin Tian, stop this instant, you’re going to ruin all the materials..." Jiang Xiu Ying exclaimed in shock, hurriedly trying to stop Lin Tian, but it was too late. To her alarm, Lin Tian had already thrown in the essences of Thunder Wood and Shaoyang Grass.

"You... you... sigh, too impulsive!" Jiang Xiu Ying pointed at Lin Tian, sputtering with frustration before she could only sigh.

In her view, Lin Tian’s alchemy attempt was doomed to fail. Even Ghost Valley Inheritors dared not fuse these two materials simultaneously, yet this apprentice pharmacist did it. The next step seemed predictable—alchemy failure.

"Master, I understand Lin Tian. Although he’s usually unruly, he’s never careless when it comes to important matters. Junior Brother Lin must have his reasons for doing this," Zi Yan chose to trust Lin Tian at this critical moment. Even though she reproached him, she knew deep down that he never acted recklessly on significant issues.

Jiang Xiu Ying glared at her angrily, "What reason could there be? Two materials with completely opposing properties, plus the eight others already in there, it’s going to turn into a complete mess!"

Zi Yan found herself speechless. She wasn’t a pharmacist and hadn’t reached her master’s level in medical skills. Although she trusted Lin Tian, she really didn’t understand why Lin Tian did it.

Both Yun Xiaotian and Wang Wanxi exchanged confused glances, as neither mother nor son understood what Lin Tian was up to.

Completely disregarding the others’ skepticism, Lin Tian focused solely on controlling the flame inside the cauldron after adding Thunder Wood and Shaoyang Grass, carefully adjusting the heat according to his plan, alternately increasing and slowing, heating the ten kinds of medicinal ingredients inside the cauldron.

As soon as the Thunder Wood powder entered the cauldron, exposed to the fire’s heat, the bright silver particles started bouncing and exploding one by one, akin to the brilliant sparks from trees struck by lightning.

Indeed, they’re as fierce as thunder, Lin Tian secretly thought, feeling the defiance of the silver particles.

Conversely, the Shaoyang Grass liquid spread slowly under the flame’s dispersal, and as it spread, it encapsulated the essence of the other eight ingredients, forming a cohesive mass.

Only the silver particles of the Thunder Wood kept exploding without any sign of merging with the liquid. Yet, Lin Tian didn’t panic; instead, he carefully adjusted the flame intensity with even greater care.

As Lin Tian increased the heat, the silver particles burst at a faster pace. Initially, they merely split in half, but with the rising temperature, they finally burst into powder.

The scattered powder immediately got enveloped by the expanding liquid. Over time, all the Thunder Wood powder was completely absorbed.

The green liquid started to churn, and the silver particles eventually vanished entirely. This indicated that the Thunder Wood had thoroughly merged with the liquid.

By now, all ten medicinal ingredients were fused. Lin Tian exhaled slightly and carefully reduced the flame’s intensity, finally extinguishing it altogether, leaving only the residual heat to slowly bake the concoction inside the cauldron.

As the temperature gradually decreased, the amalgam inside stopped spreading and began to shrink slowly, first to the size of a chicken egg, then to a pigeon egg. As it diminished in size, the liquid solidified, taking on a rounded shape.

Once the temperature in the cauldron aligned closely with the room’s temperature, the mass ceased transforming. At this point, the mass had become the shape of an elixir, about the size of a fingertip, with a pale green exterior, resembling fresh spring buds.

Perhaps due to absorbing the silver particles, the elixir’s smooth shell held a faint luster, appearing like a green pearl.

Of course, the others hadn’t approached; only Lin Tian could see the elixir, as they were unaware of any changes in the cauldron and assumed Lin Tian was standing there in a daze, thinking he had failed in alchemy, dealing with a blow.

In reality, Lin Tian was simply admiring the elixir he had crafted, not dazed by failure.

"Brother Lin, it’s okay. If we failed this time, we’ll try again next time. We believe with Brother Lin’s abilities, you will ultimately succeed," Yun Xiaotian offered comfort first.

"Yes, Xiao Tian, you’ve done very well. What you’re lacking now is just a bit of experience and luck. Rest assured, you’ll succeed next time," Wang Wanxi reassured Lin Tian. She liked calling Lin Tian "Xiao Tian," as if it allowed her to see Yun Tian standing in front of her.

"Wanxi is right, with the experience from this failure, you will succeed next time," Jiang Xiu Ying also offered comfort, believing Lin Tian merely lacked experience as his technical level was already achieved.

Lin Tian turned to look at Zi Yan, smiling calmly, "Senior Sister, are you also preparing to comfort me?"

"Hmph, have you no shame? Is this much of a blow needing Senior Sister’s comfort?" Zi Yan flirtatiously rolled her eyes at him, humming lightly.

"Heh, of course, I don’t need Senior Sister’s comfort." Lin Tian chuckled, with a hint of triumph, a bit mysterious.

Everyone looked at his smile, stunned again; was this young man so severely affected he had lost his mind?

Lin Tian ignored their thoughts and instead refocused his gaze back into the cauldron.

Feeling the last trace of warmth inside the cauldron dissipate, a smile emerged on his lips. Simultaneously, he gave the cauldron a gentle tap, and a muffled echo resonated as it shook.

Immediately afterward, a green light shot out from the cauldron. Before the astonished gazes of Jiang Xiu Ying and the others, they saw a round "pearl" ascend.

The "pearl" whirled and ascended in the air, reflecting hazy green light as outside lights entered the room.

Jiang Xiu Ying and the others hadn’t retrieved their senses, still unsure of what was happening, when Lin Tian swiftly grabbed a glass bottle, and in an instant, the green light vanished, the "green pearl" now safely housed within the bottle.