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  Ancient Fragment #22

  To practice alchemy one needs a great understanding of herbs, heat control, and the subtle reactions between spiritual materials.

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  Long Tianyu ran as the screech echoed behind him, loud and furious. His grin widened.

  “Try it if you want. Maybe all of your precious orchids will be gone if you come after me.”

  He had truly risked his life. He was not certain the two demonic beasts would fight to the death. But he had seen how territorial they were, how madness overtook them when their treasures were threatened. It was a gamble, and he had taken it.

  Qingqing. Wait for me. I will be back soon.

  The way back felt easier, even though he was drenched and his boots made wet, disgusting sounds with every step. He recognized the paths he had taken before, the places he had memorized out of fear.

  A valley that was infested in small snakes. A large cavern that housed a Twin Red Viper. The small grove where the Red Moon Fox Demon had once tried to bite his leg as he crossed through. All the problems were avoided this time.

  A few demonic beasts still lunged at him, drawn by the scent of blood and orchids, but he was too fast. Some he simply evaded. Others, if they pressed too hard, were cut cleanly in half without him even slowing down.

  After a while he reached the valley of ruins. Then the cavern where Hua Qingqing had slain the Fire Centipede.

  His breath was ragged and his lungs. He stopped.

  The Fire Centipede's corpse was gone. There were no traces left of it. His heart nearly burst from his chest.

  ''QINGQING!'' His shout echoed wildly through the valley.

  He rushed into the cavern and into the darkness. His soul sense expanded forward.

  Please be okay. Please be okay.

  A figure stood ahead.

  Bai Qing’s eyes widened as Long Tianyu burst inside. His scream had startled her. She stood with her sword drawn, staring at the drenched, wild-eyed man before her.

  ''What the hell are you screaming for?!'' She shouted.

  Long Tianyu's soul sense touched Hua Qingqing. She lay against the wall, still and pale. But alive. She was weakening but it wasn't the gruesome scene he had feared.

  The tension snapped. His knees buckled and he nearly collapsed from the flood of relief.

  “Sister Qing,” he said hoarsely, forcing himself upright. “Did you see anything move outside? The Fire Centipede’s corpse is gone.”

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  “What?!” Bai Qing stiffened. “No. There hasn’t been a single noise the whole time you were gone.”

  To move something that large without sound… it had to be a human. Or something far worse.

  Long Tianyu pushed the thought away. He was too exhausted to chase horrors he could not see.

  ''Brother Tianyu... did you find any?''

  He touched the storage pouch and grinned. ''What do you think?''

  Six Scarlet Soul Orchids rested in his palm.

  Bai Qing’s eyes lit up. “Great. But how are you going to use it to help Sister Qingqing? You never told me.”

  “I will make a pill. A Soul Mending Pill.” His voice turned serious. “Sister Qing, to be honest, I have no idea how this will go. I promised you one orchid. But if I must use all of them, I will.”

  “I understand.” Bai Qing snorted. “Do you think I sat in this cave trembling for my life just for an orchid?”

  She waved her hand. “Go on. Make your pill before Sister Qingqing truly walks into the underworld.”

  Long Tianyu put away five of the orchids. His gaze remained on the one in his hand.

  The Scarlet Soul Orchid was delicate. Its petals were soft and smooth beneath his fingers. Just hours ago it had been guarded by a Qi Infusion demonic beast, a treasure soaked in blood and souls.

  He adjusted his legs to sit cross-legged and closed his eyes. He ignored everything outside. He focused on the orchid. On the fragments of alchemy knowledge buried in his mind. He lacked furnaces, herbs, proper tools. He lacked experience. But he had no other choice.

  He took out one of the poison sacks from the Twin Red Viper and infused his qi into it, slowly purging the toxins. He carved a flat stone to use as a stand, placed the sack upon it, and sliced it into thin strips.

  Bai Qing frowned. What is he doing, wasn't he going to use the orchid to help Sister Qingqing?

  He ground the strips with another stone until they became a thin paste.

  Sweat dripped down his temple. It was his first time attempting anything like this.

  He looked up. “Sister Qing, do you have anything to start a fire?”

  “Uh? Yes.” She handed him two small slabs of stone and a thin piece of wood.

  Long Tianyu took them and looked closely.

  Qi Igniting Stones. This will be perfect.

  Long Tianyu stepped outside and came back with some dry branches, crimson leaves and some vines that hung outside the cave.

  He placed them together, infused qi into the stones, and struck them.

  Clack

  Sparks burst. A sizzling sound followed as orange flames licked upward and caught the kindling.

  Long Tianyu retrieved a small metal pot from the storage pouch. He placed the paste inside along with the Scarlet Soul Orchid and set the pot over the fire.

  His soul sense extended into the pot, observing every change.

  He allowed himself a faint smile.

  He would save her. He had to.

  Inside the pot, the paste and orchid slowly melted together. When the timing felt right, he removed the lid and pulled the pot from the fire. His hand hovered above it as qi and soul force intertwined and poured downward.

  Sweat beaded on his forehead. His qi drained rapidly. His soul trembled from the strain.

  The invisible force tried to compress the mixture.

  For a brief moment, it worked.

  Then it shifted.

  Bang!

  The mixture exploded inside the pot.

  Bai Qing flinched but said nothing.

  Long Tianyu looked into the foul-smelling mess.

  His eyes sharpened.

  Again.

  The last poison sack appeared in his hand.

  He repeated the process, but this time he paused. He breathed slowly, calming his heart and steadying his soul.

  ''This time it must work.'' Long Tianyu whispered to himself. A prayer, or an order, he wasn't sure.

  His soul and qi combined once more and acted more gently onto the mixture. Slowly rotating it, like qi going in a circle in his spiritual core the pills started to form. Three of them in total, white like bones they appeared with a small mark on them.

  Inside the pot, the mixture began to condense.

  One shape.

  Then another.

  Then a third.

  Three pills formed, bone white, each marked with a faint pattern.

  Long Tianyu stared at them, disbelief turning into a grin.

  Three Soul Mending Pills.

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  End of chapter 22 - Soul-Mending Pill