Chapter 23: Bringing Bai Chen a Pot

Bai Chen was a little annoyed at the two of them for meddling, but on second thought, if they hadn't meddled, Feng Yang would never have come to give him the pill manual.

Weighing the two against each other, he was still the one who came out ahead.

Fine — seeing that they were sincerely apologizing, he'd let it go.

"Do me a favor and wash the pot, would you? Thanks."

Bai Chen tucked both hands into his sleeves, tilted his chin up, and gestured toward the stone pot on the table.

"Sure thing!"

Bai Chen had no qualms about ordering them around, and Zhou Shi and Fang He didn't seem to mind.

Zhou Shi agreed readily, but then hesitated as he picked up the stone pot.

"Hey, Brother Bai," he said, glancing over at Bai Chen with a probing look, "you're going to keep refining Inedia Pills for the Mission Hall afterward, right?"

Bai Chen nodded. "Mm."

What kind of question was that?

He'd been ready to turn in those pills even when they came out looking like — well, like something unpleasant. Now that he could actually produce proper Inedia Pills, why would he stop?

He still needed contribution points to exchange for Qi Gathering Pills.

Hearing Bai Chen's confirmation, Zhou Shi swallowed and stared down at the stone pot in his hands.

"Brother Bai, are you planning to keep using this stone pot to refine pills?"

"Mm, that's right."

It was the only pot he had — what else was he supposed to use?

Zhou Shi and Fang He exchanged a glance, both of their faces twitching at the same moment, their hearts a tangled mess of complicated feelings.

Inedia Pills were only really useful to Outer Sect Disciples like them who were still in the Qi Refining Stage.

Senior brothers and sisters who had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage could already sustain themselves through Inedia on their own — what would they need these for?

The Inedia Pills collected by the sect's Mission Hall would ultimately end up in the stomachs of Outer Sect Disciples like themselves.

Sure, the stone pot was now drifting with a clean, refreshing fragrance — but that couldn't erase the memory of the foul, dung-like stench of those earlier failed pills!

Even if the pills refined in it were genuinely effective, the mere thought of eating something cooked in that pot made both of them feel physically ill.

Just thinking about it made them want to retch.

No — absolutely no way could they let Bai Chen keep using that pot to make pills!

Zhou Shi immediately shot Fang He a look; Fang He returned it with a firm, resolute gaze.

Zhou Shi raised his voice and called out to Bai Chen: "Brother Bai, hold on a moment! I'll step out for a bit — I'll be right back!"

With that, he set down the stone pot and bolted off in a flash.

Bai Chen was taken aback. He looked at Fang He in puzzlement. "Where did he go?"

"Who knows — probably a stomachache."

Fang He laughed it off and changed the subject, glancing around the room and offering helpfully: "Brother Bai, your room looks pretty much tidied up now. Which cabin are you planning to move into? I'll help you carry your things!"

Bai Chen gave him a suspicious look.

What was all this about? Acting so secretive.

Whatever — it had nothing to do with him.

Bai Chen turned and stepped out of the cabin, scanning the area around him.

Among all the cabins in this stretch near the low bamboo grove, his was the most secluded, closest to the bamboo.

The only other option was the empty cabin next door to Fang He and Zhou Shi — it was available and in decent shape.

He glanced up at the sky. Night had long since fallen.

It wasn't a good time to go searching for an empty room elsewhere in the valley, so he'd just make do.

"The one next to yours, then."

"Perfect!"

Fang He got to work immediately, moving with nimble efficiency.

He grabbed the sorted herbs from the table with one hand, slung Bai Chen's bundle over his shoulder with the other, and used his now-free hand to carry the stone pot — trotting along to help move everything into the empty cabin next door.

Bai Chen watched his eager, fawning manner but didn't refuse. He strolled along leisurely behind him.

At the door, he hung up his wooden name plaque, watched Fang He set his things down, then said: "Thanks for today."

The meaning was clear — it was a polite dismissal.

But Fang He pretended not to understand. Still clutching the stone pot, he smiled ingratiatingly and asked: "Brother Bai, are you going to refine pills again later?"

Bai Chen glanced at him sideways. "Mm."

Obviously — now that he had the pill formula, of course he had to try refining a Qi Gathering Pill.

Fang He hugged the stone pot even tighter and laughed awkwardly. "You've worked so hard refining pills all day — why not rest a little longer first?"

Bai Chen was speechless.

Rest?

It was already past nightfall — around seven in the evening — and by the time he finished refining pills it would be even later. Was he supposed to skip sleep entirely?

Was this guy out of his mind?

He was just about to shoo Fang He away when Zhou Shi came huffing and puffing back, cradling a brand-new purple clay teapot in his arms.

"Brother Bai, Brother Bai! Look what I brought!"

He ran up to Bai Chen and set the purple clay teapot on the table, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said with a grin: "Brother Bai, this purple clay teapot is a small token of goodwill from me and Fang He — consider it an apology gift for the misunderstanding earlier. You absolutely must accept it!"

Fang He immediately chimed in, shamelessly pointing to the stone pot in his own arms and smiling: "That's right, Brother Bai — keep the new pot for refining pills, and let us have this old stone pot as a return gift!"

Bai Chen looked at the two of them playing off each other, then glanced at the brand-new purple clay teapot, and understood everything in an instant.

So these two were worried that the stone pot had been used to cook those foul-smelling failed pills, and were afraid that if he kept using it to refine pills, the resulting pills would end up in the Mission Hall — and eventually in their own stomachs.

What a pair of scheming minds.

When it came down to it, today's incident hadn't been a big deal, and Bai Chen didn't hold much resentment toward Zhou Shi and Fang He.

Now that the two of them were being so proactive about making amends, there was no need to deliberately put on airs and drive them away.

After all, improving his Spiritual Root attributes would require a great deal of money, and maintaining good relationships would only help him earn more.

He reached out and took the purple clay teapot from Zhou Shi, smiling as he thanked him: "Well then, I'll gladly accept."

Seeing Bai Chen take the pot, Zhou Shi and Fang He both let out a simultaneous sigh of relief.

"Don't mention it, Brother Bai — we're fellow sect members, it's only right!"

Zhou Shi glanced at the sky, then pulled Fang He along and smiled as they took their leave.

"Then Brother Bai, take your time studying the pill formula — we won't disturb you any further. Call on us anytime if you need anything!"

Fang He nodded along. "I'm right next door — just come find me."

Bai Chen smiled. "Alright."

Zhou Shi and Fang He pulled Bai Chen's cabin door shut behind them.

A few steps away, Zhou Shi gave Fang He a thumbs-up.

"Brother Fang, you read my mind!"

Fang He let out a long breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Lucky Bai Chen has a decent temper and accepted the pot. If we'd rubbed him the wrong way, things would've gotten awkward."

Zhou Shi nodded repeatedly, still a little shaken. "You're telling me. Who could've guessed that someone with Five-Element Spirit Roots could refine pills before even drawing Qi into his body?"

Fang He glanced back at Bai Chen's cabin door and sighed. "If he ever enters the Qi Refining Stage, he'll be something else entirely. It's good that we've gotten on his good side now."

"True — and if he ever achieves Foundation Establishment, he'll soar to the heavens."

Zhou Shi nodded, then shook his head.

"What a shame he has Five-Element Spirit Roots. Foundation Establishment will be a hard road for him."

Both of them cast a sympathetic glance at Bai Chen's cabin, then parted ways and returned to their own rooms.

Inside his cabin, Bai Chen rebuilt a small earthen stove, set the new purple clay teapot beside it, then returned to the table and took out the "Elementary Pill Essentials" that Feng Yang had gifted him and opened it.

The very first page was the Inedia Pill.

Flipping further, the manual listed formulas for several other basic-grade pills in sequence — Qi Gathering Pills, Spirit Clarity Pills, Wound Healing Pills, and more — all useful to disciples in the Qi Refining Stage, with a fairly complete range of varieties.

But after reading through a few pages, Bai Chen could already tell that the formulas in this pill manual were far less detailed than the silk scroll Feng Yang had given him.