Chapter 149: Chapter 146: The Elixirs are Ready
Alchemy?
’Does Alchemy require a pot?’
’Does Alchemy require boiling water?’
’And what’s this about kneading dough for Alchemy?’
’And all that Spirit Medicine... you’ve minced it all. Won’t the medicinal effects be lost?’
’No matter how I look at you, you don’t look like an Alchemy Master. You look more like a chef!’
"Where is your Alchemy Furnace?" the old man asked, suppressing his rage.
The kitchen knife became a blur in Mo Qi’s hands. Wherever it passed, all the Spirit Medicine turned into a fine mince.
But a closer look would reveal that not a single drop of juice had leaked from the minced Spirit Medicine. A thin membrane covered every cut, making it look incredibly succulent and fresh.
"An Alchemy Furnace? I don’t have one," Mo Qi replied without looking up, still kneading his dough.
’What? No Alchemy Furnace?!’
’What gave you the courage to say that in such a matter-of-fact tone?’
’You’re telling me you don’t have an Alchemy Furnace while you’re performing Alchemy?’
’Are you trying to make me laugh, or are you just trying to mess with me?’
If not for his years of self-restraint and mental Cultivation, the old man would have already flipped the table and started throwing punches.
He took a deep breath and asked in a cold voice, "Without an Alchemy Furnace, what kind of Pill are you even trying to refine?"
SLAP!
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
Having finished kneading the dough, Mo Qi began to slap it against the table to make the texture more springy.
His practiced movements, his graceful technique, his confident and seamless expression—every bit of it grated on the old man’s nerves.
"Who says you definitely need an Alchemy Furnace for Alchemy?" Mo Qi retorted.
The old man felt like he was going crazy.
’Of course Alchemy needs an Alchemy Furnace!’
’Does anyone even need to say that?’
’Since time immemorial, that’s how every Alchemy Master has done it.’
’It’s common sense that even mortal children know!’
Before the old man could speak, Mo Qi took the initiative.
"By the way, Senior, can I add some of my own ingredients? It’ll make the Elixir’s texture better."
The old man: "..."
’Better texture, my ass!’
’Aren’t Elixirs swallowed whole? What texture are you talking about?’
"Fine, fine, fine! Go ahead and add them, you brat! Add whatever you want! I’d like to see just what kind of trick you can pull off today!"
The old man’s head was throbbing with anger.
He had presided over the Empire’s annual selection for several hundred years, and this was the first time he had ever encountered a situation like Mo Qi’s.
"But let me warn you, if you dare to make a fool of me, you will pay a very heavy price!"
The old man sneered. As long as Mo Qi failed to refine an Elixir in the end, he would make sure the boy learned the consequences of fooling around during the annual selection.
Mo Qi ignored the old man’s threat and took out... oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar from the space within his Chaos Scripture.
And... two eggs.
The old man slapped a hand to his forehead. The minced Spirit Medicine, the dough, the boiling water—as ridiculous as it all was, it could at least be vaguely connected to Alchemy.
But!
Oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar... this was going too far!
The old man opened his mouth, but in the end, no words came out.
’Fine, fine, fine. You’re the big shot. Let the show begin!’
And so, under the dumbfounded gazes of the old man and the two young men who had just finished their bloodline tests, Mo Qi added seasonings to the minced Spirit Medicine and even cracked two eggs into it.
The kitchen knife flashed, and the dough was divided into small pieces.
Mo Qi’s fingers were incredibly nimble. He took a piece of dough and rolled it casually into a ball the size of a longan fruit.
He pinched the dough ball between his index and middle fingers, then pressed his thumb into it, forming a small funnel.
With a thought, a pinch of the minced Spirit Medicine flew over and landed in the funnel.
He pinched the opening shut and rolled it between his hands. In an instant, it became as round and smooth as a pearl.
"Is that... a glutinous rice ball?"
"A filled one, at that!"
The two young men who had been tested exchanged a look. No words could describe what they were feeling.
"Is the senior going to smack him dead for this?"
"I don’t know if he’ll be smacked dead, but I do know this guy is going to be famous! Making a pot of glutinous rice balls instead of Elixirs during the annual selection... I’ve gotta hand it to him, he’s got guts!"
The old man gritted his teeth, his expression growing darker.
But Mo Qi seemed oblivious, continuing to roll his "Elixirs." He made twenty of them in one go.
Then, he very naturally separated ten of the "Elixirs" and dropped them into the pot.
After he scooped out the boiled "Elixirs," he began to cook the other ten in a different style.
Soon, two steaming plates of "Elixirs" were placed before the old man.
One plate was as translucent as snow; the other gleamed with a golden light.
"These are the Elixirs you’ve refined?"
Mo Qi nodded. Pointing to the plate as translucent as snow, he said, "This is Boiled Divine Tempering Pill."
Then he pointed to the other, golden-gleaming plate and said, "And this is Fried Divine Tempering Pill."
The old man’s face twitched violently. He felt like his intelligence had been insulted.
He knew of the Divine Tempering Pill. It was a top-tier First Grade Elixir, suitable for Cultivators at the Refining God Realm. It could help them temper their Sea of Consciousness and increase their chances of comprehending a Domain.
’But boiled this and fried that... do you think I’m blind? I saw the entire process!’
’What does this have to do with Alchemy? It’s clearly just a glutinous rice ball, okay!’
"Brat, I truly admire your nerve. But since you’ve decided to play the fool, you will pay the price for it!"
As his voice fell, the old man waved his hand, preparing to subdue Mo Qi.
"Wait!" Mo Qi quickly shouted. "May I ask, Senior, what have I done wrong?"
The old man paused, then laughed in fury. "You have the nerve to ask me what you’ve done wrong? This pile of garbage is the Elixir you refined? Are you questioning my intelligence, or are you provoking the dignity of the Empire?"
Mo Qi rolled his eyes. ’What a stubborn old traditionalist. A real treasure is right in front of you, and you can’t even recognize it.’
"May I ask, Senior, are these not pill-shaped?" Mo Qi asked, pointing to the "glutinous rice balls."
’Pill-shaped?’
’Of course. The shape of a glutinous rice ball is obviously similar to an Elixir’s.’
"They are," the old man replied. He wanted to see what tricks Mo Qi could possibly have up his sleeve.
"And I ask again, Senior, do they not contain Spirit Medicine ingredients?" Mo Qi asked again.
"They do!"
’But you minced all that Spirit Medicine to bits!’
’And added seasoning and eggs!’
’Their medicinal effects are probably close to zero, right?’
Mo Qi spread his hands. "Then I don’t understand. My ’Elixirs’ are pill-shaped and contain Spirit Medicine. You haven’t even tried them, yet you deny their status as Elixirs and label them as garbage. Isn’t that a bit inappropriate, Senior?"
The old man frowned. "You can’t possibly think that just because something is pill-shaped and contains Spirit Medicine, it qualifies as an Elixir, do you? Do you have any idea what an insult this is to all Alchemy Masters? It’s a provocation against their noble status!"
If simply wrapping Spirit Medicine into a ball was enough to call it an Elixir, then what would all those who poured countless hours of effort, who failed innumerable times, who endured endless hardship to finally become Alchemy Masters think?
In the Martial Arts World, every profession has its rules.
No path is easy, because the easy paths were all washed away by the tides of history long ago.
"Won’t you know if they’re Elixirs or not once you try them, Senior?"
As he spoke, Mo Qi even enthusiastically handed the old man a pair of chopsticks.
’Chopsticks... Heh heh.’
In his heart, the old man refused.
PS: Yesterday’s author’s note from me (Mǐ Fàn) wasn’t aimed at anyone in particular. Some readers had questions, and I felt I should explain. After all, when you read web novels, you’re looking for thrills and fun. More importantly, I hope to earn your approval. I also wanted to explain this book’s general direction and values so that some people don’t get too hung up on things.
Finally, I’m so handsome, is it wrong for me to act cool for a bit? T-T
