When Zhang Ergou returned to the Bao Dan Pavilion with a full harvest, the sky was already bright.
He went to the alchemist's furnace, did not find Qiao Yunyun, and sat down alone to examine the formula for the Hun Soul Pill.
When Qiao Yunyun, wearing the distinctive robes of an alchemist, entered the inner hall, he saw Zhang Ergou lost in thought.
"How is your comprehension?" Qiao Yunyun asked.
"Master!" Zhang Ergou hurriedly stood up and bowed. "There are still some things I don't understand. Can Master demonstrate it for me?"
"Didn't I tell you to go to the herb garden to pick medicinal ingredients? Take your time to ponder. There are plenty of herbs."
Zhang Ergou's eyes went black. What kind of master was this? Other masters couldn't wait to teach their disciples all their skills.
He had already taken two masters, and both of them were like hands-off shopkeepers.
"I have something to go out for. Ponder it yourself slowly, and I'll return later." Without giving Zhang Ergou a chance to speak, Qiao Yunyun had already turned and left the Bao Dan Pavilion.
Zhang Ergou pouted helplessly and could only sit down again to ponder by himself.
After observing for a long time, Zhang Ergou felt he understood enough. He put away the formula and sat upright before the alchemist's furnace.
Taking a deep breath and adjusting his state to the best, Zhang Ergou summoned his spiritual fire and cast it into the alchemist's furnace.
He didn't start by refining the Hun Soul Pill. After all, he wasn't even proficient with the Qi Recovery Pill, which was clearly simpler than the Hun Soul Pill.
With the previous success experience, Zhang Ergou's technique had become much more skilled when he started refining the Qi Recovery Pill again.
Even the success rate had increased significantly.
Qiao Yunyun was busy with something important and did not return to the Bao Dan Pavilion for a full day and night.
During this period, Zhang Ergou successfully refined ten more furnaces of Qi Recovery Pills. The consumption was too great, so Zhang Ergou lay down under the alchemist's furnace in the inner hall to rest.
After a short rest, Zhang Ergou got up to refine Qi Recovery Pills again.
"Condensing the pill!"
Zhang Ergou let out a soft cry. He was now very skilled at refining Qi Recovery Pills, so his control technique had become much faster.
Previously, it took a full hour to refine a batch of pills. Now, it only took half an hour to condense the pill.
However, this time, he seemed to have been too impatient.
The Qi Recovery Pill, which was about to be successfully condensed, directly exploded the furnace.
Bang!
With a loud roar, the alchemist's furnace trembled incessantly.
Pfft!
Zhang Ergou was also backlashed, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He was shaken and retreated repeatedly, his head throbbing with pain.
The huge commotion here alerted Lin Yueru, who was in seclusion in the side hall.
"What are you doing?" Lin Yueru came out of the side hall with a cold reprimand. She had no good impression of Zhang Ergou.
"Let me tell you, don't think you can just mess around with things here because you are the master's newly accepted disciple!" Lin Yueru glared with her beautiful eyes, scolding Zhang Ergou.
"I, I just now..."
"Didn't Master tell you that the alchemist's furnace cannot be moved around casually? If you want to clean, clean properly."
Without giving Zhang Ergou a chance to speak, Lin Yueru said coldly.
In her heart, Zhang Ergou was just an ordinary disciple. If Qiao Yunyun hadn't tried to set them up the previous night, she might have given him a better look.
But now, she was annoyed whenever she saw Zhang Ergou, so she naturally couldn't give him a good look.
Zhang Ergou was stunned. He immediately realized that Qiao Yunyun had not told her that he was a disciple accepted by Qiao Yunyun to learn alchemy.
Since that was the case, Zhang Ergou was too lazy to explain. It might even be like offering a warm cheek to a cold backside.
He, Zhang Ergou, was also a person with pride and disdained to do such a thing.
The moment Zhang Ergou stood up, Lin Yueru noticed the jade pendant hanging at his waist. The word "Dan" carved on it was clearly the token of Qiao Yunyun, the master of Bao Dan Pavilion.
Lin Yueru grabbed the jade pendant at Zhang Ergou's waist: "You have quite the nerve, daring to steal Master's token!"
At this moment, her gaze towards Zhang Ergou became even more hostile.
"Master gave this to me," Zhang Ergou said immediately after coming to his senses.
"I thought you looked shifty yesterday, and now you dare to quibble." As she spoke, Lin Yueru immediately drew her sword and placed it on Zhang Ergou's neck. "Master's token never leaves his person. How could he possibly give it to you?"
Zhang Ergou looked at Lin Yueru speechlessly. Without Qiao Yunyun present, he truly didn't know how to explain.
Seeing Zhang Ergou remain silent, Lin Yueru became even more convinced of her guess.
"Speak, what is your purpose in approaching Master?"
"Yueru, are you done with your cultivation?" a voice called out. It was Qiao Yunyun, who had just returned from his outing.
"Master." Lin Yueru put away her sword and bowed. Then she pointed at Zhang Ergou. "Master, this brat was acting suspiciously and stole your token."
As she said this, she handed the jade token to Qiao Yunyun.
"What is all this nonsense? I already told you Master gave it to me."
"You dare to quibble? I personally took it from your waist. Master is here, and you still dare to talk nonsense."
Qiao Yunyun now understood the whole story. He stroked his beard and said in a deep voice, "Yueru, do not misjudge your junior brother. The token was indeed given to him by me."
"Master, how could you bear to give the token to him?"
Lin Yueru looked at Qiao Yunyun with a face full of confusion. Even she had never been given the token by Qiao Yunyun.
This Zhang Ergou had only been here for a few days, yet he could receive such favor from Qiao Yunyun?
"I asked him to go to the herb garden to pick some medicinal ingredients. He is not an ordinary disciple; he is following me to learn alchemy." Qiao Yunyun pointed at Lin Yueru. "I wanted to teach you alchemy before, but your talent was insufficient."
"What? This guy can actually refine pills?" Lin Yueru was greatly surprised, looking at Zhang Ergou with a face full of shock.
She had also tried to learn alchemy under Qiao Yunyun when she was cultivating.
Putting aside the boredom and tediousness, the complexity of controlling the flames and the order of adding medicinal ingredients were enough to drive her mad.
Indeed, after hearing Qiao Yunyun's words, Lin Yueru's expression changed.
Her gaze towards Zhang Ergou lost a bit of its coldness and gained a hint of curiosity, making Zhang Ergou feel a little embarrassed.
Seeing Zhang Ergou's dirty appearance, Lin Yueru finally understood why Qiao Yunyun had tried to set them up the previous night.
Zhang Ergou's ability to learn alchemy meant he would definitely become an alchemist in the future, and alchemists held an extremely noble status on the Yin Continent.
They would surely be sought after by major forces. Qiao Yunyun's matchmaking was not without the intention of wooing Zhang Ergou.
"Master, you have free time now. Can you demonstrate the refinement of the Hun Soul Pill for your disciple?" Zhang Ergou ignored Lin Yueru's reaction and looked at Qiao Yunyun with a beaming smile.
Qiao Yunyun stroked his beard, and his brow furrowed. "If you want me to demonstrate, you have to promise me one thing."
"Master, please tell me," Zhang Ergou patted his chest. For the sake of refining the Hun Soul Pill, there was nothing he wouldn't do.
Qiao Yunyun revealed a sly smile. "Spar with your second senior sister. If you defeat her, I will demonstrate for you."