As the furnace temperature gradually stabilized, a gentle warmth transmitted through the furnace wall to the palm of his hand.

Chen Ping picked up the materials.

One stalk of Dew Condensing Grass, one Red Ginseng, and one Crystal Flower.

His movements were meticulous, removing roots, old leaves, and skin cleanly and efficiently.

When the pale yellow, earthy-smelling interior of the Red Ginseng was exposed, he picked up a thin slice, feeling its distinct texture at his fingertips.

Following the diagram in the Alchemy manual, he successively placed the stem and leaves of the Dew Condensing Grass, the thin slice of Red Ginseng, and the entire Crystal Flower into the furnace chamber.

The furnace lid closed, blocking his view.

The critical moment had arrived.

Merging the medicinal potency, condensing it into pill form.

Chen Ping closed his eyes, focusing all his consciousness into that faint strand of Qi he had extended into the furnace chamber.

A scorching current of air, carrying a complex mix of medicinal scents, surged toward him.

The Dew Condensing Grass was the first to transform into a clear, slightly cool liquid. The Red Ginseng’s liquid was thick and viscous, while the Crystal Flower melted like molten glass.

The three tumbled and collided under the heat, repelling each other and emitting faint sizzling sounds.

He struggled to maintain a stable furnace temperature while attempting to use that strand of Qi to guide and stir.

His concentration was intense; fine beads of sweat soon appeared at his temples.

The three medicinal liquids were like three stubborn opponents, resisting fusion.

Time passed bit by bit. The atmosphere inside the furnace quietly changed; the fresh fragrance of plants gradually gave way to a concentrated, slightly anxious scent.

Just as that familiar, failure-foretelling smell of scorching faintly began to rise, Chen Ping’s heart gave a sudden jolt.

A thought crashed into his mind without warning, exceptionally clear.

In a hundred failures, each batch of dregs contained residues of medicinal properties that had not fully dissolved and had been denatured by high heat.

It was impurities!

The medicinal potency had not been purified thoroughly. Like silt clogging a river channel, this made fusion so difficult.

He almost instinctively made a decision.

No longer rushing to advance that elusive “fusion” step.

Instead, he poured all his mind and all the weak Qi he could muster into those three tumbling medicinal liquids inside the furnace chamber.

Guide! Separate! Refine!

His focus was unprecedentedly concentrated.

The Qi was no longer a clumsy stick; it seemed to transform into an intangible small knife, with an almost obsessive focus.

It meticulously cut and separated within the viscous Red Ginseng liquid, forcing out tiny strands of dark impurities carrying an earthy smell.

Gingerly, he combed through the molten glass-like liquid of the Crystal Flower, removing tiny bubbles and scorched yellow spots caused by excessive temperature.

Then, guiding the clear liquid of the Dew Condensing Grass to repeatedly wash over the other medicinal liquids like a clear spring.

This process was agonizingly slow; the mental consumption was terrifying.

Sweat rolled down his temples, dripping onto his robe and spreading dark wet stains.

He gritted his teeth, maintaining this meticulous control.

The anxious scent inside the furnace was forcibly suppressed by some force.

He didn’t know how long passed—perhaps just a few breaths, or maybe an hour had gone by.

Chen Ping felt his spirit was on the verge of collapse; his brain throbbed with needle-like pain.

Just as he was about to lose his grip, inside the furnace chamber, the colors of those three medicinal liquids underwent a subtle change.

The clarity of the Dew Condensing Grass, the pale yellow of the Red Ginseng, and the glassy hue of the Crystal Flower began to blur and blend at their boundaries.

No longer colliding harshly, they slowly rotated and permeated each other. Finally forming a gentle jade-like uniform pale green liquid!

Impurities were almost completely removed. The liquid was clear and emitted a pure yet restrained medicinal fragrance.

An indescribable moment of enlightenment instantly struck him.

Without needing guidance from the alchemy manual, an instinct driven by natural progression urged him to focus all his consciousness on that mass of refined medicinal liquid at the bottom of the furnace!

Condense!

Inside the furnace chamber, at the center of the pale green medicinal liquid, a powerful inward suction force abruptly appeared.

The viscous medicinal liquid was frantically compressed and gathered by an invisible force.

That mass of liquid churned violently and contracted as if boiling. Yet it was firmly bound at its core by an intangible power.

A soft sound—not scorching.

It was a subtle vibration from condensation forming transmitted through the furnace wall.

The furnace fire went out.

Only Chen Ping’s heavy panting remained in the small room.

He felt completely drained. The clothes on his back were thoroughly soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to his skin and bringing a chill.

But he paid no mind to this. His gaze fixed intently on that silent furnace lid. His heart pounded heavily in his chest once, then again.

He reached out. His fingertips trembled slightly from exhaustion and tension.

Touching the edge of the furnace lid, the searing heat stung his skin.

He took a breath and flung it open!

No black smoke. No pungent smell of scorching.

At the bottom of the furnace chamber, six perfectly round pills lay quietly.

Each only about the size of a fingernail. Smooth surfaced, showing a gentle, soft pale green hue like tender buds newly sprouted in early spring.

A faint refreshing medicinal fragrance spread like ripples within the small furnace chamber, completely dispelling all previous smells of failure.

Success!

Chen Ping stared at those six quietly resting pale green pills for several full breaths.

Subconsciously, he reached out. His fingertip Gingerly touched one pill.

Gentle, slightly cool, carrying a texture of refined potent medicinal power held within.

It was real!

Not charcoal. Not dregs.

Real formed pills!

His scalp tingled.

A surge rushed fiercely to his head then instantly spread throughout his limbs.

Three months of fatigue. Over a hundred failures. Countless days and nights of anxiety and self-doubt. At this moment, they were utterly shattered, melted away by those six tiny points of green light in the furnace chamber.

Something seemed stuck deep in his throat. He opened his mouth, wanting to laugh, but only let out a short, hoarse gasp.

His eyes uncontrollably grew hot. His vision instantly blurred. He abruptly lowered his head, fiercely wiping his eyes with a hand covered in sweat and furnace ash.

No shouts of wild joy. No excited leaps.

He just took a deep breath of that pure medicinal fragrance as if wanting to inhale this taste of success along with the air deep into his lungs, carved into his bones.

Then, with utmost care, he picked up those six Spirit Nourishing Pills one by one, placing them into a clean jade vial prepared long ago.

Each touch with his fingertips carried an almost reverent preciousness.

A light clinking sound came from within the vial like celestial music.

The jade vial was carefully stored against his chest, close to his heart.

There seemed still lingered a slight coolness from the pills, the thrill from success.

He did not rest.

Extreme mental excitement temporarily overpowered physical exhaustion.

Silver Thread Charcoal was added anew to the furnace base. Flames danced again.

Cleaning the furnace chamber. Taking herbs. Purifying… All steps guided by a new fluid rhythm like flowing water clouds moving wind.

Failed experiences settled as a foundation. The first successful enlightenment illuminated the path ahead.

Focus!

Only extreme focus!

The furnace lid closed, cutting off outside sounds, leaving only the crackle of charcoal fire and his own heartbeat.

Time lost its measure.

Chen Ping immersed himself in the subtle perception of herb properties and the delicate control of fire intensity.

Sweat repeatedly soaked his clothes, dried again under furnace heat, leaving salt stains.

His spirit repeatedly stretched to the limit, nourished and supported by the refined changes of medicinal liquids within the furnace.

Three days and nights passed in the blink of an eye yet also felt long like a century.

When the furnace fire extinguished for the last time. The furnace lid lifted for the last time. Another four gentle pale green pills lay quietly at the bottom of the chamber.

Medicinal fragrance permeated, announcing another victory.

He Gingerly collected these newly made four Spirit Nourishing Pills also into the jade vial. Adding the previous six, a total of ten Low-grade Spirit Nourishing Pills were stored within his robe pocket against his chest.

Ten sets of materials. Eight batches wasted. Two furnaces succeeded. Ten pills obtained.

This result greatly invigorated him!

Of course, compared to an Alchemist, it was insignificant, negligible.

But this was Chen Ping stepping onto a longer Immortal Path, a foundation benchmark!

Chen Ping walked to the stone bed and almost collapsed onto it. Every inch of muscle in his body screaming exhaustion.

He fell into a deep sleep, nourishing things silently, subtly.