8: Senior Sister Su

"Trash! You're all trash! You can't even control the Earth Fire; what use are you!" Steward Han kicked over a basket filled with pill dregs, scattering them all over the floor.

His eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving violently. His Qi surged uncontrollably due to his agitation, making all the Menial Servants tremble, not daring to look up.

Lin Feng kept his head down, shrinking back behind the others.

"Clack. Clack. Clack."

A series of footsteps approached from afar.

Steward Han froze instantly. His raised palm stopped in mid-air, his mouth still held in the shape of a roar, but not a single sound could escape.

All the Menial Servants, along with Steward Han, subconsciously looked toward the doorway.

Lin Feng raised his head slightly. The few Menial Servants closest to the door visibly shuddered and pulled their necks in.

Steward Han's throat bobbed. Almost on tiptoes, he rushed to the door with small, quick steps, moving at a speed that was nearly a glide.

Against the backlight, a tall figure came into view.

The newcomer wore the cloud-patterned white robe unique to an Inner Sect Disciple. She was tall, her face as cold as ice, and her eyes were as sharp as cold stars. She swept a faint glance over the crowd before finally landing on Steward Han.

Steward Han's waist bent even lower instantly: "S-Senior Sister Su. Why... why have you come here in person?"

"Steward Han." Her voice was crisp and cold, devoid of emotion, yet carried an inherent air of authority. "I require a quiet room with stable Earth Fire to refine a furnace of peiyuan pill. I have brought my own Materials and wish to begin immediately."

"A peiyuan pill!" Steward Han's throat bobbed. "Yes, yes, yes. Senior Sister, please, this way. It's just... the assistants..." He looked troubled as he glanced at the group of quail-like Menial Servants behind him.

Senior Sister Su's gaze swept over the Menial Servants once more, and finally, it landed on Lin Feng.

She frowned slightly, extended a slender finger, and pointed at Lin Feng: "He will do. Be quick and nimble. If you are clumsy and waste my Materials,"

Her tone remained calm, "the consequences will be more severe than just being kicked out of the Spirit Pill Pavilion."

Steward Han felt as if he had been granted an amnesty. He quickly barked at Lin Feng: "Lin Feng, what are you standing there for? Being favored by Senior Sister Su is a blessing you've cultivated over eight lifetimes.

Senior Sister Su is a once-in-a-century Genius in our Spirit Pill Pavilion, and furthermore, she is the granddaughter of the Grand Elder.

You better give me your absolute best effort. If you make even the slightest mistake, I will peel your skin off!"

Lin Feng knew, of course, that these words were meant for him, but even more so, they were to show loyalty to Senior Sister Su.

A Genius Inner Sect Disciple and the granddaughter of a Grand Elder—either identity would be enough to walk arrogantly through the Sect, let alone having both combined.

He immediately stepped forward and bowed: "Yes, Steward Han. This Disciple will do his utmost and will not allow any errors."

Seeing this, Steward Han secretly breathed a sigh of relief and glared fiercely at the other Menial Servants. The other Utility Disciples scrambled to get busy.

Lin Feng closed the heavy wooden door of the quiet room behind him; the soft sound of the door hinges closing seemed to shut out the rest of the world.

In the center of the quiet room, a waist-high bronze Pill Furnace sat atop a magic array, while the Earth Fire vent below spewed deep blue flames.

The light in the room came primarily from the Earth Fire and the dark red glow emitted by the Pill Furnace itself. It cast flickering, swaying shadows on the walls, making Senior Sister Su's cold profile appear alternately bright and dim.

Lin Feng held his breath and focused, silently memorizing the Materials she took from her Storage Pouch before locking his gaze tightly onto Senior Sister Su's hands.

He watched as she pressed her left hand lightly over the Earth Fire vent, a faint emission of Qi from her fingertips instantly calming the restless deep blue flames, transforming them into a layer of pure cyan fire that evenly wrapped around the bottom of the furnace—the heat was astonishing yet incredibly stable.

With her right hand, she made a grabbing motion in the air, and a stalk of "Moonlight Grass" from the jade tray beside her flew up lightly. She pressed her fingers together like a blade, a flash of cold light shone, and the essence of the Moonlight Grass was extracted, turning into a drop of spirit liquid that dripped precisely into the Pill Furnace.

A soft "hiss" came from inside the furnace, and a cool, exotic fragrance wafted out, only to be locked around the furnace by a casual Restriction she cast.

She occasionally spat out a few brief instructions: "Gentle fire," "Three drops of spirit liquid," "Seven turns of the Pill Condensing Hand Seal."

Lin Feng was completely focused, following her instructions without daring to be the slightest bit negligent.

He was very close to Senior Sister Su and could clearly feel the stability and rhythm of her Qi output as she controlled the Earth Fire and the medicinal liquid.

"Now is the time!"

He quietly activated the heaven-stealing vine within his Sea of Consciousness.

"...Press... Turn... Fuse... Condense..."

He clenched his teeth tightly to avoid showing any abnormality, using all his willpower to sort and memorize this surging "Pill Intent."

Just then, Senior Sister Su's cold gaze seemed to sweep over him inadvertently. The corners of her lips turned down, revealing a hint of undisguised mockery.

"No matter how carefully you watch, it is futile." She spoke suddenly. "Is the method for refining a peiyuan pill something you can steal just by watching a few times? Your heart is not in the right place, you only invite ridicule."

Her technique did not stop, and she continued to control the Earth Fire. Her tone was calm, yet every word was like a knife: "It wouldn't hurt to tell you. This pill strengthens the Foundation and cultivates the origin; its medicinal power is tyrannical and potent. For anyone below the Fourth Level of Qi Refining with an unstable Foundation, taking it is no different than drinking poison to quench thirst."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Lin Feng's weak aura of the Second Level of Qi Refining once again: "With your meager cultivation, if you harbor any crooked thoughts, there is only one outcome."

"The medicinal power will rush through and shatter your Meridians, destroying your dao foundation. Remember, delusional thinking will only get you killed."

Lin Feng kept his head low, not daring to let her see the flicker of anger in his eyes.

"You look down on me, don't you? You think I can't learn it? Just you wait!"

Senior Sister Su looked at his submissive appearance, and the mockery in her eyes deepened a little.

She didn't look at Lin Feng again, re-focusing all her attention on the Alchemy.

Over the next few days, Lin Feng's life in the Spirit Pill Pavilion became increasingly difficult.

Steward Han's temper became even more violent and erratic, and he would beat or scold them at the slightest provocation, leaving the Menial Servants in misery.

Lin Feng knew deeply that if he didn't find a way to change the status quo, he would sooner or later be tortured to death or become a sacrificial victim for testing pills.

That day, Steward Han was furious again because a furnace of Medicinal Pill had failed. After kicking over the Pill Furnace, he slumped in his chair, panting heavily, his eyes hollow: "Why... just a little bit more... just one peiyuan pill short..."

Lin Feng knew the opportunity had arrived. He took a deep breath, suppressed his racing heart, and stepped forward: "Steward Han."

"Get lost!" Steward Han roared without even looking at him.

Lin Feng did not retreat; instead, he stepped closer, his voice lowered even further: "This Disciple... might be able to refine a peiyuan pill."

"What did you say?" Steward Han looked up, his bloodshot eyes staring fixedly at Lin Feng as if he had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. He then rose in a rage: "Bullshit! A peiyuan pill? You? A waste at the Second Level of Qi Refining? Do you know how precious the Materials for a furnace of peiyuan pill are? You want to swindle me for Materials? You're courting death!"

He raised his hand to strike.

Lin Feng quickly retreated a step.