Chapter 235: Basic Tricks and Techniques for Alchemists

Yang walked back to his courtyard, waving off all his Senior Brothers except Senior Brother Lu Feng as they headed to their own courtyards.

He looked up at the night sky, gazing at the full moon, casting a silvery glow over the compound, while a scattering of stars glittered in the pitch-black sky. He couldn’t help but marvel at the craftsmanship it must have taken to create something like this.

As he walked ahead, he let his mind wander over the day he just had. He hadn’t managed to get anything productive done all day, but it had been one of the most pleasant days he had experienced recently, spending the whole afternoon with his Senior Brother, eating and joking around to their hearts' content.

He had enjoyed himself so much that the whole day passed by without him even noticing. It was only when Senior Brother Weilong pointed out that it was dark outside that he realized how late it had grown.

Stepping into his courtyard, he took a seat on the jade bed he had left set up. Since he was living here for the time being, it was just easier to keep it out than to put it away and take it out every time. 

I really am getting lazy, he thought. It barely takes the wave of a hand. 

Slipping out of his outer robe and letting his hair loose, he combed through strands with his fingers as he wondered whether he should go to sleep, but dismissed the thought just as quickly.

Instead of being tired, he was feeling rather refreshed and energized. Even the buzz from the wine was gone.

He decided to go with his initial plan and retrieved the five trunks Senior Brother Fan Xiao had gifted him. Despite his eagerness to learn alchemy, he hadn’t had time to look through them until now.

He opened one of the trunks and peered inside, his gaze sweeping over the neat row of small porcelain and crystal bottles and jade boxes. He reached for one of the boxes, taking it out only to see another one resting directly underneath it. 

Yang lifted out six boxes, one under another, only to realize he still hadn’t reached the bottom. His eyes widened as he realized the trunk had expanded interiors.

He flipped open the lid of a couple of jade boxes he had already taken out and examined the different herbs in each of them. He naturally didn’t recognize any, but it was enough to tell him that this trunk mostly contained herbs and other alchemy ingredients.

He placed it back in the storage ring and popped open the lid of the next trunk, only to find it similarly filled. The next one was no different, but the fourth one was where he found what he had been searching for. 

The fourth trunk was packed to the brim with manuals and jade slips. He dug around with his hand and tried to reach the bottom of the trunk to see if it also had extended space, and to his delight, it did. He couldn’t touch the bottom despite having his arm up to his shoulder pushed in, and given the external dimensions of the trunk, his fingers should have long touched the bottom by now.

He sorted through the top layer of manuals and jade slips. Thankfully, the ones he needed were placed on the top. He retrieved the manuals he needed along with the thick herb identification encyclopedia and stowed the rest back inside the trunk.

He grabbed a pillow and threw himself back on the jade bed, flipping through the manual, which was most aptly titled Basic Tricks and Techniques for Alchemists.

It clearly seemed to be a used copy, as there were various notes handwritten in the margins. As he looked at the notes, he realized they seemed to be slight alterations and tips to make improvements. 

He felt a small smile spread across his lips as he realized Senior Brother Fan Xiao had given him his own personal manual.

The first technique in the book itself was called the Purging Technique. 

It described the use of the palm to channel qi, creating a gentle repelling force that removed any foreign particles and impurities. There were various minor variants listed with slight differences in how this technique was used, depending on whether the alchemist was using it on a cauldron, tools, or fresh or dried herbs.

All these minor variants also themselves had further subdivisions that depended on whether the cleaning was done on a dry or wet object.

Overall, despite calling it the Purging Technique, it would be better to say it was a series of techniques for all potential cleaning possibilities an alchemist may ever face. As Yang read through more than a dozen techniques dedicated solely to cleaning, he realized he would be learning a lot more techniques than he initially anticipated. If basic cleaning required such specialized variety, then he was sure there had to be more than one flame technique as well.

He decided to skim through the rest of the techniques in the manual before attempting to learn the various cleaning techniques.

He next came across a technique very well suited to his repertoire. 

Spirit Water Condensation Technique.

Another way to create water. Just what he needed more of. 

A water condensation technique.

Wonderful.

The water it made could be used in pill refining as well as to wash some herbs for which the purging technique wasn’t quite enough.

There was a Spirit Flame Ignite Technique which had various grades. Apparently, different types of pills needed different grades of flame. This was paired with the Heat Regulation Technique when quick shifts and even more precise control over the temperature were required.

Aroma Sealing Technique to prevent medicinal essence from escaping the cauldron as vapor during the refinement process. 

Qi Essence Gathering Technique to add an extra boost of qi to the pill during the refinement process. He actually recalled someone using something similar during the Alchemy competition in the sect when their pill refining was about to fail.

Techniques to shape pills, cool down pills, cool down cauldrons, basic shields and barriers to prevent spillage and accidents.

Then a list of techniques solely dedicated to preparing the herbs.

A Separation Technique and the Essence Extraction Technique, designed to isolate viable parts of a plant and harvest their core essence, respectively.

The most useful and the most complicated-looking Herb Identification Technique that seemed to have countless variations to deal with all types of herbs and other alchemical ingredients as well, despite its name only having the word herb in it.

Techniques to preserve, cut, and grind the herbs and various techniques to identify and grade pills.

This was one thorough manual, he thought. He hadn’t seen anything remotely like this when he was starting out learning talismans.

This was the stark difference between an Outer and Inner Sect Disciple.

He had to work hard and look through various resources to find where he should start while taking public lectures. Even in the relatively relaxed White Cloud Sect, every scrap of knowledge had been gained through time and effort.

But now, as the Core Disciple of a Peak Master, he didn't even have to voice his desire to learn alchemy, and one of his Senior Brothers already had an entire premium starter package prepared that most new alchemists would probably sell their right arm for.

He had a Master and a dozen Senior Brothers ready to provide guidance and hand-pick techniques that would suit him and, in his Master’s case, even create custom techniques for him in case what existed wasn’t adequate.

Whether in a modern or cultivation world, being a nepo baby was best

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