Chapter 48: Refining Pill (1)

And thus, Moon started to meditate, concentrating his entire mind into his one fire core.

After some time, the air fluctuated, but the amber didn’t spark.

Moon then tried again to channel all his fire essence into a single point of his finger while simultaneously channeling his wood essence. If fire could burn, why not try to burn some wood to make it stronger?

So, he started trying to channel them into a single point.

After an unknown amount of time, Moon finally felt like he touched something hot. His fingertip was burning, and his arm was slightly pinkish.

Moon gritted his teeth to preserve the heat.

His heart was calm with concentration.

And just when he thought it would not come out or awaken, a tiny spark of fire flickered on his fingertip.

Moon’s eyelashes trembled from excitement.

He didn’t even want to close his eyes, fearing he would lose the fire.

The fire danced for a moment before it died down.

Moon wasn’t disappointed.

After resting for ten minutes, he tried again, and this time the fire came out almost instantly.

A little amber spark floated above his hand—orange with a hint of green.

Moon’s fingertip tingled.

He watched it for a few moments, then gently released it into the air. The tiny flame danced slowly in the night air.

Moon took a spirit stone in his hand and absorbed its energy, channeling more power into the tiny fire. By the time the moon rose directly overhead and the star lily sanctuary was completely bathed in silver moonlight, Moon’s fire control had finally settled down.

He then put away the amber spark and took out the cauldron again. Slapping its belly a few times, he began to engrave a basic formation he had learned from his new alchemy manual.

For now, this little script would do the job.

His slender finger dipped in a crushed spirit stone mixed with dew and star steam juice.

Traced on the smooth surface, making round and pentagonal shapes with different complexity, drawing celestial signs and spells.

The lines came alive whenever his fingers touched.

Soon, the inscription was fully engraved inside the cauldron, and it started to glow with a warm golden light.

Moon was tired from the practice.

After preparing all of this, he went back to check on the brothers.

Nox and Ugo had already sorted out everything.

The metal trunk was perfectly placed on the ground, with the Stardust Cinder Lilies resting safely inside.

Nox was nowhere to be seen.

Only Ugo’s slow breathing traversed the quiet air.

Moon came closer and sat down beside him.

"Where is Nox?" he asked.

"He went to check the road ahead."

"Umm... Was he out tracking these past two days too?" Moon looked around, his gaze searching the dark thickets for any moving shadow.

"Mm, he was," Ugo nodded, changing his position to face Moon, lying on his side.

"This place seems to be a basin. After the treeline, there is a little valley, and then the mountain range starts.

The range is quite big; Nox can’t pass them yet.

But he said he is suspicious that this place is connected to that secret realm you all fell into before."

He paused, then a sigh left his mouth.

"He said that realm was heavenly, just like this Stardust Cinder Lily sanctuary.

Was it really that beautiful?

I still feel like there is something wrong with this place." His voice trailed off.

Moon raised his brows. "What could be wrong?"

Ugo was silent for a second, then continued, "Like, why is there an extinct herb here that has been missing for centuries? And no one ever discovered it. And why is there no guardian beast..."

He paused, then suddenly remembered.

"Oh, there was actually—those scavengers outside, and the Black Sea."

Saying that, he lost himself in deep thought.

After a few moments, he looked back at Moon and spoke in a soft, almost inaudible tone. "Mooney, have you ever heard about the Moonlight Sacred Vines?"

Moon jolted.

He lifted his face and looked straight into Ugo’s green eyes. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, just asking," Ugo shrugged.

Moon didn’t say anything more.

He went back to his chosen rock where he had established his cultivation base.

He took out his communication stone. The stone remained as still as it was before, with no sign of any incoming transmission.

The only comfort was that he didn’t feel any discomfort or snapping in his bond, so the others should be fine, right?

They must be safe.

He took a deep breath, meditating for a while to clear his mind, and then began arranging his ingredients: the lily petals, the leaves, clearing grass, Morning Dew Leaves, and Wind Feather Leaves.

He had retrieved the auxiliary elements from the Grand Witch’s belongings, and some from the Last Hole where he had stayed for a while.

Moon hoped Vadira’s little daughter, Marina, was also safe somewhere in the downtown area of Malong village. She had given him so much, yet he still didn’t repay her kindness.

The Wind Feather Leaf and Morning Dew Leaf were quite natural and abundant in this region. Mount Mraor had plenty of them.

Wolves usually used the dew leaves like ordinary grass—if they got cut, they chewed some up and pasted the juice onto the wound.

Feather leaves, however, only grew around rough, jagged cliffs. Wolves usually just used them as primitive decorations and hair dressers.

But Moon knew they had a far greater use.

Wind Feather Leaves could balance out harsh, toxic elements while making a potion, elixir, or pill.

A potion was a lower-grade liquid, while an elixir was a higher-grade liquid refinement.

As for pills, they could only be found with a grand witch like Maestra from the Vaelis pack.

They were so rare that even master witches in this world couldn’t refine them.

Even in Moon’s own heavenly Sequoia realm, pill masters were rare and revered.

Though they weren’t as scarce as on this continent, a novice like Moon still couldn’t refine them easily—at most, novices could only refine medicinal powder.

Moon, however, had a bold wish to refine a proper pill for Ugo by morning.

He gathered his wood Qi in his palm and wrapped it around a lily petal.