Chu Xingchen's words made Anian instantly doubt her own diagnosis.

After all, it was hard to imagine someone on the brink of death, barely clinging to life, would react so violently to a pill they had just swallowed.

It was as if swallowing this pill was scarier than death itself.

Zhao Wanqing reacted quickly, rushing forward to pin down her brother's only movable left hand.

This medicine was their last hope; even if he were to die today, he must die with this pill!

Li Yingling sighed and shook her head as she watched the scene unfold.

It seemed her master's alchemy skills had reached a new level.

It wasn't about the efficacy of the medicine, but rather how unpalatable it was. After all, the man before her might only have to endure it once, but as a disciple, she...

In the future, when Master makes pills, it’s better to let the junior brother try them first...

With his only movable left hand pinned down, Zhao Zhengyang could only tremble in place, his face contorted in pain.

Anian quickly stepped forward to check Zhao Zhengyang's condition.

She soon breathed a sigh of relief; the potion was effective, and she could clearly feel Zhao Zhengyang's injuries gradually improving. It wouldn't be long before he was in a state she could treat.

Anian quickly said, "Hold him down, he's getting better now."

Chu Xingchen casually raised his hand, and a wave of spiritual power immobilized Zhao Zhengyang.

"Thank you, Senior," Zhao Wanqing released her grip, her face full of gratitude.

Chu Xingchen's expression remained indifferent, nodding slightly, "No problem."

Zhao Wanqing comforted, "Senior need not worry... after all, good medicine tastes bitter."

Chu Xingchen raised his hand to interrupt, "No problem... if there's nothing else, I'll be going."

He was tired; the boy's reaction had truly embarrassed him.

Today's incident was witnessed by Li Yingling, and who knows if his troublesome disciple would give him the title of Deathbound Alchemist.

"Thank you, Senior. The spirit stones will be delivered to your residence later."

Zhao Wanqing hurriedly escorted Chu Xingchen and Li Yingling out of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

Anian watched their departing figures, then walked over to the pot where Chu Xingchen had made the pill.

Curiously, she examined the remaining spirit herbs inside, carefully identifying each one.

Anian recognized all the spirit herbs inside; none were expensive. How could a pill made this way be so much more potent than those made with ordinary methods?

Perhaps she could try this new method herself.

Unlike Zhao Wanqing, who had tasted the pill, Anian thought Zhao Zhengyang's intense reaction was due to the pill's potency.

She reached out her small hand, intending to taste the leftover dregs to understand its properties.

Just as she finished seeing off Chu Xingchen and was stepping into the clinic, Zhao Wanqing saw Anian's reckless behavior and quickly shouted:

"Stop!"

Anian looked over in confusion, but her finger had already dipped into the pot.

Zhao Wanqing walked over with a serious expression, "Don't taste it!"

"Why not?!" Anian asked, puzzled. "I've never seen this alchemy method before, and the effects are amazing."

"Because this medicine, once ingested, is a bit..." Zhao Wanqing thought for a moment. It wasn't the bitterness that was unbearable, but the feeling of rejection throughout the body.

Zhao Wanqing carefully chose her words, "This medicine is a bit unorthodox!"

Unorthodox?!

Anian never believed in such things. Hearing this, she unhesitatingly put her finger in her mouth.

She recognized every spirit herb in there, none were poisonous. How unorthodox could it be? It wouldn't kill her anyway.

Soon enough.

Anian understood the true meaning of "unorthodox."

Inside the Demon Bureau Clinic, a scream echoed:

"Amah! Help! I'm dying!!!"

————————

On the way back, Chu Xingchen still didn't know that his pill-making had driven two people to despair.

At this moment, he was brooding over how to improve the taste.

Li Yingling looked at her master with a gentle expression and warm eyes.

Chu Xingchen, displeased, asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Encouraging Master!" Li Yingling nodded in praise.

"Encouraging what? Didn't I cure the illness with the medicine?"

"Of course! Master is amazing!"

Why did this tone sound exactly like when he sarcastically teased Li Yingling?

Chu Xingchen glared, "You rebellious disciple! How dare you mock your master?"

Li Yingling couldn't admit it, and with a serious expression, she said:

"Even if it's Master, you can't just say things randomly. How could I dare mock Master?"

Chu Xingchen seized the opportunity, "In that case, very well. Since you trust your master so much, congratulations to Li Yingling, the First Disciple. From now on, you'll be the first to taste the pills I make."

Upon hearing this, Li Yingling's expression instantly collapsed. This was a life-threatening matter, and she quickly pleaded:

"I was wrong! Master, I was wrong!"

Chu Xingchen ignored Li Yingling's pleas for mercy.

Smiles are contagious.

This time, it spread from Li Yingling's face to Chu Xingchen's.

Likewise, happiness too.

Ignoring his disciple's pleas, Chu Xingchen walked joyfully towards the courtyard house.

"The world's best master will surely forgive a disciple's unintentional words, right?"

At the courtyard entrance, Li Yingling continued to struggle. This was no joke; if her master was serious, Li Yingling felt her future was bleak.

Her master's pills, well, only those who tasted them would know.

After opening the door, Chu Xingchen laughed, "You guess."

"Guess what?"

The one who answered Chu Xingchen wasn't Li Yingling, but Yaoqin, sitting on a stone chair in the courtyard.

Chu Xingchen turned to look, puzzled, "Why are you here?"

"Not welcome?" Yaoqin said, tossing a spirit stone lightly in her hand.

Chu Xingchen's eyes lit up instantly. Could it be that she came specifically to deliver spirit stones today?

"Of course you're welcome. I was just worried about not being a good host."

Chu Xingchen quickly sat on the stone chair, "Are you here to settle the spirit stone debt?"

Yaoqin shook her head, "The spirit stones I owe you will take a little more time."

Chu Xingchen looked at the spirit stone in Yaoqin's hand, "…So you're just teasing me with that spirit stone?"

Yaoqin replied irritably, "This is the Blood Qi Spirit Stone you gave me."

Hearing this, Chu Xingchen's eyes lit up. If the spirit stones Yaoqin owed were compared to those in a spatial ring, the difference would be vast.

"You succeeded?"

"Mm-hmm, what happened at Chanlin Temple yesterday gave me some inspiration. I tried it when I got back, and it actually worked."

Yaoqin proudly raised her chin, seemingly waiting for Chu Xingchen's praise.

Inspiration from Chanlin Temple?

Chu Xingchen suddenly had a very bad suspicion.

He asked quietly, "Could it be... you used Wish Power to solve it?"

Yaoqin nodded, "That's right, Wish Power works very well on Blood Qi."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xingchen held his breath.

How was this any different from not solving it? Where would he find so much Wish Power to purify so many spirit stones?

Holding onto a last hope, Chu Xingchen asked again:

"Does purifying the Blood Qi from one spirit stone consume a lot of Wish Power?"

"About half and half, though the Wish Power consumption is a bit less."