CHAPTER 999: CHAPTER 996: BEGINNING ALCHEMY (PART 3)

"The blue flame produced by the burning carbon crystal is hotter than a blowtorch. It’s not that the temperature isn’t high enough; it’s that I’m controlling the fire and suppressing the heat of the flame," Lin Tian explained without turning his head, then focused intently on the stalactites inside the cauldron.

"Why suppress the temperature?" Zi Yan, embodying curiosity, asked oddly.

Since it was just the essence extraction stage, Lin Tian was a bit at leisure and answered, "Extracting the essence of stalactites is very meticulous. You can’t use fierce heat; you must slowly heat it, allowing the temperature to seep gradually into the stone’s core."

"The core continuously accumulates heat. Once it reaches a certain point, the center melts first. When the entire interior has melted, the liquid pressure breaks the stone’s surface, and the oozing liquid is the essence we need. Since impurities melt at higher temperatures, they are separated from the essence."

"So that’s how it is. Extracting essence is quite troublesome, but I see that junior brother seems quite skilled, like he has practiced hundreds of times. Yet you’ve only been at the Yun Family for less than a month. How did you manage it?" Zi Yan asked curiously while looking at Lin Tian’s serious expression.

Lin Tian smiled mysteriously, "It’s a secret, senior sister. I can’t tell you now."

"Hmph, don’t get smug. You’ve successfully piqued my curiosity. One day, I’ll uncover all your secrets," Zi Yan huffed, feeling rather unwilling.

Lin Tian shook his head, ignored her determination, and continued to extract the stalactites. Under the heating of the blue flame, the temperature inside the cauldron rose further. As the temperature increased, the once angular stalactites gradually became smooth, their edges seemingly softened by the heat.

Seeing this, Lin Tian increased the flame power again, and the amber surface of the stone quickly swelled before cracking open. Drops of amber liquid flowed from the cracks, more pure, even semi-transparent.

As more liquid seeped out, the stalactite itself became smaller, and once Lin Tian had extracted all the liquid, only a layer of the stone’s surface was left.

"Senior sister, pour a bowl of spring water into the cauldron, quickly," Lin Tian called out when the time seemed right.

Without having time to ask why, Zi Yan followed Lin Tian’s instructions, scooped up a ladle of water, and poured it into the cauldron.

When the cold water hit the hot cauldron, it made a "hissing" sound, and a thick plume of steam rose from the cauldron, quickly enveloping the entire pavilion.

The moonlit night scene, already beautiful, became like a heavenly fairyland under the billowing steam.

As the night wind blew, the steam quickly dissipated. Lin Tian glanced at Zi Yan; perhaps she was standing too close, the warm steam had caused her delicate face to flush, her originally fair skin turning a shade of rosy red, and her lips were strikingly red.

Lin Tian felt a stir in his heart; those red lips were simply tempting.

Fortunately, at that moment, they were in the midst of alchemy, otherwise, Lin Tian didn’t know if, in a moment of impulse, he might do something beyond his control.

Zi Yan seemed to feel Lin Tian’s fiery gaze, looked up at him, and a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. However, she didn’t say anything, just gestured for him to check on the cauldron.

Lin Tian withdrew his gaze and looked at the cauldron, which still retained some residual heat. The spring water was still bubbling, and amid the churning water, an amber-colored solid floated. Lin Tian quickly fished it out and placed it into a glass bottle.

"Is this the essence of the stalactites? It’s so beautiful, like an amber gemstone," Zi Yan said, astonished as she looked at the glass bottle.

"Of course, because the essence of the stalactites is lighter than the impurities, it can float in the water. When the spring water is added, the essence cools and solidifies, floating in the water, thus completely separating from the impurities," Lin Tian said with a satisfied smile, very pleased with this successful extraction, feeling the first step had been accomplished.

"It seems to have started smoothly. What herb are we extracting next?" Zi Yan asked excitedly, unable to wait.

Lin Tian picked up a herb and said, "Next, we will extract this one."

This herb was shaped like ginseng, but both its skin and flesh were purple, so the ancients called it Purple Ginseng. Purple Ginseng is actually a type of ginseng that has mutated due to long-term growth in special soil and environment.

Unlike typical ginseng, Purple Ginseng doesn’t significantly boost qi and blood but rather repairs muscles and bones.

Lin Tian cleaned the cauldron and then put the Purple Ginseng in. Under the heat, the Purple Ginseng gradually shrank, and when it had reduced by half, Lin Tian instructed Zi Yan to add two bowls of spring water.

With alternating hot and cold, the shriveled Purple Ginseng cracked open, and purple liquid slowly seeped from the crevices. This purple liquid was the essence Lin Tian sought to extract, though its seepage was very slow. Ten minutes passed, and the water in the cauldron was only light purple.

Lin Tian was not in a hurry, patiently controlling the flame, as if nothing could disturb his state of mind. Zi Yan, watching from the side, marveled at the sight, thinking how attractive this lecherous man was when he was focused.

Lin Tian kept a close eye on the cauldron water as the seepage increased, the initially transparent spring water turned light purple and then purple.

Once no more purple liquid seeped from the Purple Ginseng, Lin Tian removed the residues but continued heating the liquid in the cauldron. As the steam evaporated, the liquid gradually became more viscous.

Lin Tian dipped a spoon into the liquid, and as he raised it, a purple string formed, indicating the extraction was complete.

Pouring the purple liquid into a glass bottle, Lin Tian smiled and said, "Very good, the Purple Ginseng extraction is successful."

Lin Tian didn’t stop, moving swiftly to extract the Heavenly Horse Blood, the simplest of procedures.

After heating the spring water, he threw in the Heavenly Horse Blood, letting the hot water melt it, then slowly evaporated the water, impurities gently separating during this process. Finally, the Heavenly Horse Blood re-formed into a solid.

Lin Tian ground the solidified Heavenly Horse Blood into powder, completing the extraction.

Having extracted three herbs, Lin Tian verified that his method, practiced in his mind, was correct, enhancing his proficiency.

After finishing the extraction of the three herbs, Lin Tian forged ahead, extracting the remaining herbs. One by one, he continued, nine more herbs were left, extracted over the course of two hours. Having extracted nineteen, only the Yin Yang Life Fruit remained.

Lin Tian glanced at Zi Yan, noticing the fine sweat on her smooth forehead. The sea breeze was so cool here, yet she was sweating, indicating her exhaustion.

Two hours without rest, Lin Tian didn’t mind, but Zi Yan couldn’t withstand it.

Zi Yan, her face flush and breathing slightly ragged, said something that left Lin Tian dumbstruck, "Junior brother, you’re a stamina freak, I can’t keep up, senior sister can’t take it anymore."