David Thompson’s words had just left his mouth when Daniel Thompson’s expression changed, withdrawing his previous look. “Becoming an immortal isn’t that simple. The road is long, but I am certain I can achieve immortality. Do you know why?”

“No, I don’t.”

Daniel Thompson’s expression became somewhat agitated. “Because the method to become immortal is written in the Celestial Lord’s heavenly book, and it was the Celestial Lord himself who personally delivered it to me. Tell me, who else in the world could become immortal? He said I could become immortal. I am sure I can become immortal!”

“The Celestial Lord? Who is that? One of those three deities in the statues?” David Thompson was a bit confused by this myth-like description.

Although he didn’t understand a word, David Thompson still flattered him, saying, “Master, you are absolutely right. You will surely become immortal and live as long as heaven and earth!”

Daniel Thompson was clearly very pleased to hear this, his ugly face breaking into a wide grin.

“Hahaha, good, good! Since you want to learn alchemy, I’ll first teach you a simple Blood-Nourishing Pill recipe. Remember it. Twelve taels of red cinnabar, half a jin of cyperus root, two taels and four qian of yangqi stone.”

Although this unexpected gain was baffling, David Thompson certainly wasn’t going to refuse.

He hurriedly wanted to write it down, but looking around, there was no pen or ink anywhere in the alchemy room.

In his urgency, he found a piece of charcoal under the alchemy furnace and simply recorded it on the hem of his own Daoist robe.

“…Start the furnace at the third quarter of the ugly hour, after bathing; observe in silence, blow gently, use your spirit to infuse, and nurture it slowly over a low flame. Open the furnace at the fourth quarter of the mao hour.”

“Take this recipe and practice slowly. I’ll first see what kind of talent you have.”

David Thompson tossed away the charcoal in his hand and, holding the robe with both hands, presented it to Daniel Thompson. “Master, please see if I missed anything.”

But when the hem covered in charcoal writing was presented before him, the previously beaming Daniel Thompson’s face instantly darkened.

He lifted his right foot and directly kicked David Thompson flying, who crashed into the alchemy furnace with a loud clang before landing heavily on the ground.

Daniel Thompson, face livid, cursing under his breath, left with his hands behind his back, leaving David Thompson standing there alone.

As the emotional anger in his heart gradually faded, David Thompson felt that something was very odd about this. He hadn’t done anything wrong, so why did his attitude suddenly change?

David Thompson lowered his head, pondering over the recipe in his hand. His handwriting was ugly, but it was still clearly legible.

Suddenly, David Thompson thought of something. He looked around the alchemy room, which had no calligraphy or paintings, and then recalled that during morning lessons, no one had any scriptures.

A sudden thought popped into David Thompson’s mind: “Could it be that this mangy-headed guy is illiterate and can’t read?”

Chapter 13: Alchemy

David Thompson carefully watched the small alchemy furnace in front of him, with three sticks of incense standing beside it for timing.

In an environment without alarm clocks, David Thompson could only rely on this simple method to keep track of time.

When the last stick of incense finally burned out, he immediately extinguished the furnace fire and opened the furnace door. A scent mixed with the unique aroma of herbs wafted out from inside.

David Thompson was overjoyed—he had succeeded. The finished pills rolled around in a sieve, and after all the useless, ashen dregs were sifted out, only some black pills of various sizes remained in the box.

These pills were the Blood-Nourishing Pills that Daniel Thompson had mentioned. It was a very simple pill, used to stop bleeding.

You couldn’t take more than one or two at a time, or else there was a risk that all the blood in your body would completely coagulate.

It sounded rather useless—maybe better for harming people than healing them.

But because this pill was the simplest, Daniel Thompson had given it to David Thompson for practice.

After counting carefully, David Thompson ended up with thirteen large Blood-Nourishing Pills and twenty-six small ones.

David Thompson’s gains weren’t just these; through the process of making the Blood-Nourishing Pills, he also learned some basic knowledge of alchemy.

Alchemy was far more difficult than he had imagined. Besides differences in timing, even the direction in which the herbs grew had to be carefully distinguished.

If you made even one mistake, the efficacy and yield of the pills would be worlds apart—the pile of scorched waste beside him was proof.

David Thompson took out a small bamboo tube and put all the pills inside, then took a deep breath, put on the Daoist robe beside him, and walked toward the door. “It’s about time. Midnight is almost here.”

When David Thompson reached out to push open the storeroom door, everyone who was working inside immediately stood up in unison, looking at him in terror.

To them now, he looked just like the King of Hell himself.

David Thompson looked at them with a complicated expression, and under everyone’s gaze, walked past them and finally stopped in front of Lily White.

The girl’s white hair trembled along with her body. She tried hard not to cry, but in the end, she couldn’t hold back, and tears slid down from the edges of her albinism-tinted pale pink pupils.

With a grave expression, David Thompson reached out and took her hand, leading her out of the storeroom toward the alchemy room.

In the damp cave tunnel, Lily White choked out her last words to David Thompson.

David Thompson listened in silence, saying nothing. When he deliberately arrived at the door of his own quarters, he turned, pulled her inside, and said, “Take off your pants.”