The Hehuan Sect cultivates alchemy; my senior sister helps me refine alchemy throughout the world.

Shen Yifei settled down at the Qingyun Sect and stayed in the courtyard to recover from his injuries for the first few days without going anywhere else.

Although he had the medicine, his broken ribs still had to be put back in place one by one, which made him grimace in pain.

However, the Qingyun Sect really didn't mistreat him; they sent him delicious food and drinks every day.

Liu Mengli was also very attentive, serving tea and water, massaging shoulders and backs, and taking excellent care of him every day.

"Are you plotting something again?" Shen Yifei asked, lying on the bed, glancing at her sideways.

Liu Mengli, sitting on the edge of the bed peeling a spirit fruit, rolled her eyes at him upon hearing this: "You're ungrateful for my kindness. Am I doing something wrong by serving you?"

"You little devil, when did you change your ways?"

"I call this being pragmatic." Liu Mengli stuffed the peeled spiritual fruit into his mouth. "You're now a guest of honor at the Qingyun Sect. Isn't it better to eat and drink well with you than to be out there braving the wind and rain?"

As Shen Yifei chewed on the spiritual fruit, he thought to himself, "That's true. Since she followed me, this female demon has indeed not had any wicked thoughts."

The contract is one aspect, but another aspect might be that they genuinely feel that following him is better than going it alone.

After five days of rest, the injury was almost completely healed.

On the morning of the sixth day, Zhao Qingshan arrived with a smile on his face, carrying a storage bag in his hand.

"Junior Brother Shen, the Sect Master sent me to ask when you will be able to start the furnace?"

Shen Yifei took the storage bag, opened it, and saw that it contained the ingredients for five Qi Gathering Pills. He glanced at Zhao Qingshan: "Sect Master, are you in a hurry to use them?"

"No rush, no rush, we'll just prepare them first. You can refine them whenever it's convenient for you." Zhao Qingshan rubbed his hands together. "The sect leader said that you'll get 20% of the pills you refine, and the sect will never go back on its word."

Shen Yifei nodded, knowing that Xie Liaochen wanted to test him. He couldn't just believe what Xie Liaochen said from his own perspective!

He carefully put away the storage bag: "We'll start the furnace tomorrow. But I have a rule for alchemists: no one is allowed near the alchemy room. This is an unwritten rule for alchemists; Senior Brother Zhao should know it."

"I understand, I understand." Zhao Qingshan nodded repeatedly. "Don't worry, I'll have people clear the area around the courtyard. I guarantee no one will disturb us."

After Zhao Qingshan left, Shen Yifei closed the door and poured out the medicinal herbs to count them.

The ingredients for the five Qi Gathering Pills were all of good quality, a level better than the ones he bought at the Hehuan Sect.

It is, after all, the Qingyun Sect, its foundation is there.

"Little guy, are you really going to let them refine it?"

"What can I do if I don't refine them? They're feeding and treating me well. If I don't work, they'll turn on me in a couple of days." Shen Yifei put the herbs away. "Besides, I get 20% for each batch I refine. I can keep at least one out of five batches of herbs. It's a good deal."

The next morning, Shen Yifei went into the alchemy room and closed the door tightly.

He didn't use the large alchemy furnace provided by the Qingyun Sect; that thing was too cumbersome, and the heat was difficult to control. He took out the Myriad Things Cauldron, threw in the first batch of medicinal herbs, and infused it with spiritual energy.

The fire was lit, the medicine melted, the elixir condensed—all in one smooth motion.

The fire in the furnace went out, and at the bottom of the cauldron lay twelve golden, top-grade Qi-gathering pills. The aroma of the pills was so strong that just smelling them made one feel refreshed.

Shen Yifei put the pills into a jade bottle and then picked up the second batch of medicinal herbs. This time, he didn't use the Myriad Things Cauldron, but instead used the large alchemy furnace from the Qingyun Sect.

Sit cross-legged, draw in the Qi into your body, and orange flames emerge from your palms, guiding them to the bottom of the furnace.

He heated the furnace, added the medicine, and controlled the fire. He deliberately kept the heat a bit too low, so the resulting pills were only of ordinary quality, not much better than those on the market.

Five portions of medicinal herbs were used; three were refined in the Great Alchemy Furnace, and two in the Myriad Things Cauldron. The pills refined in the Great Alchemy Furnace were of mediocre quality, while those refined in the Myriad Things Cauldron were all of the highest quality.

He kept one batch of top-grade Qi Gathering Pills for himself, and then fused the remaining portion of top-grade pills with three portions of ordinary pills to make more than forty Qi Gathering Pills.

These were much worse than the best quality, but about ten times better than the ordinary ones. He then stuffed two more of the best quality ones inside.

They were busy for two hours.

"Aren't you just fooling people?" Liu Mengli squatted at the door of the alchemy room, watching him busy himself.

"What do you know?" Shen Yifei arranged the jade bottle. "If I always produce top-grade jade, they'll start to get suspicious. If what I produce isn't top-grade, they'll just think I'm lucky and won't suspect anything else."

Liu Mengli pouted: "You're so cunning."

Shen Yifei ignored her, pushed open the door to the alchemy room, and took a deep breath.

Just as he was about to go out to find Zhao Qingshan to report, he suddenly heard rustling sounds outside the courtyard wall.

"Who?"

No one answered.

Shen Yifei walked to the courtyard wall and stood on tiptoe to look outside. There was a small path outside, deserted and without a soul in sight. But his nose was sharp, and he caught a whiff of perfume.

It's a woman!

"Liu Mengli".

"I'm here." Liu Mengli came out of the alchemy room, still holding a spirit fruit in her hand and munching on it.

There are people outside, go and check it out.

Liu Mengli rolled her eyes: "Why do you get excited whenever you see a woman?" She threw away the spirit fruit, her figure flickered, she became invisible, and floated out of the courtyard.

A short while later, she returned with a strange smile on her face.

"Two little girls, in their Qi Refining stage, were peeking from under the wall. I scared them away."

"What are you peeking at?"

"I was just peeking at you." Liu Mengli sat down next to him. "Little guy, your reputation in the Qingyun Sect has already spread."

"What reputation?"

"A genius at alchemy, able to refine top-grade pills even in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. She's also quite good-looking, and from the Joyful Union Sect." Liu Mengli counted on her fingers, "Tell me, how could those young girls not be interested?"

Shen Yifei stroked his chin. This was within his expectations; a disciple of the Hehuan Sect refining pills at the Qingyun Sect was already quite conspicuous.

"Let them go." He stood up. "Come with me to the Qingyun Sect."

Shen Yifei pushed open the courtyard gate and walked down the path behind the mountain, wanting to see just how big this sect really was.

They hadn't walked far when they saw several disciples practicing swordsmanship ahead.

Three men and two women, all at the Qi Refining stage, the leading male cultivator thrust out his sword, a sword flower condensing at the tip, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

"Great!" The junior apprentice next to him clapped and cheered.

The leading male cultivator sheathed his sword, wiped his sweat, and turned his head to see Shen Yifei.

"Which peak are you from? I've never seen you before." He looked Shen Yifei up and down, his gaze lingering on Shen Yifei's Hehuan Sect robes.

Shen Yifei was also wearing a blue robe, which was somewhat similar to the standard robe of the Qingyun Sect, but with different details.

"I'm new here, from the alchemy room." Shen Yifei cupped his hands in greeting. "Shen Yifei, from the Hehuan Sect."

"The Joyous Union Sect?" The leading male cultivator's eyes lit up. "You're the one who refines pills?"

"it's me."

Several disciples gathered around.

"I heard you can refine top-grade pills?"

"Can you refine top-grade items in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage?"

"Are all members of the Hehuan Sect skilled in alchemy?"

Shen Yifei was getting a headache from their questions and was about to answer when he suddenly smelled a perfume scent.

He turned his head and saw two female cultivators standing a few steps away, staring at him. One had a round face, and the other had an oval face; both were at the Qi Refining stage and were quite beautiful.

"You are Shen Yifei?" the round-faced female cultivator asked, her voice clear and crisp.

"it's me."

"I heard that the Qi Gathering Pills you refine are equivalent to ten pills?" The oval-faced female cultivator took two steps forward, her eyes sparkling.

Shen Yifei took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket, poured out two Qi Gathering Pills, and held them in his palm.

"Take a look."

Two female cultivators leaned closer, and when they looked down, their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. The pill was golden and had a wonderfully fragrant aroma that was invigorating just to smell.

"This...this is a Qi Gathering Pill?" The round-faced female cultivator swallowed hard.

"right."

How much?

Shen Yifei smiled and said, "I won't sell. But if you provide the medicinal herbs yourself, I can help you refine them. I'll take 20% of every batch."

The two female cultivators exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously.

"Alright! Let's go find some medicinal herbs!" The round-faced female cultivator pulled her oval-faced friend away, then turned back after a few steps. "Senior Brother Shen, where do you live?"

"The courtyard halfway up the back mountain, near the Spirit Spring."

The two female cultivators ran off, and the male cultivator who was leading them approached, rubbing his hands together: "Senior Brother Shen, um... can we also have you refine pills for us?"

"Sure." Shen Yifei put the pills away. "You provide the ingredients, and I'll take 20% of the profits from each batch you refine. Any kind of pill will do, as long as you can provide the formula and ingredients."

Several male cultivators also ran off to find medicinal herbs.

Shen Yifei thought to himself, "Isn't this how business comes about?"

As long as someone provides medicinal herbs, he can make money!