Chapter 3481 — A Continuous Breakthrough in Strength

After that, the medicine cauldron began to warm slowly; after roughly the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, it finally eased into the alchemy state.

Under Han Jingyi's ingenious modifications, the automatic Divine Farmer's Medicine Cauldron needed only a steady flow of true qi from its operator, and its internal programs would adjust flame and temperature on their own. Surplus true qi was stored in the energy stones beneath the cauldron; and if, at the very end when the elixir was nearly complete, the true qi ran dry, then upon detecting the shortage the cauldron would automatically draw on the reserve true qi in the energy stones to make up the shortfall!

Still, this was of little use to Wei Zhao—unless he were refining elixirs above his level, such that his own physical strength and true qi could not supply and sustain the process within the given time, would the energy stones' power be activated to supplement it!

Seen from that angle, Han Jingyi's design did have its uses.

The ingredients within the cauldron, driven by the elixir fire generated from true qi, began to change bit by bit. The process was slow and gentle, utterly imperceptible to an ordinary person—and yet it was precisely this process that alchemists savored most.

Only, Wei Zhao could savor none of it! He had no idea what was going on inside the cauldron at all; all he watched was the tablet computer beside him!

Time trickled away. Wei Zhao needed only to feed in pure energy and consider nothing else, while on the screen the countdown crept down……

At last, with a final clear hum, the elixir refinement was declared finished!

"Phew—" The whole process had been calm and uneventful, with no mishaps to speak of, and yet Wei Zhao was still terribly nervous. After all, this was his first time refining elixirs with the automatic Divine Farmer's Medicine Cauldron, and he was refining Qi-Gathering Elixirs at that—five portions of ingredients! If he botched it, he would not even have time to cry!

He gathered his wits, steadied his breathing a little, and only then rose to his feet and opened the Divine Farmer's Medicine Cauldron before him.

The instant the lid was lifted, a rich medicinal fragrance spread through the entire jade pendant space. Wei Zhao took a single shallow breath of it and at once felt clear-headed and refreshed, his heart at ease.

Judging by the look of things, this ought to count as a success?

Full of anticipation, Wei Zhao leaned in and peered inside the cauldron. Sure enough, seven Qi-Gathering Elixirs lay quietly within, each plump and full, their fragrance spilling everywhere……

Success!

The quality of the Qi-Gathering Elixirs was extremely high—comparable, one might say, to those found in Zhang Liju's ancient tomb. Wei Zhao took one out and examined it: it was indeed no ordinary specimen!

"Jingjing, let's start taking them now. This stuff…… well, it doesn't need to be eaten hot, but the sooner you take it, the sooner your strength will rise!" Wei Zhao said to Han Jingyi.

"Mm-hm. Then let's take it together!" Han Jingyi picked up a Qi-Gathering Elixir as well.

"Oh, right, Jingjing—it would be best if we took them separately, because when a Qi-Gathering Elixir triggers a breakthrough, the clothes on your body will likely be blown to shreds. It'd be a bit awkward for the two of us……" A rather serious problem had suddenly occurred to Wei Zhao.

"That's all right!" Han Jingyi said, utterly unconcerned. "Jingjing belongs to Brother Wei Zhao anyway—it doesn't matter if you see. Or is Brother Wei Zhao afraid of Jingjing looking?"

"Uh…… that's not it." Wei Zhao was briefly taken aback, but since Han Jingyi did not mind, he might as well stop being prim about it. He drew the curtains and said to her, "In that case, we may as well take all our clothes off—otherwise they'll just get blown to bits in a moment anyway."

"Okay!" Han Jingyi nodded and briskly stripped herself bare, then sat cross-legged on the bed, not feeling in the least that anything was amiss!

Wei Zhao, on the other hand, felt his heart stir at the sight. But…… now was the moment to take the Qi-Gathering Elixir, so he hurriedly banished those stray thoughts and stripped off his own clothes as well—except that…… certain natural physiological reactions still occurred, which left Wei Zhao thoroughly embarrassed!

Han Jingyi glanced once and then looked no further; evidently her composure far exceeded Wei Zhao's. He truly could not fathom how Han Jingyi's mind was put together.

By now Han Jingyi had already popped the Qi-Gathering Elixir into her mouth, and Wei Zhao, with a wry smile, was not to be outdone—he took his Qi-Gathering Elixir as well!

Wei Zhao had taken even the Limit Qi-Gathering Elixir before, so taking a Qi-Gathering Elixir was familiar territory; that kind of pain was still bearable for him. The energy and true qi surged wildly in an instant—one need only grit one's teeth and it would pass!

Han Jingyi's expression looked somewhat pained, but she held on, not letting out a single sound—just as she had when Wei Zhao had raised her strength for her back then. Han Jingyi was a remarkably strong-willed girl……

Time passed, slowly.

Han Jingyi successfully broke through to the early Heaven Rank, while, to Wei Zhao's slight regret, taking this one Qi-Gathering Elixir had not advanced him to the peak of the late Heaven Rank at Great Perfection, but only infinitely close to Great Perfection—there was still a certain gap!

Though that little gap had little effect on Wei Zhao—the present Wei Zhao could cut down even a first-rate expert at the Heaven Rank's Great Perfection with ease—there was still that faint imperfection in his own level of strength.

"Jingjing, keep taking them. In theory, after seven more Qi-Gathering Elixirs your strength should be on par with mine. Take them slowly, and I'll refine some more!" Wei Zhao said to Han Jingyi.

Only five remained now, and Han Jingyi still needed two more, so Wei Zhao would have to keep refining.

"Mm-hm, then I'll have to trouble Brother Wei Zhao!" Han Jingyi nodded.

"Trouble? If not for you and this cauldron, that would be trouble—but now refining elixirs is child's play to me." Wei Zhao laughed. "This is the first time I've discovered that alchemy can be this easy!"

Praised by Wei Zhao, Han Jingyi looked delighted, her little face flushed pink, and she suddenly said, "Brother Wei Zhao, hug me!"

"Uh……" Wei Zhao was slightly taken aback, but seeing that Han Jingyi's eyes held nothing but joy, with no trace of anything more complicated in the way of desire, he went over and scooped her up in a hug. In truth, Wei Zhao himself was holding it in rather painfully; he hugged her once, then quickly set her down and turned away, intending to focus on refining elixirs.

Time passed, slowly. Han Jingyi went on taking Qi-Gathering Elixirs in succession, while Wei Zhao went on refining them……

By the time Han Jingyi took the last Qi-Gathering Elixir, she was already a first-rate expert of the late Heaven Rank—a hastily made expert, to be sure, but her strength was real and solid, plain for all to see!

This time, Wei Zhao had again refined two sets of seven Qi-Gathering Elixirs, fourteen in all!

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