Ordinary Bone

Chapter 14: Purchasing Medicinal Seeds, The First Trial of the Bone-Cleansing Decoction

"What if I mention it again? Can Bai Yulou truly dominate Qingxuan Sect?"

Ziyang Zhenjun sneered coldly in response, then waved his sleeve and turned to leave. Just as he was about to return to his cave residence, he suddenly paused and glanced back at the bronze mirror behind him.

"Next time, the lecture will be canceled. This time, I’ll enter seclusion for three years."

With that, his figure vanished at the entrance of the cave.

"What's the point of all this?"

A helpless sigh echoed from the bronze mirror.

Returning to Qingzhu Residence.

"Hah... still no good..."

Sitting on the bed, Xu Taiping sighed deeply after having circulated his internal energy for a long while.

After listening to Ziyang Zhenjun's lecture, the time was just right — it was noon, the best moment to practice the Cánxiá Jing (Fragmentary Twilight Sutra). Xu Taiping had decided to begin cultivating according to the insights he gained from the lecture.

However, after a full hour of effort, he still failed to guide the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into his body and refine it into true qi, as described in the Cánxiá Jing.

"Looks like I’ll have to rely on Fairy Lingyue's prescription after all."

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Xu Taiping muttered, somewhat unwilling.

This attempt had truly made him feel the difficulty of cultivating with a "white bone" constitution.

With that thought, having made up his mind, he took out the bronze mirror again and placed a merit coin on it.

"Xu Taiping of Qingzhu Residence, what is it that you seek from me?"

The voice of the mirror spirit sounded from within the bronze mirror.

"Lord Xuanjing, I wish to purchase a batch of medicinal herbs and seeds."

Xu Taiping replied.

"With your current rank, you can only buy medicinal herbs and seeds at Baicaotang at the foot of the mountain. These are the herbs they offer. After you select them in the mirror, a spirit bird will deliver them to your courtyard."

As the mirror spirit spoke, a list of herbs appeared on the surface of the bronze mirror.

"Thank you, Lord Xuanjing."

In the room, there was a tub filled with hot water, which he had prepared in advance to soak the herbs.

"Fairy Lingyue’s prescription says these materials are ordinary, and to activate their effects, they must be added in the proper order and timing."

After categorizing the herbs and reweighing them with an old scale from the room, Xu Taiping stood before the tub, silently recalling the order and timing for adding the herbs.

"It should be fine."

A moment later, Xu Taiping nodded to himself, as if to encourage himself.

He then took the first batch of herbs, wrapped in oiled paper, and poured them into the steaming hot water. Counting off on his fingers, he muttered, "8, 7, 6..."

When he reached "1," Xu Taiping quickly poured the second batch of herbs into the tub.

As the second batch entered the water, the liquid suddenly began to bubble and release a fragrant aroma, akin to orchid or musk.

"Looks like I didn’t make a mistake."

Xu Taiping smiled in delight, then added another batch of herbs.

An incense stick later.

Once all the herbs had been added according to the prescription, Xu Taiping observed the once-clear hot water in the tub. It had now transformed into a thick, white liquid, resembling a dense paste.

"The decoction is as white and smooth as jade, thick like paste—just like the prescription said."

Xu Taiping sighed in relief.

At least from the outside, it appeared that he had successfully made the Bone-Cleansing Decoction.

He quickly stripped off his clothes, revealing his lean body, and entered the tub, immersing himself in the decoction.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

Perhaps due to the potency of the medicine, the water was still scalding hot even after an incense stick’s time had passed. Xu Taiping couldn’t help but wince from the heat.

If it weren’t for the prescription's warning that leaving halfway would drastically reduce the effectiveness, he might have already jumped out of the tub by now.

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