Chapter 10 Alchemy
The night after the incident, Su Zhen barely slept. He kept replaying the events of the day in his mind.
Would he really have killed that soldier?
Why do men go crazy over sex, to the point of attacking an innocent girl?
His mother had once warned him that girls could drive men mad—was she being serious? Not just joking, but actually trying to tell him something important?
Should he start moxibustion right away, just to make sure he didn't lose his mind the same way?
With these thoughts swirling in his head, Su Zhen finally drifted off, making a mental note to begin applying moxa on the points Elder Ge had shown him—to keep his mind clear and not end up like that man.
When commander Dong Li found out that the boy who'd broken his subordinate's legs was Dr. Bai's apprentice—and that he'd been protecting his sister—he decided not to stir up trouble. Instead, he executed the failed rapist without hesitation.
He apologized to the smelter, Su Lin, the same day, and showed up at Dr. Bai's residence the next morning with more apologies—and curiosity. He wanted to see the thirteen-year-old who had taken down an armed twenty-five-year-old soldier with his bare hands.
The boy, Su Zhen, looked impressive. He was still shorter than a grown man, but well-built for his age, and the calloused knuckles on his hands left no doubt—this kid had been practicing martial arts for years.
Clicking his tongue in approval, the centurion took his leave after a few words with Dr. Bai.
Later that day, Uncle Lin came by with his wife Guang and Fang, who had finally regained her senses. They thanked both Su Zhen and Dr. Bai—whose authority had clearly influenced the local officials.
Zhen avoided looking at Fang and made up a quick excuse to slip away.
Soon, rumors about the boy who defeated a grown soldier with his bare hands spread throughout the region. Su Zhen became famous.
People whispered that Dr. Bai knew secret martial arts techniques that could kill with a single finger—and that he was teaching them to his apprentice. Among the local boys, Zhen became a legend.
Groups of girls started hanging around the Bai estate, hoping to learn something about Su Zhen, or at least catch a glimpse of him.
Naturally, this didn't sit well with Dr. Bai, who valued his privacy.
Nor did Zhen appreciate the attention—especially not from girls, who, as he now believed, truly could drive men mad.
He threw himself into studying characters and memorizing everything Bai Xiao taught him about herbs and medicine. He was especially interested in the Qi meridians, which he studied closely—comparing the diagrams in the manuscript Uncle Lin had given him with the wooden mannequin in the study.
He also found a new, secluded place to practice his secret techniques. To his internal Mountain Eagle form, he added the technique Elder Ge had told him.
Following his master's instructions, he soon realized something strange—after training, his body no longer felt tired. On the contrary, it felt light and flexible.
He began to feel the flow of Qi more clearly, and could associate his sensations with the meridian paths drawn on the mannequin. He even began to understand why certain areas of his body buzzed or ached during practice.
One evening, just before heading out for training, Bai Xiao handed him a pill—just as Elder Ge had foretold.
"Here. Take this," Bai Xiao said. "It'll help your martial cultivation. Strengthen your health and power. You have to take it now, under the new moon."
Zhen didn't ask questions. He swallowed the pill and thanked his teacher sincerely.
Then, as usual, he made his way to his hidden training spot.
As soon as he began practicing the internal Mountain Eagle form—Eagle Glides Through the Sky, he felt an unusual heat in his lower abdomen and the soles of his feet.
The warmth in his belly spread through his medical meridians, while the heat in his feet intensified without rising.
When he moved into the practice called Hidden Yang Fire Burns Impurities, flames seemed to engulf his feet, while the warmth in his belly surged like molten lava through the meridians—clearly and precisely felt.
The inner fire brought a strange mix of pain and pleasure, triggering involuntary movements in his body.
Even from just one session—with the pill and the Hidden Yang Fire technique combined—the effects were astonishing.
Zhen reached a whole new level in sensing and controlling Qi. He began to understand its connection to tension in his body, to emotions, and even to hidden illnesses.
His body grew stronger, his feet felt like they'd been reborn—visibly so. The skin turned pinkish, smooth, and moist.
He had broken through to the first stage of the internal Mountain Eagle Form: Iron Feathers.
He could now guide Qi into his organs and skin to absorb blunt-force impacts—punches, clubs, stones.
A few days later, Bai Xiao began teaching Zhen how to make pills—starting with the very one he had taken.
The alchemy room was located in the southeastern wing of the estate, walled off from the kitchen and accessible only through the garden. Auntie Sun never went in there. Bai Xiao cleaned it himself.
Inside were several stoves with narrow necks and wide bases, tripod cauldrons, and all kinds of alchemical equipment—distillers, retorts, and other strange tools.
There were chests full of reagents and herbs, and a big pile of firewood from various trees.
The air smelled of smoke, herbs, and alcohol.
"I'll teach you how to make the pill you took," Bai Xiao said flatly.
Zhen nodded, eyeing the array of tools and vessels.
"There are eight herbal ingredients. Seven grow in our garden. The eighth—goldthread—I'll be planting soon.
Here's a sample," he said, handing over a box. "Memorize the look and the smell. The roots are thin and branching, pale yellow. The leaves are three-lobed. Most medics use just the roots, but for this pill, you need the entire plant in equal parts."
Then he walked Zhen through the process—how to light the stove, how the structure worked, what the finished pill should look like, and how long it had to dry.
Unlike other pills, this one wasn't baked—it was gently dried over embers. Bai Xiao used a copper rack to lift the tray away from direct heat and avoid scorching.
Su Zhen listened closely, watching every move his master made.
"This one's fairly simple—if you know the recipe," Bai Xiao said, staring into the glowing embers.
"Success depends on temperature, proportion, and timing. But not just that. The recipe says you must finish drying during the second watch of the Ox Hour—not by the clock, but by your own perception."
"How do I do that?" Zhen asked, alarmed.
"You need sensitivity to the Qi of Heaven and Earth—your own internal rhythms syncing with the world outside. Different meridians and types of Qi activate at different times.
I've noticed you already have some sensitivity. Maybe you'll be able to tell when the true Ox Hour begins.
When you learn to read, I'll give you the Encyclopedia of Alchemy, written by Yu Hou Guang—the chief alchemist of the Northern Hou Medical Academy."
"You studied there, Master?" Zhen asked.
"I did. Ten years. Started when I was fifteen.
But most of what they taught was useless for actual physicians—more useful for bureaucrats. Everything a doctor really needs could be taught in three or four years."
When the Ox Hour began, Zhen felt it easily—the corresponding meridian activated within his body.
"Impressive," Bai Xiao said. "Didn't think you'd be that sensitive yet. Must be from your secret martial art."
Zhen said nothing.
After letting half an hour pass by the sand timer, Bai Xiao lifted the ceramic tray off the stove.