A sleepless night.
From the next day onward, Chu Liuyue started to prepare the antidote’s ingredients. Since she could not produce the Red Blood Gu antidote in one shot, Chu Liuyue decided to take it one step at a time.
Firstly, she settled the more troublesome herbs and finally merged them together. In this way, the herbs would be perfectly stored, and the success rate would be pretty high. It also wouldn’t attract other people’s attention.
Chu Liuyue shut herself in her lodging and did not go out for two whole days and nights.
Zhen Bao Pavilion finally delivered the remaining two herbs on the fourth day.
As the herbs were tightly sealed within a container, nobody could guess what they were. Everyone just thought that Chu Liuyue had bought something from Zhen Bao Pavilion again.
Everyone in the Imperial City knew that Chu Liuyue was very close to Zhen Bao Pavilion since they previously helped book the entire Phoenix Restaurant for her. Thus, it was not surprising that they sent her some items today.
Chu Liuyue gathered the herbs and started to refine the medicine in the room.
As she had explained the situation to Mu Hongyu and the others a few days earlier, they did not come to disturb her.
The others in the academy, however, were very curious.
…
Meditation class.
Si Yang looked at the chessboard in front of him and rubbed his aching forehead. “Aish! This Xuan formation is too hard!”
Mr. Dongfang could not help but laugh. “Even though this ‘Golden Wood Formation’ is a stage-three Xuan formation, its difficulty is comparable to that of a stage-four Xuan formation. Thus, it’s only normal that you find it hard. However, if you can solve it, it proves that you’re not far away from becoming a stage-four Xuan Master!”
The students were, once again, excited and motivated after hearing his words.
But Si Yang still sighed. Stage-Four Xuan Master? How can it be that easy?
He could not help but defeatedly glance at the empty seats beside him. Si Ting no longer came to lessons since yesterday.
Since the Qing Jiao Competition was approaching, Elder Sun had very high hopes for Si Ting. Hence, he started to let Si Ting cultivate in seclusion.
As for Chu Liuyue… She had not come back for lessons ever since she returned from Wan Ling Mountain.
“Si Yang, you must work hard and strive to get a good ranking in the Qing Jiao Competition!” Dongfang Qing still thought of Si Yang highly, especially in this group of students. Si Ting and Chu Liuyue were not around while Gu Mingzhu was dead, so only Si Yang was left amongst the top four scholars in the mid-term assessment.
Si Yang helplessly and bitterly smiled. “Mr. Dongfang, you think too highly of me! I’ll definitely think that there’s no problem if I have Big Brother’s talent. However, the fact is that I don’t have his talent! You should say this to Chu Liuyue instead.”
Dongfang Qing coughed. “She’s not here.”
Chu Liuyue’s name immediately attracted the other students’ attention. The crowd began discussing in low voices.
“Yeah! She hasn’t come in a long while, but I heard that she’s very diligent in going to Jiuyou Tower.”
“Ah? Is she participating in the Qing Jiao Competition as a warrior?”
“That’s not impossible. After all, Si Ting is above her as a Xuan Master, but she’s the top scholar for the warrior cohort. If I wanted a secure win, I’d choose to compete as a warrior too…”
“I think she didn’t come these few days because she’s preparing for the Qing Jiao Competition!”
Si Yang stretched his body. “Perhaps she’ll join both competitions.”
The crowd’s discussion was immediately hushed.
“The Qing Jiao Competition is a competition between academies. Other than feeling jealous, we should focus on cultivating so that we don’t burden the academy!”
…
Time flew past, and a few days had gone in a blink of an eye.
An intense herbal fragrance permeated the room.
Chu Liuyue had already added all the herbs into the square cauldron; she just had to merge them together now.
Looking at the colorful ball in the middle, Chu Liuyue took a deep breath in.
The last step was the most important one. With her current abilities, it would be a bit forceful for her to complete it. However, she had to try no matter what.
Today is the last day. If I can’t successfully produce an antidote, Liao Zhongshu will definitely die! Then, I might not get to find out who is secretly trying to harm me!
Chu Liuyue pressed both her hands on the square cauldron and focused all her energy. Immense force exuded from her palms and was injected into the cauldron.
Hong!
A bright-red fire rose up and enveloped the colorful ball in the middle!
Chu Liuyue carefully controlled her force and merged the herbs bit by bit.
Since there were too many herbs, her force was rapidly depleted. However, it was not easy to merge the herbs of different natures perfectly. This was also her first time trying to produce her own Red Blood Gu antidote after so many years.
Thus, even she was not confident.
After some time, the colorful herbs finally started to merge.
Chu Liuyue’s back was already drenched in sweat. Not only did Chu Liuyue not relax when she saw that the herbs had finally merged, but she became even more nervous! This was because she discovered that this step depleted her force even more quickly.
I’ve almost exhausted all of my body’s strength! However, I need more force to support me as I finish this antidote!
Heavenly doctors were different from Xuan Masters and warriors. Heavenly doctors could turn their force into fire, but Xuan Masters and warriors could not do that.
Even if Chu Liuyue had others injecting their force, it would not help the situation at all since they couldn’t produce a fire to refine the medicine.
Hence, she could only depend on herself now.
Time passed bit by bit.
Chu Liuyue could clearly sense that her body’s force was depleted.
The fire in the square cauldron was rapidly shrinking, and it was about to extinguish. Once Chu Liuyue stopped, all her efforts would be wasted.
It doesn’t matter if I waste the herbs, but I definitely have to produce the antidote! She saw black patches in front of her and could not stand still. No! I can’t fail at the last minute!
Chu Liuyue bit the tip of her tongue, and the sharp pain cleared her mind. However, she did not have any force left in her body.
She held the square cauldron tightly, and her joints turned white. Her organs also felt like they were tightly squeezed into a ball. Hopelessness drowned the bottom of her heart.
Can I really not do it…?
Buzz!
A buzzing sound suddenly emerged from her dantian. The water droplet floating in the dantian suddenly moved.
A small ripple appeared on the smooth water surface, and majestic force instantly rushed to Chu Liuyue’s limbs and bones.
Chu Liuyue immediately recovered her senses. She swiftly turned her force into fire and injected it into the square cauldron without any hesitation.
The fire that was about to extinguish suddenly intensified again, and the herbs within the square cauldron merged at a very unusual speed.
Chu Liuyue stared at the square cauldron closely.
The herbs rapidly merged and quickly gathered to form a ball the size of a fist.
Chu Liuyue widened her eyes in shock.
This was because… this was the sign of pill formation!
There were countless doctors in this world, but very few heavenly doctors. The biggest difference between them was whether they could produce pills! Normally speaking, only a fourth-grade doctor could become a true heavenly doctor.
This step alone had stopped countless doctors from becoming a heavenly doctor.
Originally, Chu Liuyue thought that she had limited ability and could not produce pills, so she had been preparing soup medicine all along.
Even though there was a difference in the medicine’s effectiveness, it could still serve as an antidote. However….
Hong!
An invisible wave spread out from the pale orange pill!