103. Urban New Farmers - Flash! Observing Alchemy

As soon as it was light, Li Hongbo, who had been beaten into a pig's head while relieving himself, finally found another injured person in Liu Yixiangyun's side room. This time, Li Hongbo was able to finally sleep on the heated kang bed as he had wished. However, the price was that he would have to lie on the heated kang bed for several days.

The fact that Bai Jiawei was drugged by Li Hongbo was not made public, but Li Ningguang seized on this matter and deliberately guided it.

"Vice President Li, why are you out in Elder Yi's courtyard in the middle of the night instead of sleeping? And what are you doing carrying a drug? And a syringe?" Li Ningguang said sarcastically.

The crowd's thoughts were drawn to Bai Jiawei.

****, when the beautiful women got in touch, everyone thought of the same thing: was Li Hongbo actually trying to pick flowers? Bai Jiawei is definitely a beautiful young woman.

Bai Jiawei couldn't bear the strange looks. Enraged and humiliated, she finally erupted in fury. Li Hongbo became the suspect. Many speculations pointed to Li Hongbo. However, at this moment, he couldn't go anywhere and was placed under surveillance by the Qingyang County Public Security Bureau.

"Reporter Bai, were you really drugged last night?" Bai Jiawei summoned two police officers from Qingyang County Bureau. She explained the situation, ready to risk everything; after all, her innocence was still intact, but she couldn't let those bad guys get away with it.

Qingyang County police officer Xiao Zhao was incredulous. His colleague, an experienced veteran patrol officer named Lao Na, also looked astonished. They had initially thought that Li Ningguang was merely damaging Li Hongbo's reputation, something they couldn't handle, but once reporter Bai reported the case, the situation changed.

Bai Jiawei bit her lip and said, "Luckily, I was rescued and nothing 'happened'. Comrades, I request that a case be filed!"

Xiao Zhao and Lao Chen exchanged a glance, both realizing the gravity of the situation. It wasn't just the city bureau—actually a branch bureau—but they had already lost a police officer under the guise of the current situation. The villagers of Shiya Village had helped preserve the body. If something so serious happened to this key figure, they would have to withdraw when they returned.

Alright!

"Don't worry, Reporter Bai, we will never let someone like this get away with it! Please tell me everything so I can take a statement!" Xiao Zhao said solemnly.

Old Deng nodded, agreeing that Xiao Zhao had handled the matter according to procedure, and then he went to Li Hongbo to give his statement.

Once the two parties agree on this matter, it's considered a case. Once they leave the mountain, they just need to report it to the bureau and complete the formalities. Temporary handling authority is still available.

Bai Jiawei recounted the events from beginning to end. But when it came to the question of who had saved her, one person flashed through her mind—Zhang Guodong—whose speaking style seemed to resemble someone else's!

But him?

Impossible! Deep down, he thought that guy couldn't possibly be the masked man who saved him.

They had no choice but to refer to him as "the masked man."

Bai Jiawei was rescued by a masked man after encountering a womanizer in the middle of the night, thus preserving her innocence. But where could she find this masked man? Who was he suspected? Bai Jiawei shook her head.

Xiao Zhao was at a loss.

It's very difficult to find a highly skilled suspect in these mountains. Was there a master in Shiya Village who saved Reporter Bai? Or perhaps one of these outsiders?

It might be necessary to question Li Ningguang and the others, but Li Ningguang's answer was that one of my bodyguards was seriously injured and the other was always by my side to protect me; both of them were quite skilled. The implication was clear.

Moreover, when Wang Zhen left, even though Xiao Zhao and Lao Deng were also in the threshing ground, they were completely unaware. Li Ningguang naturally had his suspicions about this, but he didn't want to say anything.

After seeing Xiao Zhao off, Li Ningguang happily said, "What evidence do you need? That syringe is evidence. The *** on your body is also evidence. Li Hongbo, you're in trouble!"

"Wouldn't that be too easy on him?" Wang Zhen asked.

"Cheap? Heh. If the case is upheld, being dismissed is worse than being killed. From an official with administrative rank to an ordinary citizen, tsk tsk," Li Ningguang said with a sneer.

Then the conversation shifted.

"But Li Hongbo isn't so easy to bring down, especially since he's currently injured. Even with this evidence, it might not be enough to succeed."

As expected, Li Hongbo shouted that he was innocent when he saw Lao Deng and wanted to call the police, saying that someone had attacked him and framed him for framing reporter Bai. He was very agitated.

And it refers to Li Ningguang!

As soon as Li Hongbo lay down, Huo Wu thought that only Li Ningguang, who hated her to the core, could be suspected. And only Li Ningguang's bodyguard would have the skills to follow her out in the middle of the night, right?

I was furious. You ruined my great plan and I got beaten up. I'm not done with you yet!

When Xiao Zhao and Lao Deng met and talked for a while, he could only manage a wry smile.

Zhang Guodong was stunned when he heard that everyone around him was a victim and that he was preparing to observe the alchemy process in the Yi Lao Dan room.

"Can a person be this shameless?" Zhang Guodong thought to himself.

But it's good that now everyone else is involved, and only I am free.

Besides, what business is it of mine?

Sitting next to him, Old Yi glanced at Zhang Guodong and said intentionally, "What happened last night was related to you, wasn't it?"

Old Yi wasn't completely ignorant. He knew about Zhang Guodong and Xiao Hu switching rooms.

Zhang Guodong gave an embarrassed smile before recounting the whole story without hiding anything. After all, there was nothing particularly heinous about it, and he needed Old Yi's help to smooth things over.

"Close the door, light the kerosene lamp, and begin refining the elixir!" Elder Yi nodded without offering any comment and got down to business.

At the mention of alchemy, Zhang Guodong's spirits lifted. He immediately got up, closed the door to the alchemy room (only light came through the window), and lit the kerosene lamp. Zhang Guodong then acted as Master Yi's assistant, preparing the eighteen ingredients...

A fire source had already been set up under the alchemy furnace. Because the doors and windows were closed, the fire supply from this fire source stove, specially built for alchemy, was relatively stable. Moreover, it was connected to a chimney outside, so there was no fear of the alchemy room being filled with smoke.

"Before refining the pills, heat the furnace for a while. I have two things to say: everything you see must not be seen or spoken of by anyone!" Elder Yi emphasized, for reasons unknown.

"Don't worry, Elder Yi, I won't refine pills in front of others, nor will I reveal anything about you. But those people..." Zhang Guodong immediately assured him.

His alchemy skills were too astounding to be known by anyone. Besides, if he wanted to refine pills, wouldn't it be better to do so in Peach Blossom Spring, where the spiritual energy is abundant?

"They won't know that what I'm most worried about is that if someone finds out about alchemy, this place will no longer be peaceful. Finding the jade essence is just a matter of time, but the purple jade sand is not simple. Even I have very limited knowledge about it. This is something to remember. Even Xiao Hu doesn't know where the purple jade sand is or what it's used for," Elder Yi said slowly.

Zhang Guodong was astonished. He knew that Xiao Hu was the successor being groomed by Master Yi, but it was unbelievable that even Xiao Hu didn't know the purpose and origin of the Purple Jade Sand.

Wouldn't he then be the second person to know about the existence of the Purple Jade Sand?

"Why don't you tell Xiaohu, Elder Yi?" Zhang Guodong couldn't help but ask, even though he knew Elder Yi had his own reasons.

"Xiao Hu is too young to know things too early, besides. He needs to be exposed to society outside the mountains. We can't keep staying in the mountains like this forever," Old Yi said, looking at Zhang Guodong and sighing.

"Don't worry, Elder Yi. Leave everything outside the mountains to me. To be honest, Xiao Hu is like a younger brother to me, and as his older brother, I naturally can't let him suffer any injustice."

Old Yi nodded and smiled with satisfaction.

"That makes things easier. In fact, I should thank you."

"Mr. Yi, you're too kind. It's what I should do!" Zhang Guodong quickly said modestly.

The hermit in the mountains is a reclusive master, but even he finds it difficult to adapt to society outside the mountains. Many things can only be handled by people like Zhang Guodong.

This shows that Master Yi is very dedicated to guiding, teaching, and gifting Zhang Guodong. He also wants to see what kind of elixirs Zhang Guodong can refine.

As Master Yi began refining the elixir, Zhang Guodong held his breath and listened attentively to the explanation, calculating the time carefully.

The alchemy steps described by Master Yi are actually quite simple. First, preheat the furnace; second, mix the ground medicinal powder according to the specified ratio; third, add the purple jade sand first, then the mixed medicinal powder; fourth, cover and heat, where the purple jade sand will melt the powder into a liquid, which will then condense into a pill using the principle of liquid forming beads; fifth, carefully control the heat until the furnace begins to hum. Remove the pill promptly, otherwise it will become a waste pill.

Old Master Yi was very skilled in his work. Zhang Guodong felt that the medicine furnace had undergone a great change after the purple jade sand entered. It began to absorb spiritual energy from all directions and enter the medicine furnace.

The concentration of spiritual energy around the medicine furnace has doubled!

Amazing! The purple jade sand not only promotes the fusion of medicinal powder and liquid, but also absorbs external spiritual energy and integrates it into the elixir—truly miraculous!

No wonder that pills are at least seven or eight times more effective than similar medicinal materials of the same quantity, and sometimes several times or even more!

Ten minutes later, a long, low hum came from the medicine furnace, as if a living being was about to be born. Zhang Guodong felt just like that; the medicine furnace contained a pound of living life!

"Strange! The readily available snake spirit pills don't exhibit this phenomenon?" Zhang Guodong couldn't help but be surprised.

"Open the furnace now!" Elder Yi quickly opened the outlet at the bottom of the furnace, and a vibrant green bead rolled out and was collected into a jade box. A surge of spiritual energy wafted out, very fragrant and crystal clear.

Like exquisite glass beads!

"Haha, what great luck! Not only did I succeed in refining it, but I even refined a superior Snake Spirit Pill!" Elder Yi exclaimed in delight.

"Even refining medium-grade quality items is usually quite difficult!"

Zhang Guodong hurriedly asked, "Elder Yi, is this Snake Spirit Pill I have a mid-grade or low-grade one?"

"Your pill was seven or eight times more potent than a low-grade one, but this high-grade Snake Spirit Pill is at least thirty times more potent!" Old Yi said happily, looking at the high-grade Snake Spirit Pill in the jade box with great delight. "A mid-grade one is about ten times more effective!"

Zhang Guodong immediately became envious. A top-grade elixir must be incredibly effective at neutralizing snake venom!

However, this is the first high-grade pill that Elder Yi has refined, so he definitely won't give it away. What a pity!

"Elder Yi, may I try refining some too?" Zhang Guodong's heart stirred, and he felt a little itchy to try. Only one pill could be refined from one batch, showing that the pill-refining yield was truly low. But just watching without refining was even more unsatisfying!

Elder Yi prepared five portions of the Serpent Spirit Pill, and this is only the first one!

"You?" Elder Yi was surprised, but then smiled. He understood the young man's desire to try, but although alchemy seemed simple, experience was extremely important. Elder Yi deeply understood the subtleties and hardships of alchemy. If Zhang Guodong were to attempt it, all four portions would be wasted, and he still wouldn't be able to refine the Serpent Spirit Pill.

"Ah, thank you, Mr. Yi!" Zhang Guodong was immediately overjoyed.

Second update! Bonus chapter coming soon! Requesting monthly votes! Another 10,000 words update today!