Chapter 34: Alchemy

The alchemy room was located in the deepest part of Qingxu Temple, far from the main hall where pilgrims frequently gathered.

In the afternoon, sunlight pierced through the bamboo grove, making the leaves shimmer and dance in the wind, scattering fragments of light everywhere. Compared to the noisy exterior, it was exceptionally serene, as if the world itself possessed a stillness that allowed one to hear the heartbeat of all things.

Jiang She knew little about the Way of Alchemy. Everything related to it only reminded him of the many emperors and scholars in history who, obsessed with immortality, practiced esoteric arts and died from consuming poisonous elixirs. However, having dealt with this world for so long, witnessing true spirits and ghosts, and hearing many methods of alchemy and cultivation, he had begun to draw connections and form his own ideas.

He decided to give it a try.

The alchemy room at Qingxu Temple was small, containing only two modest medicine cauldrons on a shelf. The young acolyte had been lazy during his chores, and they were covered in a thick layer of dust. Jiang She gently brushed his hand over them and selected a copper cauldron that possessed a rustic charm.

The old temple master, leaning on his staff, stood at the doorway with the local Earth Deity, watching the master select his tools. The master had exhausted much of his spirit that day—first watching his disciples conduct rituals, then sensing the arrival of the local mountain deity, and finally engaging in a long conversation with this mysterious guest, only to discover the true identity of his long-lost benefactor. The emotional turbulence had been too much. At his age, his energy was already waning, and he felt deeply fatigued.

The old Daoist asked, "My temple’s alchemy room is quite small. Does the gentleman require a different venue or the installation of ritual implements?"

"No need, this is perfect."

Facing the furnace, Jiang She did not light a fire, nor did he place any minerals or traditional alchemical ingredients inside. His mind was profoundly still as he sat in the room, listening to the breath of the wilderness.

In a realm invisible to mortals, the wind stirred. The cyan essence of heaven and earth flowed through the tips of every leaf in the forest, through the meandering streams and shoals of fish, through wild deer, tigers, snakes, and apes. It brushed past every pilgrim, Daoist, woodcutter, and hunter on the mountain. Further still, it rushed in from the Han River that flowed through the city, converging here.

Yuan Danqiu, who was talking to Daoist Lian Yue, suddenly lifted his head, looking left and right, bewildered by what had just occurred. The pilgrims whispered, "Hey, did you feel that breeze just now? It felt strangely refreshing."

Before the alchemy room, the temple master felt a sudden, cool gust of wind that made his entire body tingle with comfort, as if his very soul had been cleansed. He looked toward the room, lost in deep contemplation. Beside him, the Earth Deity—a mountain spirit and master of these lands—felt it even more acutely. He straightened his back, his gaze fixed on the interior, not wanting to miss a single movement of the immortal.

Jiang She sat in lotus position, eyes closed, listening to the pulse of the mountain and the city below. It was as if this world itself sensed the karmic connection, traveling across thousands of mountains and rivers to arrive here. To be one with the universe is to be present everywhere.

The words of the old temple master had inspired him. If one were to discard minerals and abandon herbs, and instead use the sky as a cauldron and the earth as a furnace, gathering the cyan essence of heaven and earth to harmonize the yin and yang—could one not also form a pill?

As Jiang She sat in the alchemy room, the refreshing breeze flowed in of its own accord. The cyan essence not only filled the small medicine cauldron and the room but nearly saturated the entire mountain. With every breath, his mind became clear, and his body and spirit felt liberated.

The old temple master suddenly felt his entire being lighten, as if he were seeing the world clearly for the first time. The birds chirped, the wind rustled through the trees, and the wild landscape surged around him. By comparison, he realized how heavy and labored his own breathing had been until this moment.

He couldn't help but murmur, "This is..."

The Earth Deity slowly exhaled, feeling a refreshing clarity even in his hair. The turbid qi sank away, and the pure essence rose. The Earth Deity remarked, "The arts of the immortals—you and I are witnessing them today. Master, look closely; this is a Daoist technique one might never encounter in a lifetime."

The old temple master couldn't help but ask, "If even a mortal feels this way, do the gods and immortals think the same?"

The Earth Deity sighed, "Compared to a wandering immortal who is truly detached from the world and has truly attained the Way, we are but babes stammering in the pursuit of the Dao. What difference is there? To witness the Great Dao—what immense good fortune is this?"

The Earth Deity felt a pang of embarrassment. Just days ago, at his banquet for the immortal, he had offered fine wine, boasting that it was worth a month’s worth of meditation. He had felt quite proud then, and surely, the immortal must have seen through that. But now... the cyan essence in the heavens and earth pulsed with vitality. To say this would benefit the land for three or five years... was surely an understatement. After today, how many living beings in this land would benefit, and in the future, how many would attain the Dao?

In the alchemy room, only the lingering, cool breeze remained. Jiang She opened his eyes. The sunlight streaming into the room was brilliant, and the air itself was a pale cyan. Outside, the bamboo leaves rustled, and dead leaves swirled on the ground. The world was utterly silent.

Inside the cauldron, nine pills lay quietly. They shimmered with a cyan hue, brimming with vitality. This was the fruit of his labor. After a moment of thought, he rose, pushed open the door, and asked the temple master to borrow some porcelain bottles.

The old temple master was still in a daze until the Earth Deity nudged him.

"Yes! Of course!" he replied, his voice trembling with a gravity he hadn't intended. He hurried away.

It took only half a quarter-hour for the old temple master to return, though one could only imagine how fast he had run. Not knowing what kind of containers the immortal required, he had simply grabbed every porcelain and jade bottle in the temple used for storing pills—eight or nine in total.

Jiang She couldn't help but smile slightly.

He filled three bottles with the pills; they were perfectly round, their medicinal potency preserved and vibrant. Jiang She paused, then gestured with his hand, drawing the cyan essence from the room into the remaining bottles. The cyan spiritual liquid condensed, glistening like pearls, untainted by any filth. It took several bottles to hold it all.

When he finished, Jiang She turned back to the two figures standing outside the door like stone statues. He bowed and said, "My thanks to the temple master for lending me this space."

The old temple master snapped back to reality. He dared not accept the gesture and hurried to step aside.

*This, this, this...* Was this what the master meant by "wanting to try a little" and "never having refined pills before"? The old Daoist had been the one to explain the basics of alchemy and the various recipes to him. But watching the master refine these pills, from beginning to end, it seemed like a completely different craft.

Jiang She tucked the bottles into his sleeves. He pushed open the gate and stepped out of the courtyard, only to find a crowd of Daoists outside. There were too many to count—all of them had sensed the miracle but dared not intrude, watching from afar with hearts filled with yearning.

The old Deer Mountain God was also in the crowd, his hair and beard white. Compared to the mortals who didn't know what had happened, he appeared remarkably relaxed. He raised his hands in a salute to Jiang She, his expression complex as he smiled.

"Sir, your marvelous technique has truly opened our eyes." He stroked his beard. "The people of Xiangzhou are truly blessed..."

The old temple master remained frozen in his astonishment.

In the crowd, Yuan Danqiu and Meng Haoran, who had followed the Daoists to see what was happening, stared at the man in cyan robes, speechless. They didn't even hear the calls of Daoist Lian Yue beside them until they were nudged, snapping them out of their trance.

"It is actually Master Jiang..." Yuan Danqiu murmured.

It had been less than two hours since they had parted from Jiang She. He had been talking to Daoist Lian Yue when he saw the many Daoists rushing away toward this spot. Driven by curiosity, he had brought Meng Haoran and Daoist Lian Yue along. Listening to the whispers, he realized this was the rarely visited alchemy room of Qingxu Temple.

*Alchemy...* But Master Jiang had said he didn't know how to refine pills.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Jiang She looked at the two men standing with the Daoists and said, "You two should head back first. I'm afraid I shall be returning a bit later."