He gestured lazily toward the herbs on the table. "Silverleaf goes in first. It's the gentlest, and it will dissolve smoothly to form the base. Then Dragonroot. That one's fiery; it needs careful tempering. Ironbark is last, since it's dense and takes the longest to break down."
Wooyun's lips twitched. "You're more meticulous than you let on, young master Byung-ho."
The young man grimaced. "Don't mistake diligence for passion. I hate wasting time. Failed pills stink up the whole room."
He steadied the flames with a flick of his fingers, the cauldron thrumming in response. The swirl of fire and water qi inside was almost hypnotic, like watching molten glass cool and harden midair.
Wooyun swallowed, strangely captivated. For a man who carried himself like everything was a bother, Jang Byung-ho commanded the elements with the ease of someone born to it. It was fascinating to observe the duality of man.
~*~
After that, with Byung-ho's guidance, Wooyun tried his hand at refining.
