1 p.m.
Narrow Rain Lane.
The previously quiet sky suddenly began to pour rain.
Cold winter, deep night, cold rain.
At such times, people are snug asleep in their warm beds, yet three men in black robes were carrying a heavy bronze furnace, gritting their teeth as they moved forward amid the cold rain.
All three were wounded, and the leg wounds of two had even split open, causing blood to flow out.
Yet they dared not delay for a moment, biting their teeth, desperately racing forward with the bronze furnace.
The cold rain slapped randomly on their faces, filling their hearts with gloom that had nowhere to vent, causing them to run and wail as they went.
"I really want to write the word 'tragic'!"
"Just one word 'tragic'? It should be 'tragic, pitiful, and woeful'!"
"Stop the nonsense! The senior said one stick of incense, no delays allowed!"
The three of them cried out and sprinted forward with all their might.
Finally, just before the stick of incense burned out, they arrived at Willow Smoke Lane.
A red figure stood underneath the eaves, her eyes cold and chilling above the red gauze:
"Too slow."
The three knelt down in unison: "Senior, please calm your anger! We did our best, it's just that the rain was too heavy, please forgive us this time!"
Sun San lifted his face full of rainwater, took out an umbrella from his arms, and presented it with both hands:
"Senior, I deliberately brought you an umbrella."
Zhao Yi and Qian Er exchanged glances; this fellow was just shameless!
Next time this happens, I'll definitely be the first to act!
The red-haired female cultivator snorted coldly but didn't take the umbrella:
"You may leave now."
"Yes."
The three responded and quickly got up, stumbling out of Willow Smoke Lane.
After Zhao, Qian, and Sun left, the red-haired female cultivator took out a storage bag embroidered with a cyan lotus, and with a slight lift of her fair hand, the bronze furnace was stored within.
Then, the red-haired female cultivator held a red umbrella.
The umbrella was opened, and a cyan lotus was designed on its bright red surface.
The red-haired female cultivator walked into the rain, and the cyan lotus on the umbrella seemed to sway lightly, keeping all the rain at bay.
A moment later, she disappeared into the cold, rainy night, and Willow Smoke Lane returned to its quietude.
...
The next day.
Qin Gengyun opened his eyes, a haze clouding them.
Even the floating illusory texts in front of him couldn't stir his spirit.
[Name: Qin Gengyun]
[Life Expectancy: 35/40]
[Cultivation: Qi Cultivation Layer Three, 11/500]
[Skill: First Tier Alchemist, 14/200]
[Spirit Root: Fire Spirit Root (Lower Grade) 31/100, Ice Spirit Root (Lower Grade) 37/100]
[Available Cultivation Points: 6]
Last night, after being demanded by Qiu Zhihe three times, his Fire Spirit Root increased by 3 points, and his Ice Spirit Root increased by 4 points.
He also earned 6 cultivation points.
It was not without gains.
But Qin Gengyun's biggest problem now was not the speed of gaining cultivation points or spirit root values, but the Furnace!
After buying that second-hand bronze furnace, he had only eight Spirit Stones left.
And now that the newly bought bronze furnace was broken, purchasing another second-hand bronze furnace would require at least eleven Spirit Stones.
This was only because Taoist Friend Mo owed some personal favor to the second-hand vendor and helped him negotiate the price.
If he tried to buy again, leaving aside whether he could easily find a suitable second-hand furnace, even if he found one, it probably would not be for eleven Spirit Stones.
Moreover, he had daily living expenses, and he needed to support his wife.
How could he gather enough Spirit Stones to buy another furnace?
Qin Gengyun sighed, slowly got up; on the bed, Qiu Zhihe had her back to him, seemingly asleep. He got out of bed, washed up casually, and went out.
The discarded bronze furnace by the door was gone, likely taken by the cleaner hired by the landlord.
His dream of succeeding in alchemy on the second try and stepping onto the path of a genius was swept away like a broken furnace regarded as trash, ultimately becoming a worthless delusion.
Like 99.99% of ordinary people in this world, he could only live a mediocre life here.
No, maybe I can't even manage to survive.
Qin Gengyun suppressed his negative emotions and reluctantly gathered his spirits.
He arrived early at the Spirit Pill Workshop, checked to make sure no one was around, and then stepped toward the old Alchemy Room.
Is the bronze furnace still there?
"Qin Gengyun, what are you doing?"
The voice of Yang Fengshan came from behind, and Qin Gengyun turned, bowing:
"Steward Yang, I want to clean up the old Alchemy Room."
Yang Fengshan said: "Didn't I say it? This Alchemy Room is to be renovated, no one is allowed in these days!"
Qin Gengyun felt he had nothing to lose and asked: "Steward Yang, but I haven't seen any artisans here to make repairs in these past couple of days."
On Yang Fengshan's chubby face, his triangular eyes narrowed slightly, his voice turning cold:
"Qin Gengyun, how dare a mere Pill Furnace Medicine Attendant question me?"
At this moment, the Pavilion Master walked in, and Yang Fengshan immediately put on a different expression, bowing to the Pavilion Master:
"Master, you've arrived. I've already cleaned up the Alchemy Room, and the furnace, Pill Stones, and herbs are ready."
Pei Daoyu responded with a faint hum and headed straight to the Alchemy Room; evidently, he intended to continue concocting Ice Purity Pills today.
Qin Gengyun gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and bowed: "Pavilion Master, I'd like to rent the spare bronze furnace in the workshop, may I..."
Before he could finish, the Pavilion Master had already entered the Alchemy Room, seeming not to have heard him at all.
Yang Fengshan cast a disdainful glance at Qin Gengyun and followed the Pavilion Master into the Alchemy Room, closing the door with a bang.
As if shutting Qin Gengyun's last glimmer of hope as well.
5 p.m.
Qin Gengyun left the Spirit Pill Workshop dejectedly and headed to the night market.
From afar, he saw Mo Xiaolan in her plain long robe setting up a stall, but Qin Gengyun did not approach her.
The same old problem, finding a second-hand bronze furnace isn't easy, and even if I find one, those few Spirit Stones I have wouldn't suffice.
Mo Xiaolan is indeed willing to lend him Spirit Stones, but her situation isn't much better than Qin Gengyun's.
Otherwise, Mo Xiaolan wouldn't be working so tirelessly day and night.
She's already helped you enough.
So you ruined your furnace, and now you want to ask for her help again?
She's also a low-level cultivator, what more can she do for you?
Qin Gengyun shook his head and ultimately did not go to Mo Xiaolan. He searched around other areas of the night market, but as expected, found no second-hand bronze furnaces for sale.
He left the night market and returned to Narrow Rain Lane.
Standing before the door of his rented home, Qin Gengyun's expression suddenly turned grim.
Damn it!
If this world doesn't want me to live, I'll defy it!
Qin Gengyun made a decision, tonight he would sneak back into the Spirit Pill Workshop and steal a furnace!
After all, it's do or die, might as well gamble for a chance to live!
With this resolution, Qin Gengyun actually felt lighter at heart, and as he pushed open the door to his home, the familiar aroma met him.
Qiu Zhihe, wearing last night's embroidered Lotus Smoke Gauze Shirt, her black veil-clad body revealed graceful curves.
Ahead of her on the table was an iron pot, and two porcelain bowls were already filled with porridge.
Seeing Qin Gengyun enter, Qiu Zhihe said blandly: "Let's eat."
"Okay."
Qin Gengyun nodded, sat across from Qiu Zhihe, and glanced at the porridge bowl ahead of her, Qiu Zhihe said:
"Today's porridge doesn't contain any herbs."
Qin Gengyun stroked his nose and laughed: "Alright, let's eat then."
The two quietly focused on drinking their porridge.
Soon, after dinner, Qin Gengyun suddenly spoke:
"Taoist Friend Qiu, I have to go out tonight, if I... don't come back, you should leave Narrow Rain Lane and find another man to marry."
They were husband and wife, after all. If he really failed tonight, he didn't want her to be implicated.
Qiu Zhihe remained expressionless: "First, wash the dishes."
Qin Gengyun was taken aback, then agreed.
Perhaps this was their last meal together, he thought, let it end properly.
Qin Gengyun cleaned up the dishes, then entered the kitchen, and suddenly froze.
In the kitchen, a nearly brand new bronze furnace was unexpectedly placed there!