Reversing Falsehood and Preserving Truth: All Gods and Gods Are in My Hands

Zhao Lei's detached villa, located in the eastern district of Zhongzhou City, appeared particularly tranquil in the late winter twilight.

In the last few days of winter break, the afterglow of the setting sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long shadows on the gleaming marble floor. In stark contrast to the minimalist luxury of the upstairs modern style, the basement was a hidden gem.

This place has been transformed by Zhao Lei's parents into a multifunctional space that integrates fitness and entertainment.

One side features professional fitness equipment, while the other side houses a billiards table. The innermost room, a soundproofed audio-visual room, has now become Lu Yu's temporary alchemy room.

"Hey Lu Yu, your antique herbal medicine cauldron is like a dimensional barrier breaking down when it's placed among my dad's pile of high-end audio equipment." Zhao Lei patted the expensive amplifier next to him, sat casually on the soft carpet, his hands still covered in sweat from his recent boxing practice.

Lu Yu carefully placed the ancient medicine cauldron on the low table in the center. The grass and wood patterns carved all over the cauldron were faintly visible in the warm light: "There's no other way. This place has the best soundproofing. Even if the cauldron explodes, the neighbors won't complain about disturbing the peace."

Chen Mo adjusted his glasses, his gaze sweeping over the expensive interior decor, and calmly added, "Based on previous experiences, Lu Yu's current failure rate in alchemy is over 80%, so soundproofing is indeed crucial."

Su Wan remained silent, sitting quietly in the corner on a beanbag chair, her drawing board resting on her lap, her pencil lightly outlining the shape of the medicine cauldron. Her spiritual power allowed her to vaguely sense the vast, gentle vitality within the cauldron, like a deep sea. The tip of her pencil unconsciously followed the patterns on the cauldron's surface, and the medicine cauldron on the drawing paper even emitted a faint spiritual light.

Lu Yu took a deep breath and began taking materials from his backpack. Common Chinese medicinal herbs such as astragalus and angelica were neatly arranged, along with several packets of dried shiitake mushrooms and goji berries he had found in Zhao Lei's kitchen. Finally, with utmost solemnity, he drew out three spiritual herbs from the inner space of the medicine cauldron—

The three moon-colored petals of the Concentration Flower, a section of earth vein root as thick as a thumb and shaped like an old ginger, and a few wood spirit fruits gleaming with a bluish light instantly filled the room with a faint, exotic fragrance.

"It's starting." Lu Yu held his breath and focused his mind. The pale green power of herbs lit up at his fingertips, and he gently touched the herb cauldron.

"Buzz—"

The medicine cauldron emitted a faint hum, and the patterns on its surface seemed to come alive, gleaming with a warm, bluish light. He first added ordinary medicinal herbs, and the power of the herbs, like a gentle spring breeze and nourishing rain, slowly activated their medicinal properties. Next, he tried to touch the inside of the cauldron with the tips of the earth vein roots, following the "rapid attack with martial fire" method passed down in his lineage, hoping to quickly integrate the medicinal properties.

However, the earth elemental spiritual power of the earth vein roots was too heavy and domineering. With a muffled "poof", a plume of black smoke rose from the cauldron, and the smell of burning instantly filled the air. Lu Yu was choked and coughed repeatedly, his cheeks covered with black ash and the tip of his nose turning charcoal-colored, looking quite disheveled.

"Cough cough... Lu Yu, are you refining pills or making smoke bombs?" Zhao Lei fanned himself with his hand while grinning, his eyes full of curiosity, without a trace of mockery. "Should I find you a gas mask?"

Lu Yu didn't respond, but pondered deeply—the martial fire was too intense and couldn't suppress the domineering nature of the spiritual herb.

The second time, he switched to "gentle nourishment" and first put in the calming petals. However, the calming power of the petals clashed with the domineering medicinal properties remaining in the cauldron. A "sizzling" sound came from inside the cauldron, followed by a more pungent, sour black smoke that even covered Su Wan's drawing paper with a layer of light gray.

"Energy conflict." Chen Mo calmly analyzed, "There is no balance between the 'mortal' nature of ordinary medicinal herbs and the 'spiritual' nature of spiritual herbs. You can use the power of array formations to construct a miniature buffer array inside the cauldron. Your true Dao can perceive the essence of medicinal properties, and the array formations can precisely control them. This is your advantage."

Lu Yu's eyes lit up, and he closed them to concentrate. The True Dao allowed him to clearly "see" the energy flow of each medicinal herb, while the power of the array transformed into invisible patterns, outlining the void within the cauldron.

The third attempt begins.

He first added ordinary medicinal herbs, allowing the power of the herbs to slowly permeate and stimulate their essence; then, the blue-green array power condensed into several barely visible energy vortexes within the cauldron, like ingenious buffer valves; finally, he introduced the earth vein roots and the mind-concentrating petals into the array one by one, with the pale golden true power flowing from his fingertips, adjusting the energy balance in real time.

This time, the cauldron made no more strange noises, only a low, harmonious hum, like the steady breathing of the earth. A faint medicinal fragrance gradually filled the air, clear yet warm, refreshing and soothing, completely dispelling the previous burnt smell.

As dusk settled outside the window, time slipped away quietly in his focused concentration. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Lu Yu's forehead, and the three halos of light flowing from his fingertips became increasingly rounded. Suddenly, the Hundred Herbs Cauldron trembled slightly!

Before the lid of the cauldron was opened, a soft, azure light spilled out from the gap, instantly illuminating the home theater like a fairyland, coating the audio equipment and billiard table on the walls with a soft glow. An indescribable fragrance suddenly burst forth, not strong, but carrying the purity and spirit of plants, invigorating the spirit and even dispelling most of Zhao Lei's fatigue from his recent boxing practice.

"It's done!"

Lu Yu suddenly opened his eyes, a look of wild joy flashing in them, his fatigue replaced by a sense of accomplishment. He carefully lifted the lid of the cauldron, and saw twelve pills the size of longan lying at the bottom, white and round, with a faint pearly luster; next to them was a small pile of jade-green ointment, so translucent that you could see the patterns.

"This is what you called... the Heart-Clearing Pill? The Body-Nourishing Cream?" Zhao Lei was the first to lean in, sniffing hard, his face full of ecstasy. "Wow! Just smelling it makes my brain start working! If I eat this stuff, will I be able to go from a sports student to a top student?"

Lu Yu distributed the pills and ointments to everyone: "The Mind-Clearing Pill's main function is to calm the mind, clear away distracting thoughts, and aid in comprehension. It also has remarkable effects on refreshing the mind and enhancing memory."

He then pointed to the green ointment, "It's a body lotion, applied externally. It can unblock meridians, slowly strengthen the body, and should... also have a slight effect on improving muscle definition."

Su Wan took the Qingxin Pill and gently put it into her mouth. The pill melted instantly upon entering her mouth, and a cool sensation rushed straight to her mind. The faint headache caused by excessive perception of spiritual power a few days ago disappeared instantly, and her thoughts became exceptionally clear and transparent. Looking at the unfinished work on the drawing board, new inspirations welled up like a spring.

After taking the pill, a sharp glint flashed in Chen Mo's eyes as he adjusted his glasses. "Incredible. My thinking speed and logical analysis ability have improved by about 20%." He had already redesigned his plan for balancing review and training during the final semester of his senior year.

Zhao Lei was captivated by the body lotion, scooping out a large amount and applying it to his arm. The lotion was cooling and quickly absorbed into his skin. "Hey! That feels good!"

He excitedly struck a few bodybuilding poses. Although his muscle definition hadn't changed much, he felt incredibly good about himself. "With this physique, I'll be a heartthrob when school starts!"

What surprised him even more was that the ointment seemed to be nourishing his extraordinary physique, which was unable to awaken the Great Dao. His blood and qi flowed more and more smoothly, and even his internal organs, which had been injured by the aftershocks of the pangolin, felt warm.

Lu Yu also took a Mind-Clearing Pill, and felt his mind and spirit become clear and pure. The fatigue from refining pills for days was swept away, and he gained a deeper understanding of the "breaking illusions" of the True Dao and the "order" of the Array Dao. The three Daos flowed more and more harmoniously within his body. He carefully put away the remaining pills and ointments, and the Hundred Herbs Cauldron vibrated gently in his palm, conveying a trace of joy and approval.

Outside the basement window, night had fallen and the streetlights were just coming on.

The boys inside the room gathered around the medicine cauldron, their faces beaming with excitement. The clear, refreshing fragrance of the medicine lingered around their noses, brighter than any lamplight, reflecting the anticipation for the future in everyone's eyes.

These small pills may become an important help for them in dealing with the subsequent storm.