After everyone was reborn, I was strictly disciplined.

The medicine hall of the sacred site of Fire Marrow Pill is filled with a rich medicinal fragrance all year round, mixed with the residual heat of the pill furnace, so heavy that it makes people feel suffocated. On both sides of the hall stand towering medicine cabinets, with densely engraved ancient medicine names on the vermilion cabinet doors.

"Young Master, alchemy is neither easy nor difficult. The core is nothing more than two things: the meticulous processing of medicinal materials and the precise control of the heat."

"It must be understood that each medicinal herb has different properties, and the processing methods include sun-drying, baking, steaming, and roasting. Even the slightest difference can lead to vastly different results. The heat is also crucial; gentle heat nourishes and strong heat tempers, and adjustments must be made in real time according to the changes in the prescription. There is no room for carelessness..."

Elder Li, with his white hair and silver beard reaching his chest, stood with his hands behind his back in front of the table. His thin fingers gently stroked the "Essentials of Alchemy" spread out on the table as he explained in a calm tone, his words filled with reverence for the art of alchemy.

Xie Xingran, standing in front of him, was small and nestled in a large pearwood chair. Several ancient thread-bound books were piled on the table, their covers tinged with an old yellow.

Xie Xingran rested her rounded chin on her hand, her long eyelashes like two small fans, trembling gently with the trembling of her eyelids. Her gaze was already unfocused, her eyes unfocused and lifeless as they fell on the pages of the book.

Sleepiness surged in waves, spreading from the back of my neck to the top of my head. My mind felt as if it were filled with paste, and Elder Li's explanations gradually faded into a monotonous lullaby.

So sleepy... I'm so tired, I just want to lie down on the table and sleep forever.

This thought had been lingering in his mind since the very beginning of the lecture, and it became clearer and clearer as the lecture progressed, even making his fingers feel languid and tired.

"Knock knock".

Elder Li gently tapped the jade ruler in his hand on Xie Xingran's desk, the dull sound breaking the silence in the hall.

Xie Xingran shuddered violently, instantly waking up from her drowsiness. Her eyelashes blinked rapidly as she looked blankly at Elder Li, her eyes still clouded with lingering sleepiness.

"Elder Li, what are you doing?"

Xie Xingran pouted, her tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction. Having just woken up from a dream, her voice was soft and hazy, like a spoiled child, lacking any of its intimidating power.

Elder Li looked at his sleepy appearance, his eyes full of kind smiles. He reached out and ruffled the top of his head, his tone slightly teasing:

"Young master, is what I've been saying really that boring? Look at you, you're practically using your desk as a bed."

"No, no!" Xie Xingran hurriedly waved her hands in denial, her little face full of panic, afraid of being exposed. "I just... I didn't sleep well last night, and I really can't stay awake any longer. I want to go back to sleep for a while."

As he spoke, he deliberately yawned, squeezing out a few drops of physiological tears from the corner of his eye, putting on a convincing act.

Elder Li shook his head helplessly, his eyes full of understanding, but he did not expose his little lie.

He slowly closed the "Essentials of Alchemy" on the table, gently placed the jade ruler on the pages, and then stroked Xie Xingran's soft hair:

"Alright, young master is still young, and alchemy is not something that can be accomplished overnight. There's no need to rush. Since you're tired, go back to your room and rest."

"Thank you, Elder Li!"

Xie Xingran felt as if she had been granted a pardon and immediately jumped up from her chair, her movements so swift that she showed no sign of being sleepy.

He waved hurriedly to Elder Li, then turned and ran quickly out of the medicine hall.

As soon as Xie Xingran stepped out of the pharmacy, most of the obedient look on her face disappeared. She couldn't help but complain in her heart: What era is this? We're in the world of cultivation, and they're still giving lectures like this!

Shouldn't there be a more efficient way? For example, you could touch the space between your eyebrows with your finger and directly infuse your mind with knowledge of Taoist alchemy. It would save time and effort, and be so convenient!

Since returning from Wujia Village, He Anyao has arranged for him to work in the medicine hall, where he will learn the theoretical foundation of alchemy from Elder Li. He will only be able to formally practice alchemy after his spiritual root is tested.

Xie Xingran has never been interested in such dry theoretical explanations since she was a child. This was true when she was in school in her previous life, and she still can't change this habit now that she's in the world of cultivation.

I get sleepy and have a headache whenever I hear a long, rambling explanation.

Not to mention these ancient cultivation books, which are written entirely in obscure classical Chinese, with difficult-to-understand sentences and profound meanings. He felt irritated after flipping through just a few pages and had no patience to continue reading.

If it weren't for that purpose, he wouldn't have patiently sat here listening to Elder Li's rambling.

His initial motivation for forcing himself to learn alchemy was simple yet ruthless.

He wanted to personally refine a poison pill to kill Jiang Huaijin.

A few days ago, he secretly slipped away to the vicinity of the pharmacy's storeroom without He Anyao's knowledge, hoping to ask the manager for a ready-made poison pill.

But the steward was unyielding and refused to budge, giving a high-sounding reason: firstly, he thought the man was too young and his mind was not yet settled, and he was afraid that the man might accidentally swallow the poison pill and cause trouble.

Secondly, the sect has strict rules. Every poison pill must be registered, specifying its intended use, and must be guaranteed by an elder.

Xie Xingran would naturally not fill in "poisoned Jiang Huaijin with poison pills" truthfully. Once this matter is exposed, not only will she not be able to get the poison pills, but she will probably also be under strict surveillance by He Anyao, and she may not even be able to set foot in the pharmacy again.

Left with no other option, the matter was left unresolved.

Knowing that it was better to rely on oneself than others, Xie Xingran gritted his teeth and finally decided to learn alchemy himself. Once he had figured out the tricks of the trade and officially started practicing alchemy, he secretly concocted a poison pill that no one would know about, and sent Jiang Huaijin on his way without anyone noticing.

It's all Jiang Huaijin's fault!

Xie Xingran walked along the carved corridor, getting angrier the more she thought about it. Her cheeks involuntarily puffed up, like a little dumpling that had been provoked, but her eyes revealed a coldness that was not commensurate with her age.

If that guy were willing to die obediently, why would he bother to go through all this trouble, sitting here listening to dry alchemy theories, and painstakingly learning alchemy?

Jiang Huaijin hasn't appeared in front of him these past few days, as if he's vanished into thin air, but Xie Xingran hasn't forgotten him at all.

He has completely broken ties with Jiang Huaijin. A cultivator who has such an irreconcilable hatred for him should absolutely not be allowed to live; keeping him around will only lead to more trouble.

Thinking of this, a fierce glint flashed across Xie Xingran's originally clear eyes. The chill was so fast that it was impossible to catch, but it was quickly covered by the childlike innocence, leaving only a face full of indignation.

"Host~ It's been a long time!"

Just as Xie Xingran was plotting how to get rid of Jiang Huaijin, a light and familiar voice suddenly rang in his mind, carrying a hint of excitement.

Xie Xingran paused, a look of surprise on her face, and tentatively asked in her mind, "System? You're awake?"

This system has been dormant for three whole years, without making a sound during that time, and its presence is extremely low.

If it weren't for the occasional notification sound in her mind indicating that the villain value was increasing, proving that it was still running, Xie Xingran would almost have thought that the system had long since broken free from her and disappeared completely.

"Yes, host!" The system's voice was still cheerful, with a hint of joy. "Thanks to your efforts over the past three years, host, you have accumulated a lot of energy, which has allowed me to temporarily awaken from my slumber."

As it spoke, an energy storage bar popped up on the system's virtual panel. The energy value on it had already accumulated to a considerable amount, and the system's tone was full of praise.

"The host is truly the most powerful host I've ever seen! In just three years, you've accumulated so much energy. You've certainly been diligently fulfilling your role as cannon fodder villain all along!"

Praised by the system, Xie Xingran felt a little smug and couldn't help but tilt her head back slightly, her face full of pride, her tone tinged with arrogance:

"Of course, they don't even know who I am."

After her initial smugness subsided, Xie Xingran immediately remembered the crucial question. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly asked in her mind, "By the way, system, do you have a shop? In the novels I've read before, these kinds of systems all come with a shop. The protagonist can use points to exchange for all sorts of good things, like pills, cultivation techniques, and magic weapons."

If there were a shop, he might be able to directly exchange for poison pills, or items that would allow him to quickly learn alchemy, without all this trouble.

"Yes, host!"

As soon as the system finished speaking, a pale blue, semi-transparent light screen appeared out of thin air in front of Xie Xingran. The light screen was densely packed with various items, clearly categorized, ranging from pills, cultivation techniques, and magic weapons to various auxiliary materials and special props.

"Previously, the shop could not be opened because the host did not have enough energy. Now that the energy has met the requirement, the shop function can be unlocked for the host."

The system patiently explained, "The host can use the villain points they have accumulated to exchange for any unlocked item in the shop. The more villain points you have, the rarer and more powerful the items you can exchange for."