I rely on learning to achieve immortality.

For Zhang Yuan and Zhou Sijin, refining Huangya Dan was a huge leap forward in their alchemy.

But for Xu Zhou, everything was just a natural progression.

After three months of intensive training, both Zhang and Zhou have demonstrated considerable talent and have long since reached the basic standard.

Continuing to process the medicinal herbs afterward won't yield significant improvements.

On the other hand, Xu Zhou's expenses on medicinal herbs were becoming unbearable, and he really needed to start refining pills to make up for the losses.

On the day the furnace was opened, Zhang and Zhou were trembling with fear, as if they had returned to the state they had been when they first arrived at Xu Zhou Cave three months ago.

Xu Zhou chuckled inwardly upon seeing this.

He wouldn't immediately have the two of them do the most difficult thing; he would proceed step by step, following the established rhythm.

There are many formulas for Huangya Dan, and the refining methods vary. He could start with the simplest ones and gradually cultivate the two's support abilities. Once they were proficient, he could increase the difficulty.

Of course, there will be a few mistakes and errors in this process.

But just as Xu Zhou was willing to give them a large amount of medicinal herbs for practice in the first place, he also didn't have much time to guide them from the most basic pills to gradually become proficient.

The right way is to let them quickly master the use of medicinal herbs, even if it means losing some in the short term, so they can help us accelerate our alchemy process.

The initial start of the furnace operation was not smooth.

The first batch was only halfway through when the heat was slightly off, and the medicinal properties began to become disordered.

Zhang Yuan was too hasty in processing the medicinal herbs, and the herbs he handed over at the crucial moment were not cooked properly. Xu Zhou only glanced at them and knew that this batch was hopeless.

He wasn't angry, nor did he stop refining; he simply said calmly, "Take your time."

Ultimately, although this batch of pills was successfully made, its quality was rough, and it was a substandard product due to excessive erysipelas, making it difficult to consume.

Zhang and Zhou felt a tightness in their chests.

They thought Xu Zhou would investigate the mistake, but he simply pointed out the previous problems and the points that needed attention, and then immediately had the two of them clean the furnace and begin the second round of refining.

……

The second and third batches both failed.

By the sixth batch, the three finally achieved a stable working relationship.

When the elixir was completed, the fragrance of the medicine filled the entire alchemy room.

Zhang Yuan stared at the alchemy furnace, somewhat incredulous.

They really succeeded.

After that, the three of them gradually became more skilled at cooperating, and they experienced fewer and fewer failures like before.

Until the very end, Zhang Yuan and Zhou Sijin were so skilled and adept that their movements were almost instinctive.

Although there are occasional deviations, they no longer affect the formation of the elixir.

The refining of Huangyadan lasted for two months in total.

Zhang and Zhou barely rested. Once they started refining pills, they couldn't leave midway; they practically slept in the alchemy room and participated in the entire process.

The cabinet was filled with porcelain bottles, and several layers were even temporarily stacked in the corner.

In terms of sheer quantity, producing this many in just half a year might not seem astonishing.

However, considering that this was the result of two completely inexperienced apprentices, the production volume of this batch of pills becomes quite remarkable.

Looking at the pills that had been refined and filled the pill cabinet, Zhang and Zhou couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

Xu Zhou didn't praise them directly, but instead took a few bottles from the pills and handed fifteen bottles to each of them.

"Well done, go back and rest for three days."

The two accepted the yellow buds, bowed deeply to Xu Zhou, and left happily.

Seeing their delighted expressions, Xu Zhou couldn't help but chuckle.

For them, earning so much Huangyadan through their own abilities is a considerable gain.

But at Xu Zhou's level, two hundred bottles of Huangya Dan (a traditional Chinese medicine) wouldn't even qualify as extra income.

"I hope these two will grow quickly, and ideally be able to assist me in refining mid-grade pills within a few years. Only in this way can I accumulate enough contribution points to exchange for the Dao of Alchemy inheritance as soon as possible."

On the third day after finishing the alchemy, someone came to visit.

When Xu Zhou opened the door, he was somewhat surprised to find that it was Song Rou.

"What, you didn't expect me to come?"

Xu Zhou gestured for her to come in, and said with a smile, "I just didn't expect you to have time."

Song Rou entered the cave and looked around with some curiosity: "I happened to have some free time recently, and I heard that you have taught two good students, so I came to take a look."

"I just train a couple of apprentices in my spare time to earn some contribution points," Xu Zhou said modestly.

Song Rou turned her head to look at him, her eyes slightly narrowed: "Recently, quite a few people in Baicaotang have been talking about you."

"Oh? What are you talking about?" Xu Zhou was taken aback.

Song Rou said helplessly, "Senior brother, you're still the same as before, only busy flipping through ancient texts and not paying attention to the outside world."

After the two sat down, Song Rou slowly explained to him.

Zhang and Zhou returned home carrying more than a dozen bottles of Huangya Dan, which caused quite a stir. Many alchemists at Baicaotang have been discussing it recently, and even Song Rou, who is focused on alchemy, has heard about it.

Xu Zhou thought those yellow bud pills weren't very valuable, but for Zhang Yuan and his two apprentices, they were quite different.

It should be noted that Zhang and Zhou were only apprentices who had studied medicine for two years and had been in the alchemy room for less than half a year.

It's quite rare for someone with such limited experience to participate in refining Yellow Sprout Pills and even bring back more than a dozen bottles of pills as payment.

Many people have discussed whether the old methods of teaching apprentices should be improved.

Although some people were dissatisfied, feeling that Xu Zhou deliberately gave up his usual alchemy tasks to focus on taking care of the two, which allowed them to improve so rapidly, if all other alchemists followed suit, no one in the Hundred Herbs Hall would be able to refine pills.

At this point, Song Rou asked curiously, "So, how exactly did you teach me?"

Xu Zhou smiled helplessly and said, "There's nothing special about it."

Do you remember when you first came to Senior Brother Ke's alchemy room? That's how I taught you back then, and that's pretty much how I teach them now.

Mentioning this, Song Rou immediately burst into laughter:

"So, you didn't teach me anything at all, senior brother?"

Xu Zhou was at a loss for words.

A hint of reminiscence flashed across Song Rou's face as she slowly said, "Back then, Senior Brother Ke was very strict with my teaching, and I thought Senior Brother Xu could help me out. But I didn't expect that you would just stand by and watch, and only tell me the correct way to do it after I made a mistake for quite a while."

I was so angry at the time, I thought my senior brother disapproved of me.

Xu Zhou asked doubtfully, "Really?"

Song Rou glanced at him with a hint of resentment: "Sigh, senior brother has always been focused on studying, of course he can't see it."

However, thanks to my senior brother's actions, I was spurred to study even harder, determined to surpass him. As a result, my progress was rapid, and I became an alchemist quite early.

She smiled at Xu Zhou: "Looking back, although my senior brother didn't talk much, he always answered my questions. I felt especially at ease whenever you were there when I was refining pills."

I just hope your two apprentices can understand this point; otherwise, I'm really afraid they'll be poached by other alchemists.

She said this somewhat jokingly, also wanting to tease Xu Zhou and see his worried expression.

Xu Zhou did frown, but his brows quickly relaxed, and he chuckled and shook his head.

"Then let others give it a try."

"Anyway, even if they are poached, it's just a loss of some contribution points. At worst, we can find some suitable apprentices and train them from scratch. It will only take about half a year."

Song Rou was slightly taken aback, then smiled.

"Years have passed, and my senior brother is still as carefree as ever."

I'm quite envious of those two little ones; learning alchemy under their senior brother's guidance is quite a privilege.