Chapter 25: Return from the Ridge, Ignition of the Furnace

The descent from the high-altitude ledge where the Frost Dew Grass grew was arguably as treacherous as the climb. Lin Fan moved with focused speed, his enhanced Wind Step making short work of icy slopes and narrow traverses that would have terrified less agile disciples. The biting wind remained relentless, and halfway down, a flurry of snow kicked up, temporarily reducing visibility to near whiteout conditions. Lin Fan navigated through it by relying on his memory of the terrain and his sharp Qi sense, pushing forward steadily rather than waiting it out – the cold was too dangerous to linger in unnecessarily.

Thankfully, the flurry passed quickly. Once he reached the lower foothills, leaving the perpetual ice and snow of the upper Frozen Serpent Ridge behind, the temperature rapidly became more bearable. The journey back to the Azure Cloud Sect was swift, uneventful, his Wind Step eating up the miles under the clear sky.

By the time he re-entered the Outer Sect grounds through the northern gate, it was mid-morning of the following day. He had been gone for roughly a full day cycle – accepting the task, traveling, climbing, fighting, harvesting, and returning. For a task recommended for experienced sixth-layer cultivators or well-prepared teams, completing it solo in such a short time was remarkable.

He didn't waste time. After briefly ensuring the three harvested Frost Dew Grass stems were perfectly preserved within a protective pouch in his storage ring, he headed directly to the Contribution Hall.

The hall was its usual bustling self. Lin Fan found an open 'Task Submission' counter, manned by a different clerk this time – a young man who looked efficient but slightly harried. Lin Fan presented his disciple token and the Frozen Serpent Ridge task token.

The clerk processed the token routinely. "Task: Collect Frost Dew Grass. Submission?"

Lin Fan nodded, retrieving the pouch from his storage ring. He carefully laid out the three stems of Frost Dew Grass on the counter. Each stem shimmered with a faint blue, frosty light, perfectly intact and radiating a gentle, cool energy. They were clearly freshly harvested and of high quality.

The clerk's eyes widened slightly as he saw the three perfect stems. He knew the difficulty of acquiring even one. He picked one up carefully, examining its leaves and the clean cut at the base. "Three stems... remarkable quality, and harvested correctly to preserve the root system potential," he murmured, impressed despite himself. He performed a quick verification using a small sect tool that glowed faintly when held near the herbs, confirming their authenticity.

"Verification complete. Three stems of Frost Dew Grass, high quality," the clerk announced formally. "Reward calculation: 120 Contribution Points per stem, total 360 Contribution Points." He made the entry, and Lin Fan felt the update register on his disciple token.

Current Contribution Points: 180 + 360 = 540 CP.

"As per task conditions," the clerk continued, "if three stems are submitted for points, the disciple may retain one stem for personal use. Do you wish to do so, or exchange the third stem for its equivalent CP value or Spirit Stones?"

Lin Fan considered. 120 CP was tempting, bringing him closer to his 1000 CP goal. But Frost Dew Grass was a valuable ingredient, useful in cooling pills or fire poison antidotes according to the brief description. Having a sample on hand seemed more valuable for his potential alchemy endeavors than the points right now. "I will retain the third stem," he stated.

The clerk nodded, setting one stem aside for Lin Fan and processing the other two as sect acquisitions. He pushed Lin Fan's disciple token and the retained Frost Dew Grass stem back across the counter.

As Lin Fan reached out to collect them, the familiar chime echoed in his mind.

DING!

[Host has successfully completed another high-risk, high-reward task with exceptional speed and efficiency, exceeding typical expectations.]

[Triggered emotions: Admiration (Clerk + nearby disciples, +150 Points), Surprise (+120 Points), Envy (+100 Points), Respect (+80 Points)]

[System Points earned: 450] [Current System Points: 2095 + 450 = 2545]

Another solid point gain simply from completing the task well. His reputation was clearly serving as a passive point generator now whenever he accomplished something noteworthy.

Lin Fan calmly stored the Frost Dew Grass stem and his token, ignoring the renewed whispers erupting around him as word spread of the quick completion of the notoriously difficult Frozen Serpent Ridge task. He now had 540 CP – more than halfway to his initial goal of 1000 – and a healthy reserve of 2545 SP.

He could pick another task immediately. There were likely other high-CP missions available. But the thought of the alchemy manual sitting in his ring, combined with the acquisition of a potentially useful ingredient like Frost Dew Grass, sparked a different idea. He had the foundational knowledge (or at least, access to it), he had potential ingredients, and he certainly had the resources to acquire the necessary tools and common materials.

Why not start now? A change of pace felt appealing after two intense back-to-back missions in dangerous wilderness areas.

Decision made. Lin Fan left the Contribution Hall, but instead of heading back to his hut, he steered towards the direction of the Outer Sect Market grounds. While the official Sect Exchange Hall offered standardized goods for CP, the Market was where disciples traded miscellaneous items, including basic tools and common ingredients, usually for Spirit Stones.

He recalled seeing vendors selling various rudimentary equipment. He needed an Alchemy Cauldron or Pill Furnace. Even a basic one would do for practicing the introductory recipes.

He arrived at the market area, which was less crowded than on the official Market Day but still had a number of disciples setting up personal stalls or Browse. He scanned the vendors selling miscellaneous equipment – used training gear, crude tools, salvaged artifacts.

His eyes landed on a stall manned by a burly disciple selling various metal goods, mostly repaired weapons and basic tools. Tucked in the back, slightly dusty, was a small, bronze Pill Furnace. It looked simple, functional, about the size of a large melon, with openings for adding ingredients and controlling heat via Qi infusion.

Lin Fan walked up. "How much for the pill furnace?"

The burly disciple looked him over, likely recognizing him from the recent buzz. "Ah, Senior Brother Lin! This furnace? Basic model, sturdy bronze, good for Qi Refinement level concoctions. How about... eighty Low-Grade Spirit Stones?" He clearly priced it higher seeing who was asking.

Lin Fan didn't even bother negotiating. Eighty Low-Grade stones was pocket dust. He wanted to get started. He casually tossed a single Mid-Grade Spirit Stone onto the stall. "Keep the change."

The vendor stared at the Mid-Grade stone (worth 100 Low-Grade), his eyes bulging slightly. Selling a basic furnace for more than its usual price and getting a Mid-Grade stone as payment? He hastily grabbed the furnace, wiped it down, and presented it to Lin Fan with a wide, obsequious grin. "Thank you, Senior Brother! Excellent choice!"

Lin Fan took the furnace, storing it directly into his ring, ignoring the vendor's fawning and the nearby disciples' shocked whispers at the casual display of wealth for such a basic item. A small trickle of System Points registered almost unnoticed (+20 SP for Shock/Envy).

Next, he needed common ingredients listed in the first few recipes of his manual – things like Sunpetal Herbs, Common Ironvine Root, Greenleaf Powder, basic Beast Blood (low level). He visited several stalls selling herbs and materials, identifying the needed items using his Basic Appraisal skill to confirm quality. Instead of buying small amounts, he simply bought out the entire stock of each required common ingredient from multiple vendors, again paying with Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and waving off the change, leaving a trail of stunned vendors and envious onlookers in his wake. Another small wave of SP (+50) flowed in.

Within half an hour, his storage ring held a basic Pill Furnace and copious amounts of common ingredients needed for introductory alchemy, all acquired with effortless expenditure.

He returned to his hut, the familiar structure now feeling slightly inadequate for his planned activities. He cleared space on the floor, carefully placing the bronze Pill Furnace down. He retrieved the "Introduction to Pill Concoction" manual and the piles of common herbs and materials he'd just bought.

The air hummed with potential. He had the knowledge (in the book), the tools (basic furnace), the ingredients (common ones in abundance), and infinite fuel (Spirit Stones for heat, or direct Qi control). It was time to attempt his very first pill concoction. Failure was likely, explosions possible according to the manual, but the prospect was undeniably exciting.

He opened the manual to the first recipe: the standard, ubiquitous Qi Gathering Pill.