Chapter 176 - The Soul Pill and the Sixfold Batch
Back inside Outpost No. 3, the injured began recovering faster than anyone expected.
Once Su Bai drew out the lingering Soul-Bloom corruption, the remaining wounds became much easier to handle.
The atmosphere inside the injured area improved visibly.
For the first time since reaching Outpost No. 3, the survivors looked less like people waiting to become ghosts.
Su Bai watched this quietly for a while, then he turned toward Liu Meng.
"Meng."
Liu Meng immediately straightened. "Senior Brother?"
"I need you to refine a pill."
The moment those words appeared, Liu Meng’s eyes changed.
Su Bai took out the original jade slips from the Treatment-and-Containment Hall.
Liu Meng accepted it with both hands.
The instant her spiritual sense entered the jade slip, her eyes widened, then they became bright.
"This is..." she whispered.
"Soul recovery recipes," Su Bai said. "I need the safest one you can refine here."
Liu Meng’s breathing quickened as she read deeper.
The jade slip contained more than formulas. It recorded heat changes, herb handling methods, spirit infusion timing, and several warnings written by ancient alchemists who had clearly worked under desperate conditions.
One recipe stood out. Its name appeared slowly under Liu Meng’s spiritual sense.
Soul-Nourishing Origin Pill.
It was a pill meant to nourish damaged soul foundations, strengthen weakened soul fragments, and help a person’s original consciousness gather itself after the soul had been torn, swallowed, or partially digested by an external force.
It could not bring back what had been completely destroyed, but if the soul still exists, and the person’s life had not ended, this pill could help the damaged soul settle again.
Su Bai thought of the two remaining sleeping cultivators from the altar.
Their condition was like a cracked lamp. The flame had not gone out, but the wick had been damaged, and the light could no longer burn steadily on its own.
This pill might not guarantee awakening, but it could nourish the wick, stabilize the flame, and give the soul enough strength to answer again.
"There are still two sleeping cultivators in our group," Su Bai said. "It’s for them."
Liu Meng looked up.
The excitement in her eyes did not disappear, but something firmer settled beneath it.
"I understand, Senior Brother," she said.
Su Bai nodded. "The safest one you can refine."
He raised his hand again.
Spirit herbs appeared one after another.
The moment they came out, the air around the area changed.
Rich vitality spread outward. Several herbs glowed faintly even without being refined.
The outpost fell silent.
The people who had followed Su Bai since the earliest part of the procession were stunned too.
They knew Brother Su was generous with treasure distribution, but watching him place soul-nourishing ancient herbs in front of Liu Meng without even blinking still made their hearts tremble.
Those were soul-recovery materials!
In some sects, one stalk would be enough for elders to argue for half a month while pretending they were discussing proper resource allocation.
Su Bai, however, placed them down as if handing over vegetables for dinner.
Qiao Wen silently looked at the herbs.
For a moment, his expression became complicated.
Those two were not Radiant Sky Sect disciples.
They were not Su Bai’s close friends.
They were simply people he had saved along the way.
And now, Su Bai was using ancient soul herbs for them.
Several cultivators lowered their heads.
The word magnanimous appeared again in many minds, but after everything they had seen, some people were no longer sure the word was big enough.
To Su Bai, however, the matter was simple.
He could not use those herbs directly.
If he swallowed them, there was a good chance his body would twist their effects into something strange, dangerous, or inconvenient.
Besides, he had seeds from several of the ancient herbs. If cultivated correctly after leaving the Sanctuary, Radiant Sky Sect might eventually have a stable supply.
Spending a few now to save two people was not a loss. It was a practical choice.
Su Bai paused at that thought, then silently corrected himself.
It was kindness.
Probably.
Liu Meng reached toward one of the herbs with trembling fingers, then stopped herself before touching it improperly.
"The essence inside these herbs is enormous," she said softly. "No wonder Martial Uncle and Sect Master said ancient herbs are different."
Her eyes grew brighter.
"With these materials, I may not need to refine only one pill."
Several people blinked.
Liu Meng looked at Su Bai seriously. "Senior Brother Su, I can do it. I only need a few minutes to study the recipe properly and run through the process in my mind."
Su Bai nodded.
"If you cannot do it, I do not know who can."
Liu Meng froze slightly, then her ears reddened.
She lowered her head and gripped the jade slip with even more determination.
"I will not disappoint Senior Brother."
After saying that, she sat down cross-legged and entered meditation.
The atmosphere became strangely expectant.
At first, everyone tried to pretend they were not watching. That lasted for about three breaths. Then one cultivator looked over openly. Another followed. Soon, almost half the outpost had turned its attention toward Liu Meng.
Alchemy was not rare. High-level alchemy was. A genius alchemist attempting an ancient soul-recovery pill inside the Fallen-Star Sanctuary was even rarer.
The major faction disciples were especially interested. They all knew that Radiant Sky Sect had produced their own Immaculate Lotus-Heart Pills. Many had guessed that Liu Meng was connected to them, but few had watched her refine personally.
Now she was about to use ancient herbs and an ancient jade slip.
No one wanted to miss it.
After several minutes, Liu Meng opened her eyes.
The fatigue in them had disappeared completely, only focus remained.
She stood and took out her personal cauldron from her storage ring.
It was not large, but the moment it appeared, several alchemists in the outpost recognized its quality.
Yan Lie stared at it for a moment.
"You brought your personal cauldron into the Sanctuary?"
Liu Meng looked at him as if he had asked why a sword cultivator brought a sword.
"Of course."
Yan Lie was silent.
For some reason, he felt he had lost.
Han Yuelin laughed softly. "Good answer."
Liu Meng did not hear him. Her whole world had already narrowed to the cauldron, the recipe, the herbs, and the pill she was about to refine.
Su Bai led her to a more secluded area within the outpost.
It was not truly private. Nothing inside Outpost No. 3 was private anymore. The moment Liu Meng placed the cauldron down, several spiritual senses drifted closer, polite in shape but shameless in intent.
Su Bai noticed.
He said nothing.
Liu Meng also did not object.
An alchemist afraid of being watched would never survive large pill gatherings. Besides, the recipe came from Su Bai, the materials came from Su Bai, and the patients belonged to Su Bai’s procession. If he allowed others to watch, then she had no reason to hide the broad process.
Of course, understanding what she did was another matter.
Liu Meng raised one hand.
Her qi fire bloomed.
It was gentle at first, then quickly became precise. The cauldron warmed.
Liu Meng placed the first herb inside with a rhythm that made several older-looking young alchemists unconsciously hold their breath.
The ancient herb did not melt immediately. Its essence resisted.
Liu Meng’s expression did not change. Her fire softened, wrapped around the herb, and coaxed out the medicinal power layer by layer.
She did not force it. She listened to it. Each strand of essence flowed into the cauldron like pale mist returning to water.
Su Bai watched from the side. He never got bored watching Liu Meng refine pills.
There was something satisfying about watching a person who truly loved their craft.
Liu Meng was not pretending to be profound. She was not trying to amaze others. She was completely focused, and because of that, every movement looked natural.
The second herb entered, then the third.
The fragrance changed several times.
At first, it was fresh and full of vitality. Then it became cool and soul-soothing. Later, a faint warmth appeared. It was gentle, like sunlight falling on a sleeping body.
The watching cultivators gradually stopped whispering.
Even those who did not understand alchemy could feel the atmosphere around the cauldron becoming serious.
Liu Meng’s hands moved faster.
Her fire split into several strands. One strand stabilized the cauldron’s inner heat. One protected the fragile soul-soothing essence. One refined the vitality herb without letting it overpower the mixture. One burned away the lingering ancient dust hidden in the preserved materials.
Several alchemists watching from the side exchanged shocked glances.
Controlling one fire stream precisely was already difficult.
Controlling several, each with different strength and rhythm, while refining ancient herbs whose essence was far denser than modern ones, was not something an ordinary young alchemist should do.
Yan Lie folded his arms.
His expression remained calm, but his gaze was fixed on Liu Meng rather than the pill.
The cauldron shook once.
A few cultivators tensed.
Liu Meng’s eyes sharpened.
She formed several hand seals in succession. The alchemy fire sank lower, then surged upward in a controlled wave.
The medicinal essence inside the cauldron separated into several rotating clusters. They circled one another without colliding, slowly condensing under her control.
Su Bai’s eyes moved slightly.
Liu Meng was not refining a single Soul-Nourishing Origin Pill.
She was attempting to condense several in one batch.
The difficulty rose sharply.
If she failed, the whole batch could collapse.
The cauldron’s hum deepened.
The medicinal fragrance spread through Outpost No. 3.
Even some injured cultivators opened their eyes and looked over weakly.
Bai Zhi stood nearby. Her expression was gentle but clearly surprised.
Zhuge Jing watched with his fan half-open. The Profound Eye of the Heavenly Abacus flickered faintly as if counting the rhythm of fire and medicinal change.
Just then, the cauldron rang.
Once. Twice. Six times!
The lid lifted by itself.
Six pale-gold pills rose from the cauldron, each surrounded by a faint white mist.
The fragrance that spread from them made the mind feel quieter, as if a scattered thought had finally found its way home.
The Soul-Nourishing Origin Pills were complete.
For a moment, no one spoke, then the outpost stirred.
"She succeeded?"
"Six pills?"
"One batch made six?"
"That is an ancient soul-recovery pill!"
"Radiant Sky Sect’s alchemist is this strong?"
The applause began somewhere among Su Bai’s procession, then spread quickly. Even many Outpost No. 3 cultivators joined in despite their exhaustion.
Liu Meng caught the six pills carefully with a jade bottle, then she sighed.
The sigh made several people choke on their praise.
She looked disappointed.
Su Bai walked closer. "What is wrong?"
"I wasted too much essence," Liu Meng said seriously. "The fourth herb’s soul-soothing portion was not fully preserved, and the vitality balance during the second condensation was too wide. If I had handled it better, there should have been at least nine pills."
The outpost fell silent again.
Several alchemists felt their expressions stiffen.
Six ancient soul-recovery pills in one batch, using a recipe she had only studied moments ago, under battlefield conditions, while refining ancient herbs for the first time... and she was disappointed?
One alchemist lowered his head and looked at his own hands. For the first time, he wondered whether he had chosen the wrong profession.
Su Bai, however, nodded seriously.
"Then next time, refine nine."
Liu Meng’s eyes brightened.
"Yes!"
The watching alchemists almost spat blood.
There would be a next time and she was encouraged?
Was Radiant Sky Sect raising alchemists or monsters?
Su Bai ignored the surrounding gazes and took the jade bottle from Liu Meng.
He checked the pills briefly.
Two were Mid-Grade and the other four were Low-Grade. Liu Meng had only just learned the recipe, and the circumstances were far from ideal. But their quality was already excellent.
This was more than enough.
Su Bai turned and called, "Brother Qiao Wen."
Qiao Wen immediately stepped forward.
"Brother Su."
Su Bai handed him the two Mid-Grade pills. "Feed these to the two sleeping cultivators. Use warm Qi to guide the medicinal power into their soul sea."
Qiao Wen accepted the pills with both hands.
His expression was solemn.
"I understand."
The two sleeping cultivators had been under his care for a long time now.
He hurried away carefully.
The outpost watched him go.
The remaining four pills were stored by Su Bai.
Bai Zhi looked at Liu Meng with sincere admiration.
"Sister Liu’s alchemy is remarkable."
Liu Meng quickly bowed. "Holy Maiden Bai is too kind. I still wasted too much medicinal essence."
Bai Zhi paused.
She seemed to realize that Radiant Sky Sect people had a strange relationship with standards.
Tang Ziyan looked at the pills, then at Su Bai.
"You are generous."
Su Bai thought for a moment.
"I still have seeds."
Tang Ziyan stared at him.
That answer was very Su Bai.
A short while later, Qiao Wen returned.
"Their breathing has changed," he said softly. "Their souls are responding to the medicine. They have not woken yet, but... I think they are closer."
The area fell quiet, then the atmosphere became warm.
No cheers erupted this time. The moment was too fragile for that. But many cultivators lowered their heads slightly, and several survivors from earlier outposts clasped their hands in silent gratitude.
Another episode of Radiant Sky Sect acting magnanimous had appeared before them.
Only this time, no one joked about the word.