Chapter 4862 — Where the Problem Lies
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
Wei Zhao stared at the two refining curves and their various parameters and ran another round of comparisons. After a full half-hour, he finally caught a hint of something. Beyond the difference in smoothness, there was in fact another subtle distinction between the two curves—one he would not have noticed at a glance even himself, without an exceedingly careful comparison.
That distinction was this: Wei Zhao's own refining curve was accomplished in one unbroken sweep from beginning to end, with no gaps anywhere in between. Qing Xuanzi's was different. At first glance it too was a continuous line, but magnify it tenfold and one could see that before each change in the heat level, a gap appeared.
The gaps were minute—so small as to be negligible—but they were undeniably there, and without exception they appeared before every single change in heat level.
This was not hard to understand. Qing Xuanzi, unlike Wei Zhao, had no Shennong Cauldron; every step of the refining process had to be handled by his own hands. Each change in heat level entailed a series of subsequent adjustments—one misstep and all the rest went wrong—so at such moments he would unconsciously pause for a beat.
Following this line of reasoning, Wei Zhao compared their respective refining parameters once more, and sure enough, every parameter divergence between himself and Qing Xuanzi occurred after one of these pauses—sometimes drifting upward, sometimes downward, subtle in magnitude but unquestionably present.
Strictly speaking, such differences did not necessarily lead to a failed refinement, for after drifting up and down these parameters might well cancel each other out. There was therefore still a good chance the pill would come out smoothly in the end.
But if luck turned sour and these minute differences failed to cancel out, instead piling up steadily upward or downward, then past a certain point the process would truly derail.
Without question, this was the root of Qing Xuanzi's problem. His mastery of alchemical technique was already ample, but this small habit left the final outcome of his refinements to luck. So long as his luck was not too foul, all was well; but the moment luck failed him, all his efforts would come to nothing.
Wei Zhao went straight to the Qingdan Pavilion and said to Qing Xuanzi without preamble, "I think I know where your problem lies."
"Truly? Master, tell me quickly!" Qing Xuanzi was startled and delighted all at once.
"I noticed earlier that you have a rather unfortunate little tic when you refine pills—one you may not even be aware of yourself. Before every change in heat level, you unconsciously pause to gather yourself. If you can overcome this habit and make the whole refining process more complete and continuous, I believe whether the pill forms or not will no longer depend on luck," Wei Zhao advised.
"A little tic? A pause to gather myself?" Qing Xuanzi frowned at these words and sank into thought. It was true, just as Wei Zhao said—even he himself had never noticed it, for this small habit had taken root gradually from the time he began learning alchemy at age ten, and had become almost second nature, quite beyond his own awareness.
"Just so. Refine another Great Return Pill and pay close attention to yourself," Wei Zhao said.
"Yes, Master." Qing Xuanzi at once set about the attempt with impatient eagerness. This time, because he was deliberately watching for it, he caught it himself—and was at once thoroughly convinced.