Chapter 68: Senior Sister, Are You Ready?

He placed it gently on the ground, then took out all the medicinal herbs and arranged them neatly to the side. The petite Peach Sprite emerged from the snuff bottle, watching Gu Xiangnan as he busied himself. She asked, “Master, are you about to start pill refinement?”

Gu Xiangnan looked at her in surprise. “How did you know this is alchemy?”

Peach Sprite pursed her lips, seeming a bit hesitant, but finally spoke, “My previous master was an Onmyoji from Fusang. He told me that Onmyoji originate from the same roots as the Daoists of Hua Country. I once saw him poring over ancient texts from Hua Country, trying his hand at pill refinement, but ultimately he failed.”

Gu Xiangnan nodded.

Peach Sprite seemed to have more to say, biting her lower lip as if unsure whether to continue.

Gu Xiangnan encouraged her, “Speak your mind, don’t worry.”

“Master, I don’t mean to dampen your spirits, but I fear your chances of success aren’t high.”

Gu Xiangnan frowned, “Why do you say that?”

“My previous master took at least seven or eight days for a single batch of pills, and even then, the pills weren’t always usable.”

Gu Xiangnan nodded. “My second master said the same. Alchemy is incredibly profound. One must ensure precise proportions, control the fire, and maintain great patience. Any error may lead to failure. But if you don’t try, how will you know?”

He smiled, stretching out his arms, and began earnestly sorting the herbs.

Su Hanyan carefully printed out the PPT, and Gu Xiangnan opened the materials, preparing to start the alchemical process.

Following the instructions, he placed all the herbs into the Divine Farmer Cauldron, lit the fire, and sat cross-legged. He strictly followed the guidelines, controlling the heat.

Four hours later, a fragrance wafted from the cauldron.

Gu Xiangnan laughed, “It should be ready!”

He opened the lid and looked inside. What should have been formed pills was instead a mass of black, sticky, unidentifiable matter.

Failure!

Gu Xiangnan felt disappointed. What caused it?

Peach Sprite softly comforted him, “Master, don’t give up. Let’s try again.”

“Another batch!”

Gu Xiangnan did not stop. He rekindled the flame and tried once more.

Four hours later—failure again!

Gu Xiangnan was deeply troubled, clutching his head in thought. Better call his master directly.

He took out his phone and dialed the number of the Gentle Herbal Immortal.

“Second Master, I failed at pill refinement. What went wrong?”

Gentle Herbal Immortal was caught off guard; given Gu Xiangnan’s abilities, he shouldn’t have failed. It was like a high school student missing an elementary school question.

She helped him check everything: fire timing, herb sequence, heat control—no flaws at all!

How could this be?

Without finding the cause, the problem of the Rejuvenating Frost could not be solved.

Gu Xiangnan said in despair, “Master, this time I really might fail. There’s only one day left, and I haven’t even produced the pills. How can I help Senior Sister save the company?”

“Hanyan…” Gentle Herbal Immortal muttered absentmindedly. Suddenly she remembered something crucial and asked urgently, “Xiangnan, has your senior sister helped you improve your cultivation?”

Gu Xiangnan was taken aback—at this moment, why would Master bring that up?

“Not yet!”

“Oh dear! Why didn’t you mention it sooner?” Gentle Herbal Immortal slapped her thigh. “I thought after so long, Hanyan must have already improved your cultivation.”

“Is this related to pill refinement?” Gu Xiangnan was puzzled.

“Of course. With your current cultivation, it’s impossible to successfully refine these pills. Hurry and ask Hanyan to help you!”

With this, Gu Xiangnan understood. The time was tonight.

He packed his things and left the research lab.

He had entered at noon and attempted two batches in succession; now night had fallen. The employees had gone home, the office was empty.

Gu Xiangnan strode toward the president’s office, where the lights were still on. Su Hanyan was still there.

He didn’t bother knocking, simply opened the door and went in.

Su Hanyan seemed tired, reclining in her chair with eyes closed.

Hearing someone enter, she opened her eyes abruptly. Seeing it was Gu Xiangnan, she quickly stood up. “Xiangnan, how did it go? Did you succeed?”

Gu Xiangnan shrugged apologetically. “Sorry, I failed.”

Disappointment flashed across Su Hanyan’s face. She sighed softly and shook her head. “It’s alright. If worst comes to worst, I can sell the company to pay off the debt.”

Gu Xiangnan stepped forward and took her hand. “Senior Sister, Master says the reason I failed is because my cultivation hasn’t been improved.”

“So, could we do it tonight?”

Su Hanyan immediately understood, her cheeks flushed as she pondered. She seemed to make a big decision, walked over to Gu Xiangnan, and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him directly on the lips.

“Xiangnan, what are you waiting for?”

Gu Xiangnan’s eyes lit up. He embraced Su Hanyan and whispered in her ear, “Right here in the office?”

Su Hanyan nodded shyly, pointing to the bookshelf. “There’s a secret door behind it, leading to my private lounge.”

She led Gu Xiangnan to the bookshelf, pulled out the eighth book on the third shelf, revealing a button. She pressed it, and the bookshelf slid aside, exposing the door behind.

The pair entered. The room was small, furnished with a double bed and a chaise lounge. There was a small glass door in the wall.

Su Hanyan pointed to the door. “Wait here for a moment, I’ll freshen up.”

After they both finished washing, they lay down together.

Gu Xiangnan rolled on top, wrapping his arms around Su Hanyan’s waist. His hand cradled the back of her head, lips pressed against her crimson mouth.

They had kissed several times before, but this time, his kiss was hot and domineering, full of masculine fervor.

Gu Xiangnan’s actions were wild; his kisses dyed Su Hanyan’s delicate face with a blush, leaving her almost breathless.

Lost in the kiss, Su Hanyan’s soft hands rested gently on Gu Xiangnan’s back. Her fingers traced his skin, making him shudder and let out a muffled groan.

A hint of scarlet flickered at the corner of Gu Xiangnan’s eyes, his gaze frenzied and dangerous.

He lowered his head again, his warm breath pouring over her.

Su Hanyan’s fingers slid into his hair as waves of tingling sensation swept through her.

She felt her soul being stripped away, a dizzying sense of weightlessness overtaking her; her body was no longer hers, utterly beyond her control.

Gu Xiangnan watched her face, saw her surrender, and a surge of satisfaction filled his chest.

Suddenly, Su Hanyan opened her dazed eyes and asked in confusion, “Xiangnan, why did you stop?”