“Gugu gugu gu—”
From a distance, the Tang Master’s spirit beast was already calling out.
The furnace had only finished burning half an hour ago, yet the medicinal fragrance mixed with the scorching heat still made the room somewhat stifling.
As an older Apprentice alchemist, Qing Mu opened his collar and sat on the doorstep to cool off.
This small courtyard was one among many under the Six Flavor Hall. The main building was the alchemy room, housing a single furnace, while the other rooms stored alchemical materials. Qing Mu, considered a tool, naturally had his own little room as well.
“Let me take a look at today’s pills to be refined…”
Qing Mu pulled out the list from his pocket and realized he only had one more batch left to complete the Tang Master’s daily quota.
In this simulation, Qing Mu’s identity was a lonely middle-aged man. A few years ago, Six Flavor Hall had discovered his modest talent in alchemy and brought him here, making him their oldest Apprentice.
If he had come at a younger age, his future would have been limitless. But now, in his thirties, Qing Mu’s potential was already somewhat wasted.
Still, Qing Mu was determined to work harder and become a true alchemist—not just for cultivation, but for a better life ahead.
Of course, all this was driven by the system’s mission.
【Mission Assigned: In this life, your heart is set on becoming an alchemist, stepping onto the immortal path, and changing your destiny.
You busily work in this small courtyard that temporarily belongs to you. Soon, you will encounter a Fox Demon, unknowingly entangling with her across two lifetimes…
During these two lifetimes, assist Nong Li in becoming a great Nine-tailed Fox.
At the end, the more tails she has, the greater your reward.
Current Fox Demon tails: 1.
Mission Suggestion: Focus on refining pills; you can use them to empower the Fox Demon.】
At first, Qing Mu hadn’t expected the second simulation to also take place in a xianxia world.
But compared to the first simulation, he was now considered quite mediocre—average cultivation talent, some aptitude for alchemy.
Yet the system wanted a mediocre pill-refiner like him to help a little Fox Demon with only one tail become a mighty Nine-tailed Fox?
Wasn’t that asking too much?
The first simulation was just waiting to die; now he was supposed to defy fate?
Thinking this, Qing Mu sighed helplessly, although he had two full lifetimes to work with.
He wondered if this simulation’s starting scenario was fixed or random.
If the next lifetime offered a better start, maybe there was a chance.
But in his heart, Qing Mu was already prepared not to receive the full nine-tail reward.
He looked at the neatly arranged courtyard, feeling somewhat familiar.
There was a tree in the yard, under which stood a stone table and chairs. His thoughts suddenly drifted back to the previous simulation.
“Qing Mu, how are the pills coming along today?”
At the courtyard gate, the Six Flavor Hall’s Tang Master suddenly appeared.
He saw Qing Mu and walked in with a cold face to inquire.
“Reporting to the Tang Master, only one batch remains. The furnace needs to rest; it’s too hot.”
Qing Mu stood up to face the Tang Master, who always bullied him.
“The spirit power pills are fine. Remember to separate out the diarrhea pills later.”
The Tang Master entered the main room, inspecting the pills Qing Mu had refined today. “Why are you making so few? If everyone worked like you, that gentleman above would surely be unsatisfied with Six Flavor Hall’s performance!”
Clearly, Qing Mu ate less but worked harder than others, yet the Tang Master always held this attitude.
The founding of Six Flavor Hall dated back twenty years. At that time, a powerful figure named “Youjian Xian” had sponsored the first Tang Master, allowing the hall’s establishment.
Since then, Six Flavor Hall’s primary mission was to trade pills with the sect founded by Youjian Xian.
In essence, it was a mutually beneficial subordinate relationship.
Lately, the Tang Master had been very concerned about alchemy matters because rumors said he might be replaced, with the vice Tang Master taking over.
“This morning, Youjian Xian’s disciples came here. They said they want to capture some escaped Fox Demon… What, do we at Six Flavor Hall still hide the white fox with golden ears and red eyes that Youjian Xian specifically ordered captured?”
The Tang Master said this as he took out a medicinal gourd filled with spirit power pills, apparently intending to deliver them to Youjian Xian’s disciples.
Qing Mu’s focus, however, was on the escaped Fox Demon.
He naturally knew this was the very Fox Demon in question.
But how to find the Fox Demon?
“Well then, I’ll be going!”
The Tang Master left the courtyard with the medicinal gourd, leaving Qing Mu alone.
“Fox…”
Qing Mu squinted, wondering if he should also go see those Youjian Xian disciples. But in the corner of his eye, a small white figure suddenly darted under his feet and into his room.
He vaguely recognized it—it was a fox.
No need for him to move; the system was fully automatic!
The simulation target just handed itself over?
The fox seemed to slip into the inner room. Qing Mu thought for a moment and decided to follow.
Just as he was about to step forward, two more sword-wielding men arrived outside the courtyard.
These two looked like disciples of some sect, dressed in black and white cultivator robes, radiating imposing aura.
They saw Qing Mu inside, standing by the furnace, and called out, “Uncle! Did you just see a fox?”
Qing Mu’s appearance matched his real age well, with some stubble on his face.
“Fox? No, I didn’t.”
Qing Mu was not a fool—he recognized these two as likely Youjian Xian’s disciples, here to capture the fox.
He definitely couldn’t admit to seeing it.
“You’re lying! We just chased that fox here from outside. It’s clearly hiding near your Six Flavor Hall.”
“I truly don’t know what the immortal masters mean by fox.”
Facing their accusations, Qing Mu spread his hands to show his innocence.
They stormed into the alchemy room, roughly rifling through everything.
Seeing them about to search the inner room, Qing Mu shouted, “Don’t rummage around! These are pills made for Youjian Xian’s sect. Can you afford the consequences?”
“We are disciples of Youjian Sect ourselves! I’ll eat whatever I want!”
The disciple looked at Qing Mu’s weak appearance with disdain and stuffed a handful of pills into his mouth.
Qing Mu reached out to stop him just then, but the Tang Master arrived.
“Oh, young sirs, what are you doing here?”
The Tang Master was very polite to Youjian Sect’s disciples and urged them to stop.
“Six Flavor Hall definitely wouldn’t hide a Fox Demon!”
“Tang Master, we are not blind.”
The disciples frowned, clearly unwilling to give the Tang Master face.
At that moment, more apprentices and pill boys from Six Flavor Hall gathered at the door, watching the commotion.
Qing Mu glanced over and noticed a rather unfamiliar and beautiful young girl.
Ignoring the resistance, the two Youjian Sect disciples began overturning the alchemy room.
Seeing that they wouldn’t listen, the Tang Master sent an Apprentice to fetch someone.
Soon, the senior disciple of Youjian Sect arrived.
Having found nothing, they reluctantly apologized to the Tang Master.
The Tang Master and the senior disciple chatted briefly before leaving.
The crowd dissipated, leaving only Qing Mu and the unfamiliar girl.
She wore a simple cyan dress, bare white feet, with a pair of petite eyebrows.
She frowned at Qing Mu, then turned to leave.
“How did you suddenly appear from the inner room into the crowd?” Qing Mu asked her.
“Hm?”
The girl was momentarily stunned, looking at him.
“Your Fox Tail was exposed.”
Qing Mu pointed, and the girl looked back.
Behind her, a white fox tail was spread wide, lifting her skirt and revealing her underwear along with it.