Chapter 47: The Refining Furnace (Part 2)

Xu Qianyu gifted Yu Chu many pieces of jewelry. Initially, she chose gold, but later realized that lighter and more translucent accessories suited her better, so she switched to gifts like amethyst and tourmaline.
Yu Chu felt hesitant to accept them. Xu Qianyu looked at her and said, “You know what they say: ‘a mouth that eats is short, and a hand that receives is short.’ Do you understand?”
She wanted to express her gratitude for the cakes she made.

After pondering for a moment, Yu Chu understood. Accepting so many pieces from Xu Qianyu made her feel unworthy; she had to make more cakes to repay her.
So, that night, she stoked the furnace and baked cakes until deep into the night. In the morning, she tapped on her window to feed Xu Qianyu. Once she got busy, she completely forgot the despair she had felt days before when she wanted to throw herself into the lake.
If the taste was satisfactory, Xu Qianyu would eat quite a lot each time. After finishing half a box, he would notice Yu Chu staring at her and would set down the piece she was holding, glancing over, “Should I leave some for you?”
“No need,” Yu Chu hurriedly replied.

She would end up eating many failed experiments at night, not wanting to eat at all.
Xu Qianyu nodded and continued eating without reservation.
Yu Chu picked up the empty wooden box, a smile creeping onto her face, and a profound sense of satisfaction rose within her.
How had she never realized before how delicious her cakes were? When visiting Miss Lu, she often brought a portion of pastries. Miss Lu, being reserved, would smile and thank her but had never eaten anything in front of her, leaving Yu Chu feeling uneasy without any validation.
Miss Lu always had many exquisite pastries, and Yu Chu felt she paled in comparison.
But Xu Qianyu’s fondness gave her a tremendous sense of affirmation.
Since Yu Chu’s arrival, the system has temporarily relaxed its demands. The task of reading and taking notes for Xu Qianyu at night fell entirely on Yu Chu, and she was happy to do it.
Having been in the field for a while, there were times when she encountered subjects that Xu Qianyu didn’t understand but she happened to know, and she would answer them first.
“So, you actually understand all this,” Xu Qianyu remarked. “You know a lot. But if you faced off against Chen Duo, why did you lose?”

With that, she jumped down from the bed, eager to draw her sword and spar with Yu Chu.
In a single sweep, she knocked Yu Chu down like a piece of paper. Xu Qianyu understood now.
Yu Chu’s physical conditioning was too poor, and her swordsmanship lacked focus. She only practiced her internal skills, and her body was too weak to be of much use.
“From now on, train with me to strengthen your body and swing your sword five hundred times.”
“… I think not.” Yu Chu suddenly felt her legs go weak. “I really can’t do it!”
She had been in the sect for six or seven years, always ranking last in body training, and would be out of breath after just a few steps. She didn’t like to move and even less liked sword techniques; she preferred to study how to make pastries. This was also part of the reason she was often bullied.
Yu Chu said, “Besides, if I train my body, I won’t have time to make pastries for you, Miss.”
“Make pastries?” Xu Qianyu found it hard to believe.

Although Yu Chu’s desserts were indeed delicious—even Xu Qianyu, who had eaten plenty of rare delicacies, had to admit they were perfectly cooked and of high quality. Moreover, Yu Chu had a Fire Spiritual Root, which allowed her pastries to stay warm and soft right out of the oven. But after all, this was the Immortal Sect; making pastries didn’t seem like a significant task.
“Don’t you want to build your foundation?” Xu Qianyu was very curious. In her opinion, Yu Chu was about to establish her foundation and yet had no motivation at all. “Don’t you want to enter the inner sect?”
“I don’t want to,” Yu Chu firmly shook her head. “Since I was little, my dream has been to find a place where I don’t have to worry about food or drink, preferably somewhere no one bullies me, to live quietly like a turtle for a hundred years without attracting attention.”
Xu Qianyu was amazed. “Then you still need to build your foundation if you want to live for a hundred years. Hurry up and recite the heart technique!”
System: Everyone has their own ambitions; don’t pressure her. Someone like you who’s always striving will never understand our happiness.
Everyone has their own ambitions, fine. Guan Niang always says that.
Xu Qianyu no longer forced Yu Chu to train with her, but her demands for pastries grew increasingly high. After getting tired of soft, glutinous pastries, she wanted something crunchy, crispy, and burnt with rich layers of texture.
Yu Chu took notes, cold sweat dripping from her temples.
The ingredients were secondary; this was really testing her baking skills.
In her attic, Yu Chu had a large oven, which she had swapped for a second-hand alchemy furnace. After a series of modifications, it had been transformed into an oven. She laid down some coal ash at the bottom, then formed a hand sign, directing a red-hot flame into a beautiful fire dragon that flowed into the furnace.
Steam began to rise.

Yu Chu carefully controlled the fire with an Eight Immortals Fan in one hand, pressing her ear close to the furnace to listen to the sound of the pastries puffing up inside.
How could she roast the soft exterior to make it crunchy and char the bottom?
A quarter of an hour later, Yu Chu pulled out a third tray of burned failures from the oven, feeling utterly hopeless.
After washing her face, she carefully placed a new batch of pastry dough into the furnace. Yu Chu’s eyes were turning red and puffy, resembling a rabbit. But if she couldn’t produce anything, she wouldn’t be able to explain it to the miss. She was so anxious that she couldn’t even sleep. Summarizing her experiences, Yu Chu once again formed a hand sign—
Suddenly, the flames exploded, and the sound of wind “boom” blew away the surrounding curtains, startling her to the corner. In Yu Chu’s pupils, a magnificent fire phoenix reflected as it flew around the room, letting out a cry before turning into golden powder and disappearing.
Yu Chu sat on the ground, stunned.
She… it seemed she had suddenly built her foundation.

*

Yu Chu managed to elevate her level while baking pastries, which made Xu Qianyu very jealous but also pleased. After all, Yu Chu could now fulfill her wish to live for a hundred years. She rummaged through her belongings and found the lucky turtle jade pendant she had brought from home, gifting it to Yu Chu as a congratulatory present, which surprised Yu Chu greatly.
As they were talking, Xu Qianyu caught a glimpse of a young man in splendid robes loitering outside the attic. When he noticed her looking, he smiled at them, looking as charming as a graceful tree.
Xu Qianyu sent Yu Chu off and walked over to Ruan Zhuqing. “You’re back again.”
As expected, she showed neither surprise nor any remorse, still wearing that hard-to-please expression.
Ruan Zhuqing asked, “Are you opening today?”
Xu Qianyu nodded, entering the attic. She appeared at the window and lit a candle.
The sky grew dark, and there were no goods displayed on the table, just a candle placed carefully. The orange-yellow candlelight illuminated the curtain behind her, making it shimmer, while it cast a mysterious glow on Xu Qianyu’s face as she said, “Calm your mind.”
Ruan Zhuqing felt as if he had not come to buy something but to participate in some mysterious ritual, and out of curiosity, he closed his eyes as instructed.
After a moment, he opened his eyes in surprise.
The candle had transformed into a white lamp filled with water, with a crystal-clear water lily floating on the surface. A pink butterfly danced on the blooming flower’s tip, shaking off golden dust.
Ruan Zhuqing watched intently for a while, feeling his heart uplift.
After a moment, Xu Qianyu stretched out her delicate and beautiful hands to lift the lamp, and the pink butterfly landed on her shoulder. At that moment, the lamp transformed, and Xu Qianyu was suddenly holding a clear flower tea, with the bottom of the tea being a deep color that gradually faded to transparency and a long white petal floated on the surface.
Illusion?

Ruan Zhuqing took the tea, and a fresh fragrance wafted over, making it hard to resist sipping.
“What great tea!”He exclaimed. Ever since he entered the Immortal Sect, his standards for food and drink had gradually lowered. He hadn’t had such exquisite tea in eight hundred years; he couldn’t help but drink it all in one go after tasting it.
Xu Qianyu remained composed.
At the Nanling luxury tea house, this was just a common trick. She spent her days mingling with those young rakes; while the rakes were busy teasing the tea ladies, she would stand up, rescue the tea ladies to a private room, and force them to teach her how to perform tricks.
Ruan Zhuqing looked completely captivated; he thought Xu Qianyu was a rare person of taste within the sect. Making a friend with her was definitely worthwhile: “Hey, aren’t you going to ask me what I’m buying?”
“I don’t care what you’re buying,” Xu Qianyu splashed cold water on him. “I only care about what I’m selling.”

Under Ruan Zhuqing’s incredulous gaze, she pulled out a jade tablet from beneath the table and placed it on the table, turning it around to reveal the words: Purple Jade.
“This is today’s theme. Everything sold today is related to it.”
Ruan Zhuqing stared at the tablet, momentarily stunned. “Why this?”
He had only heard of themes for poetry and essays; he never knew there were themes for buying things.
Xu Qianyu glanced at the purple-black night sky. “Inspired by the evening glow.”
“…That’s refreshing. Tell me what you’re selling and how it’s sold.”
Ten identical wooden boxes appeared in front of them, and Xu Qianyu casually shuffled their order. “Right now, I don’t even know what’s inside. The contents differ, and once you place your bets, there’s no regret.”
Ruan Zhuqing rolled up his sleeves, feeling a rush of excitement: “I know this! It’s a blind selection, right? How much do you want?”

Xu Qianyu replied, “How much are you willing to pay?”

Ruan Zhuqing:?

This business was all about chance; he didn’t know what he was getting or how much it was worth. Was there anything certain about it?
Xu Qianyu glanced at him sideways: “Offer whatever you think it’s worth.”
Ruan Zhuqing was too curious; the previous offerings of tea and butterflies had already heightened his expectations: “I’ll offer three thousand spirit stones.”
System: !! Goodness.
Xu Qianyu remained silent.
Ruan Zhuqing came from a family of spirit stone hunters, commonly known as miners, so he had plenty of spirit stones. The reason they could become friends in his previous life was partly because they were both free spenders.
“Agreed. Also, each person can open a maximum of five boxes per day.”
“Let’s go, let’s go.”
Ruan Zhuqing’s long fingers lingered over the boxes for a while before selecting one and, with trembling hands, opening it. He took out a chalcedony bracelet and inspected it closely.
The texture was warm and delicate, crystal clear, with a purplish hue like mist spreading gently in water, definitely not an ordinary item. For just three thousand spirit stones, it was a good deal.
“One more.”

This time, he opened a carnelian comb, which was relatively ordinary in comparison. Ruan Zhuqing showed disappointment but still wanted to continue.
The box looked quite empty, as if there was nothing inside.
Ruan Zhuqing felt a sinking feeling as he tipped the box over, and a small Chalcedony bead clinked out. He couldn’t believe it: “This is just earning money through deceit.”
What was the difference from being empty? Three thousand spirit stones!
“You agreed to play and accept the outcome,” Xu Qianyu said coldly, crossing her arms.
He struggled for a long time before prying a bead off the jewelry.
“Fine, fine, one more. Just the last one,” Ruan Zhuqing said with a dark expression as he took out more money.
Before choosing this time, he pressed his hands together, muttering a prayer to the heavens, then carefully drew one out, opening it just a crack to peek inside. His expression changed dramatically.
What came out was dazzling, sparkling with light, almost blinding, adorned with countless gems shaped into a phoenix’s tail—luxurious beyond compare.
Xu Qianyu: “It’s rumored to be a purple jade hairpin belonging to Yang Guifei.”
She watched his reaction with curiosity.
She had already sent Yu Chu to investigate, discovering that Ruan Zhuqing had been buying obsidian, broken sword fragments, and Youying grass around the sect, feeling like he was collecting something. Sensing something, she ran to the furnace for the refining class to check the records, finding that these items were usually used to craft bows.
“It’s probably for the Water Moon Flower Realm,” a senior brother nearby said. “After all, you can’t use your own sword there, only magic weapons. Recently, a lot of disciples have come to refine weapons, all wanting stronger magic tools that can’t be bought outside.”
Xu Qianyu noticed that among the materials he needed, he was still missing a purple jade hairpin. So Ruan Zhuqing was definitely looking for her to buy one.
She had plenty of purple jade hairpins, but if she only sold one, it would be too much of a loss.
However, the purple jade hairpin he drew out was incredibly valuable and exquisite. Ordinary people couldn’t take their eyes off it, let alone someone like Ruan Zhuqing, who appreciated elegance and collected beautiful items. He only thought about how Xu Qianyu had some precious items and didn’t expect such a valuable royal artifact to be in her possession.
From his eyes, Xu Qianyu read deep frustration. After all, he intended to melt it down for refining, which seemed too wasteful. Sure enough, he said, “No way, draw again.”
It would be great if he could draw a more ordinary purple jade hairpin.
Ruan Zhuqing prayed to the heavens once more, then despairingly tipped the box, a small jade bead clinking out.

He pressed his forehead, calming his irritable mood, and raised his hand. “One more…”
“There’s no more,” Xu Qianyu swiftly collected everything. “Each person has five chances, and you’ve used them all. Come back another day.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Ruan Zhuqing was in a state of emotional turmoil. He firmly believed that if he drew again, he would definitely turn it around. He didn’t want to end today with a measly jade bead. “I’ll add some spirit stones; can I draw again?”
“You can’t,” Xu Qianyu said with a heart of stone. “It’s dark now, and I’m tired. Come back another day.”
“When will you be free then?” Ruan Zhuqing was very disappointed, but his eyes sparkled with hopeful anticipation. “Can I come find you tomorrow morning?”
“Three days from now.”
“Three days?!”
Xu Qianyu’s window was already closed, leaving only a dark, desolate void.
System: Unknowingly, he has spent over ten thousand spirit stones here…
System: It’s such a pity to just sell Yang Guifei’s hairpin like this.
“What, Yang Guifei? I made that up.” Xu Qianyu, feeling parched, took a sip of tea and said, “That’s an old design by my family’s shop; it didn’t cost anything.”
However, because it was a special design for her birthday, there wouldn’t be a second one outside. If Ruan Zhuqing took it outside, no one would dare say it was fake, and he certainly couldn’t pry open Yang Guifei’s coffin to verify it.
Shen Suwei stood nearby, silently watching the whole process.
He heard that Xu Qianyu hadn’t been practicing inner strength or competing recently and didn’t know what she was doing. Passing by this place, he stopped to observe her; she and an outer disciple were exchanging pleasantries and performing butterfly plays, and there seemed to be some flower pollen or honey sprinkled on her shoulder.
Now he knew she was busy deceiving people.
The wooden box had a mark of “space exchange” for cultivators, and he recognized it at a glance. Regardless of which one Ruan Zhuqing drew, all the contents were actually controlled by Xu Qianyu.
In the night, Shen Suwei’s eyes shone like glass, revealing no emotions.
Manipulating people’s hearts was quite a skill.
After thinking for a moment, he followed Xu Qianyu.
He wanted to see how many hours she spent on cultivation after joining the outer sect.
However, Xu Qianyu was indeed busy. Shortly after returning, she brought out another bowl, and Shen Suwei followed her all the way to Wuzhen’s pavilion, stopping with a heavy heart.
Taking a step closer, I quietly watched the shadow on the window from outside. In that shadow, a pair of ears swayed back and forth, lively and vivid. Xu Qianyu spoon-fed the boy on the couch, occasionally saying a few words, but in a low voice.
Even while stopping to practice internal skills, one must come to visit.
This is no longer just a master-student friendship; it’s a very close personal relationship.