Soaring Serpent Mountain, Flying Horse Market.

  Lying against the wall, Gao Xian's legs twitched slightly, jolting him awake from a nightmare.

  The first thing he saw was a strangely shaped bronze Pill Furnace, nearly a meter tall. It resembled a kettle without a spout, supported by three toad-leg-shaped legs resting on a brick ptform.

  Below the ptform was a fire channel leading to a chimney flue—more precisely, a complex firewood stove.

  Gao Xian stared for a moment before sighing. This oddly designed Pill Furnace was his livelihood.

  It was already the third day since his transmigration. He had adjusted to his new body and name but still struggled to accept his new identity: an Alchemist.

  Gao Xian raised his left hand and silently called out, "Mirror, come."

  A bronze mirror with an ancient, elegant design materialized in his hand. The handle was engraved with four characters: Mirror of Love and Lust.

  This Mirror of Love and Lust was a “Dream of the Red Chamber” themed gift his friend had given him for his birthday. Somehow, it had transmigrated with him.

  At this moment, the mirror's smooth surface reflected a handsome young face.

  Gao Xian usually just read Water Margin fanfiction and watched low-budget films. He couldn't think of any suitable words to describe his current appearance.

  "Arched eyebrows and starry eyes," "face as smooth as jade"—all too cliché.

  He could only say he resembled a young male movie star, handsome in a dignified and heroic way. Especially his bck eyes, which sparkled as if they could fsh...

  It felt as though a professional lighting technician were shining a spotlight on him from across the room!

  The only fw was his pale complexion and dark circles, making him look somewhat unhealthy.

  "If I had this face, I wouldn't have been single for over thirty years!"

  Gao Xian stroked his face with a touch of narcissism, sighing as he recalled his days of relying solely on his own two hands.

  This was the only aspect of his transmigration he was truly satisfied with: a youthful, vibrant body and a handsome face full of promise!

  Lines of text appeared on the Mirror of Love and Lust's surface:

  Gao Xian: Lifespan 24/66

  Cultivation: Second Layer of Qi Refining (2/200)

  Five Elements Manual: Second Layer (15/200)

  Fire Control Technique: Beginner (88/100)

  Water Control Technique: Beginner (80/100)

  First-Tier Alchemy Technique: Proficient (29/1000)

  Qi Restoration Pill: Proficient (55/200)

  Foundation Strengthening Pill: Proficient (41/200)

  White Dew Pill: Proficient (11/200)

  After two days of study, Gao Xian had basically figured out the Mirror of Love and Lust's function.

  The mirror could reflect his personal status, quantifying his various abilities. The problem was that his Alchemy skill was in a grayed-out state, rendering it unusable.

  Gao Xian tried numerous methods, but none could activate his Alchemy skill or alter the data within the mirror.

  According to the memories left by the original host, he was an Alchemist at a Medicine Shop!

  The shop provided the Medicinal Materials, and he provided the Medicinal Pills.

  He now owed the shop 500 Qi Restoration Pills, 500 Foundation Strengthening Pills, and 500 White Dew Pills.

  He also faced a major problem: the original host had secretly traded a batch of refined pills for Crimson Blood Pills.

  Crimson Blood Pills were a potent Qi Refining pill. The original host had consumed them to break through to the Second Layer of Qi Refining, but somehow died, leaving his body to Gao Xian.

  The massive consumption of medicinal materials for Pill Refinement had created a huge deficit. How was he supposed to expin this to the Medicine Shop Owner?

  Even more serious was the fact that the original host's memories were incomplete, including those reted to Alchemy. Even if he had enough medicinal materials, he couldn't refine pills right now.

  Counting the days, he should have delivered the first batch of pills five days ago. He had no idea what the consequences of failing to deliver would be, but he knew it wouldn't be good!

  As Gao Xian was racking his brain for a solution, he heard the courtyard gate sm open. Startled, he rushed to the window and peered outside.

  Through a crack in the paper window, he saw Manager Zhu, short and fat like a pig, standing beside Madam Boss Zhu Qiniang, tall and busty. The nearly two-foot height difference between the stout manager and the towering madam made their pairing unforgettable. Gao Xian immediately recognized them.

  Sighing, Gao Xian tugged at his wrinkled Daoist robe. After taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door to greet them.

  "Brother Zhu, Sister-in-w, please come inside and sit..."

  Gao Xian greeted them with the polite yet enthusiastic smile of a middle-aged office worker who had spent twenty years honing his professional demeanor.

  "Xiao Gao, how's your progress?" Manager Zhu, a portly man with a rge head and ears, asked with a hearty ugh.

  Gao Xian looked embarrassed. "Brother Zhu, I'm in a rush to break through to the Second Layer of Qi Refining. I haven't finished refining the Medicinal Pill yet. I'll deliver it to you as soon as it's ready."

  Manager Zhu chuckled. "Xiao Gao, cultivation is a gradual process. Never rush it. Going astray can cost you your life."

  Madam Boss, standing silently beside them, wore a stern expression. Though she didn't speak, her mere presence exuded an intimidating aura.

  Gao Xian felt a pang of guilt. He wasn't short—he estimated he was at least 1.85 meters tall. Yet standing before Madam Boss, he was still half a head shorter.

  In his memories, Madam Boss was a Ninth Stage Qi Refining cultivator, renowned for her bone-breaking techniques and formidable martial prowess.

  But she was also strikingly beautiful. Her long, arched eyebrows, deep-set eyes, and sculpted features were framed by taut, sun-kissed skin. Even her loose blue Daoist robe couldn't conceal her ample chest and long legs.

  Her features were sharp and defined, her long eyebrows slightly raised, and her emerald eyes, like cat's-eye gemstones, were utterly captivating.

  Up close, Gao Xian realized just how stunning Madam Boss was. In this dusty, desote nd, such a beauty was truly unexpected!

  Driven by male instinct and a lifetime of suppressed desire, Gao Xian couldn't help but steal another gnce.

  The Madam Boss frowned slightly, her beautiful emerald eyes shifting subtly as she gave Gao Xian a look he couldn't quite decipher.

  "What did she mean by that?"

  Gao Xian didn't understand the look, but it didn't stop him from humbly softening his tone. He expined with a deferential air, "Brother Zhu, I'm in a rush to break through my cultivation level to improve my Pill Refinement skills.

  "The higher my cultivation, the better control I'll have over the fire, and the higher the quality of the Medicinal Pills I refine."

  Gao Xian forced a smile. "Brother Zhu, Sister-in-w, I didn't mean to dey things. Just give me a few more days, please."

  Manager Zhu waved his hand dismissively. "Even if we weren't considering your Master's reputation, a few days' dey wouldn't matter."

  His plump face was wreathed in a warm, friendly smile, as if it were no big deal at all.

  "Will ten more days be enough?"

  Manager Zhu's easygoing attitude put Gao Xian at ease.

  He nodded with a forced smile. "Yes, ten days is plenty. I'll deliver them to you as soon as they're ready."

  "Focus on refining those pills, and don't disappoint your Master's expectations."

  Manager Zhu patted Gao Xian on the shoulder, offering a few words of encouragement in the manner of an elder looking out for a junior.

  "If you have any problems in life, feel free to talk to me... Alright, I have to go now. No need to see me out."

  Gao Xian hurried after Manager Zhu to see him off. Manager Zhu left with a smile, treating Gao Xian with unusual courtesy.

  Zhu Qiniang, following Manager Zhu, gave Gao Xian a long, searching look as she left.

  Her gaze seemed to hold a complex mix of emotions...

  Gao Xian was puzzled. Sister-in-w... does she have a thing for me?

  As the saying goes, "Nothing beats dumplings," but Gao Xian wasn't that kind of person!

  Regardless of his inner thoughts, Gao Xian maintained a respectful demeanor, bowing deeply to see the Zhu couple out.