Chapter 64: BASIC COLD REMEDY PREPARATION

After explaining the effects of the Three-Breath Deathleaf, Fu Hanzheng reached into his storage ring and retrieved three manuals. He placed them into Li Yan’s hands one after another, making sure the young disciple had a firm hold on all three before turning toward Anyu.

"These contain some basic remedies that every Apothecary should know. I want you to read through them carefully rather than simply memorising the names and effects. When we have our next Apothecary lesson, we will practise making the remedies described inside."

Li Yan looked down at the three manuals and briefly flipped through the first one. The contents were clearly arranged for beginners, but there was still a considerable amount of information packed into the pages.

Fu Hanzheng then gestured toward Anyu, who immediately stepped forward with a respectful expression.

"Anyu will teach you how to make a simple cold remedy. It is not particularly complicated, but I want you to learn the proper preparation method instead of relying on guesswork. Pay attention to how the ingredients are handled, how they are measured, and how they are combined."

Anyu bowed slightly before accepting the task. Li Yan closed the manual in his hands and listened as Fu Hanzheng continued giving him instructions.

"Start reading them today. I will ask you plenty of questions during the next class, so make sure you actually understand what you read. Knowing the words on a page is not the same as knowing how to apply them."

Li Yan nodded as he glanced at the three manuals again. If his master was going to question him later, he would have to pay close attention to every detail rather than skim through the material.

With the lesson in the herb garden finished, Fu Hanzheng led Li Yan and Anyu back through the pocket dimension. They eventually arrived at another ordinary-looking doorway within the manor, and when Fu Hanzheng opened it, Li Yan found himself staring at an entirely different environment.

The space beyond the door was another pocket dimension, although it was considerably smaller and more compact than the herb garden. Instead of endless fields and rows of medicinal plants, the area contained several carefully arranged workstations, shelves filled with containers, and various pieces of equipment used for preparing medicinal materials.

The spiritual Qi was also different here. It was not as thick as the Qi within the herb garden, but the entire space carried a clean and controlled atmosphere that made it obvious this place had been designed specifically for practical work.

Li Yan walked slowly through the room, studying the surroundings as Fu Hanzheng led them farther inside. After seeing several pocket dimensions hidden behind ordinary doors, his curiosity finally became too strong to ignore.

"Master, why are all the rooms in your manor pocket dimensions?"

Fu Hanzheng glanced back at him and answered without hesitation. He seemed to consider the reason obvious, although Li Yan had never encountered anyone who had gone to such lengths to protect their belongings.

"To protect my resources and treasures. These pocket dimensions can be controlled at will, so even if I cannot remove them immediately, I can at least alter the space and make it appear like an ordinary room. Anyone who enters would have no idea that something valuable had been hidden there."

Li Yan nodded as he absorbed the explanation. His master had clearly considered far more possibilities than an ordinary person would. Even if someone managed to enter the manor, they would not necessarily know which doors contained valuable resources, and Fu Hanzheng could manipulate the dimensions whenever necessary.

He really had thought five steps ahead.

Anyu had already begun arranging the materials for the cold remedy while Li Yan looked around the compact alchemy room. The shelves contained numerous sealed containers, and each one appeared to have been carefully labelled and organised according to its contents.

Fu Hanzheng noticed where Li Yan’s attention had settled and smiled faintly.

"You will eventually learn what most of these are used for, but there is no need to rush. A good Apothecary must first build a solid foundation before attempting more complicated preparations."

Li Yan nodded and turned his attention back toward his master. He had already learned how dangerous even an ordinary-looking herb could be, so he had no intention of becoming careless simply because he was eager to advance.

Fu Hanzheng walked toward one of the empty workstations and gestured for Li Yan to stand opposite him. The relaxed expression on his face disappeared, replaced by the focused look of a teacher preparing to begin a serious lesson.

"Let’s start your first lesson..."

Fu Hanzheng stepped aside and gave Anyu the space to begin the practical lesson. He remained nearby rather than leaving, his attention fixed on both of them as he watched the preparations.

"Cold remedies were the first thing Master ever taught me," Anyu explained as he arranged the materials on the table. "That is why I would like to teach you the same remedy as your first practical lesson. It is simple enough for a beginner, but it will teach you the importance of proper preparation."

Li Yan listened carefully as Anyu brought several containers from the shelves and placed them in front of him. Rather than immediately beginning the preparation, Anyu wanted him to become familiar with every material first.

"Today, I will teach you how to prepare this cold remedy using both limited and abundant materials. The method changes depending on what resources are available, so you need to understand how to work with what you have rather than assuming you will always have everything you need."

Anyu picked up the first ingredient and held it where Li Yan could clearly examine it. He explained its name, appearance, texture, and purpose before placing it back on the table and moving on to the next material.

Li Yan paid close attention to every detail, comparing the ingredients with the information he had studied earlier. Some were familiar from the manuals Fu Hanzheng had given him, while others were completely new to him.

Anyu made sure he could recognize each ingredient without relying solely on its name. He occasionally held two similar-looking materials beside each other and pointed out the subtle differences between them, explaining why confusing one for another could affect the final remedy.

After introducing all the ingredients, Anyu cleared a section of the table and began arranging the equipment required for the preparation. He placed each tool where Li Yan could see it clearly and explained its purpose before moving on to the next.

"These are the basic pieces of equipment you will need. You should learn to recognize them just as carefully as you recognize your herbs because using the wrong tool or handling it incorrectly can affect the preparation."

Li Yan nodded as he studied the equipment laid out before him, taking note of how each piece differed from the others and what role it would play in the preparation. The process was more involved than he had expected, even for something as ordinary as a remedy for a common cold.

Anyu finished arranging the equipment and looked at him expectantly.

"Now that you know the ingredients and equipment, I shall begin the preparation..."