Chapter 26: Strong, Fast, Dangerous...
After successfully creating the Beautification Pill and gaining some confidence in his refining technique, John didn’t rest.
Instead, he returned to the alchemy table the very next morning with renewed determination in his eyes.
The blue stone flame flickered softly in the apothecary chamber as sunlight filtered faintly through the narrow chimney overhead.
He stared at the open page of the Stone Body Pill recipe, its ancient characters inked in bold black strokes.
"Grade Three Pill. Tempering bones, flesh, and muscles to the extreme. No wonder it’s considered one of the best foundational body-enhancement pills in the Southern Wilds," he muttered under his breath.
His fingers drummed on the table beside the cauldron, tension building in his knuckles.
"I’ve read this formula a dozen times. I know the herb combinations, the precise heat timings... but this is nothing like the Beautification Pill. This pill’s failure rate is higher than ninety percent for beginners."
He set the book aside and reached into his storage case. Ironroot Vine, Mountain Turtle Shell Powder, Fiery Ginseng, Bloodleaf Nectar, and Stone Lotus Core, he laid each ingredient out in a strict sequence, inhaling the pungent, mineral-heavy scent that lingered from them.
He activated his System Panel to check one last time.
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[System Panel — Updated]
Name: John Coral