Chapter 6: First Lesson in Alchemy
The first light of dawn crept through the canopy, brushing the leaves with a soft, golden glow. Wei Lin sat up slowly, his muscles aching from the previous day’s work. His hand instinctively found the talisman at his waist. Its jade surface felt cool and steady—almost reassuring.
"Rested?" the Talisman’s voice stirred, calm but brisk. "Good. We’ve much to do."
Wei Lin rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "What now?"
"Now," the Talisman said, its tone shifting to something more measured, "we begin something far more useful than scrounging for roots and berries. Tell me, boy—have you ever wondered what lies within the herbs you’ve spent so much time collecting?"
Wei Lin frowned. "Within? They’re just… plants. Some help with fever, others stop bleeding. What else could there be?"
"Ah," the Talisman said, almost amused. "What you see is merely the surface. Every herb contains an essence—a spark of life, if you will. Properly refined, that essence can be transformed into something far greater. But it requires more than simple knowledge. It requires control."
Wei Lin blinked. "Control? You mean like… cultivation techniques?"
"Something like that," the Talisman replied vaguely. "We’ll keep it simple for now. Take out one of the silverfern shoots you gathered yesterday. You’re about to learn how to draw out its essence."
Wei Lin frowned but obeyed, pulling a fresh silverfern shoot from his pouch. Its slender stem gleamed faintly in the morning light. "What do I do with it?"
"First, make a shallow cut just below the first set of leaves," the Talisman instructed. "Let the sap flow onto something clean—perhaps one of those leaves you plucked yesterday."
Wei Lin took a broadleaf herb from his pouch, laying it flat on the ground. Carefully, he made the cut, watching as clear sap oozed from the silverfern and pooled on the broadleaf’s surface.
"Crude, but it will suffice," the Talisman remarked. "Now, extend your qi toward the sap. Not too much—just a whisper. Feel its rhythm."
Wei Lin closed his eyes and reached out with his qi. For a moment, there was only the faint hum of his own energy. Then, slowly, he felt something else—a subtle pulse beneath the surface of the sap, like a heartbeat.
"You feel it," the Talisman said, satisfaction in its voice. "That is the herb’s essence. In time, you’ll learn to shape and refine it. But for now, simply knowing it’s there is enough."
Wei Lin opened his eyes, staring at the sap on the broadleaf. "So… this sap can heal injuries?"
"In its current state, it will help speed recovery," the Talisman explained. "Nothing miraculous, but useful enough. Proper refinement, however, can unlock far greater potential. You’ll learn more in time."
Wei Lin nodded, curiosity sparking in his chest. "And how do I refine it?"
"Step by step," the Talisman replied cryptically. "Knowledge must be earned, not handed out. Focus on mastering the basics first—learn to recognize the essence in what you gather. Without that, true refinement is impossible."
The Talisman’s glow dimmed, its tone turning serious. "A word of warning: every herb carries an elemental signature. Silverfern aligns with wood—easy for you to work with given your affinity. But not every combination is so kind. The wrong mixture can be… unpredictable."
Wei Lin raised an eyebrow. "Unpredictable how?"
"Sometimes it fizzles out," the Talisman said dryly. "Sometimes it explodes. Occasionally, it does something far worse. Do try to avoid learning the hard way.”
Wei Lin suppressed a grin. “Noted."
Once Wei Lin had carefully folded the broadleaf with its sap and stored it in his pouch, the Talisman spoke again.
"Now that you’ve taken your first step, let me offer some advice: you cannot do this alone. You need to join a sect."
Wei Lin frowned. "Why? Can’t I just learn from you?"
"No," the Talisman said bluntly. “I can guide your cultivation, but you’re vulnerable out here. A sect will provide access to resources you’ll never find wandering alone. More importantly, it will give you time to grow in relative safety—something precious in these early stages."
Wei Lin considered the words carefully. "Where do I find one?"
“Go north for now," the Talisman said. “I can sense many auras in that direction—perhaps there’s a gathering place for traders, wanderers, and cultivators. Opportunities may present themselves. But be careful, as not every offer is made with noble intentions."
Wei Lin adjusted his pack, determination settling in his chest. The road ahead still seemed long and uncertain, but for the first time, it felt like something he could walk with purpose.
"I’ll find it," he said quietly.
The Talisman’s glow flickered warmly. "We’ll see.”
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Below is a translation of the chapter into Chinese (via ChatGPT).
以下是通过ChatGPT将本章翻译成中文。
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封天遗志
第六章：炼丹初试
晨曦微启，金光自林隙间洒落，点染叶间露珠，折射出粼粼辉光。魏林缓缓坐起，昨日疲惫犹未散去，浑身肌肉酸痛不已。他下意识地抚上腰间的玉符，其表面依旧冰凉如初，触感温润，如同一道无形的支撑，令人心安。
“醒了？” 玉符的声音于脑海中响起，语气淡然，却不容拖延。“很好，我们还有许多事要做。”
魏林揉了揉双眼，驱散困意。“现在要做什么？”
“现在。” 玉符微顿，语调转为深沉而严谨。“该学些比翻找野果根茎更有价值的东西了。告诉我，小子，你可曾想过，那些你每日采集的草药，其内究竟藏着何物？”
魏林一愣，皱眉道：“何物？不就是草木？有的能退烧止血，有的能舒筋活络……还能有什么？”
“呵。” 玉符语中含笑，似对他的无知感到有趣，“凡人所见，皆不过皮相。草木之中，皆蕴一丝生机之韵，若能妥善提炼，便可化腐朽为神奇。然而，这不仅仅关乎知识，更关乎掌控。”
魏林微微睁大双眼，隐隐意识到这并非寻常草药之道。“掌控？你是说……像修行功法那样？”
“勉强算是吧。” 玉符含糊道，随即语锋一转，“先从最基础的开始。取出昨日所采银蕨的嫩芽，你即将学会如何提取其精华。”
魏林虽有疑虑，但仍依言从药囊中取出一株银蕨嫩芽，其叶脉在晨光下微微透亮，青翠欲滴。“然后呢？”
“先在第一对叶片下方割开一条浅口，让汁液滴落在干净的草叶上。”
魏林取出一片宽叶铺于地面，小心翼翼地用短刃在银蕨茎上划开一道口子，清澈的汁液缓缓渗出，滴落于叶面，凝成微小的晶莹水珠。
“手法尚显拙劣，但已勉强可用。” 玉符评价道，“现在，以气御物，不可用力过猛，只需微微触之，感知它的流转。”
魏林屏息凝神，缓缓引导体内微薄的气息，朝着那滴清液探去。最初，四周仍是沉寂，唯有自身气息微微颤动。然而，渐渐地，他感受到了一丝异样——在那滴汁液之内，竟蕴含着一股微弱的跳动，宛如心脉搏动般隐隐浮现。
“感受到了。” 玉符声音透出一丝满意，“这便是草木之精韵。往后，你当学会如何炼化、凝练，而今，只需知晓其存在，便已足矣。”
魏林睁开双眼，望向那滴闪烁微光的银蕨汁液，心中满是惊奇。“所以……这汁液可以用来疗伤？”
“此刻不过是粗浅提炼，涂敷可助伤口愈合，远非灵丹妙药。” 玉符缓缓道，“但若加以炼制，其效可倍增，甚至可化作丹丸，助人恢复真元。至于如何提炼……需一步步来。”
魏林点头，眼底闪烁着浓浓的兴趣。“那该如何炼制？”
“欲速则不达。” 玉符淡淡道，“先学会辨识气韵，炼丹之道，非朝夕可成。”
它的光芒微微暗淡，语气愈发沉重：“谨记，每一种草木皆蕴有属性。银蕨属木，与你的灵韵相合，因此你能顺利引导。但世间万物，并非皆如此温和。若是错用，轻则药效无成，重则爆裂失控，甚至毒性逆转，后果难料。”
魏林挑眉，“爆裂……？你是说，有的草药会爆炸？”
“何止爆炸。” 玉符语调意味深长，“偶尔，还会出现更可怕的变故。”
魏林咽了咽口水，暗自记下这句忠告。“明白了，慎之又慎。”
待魏林将银蕨汁液小心包裹存入药囊后，玉符再次开口，语气不复方才的从容，而是透着几分不容置疑的严肃。
“如今，你已踏出第一步，该谈谈你的去向了。”
魏林一怔，“去向？”
“你需拜入宗门。” 玉符淡淡道。
魏林皱眉，“为何？我不能直接跟着你学吗？”
“不能。” 玉符斩钉截铁地回答，“吾可引导你的修行，但此地危机四伏，你过于稚嫩，随时可能丧命。宗门不仅能提供修行资源，更能在你弱小时护你周全。此乃当下最优之策。”
魏林沉思良久，心知玉符之言不无道理。“那……我要去哪？”
“向北而行。” 玉符道，“我能感知到北方气息繁杂，或许有商队、散修，亦或宗门设下的招募据点。机会或许藏于其中。”
它的语调微微一顿，随即语含警示：“但切记，机遇与陷阱往往共存。世间宗门，并非皆存正道之念。”
魏林深吸一口气，目光渐渐坚定。他整理药囊，负起行囊，决意启程。
前路漫漫，凶险未知，然此刻，他心中已无迷惘。
“我会找到的。” 他低声道，语气带着一丝不容动摇的坚定。
玉符微微一震，光华流转，如同淡淡笑意浮现其中。
“拭目以待。”
