Sunset Clouds

15.

Life in the old man's courtyard was certainly different from life in Lu YanShui's courtyard. For one, the atmosphere was different.

If Lu YanShui's place could be defined as a phrase, then it could be a still breeze and a quiet sea. In short, without the flowery language, it was calm and tranquil.

However, the old man's courtyard was lively, with shouts coming out here and then, loud clattering of pots, and the sounds of harsh booming. It was a wonder FengYin did not hear all of this ruckus when he was in the common ground, or in Lu YanShui's courtyard.

"Hey, small kid!" The old man spoke in roaring laughter. "Come help me with this!"

FengYin wordlessly got up from his nest of books, and walked towards the old man, who was bent over a steaming cauldron. When he got close enough, the old man looked up and flashed a grin towards him. "Look at this, look at this! Can you tell what is wrong with it?"

This old man seemed happy to make a mistake. He bent his head over the cauldron, taking in a whiff of the scent.

Immediately, he reared back, a faint trace of disgust on his face. It was a pungent smell, as if someone had slapped a rotten body part mixed with a rotten fish on his face. It wasn't noticeable from far away, but when it was right in front of you, it hit you like a basketball hits you on the nose without you realising what happened.

"One of the ingredients are rotten," He choked out, remembering what had been written in one of the books regarding the basics of alchemy. The old man laughed at seeing his disgusted face, and the way he tried to subtly inch away from the cauldron.

"Why yes, it is rotten!" The old man nodded sagely. He then gestured for FengYin to come closer. FengYin hesitantly did so, the pungent smell still sticking in his nose. "Come here, I want to teach you something."

After he was close enough, the old man instructed him to look inside the cauldron.

FengYin still had some doubts, but followed the old man's orders. He peered into the cauldron cautiously, wondering what on earth this old man wanted to show him.

Immediately, he could see that something was happening. In a stark contrast towards the dark colour of the cauldron, there was a thin and white wisp of spiritual power, prodding and poking at the ingredients. It wrapped itself around the one that was determined rotten, and with a small flash of light, integrated itself in the rotten part.

A fragrant and cold medicinal smell wafted out of the cauldron, and a pill flew out of it. The old man caught the pill, and gave a hearty laugh. "Did you see that?"

FengYin nodded. He was slightly amazed by it. His amazement made him unable to say anything, he was only capable of moving his head.

The old man patted his head with an astounding amount of fondness, and handed the pill to him. "Here, eat it!"

Excuse me? What?

Eat this pill which was made from a rotten ingredient?? What??

Is this old man going senile?

"What?" The old man has the audacity to raise a white bushy eyebrow at him! "I was serious. Eat it."

Urgh. Even though FengYin's heart was full of grievances, he dares not to voice it out. With a choked feeling in his chest, he closed his eyes and stuffed the pill in his mouth. Unexpectedly, a sweet and fluffy texture bloomed on his mouth, and his eyes opened from the shock. "This..."

It is actually quite sweet, despite the ingredient it was made with!

The old man cracked a smile at seeing his wonder-filled eyes, and he patted FengYin's head again. "Your mother was like that too,you know." He sighed, reminiscing about his memories.