I Refused To Be Reincarnated
Chapter 582: Seeds of a Business

Chapter 582: Seeds of a Business

As Zhao Longyan pondered subtle ways to entice Adam to devote his time to smithing in the association, Adam stepped through Shen Wu’s empty gazebo and entered his room.

The moment he did, Misha jumped on his back, wrapped an arm around his neck and thrust her glowing palm in front of his face.

"Watch this!" She chuckled and channelled her mana through her fresh circuits.

The green outlines of a miniature whale emerged from her palm. Gracefully, it swam and twirled in the air before a rush of steam burst through its back with a soft pop.

Adam blinked, his brow raising in surprise as he remembered his own months of struggle.

"You became a magic genius overnight." He brushed her cheek, a bright smile spreading across his face. "That’s incredible, Misha, but focus on cultivation for now. We’ll develop your new talent later."

Misha jumped down and raised her head in pride.

"I know. I just wanted to show you what I could do." She took out his spatial ring and handed it back. "I brushed through Shen’s cultivation technique. I didn’t find it particularly exceptional, even when I used my three spiritual stones. It is... focused on helping people with average talent to progress through repetitive meditation."

A bitter taste filled his mouth. Though he could see its value, they were both exceptional. So, a technique made for the average wouldn’t do.

"Well," Adam said, retrieving his three stones and handing them to Misha with a sigh. "Looks like we’re waiting until next year to break through. In the meantime, we can use this average technique to fill our dan tians to the brim."

She nodded, sharing his opinion.

"I simulated the gains. As the cow said, our Qi will lack the purity to push beyond the soul transformation realm." She picked up the stones, a cute frown creasing her brows. "Are you sure?"

He closed her palm around the stones and shrugged. They were over explanations, and she knew he did whatever he wanted... even if it wasn’t always the most logical decision. He was the first to acknowledge it, though. But so what? Those small gestures made him feel like a genuine friend and an integral part of his loved ones’ growth—just like he had shared all his resources with Julius.

With a wink and a head pat, he walked past her. "That’s just the beginning. Wait for a few days to drown in surprises."

Stopping by the open window and taking in the garden’s fresh air, he summoned his Qi-Infusion Furnace. His spatial ring brightened to let out a large silver lotus, its leaves glinting under the soft moon glow. Two lush stalks of breeze grass, neatly tied with a white thread, followed before two spring water orchids filled the room with a delicate scent of moisture.

Xuefeng had criticised his choice, but who was she kidding when she said the lotus would overwhelm the other materials? Wasn’t the fix logical? Use less of it to produce more pills. As for their clashing natures?

’Can’t be harder than that life-extending potion Marina taught me back in the days.’ A wistful smile crept over his lips as he remembered the half-mad archmage. ’Hope you’re doing fine, even if you’re infuriating.’

A soft chuckle escaped his curved lips as he snapped his fingers.

With the noise, his mana surged outward into a lifelike wooden desk. He ran his fingers on it, feeling the soft grain with a whistle until they reached the circular pit the size of his furnace.

Bright orange Qi flames ignited upon contact, their colors shifting in a vivid dance of blues, greens, yellows, and purple under his control before he nodded.

"No need to hold back. I’ll show you true Qi alchemy, Misha!"

He gazed in her direction, only to see her seated cross-legged and waving her hand dismissively.

"Wow! I’m watching you..."

He rolled his eyes, his lips twisting as he focused on the silver furnace and the dragons coiling around its lid.

"You’ll watch the pills, though," he grumbled as he shoved all the materials into the sparkling, enchanted metal.

As he had done during yesterday’s test, he split them into smaller morsels with his metal Qi before water encased them in protective pellicles. However, he adjusted their temperature this time.

A frosty layer glinted on the spring water orchids as bubbling water surrounded the lotus roots, which were rich in starch and vitamins.

Then, with a confident smile, he poured fresh water from the bucket Mei Lan had left for Misha and set everything to simmer.

WHOOSH

A burst of hot hair sent his hair upwards, blue flames illuminating his face as he felt the materials dissolve into sparkling essence despite their different extraction heat. That’s why he had adjusted the bubble’s temperature.

The lid’s clatters filled the room as the flames receded back to orange, their soft crackles accompanying the next steps: let the essences meld into the water in appropriate ratios before isolating them in bubbles he’d rid of impurities.

However, unlike yesterday, he aimed to refine two distinct sets of pills—one to enhance Qi with the lotus leaves as the base, the other to nourish the body using the roots.

Like a maestro guiding the essences in a symphonic dance, his hands moving with precise gestures above the swirling concoction, he made them waltz with their partners until twenty-five soft pills filled the furnace’s bottom and began solidifying.

A natural scent, sweet and bitter, drifted from the closed furnace as he wiped his sweat-covered forehead ten minutes later. Steam carrying the raw, potent perfume hit his nose when he opened the lid and assessed his work.

Twenty-five moist piles sparkled. Either green or brown, he turned them to reveal their golden halves—unmissable indicators that their purity was off the charts.

Misha blurred behind him at this moment. The odor made her grin and imagine the faint sound of sect points rolling into their cards.

"You know me too well." She chuckled. "How much do you think you’ll get for them?"

"Mhh." Adam tucked his fingers around his chin, a pensive frown creasing his brows. "They’re just tier-two pills, so I doubt we’ll get thousands for them. Maybe fifty points? Eighty if we’re lucky, I’d say. That’s enough to rent a one-room courtyard in a decent neighbourhood in the outer sect for a month or two."

Misha rolled her eyes at him and clicked her tongue.

"Right... You’ve never bought anything in the sect yet. A month or two? The outer disciples would live in the streets if the prices were that steep!" She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. "You’re also underestimating your pills. I’ve seen terrible ones of the same tier go for twenty points a piece yesterday!"

Adam’s eyes widened before he scratched his head. "Really? Are they fools?"

Misha shrugged. "Supply and demand, I guess. Plus, some people are willing to pay a premium for brand names. I would put yours on everyone’s lips if you didn’t have to hide your skills."

"Hahaha! They’d chant my name and crawl on their bellies at my doorsteps on their own."

He imagined the scene and chuckled. It wasn’t even an exaggeration—especially if he mixed transmutation and Qi to turn the pills entirely gold. After all, the two methods weren’t mutually exclusive, but he couldn’t leave mana tracks in them.

Meanwhile, Misha patted his back and raised her thumb.

"You mean they’d kill each other to cut the line? Hahaha! I want to open a shop just to see it."

"Why don’t we? We can pass the pills as a master’s unwilling to reveal his identity." He snapped his head toward Misha and kissed her forehead. "You’re a genius! Let’s rent a shop with the benefits!"

He had always dreamed of opening a restaurant in the magic world but never could because of his ghostly condition. But with time and the person who made his heart flutter by his side, why wouldn’t he revive this old dream?

Meanwhile, Misha touched her forehead, tenderness and shock melding in her sparkling eyes as her lips curled into a tender smile.

"It was just a joke, but why not? We can even hire people to manage it in our stead and really create a name for your products."

Unable to hold in place, he stored the pills, gripped her waist, and leapt to the beds.

"Can’t wait for tomorrow! Good night, Misha!"

"Hah?!" She gazed at his closed eyes and peaceful breath, then poked his cheek, realising he fell asleep in a split second. "How does he do that?"

Casting the shock aside, she brushed his sky-blue hair and pulled the blanket over his body.

"I’m happy to see you so excited." She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "Good night, Adam."