Having no other choice, Jin Bao slowly guided Lei Feng into his kitchen.
It was a small kitchen, with only two stoves and a few utensils. On one side, some raw materials for the noodles were kept neatly. Only some of it were opened, clearly for Lei Feng's earlier order.
"Fatty, if you do not get customers, how are you getting by?" Lei Feng looked at Jin Bao once again and asked.
"Well, I still have some money from my grandparents. However, I was planning to go back to my village at the end of this month." Jin Bao replied.
"I see.. do not worry. Now that I am here, all your troubles will be gone."
"First, I need some ingredients," Lei Feng announced, looking around at the stacks of woks and cutting boards.
"Ingredients? What kind of ingredients, brother?" Jin Bao asked, wiping his hands on his apron.
"We will make a simple Body Tempering Pill to start," Lei Feng said, rubbing his chin.
"It will strengthen your muscles and bones. Go buy me a small portion of three things: Fire-Heart Grass, Jade-Stem Root, and three Cloud-Dew Berries. Their quality does not matter."
"This.. this... Brother, alchemy materials cost quite a lot. Can you give me the me..." Jin Bao seemed to want to ask him, however, Lei Feng cut him off.
"I have no money. You have to figure it out yourself."
"What...."
Jin Bao could not take it anymore. This brother of his was asking for medical herbs but did not have money to pay? How was he supposed to get the herbs then?
"Brother, you don't have money? How did you plan on paying for the noodles?" Jin Bao asked skeptically.
"Who said I would not pay? Do I look like a thief to you?" Lei Feng called out loudly.
"Then..."
"Aren't I paying you by taking you in under me for free? You still want to ask your master for money?"
"Becoming an underling of me, Lei Feng, is something which is the accumulation of generations of you ancestors good deeds."
"Yet, you want to ask for money? Tch."
Lei Feng continued his self proclaimed importance without blinking, leaving Jin Bao not knowing what to say.
He wanted to fight with this person in front of him for eating his noodles for free, but Lei Feng did not seem like a bad person.
"Brother. How about we forget it? You are the first person to have come into my shop in months. You are just like a guest. I will consider the noodles as a treat to you."
"How about we let go of this alchemy thing?"
"You damned fatty. Just say that you do not believe me. Why are you twisting your words so much?" Lei Feng sneered as he looked at Jin Bao in his eye.
"Brother..." Jin Bao was embarrassed.
"Fine, forget the medicinal herbs. Go get me some mint leaves, freberries and some honey."
"Mint leaves, freberries, and honey?"
Jin Bao was surprised. Why did Lei Feng ask for common cooking ingredients this time?
"Just get them. I can smell that you have all of these ingredients in your cupboard right there. If you dare delay anymore, you will face my wrath."
Jin Bao blinked once, then twice. He did not ask more questions. He walked to a wooden cupboard and pulled out a small basket.
He placed the mint leaves, a handful of small, reddish freberries, and a jar of thick honey on the counter.
"They are all here, brother. The leaves are fresh. I use them for flavoring some broths," Jin Bao said, his voice hesitant.
Lei Feng grinned. He picked up the ingredients, examining them briefly before lining them up.
"Pay attention, Fatty Bao. This is a basic lesson in mixing forces," Lei Feng instructed, pointing to the items.
"The mint leaves are cold. They calm the nerves and cool the body, which helps to relax muscle tension. They are the stabilizer."
He picked up the freberries. "These freberries are sharp and hot. They cut through stagnation and accelerate the flow of blood. They are the driving force, like the Fire-Heart Grass."
Lei Feng then dipped a finger into the jar of honey. "The honey is rich and neutral. It bonds the energy of the other two ingredients and ensures the blend is gentle. It is the perfect medium."
Jin Bao leaned closer, his eyes focused. He saw the logic in Lei Feng's words. Even though he understood nothing about alchemy, he knew something about mixing flavours; a technique taught to him by his grandfather.
"Now, let us start the refining process," Lei Feng announced. He grabbed a small stone mortar and pestle.
He tossed the freberries into the mortar first and crushed them until red juice coated the stone bowl. Next, he tore the mint leaves and added them, grinding them slowly with the pestle. A cool, sharp aroma filled the small kitchen.
"The art of true alchemy is blending the forces, not fighting them," Lei Feng explained. "The trash alchemists use heat to force the medicinal compounds out. We will use pressure and time."
He scooped the rough, dark paste into a small ceramic bowl used for sauces. He then poured three spoonfuls of honey over the mixture, stirring it slowly until it became a smooth, thick ointment.
Lei Feng took a clean wok and placed it on the stove, pouring water until it covered the bottom. He placed the small bowl containing the mixture into the water, ensuring the bowl stood upright.
"This is called a Double-Boil Refinement," Lei Feng explained, as he lifted the heavy wok lid and placed it on top. He turned the heat to a low setting and started injecting a thin string of Qi into the mixture.
"The gentle steam heats the mixture without burning the delicate compounds. The lid traps the pressure, forcing the ingredients to fuse perfectly."
"However, I still need to use my Qi to guide the heat through the mixture, so that the ingredients fuse well."
Jin Bao watched the wok. "Brother, at this rate, won't the pill turn into a soup? It is not solid."