It took Magha more than four full hours to complete the explanation of the five hundred medicinal herbs. He told him about their origins, compatibility, elemental tendencies, refinement thresholds, and the subtle differences in how each reacted to variations in flame, ki purity, and timing.

  Under normal circumstances, no cultivator, no matter how talented, could remember such an overwhelming amount of information from a single explanation. Yet Eklavya remained standing beside the cauldron the entire time, maintaining a precise and unwavering flow of flame into its core.

  For four relentless hours, he channelled the bluish-purple fire without interruption. He kept it alive like a fragile, controlled flicker deep within the cauldron, even as sweat slowly formed along his brow and mental fatigue gnawed at the edges of his concentration.

  Still, he listened carefully to every word Magha spoke, knowing that even a single missed detail could later cost him failed refinement.

  When the explanation finally ended, Magha’s voice echoed calmly from within the ring. ‘I have transferred several medical books into your three-coloured ring. You must learn all the properties of the herbs I explained to you today within half a year. Ah, and do not neglect this—every herb’s external structure, internal veins, colour variations, and mature forms must also be memorised.’

  Eklavya initially assumed this meant one or two moderately sized manuals, perhaps a few hundred pages at most something difficult, but manageable with discipline and time. However, when he sent a strand of ki into the ring to retrieve the materials, reality struck him with merciless clarity.

  One book after another emerged, forming a heavy pile on the ground. Nearly twenty thick volumes appeared, each containing close to two hundred pages. After them came seven horizontally long yet vertically narrow texts, bound together with thread along one edge, forming rectangular manuals known as Talapatra. Each Talapatra was dense and heavy, containing nearly fifty tightly written pages. To make matters worse, ten additional scrolls unrolled slightly before settling, their tightly packed symbols hinting at complex diagrams and condensed alchemical theory.

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  Eklavya’s eyes widened visibly as he stared at the intimidating mountain of study material now resting before him. The sheer volume alone was enough to make even seasoned scholars hesitate.

  From within the ring, Magha smiled faintly, his tone carrying unmistakable amusement. ‘Well, it seems your real learning begins now. These books, Talapatra, and scrolls contain everything related to the five hundred herbs I explained earlier. Return them to the ring and refocus on maintaining a perfect balance of flame.’

  Magha emphasised the last instruction deliberately. He had already noticed that the fire inside the cauldron had begun to fluctuate slightly, destabilised by Eklavya’s shock at the workload awaiting him.

  As Eklavya carefully stabilised the flame once more, a thought crossed his mind, heavy with disbelief and dread. ‘How in the world am I supposed to master all of this in just six months?’

  Magha observed the conflicted expression on Eklavya’s face and spoke again, his tone shifting into something more measured and instructive. ‘Do not panic. As you gather, handle, and refine these herbs in practice, their properties will naturally imprint themselves into your memory. Experience reinforces theory. That said, you still must read everything thoroughly. There are no shortcuts.’

  Eklavya clenched his jaw slightly, then nodded in understanding. He was fully aware that if he wished to grow stronger, alchemy was no less important than cultivation techniques or artifacts. Pills were not merely supplements; they were force multipliers, capable of reshaping a cultivator’s limits.

  “I understand,” Eklavya replied calmly. “I’ll try to learn all of it within six months.”

  Magha’s voice sharpened subtly. “You will not try. You will succeed.”

  After a brief pause, Magha continued with precision. “Now, retrieve the following materials: five One-Hundred-Years Blue Leaf Herbs, five One-Hundred-Years Spirit Grass stalks, ten One-Hundred-Years Small Golden Ball Fruits, five One-Hundred-Years Yellow Branches from the Strik Tree, and five One-Hundred-Years Profound Seven-Leaf Golden Vines.”

  Eklavya nodded and immediately began channelling ki into his three-coloured storage ring. A faint blue streak emerged like a strand of mist, extending from the ring to the ground beside the cauldron. In the blink of an eye, the light expanded slightly, shaping itself into the outline of herbs. Without wasting even a fraction of a second, the physical forms materialised fully, resting neatly on the floor.

  The blue light faded silently, leaving behind the ingredients, as Eklavya turned his full attention back to the cauldron.