Chapter Thirty-Three: Borrowing Thunder from the Heavens

Borrowing thunder from the heavens

Watching Bai Qi fall into deep thought for a while, Su Wen blinked her beautiful eyes and said from the side, “Your method of alchemy is quite unique. Unlike conventional alchemists who strictly adhere to the use of cauldrons and external flames, you use your mind to fuse the medicines, extracting the main components from the ingredients themselves. This is the first time I’ve encountered such a technique—perhaps this innovative method is just what’s needed to break away from the old, ossified ways.”

Su Wen paused, noticing that the extracted components could not merge; they seemed to repel each other, as if something essential was missing. Based on her own experience, she offered Bai Qi a hint: “It seems your method is missing a crucial step. More precisely, it requires some external stimulus—lightning, for instance, or perhaps some sharp, violent method.”

“A violent method? What kind of violent method? Are you suggesting I borrow lightning and get myself struck?” Bai Qi had some thoughts about Su Wen’s suggestion, but the idea was quite dangerous—one misstep, and his life would be forfeit.

Yet, as he pondered the process, he realized it was indeed feasible—controlling it, however, was another matter entirely.

Borrowing thunder from the sky—on a stormy day, with thunder and lightning, if he could just collect that lightning, then use it when needed, wouldn’t that be perfect?

Borrow? But how? Bai Qi wrestled with the idea for a long time, his brows furrowed in frustration. He looked up at the sky through the window, only to shake his head in disappointment. No, it couldn’t be done. Sighing, he lowered his head once more.

Suddenly, Bai Qi jerked his head up and turned to look at Su Wen, who was blinking and watching him. His abrupt movement startled her, unsettling her calm heart in a way she hadn’t felt in years. For a brief moment, her pulse quickened, and a flush crept across her delicate, rosy cheeks.

Su Wen raised her right hand to cover half her face, a hint of annoyance in her eyes as she said with some displeasure, “You rascal, what are you staring at? If you’re not focusing on alchemy, what mischief are you plotting now?”

Hearing her rebuke, Bai Qi felt a touch embarrassed by his own behavior, but quickly composed himself and said earnestly, “Well… Master Su Wen, you can control the weather, can’t you? With your abilities, plucking stars or chasing the moon would be easy feats, I imagine.”

As he spoke, Bai Qi sprang up from his meditative posture and moved a little closer to Su Wen, speaking in a rather sly tone, “Master Su Wen, why don’t you help me—help me borrow some thunder, just this once?”

“Borrow what? Thunder? Have you gone daft from alchemy, talking nonsense like this?” Su Wen rolled her eyes at him, though she couldn’t help but breathe a little faster. With Bai Qi standing so close—barely five inches apart—she instinctively took a small step back.

Yet as Su Wen moved away, Bai Qi reached out and seized her left hand, gripping it firmly with both of his. Her heart began to pound faster—never before had anyone dared treat her this way. Such a gesture would have been seen as an affront, a liberty that, in the past, would have left the perpetrator no better off than Li Yu and the others.

But now, in Bai Qi’s presence, Su Wen felt no urge to retaliate. Instead, her heart fluttered like a startled fawn. Bai Qi held her hand, his gaze full of hope and sincerity, making it nearly impossible to refuse him.

Holding her hand, Bai Qi gestured with his right hand, “Master Su Wen, all you need to do is change the weather to a thunderstorm, and when the lightning strikes, use your skills to capture it from the air and seal it away. When I need it, I’ll draw a little from the seal and infuse it into the pill. I guarantee you, the quality of this pill will far surpass those of the same grade—perhaps even rivaling those of a higher tier. With this, I’ll win the competition with ease, and you, Master, will earn even greater honor. What do you say?”