The first bottle contained the basic spirit-gathering pills—her initial successes that had given her the confidence to progress. The second held blood-replenishing pills, their crimson surfaces perfect for emergency healing. The third bottle, smaller but infinitely more precious, housed five breakthrough aids that had required all her skill to stabilize.
Her practical nature showed in the fourth and fifth bottles: poison-cleansing pills glowing with purifying energy, and stamina-restoration pills that sparkled like morning dew. But it was the final bottle that brought the smallest smile to her lips—essence-masking pills, a subtle creation that could temporarily alter one's spiritual signature. These weren't mere concealment pills; they could make the user's essence appear completely different—perfect for infiltration or escape. The recipe had come from combining the text's principles with her understanding of deception.
