Yi Wen's tiny alchemy workshop at night, shelves pressing in, bone-lantern light over grinding tools and jars.

The workshop's jars and Yi Wen's practiced reading of them establish his skill and pressure.

Ning Que enters without knocking, turning Yi Wen's private workspace into her territory.

Ning Que wanders through the cramped shelves and handles Yi Wen's old labels like memories she owns.

Ning Que makes loyalty sound intimate while Yi Wen measures every answer.

Ning Que brings up Elder Luo's interest, framing concern as someone stealing from her.

Ning Que gives the second order: kill Elder Luo through a delayed cultivation-accident poison.

The recall-pulse gathers before Yi Wen can answer, making the order physically unavoidable.

Yi Wen experiences the three breaths of the recall warning and chooses the shape of obedience.

Yi Wen answers with exact sincerity, preventing the pulse from becoming lethal.

Ning Que tests whether Yi Wen's obedience is performance or survival instinct.

Ning Que leaves Yi Wen with a final warning against becoming useful to anyone else.

The door closes; Yi Wen allows the pain and fear to show only when alone.

Yi Wen locks the workshop with cheap warning talismans before beginning the forbidden work.

The first poison turns clear green and is explained as a delayed cultivation-accident poison.

Yi Wen thinks of Elder Luo's offer while holding the completed killing vial.

Yi Wen begins the second, forbidden preparation using scraps and dangerous materials.

The second poison requires Yi Wen's blood and direct contact with the lease-mark's pattern.

Yi Wen constructs the false recall-failure effect and explains what it must imitate.

The forbidden preparation drains Yi Wen's supplies, blood, and strength through the night.

Both vials are complete, one clear green and one smoky red-black, placed side by side without labels.

Yi Wen deliberately leaves the vials unlabeled, hides them, and prepares to face the next summons.