Processed sulfur: fine powder, yellow-brown. Made from sulfur and Beiting Sand. Grind, seal, sun-dry, then cal…
Processed sulfur: fine powder, yellow-brown.
Made from sulfur and Beiting Sand. Grind, seal, sun-dry, then calcine. Exact ratios unknown. Ran multiple trials. Notes below.
Initial test: #F1 part sulfur, 3 parts Beiting Sand
Removed grit. Ground to powder. Low heat calcination. Smoke throughout.
When the smoke cleared, retrieved the batch. Gray-white ash clumped inside.
#FWrong.
Second test: #F3 parts sulfur, 1 part Beiting Sand
Removed grit. Ground to powder. Low heat calcination. Very little smoke.
Retrieved. Yellow powder. Rubbed between fingers, it cakes into hard lumps.
#FWrong.
Third test: 4 parts sulfur, 5 parts Beiting Sand. Ground until I could not feel my arms...
Wrong.
Fourth test: 8 parts sulfur. Ground. Inhaled some by mistake. Passed out...
Wrong.
Fifth test: WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!
...
23rd test: 3 parts sulfur, 4 parts Beiting Sand. Low heat roast. A little smoke.
Added 1 part millet, 0.2 parts honey. Smelled amazing.
Dumped the powder. Ate the millet...
Wrong.
34th test:
Feng Jisheng, Feng Jisheng! It was only thirty-some failures. How did that break you?
Get it together. Keep testing!
35th test: #F2 parts sulfur, 2 parts Beiting Sand
Removed grit. Ground to powder. Used #FCharcoal as fuel.
Blazing heat, hard roast! Smoke surged. Added more charcoal. Blazing heat, hard roast!
Heat climbed. Added more charcoal. Blazing heat, hard roast!
...
Addendum: The furnace cracked with a bang, loud as thunder. Thick black smoke filled the room.
Soot caked Senior Brother Feng's face, pitch-black.
To whoever comes after: #FDo not crank the heat up like this.
Lei