Chapter 208 - 202: Pill Completion
Early the next morning, Li Yuan headed out to the Loose Cultivator gathering area.
Tier One Middle Grade Spirit Medicines weren’t hard to find at the Spirit Grass stalls. Cyan Sun Ginseng, Red Glow Grass, Cui Ling Flowers, and Cold Water Vines were all common Tier One Middle Grade Spirit Grasses, each costing around ten Spirit Stones.
Li Yuan walked a lap around the stall area, gathering ten plants from three different stalls. The varieties weren’t all the same, but they were all Tier One Middle Grade or higher, which met the requirements for permanent acquisition.
He spent a hundred and ten Spirit Stones in total.
After returning to his courtyard and closing the door, Li Yuan laid the ten Spirit Medicines out on the table.
With a thought, he unequipped the Hundred Veins Returning to Origin Skill.
He equipped the Cyan Wood Longevity Skill.
A vast amount of memories related to the Cultivation Technique flooded into Li Yuan’s mind, every detail perfectly clear.
But he couldn’t cultivate it yet.
[Equipped Successfully]
[Acquired Trait: Wood Spirit Nourishment (Green)]
[Permanent Acquisition Condition: Consume ten Tier One Middle Grade or higher Spirit Medicines (0/10)]
Li Yuan picked up the first Cyan Sun Ginseng and put it in his mouth.
The medicinal power spread out from his stomach, a warm energy flowing along his meridians.
[Wood Spirit Nourishment (Green) Permanent Acquisition Progress: 1/10]
The second plant. The third. The fourth... The tenth.
[Wood Spirit Nourishment (Green) Permanent Acquisition Condition Met]
[Permanently Acquire?]
Yes.
[Permanent Acquisition Successful]
[Wood Spirit Nourishment (Green) has become a permanent trait]
[Equipment Consumed]
The change could be felt very quickly.
On his left forearm, the extremely faint old scar left from being grazed by a Golden Blade—it had healed long ago, but the mark had never fully faded—completely disappeared within a few breaths.
His injury recovery speed increased by fifty percent. Stacked with his other traits—Qi Blood Self-Generation, Blood Qi Reflux, and Qi Blood Nourishment—his regenerative ability reached an extremely high level.
Another effect was also taking hold. The half-withered old locust tree in the corner of the courtyard had always just seemed like an ordinary tree to him. Now, he could faintly perceive a trace of extremely weak Wood Spiritual Power deep within its trunk.
His perception of plants and trees rich in spirituality was enhanced.
「Two more days passed.」
This morning, Li Yuan was teaching Han Qing to draw Rejuvenation Talismans when there was a series of urgent knocks at the courtyard gate.
Li Yuan got up and opened the gate.
The on-duty Cultivator sent by Pill Refiner He stood outside the gate. His expression was normal, but he had clearly arrived in a rush.
"Senior He asked me to inform you that preparations are complete. The refining will begin this afternoon."
Li Yuan nodded.
After speaking, the on-duty Cultivator turned and left.
Li Yuan returned to the courtyard and glanced at Han Qing.
"That’s enough for today. We’ll continue tomorrow."
Han Qing packed the talisman brush and paper into his cloth bag, gave a proper bow, and left the courtyard.
Li Yuan tidied up the table and headed out toward Pill Refiner He’s courtyard.
When he arrived at Pill Refiner He’s courtyard, Ji Huaiyuan was already there.
The old man stood in a corner of the courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back, looking toward the main house’s entrance.
As Li Yuan entered the courtyard, Ji Huaiyuan turned his head and nodded at him.
Pill Refiner He was in the main house.
The layout of the main house was different from before. The stone table and bamboo chairs had been moved to the side, and in the center of the room stood a Pill Furnace.
It wasn’t the ordinary iron furnace from before.
This Pill Furnace was two sizes larger than an ordinary one. It was a dark cyan color all over, its body densely covered with intricate Spirit Patterns, each line carved with extreme precision. It stood on three legs, and at the base of each leg was a thumb-sized Spirit Stone, Spiritual Power slowly circulating within them.
The mouth of the furnace was open, revealing the inner wall—a dark golden surface, smooth as a mirror, without a single stain from past medicines.
It was on a completely different level from any Pill Furnace he had seen before.
Pill Refiner He stood beside the Pill Furnace, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his thin but powerful forearms.
Seven ingredients were laid out on a table, neatly arranged in the order they would be added. The Spirit Essence Fruit was at the front, followed by the Cui Xin Lotus. The Nine-Turn Lingzhi and Purple Mansion Profound Liquid were placed side by side in the middle, with three supplementary ingredients at the end.
Next to them were several porcelain vials with their mouths open, emitting the scents of various medicinal liquids. These were auxiliary liquids that needed to be added at specific moments during the Alchemy process.
"You’re here." Pill Refiner He glanced at Li Yuan, his tone as flat as usual. "Just stand to the side and watch. Don’t make a sound, and don’t release any Spiritual Power."
Li Yuan took up a position against the wall of the main house.
Ji Huaiyuan also came in and stood next to Li Yuan. The old man’s breathing was a bit heavier than usual, his gaze locked firmly on the Pill Furnace.
Pill Refiner He placed his hands on either side of the furnace mouth and closed his eyes, regulating his breath for a few moments.
Then he opened his eyes and began.
Spiritual Power poured from his palms into the bottom of the Pill Furnace. The Spirit Patterns on the dark cyan furnace body lit up, spreading upward from the bottom one by one, like wicks being lit by Spiritual Power.
The three Spirit Stones at the base of the legs lit up simultaneously. Spiritual Power surged out from them and flowed into the Spirit Pattern circuits within the furnace walls, beginning to preheat it.
The temperature inside the furnace began to climb rapidly.
Pill Refiner He picked up the first ingredient—the Spirit Essence Fruit.
The emerald-green fruit glowed with a faint golden luster in his palm. Pill Refiner He held it in his palm, observing it for two breaths, then tossed it into the furnace.
The moment the Spirit Essence Fruit hit the bottom of the furnace, the rhythm of Pill Refiner He’s Spiritual Power output changed. It switched from a steady, continuous stream to a pulsing push-and-pull, stripping the fruit’s medicinal properties layer by layer from its peel.
The Cui Xin Lotus was added immediately after. The medicinal energies of the two main ingredients mingled in the furnace, guided by Pill Refiner He’s Spiritual Power to fuse in a specific ratio.
Nine-Turn Lingzhi. Purple Mansion Profound Liquid.
After all four main ingredients were added, the medicinal energies inside the furnace began to churn violently. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Pill Refiner He’s forehead. He pressed his hands harder on the mouth of the furnace, his Spiritual Power output nearly doubling in intensity.
The supplementary ingredients were now added.
Red Glow Grass to set the base, Profound Spirit Sand to stabilize the Pill Fire, and Soul Condensing Dew to protect the Divine Soul. The three supplementary ingredients were added in order, their timing precise down to the breath.
Li Yuan stood to the side, watching.
His permanent trait for Alchemy insights and his solid foundation in the art of Alchemy allowed him to understand most of the process. Pill Refiner He’s control of the heat, guidance of the medicinal energies, and timing of the fusion—every step was extremely precise, far surpassing his own current level.
The techniques of a Foundation Establishment Stage Pill Refiner were on a completely different level from those of the Qi Refining Stage.
Time passed, bit by bit.
About two hours later, the churning sound inside the Pill Furnace suddenly fell silent.
The medicinal energies were no longer churning.
Pill Refiner He’s Spiritual Power output switched from high intensity to an extremely light and slow maintenance state.
The Solidifying Pill stage.
Under the guidance of Pill Refiner He’s Spiritual Power, the medicinal energies inside the furnace slowly contracted, gathering toward the center from all directions. The process was extremely slow, with every wisp of energy guided precisely into place.
This stage lasted for about an hour.
Then, Pill Refiner He abruptly lifted his hands from the furnace mouth.
The moment his Spiritual Power was withdrawn, the Pill Furnace let out a clear hum.
A rich medicinal aroma wafted from the furnace mouth. It wasn’t the scent of any single ingredient, but a brand-new fragrance created from the fusion of all seven—a crisp sweetness tinged with a steady, profound depth.
Pill Refiner He lifted the lid of the furnace.
At the bottom of the furnace.
Two medicinal pills lay quietly on the dark golden inner wall.
They were round and full, with a faint cyan luster on their surfaces. Within the luster, extremely fine golden patterns could be faintly seen flowing. They were about the size of pigeon eggs, a size larger than ordinary pills.
Two pills.
Ji Huaiyuan’s breathing suddenly quickened.
Pill Refiner He took the two pills out of the furnace, placed each one on a white Jade Disc, and set them on the table.
"Two pills. Both are of good quality."
His tone was still flat, as if he were stating something not worth making a fuss over.
"Li Dao You, you pick first."
The Spirit Contract clearly stated that Li Yuan had the right to pick first.
Li Yuan walked to the table and looked down at the two pills.
From the outside, the two pills looked almost identical. Their color, luster, and the way the patterns flowed on their surfaces were all the same.
It was just that one of them seemed a tiny bit larger—a minuscule, almost imperceptible difference.
Li Yuan reached out with his right hand and placed his finger on the pill to the left.
A panel popped up.
[Equippable Item Detected: Breaking Element Pill (Complete)]
[Equip Trait Preview: Element-Breaking Foundation Establishment (Blue)]
[Effect 1: Increases the probability of a successful Foundation Establishment breakthrough by 30%.]
[Effect 2: Reduces backlash damage from a failed breakthrough by 30%, and breakthrough failure will not damage one’s foundation.]
[Effect 3: Makes one’s own Spiritual Power more refined and increases its flow speed by 50%.]
[Permanent Acquisition Condition Preview (Choose one of two): Break through a major realm once without using pills; or reach the Golden Core Stage in Cultivation.]
[Current equipment slots are full (5/5). Replace a currently equipped item?]
’Blue.’
Li Yuan’s finger lingered on the pill’s surface for an extra breath.
’A blue trait.’
’The effects are extremely powerful. The three effects stacked together provide a qualitative leap in assistance for Foundation Establishment.’
’A thirty-percent increase in the probability of a Foundation Establishment breakthrough—stacked with the breakthrough bonus accumulated from Blood-Devouring Tempering, the total success rate will reach an extremely high level.’
’Reduces backlash from failure by thirty percent and doesn’t damage the foundation—this means that even if I fail, my meridians won’t rupture and my Dantian won’t shatter like that Artifact Refiner said. It won’t even damage my foundation, so I can try again.’
’Spiritual Power becomes more refined, and its flow speed increases by fifty percent.’
’This effect isn’t just useful for Foundation Establishment; it helps with talisman creation, Alchemy, and combat. The more refined the Spiritual Power, the more precise the control. The faster it flows, the quicker Magic takes form.’
’The conditions for permanent acquisition are extremely harsh. Break through a major realm without using pills, or reach the Golden Core Stage.’
’Going from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment is itself a major realm breakthrough.’
’And the Golden Core Stage is so far away it’s not even in sight.’
Li Yuan moved his finger to the pill on the right.
The panel popped up again.
The trait’s grade, effects, and permanent acquisition conditions—all completely identical to the one on the left.
The traits of the two pills were exactly the same.