Chapter 184: Magical Treasure-Level Pill Furnace
"Senior Brother Zhang!"
The moment Zhang Chi arrived, the crowd of Foundation Establishment Cultivators erupted in cheers, their gazes filled with envy and respect.
Evidently, the Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivation he revealed was considered to be in the upper echelons of Azure Dragon City.
In recent years, any doubts about him presiding over Divine Needle Peak had completely vanished.
Furthermore, Zhang Chi had long ago revealed his Alchemy skills to be at the Tier Two Middle Grade, so many of his Foundation Establishment peers purchased Elixirs from him.
Zhang Chi’s Elixirs were high-quality and fairly priced, so his reputation at Azure Dragon Ridge was naturally very high.
"Senior Brother Zhang!"
Even Chen Ling’er, upon seeing Zhang Chi now, had to call him Senior Brother, though she was still a bit resentful.
’This guy is just too lucky, and his Alchemy is incredible,’ Chen Ling’er thought to herself while looking at Zhang Chi. ’If I had known, I would have picked up one of the Hundred Skills of Immortal Cultivation back then!’
Zhang Chi nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then presented Hong Hu with a Top Grade Magical Artifact—a Giant Sword.
This Giant Sword could be used in conjunction with Hong Hu’s Body Refining Cultivation. The delighted Hong Hu couldn’t bear to part with it.
"As expected of an Alchemy Master—so generous!"
"Exactly! I heard that Hong Hu was only able to break through so quickly because he received help from Senior Brother Zhang!"
Everyone who saw this was filled with envy, and some of the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators were no exception.
After all, a Top Grade Magical Artifact was far from cheap, especially this Giant Sword, which one could tell at a glance was a masterpiece among those of the Same Tier.
Of course, they didn’t know that Zhang Chi had refined it himself, so the cost was not high at all.
Zhang Chi’s gift also made his peers even more certain that Hong Hu was held in high esteem by him.
Therefore, even though Hong Hu had only reached Foundation Establishment at nearly fifty years of age and the Azure Dragon Master hadn’t attended, none of their peers looked down on him in the slightest.
Seeing this, Hong Hu was overcome with gratitude.
He knew that Zhang Chi could have given him the gift in private but had chosen to do so publicly. This was definitely not to show off, but to make it clear that they were on good terms, which would ensure he was treated well.
He had already reached Foundation Establishment and would be returning to the Sect soon, but Hong Jin’er had to stay behind.
The more respect he was shown, the smoother things would be for Hong Jin’er in the future.
Besides, after some time, he would definitely have to return to the Demon Abyss to stand guard for a number of years.
After the gift was presented, everyone broke into small groups to chat, while Zhang Chi was talking with Chen Ling’er and the others.
It was then that Zhong Yu suddenly asked him, "Zhang Chi, Second Senior Sister will soon be preparing to break through to the Golden Core Realm. Master only has about forty years of his Lifespan left, and I’ve been here long enough. I’m planning to go back next year. Do you want to come along?"
"Second Senior Sister? How are her preparations?" Zhang Chi asked, startled. He immediately realized she was talking about Shangguan Hui.
When they had met more than a decade ago, she was one hundred fifty years old and already at Foundation Establishment Peak Cultivation. She had even reached the Perfection stage and could have attempted to break through to the Golden Core Realm at any moment, yet she still hadn’t.
Clearly, she had been preparing to Solidify the Pill this whole time.
After all, this was a monumental task. Although the sooner, the better, Core Formation Spiritual Objects were indispensable.
Otherwise, failure could result in minor consequences like injuries that would damage her foundation, or severe ones like immediate death.
Moreover, Core Formation Spiritual Objects were too precious. Once used, they were difficult to acquire again. Even the Sect couldn’t provide them to a True Disciple multiple times.
Therefore, even a genius of the Sect like Shangguan Hui would likely only get one chance in her entire life, so she naturally had to be cautious.
"She has already found Profound Light Grass, Demon Companion Grass, and Blue Crystal Grass. The Sect will provide her with an Element Condensing Fruit, and Master will prepare a Blood Jade Coral for her."
"So, in the end, she’ll have the Dust Condensing Pill, Blue Crystal Grass, and Blood Jade Coral. With these, as long as her luck isn’t terrible, Solidifying the Pill will surely be a success. It’s just that the quality of her Core Formation will likely only be Low Grade," Zhong Yu sighed.
"Is that so? Low Grade is already quite good! Let me know when the time comes. I don’t plan on leaving the Demon Abyss for good, but I can make a trip back."
Zhang Chi simply nodded without saying much more.
But after the celebration ended, he wrote a letter to Shangguan Hui.
He informed her that he had an Element Condensing Fruit. If she needed it, he could transfer it to her at a favorable price.
This way, she could ask the Sect to provide a different type of Core Formation Spiritual Object instead.
She could pay him with Spirit Stones, or she could wait until he was about to undergo his own Core Formation and procure an Element Condensing Fruit to repay him then.
Furthermore, he offered to help her with the Refining of the Dust Condensing Pill.
After sending the letter, Zhang Chi felt a weight lift from his shoulders.
He hadn’t been in much contact with this Second Senior Sister, but she had been quite good to him back in the Sect. When they first met, she had even given him a Tier Two Peak Puppet.
So, since he was in a position to help her, he felt he should.
As for the Element Condensing Fruit, he actually had more than one.
However, he didn’t mention this, nor did he offer up too many other Core Formation Spiritual Objects.
After all, their friendship hadn’t reached that level yet.
And even though he was no longer the person he once was, revealing too many Core Formation Spiritual Objects would still carry some risk.
Finally, he added that when he returned with Zhong Yu next year, they could discuss the details and make the trade.
After that, he returned to Divine Needle Peak and officially began Refining the Lifespan Extension Pill.
But before that, he first took out the Magical Treasure Pill Furnace he had obtained in the Heaven Mending Celestial Monarch’s Cave Mansion.
This was the first time he had taken out this Pill Furnace since leaving the Secret Realm.
Previously, his Cultivation and Alchemy skills had been insufficient. This Pill Furnace was a Magical Treasure Level item, so he wouldn’t have been able to control it even if he took it out.
But now, his Cultivation was approaching the Golden Core Realm, and his Divine Thought surpassed that of an ordinary Golden Core Peak Cultivator, even nearing the level of a Nascent Soul Early Stage Powerhouse.
Therefore, he felt it was time to let this Pill Furnace shine once more.
This would surely increase his success rate in Refining the Lifespan Extension Pill, and in the future, it would also improve his chances with the Dust Condensing Pill.
BANG!
The moment the Pill Furnace was released, the ground shook.
The temperature in the entire Alchemy Room rose noticeably.
Zhang Chi placed his hands on the Pill Furnace and fiercely poured his Spiritual Power into it.
Immediately, the Pill Furnace began to absorb the Spiritual Power from Zhang Chi’s body like a parched desert.
Soon, more than half of Zhang Chi’s Spiritual Power was consumed, but the Pill Furnace continued to absorb it voraciously. Patterns of Spirit Medicines appeared on its surface, and streams of light flowed ceaselessly across it.
It was like a long-sealed sword being drawn halfway from its sheath.
Zhang Chi even tried to pull his hands and Spiritual Power back to stop the process, but found he was completely unable to.
However, Zhang Chi didn’t panic. He knew this Refinement could not be interrupted, or he would have to start all over again.
Besides, his Spiritual Power was not so easily depleted.
A moment later, the Spiritual Power in his body was nearly gone, but a phantom image of a Giant Whale suddenly materialized behind him.
The vast amount of Spiritual Qi within the Giant Whale’s body became a supplement for Zhang Chi’s Spiritual Power. Moreover, the Giant Whale opened its mouth and absorbed even more Spiritual Qi from the surroundings.
The Eye of the Spirit Spring and the Spiritual Vein were no ordinary things either; the Spiritual Qi they emitted was sucked dry, only to be instantly replenished with even more.
Thus, no matter how much the Pill Furnace absorbed, Zhang Chi’s supply of Spiritual Power never faltered.
After twelve hours, the Pill Furnace finally stopped absorbing Spiritual Power and took on a completely new appearance.
The once plain, dark Pill Furnace was now shimmering with an iridescent light. Following a thought from Zhang Chi, it rapidly shrank and landed in his hand.
’Excellent! It really is a Magical Treasure Level Pill Furnace, and a high-quality one at that. It’s actually a Middle Grade Magical Treasure! No wonder it was even harder to Refine than that Magical Treasure Flying Boat,’ Zhang Chi thought, overjoyed.
Like Magical Artifacts, Magical Treasures are divided into Low, Middle, Upper, and Top Grades. Generally speaking, Upper Grade and Top Grade items can only be refined and controlled by Nascent Soul Powerhouses, making a Middle Grade Magical Treasure already exceptionally precious.
Although a Pill Furnace wasn’t an offensive or defensive Magical Treasure, its high quality would definitely increase the success rate of Alchemy and the quality of the Elixirs produced.
Of course, it was thanks to Zhang Chi’s profound Cultivation and the help of his Divine Whale Devouring Sea Technique. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to Refine it even after obtaining it.
"Hm? What is this?"
However, after carefully inspecting the Pill Furnace, a look of surprise appeared on Zhang Chi’s face.