Chapter 240: Elder Qi, You’re a Great Teacher
Cheng Yuan’s spirits soared, and he increased the output of his Celestial Witch True Essence!
The pressure and temperature inside the Alchemy Furnace rose again!
The embryonic pill suddenly collapsed, solidifying into a true Elixir. Three distinct patterns could be seen clearly on the perfectly round Pill.
Cheng Yuan finally let out a long sigh of relief.
’Success!’
According to the records of the Celestial Witch Inheritance, the highest-grade Elixirs could have seven patterns, a feat only legendary Divine Level Alchemists could achieve.
It required an Ancient Divine Artifact for an Alchemy Furnace, one of the top ten Exotic Fires, and ingredients that were top-quality Ancient Divine Medicines.
There were also requirements for the Alchemist’s Cultivation—they had to be at least a Martial God, or they wouldn’t be able to suppress a seven-pattern Elixir at all.
Cheng Yuan was quite satisfied with being able to refine a Three Patterns Elixir, especially since he had only used ordinary medicinal ingredients.
The Alchemy Furnace was also a very ordinary one.
Forget about an Exotic Fire; he didn’t even have Earth Fire. He was just using ordinary charcoal and coal.
And yet, he had still managed to refine a Three Patterns Elixir. If his equipment were upgraded, Cheng Yuan was confident he could create a Four Patterns or even a Five Patterns Elixir!
The very instant the Pill was refined, the temperature and pressure inside the Alchemy Furnace suddenly doubled!
This caught Cheng Yuan completely off guard!
BOOM!
The lid of the Alchemy Furnace was blasted off by the immense pressure, slamming directly into the ceiling!
Cheng Yuan’s expression darkened. He finally understood why there was a Cultivation requirement for Alchemists!
It was because the moment a Pill was refined, it released an incomparably intense burst of energy that could cause the furnace to explode!
If the furnace had exploded before the Pill was fully formed, this entire batch of Elixirs would have been ruined!
Hu Shishi and Niu Fu’s faces fell with disappointment. ’Did Xiaoyuan fail?’
Elder Qi was not at all surprised by this. He shook his head gently and said, "Mr. Cheng, I just reminded you. The furnace exploded, just as I expected, didn’t it? Failing at Alchemy is normal; the important thing is to learn from your mistakes. Next time, preheat the Alchemy Furnace before you begin. Don’t throw all the ingredients in at once, and don’t use only charcoal—mix in some coal to control the temperature. Even if you do everything perfectly, there’s no guarantee a Pill will form, to say nothing of the haphazard way you’ve been doing things."
The moment the words left his mouth, Elder Qi’s nostrils twitched a few times.
"Hm? What’s that smell? Why is it so fragrant?"
The next second, the color drained from Elder Qi’s face!
Just by inhaling the fragrance, Elder Qi felt his cultivation bottleneck loosen slightly!
’What the hell is this?’
Hu Shishi and Niu Fu also caught the scent and felt the True Essence within them stir restlessly. It was as if a single breath was equivalent to a whole week of arduous training!
Following the source of the fragrance, Hu Shishi saw several small black dots falling from the ceiling.
"The Elixirs! It’s the Elixirs! Did they form successfully?"
Cheng Yuan activated his Double Pupil Mystic Object Ability, gathering all the scattered Elixirs. The round Pills fell into his palm, so hot they made him grimace in pain.
Fortunately, his Celestial Witch True Essence was of an extremely yin and cold nature; otherwise, his palm would have surely blistered.
Cheng Yuan grinned at Elder Qi. "Elder Qi, your teachings were excellent. I was just lucky enough to successfully refine the Pills."
PFFT.
Hu Shishi and Niu Fu burst into shameless laughter.
The old man had sounded so authoritative just moments ago.
What could he say now?
Elder Qi was utterly mortified. The thought of how he had just lectured Cheng Yuan with the air of an expert made him wish he could find a hole in the ground and crawl into it!
This was a resounding slap to the face!
’How did Mr. Cheng do it?’
’It defies all logic!’
"Mr. Cheng—no, Master Cheng, please don’t laugh at this old one! With my meager skill, I have no right whatsoever to teach you! Compared to you, this old man is nothing but a frog in a well!"
Cheng Yuan replied very humbly, "Elder Qi, you were right about one thing. My experience truly is lacking. I was just lucky a moment ago; the furnace exploded the instant after the Pills were formed. If it had happened even one second earlier, this entire batch would have been ruined. However, the furnace won’t explode the next time I perform Alchemy."
Elder Qi asked with a fawning expression, "Master Cheng, might this old one take a look at the Elixirs? I wonder what their quality is like. If the impurities are below 30%, they would be considered quite good."
’Thirty percent impurities?’
Cheng Yuan was a little annoyed. ’Just how little does this Old Qi think of me?’
’My Elixirs don’t even have one percent impurities, do they?’
"Here, take a look."
Cheng Yuan opened his hand, showing the Elixirs to Elder Qi.
Elder Qi leaned in for a look, then immediately sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes wide as saucers! It was as if he had seen the most terrifying thing imaginable!
"A Th-Three Patterns Elixir? How could it possibly be a Three Patterns Elixir?! The ability to refine a Three Patterns Elixir is the mark of a Fourth Grade Alchemist! Mr. Cheng, you’re actually a Fourth Grade Alchemist? This old one finally understands why the Prince wanted to become your sworn brother! It turns out you’re a revered Fourth Grade Alchemist!"
Cheng Yuan was taken aback. "Are Fourth Grade Alchemists that amazing?"
Elder Qi looked at Cheng Yuan with a gaze of utter reverence. "They aren’t just amazing! In the entire Ancient Martial Realm, there are only three Fourth Grade Alchemists! One is the Valley Master of Medicine Valley, Nangong Bowen; another is the Sect Leader of the Celestial Pill Sect; and the last is the Old Dragon King of Dragon Flame! However, the Old Dragon King has been in seclusion for twenty years, and legends about him have long since faded from the Jianghu."
Cheng Yuan blinked. This was just his ordinary performance. If he had done a little better, he might have been able to refine a Four Patterns Elixir.
’Doesn’t this mean my Alchemy skill is unmatched in the entire Ancient Martial Realm?’
"Elder Qi, are Four Patterns Elixirs impressive? I think if the Alchemy Furnace and the ingredients were a bit better, I’d have a chance at refining a Four Patterns Elixir."
’A Four Patterns Elixir?’
Elder Qi looked as if he wanted to prostrate himself and worship Cheng Yuan on the spot!
"In all the known history of the Ancient Martial Realm, only the Old Dragon King, at the very height of his power, managed to refine a batch of Four Patterns Elixirs! I don’t know if the Old Dragon King still possesses the ability to refine a Four Patterns Elixir today."
Cheng Yuan was in an excellent mood. He smiled and said, "Everyone who witnessed this gets a share. Sister Shishi, Housekeeper Niu, and Elder Qi, one Qi Enhancement Pill for each of you."
As he spoke, Cheng Yuan pressed a Qi Enhancement Pill into each of their hands.
Hu Shishi and Niu Fu remained relatively calm, as they didn’t know the value of a Three Patterns Qi Enhancement Pill. Elder Qi, however, was so agitated his face flushed bright red, and he waved his hands frantically in refusal.
"I can’t accept this! I really can’t! A Three Patterns Elixir is far too valuable!"
Hu Shishi asked with great interest, "Elder Qi, is a Three Patterns Elixir that valuable?"
"This isn’t something that can be measured in money! A healing-type Three Patterns Elixir can save a person as long as they still have a breath left in them—it’s tantamount to being given a second life! But a Three Patterns Qi Enhancement Pill is even more incredible! For any expert below the Martial King realm, it can increase their chances of success during a Realm Breakthrough by thirty percent! It even has a noticeable effect on Martial Kings. Every single Innate Grandmaster would be willing to trade their entire fortune for a single Three Patterns Qi Enhancement Pill! So you tell me, is it precious?"