Becoming a Fourth-Rank Alchemist!
14: Chapter 14: Fourth-Rank gu yuan pill!
Becoming a Fourth-Rank Alchemist!
The back mountains of the Xiao Family, a remote and rarely visited corner.
Xiao Qing stood tall and straight on a smooth rock.
Before him was a dark-red Medicine Cauldron of ancient appearance that emitted a faint medicinal fragrance.
Beside it lay several medicinal herbs overflowing with scent, a green-glowing Monster Core, and most noticeably, an open Pill Formula.
These were, of course, taken from the small treasury inside the bone flame ring of his “filthy rich” teacher, Yao Lao.
After two months of practicing Alchemy, Yao Lao had finally witnessed Xiao Qing’s Prodigy-level comprehension and his fire-control ability that seemed like a cheat code.
He finally stopped “clutching” his treasures and generously provided all the medicinal resources needed for practice, sparing Xiao Qing from running around for herbs like the original Xiao Yan did in his early days.
[Pill Formula: Fourth-Rank gu yuan pill] [Main Ingredients: One hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng, three Life-Sustaining Grasses] [Auxiliary Ingredients: One Jade Marrow Ganoderma, three drops of Thousand-Year Stone Milk, one Rank 3 Wood-Attribute Monster Core] [Efficacy: Stabilizes the fundamental Origin Qi.
Aimed at replenishing and restoring the depletion of life essence caused by heavy injury, overexertion, secret technique backlash, or Foundation damage.
The medicinal nature is mild, focusing on nourishing the Origin and moisturizing the Foundation of life silently.] [Applicability: Physical weakness after recovering from heavy injury, damage to Origin Qi caused by cultivation mishaps or Qi Deviation, depletion of life force after using forbidden Dou Techniques, or Origin Qi damage caused by Innate or Acquired factors.] [Refining Requirements: Requires a Fourth-Rank or higher Alchemist, Soul Realm must reach the Peak of the Early Stage Mortal Realm, requires extremely precise control over heat, and the ability to nourish medicinal power with real fire and Dou Qi for a long time…] [Refining Technique:…] Xiao Qing’s gaze swept quickly over the Pill Formula; every word on it was already etched into his mind.
After two months of Yao Lao’s selfless teaching and strict guidance, combined with Xiao Qing’s own powerful Soul strength at the Peak of the Middle Stage Mortal Realm and his superb fire control methods, his progress in Alchemy was thousand-mile-a-day.
By now, he was already proficient in refining most Fourth-Rank Medicinal Pills!
Today, what Xiao Qing wanted to refine was precisely the Fourth-Rank gu yuan pill that was crucial for his aunt, Yan Qian!
Taking a deep breath to suppress the stray thoughts in his heart, Xiao Qing’s eyes instantly became sharp and focused.
Xiao Qing extended his right hand and gave a casual wave— Puff!
A forest-white flame rose up, instantly engulfing the Rank 3 Wood-Attribute Monster Core and suspending it in mid-air.
Under the unique blend of bone-chilling cold and searing heat of the Bone Chilling Flame sub-flame, Xiao Qing used extremely precise control to act perfectly upon the Monster Core.
Extracting the Monster Core was the first and most critical step.
One had to carefully burn it with the Heavenly Flame to remove Impurities and stimulate its purest Wood-Attribute energy.
Yao Lao’s Soul body hovered in the air nearby, nodding and silently watching all of this.
Under the wrap of the Bone Chilling Flame sub-flame, the rough surface of the Monster Core gradually melted, and strands of grayish-black Impurities were burned into nothingness, while the remaining portion began to turn crystal clear.
Seeing that the purification was almost complete, Xiao Qing began to multitask.
His powerful Soul power surged out, guiding his own Dou Qi with meticulous detail to slowly blend and permeate with the extracted pure Wood-Attribute energy.
This process took a fair amount of time and required immense patience and precise control.
Until finally, the Monster Core completely transformed into a small glob of viscous emerald-green liquid emitting a dense vitality and fragrance.
Xiao Qing dared not be careless; he slapped the Medicine Cauldron with his left hand to flip the lid open and used his right hand to control the emerald-green liquid, tossing it into the cauldron instantly.
Immediately after, Xiao Qing took the jade bottle containing the Thousand-Year Stone Milk and dripped several drops of the milky-white, richly fragrant stone milk into the Medicine Cauldron.
Buzz— The forest-white flame instantly surged beneath the Medicine Cauldron.
The size and temperature of the flame began to fluctuate under Xiao Qing’s mental control, delicately extracting the medicinal essence of the Thousand-Year Stone Milk and causing it to begin a preliminary Fusion with the previous Wood-Attribute liquid.
Subsequently, Xiao Qing threw in the hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng and the Life-Sustaining Grass in sequence.
These two main herbs were quickly refined before the Heavenly Flame, their essences perfectly extracted.
Under Xiao Qing’s superb fire-control techniques, they were refined into two globs of pure and dense herbal essence, suspended within the Medicine Cauldron.
‘Such profound fire-control techniques!
It’s simply art!’ Yao Lao, watching from the side, couldn’t help but praise repeatedly in his heart, his eyes full of appreciation.
Xiao Qing’s mastery over fire was no longer just a skill; it was close to an understanding of fire itself!
The exquisite nature of Xiao Qing’s refining techniques was even no weaker than some long-famed Sixth-Rank Alchemists.
In terms of fire control alone, he could almost rival Yao Lao in his prime!
This kind of talent was truly terrifying!
At this moment, Xiao Qing was fully concentrated, his Soul power like countless tiny tentacles, sensing every bit of change in the medicinal power within the cauldron.
Xiao Qing controlled those two globs of herbal essence to slowly approach and blend with the Wood-Attribute liquid that had previously fused with the stone milk…
The medicinal liquid within the cauldron began to gradually take on a bluish-brown color, emitting a refreshing fragrance.
Next, he threw in the final auxiliary ingredient—the Jade Marrow Ganoderma.
The Jade Marrow Ganoderma’s medicinal nature was mild, possessing extremely strong Fusion and inclusiveness.
Its addition caused the originally somewhat “lively” medicinal liquid in the cauldron to gradually become viscous and stable.
The most critical moment had arrived!
Xiao Qing’s gaze was solemn as his Soul power and fire-control techniques were pushed to the limit.
He controlled the Bone Chilling Flame sub-flame with meticulous detail, using an exactly right temperature to begin the long pill-nourishing process, prompting all the medicinal powers in the cauldron to perfectly fuse and condense…
Time flowed quietly.
Only the faint crackling of the fire burning the air and the low hum coming from the Medicine Cauldron remained in the back mountains.
After a long time— The Medicine Cauldron vibrated slightly, and the originally overflowing dense medicinal fragrance suddenly pulled inward, as if it had been completely absorbed by the pill.
Xiao Qing waved his right hand, and the forest-white flame was instantly withdrawn into his body.
Xiao Qing raised his hand and flipped open the cauldron lid— Suddenly, a more pure herbal fragrance containing majestic vitality dissipated, instantly filling the entire small valley!
“The pill is formed!” Xiao Qing shouted softly, casting his gaze into the cauldron, his face instantly covered by immense joy.
At the bottom of the Medicine Cauldron, a perfectly round pale-green pill lay quietly.
The surface of the pill was smooth as jade, and one could faintly see a dense and ceaseless green glow inside.
Even more miraculous was that on the surface of the pill, three incredibly clear, dark ripples containing a sense of mystery were displayed!
“This is…
a pill with three ripples?!
A Three-Ripple Foundation Stabilizing Pill!!” Yao Lao, who had been floating in the air and paying close attention throughout, could no longer hold back and cried out in shock, his illusory face filled with astonishment!
A Three-Ripple Spirit Pill!
This was the symbol of having refined and condensed a pill’s medicinal power to the limit of its current rank!
Although this pill was still Fourth-Rank, its actual efficacy could likely rival some Fifth-Rank Medicinal Pills!
For replenishing the depletion of life essence, the effect would far exceed expectations!
To Yao Lao, Xiao Qing was simply born to break the common sense of Alchemists!
He truly learned as soon as he was taught, understood as soon as he was shown, succeeded as soon as he refined, and could even perform beyond expectations!
This gave Yao Lao a solid experience of the unspeakable sense of accomplishment and inexplicable “satisfaction” of teaching a peerless Prodigy.
Recalling the hardships of his own days learning Alchemy, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat inferior.
Looking at Yao Lao’s shocked expression, Xiao Qing couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
Then, Xiao Qing carefully used a jade medicinal spoon to take out that still-warm Three-Ripple Foundation Stabilizing Pill that contained majestic vitality, quickly placed it into a pre-prepared jade bottle, and sealed it to prevent the medicinal power from leaking.
Holding the warm jade bottle and feeling the real presence of the pill inside, Xiao Qing’s heart was filled with indescribable joy and a sense of security.
“With me here this time, Aunt will definitely not pass away early like in her original fate!” Meanwhile, the shock in Yao Lao’s heart gradually transformed into deep relief and joy.
Looking at the sincere smile on his Disciple’s face from being able to save a relative, Yao Lao became even more certain that he had truly not misjudged this person.
While a Prodigy’s talent was rare, this sincere filial piety and kindness were the truly precious qualities!