Finishing the Pill Refining

Kong She said again, "However, the reason this method came into being was because I discovered that when pills were refined to be too powerful, they would attract strange phenomena and lightning tribulations."

"So, the original purpose of this set of methods was to avoid strange phenomena and lightning tribulations."

"I thought that if I could create false pill fragrances like the Grandmaster who created the [Heaven Defying Soul Splitting Technique], deceiving the lightning tribulations and strange phenomena, then they would be unable to tell which furnace held the real pills."

"That way, I could preserve my true pills."

Hearing this, Ning Ri asked, "Then did you succeed?"

Kong She shook his head. "If I had succeeded, this method would not have become a way to attract customers."

Ning Ri: "...Then that is quite regrettable."

As he spoke, Ning Ri thought—

I originally thought Elder Kong was an ancient-style cultivator, since he did not even want to use an alchemy furnace's assistance. But now it seems...

Elder Kong is somewhat heaven-defying himself.

Kong She said, "So, my current plan is to continue cultivating my false pill fragrance. If I can deceive everyone who enters the Wonderful Pill Workshop, perhaps I can try using it to deceive strange phenomena someday."

Ning Ri offered his blessings. "Then this disciple wishes you swift success and everything going smoothly!"

He could tell that this method was still connected to Kong She's Heaven-Defying Path.

He had originally intended to ask Kong She for the method of creating this [False Pill Fragrance]. The panel might have been able to optimize it, perhaps helping Kong She deceive even more customers... No, helping him deceive the Heavenly Dao.

But since this method was related to Kong She's Heaven-Defying Path, he decided not to help after all.

Kong She smiled faintly. Then he gestured for Ning Ri to sit down and asked, "Grandmaster Ning, since you wish to watch others refine pills and verify the insights in your heart, how about I refine some pills for you to watch?"

Ning Ri's eyes lit up. "Then sorry for the trouble, Elder Kong!"

Kong She said, "Since what you have just learned is all pill refinement practiced by Qi Refining alchemists, I will only use Qi Refining techniques, so that you can see everything clearly."

With that, Kong She took out a bronze cauldron.

The bronze cauldron was plain and unadorned. Ning Ri could see clearly that it had no mechanisms inscribed with light-source runes.

A traditional Alchemy Cauldron, confirmed!

After taking out the bronze cauldron, Kong She slowly began to kindle the fire. His hands moved so slowly that he resembled a Third Stage Qi Refining cultivator whose spiritual power was insufficient for pill refinement.

Ning Ri asked curiously, "Why not take out the medicinal ingredients and preheat them as well?"

When melting medicinal ingredients, one could use one's spiritual power to heat them while kindling the fire, dividing one's attention in two. The benefit was that the Alchemy Furnace's temperature did not need to be too high, yet the ingredients could melt quickly without damaging their medicinal properties.

Hearing this, Kong She smiled faintly, satisfaction showing in his eyes—

There was happiness in that gaze, as well as relief and deeply concealed delight.

It was the look of someone who had finally taken in a good student!

He explained, "Because whenever my other disciples watch me refine pills, they always ask me to slow down, so I became accustomed to it."

"For a moment, I forgot the gap between them and you."

Hearing this, Ning Ri realized he had inadvertently put the others down. He hurriedly said, "Elder Kong, it is not that I can keep up with your pill-refining techniques. I merely thought it might be possible to do that. In reality, I probably cannot keep up with your speed..."

Kong She said deeply, "It is fine. I understand."

Ning Ri: "..."

How did he understand?

Kong She then began kindling the fire rapidly, taking out the medicinal ingredients to preheat them. At the same time, his Spiritual Sense slowly seeped into the Alchemy Cauldron. Before the cauldron was even sealed, he had already formed a net of Spiritual Sense within it. Clearly, this was meant for inscribing runes...

Every movement flowed like drifting clouds and running water, refined to perfection, leaving Ning Ri utterly amazed.

He could not help but marvel—

So skilled, so incredible, so smooth.

It had to be said...

Ancient-style craftsmanship was truly splendid!

Is this how others feel when they watch me practice the blade?

For that very reason, Ning Ri naturally immersed himself in it and began carefully observing Kong She's techniques.

It had to be said that, with Ning Ri's pill-refining level after adding points, he could completely keep up with Kong She's speed. At times, Ning Ri's gaze would even unconsciously predict Kong She's next movement, landing ahead of time so he could watch Kong She's entire process...

Ning Ri could even tell when striking would interrupt Kong She's refinement and make an alchemist of Kong She's level fail while refining Qi Refining-stage pills.

However, Ning Ri had to praise Kong She. He was simply too powerful.

There was not a single flaw to pick apart in his entire process!

At the same time, Kong She was also marveling at Ning Ri's ability.

Kong She did not need to devote his full attention to refining pills that even a Qi Refining alchemist could handle, so he had been watching Ning Ri the entire time.

When he noticed the changes in Ning Ri's gaze, he could not help but marvel—

Grandmaster Ning's talent is far too powerful!

No wonder his spiritual roots are incomplete and his acupoints blocked...

After watching Kong She refine pills for a while, Ning Ri suddenly discovered in delight—

The Free Skill Points granted by [Creation] had increased!

His original Free Skill Points had been: 0.

But now—

His Free Skill Points had risen to 35!

This left Ning Ri overjoyed...

However, he realized that he had already been watching for a little while, yet the Skill Points had only risen to 35.

Clearly, the rate at which the Skill Points increased was far slower than when he had been in the Refining Room last time.

This confirmed Ning Ri's suspicion—

The increase in Skill Points was related to the number of people!

The more people refined pills or artifacts around him, the faster the Skill Points would increase!

Another guess then surfaced in Ning Ri's mind. To verify it, when the Free Skill Points reached 50, he politely interrupted Kong She.

The moment he chose to interrupt him was also a perfect moment during pill refinement.

Just like the perfect moment when he paused before Chen Xingfeng last time.

Because of this, another tide of praise rose in Elder Kong's heart.

After stopping Kong She, Ning Ri respectfully asked him to switch from Qi Refining techniques to Foundation Establishment techniques!

The reason he gave was that he felt this might help him verify some thoughts about pill refinement.

Kong She naturally did not mind. He merely asked whether Ning Ri could understand it.

Ning Ri did not dare guarantee anything and could only muddle through with a few vague replies...

Kong She then refined for a while using Foundation Establishment techniques.

After this round, Ning Ri was somewhat baffled. He could understand some parts, but not others...

But none of that mattered.

What mattered was—

The Skill Points stopped increasing!

Kong She refined with Foundation Establishment techniques for quite some time, yet not even the shadow of a Skill Point appeared!

Now Ning Ri understood clearly—

The second key factor for the Skill Point increase brought by [Heavenwork] and [Creation] was that someone near him had to use artifact-refining or pill-refining techniques at the same level as his own.

If they exceeded that level, the Skill Points could not increase!

Both the number of people and the skill level were crucial to the increase!

Ning Ri then smiled bitterly and conducted a self-criticism before Kong She, asking him to lower his techniques back to Qi Refining...

Kong She readily agreed and continued refining pills.

After a while, Ning Ri opened his Skill Panel.

There were no major changes to the panel from before. (42)

The only changes were:

Because he had practiced the blade in the corridor earlier, the Skill Points for the Mortal Blade Technique had increased, becoming 9.

At the same time, there was an additional new skill—

[Creation]: 100

Finally, his Free Skill Points had reached 100.

Ning Ri's heart leaped with joy...

Happy!

He had gained a new skill, and all his Skill Points had returned!

It was equivalent to getting pill refinement and artifact refinement for free!

However, Ning Ri felt that he absolutely could not give up practicing the blade. Once he returned, he still had to practice honestly in order to complete his primitive accumulation of capital!

At this moment, Kong She's pill refinement ended.

Kong She opened the cauldron and collected the pills. At that moment, his hands moved at a speed completely unlike that of the Qi Refining stage. With a single swish, he packed 24 pills into a bottle before Ning Ri could even see clearly.

Then he placed the jade bottle before Ning Ri and said deeply, "[Qi Replenishing Pill]. Use it in battle. Take it."

Ning Ri did not decline. "Thank you, Elder Kong!"

As he spoke, he could not help but marvel—

The highest level of Pill Separation for Qi Replenishing Pills is only 14 pills, yet Elder Kong actually made 24.

My heavens, he is too powerful!

"Would you like to try your hand?" Kong She asked.

Ning Ri smiled. "Sure! I will also have to trouble Elder Kong to offer some guidance!"

He understood clearly that Elder Kong obviously wanted to see his level as well!

Kong She nodded slightly. "No problem!"

After taking a batch of medicinal ingredients, Ning Ri swiftly began refining pills. Like Kong She, he insisted on not using an assisted Alchemy Furnace. Moreover, his techniques were even steadier and more seasoned than Kong She's, making Kong She unable to resist revealing an astonished expression...

This Grandmaster Ning...

Had he really never learned pill refinement before?

During the final Pill Separation stage, Ning Ri deliberately divided the pills into 23, one fewer than Kong She's. That way, he would not overshadow Kong She while still displaying his own talent.

Then Ning Ri opened the cauldron and smiled. "Elder Kong, this disciple is done!"

The instant the cauldron opened, pill fragrance filled the air.

Kong She looked into the bronze cauldron expectantly. When he saw the 23 pills inside, the anticipation and smile on his face froze. Then he fell into a long silence...

When the silence ended, his body could not help leaning back. He looked at Ning Ri with confusion and incomprehension, doubt about the world flickering in his eyes as he said:

"You..."

"How did you separate these?"

Ning Ri was somewhat uncertain after hearing this. He could only say innocently, "I... I learned from you!"

"What did you learn from me?"

Kong She suddenly became agitated, slapping the chair as he said, "I had 24 pills because when I opened the cauldron and collected them, I quickly slipped in ten Qi Replenishing Pills! I was giving them to you! Could you not see that these ten pills differed from those fourteen in quality and time of refinement?"

"I only separated 14 pills myself!!!"

Ning Ri: "???"

It is over. I turned the cheat all the way up!