Mid-grade Rank 1

"The Maple City Bai Family excels in talisman arts and rose to prominence through crafting talismans. Although the Bai Family currently has only two Foundation Establishment stage ancestors, in terms of strength, it is far more powerful than ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivation families."

"Perhaps only a cultivation force like the Black Rock Mountain Yu Family, which has its own unique backing, can suppress it."

Second Elder Su Yun gently shook his head and said calmly, "But that is the Maple City Bai Family, not the Lin Family."

"So what if someone from the Lin Family married into the Bai Family? The Bai Family would never send a Foundation Establishment stage ancestor to deal with us for the sake of the Lin Family."

"At most, they would give the Lin Family some talismans."

Su Yun saw things clearly.

The Bai Family truly would not make a huge fuss over the insignificant Su Family. However, with the Bai Family's support, the Lin Family once again set its sights on Azure Mountain's first-grade Spirit Vein, relying on the might of talismans.

Friction between the Su Family and the Lin Family flared up again, and in those clashes, the Su Family suffered more losses.

Fortunately, after the Su Family employed Spirit Bewildering Liquid, they managed to turn the tide again in their conflicts with the Lin Family.

The Bai Family did not intervene in the dispute between the Lin Family and the Su Family, so the Su Family was not in any immediate danger.

Over the next two years, such clashes between the two families never ceased.

The Lin Family even attempted to use low-grade Rank 2 talismans to blaze a path, breaking open the Azure Mountain grand formation in an attempt to seize the Spirit Vein.

But in the end, they were all beaten back by the Su Family, and both sides suffered losses.

Cloud Mountain Market, Su Family Alchemy Pavilion.

Su Yu skillfully opened the pill furnace before him. Inside lay five emerald-green pills the size of bodhi seeds.

Yet unlike ordinary pills, each of these five pills bore a clearly visible pattern.

Moreover, although these were merely mid-grade Rank 1 Qi Refining Pills, the spiritual qi and medicinal potency within them were exceptionally pure and rich, carrying an indescribable resonance.

These were Pill Patterns!

An ordinary mid-grade Rank 1 alchemist could make money with a thirty percent pill-refining success rate.

If one could refine a single premium mid-grade Rank 1 pill, one would count as an elite mid-grade Rank 1 alchemist.

But Premium Pills were difficult to refine. Even a high-grade Rank 1 alchemist refining mid-grade Rank 1 pills might not produce Premium Pills in every furnace.

As for Perfect Pills, they were practically the stuff of legend—or rather, myth.

That was because a Perfect Pill could achieve one hundred percent medicinal efficacy, form unique Pill Patterns, and contain a trace of the mysterious profundity of heaven and earth.

Do not underestimate that tiny trace. To ordinary cultivators, its effect was no less than that of a heavenly treasure.

Perhaps at certain critical moments, it could play a decisive role.

For instance, when one was on the verge of a breakthrough but lacked the final push.

"The proficiency of mid-grade Rank 1 Qi Refining Pills has reached perfection." Su Yu slowly recovered his own spiritual power and nodded in satisfaction at the five Perfect Pills in the furnace.

With a wave of his hand, he stored the five perfect mid-grade Rank 1 Qi Refining Pills in a jade bottle.

Then he sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and rested his mind, nourishing the essence, qi, and spirit that had been overly depleted by pill refinement and easing the faint stabbing pain in his head.

Perfect Pills with Pill Patterns were still so difficult to refine and consumed an enormous amount of mental energy.

Perhaps once his cultivation reached Qi Refining Stage Five, or even the sixth layer of Qi Refining, refining these pills would be easier on him. Right now, he truly was a little tired.

After recovering, Su Yu opened his eyes, poured a perfect mid-grade Rank 1 Qi Refining Pill from the jade bottle, and swallowed it in one gulp.

The pill's medicinal power erupted within his body in an instant, its effect even slightly better than that of an ordinary high-grade Rank 1 Qi Refining Pill.

More importantly, there was that trace of heaven-and-earth resonance within the pill.

With it, Su Yu seemed to find cultivating the Azure Wood Age Wheel Art a little easier.

Two hours later, the Qi Refining Pill's medicinal effect was exhausted.

Su Yu also ended today's cultivation of the Azure Wood Age Wheel Art.

For the Azure Wood Age Wheel Art to break through from First Cycle Fourth Turn to Fifth Turn—that was, Qi Refining Stage Five—it would likely take five years.

With Qi Refining Pills to assist him, it could be a little faster, but it would still take around four years.

At present, he was still more than nineteen percent away from the proficiency needed for a breakthrough.

Seeing that today's cultivation progress was slightly faster than yesterday's, Su Yu secretly thought, Perfect Pills truly are more helpful to me.

"Then from today onward, I'll use perfect Qi Refining Pills for cultivation."

He had become a mid-grade Rank 1 alchemist more than a year ago. However, in order to temper his pill-refining skills and raise his proficiency in refining each pill formula, he had not attempted high-grade Rank 1 pills.

For one thing, his cultivation was insufficient to sustain it.

That was the main reason.

For another, there was no rush. Raising the proficiency of every mid-grade Rank 1 pill formula would make his foundation more solid.

By today, among mid-grade Rank 1 pills, he had already brought nine pill formulas to perfect proficiency. His success rate was one hundred percent, and he could even refine perfect pills bearing Pill Patterns.

However, he had not revealed his true level.

To outsiders, he was still merely an alchemist with a success rate of around forty percent, who could occasionally refine premium mid-grade Rank 1 pills.

He refined the remaining materials into pills he needed and kept them for himself.

Those materials were enough to support his daily cultivation.

"Brother Yu, Chen Sisi, a disciple of the Cloud Sword Sect, has brought two people outside who say they want to see you," Su Qingyi said quietly when he found Su Yu.

Compared to two years ago, Su Qingyi's appearance had changed considerably, and he had become more mature.

Over the past two years.

Whenever he had time, Su Qingyi would go out to hunt demonic beasts. Regardless of how much he gained, after all those trials, Su Qingyi's temperament had undergone a qualitative transformation compared to before.

And compared to Su Qingyi's talent for Qi Refining, his talent for pill refinement truly was a complete mess.

Even though Su Yu sometimes gave him special instruction, two years had passed.

Su Qingyi had only barely become a low-grade Rank 1 alchemist of the Alchemy Pavilion.

So even though Su Qingyi's cultivation was close to breaking through to the sixth layer of Qi Refining, his current status in the Alchemy Pavilion was inferior to Su Yu's.

"Chen Sisi?" Su Yu recalled the young miss's icy, mountain-like junior sister from when they had hunted the Mountain Carving.

His impression was a little vague. They had not met for over two years.

Why had she suddenly come looking for him?

Su Yu was somewhat puzzled, but he did not neglect her. Together with Su Qingyi, he entered the front courtyard's Alchemy Pavilion and saw the somewhat changed Chen Sisi, along with a young girl younger than her and an old woman standing behind them.

When Chen Sisi saw Su Yu, a faint smile appeared on her face. "Fellow Daoist Su, congratulations on becoming a mid-grade Rank 1 alchemist."

Su Yu sensed the aura of the sixth layer of Qi Refining from Chen Sisi and smiled. "I am still only at the fourth layer of Qi Refining, while Fellow Daoist Chen has already reached the sixth layer of Qi Refining. As expected of a Cloud Sword Sect disciple."

The young girl frowned slightly. Watching the two exchange pleasantries, she immediately interrupted, "I heard you have a medicine here that can knock out late-stage Rank 1 demonic beasts?"

"How much is it? I want one bottle."

Su Yu looked at the young girl. Chen Sisi hurriedly introduced her in a low voice, "This is Yu Ke'er, the youngest legitimate daughter of the third branch of the Black Rock Mountain Yu Family."

"She has taken a liking to a late-stage Rank 1 demonic beast with a fairly good bloodline and wants to capture, subdue, and command it alive. She needs Spirit Bewildering Liquid."

"And recently, my family has encountered some trouble and wants to make contact with the Yu Family."

Chen Sisi lightly bit her red lip and looked at Su Yu pleadingly. "Brother Su, please help me this once. I am willing to owe you a great favor."