Lightning Refining Method

He got up early in the morning.

After a brief morning workout, Li Mo, Ma Ling, Niu Li, and Yang Guang went to the Advanced Study Hall's kitchen for breakfast. As usual, it was the same rough tea and plain fare day after day.

Wang Feng came over with Zhu Yidan and Zhao Xiaonan behind him, then greeted Li Mo.

"Li Mo, the Flower Festival is only a few days away. How about we go on an outing beneath the mountain together?"

"The Flower Festival?"

Li Mo could not help recalling the time he had gone on an outing by the Tan River with Wang Pan's family. A trace of melancholy surfaced in his eyes before he concealed his emotions and looked toward Ma Ling, Niu Li, and Yang Guang.

"Are you three going?"

"Sure."

"I have no objections."

Seeing that none of them objected, Li Mo smiled at Wang Feng. "The seven of us can go together, right?"

"And Ye Xuan."

Hearing this, Li Mo suddenly realized he had forgotten someone. He nodded with a smile.

"Right. The eight of us will go together!"

As Li Mo spoke, a voice transmission talisman suddenly flew in from outside and stopped before him. Seeing this, Wang Feng said goodbye to the four of them and left with Zhu Yidan and Zhao Xiaonan.

Li Mo picked up the voice transmission talisman and infused it with some spiritual power.

"At noon, during the Wu Hour, report to the Alchemy Hall for your assessment on time."

It was Chen Rong's voice transmission talisman. Li Mo glanced at the clepsydra. It was only the beginning of the Si Hour, so there was still plenty of time.

Different places had slightly different terms for telling time.

In some remote regions, an hour was generally divided into eight quarters, so terms like the sixth quarter of the Si Hour or the seventh quarter of the Si Hour sometimes appeared.

In the various commanderies, counties, and prefectures, an hour was generally divided into an initial and a proper phase, with each phase divided into four quarters. Thus, it reached at most the third quarter of the initial Si Hour before changing to the Si Hour proper.

These details could be set aside for now.

At noon, during the Wu Hour, Li Mo arrived at the Alchemy Hall.

A moment later.

Led by a gatekeeping boy, Li Mo followed the rich fragrance of spirit medicines through layer upon layer of courtyard walls until he arrived before the main hall of the inner courtyard.

The boy entered the hall to report his arrival while Li Mo gazed toward the vast spirit fields protected by grand arrays and restrictions.

The enormous spirit fields were divided into numerous sections. Spiritual energy drifted across the medicinal plots, and he could vaguely see some inner disciples of the Alchemy Hall laboring tirelessly among them.

At that moment.

A male and a female disciple walked out of a side courtyard of the Alchemy Hall. When they saw Li Mo before the main hall, they both stopped in their tracks.

The woman studied Li Mo with curiosity.

"You're Li Mo?"

Li Mo turned to look. The two were Chen Lan and Chen Yu of the Chen Family.

He nodded and smiled at Chen Lan.

"Yes, I am Li Mo."

Chen Lan nodded with a smile. "I heard Aunt Chen Rong mention you several times. She said that you're serious in your work, possess extraordinary insights, and have considerable talent in alchemy. Perhaps you may become an alchemy grandmaster in the future. Keep it up!"

Her tone was gentle, and her words made one feel as though they were bathing in a spring breeze.

As the rumors said, Chen Lan was gentle by nature and deeply devoted to Jiang Sheng.

Chen Yu, however, was clearly not easy to get along with. He had once confronted Zhou Zheng and Tao Ran alongside Ye Xunhuan, Ye Fuhu, and Lu Shun. His eyes were filled with arrogance as he looked at Li Mo.

"If Sister Lan and I were interested in alchemy, this alchemist assessment wouldn't have been your turn."

"Er?"

Li Mo did not know how to respond.

Fortunately, a cold snort sounded at that moment.

Chen Lan, Chen Yu, and Li Mo hurriedly bowed.

After Chen Rong emerged, she looked at Chen Yu and rebuked him. "You little brat, you've truly been spoiled rotten. You dare say anything!"

"Auntie."

Chen Yu looked somewhat embarrassed.

Chen Rong indicated that the three of them need not be so formal, then reprimanded Chen Yu. "The Alchemy Hall is the Lingmu Sect's Alchemy Hall, not our Chen Family's Alchemy Hall. Whenever I recommend a disciple, attitude, aptitude, and ability always come first. If you dare say such rebellious things again, I'll go home and tell your father to discipline you properly."

She deliberately emphasized the words "discipline you properly."

Chen Yu's face paled at this. He put on a mournful expression and begged for mercy.

"Auntie, you've misunderstood me. I meant that I'd work harder than him and have greater talent, striving to obtain your recommendation slot."

Chen Rong chuckled upon hearing this.

She knew that Chen Yu was not bad at heart. He was simply too demanding of himself and others, and looked down on anyone inferior to him. At that moment, she noticed another person arriving outside the courtyard and waved to Chen Lan and Chen Yu.

"The assessment is about to begin. You two should go back first."

"Yes."

At that moment, Li Mo also noticed someone else arriving behind him.

When he turned around and recognized the newcomer, he was startled. It was Tao Ran.

He immediately thought of Tao Ran's Divine Wood Physique. It was enormously beneficial for cultivating alchemy, and Tao Ran was the nominal disciple of Wang Wenhai, the Alchemy Hall's vice hall master. His doubts were instantly resolved.

Li Mo smiled at Tao Ran.

Tao Ran was also startled when he saw Li Mo. He had clearly remembered the disciple who defeated his good friend Wu Xin, but after seeing Li Mo's humble attitude, he hurriedly returned the smile.

At that moment.

Two cultivators, one man and one woman, walked out of the main hall of the Alchemy Hall.

The female cultivator had an aloof, detached bearing, as though she stood far removed from worldly affairs. The male cultivator had an aged yet kindly face and the manner of a red-nosed old rascal. He smiled and waved to Tao Ran.

"Good disciple, come meet your Auntie-Master Chen."

Generally speaking, seniority among cultivators was determined by cultivation realm.

Thus, Tao Ran and Li Mo, who were in the Qi Refining Stage, should have addressed Hall Master Chen, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, as their grand-auntie-master. However, Tao Ran had already become a nominal disciple under Vice Hall Master Wang, so it was reasonable for him to call her his auntie-master in Vice Hall Master Wang's presence.

"Auntie-Master Chen."

Tao Ran bowed respectfully.

Chen Huiling glanced at Tao Ran, then rolled her eyes at the red-nosed old rascal beside her. The relationship between the two seemed extremely harmonious.

"This child's Divine Wood Physique is indeed exceedingly rare. It is of the same lineage as yours, so from now on, you can be considered to have someone to carry on your legacy in the Da Gan Kingdom. Not bad."

After saying this.

Hall Master Chen took out a jade box and handed it to Tao Ran, whose face was filled with surprise.

"Since he's the old ghost's disciple, it wouldn't do for me not to show some goodwill. In my early years, my family and sect did not value me. It was only after I worked as a spirit-field cultivator for many years that I gradually came to comprehend the Dao. These are some of my experiences in cultivating spirit medicines. You should find them useful in the future."

"Thank you, Auntie-Master!"

Seeing this, Li Mo felt quite envious, but also somewhat puzzled.

What did she mean by saying that there was someone to carry on the legacy in the Da Gan Kingdom?

Why give him experience related to cultivating spirit medicines?

However, Chen Huiling, Hall Master Chen, clearly had no intention of explaining. After nodding, she looked toward Li Mo.

"You two, come with me."

"Wait."

The red-nosed old rascal chuckled.

"Senior Sister, conducting the assessment this way every time is rather monotonous. These two little fellows know that they will become disciples of the Alchemy Hall regardless of the result, so they certainly won't bring out their true potential when opening their furnaces for the first time. Why don't we add a little extra prize?"

As he spoke.

He took a jade box from his Storage Pouch.

When he opened the jade box, it revealed a red spirit medicine. Its fragrant aura spread through the air, immediately drawing the gazes of Li Mo, Tao Ran, and Chen Rong.

"Heh heh, one Hundred Year Red Essence Fungus. Whoever comes first between you two will take this Hundred Year Red Essence Fungus!"

Seeing this, Chen Huiling shook her head and smiled faintly. She knew that this old rascal was up to something again.

"Looks like Junior Brother has great confidence in this nominal disciple?"

Wang Haiwen grinned as he looked up at the sky, his face full of smugness.

"It is merely a Crimson Essence Fungus. Even if it is more than a hundred years old, it is practically useless to Golden Core cultivators like us. In the hands of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it can only serve as a supplementary ingredient. But if it falls into the hands of these two Qi Refining disciples, heh heh, it can serve as the primary ingredient of a Qi Gathering Pill. That would be making the best use of it."

"Since Junior Brother has put it that way and is willing to offer this Hundred Year Red Essence Fungus, we'll do as you say and add an extra prize this time."

After Chen Huiling finished speaking, she entered the main hall first.

Li Mo and Tao Ran were just about to follow her inside when Chen Rong stepped forward and offered Li Mo some words of reassurance.

"Don't let this distract you. Both of you are opening a furnace for the first time. The sect is providing the alchemy materials free of charge this time. You should focus on performing steadily and let the sect see your potential. Then, after you complete the graduation assessment two years from now and join the Alchemy Hall, you'll receive public alchemy assignments from the sect and thereby obtain..."

"Yes."

Li Mo had indeed been somewhat nervous earlier.

If he could win this Hundred Year Red Essence Fungus, he wondered how many Spirit Stones it could be exchanged for.

By then, whether it was learning spells, purchasing magical artifacts, learning the secret technique claimed by Tian Fen, searching for clues about the Ephemeral Demon Core, or studying the tribulation-transcending method recorded in the Mystic Box, none of it would be beyond his reach.

But just as Hall Master Chen had said.

The fact that Hall Master Wang dared to offer this spirit medicine as a prize instead of simply giving it away in private clearly showed that he had considerable confidence in Tao Ran.

After entering the main hall.

Two stone tables had been set up inside. Each held an exquisite, compact alchemy furnace, five Spirit Stones of different attributes, more than a dozen young spirit medicines, some clear water, and an Elixir Recipe.

Under Hall Master Chen's instructions, Li Mo and Tao Ran each occupied one of the stone tables, one on the left and one on the right.

"Today's assessment is to refine a Plague-Avoiding Pill within three hours according to the Plague-Avoiding Pill Elixir Recipe before you. Whether you refine them one by one or all at once is up to you. After the assessment, this Elixir Recipe, the alchemy furnace, and any remaining Spirit Stones and spirit medicines will be the sect's reward to you."

It was just as Chen Rong had said.

The result of the alchemy assessment was not important. Obtaining a recommendation was what mattered most. This made Li Mo increasingly grateful to Auntie-Master Chen Rong, and he quickly picked up the Plague-Avoiding Pill Elixir Recipe and began studying it carefully.

The process of refining a Plague-Avoiding Pill was not complicated.

Spirit pills were not divided into initial, middle, and high grades. Instead, their grades were determined according to the level of person for whom they were suitable. As Chen Rong had said back then, swallowing pills recklessly could result in one's body exploding and death.

The Plague-Avoiding Pill Elixir Recipe was clearly not precious. It belonged to the mortal-level pills that both ordinary people and cultivators could swallow.

It was an especially suitable subject for the two men's first furnace-opening assessment.

Alchemy was not something one could necessarily master simply because one had studied the theory well. It also required a certain aptitude, feeling, and luck.

The outcome involved who would obtain the Hundred Year Red Essence Fungus. After studying the Elixir Recipe three times, Li Mo began carefully sorting the spirit medicines before him. He appeared to be pursuing perfection, but was actually observing Tao Ran's actions in secret.

After studying the Elixir Recipe, Tao Ran gathered three of the Spirit Stones on the table, leaving only the fire- and wood-attributed Spirit Stones side by side before stimulating them with magical power.

The two Spirit Stones suddenly burst into flame, igniting the Spirit Fire.

His expression was calm, his bearing refined, and his movements elegant. With a confident smile, he set up the alchemy furnace and began processing the various spirit medicines according to the Elixir Recipe, placing them into the furnace one by one.

The entire process flowed like clouds and running water.

But Li Mo did not think Tao Ran had prepared in advance.

After opening his Spirit Eye, he noticed wisps of pale green spiritual power emerging between Tao Ran's hands. Many strands of spiritual power seeped into the spirit medicines like the fibrous roots of grass and trees. When Tao Ran formally began refining the pill, those strands entered the alchemy furnace along with the spirit medicines, harmonizing the pill within and resonating with the Spirit Fire, which contained a trace of wood attribute.

It was as though an invisible hand was constantly helping him sense the minute changes in the medicinal properties inside the furnace.

"Is this the ability of the Divine Wood Physique?"

Li Mo appeared calm on the surface, but he was deeply shaken inside.

The advantage alchemists of the Lingmu Sect possessed was that they could use the Spirit Eye Technique to sense changes in the medicinal properties inside the alchemy furnace. Tao Ran, however, had magnified this advantage even further.

Li Mo fiddled with the Elixir Recipe and spirit medicines for nearly an hour, but he still did not begin.

He had already realized that if he competed with Tao Ran using conventional methods, he would need to surpass him in basic skill, foundational alchemy theory, and luck to have any chance of winning.

Judging from Tao Ran's methods, his mastery of the basics would only be greater than Li Mo's, and his foundational alchemy theory was also solid. On top of that, he possessed the Divine Wood Physique...

Unless Tao Ran had poor luck and made a major mistake.

Otherwise, Li Mo would have absolutely no chance of winning if he refined the pill using the conventional methods taught in class.

"Life is a play, and every play must eventually end. I hope that you will give it your all in the future, seize the opportunities before you, and not end up like this old man, carrying regrets to the grave."

Zhang Guoyin's words still echoed in his ears.

Li Mo's gaze sharpened slightly. He drew a deep breath and actually removed three Spirit Stones as well, leaving behind the water- and wood-attributed Spirit Stones.

After stacking the two Spirit Stones one above the other, he used the special energy-circulation method from the Creation Pill Elixir Recipe to draw on the lightning-attributed magical power in his Dantian and link the two stones together, forming a lightning arc that crackled incessantly through the air.

"What is this?"

Not only was Tao Ran stunned, even Chen Huiling furrowed her brows.

Only when Li Mo placed the alchemy furnace atop the lightning arc and strands of lightning converged around it did Chen Huiling's pupils suddenly contract. The calm expression on her face was replaced by disbelief.

Li Mo had decided to follow the Lightning Refining Method described in the Creation Pill Elixir Recipe and take the risk of refining the Plague-Avoiding Pill!

Chen Rong did not know that Li Mo had learned alchemy simply because he wanted to learn alchemy, not because he wanted to join the Alchemy Hall and secure a profession as an alchemist. He had never forgotten his original aspiration. His dream was to become an inspector, uphold justice, save the people, punish evil, and promote good!

Thus, steadily performing well here to attract the attention of the higher-ups, then being assigned to train as an alchemist after the graduation assessment, was not the outcome he wanted.

"Refining pills with lightning should have miraculous effects in removing impurities. It ought to greatly increase efficiency when refining low-grade pills. It may even have extraordinary effects when refining spirit pills whose primary ingredient is a demon core. But for mid- and high-grade spirit pills centered around thousand-year or ten-thousand-year spirit medicines, it should not be very suitable. It may well increase the rate of shattered pills considerably."

This was Chen Rong's assessment of the Lightning Refining Method. She considered it a side path rather than the great and righteous path.

But in this situation, even if it was a side path, Li Mo had to fight with everything he had!

This method was only suitable for alchemists with a single lightning-attributed spirit root.

After activating the Lightning Refining Method through a special circulation of magical power, an alchemist also had to endure the backlash of lightning at all times. Yet the Elixir Recipe contained no record of how to avoid the backlash or weaken its side effects.

A faint numbness enveloped both his hands, forcing Li Mo to rely on powerful willpower and practiced skill to place the spirit medicines into the alchemy furnace one after another.

"Lightning belongs to wood, Kan belongs to water. Temper and purify, cleanse the dross. Heaven is round and earth square; when the pill is perfectly round, it is complete..."

An hour later.

Chen Huiling's face glowed as she opened the wooden doors of the Alchemy Hall's main hall.

"Senior Sister, how did the two of them do?"

Seeing this, Wang Haiwen asked with a hearty smile, while Chen Rong beside him was slightly tense.

Chen Huiling smiled faintly.

"It was their first time opening a furnace, yet both of them successfully produced pills. They are both rare geniuses of the alchemy lineage. As for their exact rankings, you two can go see for yourselves."

Wang Haiwen was stunned upon hearing this.

But Chen Huiling had already gone far. After Chen Rong hurried into the main hall, he followed as well, wanting to see with his own eyes what had happened inside.

The first thing he saw was Tao Ran, who wore a bewildered expression.

A large pile of medicinal residue lay on the stone table before him. Amid it were three Plague-Avoiding Pills. Though they looked slightly shriveled and lacked potency, such a result was already impressive for an alchemist firing up a furnace for the first time. His face immediately lit up with joy.

"Not bad!"

"Li Mo, Li Mo! Are you all right?"

"I... I'm in a bit of pain."

Wang Haiwen turned his head and looked toward Li Mo, who stood before another stone table.

His hair was disheveled, his body trembled without pause, and his eyes were slightly bloodshot. It was clear that his qi and blood were in disarray.

But when he looked at the stone table before Li Mo and saw that the meager pile of medicinal residue concealed a full twelve Plague-Avoiding Pills, his eyes widened until they were round as saucers.

"Impossible!"

He strode over to Li Mo's table and carefully examined the medicinal properties of the pills. Every one of them was smooth and lustrous, brimming with potency. Only two had developed cracks and flaws, and their medicinal properties would gradually fade with time.