Intermediate Pills

At market prices, three stalks of century-old Fleeceflower Root could be exchanged for one low-grade Strange Treasure.

If he wanted a mid-grade Strange Treasure, he would probably have to spend all his century-old Fleeceflower Root just to have a chance of getting one—and it couldn't be anything too precious.

But mid-grade Strange Treasures were far too rare, and Qin Dongcheng had no hope of trading for one. So he had his eyes set only on low-grade Strange Treasures.

He divided the nine stalks of century-old Fleeceflower Root into three batches and took them to three different pill shops: one in the Bamboo Forest Black Market and two in sect shops outside it.

He didn't take them to any street stalls. Even the most reputable stall couldn't compare with a proper pill shop.

Qin Dongcheng mainly chose shops outside the Black Market, since they had a better reputation.

Century-old Fleeceflower Root was worth a pretty penny, especially when he had three stalks. If someone swallowed them without paying, Qin Dongcheng would feel the loss.

After several months of gathering herbs, he had obtained only a few dozen stalks of century-old Fleeceflower Root through critical hits. Every single one was extremely precious.

Trading three stalks of Fleeceflower Root for one low-grade Strange Treasure was already a hefty premium, so his chances of making the exchange were not low.

After taking care of the century-old Fleeceflower Root, Qin Dongcheng also bought some more herbs, gathering enough to make dozens of batches of ingredients for mid-grade pills.

Pure Blood Pill!

It was a mid-grade pill. Many of its methods and techniques overlapped with those for the Soul Bewildering Pill and Sun Flame Liquid, and it would be a great help to Qin Dongcheng at his current stage. After carefully weighing his options, he decided that the first mid-grade pill he would make was the Pure Blood Pill.

It purified and enhanced Blood Qi, and its medicinal effects were relatively mild. Under normal circumstances, only Martial Artists at the Flesh Phase Realm or above would buy it. Qin Dongcheng's cultivation was still a little lacking, but he could take it too.

Even after he entered the Tendon Phase Realm, he could take it regularly to purify the Blood Qi in his body and improve his cultivation.

Once he had prepared enough herbs, Qin Dongcheng began trying to refine the Pure Blood Pill.

His first attempt... ended in failure!

His second attempt... ended in failure!

It wasn't until his thirty-third attempt that he failed again.

"You refined a failed Pure Blood Pill. Congratulations, you triggered a Thousandfold Critical Hit and received a thousandfold reward!"

To Qin Dongcheng's surprise, although this attempt at refining the Pure Blood Pill had failed, it had triggered a Thousandfold Critical Hit. A flood of experience, techniques, and methods from failed attempts at making Pure Blood Pills surged into him, sending his skill at refining them soaring.

His alchemy methods and techniques also improved tremendously. Qin Dongcheng even had a feeling that it would take only a few more attempts before he could successfully refine a Pure Blood Pill.

Soon, after failing on his thirty-eighth attempt, he finally succeeded on his thirty-ninth.

Looking at the flawless, perfectly rounded Pure Blood Pill in his hand, Qin Dongcheng nodded in satisfaction. Successfully refining a mid-grade pill for the first time meant that he had one foot in the ranks of an Intermediate Alchemist.

His status was far above that of an ordinary Inner Sect Disciple, and he was almost on par with those True Inheritance Disciples.

If his skill became known, he could easily secure the position of Outer Sect Elder. Once he advanced to the level of an Intermediate Alchemist, even becoming an Inner Sect Elder would be within reach.

In the Five Elements Sect, that would make him a prominent figure among the upper echelons.

If he left the Five Elements Mountain Range, he could easily manage several counties—or even an entire prefecture.

That evening, Qin Dongcheng swallowed the Pure Blood Pill to feel out its medicinal effects.

The pill's power seemed to carry a flame. It refined his Blood Qi in wisps, making it purer and stronger, while continuously increasing its volume as well. Its effects far surpassed those of the Blood-Replenishing Pill, even though the Pure Blood Pill wasn't known for improving one's cultivation.

Feeling his Blood Qi and muscles grow stronger at a rapid pace, Qin Dongcheng was thoroughly pleased. Being an alchemist really was wonderful. He could supply his own needs and earn a handsome sum of silver, along with other income.

After accumulating resources over this period, his Sect Contribution had exceeded five thousand points. He had also spent some silver along the way to buy Sect Contribution from others.

His cultivation had now reached the late Flesh Phase, bringing him ever closer to the Perfected Realm. It was time to exchange for a Tendon Refining technique.

Martial Artists in the Tendon Phase Realm qualified as top-tier fighters, or even top experts. Outside the sect, they would be powerful figures in a county, easily capable of establishing a prominent clan there.

In his previous life, they would have been billionaires in their county, financially free and living a happy life.

One Pure Blood Pill had advanced Qin Dongcheng's cultivation by a small step and purified the Blood Qi in his body considerably.

If he refined more Pure Blood Pills later, he could take them himself at first, then start selling them once his success rate was high enough.

A few days later, Qin Dongcheng went to the Five Elements Library and exchanged five thousand Sect Contribution for a Tendon Refining technique.

Tide-Rising Muscle-Refining Fist!

It belonged to the same lineage as the Mount Tai Body Strengthening Fist, Diamond Skin Refining Fist, and Evergreen Muscle Refining Fist... Naturally, its difficulty of comprehension and cultivation was about the same. It was not an easy technique to practice.

However, once he cultivated it to the Perfected Realm, he would most likely awaken a Strange Phenomenon.

Qin Dongcheng had already awakened three Strange Phenomena. Among the younger generation of the entire Five Elements Sect, he was likely second to none, especially since all of his Strange Phenomena were top-tier.

Even Dong Hongyan, the famous prodigy of the Dong Family, had awakened only two Strange Phenomena, both of them mid-tier. She didn't have a single top-tier one.

Even so, the Dong Family had placed great hopes in her. How much greater, then, would their hopes be for Qin Dongcheng?

The Tide-Rising Muscle-Refining Fist was a water-type fist technique. Practicing it was like a surging tide, ceaselessly tempering and strengthening every tendon. The Blood Qi cultivated through it was like a tide as well.

Since he had already comprehended the first three techniques, understanding the Tide-Rising Muscle-Refining Fist was easier than before, and he soon made some progress.

By the time he had comprehended the Tide-Rising Muscle-Refining Fist, several dozen days had passed. After many failures, his success rate at refining Pure Blood Pills had reached about one in ten.

In other words, he could succeed at least once in every ten attempts, which was more than enough to cover his costs.

Each Pure Blood Pill cost one tael of silver to make, but sold for as much as twenty taels. That meant he wouldn't lose money as long as he succeeded once in twenty attempts, let alone once in ten.

So it was time to consider refining a second kind of mid-grade pill. That would also help him advance to the level of Intermediate Alchemist as soon as possible and master more alchemy techniques and methods.

After considering it carefully, he chose the Blood-Benefiting Pill. Its effects were similar to those of the Blood-Solidifying Pill, and it was a mid-grade pill commonly used by Martial Artists at the Flesh Phase Realm or above to improve their cultivation.

Its rate of improving one's cultivation far surpassed that of the Blood-Solidifying Pill. Once Qin Dongcheng broke through to the Tendon Phase Realm, he would be able to take the Blood-Benefiting Pill to improve his cultivation.