Neutrality

Whether it is the Blood-Solidifying Pill or the Blood-Benefiting Pill, both are common intermediate-level pills and are frequently used, with their formulas already recorded in the Hundred Poisons Medical Canon.

Therefore, Qin Dongcheng does not need to purchase additional formulas; he can learn and refine them directly.

He naturally failed when he first started refining the Blood-Benefiting Pill, but he was accustomed to this. He would set aside a little time every day to refine the pill, treating each failure as a lesson.

With the Heaven Rewards Diligence System, he gains a certain amount of experience and technique with every failure, and occasionally receives a critical success that grants even more, ensuring he improves every single time.

Unlike other alchemists who often only see significant improvement after many failures—frequently going bankrupt by the time they can successfully refine a certain pill, especially when attempting to reach a higher level of alchemy—his progress is different.

Qin Dongcheng's progress can no longer be described as fast; it is more like he is riding a rocket.

At his current speed, it will take him less than ten to fifteen days to successfully refine the Blood-Benefiting Pill, after which he only needs to follow the standard procedure to improve his success rate.

Although he has not yet successfully refined the Blood-Benefiting Pill, his supply of Pure Blood Pills is sufficient. They not only meet his needs but also allow him to sell a few occasionally to trade for the herbs he requires.

He has naturally not neglected the refining of Sun Flame Liquid. His sect contribution points were completely exhausted to exchange for the Tide-Rising Muscle-Refining Fist, so if he wants to exchange for a higher-level Bone Refining Technique, he must accumulate sect contribution points in advance.

The Bone Refining Technique requires significantly more sect contribution points, totaling around thirty thousand. Even though the price of Sun Flame Liquid has reached about thirty points, he would still need to refine one thousand bottles to obtain thirty thousand points.

Even if he were capable of refining that many, Qin Dongcheng would not dare to release such a large quantity.

Because he has been handing in more Sun Flame Liquid lately, his mandatory monthly quota has already reached ten bottles.

This is a good thing for Qin Dongcheng, as it means he can earn three hundred sect contribution points each time; he would only need one hundred such instances to have enough for the Bone Refining Technique.

At his current speed, he could save up enough in a year or two.

Combined with the sect contribution points he purchases from others, he will be able to exchange for the Bone Refining Technique in at most a year.

That may not sound like a short time, but considering that many Martial Artists often spend years or even decades to exchange for higher-level techniques, one can see just how fast Qin Dongcheng's earning speed is.

In the roughly six months since he began alchemy and medicine making, he has successively exchanged for the Diamond Skin Refining Fist, the Evergreen Muscle Refining Fist, and the Tide-Rising Muscle-Refining Fist. Such rapid progress is enough to leave ordinary Martial Artists dumbfounded.

Dong Hongyan and the others are still busy slaying demons and monsters to earn sect contribution points, while also gaining additional benefits and favors from various alchemists, blacksmiths, and formation masters, which can be considered a bountiful harvest.

Qin Dongcheng does not need their help, as he can complete all his mandatory tasks entirely through the Sun Flame Liquid.

The cultivation of the dozens of herb field handymen is also proceeding smoothly. Besides Lu Gen, two other handymen have condensed their blood energy and stepped into the level of Martial Artists, and they are incredibly grateful to Qin Dongcheng.

Everything is going very smoothly. Although demons and ghosts are running rampant outside, Qin Dongcheng is improving rapidly here in Bamboo Forest Valley, and he is on the verge of reaching the perfection of the Flesh Phase.

This afternoon, he headed to the Bamboo Forest Black Market as usual to trade Sun Flame Liquid, Pure Blood Pills, and other items for the resources and treasures he needed.

He traded for various alchemy and medicine-making materials, blood beasts for making medicinal meals, inquired about low-level rare treasures, and even used pills and silver to exchange for sect contribution points through some black market merchants.

Some disciples who have lost their drive or need to secure benefits for their family descendants often exchange their sect contribution points for other resources, feeling that the exchange rate within the sect is not cost-effective, so they trade in the black market instead.

As long as one has a special jade stone, the transfer of contribution points can be carried out.

The reason Qin Dongcheng was able to save up enough sect contribution points in such a short time is that he purchased quite a few points in the black market this way, spending several thousand taels of silver.

One point of Five Elements Sect contribution is worth more than one tael of silver, and it is far more valuable than silver itself, so there is a significant premium when exchanging.

However, to be honest, many of the Five Elements Sect's techniques—such as all the techniques Qin Dongcheng practices—are top-tier. Being able to exchange for them with such a small amount of sect contribution is already a special favor the Five Elements Sect grants its disciples.

If he were to leave the Five Elements Sect, Qin Dongcheng would not even have the qualifications to touch such Body Strengthening, Skin Refining, or Muscle Refining techniques, let alone purchase them, without a massive amount of gold and silver.

While there are many discounts on techniques, combat skills, and secret arts, other areas are not as favorable, which is why many disciples exchange their sect contribution points for silver or pills.

After purchasing the necessary resources, it was already evening, and the sky was growing dim.

His harvest this time was quite good, especially regarding sect contribution points, as he obtained over one thousand points in exchange for several hundred taels of silver and dozens of bottles of pills.

At this rate, he will be able to exchange for the Bone Refining Technique in just a few more months.

However, the silver and pills he has accumulated for so long will likely be almost entirely depleted.

There are gains and losses; this is a perfectly normal occurrence.

"I have already handed over all the silver on my person, why must you still push me to the brink of death?"

"Just because you say you handed it all over doesn't mean you did. Who knows if you have any hidden away? We must check for ourselves."

"That's right. We heard you used to be a True Inheritance Disciple of the Shadow Sect. Do you really think we believe you only have a thousand taels of silver on you?"

"Fine, fine, fine. I never expected the Five Elements Sect, which prides itself on being a righteous sect, to be full of such trash—murdering for goods and seizing by force. I must have been blind to have fled here."

While passing through a dense forest, he was startled to hear voices coming from within, followed by the sounds of a scuffle.

It seems some black sheep of the Five Elements Sect are up to their old tricks again. Qin Dongcheng has seen many such disciples.

Even in the Five Elements Sect, which claims to be righteous, it is inevitable that there will be some unsavory characters. Previously, some dishonest Five Elements Sect disciples had targeted Qin Dongcheng—more than once—hoping to ambush him after he left the black market.

However, thanks to the Heaven Concealment Art and the Phantom Movement Technique, he was able to easily evade them every time.

Having encountered such people again, Qin Dongcheng had no intention of intervening to avoid trouble, so he bypassed the forest, preparing to return to the Osmanthus Garden as quickly as possible.

He would not take sides; life and death are matters of fate. These people fighting has nothing to do with him, and he has no need to waste time and energy on them.

As for the idea of the fisherman profiting while the snipe and the clam fight, such good fortune rarely exists, so it is better to be cautious. He is not currently lacking in resources or treasures.