First Experience in Alchemy

In this world, five or six hundred Gold Coins were enough for an ordinary family to live without worry.

"Here are two simple Pill Recipes. Read them first, then practice on your own after you're done." After saying that, Frank patted Gu Fengchen on the shoulder and turned to leave.

After Frank left, Gu Fengchen took a deep breath.

Everything was developing in a very positive direction.

Xiao Yan probably had not yet had his Dou Qi drained by Old Ya, and the main storyline of Battle Through the Heavens had not begun. Yet he was already able to embark on the path of an Alchemist. This was simply a god-tier start.

He was now a Four Star Dou Shi, but his Dou Qi was as solid as refined iron. With the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame refining his Dou Qi, there was none of the instability that came from rapid advancement.

His foundation had not suffered the slightest negative effect either.

Then there was his soul. Gu Fengchen felt that his Soul Perception was extraordinarily powerful. This was probably a benefit brought about by having lived two lives.

Beyond that, the combination of cultivation techniques and Dou Skills he possessed was also exceptionally impressive. At the very least, among Dou Shi, he had no rivals at all.

Setting aside his thoughts, he turned his attention to the two Pill Recipes.

He took out the pitch-black Medicine Cauldron from his Storage Ring.

After reviewing the pill formulas, as well as the required proportions and Heat Control for alchemy, he slowly pressed his palm against the Medicine Cauldron.

Carefully, he drew out an extremely weak wisp of Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame.

The Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame was simply too tyrannical. Gu Fengchen feared that if he summoned it directly, forget the Medicinal Herbs—even that basic Medicine Cauldron would be burned into a lump of slag.

Wrapped in Dou Qi, a wisp of golden flame rapidly coursed through his meridians, passed through his palm, and entered the Medicine Cauldron.

Soon, a wisp of Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame began burning inside the black Medicine Cauldron.

The next moment, Gu Fengchen drew out an extremely thin stream of green Dou Qi and injected it into the Medicine Cauldron.

Once the green Wood Attribute Dou Qi entered, it was as though a chemical reaction had occurred.

The previously restless flames inside the cauldron abruptly calmed down!

Gu Fengchen slowly exhaled a breath of Turbid Qi. After confirming that he had the flames under control, he settled his mind and began refining the Medicinal Herbs.

Gu Fengchen selected a medicinal herb and tossed it into the Medicine Cauldron. However, the instant it touched the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame, it withered and blackened. In only a few seconds, nothing but a layer of ash remained.

Gu Fengchen froze for a moment. "The temperature of the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame is harder to control than ordinary flames. I can only take it slowly."

He took a deep breath. In any case, he had not paid for these Medicinal Herbs himself. If they were ruined, so be it.

He continued trying.

Yet the next ten attempts all ended in failure.

Swallowing, Gu Fengchen placed another medicinal herb into the Medicine Cauldron.

However, that medicinal herb only lasted for a short while before turning to ash as well.

After twenty failures, Gu Fengchen finally managed to grasp the basics of refining Medicinal Herbs.

Fortunately, Frank was generous enough. Otherwise, he could never afford such wastefulness.

At this moment, Gu Fengchen's body felt completely drained. He panted heavily, his chest rising and falling without pause.

Alchemy also consumed an enormous amount of Dou Qi.

After adjusting himself, he continued refining pills.

Until the thirty-first attempt.

He tossed another medicinal herb into the Medicine Cauldron. Once it entered, the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame under Gu Fengchen's control slowly roasted it at a moderate temperature.

This time, the medicinal herb did not immediately turn to ash. Instead, a drop of red liquid seeped from its surface. As more and more liquid seeped out, the herb rapidly withered as though its essence had been drained away. Soon, the refinement was complete.

Gu Fengchen collected the red medicinal liquid from the Medicine Cauldron into a jade bottle and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Alchemy truly required considerable concentration. One lapse in attention, and a medicinal herb would be ruined, forcing him to start over.

Still, the beginning was always the hardest. Through practice, Gu Fengchen had gradually learned how to control the temperature of the Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame. Since he had succeeded with the first step, the remaining extractions would be much easier.

However, Gu Fengchen had to rest for a while now. The Dou Qi in his body had been consumed too heavily. If he continued, he would certainly fail the alchemy due to exhaustion of Dou Qi.

He lay weakly on the bed, his mind filled with the urge to get a good night's sleep.

A moment later, after a fierce internal struggle between laziness and diligence, he still sat up, formed a cultivation hand seal, and slowly closed his eyes.

After all, when the Dou Qi in one's body was nearly depleted, cultivation was most effective.

Gu Fengchen sat cross-legged to rest and recover his Dou Qi. An hour later, he opened his eyes again and resumed refining pills.

The essences had already been extracted. The next step was pill fusion.

As the name implied, pill fusion meant blending together the refined essences of the various Medicinal Herbs.

This was the most difficult step. After all, the medicinal properties of the herbs differed. If he failed to control the flames properly, the Medicinal Herbs he had painstakingly refined earlier would be wasted outright.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Fengchen placed the Medicinal Herbs into the Medicine Cauldron one by one.

This was when the importance of Wood Attribute Dou Qi became apparent.

The process of pill fusion required wood energy for catalysis. After all, most Medicinal Herbs were wood-aligned, and wood energy could neutralize their medicinal properties and catalyze the fusion of the pill.

Under the constant roasting of the intense flames, the differently colored medicinal essences gradually began to merge.

Within the golden flames, the outline of a pill slowly emerged.

Gu Fengchen focused his mind and began roasting the gradually forming pill at an even temperature.

This process lasted nearly twenty minutes.

Only after Gu Fengchen confirmed that the pill had taken shape did he suddenly withdraw his Soul Power. In an instant, the golden flames completely enveloped the pill.

The Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame flared and then withdrew, rapidly suppressed by Gu Fengchen to its lowest intensity once more. Then, as the golden flames dispersed, a pill emitting a faint fragrance appeared inside the Medicine Cauldron.

The Grade One Pill, Spring Return Powder, was complete!

The entire process had taken nearly four hours, yet Gu Fengchen did not feel tired in the slightest. He was incredibly excited.

After all, this was his first successful attempt at alchemy.

"Ah, but becoming an Alchemist requires a great deal of Medicinal Herbs and Pill Recipes. I can't keep mooching off Frank either. I still need to gather some myself. When I get the chance, I'll go to the Mitel Auction House and auction off the pills Gu Yuan gave me, then exchange them for some Gold Coins or something."

Moreover, alchemy consumed an immense amount of mental energy and Dou Qi. Of those four hours, Gu Fengchen had spent two recovering and regulating his Dou Qi. Therefore, to become an outstanding Alchemist, one's own strength was also extremely important.

Ten minutes later, Gu Fengchen pulled Xiao Yi Xian to a secluded corner. He had forgotten something earlier.

Xiao Yi Xian looked at Gu Fengchen in confusion and asked, "Gu Feng, what is it?"

"I forgot earlier. This is for you."

As he spoke, Gu Fengchen took out a set of dark black Soft Armor from his Storage Ring.

Yaoye had given this set of Soft Armor to Gu Fengchen before.

However, Gu Fengchen's own defenses were already maxed out. Although this Soft Armor was useful, it would not benefit him greatly. It was better to give it to Xiao Yi Xian.

Looking at Xiao Yi Xian's expectant yet bewildered expression, he explained, "This is a set of close-fitting Soft Armor made from the hide of a Fourth Tier Magic Beast, the Black Demon Bear. It fits perfectly against the skin and is highly breathable. It can make up for your lack of defense, so you won't have to fear others getting close to you."

Xiao Yi Xian accepted the Soft Armor in wild delight, her eyes slightly reddened as she said, "Th-thank you."

In truth, among the many female characters in Battle Through the Heavens, Xiao Yi Xian had the most miserable background.

Qing Lin came next. The two of them were more or less evenly matched.

Cai Lin was the queen of the Snake People Tribe, Gu Xun'er possessed the Dou Di Bloodline, and Nalan Yanran had the Nalan Clan behind her.

Only Xiao Yi Xian had nothing. Without the Body of Calamitous Poison, she likely would never have left Qingshan Town in her entire life!