Li Qingshan's heart jolted. He hadn't expected that, in the momentary pleasure of refining the residual medicinal power inside his body, he would accidentally let a trace of his aura slip out. He quickly bowed, his face showing just the right amount of excitement and unease. "Reporting to Master, this disciple... this disciple has felt his bottleneck loosening recently. Just now, by sheer luck... by sheer luck, I broke through to the seventh level of Qi Refining."
He revealed his cultivation at the seventh level of Qi Refining.
"The seventh level of Qi Refining?"
Master Yan Ming's gaze was as sharp as lightning as he looked Li Qingshan up and down, as if trying to see right through him.
At a hundred years old, breaking through from the sixth to the seventh level of Qi Refining within a year?
Even with a Heavenly Spirit Root, this speed was still astonishing!
Had he been hiding his cultivation before? Or did he truly have a talent for alchemy, with his focused mind driving his cultivation forward?
Master Yan ultimately asked no more. He only gave a cold snort. "Hmph, at least you're still somewhat useful. My words haven't gone to waste. Since you've broken through, try helping control the fire from now on. You'll learn from the beginning!"
"Yes! Thank you, Master!"
Li Qingshan replied respectfully, his heart easing with relief.
The seventh level of Qi Refining was still astonishing, but it was much easier to explain than the ninth level or even the great circle of Qi Refining.
Just as Li Qingshan gradually began learning practical fire control, secretly using his powerful divine sense and Longevity Mana to make up for his "crude manipulation of spiritual power," news quietly spread among the senior ranks of the Alchemy Hall—and eventually reached his ears.
Master Yan Ming was preparing to refine Foundation Establishment Pills!
Not for himself, but for a core True Disciple of the sect.
The news sent the entire Alchemy Hall into an uproar!
Foundation Establishment Pills were only second-tier, low-grade spirit pills, yet they were extremely difficult to refine—even harder than second-tier, high-grade spirit pills. Their failure rate was astounding, and the ingredients required were exceedingly precious!
Among the entire Alchemy Hall, fewer than ten alchemists could refine Foundation Establishment Pills.
When Li Qingshan heard the news, the hand controlling the fire trembled slightly, and the flames inside the furnace nearly slipped out of control!
He forcibly suppressed the storm surging in his heart, and an unprecedented gleam burst from his eyes!
Foundation Establishment Pills!
The chance to establish his foundation, the one he had dreamed of day and night, had finally come into view!
How could Master Yan's alchemy never fail? Even with his superb skill, producing one or two pills would be fortunate. And those ruined pills... wouldn't they...
Li Qingshan took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. His gaze returned to the leaping flames, but his eyes had grown even more resolute and profound.
Several days later, the atmosphere in Alchemy Room No. C-7 had changed completely.
Usually, the room was used for processing medicinal ingredients and basic practice. Now it was filled with a solemn, scorching energy.
At the center of the room, the Earth-Fire Bronze Cauldron—usually seldom used and engraved with intricate formations—had been fully activated. Earthfire roared beneath it, heating the cauldron until its body glowed faintly red. Waves of heat pressed against them.
Master Yan Ming looked solemn. His graying hair was tied neatly behind his head, and his cloudy eyes now gleamed as he stared intently at the changes in the cauldron.
Li Qingshan stood respectfully at his side, barely daring to breathe. He knew the most crucial moment had arrived.
"Watch closely, boy!"
Master Yan Ming's voice was low and stern. Unusually, he didn't scold Li Qingshan; instead, there was a hint of instruction in his tone. "Foundation Establishment Pills are spirit pills that seize the workings of heaven and earth. They help cultivators defy fate and establish their Dao Foundations! Their difficulty lies in three things!"
As he carefully placed a strange flower into the cauldron—its nine crystalline leaves glowing with purple light—he explained, "First, the main ingredients are hard to find! The three primary ingredients are a nine-hundred-year-old Purple Sun Nine-Leaf Flower, the seeds of an Earth-Core Fire Lotus, and the essence refined from Millennial Stone Milk!
"Every one of them is precious beyond compare. The Purple Sun Nine-Leaf Flower is especially rare, all but extinct. It can only occasionally be found in ancient ruins or perilous places. Every flower used means one fewer remains!"
Li Qingshan held his breath and watched the legendary spirit herb melt inside the cauldron, releasing a surging, pure energy. He was deeply shaken.
"Second, the medicinal properties are fierce, and blending them is extremely difficult!"
Master Yan's hands moved like lightning as he repeatedly struck the cauldron with fire-control seals and fusion sigils. The medicinal liquids of different colors churned and collided inside, sometimes blending, sometimes repelling one another. Astonishing waves of energy burst forth, making the entire cauldron tremble slightly.
"The three main ingredients have different properties, and their yin and yang clash. It takes exceptionally powerful divine sense and precise control of spiritual power to find a balance amid these rapidly changing conditions and blend them perfectly! The slightest misstep, and their properties will clash, blowing up the furnace and ruining the pill!"
Sweat had appeared on Master Yan's forehead. It was clearly taking a tremendous toll on his mind.
With his powerful divine sense, Li Qingshan could vaguely sense the heart-stopping struggle of energies inside the cauldron. He was filled with admiration for Master Yan's alchemical skill.
"Third, the moment the pill forms, an inner pill tribulation arises!" Master Yan's voice grew even more grave. "Foundation Establishment Pills defy the heavens. When they form, they spontaneously trigger a trace of inner pill tribulation. A special method is needed to protect them, stabilize their shape, and lock in their spiritual essence! This is the step with the highest failure rate!"
Just then, brilliant light flooded the cauldron, and the medicinal fragrance suddenly grew overwhelmingly rich.
At the same time, however, a violent hum and surge of energy erupted from within!
Master Yan's expression changed. His fingers darted out, sending several streaks of spiritual light into the cauldron as he tried to force it to stabilize.
Boom!
A muffled blast came from inside. The light abruptly dimmed by more than half, and a scorched smell mingled with the medicinal fragrance.
Master Yan's face darkened as he opened the lid. At the bottom of the cauldron lay three charred, twisted pills, devoid of spiritual energy; one dull, low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill with indistinct markings; and a small pile of ash.
The first batch had produced one pill and three ruined ones!
"Hmph! I'm old! My divine sense just isn't as sharp as it was in my youth!"
Master Yan snorted coldly, seemingly dissatisfied, though his eyes showed little surprise. Clearly, he had been prepared for this.
He carefully put away the low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill. As for the three ruined pills, he didn't even bother to look at them, casually sweeping them toward the waste chute.
The ruined pills in the waste chute would be reduced to ash by the earthfire.
"Master!"
Li Qingshan hurried a step forward and said respectfully, "Those ruined pills... could this disciple... could this disciple keep them?"
Master Yan Ming paused and swept his sharp gaze over him. "What do you want those ruined pills for? Their medicinal properties have clashed, their spiritual energy is violent, and they're already useless—possibly even harmful."
Li Qingshan's face showed a mixture of embarrassment and longing as he lowered his voice. "This disciple... this disciple wants to keep them for observation and study, to see where things are likely to go wrong during Master's pill refinement and learn from it... Perhaps, perhaps I could also sense a trace of the Foundation Establishment Pills' lingering Dao resonance. It might be of some small benefit to my cultivation..."
His excuse sounded studious, though it also carried a rather pitiful, wishful air.
Master Yan Ming stared at him for several seconds. He seemed to see through Li Qingshan's little scheme, but couldn't be bothered to call him out. In the end, he impatiently waved a hand. "Do as you please! They're just a pile of garbage. Don't leave them lying around the alchemy room and getting in the way!"
"Thank you, Master!"
Suppressing his excitement, Li Qingshan carefully placed the three still-warm ruined pills into the jade box he had prepared in advance.
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