Intermediate Pills were not easy to refine. It was not as simple as refining Heart Nourishing Elixir; one needed to fuse all sorts of materials together, gather the principles of pill-making, form Pill Qi, and condense Pill Patterns before it was possible to create a Mysterious Pill.
The so-called "principles of pill-making" referred to the logic behind forming a pill. Without that logic, no pill could be made.
Pill-making principles were like the pill formulas people spoke of. The properties of the ingredients and their proportions were all part of those principles.
If one randomly mixed materials together, they would only waste the ingredients. No pill-making principles could take shape, and in the end, all they could produce would be a pile of Pill Dregs.
The most important main ingredient Ning Xiaochuan possessed was Blood Toad Wood. But as for what auxiliary medicines he should pair it with to establish the principles of pill-making, Ning Xiaochuan had not the slightest clue.
The next day, Ning Xiaochuan entered the Imperial City again and went to attend a lecture at the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall.
Although Ning Xiaochuan was highly gifted in Heart Nourishing Arts, his experience and knowledge were severely lacking. He was inferior even to many Elementary Heart Nourishers, so he needed to make up for it now.
Every ten days, the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall had an Intermediate Heart Nourisher give a lecture. Every half year, an Advanced Heart Nourisher would give one.
Ordinary people naturally had no opportunity to attend such lectures. Only the Heart Nourishers of the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall were qualified to listen.
Wang Shisong sat in the seat of honor. He appeared to be in his forties and wore a white Heart Nourisher Robe. A golden roc was embroidered on his collar with Heavenly Profound Silk, while a green Heart Nourishing Cauldron was embroidered over his chest.
This represented his status as an Intermediate Heart Nourisher. Wherever he went, he would receive the respect and admiration of others!
Below him sat more than thirty Elementary Heart Nourishers, all quietly listening atop meditation cushions. Some had even brought paper and brushes, constantly taking notes.
Wang Shisong spoke with great eloquence. "For Elementary Heart Nourishers, you should proceed one step at a time, cultivate steadily, and continuously accumulate experience. You must not be eager for quick success and instant benefit, nor should you greedily seek too much or aim too high. For you Elementary Heart Nourishers, that brings a hundred harms and not a single benefit."
Ning Xiaochuan rose to his feet and asked, "I would like to ask you a question, Senior. I hope you can dispel this junior's confusion."
Ning Xiaochuan spoke very humbly, making Wang Shisong feel as though he were floating on air. Greatly pleased, he said, "Asking one's elders questions is a very good habit. Young people like this dare to voice the doubts in their hearts; they possess a strong thirst for knowledge and ambition to improve. You should all humbly learn from him!"
The Elementary Heart Nourishers all fixed their gazes on Ning Xiaochuan. The longer they looked, the more displeased they became. They all felt that this brat was far too good at putting on an act, deliberately trying to attract the attention of an Intermediate Heart Nourisher so that he might be favored by him, perhaps even accepted as his disciple.
In truth, every Elementary Heart Nourisher present wanted to be noticed by an Intermediate Heart Nourisher and become his disciple. That way, they could receive far more guidance from an Intermediate Heart Nourisher.
Ning Xiaochuan paid no attention to their looks. He was already a Quasi-Intermediate Heart Nourisher himself; did he need to deliberately curry favor with another Intermediate Heart Nourisher? Besides, he was the one asking the other man for advice, so being humble and polite was only proper.
"If I wished to use Blood Toad Wood to refine a cauldron of Intermediate Pills, what Mysterious Medicine should I use as an auxiliary ingredient so that the medicines could undergo a qualitative transformation, form the principles of pill-making, and turn into Pill Qi?"
Wang Shisong's expression immediately darkened. He snorted coldly. "What I dislike most are students like you who crave quick success and instant benefit. You are clearly only an Elementary Heart Nourisher, yet you are already thinking about how to refine Intermediate Pills. Everyone wants to take shortcuts, and everyone wants to become an Intermediate Heart Nourisher. But among the countless Elementary Heart Nourishers, how many truly become Intermediate Heart Nourishers? Intermediate Heart Nourishers are incomparably noble existences. Not everyone can be noble. Surely you understand that?"
When Wang Shisong uttered the words "Intermediate Heart Nourisher," his heart swelled with superiority. It was an exceedingly lofty honor, and these Elementary Heart Nourishers seated below could only look up at him.
Those Elementary Heart Nourishers all burst into laughter. "This kid has really messed up. He must have only just become an Elementary Heart Nourisher and is attending Lord Intermediate Heart Nourisher Wang Shisong's lecture for the first time. He clearly has no idea that what Lord Wang Shisong hates most are students who think too highly of themselves."
"He has only just become an Elementary Heart Nourisher, yet he already wants to refine Intermediate Pills. What an idiot!"
"This kid originally wanted to catch Lord Intermediate Heart Nourisher's attention and become his disciple. I'd say he has completely lost his chance now. Haha!"
Ning Xiaochuan remained utterly unruffled. "I merely wished to ask for guidance. I meant nothing else by it."
Wang Shisong scoffed disdainfully. "At your current level, the proper thing to focus on is figuring out how to refine two drops of Heart Nourishing Elixir from a single Nourishing Heart Grass."
Wang Shisong found Ning Xiaochuan unfamiliar and assumed he was a newcomer who had only recently advanced to Elementary Heart Nourisher, so he offered him this advice.
Ning Xiaochuan had not expected to be attacked merely for asking a question. "If I were an Intermediate Heart Nourisher, would I be qualified to ask this question?"
"Intermediate Heart Nourishers are all people of great wisdom. It is common for us to exchange ideas and discuss matters with one another." Wang Shisong said leisurely, "You are still too young. Once you become an Intermediate Heart Nourisher in the future, you will understand that everything I taught you today was for your own good."
"I am already a Quasi-Intermediate Heart Nourisher," Ning Xiaochuan said.
Wang Shisong said, "Of course, for an Elementary Heart Nourisher to become an Intermediate Heart Nourisher, it takes at least ten years of accumulation and cultivation. One must proceed step by step... Uh... What did you just say? You are already an Intermediate Heart Nourisher?"
Wang Shisong came to his senses and nearly choked on his own saliva. He stared blankly at Ning Xiaochuan.
The Elementary Heart Nourishers seated below were likewise so shocked that none of them could speak. They all stared at Ning Xiaochuan in a daze.
As Heart Nourishers, it was impossible for them to lie. Otherwise, they would become people without credibility, and once they lost their credibility, that Heart Nourisher would become notorious.
Thus, they did not suspect Ning Xiaochuan of joking. No one would joke with their own reputation.
Ning Xiaochuan said, "I am currently a Quasi-Intermediate Heart Nourisher. I only need to refine one batch of Intermediate Pills to immediately become an Intermediate Heart Nourisher."
Wang Shisong swallowed hard. "The refinement of Intermediate Pills must be explored slowly by oneself, pairing auxiliary medicines according to the main ingredient you find. On this matter, no one can offer you guidance."
Wang Shisong himself had only advanced to Intermediate Heart Nourisher half a year ago.
Up to this point, he had only successfully refined one batch of Intermediate Pills. That was entirely because his luck had been good.
Wang Shisong himself only half understood the refinement of Intermediate Pills. Naturally, Ning Xiaochuan could not possibly get any answer from asking him.
Ning Xiaochuan could only sigh inwardly. It seemed he truly could only explore it slowly by himself. This required the constant accumulation of experience; it could not be accomplished overnight.
The moment Ning Xiaochuan left, the place erupted.
"Who is this guy? He became a Quasi-Intermediate Heart Nourisher at such a young age!"
A young girl who had been sitting beside Ning Xiaochuan was also stunned. Timidly, she said, "I think he said his name was Ning Xiaochuan."
"Ning Xiaochuan? Heavens! Isn't he the foremost Elementary Heart Nourisher of our Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall? The Peerless Prodigy whom princess Qian Qian praised so highly, an Elementary Heart Nourisher receiving the monthly salary of an Intermediate Heart Nourisher!"
Everyone boiled over. A sixteen-year-old Intermediate Heart Nourisher—he was destined to become an extraordinary oddity in the world of Heart Nourishers.
Even Wang Shisong could not calm his heart at this moment. He somewhat regretted having gotten so carried away just now. If he had offended this Peerless Prodigy, he feared that he would find it impossible to take even a single step in the world of Heart Nourishers in the future.
Within the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall stood a tall tower.
The tower had thirty-one levels in all. From its summit, one could see the entire Heavenly Might City Region. Only Heart Nourishers could enter this tower, where they studied Heart Nourishing Arts and consulted reference materials.
The highest floor was where the Hall Master of the Golden Roc Heart Nourishing Hall, the Grand Heart Nourisher Guo Shidao, cultivated.
Guo Shidao was already one hundred and sixty-four years old. He wore a white Heart Nourisher Robe, and his snow-white hair was more than three meters long, trailing all the way to the floor. His face was covered with wrinkles, while his eyebrows and beard were as white as snow.
He sat cross-legged upon a circular platform piled from white jade, carrying himself with the air of an immortal sage. Holding a volume of the Saber Book, he explained ancient Heart Nourishing Arts to Yu Qianqian.
Yu Qianqian was Guo Shidao's seventh disciple and also the disciple he thought most highly of. At only sixteen years old, she had already become a Quasi-Intermediate Heart Nourisher.
Anyone would have reason to be proud upon encountering such a disciple.
"Hall Master, Wang Shisong requests an audience outside. He says he has something extremely important to report." An elderly man entered from outside and respectfully bowed to Guo Shidao.
Guo Shidao said, "Let him enter!"
Yu Qianqian sat cross-legged upon a meditation cushion and smiled faintly. "Doesn't Wang Shisong always enjoy showing off his superiority before Elementary Heart Nourishers? What important matter could he possibly have?"
"Qian Qian." Guo Shidao reproached her slightly. "Though Wang Shisong's aptitude is somewhat lacking, he is still a very diligent Heart Nourisher. You must never mock anyone who works hard!"
"Master's rebuke is correct," Yu Qianqian said.