Exquisite Pills (Seeking Reads)

Lin Changheng suppressed the urge to fire a [Fire Bullet Art] at the pond in the middle of the night, choosing instead to circulate his proficiency-level [Flowing Fire Art] and settle his mind for cultivation.

He quickly discovered that the efficiency of completing a single cycle had increased by a full thirty percent!

The process of absorbing fire spiritual energy into his body had become much easier and simpler.

Furthermore, when refining it, the energy no longer felt as difficult to drive or move as before; as the cultivation technique circulated, it was refined into mana, strand by strand.

This was a tremendous improvement.

Lin Changheng couldn't help but wonder: if one possessed Heaven-grade spiritual roots, would that spiritual energy actively and automatically drill into their body? Would it even shamelessly race along their meridians and energy channels, refining the moment it entered?

Early the next morning.

Lin Changheng rose early and stepped into the courtyard.

Facing the morning sun, he pinched a seal and cast his spell. Instantly, a fist-sized ball of fire took shape in his palm, its flames flickering and spitting.

The next moment, he fixed his gaze upon it, and without any warning, the fireball suddenly expanded, stopping only when it reached the size of an infant's head.

If anyone else had been there to witness this, they would have been so shocked they might have bitten their tongues off. How was this possible? Could this still be called a "Fire Bullet"? A "Fireball" would be more like it!

Then, the fireball suddenly contracted, returning to the size of a fist, but its power had surged by several notches. Sparks crackled like boiling oil as it shot straight into the pond ahead.

"Hiss!"

The fire bullet whistled through the air with a boom. Crimson-orange waves of fire engulfed the surroundings like the jaws of a savage beast, and the splashing sparks and water droplets carried a terrifying heat capable of melting gold and refining iron!

"Although the speed hasn't increased significantly, the power compared to before is visibly improved!"

Lin Changheng felt a faint sense of excitement.

What he did not know was that, under the fire-control enhancement of the Double Fire Crow Treasure Seed, the power of this technique was... more than a match for a small-success level [Fire Bullet Art]!

Meanwhile, next door, Su Shuangjiang, who was still fast asleep after being exhausted from hunting monsters, was jolted awake by the disturbance.

Even though she had activated a first-tier low-grade [Sound Isolation Array], it had failed to completely block the external influence.

After a moment of judgment, she still pinpointed the source of the disturbance to the house next door.

"Is that Brother Lin? How did he manage that..."

A pair of beautiful eyes flickered with shock, lost in thought.

Lin Changheng was unaware of his neighbor's surprise; he had already left in high spirits, heading to the Xu Family's apothecary.

In the alchemy room, he had just intended to light the furnace.

"Master Lin."

Seeing activity in the alchemy room, Xu Liucai hurriedly bowed respectfully, intending to wait outside as usual.

"It is you, Liucai. Hmm, I have had some insights while refining pills and need to verify them. You need not tend the furnace or watch the fire today; I am giving you the day off to do as you please."

Lin Changheng smiled.

"Many thanks, Master Lin." Xu Liucai's face lit up with joy. He bowed and left immediately, not forgetting to close the door to the alchemy room behind him.

By now, Lin Changheng had gathered his focus, concentrating fully. "This time, I shall test the [Fire Control Art: Agility]!"

Once the furnace was scorching and the medicinal ingredients were inside...

The door to the alchemy room remained tightly shut until nightfall.

Yet, no heat leaked out.

At this moment, Lin Changheng, his expression calm though his brow showed faint signs of fatigue, finished the final pill seal.

"Hum..."

Five pills flew out in a continuous string.

As his gaze swept over them, Lin Changheng's pupils constricted slightly; among the five, one was clearly different from the other four.

It was perfectly round like a red jade, with a faint spiritual light flowing across its surface.

He twitched his nose; the medicinal scent was crisp and refreshing, soothing to the heart, and its fragrance lingered without dissipating.

"A premium-grade [Crimson Flame Pill]?"

Lin Changheng naturally thought of the only possible explanation, as the quality of this pill was far superior to the standard [Crimson Flame Pill] he had refined previously.

"It really was a matter of fire control! I had questioned my own alchemy steps and timing before, yet I could never touch the realm of premium pills, which left me confused and conflicted."

"Now that my fire control level has improved, I have indeed refined a premium pill!"

"If not for the enhancement of the [Double Fire Crow Treasure Seed], I would have had to hone my fire control techniques for at least a dozen or even several decades before I might have had a chance at success... Master Mo once stated plainly that it took him twenty or thirty years of alchemy before he refined his first premium pill."

Lin Changheng's thoughts raced, and a smile appeared on his face.

Refining a premium pill was not only a validation of his alchemy skills but also represented greater spiritual stone earnings and... a further acceleration of his cultivation progress.

According to market prices, a standard [Crimson Flame Pill] sold for two low-grade spiritual stones, while a premium [Crimson Flame Pill] could fetch three to four.

Low-level rogue cultivators rarely bought them; they were not the target demographic.

However, for cultivators at the middle stage of Qi Refining, as well as the juniors and disciples of cultivation families and sects, these were items they scrambled to purchase.

For the former, it was because fine-grade low-tier pills remained effective for middle-stage Qi Refining cultivators while being significantly cheaper than mid-tier pills.

For the latter, it was because the pill toxins in fine-grade pills were so minimal they could be ignored, meaning they would not damage one's path to the Dao while still rapidly boosting cultivation—a quality favored by those who were not short on spirit stones.

"From now on, I can also take two fine-grade pills every month; my cultivation speed will increase by fifty percent!"

"In other words, in about two and a half years, I will be able to polish my realm to perfection and break through the middle stage of Qi Refining."

This shortening of time represented an expenditure of two to three hundred spirit stones behind the scenes.

"It is fortunate that I can refine them myself; otherwise, even with the spirit stones, I wouldn't know where to buy so many fine-grade pills!"

Lin Changheng shook his head and smiled.

Pills, artifacts, formations, and talismans—the four leading arts among the hundred crafts of cultivation—with alchemy hidden as the foremost among them; its value and gold content were manifested right here!

Time continued to flow forward.

Lin Changheng continued to refine pills in silence, collecting fine-grade [Crimson Flame Pill]s.

He did not reveal even a fraction of his ability to refine fine-grade pills to the outside world, as it would be far too shocking.

At the same time, the changes in Zichuan Market could no longer escape the eyes of those with keen intentions.

Many factions that had opened shops in Zichuan Market were retracting their presence, and in particular, the owners of the market, the Foundation Establishment family, the Qingfeng Ridge Wang Family, were also slowly withdrawing their strength.

One obvious sign was that the number of personnel in the Wang Family's patrol forces within the market had decreased, and the frequency of patrols was also dropping.

Various rumors and gossip followed in their wake, growing increasingly rampant.

However, the collection of the "Reclamation" substitute tax remained unchanged, and under the leadership of the Wang Family, it was launched in full swing.

After all, on the surface, the reclamation was led by the superior Purple Extreme Sect—a selfless act intended to benefit generations to come!

It was framed as planning for the future of the Zhuang Kingdom's cultivation world and opening up a new world for all cultivators under heaven; it was a thousand-year grand plan, and all cultivators had a duty to fulfill!

Cultivators must either participate in the reclamation and contribute their strength!

Or pay the reclamation tax and cough up the money!

They had to choose one of the two, or else they would be shamed by the world and jointly hunted down!

The dangers of reclamation were also self-evident; the casualty rate for each "Small Reclamation" was around ten percent, while the casualty rate for each "Great Reclamation" would climb, approaching twenty percent!

But danger, often, also represented opportunity!

The bigger the waves, the more expensive the fish!

It was also a chance for rogue cultivators and families to leap over the dragon gate!