A moment later.
Hua Lian sailed away.
As for the proposal to go fishing, not only did Fang Qing refuse, but Zha Zhu did not seem very interested either.
That Li Yusu, however, seemed quite interested. Hua Lian did not mind and took her along directly.
A month later.
The fleet from the Sect Grand Fishing returned. They reportedly had a good harvest, but the sect disciples had suffered casualties as well.
For Fang Qing, it simply meant that Cold Spring Peak had received another large-scale mission to refine Foundation Establishment Pills.
Li Yusu also returned safely. She had apparently gotten along well with the people aboard Hua Lian's ship and had gained quite a lot. They had even agreed to go out to sea together again next time.
As for Fang Qing?
He kept taking on missions, refining Jadeflower Spirit Water, and occasionally making a batch of Ginseng Green Spirit Water, which failed every single time without exception.
Looks like... I need to find an opportunity to leave the sect, then launder the large quantity of Jade Qi Ginseng I'll obtain...
Fang Qing pondered this in secret.
Once he left the sect, he could simply claim that he had been lucky enough to discover an ancient cultivator's cave abode and obtained a large number of spirit stones.
Then he could make extravagant purchases of the materials for Ginseng Green Spirit Water, spend all of it improving his alchemy skills, and no one would have reason to covet anything.
Time flowed like water, and the years flew like a shuttle.
Before he knew it, a year had passed.
Cold Spring Peak.
"Fusion!"
Fang Qing circulated the water from the Spirit Spring, forming a colossal vortex. Countless jade-green spiritual lights could faintly be seen being separated within the vortex, then fused together...
"Fall!"
A moment later, drops of jade-green spirit water condensed in the Spirit Spring, forming a shallow layer.
"Rise!"
Fang Qing changed his hand seals again. As Winnowing Basket Water Dharma Power circulated, his Water Control Art reached an astonishing level. He faintly controlled six vortices at once, refining pills simultaneously.
"Collect!"
In the end, drop after drop of emerald-green Ginseng Green Spirit Water was completely collected by Fang Qing's pill-collection art and stored inside a green-skinned gourd.
"Whoosh... I finally succeeded once."
He exhaled a long breath, opened the gourd, and dripped a drop into his mouth, savoring it slowly. "Hmm... Slightly bitter, authentic, though the quality is a little lacking. But this is only the first pool, so that's understandable. In the future, I won't need to buy those outrageously expensive supplementary pills from the sect anymore..."
As an expert in refining Ginseng Green Spirit Water, he naturally knew the cost of this batch of pills. The Pill Hall was simply ripping people off.
And yet... some disciples still had to queue up!
That was the arrogance of an alchemist!
"I succeeded not only because of the enormous amount of experience I've accumulated... I also have to thank my cultivation of the Horse-Head Vajra Protector Divine Art. After mastering this Secret Treasury Domain technique, my physique and spirit have improved rapidly... Although I'm still far from perfecting the first stage, my Body Refinement has at least entered the First-Order Low Grade. I can now fight Early Qi Refinement cultivators with my physical body... A stronger spirit gives me greater control over medicinal properties. Combined with a good Water Control Art and a massive investment of resources, I finally succeeded once..."
Fang Qing shook the green-skinned gourd, smiling happily. "After I finish consuming this gourd of spirit water, my cultivation should probably break through..."
His cultivation in the Breath-Nourishing Dao had been stuck at Qi Ingestion Third Layer for a year. This time, he should be able to rely on the power of the pills to break through to Qi Ingestion Fourth Layer in one go!
As for Black Water Dharma Power, perhaps he could try reaching Qi Refining Fifth Layer?
"Sure enough, compared to painstakingly relying on my own cultivation before, taking pills really is faster..."
A tremendous sigh rose in Fang Qing's heart.
He returned to his cave abode. Before he had rested for long, he received a voice-transmission talisman.
"Oh? It's actually this person? I suppose it's time to lay my cards on the table."
Fang Qing nodded and opened the gate to his cave abode. He saw a Qi Refinement cultivator with hair half black and half white and a thin, refined appearance walk in. It was Xu Wusu!
"Haha... Congratulations, Junior Brother, on successfully refining Ginseng Green Spirit Water."
Xu Wusu smiled and cupped his hands. This matter had long since spread across Cold Spring Peak, but the fact that he had come over so quickly showed that he was clearly a man of foresight.
"I was merely lucky. During my last mission, I discovered a Rogue Cultivator's cave abode and obtained a batch of spirit stones, which allowed me to purchase large quantities of spirit herbs and improve my skills."
Fang Qing smiled faintly.
The so-called "Rogue Cultivator's cave abode" was naturally his way of laundering the profits from trade between the two worlds.
As for the resources of a few Qi Refinement cultivators, they could not attract much attention within the sect.
Only a few of Fang Qing's friends repeatedly sighed over how lucky he was.
"That was destiny at work... When we cultivators want to become rich overnight, we have no choice but to leave home and seek fortuitous opportunities. Yet such opportunities are often accompanied by danger, making them far inferior to refining pills within the sect or cultivating Spirit Grain and raising fish for the sect..."
Xu Wusu also secretly thought that Fang Qing had stumbled into a stroke of incredible luck. The smile on his face grew even wider. "However, your inheritance from that ancient cultivator should have been nearly exhausted after purchasing the materials for Ginseng Green Spirit Water, right? First-Order Low Grade and Middle Grade spirit water are still manageable, but First-Order High Grade spirit powders, or even spirit pills... A single batch costs a fortune. Even one failure would make my heart ache beyond measure."
"Indeed... I only wish I had a renowned master to guide me."
Fang Qing sighed.
There were many alchemy disciples on Pill Island, but Second-Order alchemists qualified to accept disciples were exceedingly rare.
He had always felt that the fact Li Yusu had been able to become Clouddrift Adept's disciple definitely involved someone pulling strings behind the scenes!
"Naturally, it would be best to become the disciple of a Second-Order Alchemy Grandmaster. If that doesn't work, you could also join our Five Dragons Society and exchange experiences with us..."
Xu Wusu finally revealed his blade. "I wonder if Junior Brother would be willing?"
"The Five Dragons Society? Could it be the Five Dragons Society founded by Senior Brother Five Dragons Child?"
Fang Qing showed a slight look of surprise, while related information rapidly surfaced in his mind.
Five Dragons Child was a disciple of Pill Island and studied under a Second-Order Alchemy Grandmaster. He had now reached Qi Refining Ninth Layer!
Judging by his ambitions, he clearly intended to compete for the position of True Disciple in the next decade, and perhaps even for a Foundation Establishment Pill!
"Precisely!"
Xu Wusu took out a book on alchemy. "This Five Dragons Alchemy Classic was written by Senior Brother Five Dragons Child and later passed down to me... I feel that you, Junior Brother, are even more suited to it."
"Then Senior Brother Five Dragons Child has decided to compete for the position of True Disciple? I wonder whether it will be through combat or alchemy?"
Fang Qing exhaled slowly and asked.
"Naturally, it will be through alchemy... With our strength, working together, we can make Senior Brother Five Dragons Child's alchemy skills advance by leaps and bounds. He can already refine First-Order High Grade spirit pills. After another decade of improvement, he should be able to reach Quasi-Second-Order, or even Second-Order..."
Xu Wusu continued, "Senior Brother Five Dragons Child has promised that once he establishes his Foundation, he will certainly help all of us establish ours..."
"..."
Fang Qing was speechless inside, but his face became extremely solemn. "Senior Brother Five Dragons Child is actually so generous? We are all members of the same sect, and he is staking his reputation on it. Naturally, I believe him."
In truth, Fang Qing had seen through Five Dragons Child's plans at a glance. He merely wanted to gather a huge amount of spirit assets and deepen his alchemy skills.
When the higher-ups emphasized unity and sacrifice... the people below became the price!
"But... it doesn't matter to me! After all, I have nothing else, but I do have plenty of resources... Exchanging resources for the alchemy insights and guidance of a First-Order High Grade alchemist isn't too much of a loss..."
Fang Qing accepted the Five Dragons Alchemy Classic, then continued, "I've heard that to advance one's skills to Second-Order, one must possess Spiritual Sense... Could Senior Brother Five Dragons Child have succeeded?"
"Not yet..."
At the mention of this, Xu Wusu's expression turned somewhat unpleasant. "However, we searched everywhere for ancient formulas and found several ancient pill recipes suited to helping Qi Refinement cultivators increase their spiritual awareness. We are currently concentrating our manpower on deciphering and improving them. Although several of the main ingredients have already gone extinct, if we can find substitutes with even a portion of their effects, that should be enough."
"In that matter, Junior Brother is willing to contribute what little I can."
Fang Qing's eyes lit up at once.
Possessing Spiritual Sense during the Qi Refinement stage! That was also one of his goals!
Although he had the Horse-Head Vajra Protector Divine Art, there was no guarantee it would be enough. Having another method would only be better.
Although the main ingredients of these ancient pill recipes had gone extinct, that was merely the situation in the Lesser Vast Sea.
Perhaps the more distant Eastern Sea Cultivation Realm, or even the mainland, still possessed those spirit plants. Unfortunately, the cost of transporting them here was beyond what Qi Refinement cultivators could bear.
Or perhaps... he could find the lost primary medicine in Ancient Shu!
"Haha, with Junior Brother Fang joining our Five Dragons Society, we have truly gained wings like a tiger."
Xu Wusu laughed heartily.
"There is one more matter I would like to trouble Senior Brother with."
Fang Qing took a sip of mountain spring water and suddenly spoke.
"Oh? Go ahead..."
Although Xu Wusu felt that Fang Qing was somewhat troublesome, he still adopted an attentive posture.
"After advancing to become a First-Order Middle Grade alchemist, I've increasingly felt that I need a Spirit Pool of my own to better grasp medicinal and water properties... Constantly changing Spirit Springs isn't a solution. I was thinking of setting up a Spirit Spring eye in my cave abode, but I haven't been able to find a suitable geomancer and formation master..."
Fang Qing voiced his helplessness.
In reality, he simply wanted to find a more private place to refine pills instead of doing so under the eyes of everyone.
For instance, this time, the moment he successfully refined Ginseng Green Spirit Water, everyone knew about it, and Xu Wusu came knocking on his door.
This time, it was merely an ordinary pill like Ginseng Green Spirit Water.
But what if next time it was something even rarer?
"Hmm... Building a Spirit Spring of your own? That would not be a small expense... First, you would need approval from the Pill Hall. After all, you need to draw in a water vein, which would affect the changes in the island's main water vein... Besides that, there are the fees for hiring a formation master and geomancer, as well as the actual cost of constructing the Spirit Pool... You couldn't get it done without at least a hundred spirit stones."
Xu Wusu shook his head. "Everyone wants a private Spirit Spring, but unless they are First-Order High Grade alchemists, very few can build one."
"I'll raise the spirit stones myself. I would also trouble Senior Brother to introduce me to a reliable geomancer..."
Fang Qing said.
He had actually possessed the necessary capital for a long time, but he could not get approval from the Pill Hall. Without the right connections, he might be delayed for a very long time.
However, he could leave the matter to the Five Dragons Society. Five Dragons Child was a First-Order High Grade alchemist who had worked in the Pill Hall for many years. He would certainly be able to complete the procedures.
The same applied to geomancers and formation masters. Fang Qing did not know a single one.
"Even if I have to be a mark and spend a few extra spirit stones, as long as the matter gets done, it will still be worth it."
Before you continue