Qi-Absorbing Pill

The Message-Sending Eagle was a Tier 1 spirit bird purchased by the lineage from the Beast-Taming Pavilion of the Ling Kingdom. It possessed a slight understanding of human nature and could travel three thousand li a day. Qingyuan Mountain usually used it as a means of communicating with the lineage's various branches.

Now that the Message-Sending Eagle had arrived at Spirit Lake Isle, it was clearly because the lineage had something to tell him.

Chen Nianzhi took out a handful of Spirit Rice to feed the Message-Sending Eagle, then found a letter tied to its talon.

After reading it, his expression shifted slightly, and a trace of delight appeared on his face.

"Looks like I'll have to return to Qingyuan Mountain."

Early the next morning, Chen Nianzhi packed up. After setting the formation at Spirit Lake Isle to activate on its own, he headed for Qingyuan Mountain.

In just five days, he arrived at Qingyuan Mountain. The moment Third Elder Chen Qinghao saw him, delight appeared on his face.

"Good, good, good!" He grabbed Chen Nianzhi's hand, his expression exceedingly agitated. "Your cultivation has progressed even more astonishingly than Qingyuan's."

"You flatter me, Thirteenth Uncle."

Chen Nianzhi answered modestly. Chen Qinghao ranked thirteenth among the Qing Generation, so Chen Nianzhi usually called him Thirteenth Uncle.

"Compared to Uncle Qingyuan, I am still far behind."

Seventh Elder Chen Qingyuan had been a disciple of the Azure Sun Sect for many years. He was thirty-four this year, and it was said that his cultivation had already touched the threshold of Foundation Establishment.

Within the Azure Sun Gate, a Foundation Establishment Pill could be exchanged for only ten thousand contribution points, or ten thousand Spirit Stones. That gave him far greater hope than the Chen Clan spending tens of thousands of Spirit Stones to buy one.

Moreover, because of the karmic ties left behind sixty years ago, Chen Qingyuan had a much greater chance of breaking through to Foundation Establishment than the lineage's Ninth Layer of Qi Refining cultivators.

"No need for modesty. Your talent truly surpasses Qingyuan's by quite a bit."

"It is a pity the lineage currently lacks the means to purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill for you."

Third Elder sighed, then turned to the matter at hand.

"We called you back this time mainly because of the refinement of Qi-Absorbing Pills."

As Chen Qinghao explained, Chen Nianzhi nodded. Of the Chen Clan's seventeen mu of Spirit Fields, five mu were specifically used to grow Qi-Accumulating Grass.

Qi-Accumulating Grass was a Tier 1 Mid-grade spirit herb and the main ingredient for refining Qi-Absorbing Pills.

Qi-Absorbing Pills were spirit pills supplied to Qi Refining Cultivators for cultivation. Because they could assist Qi Refining Cultivators in breaking through bottlenecks, they had always sold well.

Every five years, the Chen Clan harvested a batch of Qi-Accumulating Grass. The harvest could be used to refine fifty batches of Qi-Absorbing Pills, making it the most stable source of Spirit Stones for the Chen Clan's spirit herb garden.

The task of refining Qi-Absorbing Pills had always been handled by Sixth Elder Chen Qingmeng. He was a Tier 1 High-grade alchemist, and his success rate in refining Tier 1 Mid-grade Qi-Absorbing Pills had already surpassed sixty percent, bringing in considerable profits each time.

However, since Chen Qingmeng had failed to establish his foundation, his future potential was limited. The lineage therefore intended to nurture a new alchemist, lest the Chen Clan's Alchemy Art be left without a successor after Chen Qingmeng passed away.

This time, although Chen Qingmeng would still be in charge of refining the Qi-Absorbing Pills, Chen Nianzhi would also participate. He would assist the Sixth Elder while learning the Alchemy Art.

"This time, stay by the Sixth Elder's side and study the Alchemy Art properly."

As Chen Qinghao gave his instructions, he led Chen Nianzhi to the lineage's alchemy chamber.

The moment he entered the alchemy chamber, Chen Nianzhi saw the Sixth Elder. Over the past two years, Chen Nianzhi had spent most of his time at Spirit Lake Isle and had barely met with him.

Yet the Sixth Elder now appeared much older. It seemed that his failed attempt at Foundation Establishment had dealt him a tremendous blow.

The blow of failing Foundation Establishment was simply too great for him. He owed the lineage thirty thousand Spirit Stones, a debt he could never repay in several lifetimes. It could only become a bad debt on the lineage's books, placing immense pressure upon him.

Chen Qingmeng saw Chen Nianzhi as well. The instant he saw him, he first froze, then revealed a despondent expression.

"Come in. I have been waiting for you for a long time."

As soon as Chen Nianzhi arrived, Chen Qingmeng began refining pills.

Because the number of pills to be refined this time was enormous, they were exceptionally busy.

Chen Nianzhi was responsible for sorting the spirit herbs and pre-processing the Qi-Accumulating Grass and supplementary ingredients. He was already a Tier 1 High-grade spirit planter, and his understanding of medicinal properties was no weaker than that of alchemists of the same tier, so he handled everything swiftly.

Chen Qingmeng had originally refined pills quickly, but seeing Chen Nianzhi carefully observe him, he simply slowed his movements and patiently explained the process.

At first, Chen Nianzhi only understood bits and pieces. Yet gradually, he was able to answer back and forth with Chen Qingmeng, making Chen Qingmeng nod repeatedly.

"Looks like you have some talent in alchemy as well."

Chen Qingmeng had broken through to become a Tier 1 High-grade alchemist in his forties. His talent in the Alchemy Art could be considered above average.

To receive his approval showed that Chen Nianzhi truly possessed considerable talent in spirit herbs and alchemy.

Of course, this was also related to Chen Nianzhi being a Tier 1 High-grade spirit planter. Since he had already attained a certain grasp of the medicinal properties of spirit herbs, learning the Alchemy Art had lowered more than half the threshold for him.

Before long, the first batch was finally successfully refined, producing five Qi-Absorbing Pills.

"Not bad."

Chen Qingmeng placed the pills into prepared porcelain bottles, a satisfied expression appearing on his face.

The first batch of pills was meant to warm the furnace, and its success rate was generally low. A fifty-percent success rate was already quite good.

Sure enough, during the refinements that followed, the success rate steadily rose. The second batch produced six pills.

After working continuously for six or seven days, the two finally finished refining all fifty batches of Qi-Absorbing Pills, successfully producing a total of three hundred and thirty-six pills.

"It is finally done."

Looking at the refined pills, the two finally let out sighs of relief.

Chen Nianzhi also praised him. "This success rate is nearly seventy percent. Twenty-Sixth Uncle, you may be able to challenge Tier 2 alchemy."

Generally speaking, if one could achieve a sixty-percent success rate when refining Tier 1 Mid-grade pills, then one should have a thirty-percent success rate when refining Tier 1 High-grade pills.

With a thirty-percent success rate in refining Tier 1 High-grade pills, one indeed had some confidence in challenging Tier 2 alchemy.

"How could it be so simple? I am still far from it."

"I have merely refined several hundred batches of Qi-Absorbing Pills over the years. Practice makes perfect, that is all."

Chen Qingmeng shook his head, though his brows still lifted with joy.

"Still, three hundred and thirty-six pills were successfully refined, over thirty more than in previous years. This is the largest output the lineage has seen in sixty years."

"Though Foundation Establishment failed, breaking through to the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining has still brought some benefits to my alchemy."

After the two finished refining pills, the Third Elder, who had been waiting for a long time, counted the Qi-Absorbing Pills again.

Qi-Absorbing Pills could slightly increase a Qi Refining Cultivator's chance of breaking through minor bottlenecks. They had always sold well in Yu Commandery, with each pill priced at more than five Spirit Stones.

These three hundred and thirty-six pills could be sold for roughly over sixteen hundred Spirit Stones, allowing the lineage to recover a great deal of blood in one stroke.

Thinking of this, the Third Elder could not help saying joyfully.

"This year has been very good."

"It is just in time for the year's end, and Nianzhi has returned as well. Let us hold a clan meeting."