Seventy-Two Forms

[Nine-Ring Wizardry: Eight-Nine Mystical Art (Draft Version).]

Three days later.

Yin Ming's magic power and spiritual force had been completely exhausted.

His eye sockets were sunken and dark, his face pale as gold paper, as though he had spent three years idly reading books in "Embers."

During that time!

He had taken over a hundred Grain-Repelling Pills, yet his body had still grown noticeably thinner. Only his eyes remained bright and glowing, like those of a night owl.

"It's finally done! The wizard version of the Eight-Nine Mystical Art."

Yin Ming released his brain from its high-frequency state and lay exhausted on the floor. A faint smile appeared as he murmured, "In theory, as long as it can be fully deciphered and converted, with immortals and wizards flowing into one stream, the Eight-Nine Mystical Art can indeed grow to the Ninth Ring. Defining it as 'Nine-Ring Wizardry' ahead of time isn't entirely bragging!"

The Eight-Nine Mystical Art!

It was the supreme protective scripture Yin Ming had found on an Ascension Platform deep within Wuyi Mountain.

Whether it was the original technique of the Immortal Realm was unknown. In any case, it took the Elder Gods and Devils as its foundation, stood apart from the three paths of Qi Refining, Golden Core, and Corpse Liberation, and was a divine art worthy of standing alone among all methods and supernatural powers.

Its art was divided into Eight Forms and Nine Revolutions, transforming into the forms of ten thousand spirits, practicing the wondrous transformations of all forms, and nourishing one's true dharma body.

"The draft version lacks the power of transformation. It cannot use the myriad forms to nourish the true body, nor can it complete the transformations of Nine Revolutions. Better give it a more low-key name—let's call it Seventy-Two Forms!"

"..."

The meditation chamber opened!

Gentle light spilled across his face.

After only three days of seclusion, Yin Ming felt as though ages had passed.

Still, that was no illusion. After all, he had truly consumed a year of his lifespan.

His maximum lifespan had fallen from ninety-eight to ninety-seven.

"First, I'll go to the Flame-Burners Association exchange building and look for materials to refine an external elixir!"

Materials for external elixirs were not difficult to find. Even ordinary iron, lead, and mercury could be used. The better the materials, the less time the sacrificial refinement required; the worse the materials, the longer it took.

The External Elixir Art was not an upgraded version of alchemy.

Among the earliest Daoists cultivating the Great Dao of the Golden Core, the mortality rate for nurturing the mysterious embryo had remained high. Thus, some Daoists began practicing the External Elixir Art.

They used gold and mercury to sacrificially refine the harmonization of yin and yang, treating it as a false core, a false body, a cultivation simulator.

Later, some Daoists completely abandoned the internal elixir. Thinking, since an external elixir with its nine apertures could form a core, why not ascend directly through the external elixir? Thus, they blazed a new trail and established the External Elixir school.

"..."

"Scholar Eno! You... spent these three days deeply exchanging with a succubus warlock?"

Anthony Silvercoin was shocked when he saw Yin Ming.

His flesh had wasted away until he was little more than skin and bones, stubble covered his face, and he looked like a skeleton draped in human skin.

He truly could not imagine anything besides an Abyssal succubus capable of squeezing a person dry to the marrow in so short a time.

"Even a succubus isn't capable of that! What were the test results for the Golden Sore Medicine I left behind last time?"

Yin Ming had used all the Element Crystals condensed by the Scavenger Gourd in recent days to restore his magic power.

He now had only 500 merit points left and urgently needed the identity of a pharmacist to earn merit points and buy materials for refining external elixirs.

"The healing effect is equivalent to that of a basic healing potion. However, a basic healing potion can heal fifty percent of one's injuries the instant it is consumed, so—"

Anthony Silvercoin returned the remaining two Golden Sore Medicines and said apologetically, "The Flame-Burners Association does not intend to add it to the merit exchange list."

"Um... why does Golden Sore Medicine have to be compared with a basic healing potion?"

Yin Ming studied the man's greasy, plump face, paused, then said, "The price of Golden Sore Medicine only needs to be one-tenth of that, perhaps even lower!"

One-tenth?

A basic healing potion sold for ten standard Element Crystals.

One standard Element Crystal, perhaps even less—would that even cover the cost of the magical plant ingredients?

"Honored Scholar Eno, could you come upstairs for a cup of black tea so we can discuss this in detail?" Anthony Silvercoin realized the enormous profits hidden within this. His eyes, narrowed to thin slits, widened into two round silver coins as he spoke.

"..."

"No need! One Element Crystal for each Golden Sore Medicine. How many you buy is none of my concern."

Golden Sore Medicine contained no magical plant ingredients whatsoever. It was a wound medicine at the mortal level, merely enhanced through an antibiotic formula and then optimized by the Scavenger Gourd until it achieved effects comparable to an extraordinary potion.

Its ingredients could be purchased from the mortal world with gold and silver coins, making the cost nearly nonexistent.

Its target customers were apprentice-level members like Johnny Green, who could neither afford nor bear to buy healing potions.

To maximize profit, he needed low margins and high volume. As long as Yin Ming could provide enough Golden Sore Medicine, Anthony Silvercoin would absolutely not raise its price.

"No problem! But can you provide..."

Before he could finish, Yin Ming took out one thousand Golden Sore Medicines.

Anthony Silvercoin said nothing further. Yin Ming's merit points rose from 500 to 100,500.

"Give me one each of every Two-Ring Bloodline Potion except the Lava Troll Bloodline Potion."

"One sample each of every magical plant—"

"One fragment each of every extraordinary metal ore—"

Merit points could only be used at the Flame-Burners Association.

Yin Ming bought as much as he could to enrich the Scavenger Gourd's extraordinary database.

He did not dare ask for the most expensive wizardry or extraordinary knowledge.

These merit points would only be enough to exchange for several illustrated guides, or one experimental journal by a One-Ring Wizard.

As for Zero-Ring apprentice-level wizardry, unless it was a detailed explanation of runes, it was not as useful as a "revolver."

"Two kinds of Two-Ring Bloodline Potions: Two-Ring Feathered Serpent Bloodline and Two-Ring Twisted Treant Bloodline."

"Seventeen magical plant samples: White Jade Fruit, Blood Crystal of the Crimsonblood Vine, Spirit-Draining Tree Sap, ..."

"Nine extraordinary metals: Refined Iron, Mithril, Adamantine, Starmithril Mercury, ..."

"Extraordinary metals with raw ore in storage come with ore fragments free of charge."

"For finished metals without raw ore in the storeroom, one gram of each has been taken as a sample. A total of 76,000 merit points has been deducted."

Ninety percent of his merit points had been spent on magical plants.

However, pharmacists all came to the Flame-Burners Association to exchange for raw materials used in brewing potions.

He would surely be able to analyze the formulas for Blood-Melting Potions, healing potions, and Bloodline Potions. The expense was well worth it.

The bullets for flintlock muskets were made of Refined Iron.

It was an excellent material for refining sword pellets, but its hardness made it unsuitable for refining external elixirs.

Yin Ming put the extraordinary metal samples into the gourd, then sat on a soft leather sofa and leisurely drank black tea amid his busy schedule.

He analyzed the properties of every extraordinary metal and eventually found the two best materials for refining external elixirs.

"Use half of the remaining merit points to exchange for Adamantine, and the other half for Starmithril Mercury," Yin Ming suddenly said.

"Certainly! I'll prepare them for you right away..."

The remaining 24,500 merit points were exchanged for a chunk of Adamantine the size of an adult's fist, as well as a small bottle of Starmithril Mercury.

Adamantine was somewhat soft in texture and dark gold in color. Among extraordinary metals, it was the best at carrying magic power and spiritual force.

Starmithril Mercury remained liquid at room temperature. It resembled mercury, yet countless points of light flickered within it, granting it the best conductivity.

"Zero-Ring Wizardry: Crimson Flame Ring."

After returning to his residence, Yin Ming immediately went to the meditation chamber and began using flames to melt the Adamantine into three spheres slightly smaller than ping-pong balls.