Fire-Control Gourd

Liu Yuanchen arrived at the Myriad Treasures Trading Association's shop. The moment he stepped inside, the shopkeeper came forward to greet him.

The man gave Liu Yuanchen a meaningful look, then politely asked, "Young friend from the Azure Elixir Sect, was that pill furnace from last time useful?"

Liu Yuanchen cupped his hands in salute. "The Myriad Treasures Trading Association truly lives up to its name. That pill furnace was indeed excellent.

"I came this time to see whether your shop has any artifacts for controlling fire."

The middle-aged cultivator smiled. "Of course. So long as it is not strategic material, our shop can produce some.

"Little Zhang, take this customer to look at the fire-control artifacts."

Before long, a young attendant in his twenties came out. After saluting Liu Yuanchen, he said, "Please follow me, honored customer."

The two entered a small room in the back where artifacts were displayed. The attendant led him to a weapon rack in the corner.

This rack held the fewest artifacts, only three in total.

The attendant introduced them. "Fire-control artifacts are exceedingly rare, and few cultivators use them. They are among the most obscure types of artifacts.

"Our shop only has these three, and all are First-Rank High-Grade."

Next, he pointed at an artifact resembling a bowl. "This is the Fire-Gathering Bowl. Its main material is Crimson Flame Stone, with some dark iron added to increase its strength.

"When used, it can be placed beneath a pill furnace. Once spiritual power is poured into it, flames will gush from the bowl.

"After recognizing a master, the flames it releases are extremely easy to control."

"Its drawback is that it is not very durable. Once the flames become too strong, the bowl may crack apart.

"Moreover, it cannot be used together with Spirit Charcoal or earthfire. It can only spray flames by burning spiritual power.

"When refining pills, the spiritual power consumption will be rather great.

"Among these three fire-control artifacts, this one is the cheapest. It only costs fifty Spirit Stones."

The attendant clearly assumed Liu Yuanchen was short on funds, so he introduced the cheapest one first.

"Though this Fire-Gathering Bowl controls fire well, it cannot be used alongside Spirit Charcoal or earthfire.

"When using it, one must also divide one's attention to power it with spiritual power. That would instead affect the pill success rate, so there is little point in buying this bowl."

The attendant nodded as well. "What you say is quite true, honored customer. This artifact indeed has some flaws. Otherwise, it would not be sold so cheaply."

He then pointed at a fiery-red cover shaped like a soup basin. It was covered in holes and bore relief carvings of three fire dragons.

"This is the Fire Dragon Canopy. Its main material is Flowing-Flame Dark Iron.

"This item cannot release flames on its own, but it can suppress flames.

"Placed above Spirit Charcoal or a Fire Eye, it can easily adjust the temperature of the fire without requiring you to expend spiritual power.

"Furthermore, this Fire Dragon Canopy is exceptionally sturdy and can also be used as a defensive artifact.

"It is especially effective against fire-attributed attacks."

"Its flaw is that it can only lower the fire temperature, not raise it.

"To obtain higher temperatures, more Spirit Charcoal is needed, resulting in considerable consumption.

"This one is slightly more expensive, requiring sixty Spirit Stones."

This Fire Dragon Canopy was rather interesting. It could even serve as a defensive artifact, but unfortunately, it could only defend and could not attack.

Moreover, it was like a sieve. Its defensive ability against needle-type artifacts was probably extremely poor.

Liu Yuanchen pointed to the last fire-control artifact. "What about this gourd?"

The gourd stood about a foot tall. Its entire body was fiery red, and it even had a small section of Gourd Vine resembling a dragon's head.

The attendant replied, "This gourd is called the Fire-Control Gourd. Its main material is the First-Rank High-Grade spiritual plant, the Blazing Fire Gourd.

"This Fire-Control Gourd was crafted by a Second-Tier Artifact Refining Master in Azure Elixir City. He originally intended to refine it into an offensive artifact.

"Unfortunately, an error occurred while condensing the Inscription Runes, causing the flames it sprayed to lack sufficient power. It was therefore altered into a fire-control artifact.

"Its rank fell accordingly, becoming a First-Rank High-Grade artifact.

"In terms of fire control, it functions much like the Fire-Gathering Bowl.

"It cannot be used with Spirit Charcoal or earthfire and can only be used on its own."

"However, this gourd contains a small inner space that can store spiritual power.

"A cultivator may pour spiritual power into it, or it can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth by itself.

"If spiritual power is stored in the gourd beforehand, then while refining pills, only a tiny amount of Divine Sense is needed to control it and make it release flames.

"The size of those flames can be adjusted at will."

"Since the Fire-Control Gourd was originally an offensive artifact, it can also be used in battle.

"Only, the flames it releases are not particularly powerful. At most, they can severely wound an ordinary Late Qi-Nourishing Stage cultivator.

"Beyond spraying fire, it can also absorb an opponent's fire-attributed attacks, so it has some defensive use as well."

"Of course, it has its flaws. If it is forcibly driven until the flames it releases reach a level capable of severely wounding a Sea of Qi Realm cultivator, the flames may lose control.

"Still, there will be no issue at all when refining pills.

"When this artifact was first refined, several Alchemy Masters tested it. Its flames were fully sufficient even for refining Second-Rank Mid-Grade pills."

Hearing this, Liu Yuanchen was somewhat tempted.

This thing could both attack and defend. Before reaching the Sea of Qi Realm, it could fully meet his needs in battle.

"How much spiritual power can this Fire-Control Gourd store at most?"

Seeing his interest in the Fire-Control Gourd, the attendant became enthusiastic as well. "Roughly equivalent to the spiritual energy contained in ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

"That is about as much spiritual power as an ordinary Mid Qi-Nourishing Stage cultivator possesses throughout his entire body.

"You are a wood-attributed cultivator, honored customer. Wood gives birth to fire, so the spiritual power you pour into it can also generate flames."

Liu Yuanchen asked, "How many Spirit Stones?"

The attendant promptly replied, "This Fire-Control Gourd was originally meant to become a Second-Rank Low-Grade artifact.

"Although some problems arose in its Inscription Runes, both its artifact embryo and materials are at the level of a Second-Rank Low-Grade artifact. Naturally, its price will not be much lower than that of a Second-Rank Low-Grade artifact.

"The Artifact Refining Master set the price at eighty Spirit Stones."

A relatively cheap Second-Rank Low-Grade artifact generally cost around one hundred Spirit Stones.

Had this Fire-Control Gourd encountered no problems during refinement, selling it for two hundred Spirit Stones would not have been excessive.

Eighty Spirit Stones for such a gourd was truly not expensive.

Especially since Liu Yuanchen needed a fire-control artifact right now, and this gourd could also attack and defend. It was killing two birds with one stone.

He readily handed over the Spirit Stones and took the gourd into his hand.

Unfortunately, the gourd had an inner space and was also a spatial artifact. It could not be placed into a storage pouch, or both the gourd and the storage pouch would be torn apart by spatial force.

He hung the gourd from his belt and left the Myriad Treasures Trading Association.

After he departed, the middle-aged cultivator went to the third floor.

"Manager, I sensed the presence of Astral Force in that Azure Elixir Sect disciple. He should be a cultivator of the Earth Immortal Path."

A young man's voice answered, "It was indeed Astral Force, but he is not a cultivator of the Earth Immortal Path."

The middle-aged cultivator was somewhat astonished. "How is that possible? In the current cultivation systems, only cultivators of the Earth Immortal Path cultivate Astral Force."

The young man laughed. "He does indeed have Astral Force within him, but it is not the Origin Astral Force of the Earth Immortal Path. It is the Blood Astral Force of the Physical Body Path.

"Condensing Blood Astral Force consumes an enormous amount of vital energy and blood.

"If one forcibly cultivates it without sufficient resources, one may very well stake one's life on it.

"The Red Wasteland is impoverished in resources. This boy has cultivated the Bloodsteel Secret Art, so he will have no future to speak of."

"The Origin Astral Force of the Earth Immortal Path was improved from this Bloodsteel Secret Art.

"The present Earth Immortal Path merely arose after the Physical Body Path could no longer be cultivated and underwent a round of modifications.

"Ever since the birth of the Earth Immortal Path, the Bloodsteel Secret Art was gradually eliminated.

"I never expected that a place like the Red Wasteland could still preserve the Bloodsteel Secret Art.

"It seems the Ancient Cultivator's Cave-Dwelling that has stirred such a great uproar recently truly yielded quite a few good things."

"Remember the foundation of our Merchant Association: we only do business and do not meddle in the struggles of local powers.

"No matter how many treasures the Ancient Cultivator's Cave-Dwelling produces, they have nothing to do with us."

After leaving the Myriad Treasures Trading Association, Liu Yuanchen went to the Liu Family's pill shop and bought twenty batches of Spirit-Restoring Pill ingredients.

Leaving the pill shop, he headed straight back to Yujin Mountain.

After entering the pill-refining room of his cave-dwelling, he could not wait to remove the Fire-Control Gourd.

He used his essence blood to condense a universal Master-Recognition Inscription and completed the master recognition.

Afterward, he began pouring spiritual power into the gourd.

After using up half his spiritual power, he opened the gourd's stopper and sent a small amount of Divine Sense into it.

With a thought, a stream of scarlet flame spouted from the gourd's mouth.

The entire pill-refining room instantly grew hot.

"As expected of a First-Rank High-Grade artifact. The power of these flames far surpasses Spirit Charcoal fire."

Only after gradually suppressing the flames and familiarizing himself with their temperature did he take out the pill furnace.

For his first time refining pills with the Fire-Control Gourd, he still chose the simplest Grain-Banishing Pill.

Throughout the refinement process, so long as his state of mind did not fluctuate, changes in the flame temperature were nearly negligible.

Only when he actively adjusted the fire temperature did slight fluctuations appear.

The first batch of Grain-Banishing Pills produced four pills, about the same as before.

However, the consumption of Divine Sense was much lower, and controlling the fire no longer felt strenuous.

The second batch of Grain-Banishing Pills produced five pills, with a success rate exceeding eighty percent.

Immediately afterward, he refined several more batches of Grain-Banishing Pills in succession, achieving an average pill success rate above seventy percent.

Excitement surged through him. "This artifact was truly worth buying. It saves me the trouble of purchasing Spirit Charcoal, and the pill success rate has risen by more than ten percent."

The next day, Liu Yuanchen adjusted himself to peak condition, filled the Fire-Control Gourd with spiritual power once more, and began refining Spirit-Restoring Pills.

With the Fire-Control Gourd's assistance, his fire-control ability soared.

The first batch of Spirit-Restoring Pills yielded six pills.

Several days later, all twenty batches of Spirit-Restoring Pill ingredients had been used up, producing one hundred and forty-five pills.

Among them were forty fine-grade Spirit-Restoring Pills, bringing the fine-grade rate to twenty percent.

Beyond that, he had even refined one supreme-grade pill.

Ordinary Spirit-Restoring Pills were milky-white pellets about the size of a longan.

Fine-grade and ordinary-grade pills did not appear greatly different.

A supreme-grade pill was also milky white, but it gave off a sense of translucence and carried a luster like white jade.

For a pill to become supreme grade meant that the medicinal essence fused beforehand had suffered not the slightest loss and was all retained within the pill.

During the extraction of essence and the fusion of different medicinal essences, almost no impurities had entered.

During the final stage of reducing the liquid over high heat, not even the tiniest bit of pill liquid had been scorched.

Achieving this through skill alone was exceedingly difficult; luck also played a major role.

Even an Alchemy Master would not dare claim he could certainly refine supreme-grade pills.

Yet as long as one could refine them, it proved that the Alchemy Master stood among the best of his rank.

Afterward, Liu Yuanchen attempted to refine the more difficult Qi-Nourishing Pill.

Refining Qi-Nourishing Pills required twelve types of spiritual herbs, more than twice as many as Spirit-Restoring Pills, so the difficulty was naturally much greater.

However, thanks to Liu Yuanchen's abundant experience, the pill success rate was acceptable.

From five batches of ingredients, at most fifty pills could be produced. He actually produced seventeen, for a pill success rate exceeding thirty percent.

One year later, Liu Yuanchen stood in the pill-refining room of his Yujin Mountain cave-dwelling, staring intently at the pill furnace.

A short while later, he drew the flames beneath the furnace back into the gourd.

A sweep of spiritual power passed over the furnace, and five grayish-white pills flew out.

Liu Yuanchen wrapped his palm in a layer of Astral Force and caught the pills in one grasp.

"Five Spirit-Awakening Pills from one furnace. Among First-Rank High-Grade Alchemy Masters, I can be considered first-rate as well."

He put the Spirit-Awakening Pills into a pill bottle, then went outside the cave-dwelling to inspect the Spirit Field.

It was already past noon. The moment he left the cave-dwelling's gate, he saw a figure drawing water beside the well.

"Halt! What little thief dares steal water on Azure Elixir Sect territory?"

With that, he charged forward in a single stride.

The Fire-Control Gourd was already in his hand, ready to release flames at any moment.

The figure turned around. "Junior Brother Liu, don't attack! It's me, Zhang Jingcheng!"

This man was dressed in tattered clothing and was disheveled and filthy, making him truly difficult to identify. Still, his voice was recognizable.

Liu Yuanchen put away the Fire-Control Gourd. "Senior Brother Zhang, why are you dressed like this? Did you go undercover among Rogue Cultivators?"

Zhang Jingcheng scooped up a ladle of water and gulped it down.

He let out a long breath. "Don't mention it. I've been constantly harassed by wicked cultivators these past few days. I'm exhausted in both body and mind.

"A new batch of disciples rotated in today, so I could come to the rear and rest for a while.

"By the time I reached Yujin Mountain, I truly had no strength left. I came to beg for a drink of water, and I nearly got dealt with by you instead."

"I have no ability to return to the sect today, so I'll stay here with you for the time being."

Liu Yuanchen took out three pills. "I have a Spirit-Restoring Pill, a Qi-and-Blood Pill, and a Grain-Banishing Pill here. Senior Brother Zhang should be interested, right?"

Zhang Jingcheng swallowed and reached out to take them. "Thank you, Junior Brother."

Liu Yuanchen drew back his hand. "Spirit-Restoring Pills cost two Spirit Stones each now. I'll charge you one Spirit Stone.

"Qi-and-Blood Pills cost three Spirit Stones each. I'll charge you two Spirit Stones."

Zhang Jingcheng put on an ingratiating expression. "Your mother is my aunt from the same clan. You are my younger cousin. Talking about Spirit Stones between cousins hurts our feelings too much."

Liu Yuanchen remained unmoved. "Even blood brothers settle accounts clearly. I've already given you a discount, and I'm even throwing in a Grain-Banishing Pill for free."

Zhang Jingcheng sighed. "The bond between us brothers is only worth two Spirit Stones."

Liu Yuanchen rebutted with utter sincerity, "No, it isn't. You also have to add another Grain-Banishing Pill."

"I'll owe you the Spirit Stones for now. Once I receive this month's stipend, I'll pay you back."

"Small business. No credit."

Zhang Jingcheng had no choice but to reluctantly take out three Spirit Stones and buy three pills.

After taking them, he quickly became full of energy again.

Liu Yuanchen was somewhat curious. "What went wrong in Blackcloud Ridge to tire you out like this? Don't tell me some legendary Eerie Creature jumped out?"

Zhang Jingcheng shook his head. "If an Eerie Creature had really jumped out, would I have made it back alive?

Even Sea of Qi Realm cultivators had little chance of returning alive after encountering an Eerie Creature."

"Come to think of it, this matter was still related to the Ancient Cultivator's Cave-Dwelling in Black Wolf Valley.

That place was the first to show unusual activity, and soon afterward, abnormalities appeared in many places throughout Blackcloud Ridge.

Golden Ao Mountain, more than three hundred li from Yujin Mountain—you should know it, right?"

Liu Yuanchen nodded. "I know it. The rainfall there is abundant, and there's also a mountain lake called Golden Ao Lake."

"Right, it was Golden Ao Lake.

A month ago, the water level of Golden Ao Lake dropped dramatically, and quite a few Rogue Cultivators went over to join the excitement.

The sect's disciples went there to inspect it as well, only to discover a Spirit Stone Vein."