Alchemy Task

Zhang Jingming was quite talented and the hope of the Zhang Clan.

However, he was also good at handling people.

Whenever he occasionally ran into Liu Yuanchen, he was willing to exchange greetings.

Liu Yuanchen had a fairly good impression of this distant cousin he could barely trace a connection to.

Taking the gift box, he said, "You two cousins are far too courteous. It's only a trifling matter; why be so polite?"

Seeing him accept the gift, Zhang Jingming let out a sigh of relief. "Our two families have always been branches of the same tree, sharing breath and destiny. The Chen Household has oppressed our families for centuries. From now on, our two families must join hands against the enemy."

"That is only natural." Recalling what he had suffered at Shennong Hall several years ago, Liu Yuanchen gnashed his teeth.

"Even setting aside the Lineage's hatred, the Chens bullied me personally. This debt must be repaid.

"The Zhang Clan is my maternal family, not outsiders. We should naturally support one another."

Zhang Jingming had come this time to offer congratulations and, incidentally, deepen their relationship.

Now that he knew Liu Yuanchen's attitude, his purpose had been achieved.

Afterward, the group stopped discussing cooperation between their families and casually chatted about a few amusing matters.

Before long, waiters from Spring Breeze Tower carried various dishes into the private room.

Liu Qingyuan invited everyone to begin eating. "This Firebird Phoenix is Spring Breeze Tower's signature dish. Its main ingredient is a first-grade high-quality Phoenix-feather Pheasant, an exceptionally rare delicacy.

"And this Spring Breeze Brew is also a famous fine wine from the Red Wasteland.

"Today is a family banquet, so let us not stand on ceremony."

None of those present were particularly wealthy. They usually could not bear to eat dishes made primarily from spirit beasts.

Everyone began eating together, and before long, the dish had been picked clean.

Zhang Jingming nodded in satisfaction. "Spring Breeze Tower's spirit chefs are truly skilled!"

So-called spirit chefs used all kinds of spiritual ingredients to prepare spirit meals that aided cultivation.

The spirit meals made by outstanding spirit chefs could assist cultivation no less effectively than ordinary medicinal pills.

Thus, spirit chefs held no low status in the cultivation world, and they earned quite a few Spirit Stones as well.

The Azure Elixir Sect had even established a Spirit Cuisine Hall specifically to train spirit chefs and develop all kinds of spirit meals.

Within the sect, anything involving food and drink fell under the Spirit Cuisine Hall's management.

Brewing spirit wine and developing wine recipes were also the Spirit Cuisine Hall's responsibilities.

After eating and drinking their fill, everyone chatted idly for a while before going their separate ways.

Liu Yuanchen returned to his cave dwelling and took out the two gift boxes he had received.

Opening the gift box sent by the Zhang Clan, he found two sheets of yellow paper inside. Complex Inscription Runes covered the paper—they were talismans.

Talismans were made by drawing the unique Inscription Runes of the talisman path onto specially prepared talisman paper while infusing it with spiritual power.

This spiritual power could be supplied by the Talisman Master personally, or heaven and earth spiritual energy could be drawn in and infused into the talisman.

Activating a talisman could release all manner of spells.

Moreover, as long as a Talisman Master had mastered special talisman patterns, they could still draw the corresponding talisman even if they had never cultivated that particular spell.

Before use, one needed to inject a small amount of Divine Sense and spiritual power into the talisman.

When the time came to use it, a mere thought would automatically activate the talisman.

The Zhang Clan's pillar industry was talisman-making. Though their inheritance was average, it was still enough to support an entire clan.

Most Zhang Clan disciples within the Azure Elixir Sect were also in the Talisman Hall.

Liu Yuanchen examined them carefully. The two talismans were respectively a Vajra Talisman and a Golden-Blade Talisman, both first-grade high-quality talismans.

When the Vajra Talisman was used, it formed a vajra barrier around the user's body to ward off attacks.

As for the Golden-Blade Talisman, it released a small golden blade when activated. Its ability to break through defenses was exceptionally strong, making it a common single-target offensive spirit talisman.

Together, these two talismans should be worth more than ten Spirit Stones.

The gift was not particularly valuable, but it represented the Zhang Clan's goodwill.

Liu Yuanchen then opened the gift box sent by Liu Yuanqi.

Inside lay a withered yellow spirit herb. It resembled a strip of ox sinew, with scale-like patterns covering its surface.

This spirit herb was called Dragon-Tendon Herb, one of the supplementary ingredients for refining Meridian-Fixing Pills.

Meridian-Fixing Pills were auxiliary pills used by Qi-Nourishing Realm cultivators to break through to the Sea of Qi Realm. Their purpose was to temporarily strengthen the meridians.

They prevented the massive surge of spiritual power from the Middle Dantian into the meridians, should the breakthrough fail, from causing meridian damage.

Liu Yuanchen was not worried about his vitality and blood or his spiritual power, and shortcomings in Divine Sense could also be remedied with pills.

However, no one could be absolutely certain of breaking through to the Sea of Qi Realm.

Even if one's vitality and blood, spiritual power, and Divine Sense all met the requirements, there was still a certain chance of failure.

Once it failed, one could be crippled at best or lose one's life at worst.

After taking a Meridian-Fixing Pill, even a failed breakthrough would only damage the meridians, and with several years of recovery, there was a high chance of complete restoration.

Meridian-Fixing Pills were second-grade low-quality pills. With Liu Yuanchen's current Alchemy Art, he simply could not refine them.

However, several seeds remained on this Dragon-Tendon Herb. He could plant them in the Blessed Land.

Dragon-Tendon Herb was merely a supplementary ingredient and not particularly precious, but it was still worth twenty or thirty Spirit Stones.

As a Guard Hall disciple, Liu Yuanqi could never possibly afford such a gift.

Therefore, Liu Qingyuan was most likely the true giver.

Rather than sending anything else, he had specifically sent Dragon-Tendon Herb, an ingredient for refining Meridian-Fixing Pills.

Liu Yuanchen could guess his intentions. It was nothing more than wanting him to help Liu Yuansi break through.

Several kinds of pills were needed to break through to the Sea of Qi Realm, and the Lineage probably only possessed Blood Jade Pills.

If all the other pills had to be bought, they would cost at least five thousand Spirit Stones.

Moreover, the auxiliary pills for breaking through to the Sea of Qi Realm were all strategic resources. Even if one wanted to buy them, they might not be available.

Only the Myriad Treasures Trading Association in Azure Elixir City auctioned such pills from time to time.

When they could be bought was anyone's guess.

Compared to buying those pills, gathering spirit herbs and hiring an Alchemy Master to refine them was more reliable.

If one family could not gather enough, several families could join forces to collect the spirit herbs.

Having Liu Yuanchen, a Liu Family member, refine the pills was more reliable than seeking an outsider.

Refining pills for others was also one of an Alchemy Master's main businesses. Naturally, the benefits were considerable. Payment was the most basic reward, and one could also obtain pill formulas in passing.

Especially when refining strategic pills like these, as long as even one pill was successfully produced, the other party would be profusely grateful.

If several pills were produced, keeping one or two for oneself was no great matter.

The peaceful days did not last long before the atmosphere within the mountain gate grew tense.

The sect first restricted disciples from leaving and recalled those who were traveling outside.

Half a month after Liu Yuanchen entered the Elixir Hall, he received an order from the Elixir Hall Master.

All Alchemy Masters under the Elixir Hall were to report to Azure Pill Peak and await orders.

Naturally, Liu Yuanchen did not dare delay. He hurried to the Elixir Hall's main hall, where quite a few people were already waiting outside.

Before long, more than a hundred disciples had gathered outside the Elixir Hall's great hall.

At that moment, a stern middle-aged man emerged from the hall.

Everyone bowed and shouted in unison, "Greetings, Hall Master!"

Though Liu Yuanchen had never met the Elixir Hall Master, he followed the others in saluting.

The Elixir Hall Master was named Zhang Yi, and he was the current Sect Master's last disciple.

In terms of seniority, he was considered one of the younger generation among the many elders.

Yet for him to become the Elixir Hall Master, he had naturally earned the Sect Master's favor.

Rumor had it that he was the successor the Sect Master had groomed.

Zhang Yi waved a hand. "No need for such formalities."

"By the Sect Master's order, all Elixir Hall disciples are to devote their full efforts from this day forward to refining Grain-Banishing Pills, Spirit-Restoring Pills, Flesh-Regenerating Pellets, Spirit-Awakening Pills...

"All required spirit herbs will be provided by the sect.

"The portion of successfully refined pills exceeding forty percent will be purchased by the sect at fair market price.

"If your pill yield is below forty percent, then go refine simpler pills.

"You must refine no fewer than five batches of pills each day. If your pill yield falls below forty percent, you will pay out of your own pocket to make up the difference."

"From this day onward, no one may leave the sect without orders.

"For disciples remaining on Azure Pill Peak to refine pills, meals will be handled by the Spirit Cuisine Hall.

"If there are no questions, you may begin refining now."

The Alchemy Masters were all dumbfounded. The sect had always imposed relatively few restrictions on Alchemy Masters; they did not even need to refine more than a few batches of pills each month.

This sudden commotion left everyone at a loss.

Seeing that no one had any questions, Zhang Yi returned to the great hall.

A young Alchemy Master asked an old man beside him, "Steward Han, you have been in the Elixir Hall for over a hundred years. Do you know what is happening?"

Steward Han looked calm as drifting clouds and gentle winds. "Nothing strange. Such heavy pill-refining tasks occurred more than a century ago when we went to war with the Demoncloud Sect.

"I heard more than two months ago that the sect had discovered a Spirit Stone Vein near Golden Ao Mountain.

"The Demoncloud Sect also wants a share of the soup, and they have been causing trouble nearby.

"The people from the Guard Hall have already fought Demoncloud Sect cultivators many times.

"With such a huge commotion this time, there is an eighty percent chance we are about to go to war with the Demoncloud Sect."

"Before a great battle, it is only natural to prepare more pills.

"There is no need to worry either. We Alchemy Masters do not have much work; we will only be busy for a while.

"No matter how many spirit herbs the sect has stored, they will eventually run out.

"At most half a year, at least one or two months, and the stockpiled spirit herbs will be entirely exhausted.

"By then, we will not have many tasks left."

Hearing this, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Five batches of pills a day might not sound like much, but the consumption of spiritual power and Divine Sense would certainly be considerable.

After refining one batch of pills, many Alchemy Masters needed a long time to recover and adjust.

With five batches a day, most of the day would be spent recovering their condition.

Alchemy Masters were respected wherever they went. If they were constantly forced to work, would they not be no better than oxen and horses?

Liu Yuanchen did not act conspicuously either. Together with the other Alchemy Masters, he walked to a somewhat shorter palace-like building nearby.

The plaque above its entrance bore the three words: "Earthfire Chamber."

The interior was extremely spacious. At its center was an enormous hole in the ground, from which waves of scorching heat continuously surged.

Everyone followed stone steps down into the depths of the hole.

Before long, they arrived in a vast cylindrical space.

The middle of this cylindrical space was hollow, while the surrounding stone walls were divided into more than ten levels. Each level had a circular stone corridor.

Along the side of the corridors pressed against the rock wall, small stone rooms had been carved one after another.

At a rough glance, there were at least five or six hundred small rooms in this underground space.

Zheng Qian, who had previously examined Liu Yuanchen, was now distributing spirit herbs at the Earthfire Chamber's entrance.

The other Alchemy Masters were clearly very familiar with the place. After receiving spirit herbs from Zheng Qian, they chose small stone rooms and entered.

Liu Yuanchen smiled. "Steward Zheng, I would like ingredients for five batches of Spirit-Awakening Pills."

Zheng Qian handed him a storage pouch. "As long as you can refine more high-quality Spirit-Awakening Pills, I will ask the Hall Master to reward you."

"Then many thanks, Steward Zheng."

After choosing a small stone room, Liu Yuanchen found that the Earthfire Chamber was no different from an ordinary pill-refining room.

It simply had an additional formation that drew upon earthfire, allowing the flame temperature to be adjusted through the formation.

Liu Yuanchen had no experience controlling earthfire, so he still used the Fire-Control Gourd to refine pills.

The fire-attribute spiritual energy here was extraordinarily dense, so he did not need to worry about exhausting the spiritual power within the Fire-Control Gourd.

Refining Spirit-Awakening Pills was already second nature to him.

One batch took no more than a quarter of an hour. In less than one Shi Chen, he had finished refining all five batches.

Carrying the pills out of the Earthfire Chamber, he saw several older Alchemy Masters gathered around Zheng Qian.

One elderly man took out four pill bottles. "Old Zheng, there are forty Spirit-Awakening Pills here.

"There are twenty extra. At five Spirit Stones each, you owe me one hundred Spirit Stones."

This old man's aura was robust and profound; he was likely a Sea of Qi Realm cultivator.

Zheng Qian inspected them one by one, then put away the pills and handed the old man some Spirit Stones.

Only after those Alchemy Masters had settled their accounts did Liu Yuanchen take out three pill bottles.

"Steward Zheng, these are the twenty-six Spirit-Awakening Pills I refined. Six of them are high-quality pills. Please inspect them."

With a great battle looming, the key to ensuring one's safety was to display one's value.

He could not advance too quickly in cultivation, because that would attract too much attention.

But Alchemy Art was fundamentally dependent on comprehension.

Once some things were understood, one's Alchemy Art could advance by leaps and bounds in the time it took to take a nap.

Displaying extraordinary alchemy talent now would neither arouse suspicion nor fail to show his value.

Thus, Liu Yuanchen had not held back while refining the pills.

Hearing this, the Alchemy Masters who had already settled their accounts stopped and returned to watch the excitement.

Zheng Qian opened the pill bottles and inspected them one by one. A rich medicinal fragrance wafted out.

The old man from earlier sniffed the medicinal aroma. "Not bad. That is indeed the fragrance of high-quality pills.

"To refine so many high-quality pills—truly, heroes emerge from the young."

Someone beside him said, "It is not as though we cannot refine high-quality pills. But focusing our attention on a single pill severely affects the pill yield, making the gains not worth the losses.

"In the Elixir Hall, the only one who can refine high-quality pills in large quantities without affecting the pill yield should be Deputy Hall Master Zhao, right?"

The old man nodded slightly. "Deputy Hall Master Zhao's Alchemy Art is far from ordinary. Even the Sect Master greatly admires him."

But this boy was a wood-attribute cultivator. Since he could easily refine fine-quality pills, he likely had an advantage in tempering the essence of spiritual herbs."

"Deputy Hall Master Zhao is a fire-attribute cultivator. Every pill in a single batch can be of fine quality, and occasionally, even supreme-grade pills emerge.

He relies on fire-control techniques refined to the utmost extreme. His path is entirely different from this boy's."

Deputy Hall Master Zhao was named Zhao Hong. His origins were mysterious, and his alchemy methods were extraordinarily remarkable.

He had originally been a guest elder of the Azure Elixir Sect. Only after he had been willing to remain in the Azure Elixir Sect did he become deputy hall master.

It was merely that he disliked handling trivial affairs and rarely showed himself.

After Zheng Qian finished inspecting the pills, his face was wreathed in smiles.

"There are six extra fine-quality Spirit-Awakening Pills. Their price is one level above the standard rate, so they should be worth thirty-three Spirit Stones.

Yuan Chen, you truly are a good seedling for alchemy. Once you finish turning in today's task, I'll personally request credit for you."

Liu Yuanchen exchanged a few courteous words, then left the Earthfire Chamber with the Spirit Stones and returned to his own cave abode.

The old man hurried forward and asked, "Old Zheng, where did this little fellow come from? At this rate, his future is boundless!"

Zheng Qian smiled. "His name is Liu Yuanchen, a descendant of the Dongyang Liu Household.

He used to be a disciple of Shennong Hall, but he was bullied by the Chen Household.

Left with no other choice, he requested to be sent to Yujin Mountain to tend Spirit Fields. He was gone for four years.

Only half a month ago did he return to the sect and join our Elixir Hall."

The old man cursed angrily, "Those little bastards from the Chen Household are truly no good. They nearly ruined a fine seedling."