Gather the Ingredients, and I'll Give You the Pill Formula

Gather the Ingredients, and I'll Give You the Pill Formula

Han Feng suppressed the grumbling in his heart and walked toward the gates of the ancient building.

"Hello! Please present your alchemist badge or invitation!"

At the entrance, two guards in Pill Tower uniforms, both with auras at the Dou Wang level, sternly stretched out their arms to stop him. This was the Pill Tower's core territory, where the rules were strict. Even ordinary Dou Venerables would not dare act recklessly here.

Han Feng said nothing. He merely took out an ancient badge from his storage ring. It was forged from purple-gold metal and engraved with eight golden stripes. He unhurriedly displayed it before the two guards.

An eighth-tier alchemist badge.

The pupils of the two guards instantly shrank to pinpoints. The sternness and arrogance on their faces vanished, replaced by heartfelt reverence.

An eighth-tier alchemist!

Such a person stood on the same level as the Pill Tower's three giants, a true existence at the peak of the continent's pyramid!

"S-Senior! Please, this way!"

The two almost instinctively bent at the waist and made an extremely deferential gesture of invitation. They did not even dare raise their heads again, their voices trembling with excitement.

Han Feng remained composed. He casually pinned the badge, enough to drive countless alchemists mad with envy, onto his chest before stepping through the gates of the trading fair, ignoring the complicated gazes of shock, envy, and reverence cast his way by the surrounding crowd.

The trading fair was divided into three levels.

The first level was the public trading area, as well as the liveliest place. The spacious hall was packed with people, with more than a hundred stalls lined up in rows. Hawking and haggling rose one after another, filling the place with the lively atmosphere of a marketplace.

Most of the stalls displayed fourth- and fifth-tier pills, or common medicinal ingredients needed to refine them. Occasionally, a few materials for refining sixth-tier pills could be seen, drawing crowds of people to compete for them.

Han Feng strolled through the area, his gaze casually sweeping over the stalls.

"Hmm, this Ironwood Vine is of a good age. Its roots are thick, and its color is deep. It would make excellent supplementary material for pills that strengthen one's foundation and nourish one's vitality."

"Oh? It even has the companion herb of a Wind Crystal. Though this is not high-grade, it has remarkable effects when used to temper the fiery dryness of certain fire-element pills."

He watched with great interest, occasionally nodding as he commented, like a farmer inspecting his own herb garden. In his eyes, no medicinal herb was useless; there were only treasures placed in the wrong hands. The joy of alchemy lay in turning decay into wonder.

He did not linger and slowly made his way up the stairs to the second floor.

Unlike the noisy first floor, the second floor was far quieter and more refined. It was no longer an open hall, but a series of independent display cases partitioned by transparent crystal. Those able to place goods here were either renowned master alchemists or sects and factions with deep foundations.

Most of the people trading here were alchemists of the sixth tier or above, or Dou Ancestor experts with steady auras. They spoke in low voices, and the entire place carried an air of professionalism and prestige.

Han Feng's spiritual sense swept across every display case.

The goods here were indeed more than a level above those on the first floor. He even saw a Dragon-Whisker Icefire Fruit, a main ingredient for refining a seventh-tier pill, surrounded by several elderly men fiercely haggling over its price.

Yet none of these were what he truly needed on this trip.

Just as he was about to head directly for the third floor, which had the highest threshold, his steps abruptly halted.

He passed through the crowd and looked toward an inconspicuous display case in the corner.

An elderly man with white hair and beard, dressed in the green robes of a seventh-tier alchemist, was sitting with his eyes closed in meditation, seemingly indifferent to everything around him.

There was only one item in his display case.

It was a fist-sized crystal, grayish-white throughout, as though it had been condensed from countless soul crystals.

Within the crystal, innumerable twisted soul phantoms seemed to be howling and struggling, giving off a pure yet faintly violent soul fluctuation.

Myriad Souls Crystal Marrow!

Han Feng's heart gave a violent leap!

After searching everywhere in vain, he had found it without any effort!

This was one of the most vital main ingredients needed to refine the ninth-tier treasured pill, the Heavenly Soul Saint-Melding Pill, which he required to reconstruct his teacher Yao Chen's body!

Han Feng suppressed the excitement in his heart and slowly walked over.

The green-robed elder seemed to sense someone approaching and slowly opened his eyes. When his gaze fell upon Han Feng and he saw that excessively young face, a trace of instinctive disdain flashed through his clouded eyes.

But in the next instant, when he saw the purple-gold badge on Han Feng's chest, gleaming with eight golden stripes, his entire body stiffened!

E-Eighth-tier alchemist!

The elder's disdain and pride were immediately replaced by shock. He hurriedly rose from his meditation cushion and gave Han Feng a deep bow.

"J-Junior Sun Miao did not know that Your Excellency would honor us with your presence. I failed to welcome you properly. I-I beg Your Excellency's forgiveness!" His voice trembled, and cold sweat instantly broke out across his forehead.

Han Feng ignored his loss of composure and merely looked at the Myriad Souls Crystal Marrow before asking calmly, "How is this item to be exchanged?"

Sun Miao's body trembled again. How could he dare bargain with an eighth-tier grandmaster? After hesitating for a moment, he gritted his teeth and pleaded:

"Your Excellency! This junior does not dare ask for an exchange! I-I only beg Your Excellency to bestow upon this junior a scroll... an eighth-tier pill formula! Even a low-grade one will do! This junior is willing to offer all of his life's collection, along with this piece of Myriad Souls Crystal Marrow!"

After speaking, he looked at Han Feng nervously, scarcely daring to breathe.

Several nearby alchemists who had noticed the commotion looked at him as if he had gone mad. He wanted to trade the possessions of a seventh-tier alchemist for an eighth-tier pill formula? That was nothing but a fool's dream!

However, a faintly amused smile appeared on Han Feng's face.

"An eighth-tier pill formula?" Looking at the elder, who seemed ready to bury his head in the ground, Han Feng said indifferently, "A single medicinal ingredient cannot be exchanged for an eighth-tier pill formula. Even Myriad Souls Crystal Marrow is not enough."

Upon hearing this, all color drained from Sun Miao's face, and his eyes filled with despair.

"However..." Han Feng changed his tone, making the elder's heart leap into his throat again.

"I can give you an opportunity."

With a flick of Han Feng's finger, a list of medicinal ingredients unfolded before Sun Miao. The names of four herbs were clearly listed on it.

"Myriad-Year Blood Lingzhi, Soul Spirit Fruit, Creation Profound Heaven Vine, Ten-Thousand-Year Azure Spirit Vine."

"The Myriad Souls Crystal Marrow in your possession counts as one. If you can help me gather the remaining four, then I will give you a complete eighth-tier pill formula."

"As for now," Han Feng said in a tone carrying irresistible temptation, "for every one you find, I can pay you in advance with a low-grade finished eighth-tier pill as compensation. Your Myriad Souls Crystal Marrow will likewise be valued at one pill."

"Are you willing?"

Sun Miao's mind buzzed. He was utterly stunned by the enormous windfall that had fallen from the sky!

One eighth-tier pill for one medicinal ingredient? And after gathering them all, he could even obtain a complete pill formula?

What a terrifyingly extravagant offer! This was a heaven-sent opportunity!

"Willing! This junior is willing!!"

Without even thinking, he nodded frantically like a pecking chick, afraid Han Feng would change his mind.

"Very good." Han Feng nodded in satisfaction. He took out a jade slip from his storage ring and handed it over. "This is my communication jade slip. Notify me once you have gathered them."

Then, with another flick of his finger, a jade bottle emitting a rich pill fragrance landed steadily atop Sun Miao's display case.

"This is the deposit."

With that, he ignored the elder, who was already ecstatic. With a casual gesture, he took the Myriad Souls Crystal Marrow into his hand, then turned and continued toward the stairs leading to the third floor.

Only after Han Feng's figure had completely vanished at the stairway entrance did Sun Miao, hands trembling, open the jade bottle.

When he saw the eighth-tier pill within, its precious light flowing and its pill essence naturally formed, he could no longer suppress the excitement in his heart. Tears streamed down his aged face.

He knew that the greatest opportunity of his life had arrived!