Sister Ya Fei, I missed you...

"How did you know the Pill Recipe and the details of the refining process?" Ya Fei sobered up completely, her beautiful eyes widening.

"Sister Ya Fei, take a look at this." Chu Zhou handed her the Pill Recipe and refining procedure he had written down beforehand. "When I heard about the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid that day, it sounded familiar. Later, I remembered that the Alchemist who wanted to take me as his disciple had mentioned it."

"He said that although my cultivation was low, my talent was decent. With the help of a certain Grade Two Pill he had obtained in the Black-Corner Region, I could become a Dou Zhe in as little as six months, or two years at most."

"That Grade Two Pill was called Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid."

"He even told me how to refine it, sounding quite proud of himself. I didn't understand any of it, but I have a good memory, so I remembered everything."

Although he intended to work with Ya Fei and wasn't afraid of dying once, Chu Zhou wasn't foolish enough to reveal the abilities of his Myriad Medicine Clarity Body.

"Come on, let's go find Uncle Gu Ni."

Ya Fei took the paper. As she read the detailed refining information recorded on it, her heart began racing despite herself.

She had never heard of a pill in the Jia Ma Empire that could aid cultivation during the Dou Qi stage.

If they could produce it in batches, it would surely find a ready market and earn them a fortune in gold coins.

"Uncle Gu Ni, wake up! Something important has come up!"

Ya Fei hurried to her bedroom and quickly changed, then pulled Chu Zhou along to find Gu Ni.

"What happened?" Gu Ni appeared shortly afterward, looking puzzled.

Ya Fei was usually composed and rarely acted with such urgency.

"Uncle Gu Ni, look at this." Ya Fei handed him the Pill Recipe.

"This is..." Gu Ni reached out and took the Pill Recipe.

As he read its contents, his expression gradually grew serious.

"It's the Pill Recipe for Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. Chu Zhou..."

Ya Fei repeated what Chu Zhou had told her, never doubting its truth for a moment.

Otherwise, where could Chu Zhou, a frail scholar in his twenties whose cultivation was only at three-stage Dou Qi and who had previously lived in a remote village, have learned the exact Pill Recipe?

Gu Ni listened patiently and likewise had no doubts. He merely marveled inwardly at Chu Zhou's good fortune before saying with great interest, "Based on my experience, judging by the Pill Recipe alone, it should be genuine. Still, we'll have to try refining it to know for certain."

"Uncle Gu Ni, let's try it right now." All traces of sleepiness gone, Ya Fei said eagerly, "The medicinal ingredients for Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid are neither rare nor expensive. We have everything in the storeroom, including the wood attribute magic core."

"All right." Gu Ni was interested as well and nodded slightly. "I'll try refining it. If it works, our Mittel Auction House will have another way to rake in money."

At that, Chu Zhou, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. "Sister Ya Fei, Master Gu Ni, I don't think we should let the formula for Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid spread, or sell it in large quantities."

"Why?" Both turned to look at Chu Zhou.

"After all, this is a Pill Recipe I memorized, not something the Fourth-Rank Alchemist formally taught me. If we refine it without permission and sell it on a large scale, we might offend him if he finds out. We wouldn't be in the right, either."

"The Alchemist who came to sell Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid seven days ago proves that more than one or two people know this Pill Recipe exists."

"I think we should only sell small quantities of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. That way, we won't offend anyone. After all, scarcity drives up value, so we'll still make plenty from auctioning it."

"Once Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid becomes well known, we can say that Mittel merely has a source for it. Privately, we can trade it with certain factions or individuals, and supply it to the Mittel Family's younger generation."

Chu Zhou's reasoning was sound and sensible, leaving Gu Ni and Ya Fei deep in thought.

After a while, Ya Fei nodded, admiration in her eyes. "I let the benefits go to my head. I didn't think things through as thoroughly as you did, little brother. We really shouldn't publicize this anytime soon."

Gu Ni added, "I'll try refining it first. Once we're sure the Pill Recipe works, I'll write to the family head and let him decide."

The three immediately headed to the refining room together, which stood right beside several medicinal storerooms.

Refining one bottle of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid required three complete stalks of purple leaf orchid grass, two bone-cleansing flowers, and one rank-one Wood Attribute magic core.

Gu Ni took enough ingredients for five batches, all of the highest quality.

After briefly regulating his breathing, he brought out his Medicine Cauldron and began refining according to the procedure written in the Pill Recipe.

Chu Zhou and Ya Fei barely dared to breathe, watching without looking away throughout the process.

"It worked!"

Gu Ni was, after all, an experienced second-rank Alchemist, and the Pill Recipe described the refining process in detail. He succeeded on his very first attempt.

"Wonderful!" A smile blossomed across Ya Fei's exquisite face.

She had never imagined that coming to Wutan City to lie low would also give her a chance to earn such great merit.

"Little brother, you really are my lucky star." Overjoyed, Ya Fei hugged Chu Zhou tightly. "From now on, I'll supply all the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid you need for your cultivation."

"Thank you, Sister Ya Fei." Chu Zhou accepted without reservation.

He had earned this treatment by providing the Pill Recipe for Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid.

Afterward, Gu Ni refined another four bottles of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid in one go and selected three to give to Chu Zhou. "Tell me when you run out, and I'll refine more for you."

Chu Zhou returned to his courtyard with the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. Once he sat down on his bed, he opened a bottle without hesitation.

As before, he cautiously drank a single drop first, then formed a hand seal and began cultivating.

Six hours later, he opened his eyes with a satisfied smile. "It took six hours to use up one drop, and my meridians don't feel the slightest soreness."

"If I went without sleeping, resting, eating, or drinking, one bottle of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid would let me cultivate continuously for two days!"

Of course, Chu Zhou wasn't going to push himself that hard.

With twenty-four hours in a day, after setting aside time for three meals, washing up, and growing closer to Ya Fei, and replacing sleep with cultivation, he had roughly eighteen hours of actual cultivation time.

He kept this up for five straight days, using up two bottles of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. His cultivation advanced smoothly to fifth stage Dou Qi.

Such was the power of having every meridian open—the Hundred Meridians Fully Connected!

I didn't receive a reward from the Firmament Ledger for this breakthrough. Looks like I guessed right: it only gives one reward during the Dou Qi stage. Its announcement also said the reward was for the first person to make a cultivation breakthrough during the Dou Qi stage.

Chu Zhou opened his eyes and did not take out the third bottle of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid to continue cultivating.

Raising his cultivation was important, but the Firmament Ledger's rewards, which only the first person could claim, were even more important.

After the Evening Meal and a quick wash, Chu Zhou went to Ya Fei's courtyard, only for a maid to tell him she was still at the Auction House.

Chu Zhou then headed to the Auction House, where he happened to encounter Ya Fei just as she finished hosting an auction.

"Why aren't you focusing on cultivation today? How come you have time to visit me instead?"

Ya Fei led Chu Zhou into the rear hall of her office. Her voice naturally carried a hint of coy pride and affection, along with an almost imperceptible touch of coquettishness.

Chu Zhou stepped forward and took Ya Fei's hand. "Sister Ya Fei, I missed you..."