Pill refining

Inside a lavish house in Nuoding City.

"Sect Master, I've had everything you requested prepared, and the medicinal ingredients are here as well. Is there anything else you need?" a middle-aged man standing before Tang Xuan asked respectfully.

Tang Xuan looked at the medicinal ingredients and the towering pill furnace before him, feeling thoroughly satisfied.

"Good. Everything is well prepared, and there's plenty of it. Go collect your reward."

"Thank you, Sect Master. I'll take my leave." The middle-aged man was overjoyed.

"Oh, one more thing. Don't let anyone come near this place." Tang Xuan did not want any accidents.

"Yes, Sect Master. I'll have men keep this place under strict guard." With that, the middle-aged man respectfully withdrew.

Tang Xuan had spent a long time studying the pill-refining techniques recorded in the Medicine Codex within the Nine-Turn God-Slaying Art. Previously, he had lacked the means to put them into practice and could only stare longingly at the formulas without ever seeing the pills themselves. The pills described in those records left him itching inside, as though a cat were scratching at his heart. If he pulled this off, it would be not only an enormous business opportunity but also a heaven-sent chance. There were no pill refiners on the Douluo Continent. If he succeeded, Tang Xuan would be the very first!

He had more or less mastered the theory, but he truly had no idea how things would go once he put it into practice. As for whether he could successfully refine a pill, Tang Xuan had little confidence.

According to the Medicine Codex, pills were ranked from one to nine, distinguished by their pill markings, with first rank being the lowest and ninth rank the highest. They were further divided into five major grades: first through third rank were earth-grade pills, capable of curing a hundred ailments, neutralizing a hundred poisons, and strengthening the body. Fourth through sixth rank were heaven-grade pills, capable of extending life, cleansing the sinews, and purifying the marrow. Seventh through eighth rank were immortal-grade pills, capable of reviving the dead and restoring flesh to bare bones. Ninth-rank pills were sage-grade, seizing the transformative power of heaven and earth to transcend the mortal and enter sagehood.

Tang Xuan would begin with a simple first-rank pill, the Body Tempering Pill.

Tang Xuan opened the pill furnace and placed the medicinal ingredients inside one after another. Based on his research, using Soul Power to assist the refining process should produce better results. Circulating Soul Power while refining pills would also aid his cultivation. Tang Xuan circulated his Soul Power and poured it into the furnace, beginning his first attempt at pill refining.

Time ticked by, second after second. An hour later, a loud bang erupted from Tang Xuan's room. Although the guards standing several meters outside the door heard it, none dared approach to investigate. Their orders were absolute: remain three meters from the house and allow no one near it. Even they had no authority to go closer and check.

Inside, the furnace explosion had left Tang Xuan covered in soot and dust. He rubbed his chin and began to ponder.

"It must have been because I released too much Soul Power at the crucial final moment when the pills were forming. Yes, that must be it." Tang Xuan immediately affirmed his conclusion. He then circulated his cultivation art to recover his Soul Power, preparing for his next attempt.

Tang Xuan emptied out the medicinal ingredients, which had been blasted into nothing but dregs, put fresh ingredients inside, and immediately began his second attempt. He had long expected that he would not succeed on his first try, so he had prepared plenty of ingredients and braced himself for repeated failures.

Another hour passed, and another explosion rang out from the room. This blast was even stronger. Black smoke filled the room and even billowed out of the house.

"Cough, cough, cough..." Choking on the smoke, Tang Xuan coughed incessantly and casually wiped his soot-blackened face.

"Hah, I refuse to believe I can't beat this!" Tang Xuan emptied out the waste once again and loaded fresh ingredients. Without even recovering his Soul Power, he began his third attempt.

"Steady my heart, calm my breathing. Stay calm. I have to stay calm." Pill refining allowed no room for stray thoughts, so Tang Xuan worked hard to settle himself. He began this attempt with complete focus.

Having failed twice, Tang Xuan proceeded with extreme caution this time, focusing with every ounce of his attention as he made minute adjustments. Another hour passed, but this time, there was no sound of an exploding furnace. Indeed, after two failures, Tang Xuan finally succeeded on his third attempt.

Tang Xuan lifted the furnace lid, and the delicate fragrance of pills greeted him. Three brown pills lay quietly at the bottom of the furnace.

"The yield is a little low! And the quality isn't very good either."

"I wonder how effective they are. I'll have to find someone to test one." Tang Xuan walked outside with the three pills.

Tang Xuan looked at the guards standing watch outside the door and thought, They'll do.

"Hey, you there, come over here," Tang Xuan called to a guard by the entrance.

Hearing Tang Xuan call him, the guard immediately ran over and bowed respectfully.

"Chairman, what are your orders?"

"Take this pill." Tang Xuan handed him a pill. Seeing his hesitation, Tang Xuan added, "Don't worry. It isn't poisonous. You'll be fine."

"I wouldn't dare question you, sir." He quickly took the pill and swallowed it. Seeing him gulp it down in one go, Tang Xuan did not ask how he felt. Before long, crisp cracking sounds came from the guard's body, and a layer of black substance seeped from his skin. Even more shocking to him, his Soul Power broke through from level 23 to level 24.

Seeing that he gave no response, Tang Xuan asked, "How do you feel?" Tang Xuan's voice brought the guard back to reality, and he hurriedly answered, "I... I feel very good, sir. My body feels lighter, and somehow my Soul Power has even gone up a level."

Hmm, the medicinal potency seems good. These are merely low-quality first-rank pills. Producing an effect like this is already very good.

"Take these two pills and share them with your companions." Tang Xuan gave him the other two pills as well.

"Thank you, Chairman!" He was ecstatic and hurriedly accepted them with both hands. These were treasures! Although he did not understand why his Soul Power had risen by a level, he knew it must have something to do with that pill.

Tang Xuan paid him no further attention and turned back into the house, ready to continue refining pills. Practice made perfect, after all.

From that point onward, Tang Xuan did not leave the house for two full weeks. Only an endless stream of medicinal ingredients went inside, and his pill-refining techniques improved throughout the process.