Pill Refining, Upgrading Everything

Li Yunjing nodded. "Of course."

Zhang Hongzhi and the others cupped their fists at Li Yunjing.

Then they said their farewells and left the Luozhen Sect.

Li Yunjing told Zhang Hanpeng to escort the three of them out of the Luozhen Sect.

He remained in front of his cave abode and silently said, Upgrade.

[Sect Master's Cave Abode (lv1)]

[lv2 spiritual effects: Spirit Plant maturation cycle -30%, Spiritual Qi concentration +30%, recovery speed while meditating here +20%.

Adds a small Spirit Gathering Formation. While cultivating here, the cave abode master's speed +25%.]

[Upgrade requirements: small Spirit Gathering Formation diagram *1, Qi Refining Completion cultivation, low-grade Spirit Stones *50.]

The lv2 spiritual effects now included increased cultivation speed.

Li Yunjing was already accustomed to this effect.

At present, the cultivation room, the Sect Grand Hall, and the Patriarch Hall could all trigger it.

Li Yunjing was even getting a little tired of seeing it.

Still, he had to admit the effect was powerful.

After upgrading his cave abode,

Li Yunjing went to upgrade the other buildings.

First was the Sect Grand Hall.

The Sect Grand Hall was currently lv2.

And its lv3 spiritual effects were quite good.

[lv3 spiritual effects: monthly Spiritual Qi output increased to 25 units, disciples' success rate when breaking through minor realms +30%, Spiritual Qi conversion rate when the sect master cultivates here +20%.

A group buff can be activated at will once per month, increasing cultivation speed by 15%.]

The important part was the group buff.

It worked on Li Yunjing too.

After activating the group buff,

if his cave abode were upgraded to lv2,

then while cultivating in his own cave abode,

Li Yunjing could enjoy a 40% increase in cultivation speed.

That was important to Li Yunjing.

It could help him reach Foundation Establishment sooner.

He took out twenty jin of Profound Crystal Copper, five jin of Purple Silver, and a hundred low-grade Spirit Stones.

These were the material requirements for upgrading the Sect Grand Hall to lv3.

Another requirement was for Li Yunjing's cultivation to be at Qi Refining Completion.

Li Yunjing had met that requirement long ago.

Looking at the resources before him, Li Yunjing still felt the pain of parting with them.

The twenty jin of Profound Crystal Copper had cost eighty low-grade Spirit Stones.

Purple Silver was even more outrageous, costing twenty low-grade Spirit Stones per jin.

Upgrading the Sect Grand Hall alone cost two hundred and twenty low-grade Spirit Stones.

Li Yunjing hurriedly said in his mind, Upgrade.

Out of sight, out of mind.

[Sect Grand Hall (lv3)]

[lv4 spiritual effects: monthly Spiritual Qi output increased to 40 units, disciples' success rate when breaking through minor realms +40%, Spiritual Qi conversion rate when the sect master cultivates here +30%.

A group buff can be activated at will once per month, increasing cultivation speed by 20% and reducing the chance of encountering a bottleneck by 15%.

Generates a sect-protecting grand formation capable of defending against Qi Refining cultivators.]

[Upgrade requirements: Iron Essence *12 pieces, jade marrow *1 piece, sect master's cultivation *Foundation Establishment Early Stage, first-grade high-tier defensive formation *1.]

Li Yunjing's eyes lit up at the lv4 spiritual effects.

The group buff now included a reduced chance of encountering bottlenecks.

That was no small thing.

Even high-level cultivators encountered the problem of bottlenecks.

Once encountered, one could last a lifetime.

Although the chance was currently reduced by only 15%,

as the sect buildings rose in level,

there was no need to worry about that percentage not increasing.

If it could reach one hundred percent,

there would be no bottlenecks.

That would be a little heaven-defying.

The second new effect also excited Li Yunjing.

He had wanted a sect-protecting grand formation for a long time.

But formations of this kind were too expensive.

Li Yunjing lacked the means.

Now, upgrading to lv4 would produce a sect-protecting grand formation.

That was convenient.

Its ability to defend against Qi Refining cultivators was also sufficient for the time being.

As the Luozhen Sect currently stood, Foundation Establishment cultivators would not even spare it a glance.

Only a few rogue Qi Refining cultivators might come looking to shake it down.

As for the Sect Grand Hall's upgrade requirements,

Li Yunjing set them aside for now.

He would pay attention to them once he reached Foundation Establishment.

Having upgraded the Sect Grand Hall, it was time for the other buildings.

First was the poultry coop.

[Poultry Coop (lv3)]

[lv4 spiritual effects: daily spirit egg production *8, +70 chance of doubling daily spirit egg production, +50% chance of producing premium spirit eggs, poultry accumulate cultivation 35% faster in the Chicken Coop, growth speed +20%.

Poultry meat quality enhanced, with a detoxifying effect, +20% daily chance of dropping first-grade material (feathers).]

[Upgrade requirements: Morning Sun Spirit Wood (three hundred years old) *1 piece, sect prosperity reaches ten.]

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[Mountain Gate (lv2)]

[lv3 spiritual effects: warning range increased by forty zhang, spiritual radiance enhanced, with a soul-intimidating effect; currently effective only against Qi Refining cultivators.

Can release a divine soul shock to kill Qi Refining cultivators who forcibly intrude through the mountain gate.]

[Upgrade requirements: Soul-Suppressing Stone *1 piece, Heavenly Silver *5 liang, low-grade Spirit Stones *100.]

-

[Patriarch Hall (lv2)]

[lv3 spiritual effects: produces three units of patriarch incense offerings per month. After paying respects, Spiritual Qi absorption speed +30% for fourteen shichen; this effect can take effect once every twenty-eight shichen.

When paying respects, +10% chance to trigger the patriarch's protection and enter a state of enlightenment.

When paying respects, 10% chance to trigger the patriarch's favor and obtain a first-grade spiritual object.]

[Upgrade requirements: raise sect prosperity to ten, ten wisps of patriarch incense offerings, sect master's cultivation *Foundation Establishment Early Stage.]

-

[Scripture Repository (lv2)]

[lv3 spiritual effects: speed of comprehending Cultivation Methods +12%, +20% chance of automatically correcting misunderstandings while studying in the Scripture Repository.

+5% chance of completing incomplete Cultivation Methods.]

[Upgrade requirements: Basic Heavenly Secrets Formation Diagram *1, low-grade Spirit Stones 100, number of first-grade Cultivation Methods *20.]

-

[Cultivation Room (lv1)]

[lv2 spiritual effects: Spiritual Qi concentration +30%, cultivation speed while cultivating here +25%, risk of Qi Deviation -15%.]

[Upgrade requirements: meditation cushion *1, low-grade Spirit Stones *20]

He upgraded all five buildings in one go.

Li Yunjing looked over the effects the five buildings would gain at their next level.

For Li Yunjing, the poultry coop was still the best.

After being upgraded to lv4, it would yield a new product.

The materials it dropped ought to be good.

The feathers of first-grade poultry demons were also good materials for refining artifacts.

After upgrading the five buildings,

there were still two buildings left to upgrade.

The Spirit Field and the Alchemy Chamber.

The Spirit Field required Li Yunjing to moisten it with first-grade spiritual liquid for ten consecutive days.

That could not be accomplished in a single step.

With no other choice, Li Yunjing could only put the Spirit Field's upgrade aside for now.

The Alchemy Chamber, meanwhile, required Li Yunjing to personally refine a first-grade pill.

Li Yunjing had bought the spirit medicines.

There was no longer anything stopping him from refining a first-grade pill.

He headed to the Alchemy Chamber.

The repaired Alchemy Chamber looked entirely new.

Spiritual lights danced within the Alchemy Chamber, radiance released by the formation patterns.

Zhang Hongzhi and the others had also cleaned the large Pill Furnace.

This large Pill Furnace was a first-grade Law Artifact.

It possessed twelve Law Restrictions.

Among first-grade Law Artifacts, it was definitely top-notch.

Li Yunjing took out the spirit medicines he had bought.

He arranged them one by one on a wooden table nearby.

This time, Li Yunjing planned to refine the Yellow Sprout Pill he had learned to make before.

The Yellow Sprout Pill was a mid-tier first-grade spirit pill.

It could help Qi Refining cultivators increase the rate at which they absorbed Spiritual Qi.

It was worth a decent amount.

It was also the spirit pill Li Yunjing had previously been most skilled at refining.

He walked over to the formation-pattern platform in the Alchemy Chamber.

Li Yunjing took out three Spirit Stones and placed them on the platform.

In an instant, the formation in the Alchemy Chamber activated.

A wave of heat washed over him.

Beneath the large Pill Furnace, a mass of golden flames rose.

This was a spiritual flame created by the Alchemy Chamber's formation converting Spiritual Qi.

There was no earth fire in the Serene Valley,

and using spirit wood charcoal would not allow precise control of the temperature.

Thus, he could only use this method to refine pills.

This method had only one drawback:

it consumed too many Spirit Stones.

But spending those Spirit Stones was worthwhile.

Once the large Pill Furnace had preheated,

Li Yunjing began refining the pill.

He fed the spirit medicines into the large Pill Furnace one by one.

He used high heat to extract their essence and burn away impurities.

Before long, only a mass of medicinal liquid essence remained in the Pill Furnace.

Next came the most crucial step: forming the pill.

Li Yunjing took a deep breath.

He had not refined pills in a long time, and he had now used a little too much Divine Sense.

He did not know whether he could successfully form the pill.

But failure was no great matter.

Li Yunjing had bought three sets of spirit medicines.

That gave him three chances to refine it.

Li Yunjing was quite confident he could refine a Yellow Sprout Pill within three attempts.

Concentrating fully, Li Yunjing formed the hand signs for the Pill-Dividing Method Formula and began the final stage of refinement...