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Chapter 264: Upgrading Cultivation Environment, Replacing the Cannon with a Musket
Chapter 264: Upgrading Cultivation Environment, Replacing the Cannon with a Musket
The Dream Emotion Cauldron was excellent, but it naturally had its flaws.
Most top-grade magical tools had the drawback of consuming excessive spiritual power.
The Ice Emperor Cauldron was no exception.
However, Luo Chen didn't mind this. With his spiritual power far surpassing others at the same level, this minor consumption was negligible.
The Ice Emperor Cauldron had another drawback, which was more critical.
This cauldron was a giant, standing at a height of two zhang and with a round body, its diameter reaching twelve chi, making it a colossal existence.
But unfortunately, such a large cauldron did not have the Size Flexibility Formation inscribed on it! In other words, ordinary storage magical tools couldn't accommodate it.
Strictly speaking, this wasn't a flaw.
According to Shi Lan's instructions, the Ice Emperor Cauldron was designed based on the Clan Foundation Cauldron, with its original size reaching three zhang, a full ten meters tall!
Such a giant was usually kept in the Ice Fortress's pill chamber, meant for Golden Core Masters to use.
It was never intended to be easily portable.
The one in Luo Chen's possession was a failed casting, and its dimensions were slightly smaller.
Even so, it couldn't fit into any of his Treasure Pouches.
"I guess Heartless Immortal Fairy was afraid I'd run away with the cauldron!"
Luo Chen laughed and struck a spirit technique towards the underground fire below.
A wisp of flame emerged, like a spirit snake slithering out of a hole.
The flame wasn't large, but the scorching heat it contained made Luo Chen's eyelids twitch.
"This temperature is already comparable to the Foundation Establishment True Fire of a newly advanced Foundation Establishment Cultivator."
"No wonder it's a Second Stage Earth Fire!"
Foundation Establishment True Fire was a technique that any cultivator could use after advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage, regardless of their spiritual root.
Even cultivators without a fire spiritual root could use it.
The "Foundation Establishment True Fire" was less like fire and more like the powerful energy produced when spiritual power is transformed into a liquid, which the cultivator then violently manipulates.
Its nature was explosive and restless.
Hence, it was likened to "fire."
Generally, Foundation Establishment Cultivators rarely used Foundation Establishment True Fire.
Only in special situations where extreme energy was required would they do so.
For example, during pill refinement or tool forging, when the temperature needed to be instantly raised.
Or when facing formless and intangible yin spirits and ghosts, where powerful energy was needed to shake their soul and spirit.
Using True Fire didn't maximize the utilization of refined spiritual liquid, which was quite wasteful.
Now, with the assistance of the Second Stage Earth Fire, Luo Chen could reduce the frequent use of Foundation Establishment True Fire during pill refinement.
Especially for Second Rank Pills! When refining Jade Dew Pills, he had to frequently cast True Fire, which was quite exhausting for his spiritual power.
This was why he proactively asked Heartless Immortal Fairy for the Second Stage Earth Fire.
She was a knowledgeable person and instantly understood his concern.
Without hesitation, she agreed to his request.
"The Ice Emperor Cauldron consumes spiritual power, but the Second Stage Earth Fire conserves it. With this exchange, I'm not losing much, and after improving my pill refinement efficiency, I can even earn more!"
Luo Chen was in high spirits.
He took out several medicinal ingredients from his Treasure Pouch and tossed them into the Ice Emperor Cauldron.
He allowed the strands of Second Stage Earth Fire to scorch the cauldron.
This wasn't for pill refinement but to warm the cauldron, just like how a mortal family would season a new iron pot.
High-quality pill cauldrons also required warming.
Obviously, this Ice Emperor Cauldron was brand new and unused, so Luo Chen needed to season it.
During this process, Luo Chen tested each array on the cauldron one by one.
And so, he worked until the afternoon.
When he finally exited the pill chamber, the entire cave mansion had been transformed.
There was no trace of Ling Yuzhi's previous residence.
Instead, it was now neatly arranged with antique-style furniture.
Each room was lit by moonlight stones.
In the corners, first-grade spirit springs containing faint spiritual energy had several spirit fish swimming in them.
In the pharmacy leading to the pill chamber, Bai Meiling had organized Luo Chen's commonly used medicinal ingredients into categories.
A faint sandalwood fragrance lingered in the air.
Mi Li had lit incense in the living room.
"President," Mi Li greeted him.
Luo Chen nodded at her and looked around the transformed and spacious cave mansion, feeling deeply moved.
After years of hard work, he finally had a decent home.
Even if it was rented.
"Alright, everyone, take a break."
Luo Chen waved his hand and sat down on a soft sofa.
This sofa was specially customized for Luo Chen by Sima Huiwang, filled with flying bird feathers and sewn with demon beast leather.
Sitting on it was pure enjoyment.
This seemed a bit out of character for Luo Chen's previous image as a diligent cultivator.
But Luo Chen had his reasons!
After working so hard for so many years, couldn't he enjoy a little?
Of course, he couldn't just indulge in pleasure.
Lying on the sofa, Luo Chen looked at the four people sitting across from him on stone chairs.
"Have you encountered any problems with pill refinement lately?"
"Since I have some free time today, I'll answer your questions one by one."
The four seemed to have anticipated this.
Qu Lingjun was the first to ask.
His pill refinement skills were the strongest among the four, and he could already steadily refine middle-grade Jade Marrow Pills.
But the more he knew, the more he felt his ignorance.
His mind was already filled with numerous questions.
Some were related to Jade Marrow Pill refinement, some to pill techniques, and others to fire control, medicinal ingredients...
Luo Chen answered most of the questions, while some were left for detailed explanations during pill refinement.
After Qu Lingjun, Mi Li, Qiu Ying, and Ma Shoupu also asked their questions.
Questions of the same type were naturally skipped.
For some simple questions that just required a different perspective, Luo Chen didn't give direct answers but instead provided examples and analogies to help them understand.
The questions and answers continued until dusk.
Luo Chen rose from the sofa. "Let's go, follow me into the pill chamber!"
"Today, we'll be refining the Spirit Gate Pill, one of the most challenging pills to refine among first-grade pills. Observe carefully, and the amount you learn will depend on your own efforts."
They entered the pill chamber.
Qu Lingjun and the other three were stunned by the massive pill cauldron, which was nearly six to seven meters tall.
Previously, they thought their master's Four Symbols Cauldron was already quite large.
Unexpectedly, there was an even more colossal object.
What they didn't know was that high-level pill refiners used even more extraordinary pill refining tools.
The size was only necessary for some large raw materials that were difficult to cut.
According to Luo Chen's knowledge, there were pill refining tools known for their small size.
In the Medicine King Sect, there was even a pill refining pot named 'Pot Within the Sun and Moon'.
This pot had three layers, each with its own unique features, and its effects were unparalleled.
Refining first to third-grade pills was a simple task.
Even fourth-grade pills could be refined.
The Pot Within the Sun and Moon was beyond imagination.
With this brand-new Supreme Ice Emperor Cauldron, Luo Chen was temporarily satisfied.
As he used the Ice Emperor Cauldron for the first time, Luo Chen was relatively relaxed.
His proficiency in refining the Spirit Gate Pill had already reached a high level, with a success rate of around twenty percent.
Over the years, his pill refining skills had improved significantly.
Refining this mere first-grade pill was not a difficult task for him.
However, being relaxed didn't mean he would be careless in his actions.
On the contrary, he was more careful than ever.
"The processing of the Fox Demon's blood involves the Washing Hand Technique. Lingjun, pay close attention!"
"Using second-grade pill fire for a first-grade pill can be too intense, so here we'll use the Fire Transformation Array to lower the earth fire's temperature and increase the contact area."
"The Fire Transformation Array has no offensive or defensive power; its main purpose is to regulate the fire's intensity..."
As he spoke, Luo Chen's spiritual sense was focused on the Ice Emperor Cauldron.
Standing beneath the enormous pill cauldron, he seemed insignificant.
But during the pill refining process, his calm movements made him appear majestic.
The four pill refiners from Luo Tianhui observed attentively.
During the process, Luo Chen occasionally explained why he used specific pill techniques at certain times.
Combining practice with theory! This teaching method benefited all four of them greatly.
"It's done!"
"But we'll have to wait a bit longer. This Ice Emperor Cauldron is different from ordinary pill furnaces; it has the Pill Stabilization Formation and the Cloud Aggregation Formation."
"Although these two formations have been in effect throughout the refining process, leaving the pills in the cauldron for a little longer will maximize their effects."
"Good things are worth the wait!"
Luo Chen removed the earth fire with a hearty laugh.
He allowed the residual heat of the cauldron to bake the pills inside.
Wisps of dreamlike pill fragrance swirled within the cauldron, bound by the Cloud Aggregation Formation, allowing it to better infuse into the pills and improve their grade.
After about half an incense stick's worth of time, Luo Chen's spirit stirred, and with a casual wave, seven snow-white pills fell into his hand.
"Master, is this the Spirit Gate Pill?" Qu Lingjun exclaimed in excitement.
The other three also had curious expressions in their eyes.
The Spirit Gate Pill was renowned among the upper echelons of Luo Tianhui.
It was said to have miraculous effects on Foundation Establishment.
This was one of the two Foundation Establishment spirit pills listed by Sima Huiwang.
The other was the Essence Cultivation Elixir improved by Luo Chen.
However, the Essence Cultivation Elixir required long-term use, unlike the Spirit Gate Pill, which showed effects quickly.
The first time they witnessed Luo Chen refining the Spirit Gate Pill, they couldn't help but feel excited.
Initially, Luo Chen didn't speak but carefully examined the pill in his hand.
Finally, based on his experience of taking the Spirit Gate Pill multiple times, he determined that the quality of this pill had indeed improved.
Although it was still of inferior grade, its quality was better than before, approaching the mid-grade Spirit Gate Pill.
"This Ice Emperor Cauldron truly enhances the quality of pills!"
Luo Chen marveled inwardly and casually took out five pills to give to the four of them.
The extra pill naturally went to Qu Lingjun.
After all, as his disciple, Luo Chen would show some favoritism.
"Don't go back tonight. Take this Spirit Gate Pill here, and you can leave tomorrow."
"With my protection, nothing major will happen."
Qu Lingjun exclaimed in surprise, "Could taking this pill be dangerous?"
Luo Chen nodded and explained the taboos of the Spirit Gate Pill.
The Spirit Gate Pill brings dreams and creates illusions.
The first time one takes it, it is the most dangerous.
However, the effects of the first time are also the best.
The longer one stays in the dream, the more their soul foundation will grow.
But this 'longer' is not without limits.
If one becomes trapped in the dream, it may harm themselves.
It's a bit contradictory, but that's how it is.
After hearing this, the four of them looked at each other.
Being young, Qu Lingjun patted his chest.
"Lingjun will not disappoint Master!"
Mi Li held the pill and nodded.
Qiu Ying, being the oldest and having served as an executive in the Pill Hall, asked more questions, to which Luo Chen provided answers.
The young Ma Shoupu also made a similar bold statement to Qu Lingjun, hinting at a subtle sense of competitiveness.
Luo Chen didn't mind and immediately led them out of the pill chamber, allowing them to find a private room to take the pill.
"Master, do you value these four a lot?"
"Bai Meiling floated over.
Luo Chen sat on the sofa, inhaling the faint sandalwood fragrance, holding a white book that exuded a chilling aura.
Each page of the book seemed to be condensed from camphor, and the handwriting on it was vivid, as if it were alive.
This was the insights of a Third Stage Alchemist, titled 'Sage Fox Pill Interpretation', given to him by the Heartless Immortal.
Compared to the straightforward and easy-to-understand 'Green Origin Pill Interpretation', this 'Sage Fox Pill Interpretation' was far more complex.
When it came to Second and Third Stage Alchemy techniques, it was even more convoluted, and Luo Chen had to exert great effort to slowly comprehend a sentence or two.
Even after having it for half a month, Luo Chen had only managed to read a few pages.
At this moment, upon hearing Bai Meiling's words, Luo Chen replied without looking up, "Of course, I value them. What's the matter?"
Bai Meiling asked in confusion, "But the highest stage among them is only the Seventh Level of Qi Condensation, and their Alchemy skills are even less impressive than a single hair of yours. Why bother spending so much effort to cultivate them?"
"Hehe."
Luo Chen chuckled lightly, "It's only natural that they have potential worth my cultivation!"
Among these four, the most talented was undoubtedly Qu Lingjun, followed by Ma Shoupu.
Mi Li was slightly better, and Qiu Ying was the weakest.
Luo Chen personally answered their doubts and provided practical training, even bestowing upon them the Spirit Gate Pill, which only Ninth Level Qi Condensation Cultivators could exchange for in the Luo Tianhui.
He was putting in so much effort to improve their Alchemy skills.
After experiencing the simulations of the Ghost God Soul Mirror...
Even though those simulations were not the actual future, some of the memories within could still serve as valuable lessons.
In the simulated memories, Luo Chen had refined pills for over two hundred years.
It seemed as though he hadn't delayed his cultivation, but his life was indeed exhausting.
If he could save more time from Alchemy and use it for cultivation, would he achieve greater success?
The answer to this question was obvious without much thought.
He would undoubtedly achieve greater success!
The reason was simple; the Ghost God Soul Mirror's simulations didn't take the system into account!
Luo Chen's system was the Proficiency Panel.
To increase proficiency, time was essential.
As of now, he still had a bunch of skills that hadn't reached the maximum level.
Therefore, he needed time!
How could he free himself from the endless task of Alchemy? By cultivating a few Alchemists to replace him, of course!
Naturally, some might think that Luo Chen was treating them as tools, mercilessly exploiting them.
But given this opportunity, they would definitely want it for themselves.
In the cultivation world, countless people yearned to be exploited by those above them, but they didn't even have that chance.
Luo Chen was a genuine Second Stage Alchemist!
When it came to refining specific types of pills, he was undoubtedly a Pill Master!
Having Luo Chen's personal guidance and cultivation was a blessing they couldn't hope for in several lifetimes.
Without Luo Chen, Qu Lingjun, with his four Spirit Roots, would have little chance of success in this lifetime.
Without Luo Chen, Mi Li, who had lost her family and suffered from a weak constitution, would have no future to speak of.
As for Qiu Ying and Ma Shoupu, without specialized guidance, their innate talents would remain unfulfilled.
On the contrary, with Luo Chen's help, they could flourish and even have a significant chance of reaching Foundation Establishment in the future!
Amidst the entanglements of emotions and interests, right and wrong, Luo Chen had a clear understanding.
They, too, knew it in their hearts.
"Wow, someone's awake!"
Luo Chen put down the 'Sage Fox Pill Interpretation' and walked towards a room.
The first to wake up was Qiu Ying.
This was within Luo Chen's expectations.
Seeing Qiu Ying's dazed and dejected state, Luo Chen smiled slightly.
"Take a good rest, or go out for a walk if you like."
"Yes, thank you, Chairman."
Qiu Ying nodded, then subconsciously curled up at the head of the bed, hugging her knees.
Apparently, this dream wasn't very pleasant!
Luo Chen didn't inquire further.
Subsequently, Mi Li, Ma Shoupu, and Qu Lingjun also woke up one after another.
The last to wake up was Qu Lingjun, who had indeed kept his word and didn't disappoint Luo Chen.
He endured for two full hours, about ten minutes.
Initially, Luo Chen had only lasted for a quarter of an hour.
"Go out for a walk, enjoy the night breeze, and admire the night view of Tianlan Peak!"
"Mi Li and the others are waiting for you outside."
Luo Chen ruffled the young man's hair.
Although he was already in his twenties, he woke up from the dream with tears soaking his clothes, crying like a child.
Evidently, his dream had been a sorrowful one.
Standing in the living room, Luo Chen watched as Qu Lingjun, supported by Mi Li, stumbled out of the Cave Mansion. He said to Bai Meiling, "Keep an eye on them, stay in this area, and don't venture into other Cave Mansions."
Bai Meiling nodded hurriedly.
At night, she was always full of energy!
After settling everything, Luo Chen entered the meditation chamber alone to cultivate.
He wore the Ice God Jade close to his body.
Sitting cross-legged on the Ice Silkworm Meditation Cushion, he slowly lit a Fiery Deity Incense.
The Essence Energy from the Second Stage Superior Cave Mansion was so dense it seemed eager to rush into his body.
Luo Chen held his breath and focused, slowly circulating the 'Yi Mu Medicine King Scripture'.
After a full half-month of recuperation, aside from practicing the Five Viscera Nourishing Fist and reading books, he hadn't done anything else.
Alchemy, cultivation, and social obligations had completely exhausted him.
Now, his weary soul had recovered, and he even felt stronger than before.
However, he couldn't determine the extent of his improvement.
Now, everything was ready!
It was time to cultivate seriously.
He wanted to know how much his cultivation speed could improve in this enhanced environment!
On the attribute panel, under the 'Stage' column:
【Foundation Establishment Third Level 10/100】
(End of Chapter)
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