https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-31-A-Particularly-Enthusiastic-Beetle-Moon/12831496/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-33-The-Purple-Cloud-Copper-Cauldron/12831504/
Chapter 32: Can This Thing Refine Elixirs?
Chapter 32: Can This Thing Refine Elixirs?
Southwest corner of the outer city.
This area, being the closest to the Howling Moon Mountains, has always had the fewest residents.
The reason is simple: the predominant beast race in the Howling Moon Mountains is wolves, which move swiftly and are bloodthirsty and ruthless.
Even though high-ranking demon wolves fear the array formations of the Great River Market and dare not approach, there are always a few unenlightened demon wolves that occasionally wander over.
This is why Luo Chen, living in this area, has always been cautious about using his spiritual energy, always reserving enough to ensure he can escape if necessary.
Usually, few cultivators visit this part of the city.
But today, a large group of people suddenly arrived.
Leading them was a short, weathered cultivator with a face full of ruthlessness, even in his gaze.
"Are you sure this is the place?"
"Brother Gao, according to the Gas Seeking Disk, the most residual aura is here. Ting'e must have stayed here for a long time."
It has been about six days since the Great River Gang's sudden attack on the Seven Branches of the Mountain Breaking Gang.
That battle was devastating for the Mountain Breaking Gang.
However, if compared to the losses the Great River Gang suffered in the mountains, both sides were roughly equal.
Continuing this conflict was becoming unbearable for the many independent cultivators who joined the gangs just to make a living.
These independent cultivators make up the majority of the gang members.
So, the leader of the Mountain Breaking Gang, Uncle Mi Shuhua, stepped in to try to negotiate peace.
The results of the negotiation are unknown, but at least there won't be any major conflicts in the short term.
As the second-in-command of the Great River Gang, Gao Tingyuan finally had some free time and could focus on his wayward younger brother, Gao Ting'e.
He had been missing for several days!
Everyone knew what it meant for a mid-stage Qi Cultivation cultivator to disappear without a word in the outer city of the Great River Market for several days.
Gao Tingyuan was frantic.
He then sought out the expert responsible for river transportation and began investigating his younger brother's whereabouts.
Finally, he arrived here.
Gao Tingyuan looked at the charred ground and the nearby ruin that was almost completely burned to ashes.
Clearly, a fierce battle had taken place here.
The method that caused such destruction was likely the Sun Blaze Talisman that Gao Ting'e had bought from the black market.
The thick earth aura suggested that the Earth Shield Talisman was also activated.
Gao Tingyuan's expression grew increasingly dark. "The Sun Blaze Talisman was used, and the Earth Shield Talisman as well. It's impossible that this was just to kill a mere Zhou San."
He glanced at the ruins.
"Who lives here?"
"A cultivator named Luo Chen, who used to run errands and do odd jobs for others. Later, he started selling some fasting pills."
"What is his cultivation level?"
"Probably third stage Qi Cultivation. He's a poor guy, living here just to save on the cheap rent of half a spirit stone per month."
"Where is he?"
"He hasn't been found yet. He's usually very reclusive and doesn't socialize with the neighbors."
A third-stage Qi Cultivation cultivator couldn't pose any real threat to a fifth-stage Qi Cultivation cultivator, especially one like Gao Ting'e, who had a collection of treasures.
"Can you trace where my younger brother's aura last stopped?"
The cultivator beside him increased his spiritual energy input, and the Gas Seeking Disk began to tremble, finally stopping its needle in front of them.
"In the mountains!"
"Let's go in and check."
"But we don't know the situation in the mountains at all!"
"Hmm?"
Under Gao Tingyuan's intense gaze, the cultivators reluctantly followed him into the mountains.
They crossed a grassy wasteland and gradually entered a dense forest.
The forest was already filled with a faint beast aura, making the group of cultivators uneasy.
Even Gao Tingyuan was hesitant.
The Eastern Wasteland's vast mountains are incredibly rich in resources.
However, over thousands of years, human cultivators have only explored less than one percent of it.
Rumors say that the mountains are home to countless third-stage beast kings and fourth-stage beast emperors, and even ancient beasts are said to lurk within.
Ordinary independent cultivators who claim to hunt in the mountains are actually just playing around in the outermost regions.
Encountering a second-stage beast usually means a quick retreat, and most don't even manage to escape.
The Mountain Breaking Gang's control over the mountain business is due to the fact that they mapped out the territories of many second-stage beasts with countless lives in the early days.
Even so, every trip into the mountains requires extreme caution.
"Something's wrong, Brother Gao."
"What is it?"
"The Gas Seeking Disk is getting confused."
"What do you mean?"
Gao Tingyuan looked at the Gas Seeking Disk, where the needle was frantically jumping, pointing in different directions.
In a short moment, it had pointed to several different directions.
"This has happened before. One of our brothers was killed, and his body was cut into pieces and fed to several large fish."
The cultivator holding the Gas Seeking Disk's voice grew smaller and smaller.
Because Gao Tingyuan's expression had become extremely dark.
The oppressive atmosphere perfectly blended into the forest.
After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! Fine! Fine! Not only did you kill my younger brother, but you also desecrated his remains. Don't let me find you!"
"Brother Gao, what do we do now?"
"Go back!"
The group felt a great relief, and their steps back were much lighter.
Here is the rewritten chapter with non-English characters replaced with their English equivalents or transliterations:
As he passed by the ruins, Gavin Tyson paused, his short, stocky frame coming to a halt.
"Tell the fifth elder to investigate whether any late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators from the Broken Mountain Gang came this way that night. Check for middle-stage Qi Condensation cultivators as well."
"Also, look into the situation of the itinerant cultivator who lived here. If he’s still alive, bring him to me."
"Don’t let me find you, scum, or I’ll make your life a living hell!"
With that, he flicked his wrist, sending a burst of spiritual light.
The light revealed a faint outline of a magical artifact, which transformed into a brilliant blue water dragon. It crashed down onto the ruins, causing the only remaining half-wall to sink into the ground, leaving only a sharp tip visible.
Lucas Chan was completely unaware that his old home had been hit by a water dragon again.
Even if he knew, he could only nod in approval.
After rescuing some items from the house, he had added a few fireballs to ensure it burned more thoroughly, leaving no trace behind.
As for Wednesday and Gavin Te, whose names he didn’t know, his method of dealing with them was simple.
He cut them into pieces, added some special medicinal herbs, and roasted them slightly with the fire from the burning house before tossing them into the forest.
That kind of special "roast meat" was very attractive to wolves and other beast-type demons.
He had discovered this recipe by accident while roasting beef and adding a blood-nourishing herbal powder, which attracted a small wolf.
After that, he never used that recipe again, fearing it might draw more powerful demons.
After disposing of the bodies, he found a place to hide and then headed straight to the inner city the next day.
As for whether he would be discovered in the future, that was a problem for another day!
Lucas Chan didn’t have time to worry about that now; he only wanted to refine elixirs.
The materials, costing a staggering 200 spirit stones, had already been prepared.
The refinement of the Marvel Pill was back on track.
Based on his past experience, his success rate was around 10%.
But this time, he succeeded twice in the first five days.
A 40% success rate!
How could he not be elated?
However, as the refinement continued, his joy gradually faded.
Five consecutive failures made him realize that his earlier success was just a fluke.
To improve his success rate and reduce costs, he needed to increase his proficiency with the Marvel Pill.
"Almost there, almost there!"
Lucas Chan glanced at his attribute panel: [Marvel Pill Beginner 91/100].
One more success, and he would level up.
The feeling of effort being rewarded was incredibly satisfying.
Even the daily task of casting fireballs at the wall and then filling in new soil became more exciting.
After a few more days of failure:
"This time, it will definitely work."
Lucas Chan, wearing a new apron, lit a stick of incense for the statue of Lord Guan (Guan Yu) he had molded, and even placed two Pinpo Fruits beside it.
He believed that his recent failures were due to forgetting to light incense for Lord Guan.
The Pale Misty Tower was still hard at work. The device, invented in Tianfan City, was truly ingenious.
Even though Lucas Chan was used to the various smells during elixir refinement, the odor before the Marvel Pill formed was particularly unpleasant.
But with this device, he no longer had to endure that biochemical stench.
In the afternoon, Lucas Chan carefully lifted the lid of the cauldron.
A red, jelly-like substance greeted his eyes, and his face softened.
"Success, Lord Guan!"
"We’re champions!"
He immediately checked his attribute panel.
[Marvel Pill Beginner 91/100] — [Marvel Pill Proficient 101/200]
At the moment of leveling up, Lucas Chan felt as if a barrier had been broken.
New insights, never before experienced, flowed into him, thanks to the system’s enhancement.
Aspects he had previously overlooked became clear.
Lucas Chan felt that if he started another batch of Marvel Pills, he would certainly do better in the details, and his success rate would likely improve significantly.
Creak!
The wooden door suddenly opened.
A bright and radiant face peered in.
Grace Tsai’s eyes lit up. "You’re really at home! I bought some Spirit Fruits from the Spirit Source Pavilion. Want to try them?"
Spirit Fruits from the Spirit Source Pavilion!
Definitely worth a try, Lucas Chan didn’t care about saving face.
Grace Tsai pushed open the door and then noticed Lucas Chan standing by the stove, wearing an apron.
While handing him a large, emerald-green fruit, she peeked into the cauldron.
"What are you making that smells so good?"
"Is it meat jelly?"
"Why does it have such a strong medicinal smell?"
Lucas Chan bit into the fruit, savoring the juicy, sweet flavor.
It wasn’t particularly rich in spirit energy, but it was very sweet.
This taste was much better than the wild hawthorns he had been eating recently.
He casually said, "It’s not for eating; it’s an elixir I’m refining. Hey, don’t touch it, it’s hot."
Grace Tsai looked bewildered.
Pointing at the iron cauldron, she said doubtfully, "This thing can refine elixirs?"
(End of Chapter)
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