Chapter 477: A Master Alchemist, Yet Only Now Receiving a Dan Formula?
Chapter 477: A Master Alchemist, Yet Only Now Receiving a Dan Formula?
With all the Yu Lu Guo harvested, Lu Chen decided to report back to the Dan Hall, as they served no further purpose in his hands.
He first sent a talisman to Guan Wan at the Dan Hall, then had Fat Bird carry him to the mountain where the Dan Hall was located.
Guan Wan, having received news of the Yu Lu Guo's maturation, awaited Lu Chen at the entrance of the Dan Hall.
"Sister Guan, please forgive me for making you wait."
Lu Chen leaped off Fat Bird's back and landed before Guan Wan, who wore a simple yellow robe, her demeanor as gentle as flowing water.
"Brother Lu, I've just come out myself," Guan Wan replied.
"The ten Yu Lu Guo plants that were entrusted to you have all fully matured?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"I did not dare neglect my task," Lu Chen assured her.
With a faint smile, he accompanied Guan Wan into the main hall of the Dan Hall.
"Indeed, your skill in spirit herbology truly astonishes me. It seems that the cultivation cycle was almost a month shorter than usual," Guan Wan said, her satisfaction evident.
"Perhaps it's due to the exceptionally pure and rich spiritual energy of our sect. I merely played a small part, nurturing and caring for the Yu Lu Guo with all my heart," Lu Chen replied humbly.
He followed Guan Wan into a quiet and elegant room, where he took out forty-six fresh Yu Lu Guo fruits, each as translucent and delicate as jade, from his storage bag.
"Ten spirit plants bore forty-six spirit fruits, a yield slightly higher than average," Guan Wan nodded in appreciation.
"Hmm, there's more than one of good quality," she added, examining the fruits closely, a hint of surprise crossing her face.
"Six fruits of good quality—Brother Lu, you're truly one of the most talented spirit herbologists in our sect. Your yield and quality are consistently impressive," Guan Wan praised sincerely after inspecting all the fruits.
"Sister Guan, you flatter me," Lu Chen replied modestly.
"Brother Lu, as per our previous agreement, each Yu Lu Guo fruit will be rewarded with five Sword Seals. For those of good quality, there's an additional five Seals, and the same increment for those of superior quality," Guan Wan explained.
"That's a total of two hundred and sixty Sword Seals. Please check if the amount is correct," she said, waving her hand to send a pile of Sword Seals floating towards Lu Chen.
"It's correct," Lu Chen confirmed after a quick scan with his spiritual sense, before storing the Seals away.
The two hundred and sixty Sword Seals were nearly enough to exchange for a fourth-grade spirit herb. Considering he had only been tasked with nurturing the plants, the compensation was quite generous.
Of course, if one were to include the forty-plus globes of light he had earned as a reward, then his profits would be truly extraordinary.
"Brother Lu, it's been a while since we last met. How much has your alchemy progressed during this time?" Guan Wan asked, her curiosity piqued.
"I've managed to grasp the formulas for the Pei Yuan Dan and the Yun Ling Dan with a success rate of about fifty percent. The Shou Ling Dan is a bit more challenging, with a success rate of around thirty percent," Lu Chen replied, downplaying his actual proficiency in alchemy.
"Such rapid progress is truly astonishing!" Guan Wan exclaimed, impressed despite Lu Chen having concealed at least half of his true capabilities.
"I've been staying in the sect this whole time, dedicating day and night to alchemy, which is why I've been able to improve so quickly," Lu Chen explained casually.
"Even so, your progress is terrifying. Even the core alchemists of the Dan Hall rarely achieve such rapid improvement when they first start out," Guan Wan remarked, recalling Lu Chen's initial foray into alchemy and marveling at his innate talent for the Dan Dao.
"Brother Lu, would you be interested in becoming a core alchemist of the Dan Hall? If you pass the evaluations of a few alchemists, you can be promoted from an ordinary alchemist to a core alchemist, enjoying even more benefits from the Dan Hall," she offered.
"With your current alchemy skills, your chances of passing are quite high.
Upon hearing this, Guan Wan nodded and sent out several message talismans from the elegant room.
Before long, five core alchemists arrived one after another.
Led by the group, Lu Chen entered a pill refining chamber and, under their watchful eyes, refined a furnace of each of the three types of pills.
Although the sample size was small, the core alchemists were discerning and could tell from Lu Chen's pill refining process that he possessed an extraordinary level of skill.
After the pills were completed, they asked Lu Chen several intricate questions about the pill refining process, which would be difficult to answer without a profound understanding of the pills.
Lu Chen did not disappoint Guan Wan, providing correct answers to each query.
"Congratulations, Brother Lu, on becoming a core alchemist of the Dan Hall!"
After passing the evaluation, Guan Wan handed Lu Chen a token inscribed with intricate pill spirit patterns.
"Being a core alchemist comes with many benefits, including priority access to high-grade pill furnaces, pill fires, and pill chambers within the Dan Hall."
"More importantly, you'll gain access to higher-grade pill formulas."
"Our sect has twenty-seven third and fourth-grade pill formulas and three fifth-grade ones."
"Among them, you can freely choose one third or fourth-grade pill formula. If you wish to obtain more, you'll need to submit an application in advance."
"As for the fifth-grade pill formulas, they are extremely precious, so you'll need permission from the Dan Hall's Nascent Soul Realman before they can be passed on to a sect disciple." Guan Wan explained the benefits and perks of being a core alchemist in detail.
"Sister Guan, please give me an overview of the Dan Hall's third and fourth-grade pill formulas."
Although Lu Chen had already decided on a Foundation Establishment Pill formula, he wanted to learn about the other options first.
"Of course."
Guan Wan readily agreed and began to briefly introduce the various pill formulas.
Among them were the Foundation Establishment Pill and the Dust Cleansing Pill formulas that Lu Chen had already mastered.
"Sister Guan, I'd like to choose the Foundation Establishment Pill formula."
"Very well, but there's one condition. You must swear a Heart Demon Oath, promising not to share the pill formula with others in any way."
"Is there only a restriction on the pill formula and not the Foundation Establishment Pill itself?" Lu Chen asked, unable to resist his curiosity.
"It's difficult to define the Foundation Establishment Pill in this regard, but even if the formula were to leak out, the quantity would be extremely limited."
"After all, the sect controls the spirit herbs used in refining the Foundation Establishment Pill, and the distribution of certain specific spirit herbs is strictly limited."
"Additionally, it depends on the alchemist's skill level."
"The third-grade Foundation Establishment Pill is not easy to refine, and only a few of the Dan Hall's most formidable alchemists can achieve a reasonably high success rate. Others may not have the capability even if they want to attempt refining it." Guan Wan spoke with confidence.
Alchemists who could master Foundation Establishment Pill formulas were already rare, and those who did were required to turn in the small number of pills they refined to the sect, leaving them with little to no freedom over their distribution.
Therefore, the Celestial Sword Sect was not overly concerned about large quantities of Foundation Establishment Pills leaking out.
"That's true, but who can resist the experience packs?"
"By bypassing the Dan Hall alchemists' process of accumulating experience, one can directly elevate their pill refining skills to a high level."
Lu Chen thought to himself.
Soon, Guan Wan took out a jade slip containing the Foundation Establishment Pill formula and solemnly handed it to Lu Chen after he swore the Heart Demon Oath.
As Lu Chen accepted the jade slip, he couldn't help but ridicule himself inwardly, "I'm already a Pill Dao Master, and only now am I receiving a Foundation Establishment Pill formula?"
(End of Chapter)
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