https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-4-Introduction-to-the-Marvel-Pill/12831321/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-6-Failure-Still-Boosts-Proficiency/12831323/
Chapter 5: Oh, Lord Guan, Bless My Alchemy
Chapter 5: Oh, Lord Guan, Bless My Alchemy
The next morning, before the sky had even begun to lighten, Luo Chen climbed out of bed.
The outside world was shrouded in mist, and if you listened closely, you could occasionally hear the distant roars of beasts from the Great Mountains.
But those sounds had little to do with him.
He had a busy day ahead of him.
First, he needed to sort and process the various herbs he had purchased.
Most of the herbs from the wandering cultivators' stalls were only roughly processed, some not even dried yet.
He placed them on a sieve and waited for the sun to come up so he could take them outside to dry.
Next, he had to deal with the jade lotus seeds.
He needed to peel them, keeping only the kernels and discarding the peels.
Under the dim light of an oil lamp, Luo Chen peeled each seed one by one until his eyes felt dry and tired.
"I wonder if this will make me nearsighted?"
"But I'm a cultivator now; I can't possibly get nearsighted, right!"
By the time he finished processing the lotus seeds, the sky was already bright.
He soaked the lotus seeds in the diluted blood of a Crimson Sun Chicken and then took the sieves outside to dry.
Living on the edge of the outer district had its drawbacks, but it also had its advantages. The area was vast, and he had plenty of space to use.
When he normally refined the Spirit Grain Powder, one of the steps produced a very pungent odor. If he did this in a more populated area, he would likely receive complaints.
The old Daoist Chen, who made talismans at home, had been complained about more than once. He eventually had to bribe the managers with some good talismans to get away with it.
Luo Chen didn't have to worry about that.
The yam needed to be cut into cubes, and he had to leave some slices for refining the Spirit Grain Powder.
Luo Chen wasn't the type to put all his eggs in one basket.
He expected that the early stages of refining the Wondrous Pill would result in many failures.
Even total failure was a possibility, given his beginner-level proficiency.
In such a situation, he couldn't afford to lose his other source of income.
The worst-case scenario would be a total loss, but at least he could still rely on the income from the Spirit Grain Powder to sustain his life and make a comeback.
By the time he finished processing the yam, it was already noon.
Time for lunch!
Feeling the hunger in his stomach, Luo Chen pouted.
They say cultivators don't eat ordinary food, but he still felt hungry!
He washed his hands and went into the kitchen.
He scooped a small bowl of translucent rice from the rice jar and poured it directly into a small pot without washing it.
This was spirit rice, and it cost one spirit stone for ten pounds!
He was hesitant to wash it, fearing he might lose some of its spiritual energy.
Next to the kitchen, he pressed a hidden compartment, and a large hole appeared in the ground, revealing a small, three-foot-square underground storage room.
Inside hung half a side of beef!
A first-stage monster cow!
This meat was expensive, costing about one low-grade spirit stone for ten pounds.
Luo Chen had over a hundred pounds of it, not because he was greedy, but because beef from the yellow cow was one of the main ingredients for the Spirit Grain Powder.
One pound of meat, combined with the appropriate amount of ginseng, angelica, and other herbs, could produce five bottles of Spirit Grain Powder, which he could sell for one spirit stone!
He always tried to buy in bulk, as it was cheaper, and stored it with ice.
Looking at the half side of beef, Luo Chen's mouth watered.
He used a kitchen knife to cut off a small two-ounce piece of meat and took some ordinary vegetables from the ice cellar.
He washed the meat and vegetables thoroughly, chopped the vegetables into small pieces, and sliced the meat into very thin strips, then put everything into the pot.
He added some firewood to the stove and lit it.
With a quick hand gesture and a muttered incantation, a small fireball appeared in his hand after about two breaths.
"Go!"
With a puff, the firewood in the stove ignited immediately.
"This time it went smoothly. I won't have another incident like the fireball explosion in the stove when I first crossed over!"
Luo Chen smiled, feeling quite pleased with himself.
He glanced at his panel, and his proficiency in the Fireball Spell, which was at the proficient level, jumped from 268/300 to 269/300!
He was currently cultivating three spells in total.
Water Cleansing Spell, Wood Entangling Spell, and Fireball Spell. Among these three spells, Fireball Spell has the highest proficiency.
There's a reason for this.
At first, Luo Chen just found cultivation mysterious and fun, so he would play around with fireballs whenever he had the chance. He experimented with the spell and found that it was slow and energy-intensive, but its power was undeniable. If it hit the target, it could melt gold, dissolve iron, burn bones, and reduce ashes to dust.
But the key was hitting the target.
A normal cultivator would need at least three breaths to cast Fireball Spell, from forming the hand seals to chanting the incantation. In that time, an enemy could kill them a hundred times over.
Luo Chen was no different at first, and each cast would consume one-tenth of his spiritual energy. That's when he realized why low-rank cultivators rarely used spells in combat. They either used magical artifacts or talismans, which were faster, less energy-intensive, and just as powerful.
After learning this, Luo Chen lost interest in low-rank spells like Fireball Spell. However, as he continued to refine elixirs and use Fireball Spell to ignite the flames, his proficiency increased, and he began to see the potential of spells.
Now, the energy consumption remains the same at one-tenth, but the casting time has been reduced to two breaths. This is just at the proficient level. What if he reached perfect proficiency? What if he became a master?
So, whenever he had the chance to use Fireball Spell, he would do so. Every little bit helps!
While lost in these thoughts, the rice in the pot was almost ready. Luo Chen took a deep whiff of the delicious aroma and fished a piece of pickled radish from the pickle jar. A large bowl of beef stew, brimming with spiritual energy, with its inviting red, green, yellow, and white colors, paired with a few slices of sweet and tangy pickled radish.
Sitting under the eaves, enjoying the cool breeze from the stream and the warm sun, Luo Chen savored his meal. This was the best part of his day!
If not for the pressure of survival and the pursuit of immortality, such a meal would indeed be a delightful experience. Unfortunately, Luo Chen had no choice. He was a man with a system, and even in the darkest night, he would shine!
"Damn, this thing stinks so much!"
The man destined to shine was clutching his chest, kneeling by the stream, and retching repeatedly. He hadn't expected the Fire Dog Whip he bought from the Hundred Herbs Hall to be so foul-smelling during its special processing. Putting on a mask, Luo Chen summoned the courage to continue the process. He spread the special liquid on the outer layer of the whip while muttering to himself, "This thing doesn't stink, this thing doesn't stink. It's spirit stones, all spirit stones, it's fragrant spirit stones!"
After finishing the processing of one Fire Dog Whip, he rushed to the stream again.
"Ugh!"
Processing raw materials was a tedious and time-consuming task, but it couldn't be compromised. It was even more critical than the techniques used during the refining process. After all, no matter how perfect the formula, how refined the technique, or how top-tier the equipment, if the materials themselves were flawed, the result was inevitable. It was like building a skyscraper on a faulty foundation.
After seven days of processing various raw materials, both semi-processed and fully processed, Luo Chen had achieved the best possible results. He also took the time to refine a few batches of Abstinence Powder, shaping them into pills and storing them away. However, he didn't plan to sell them yet. He intended to wait until he refined the Wondrous Elixir and sell them together.
In the coming days, the iron pot with a trace of spirit ore would be cleaned and used to refine the Wondrous Elixir. Standing by the stove, Luo Chen solemnly put on an apron. He bowed to the darkened kitchen ceiling, "Lord Guan from the old home, Laozi, and the local Elixir Saint, please bless me with a successful batch!"
He opened the pot and started the fire!
(End of Chapter)
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