Chapter 531: The Jade Essence Alchemy Technique and the Cicada Pupa Pill

Chapter 531: The Jade Essence Alchemy Technique and the Cicada Pupa Pill

December 25, 2024

Not long after Su Chen began his pill concoction, Pavilion Master Peng Hongxu from the Odd Tower spoke up again.

A relaxed expression remained on his face.

Regarding Su Chen's appearance, he treated it as a mere attention-seeking act.

"Is there anyone else who wants to give it a try? Feel free to step up. If you need any medicinal ingredients, we can even help prepare them. If you succeed in the concoction, we will cover the cost of the ingredients. If you fail, you'll have to bear the loss of the ingredients yourself."

Peng Hongxu spoke while scanning the crowd, as if he was genuinely searching for someone.

"If no one else is willing, then everyone, please be patient and wait to witness the results of this young disciple."

After saying this, Peng Hongxu stepped back and sat down on a chair.

Today's Grand Pill Exhibition was turning out to be more interesting than many had anticipated.

Disputes and highlights continued to unfold.

After the Jade Essence Pill analysis ended, an unexpected major highlight was yet to come.

The scent of medicine began to waft through the air.

It was the fragrance from Su Chen's pill concoction.

The rich aroma gave off a pleasant sensation.

Some people from the Odd Tower and Crystal Pavilion felt slightly uneasy about this sudden medicinal fragrance.

The unexpected scent made them feel uncomfortable, unsettling their peaceful state of mind.

Hearing the comments around him, Peng Hongxu waved his hand dismissively.

"The one who came to stop him earlier, if I'm not mistaken, is likely from the Zhu Ming Palace. It seems there's a lot of internal conflict within the Zhu Ming Palace. If this young man truly has the capability and talent, do you think someone from the Zhu Ming Palace would need to step in to stop him? The appearance of this fragrance is perfectly normal. Since there's a connection with the Zhu Ming Palace, it's normal for this person to possess some pill concoction skills. Don't you think it's possible for him to refine a pill that even we can't?"

After Peng Hongxu's words, the disciples who had spoken earlier felt much more at ease.

"The more this incident escalates today, the more embarrassing it will be for the Zhu Ming Palace. I wonder what they are thinking over there. They dare to steal our pill concoction techniques and even send someone to cause trouble. Also, have someone quickly investigate and find out who this disciple is."

When Peng Hongxu mentioned the investigation, he was referring to asking the insider they had planted within the Zhu Ming Palace.

Through this insider, they had obtained valuable intelligence.

This led to the alliance between the Odd Tower and Crystal Pavilion, and they issued a public condemnation.

Compared to the calmness of Peng Hongxu and his group, the spectators were more affected by the situation.

However, with the guidance of those setting the tone, the crowd soon settled down.

At this moment, Su Chen's pill concoction was nearing its completion.

Compared to the person arranged by the Odd Tower, Su Chen was at least three times faster.

Within half a morning hour, Su Chen would complete the pill.

As the concoction reached its final stage, the medicinal fragrance gradually faded.

This was a normal phenomenon during the pill formation process.

The pill's essence was being condensed, causing its scent to become more subtle.

It was a very ordinary scene.

However, those who noticed the change in fragrance began to speak louder.

"He's failed, it must be a problem with the fire control. The fragrance is dissipating, his pill concoction skills are still lacking."

"I thought he had some skills, but it seems he can't even refine a single pill. The most likely outcome now is that he'll waste all the ingredients."

The voices of onlookers making fun of Su Chen grew louder.

More and more people joined in, eagerly awaiting a spectacle.

"If this person is indeed Su Xing, with such a performance, even the Chu Kingdom wouldn't want him. His pill concoction skills are so poor that even if they sent him to learn, he wouldn't gain much. It's questionable if he could even succeed in stealing pill concoction techniques."

"Now that you mention it, it makes sense. No wonder the Zhu Ming Palace doesn't have a complete collection of pill formulas. It seems the issue lies with this thief's pill concoction skills."

"That's one way to look at it, but Su Xing has already made a name for himself in his lifetime. Normally, with his talent, how could he attract so much attention? At least by stealing, he has gained some fame. If the Jin Kingdom doesn't want him, the Chu Kingdom might still accept him."

"In my opinion, those with such despicable behavior must be severely punished. Otherwise, these thefts will only become more frequent."

Amidst the commotion, the furnace fire within the enclosure went out.

"Did he extinguish the fire?"

"What's going on? In less than half a morning hour, the fire is out?

The fire in the cauldron extinguished, and there were generally two scenarios.

The first was the successful completion of the elixir's crafting, and the second, a grave mistake by the alchemist.

Fire control was the primary task in alchemy, a fundamental lesson every novice alchemist must master.

If fire control was inadequate, there was no point in continuing the alchemy process.

As the fire died down, the discussions outside grew louder.

This time, even those who weren't particularly supportive of the Odd Tower and Crystal Pavilion couldn't help but sigh in exasperation.

Up in the pavilion, the Chu Kingdom's alchemy master, Chen Linxuan, also wore a look of helplessness.

"Could it be that he has successfully crafted the pill?" someone in the crowd challenged.

No one bothered to refute this statement; instead, they gave the speaker a mocking glance.

Peng Hongxu, sitting at the back, had already stood up and walked to the front.

He didn't urge Su Chen to come out, as the extinguished flame indicated the end of the alchemy process, regardless of the outcome.

Even if Su Chen tried to delay, he should have emerged within the next quarter of an hour.

The noisy crowd suddenly fell silent, and everyone waited for the final result to be revealed.

Although most people felt there was no suspense, and no other possibility, a sense of tension still arose unconsciously.

Amidst the silence, Su Chen emerged from the enclosure.

Among the crowd, the Elder of Zhu Ming Palace frowned deeply.

"Today's matter will undoubtedly have a significant impact on our Zhu Ming Palace.

We should send a letter back to the palace first, so the Palace Master can consider a countermeasure.

This Su Xing, he insists on causing trouble despite our warnings.

He's just a lone individual, so the impact on him is minimal.

But what about our Zhu Ming Palace?"

The Elder's words carried discontent, and he grumbled to those around him.

Currently, the Elder blamed their Palace Master the most.

If it weren't for the Palace Master's previous emphasis, he would have at least detained Su Chen, prohibiting him from causing trouble at the Grand Pill Sect's Alchemy Exhibition.

Now that things had escalated to this point, the Elder felt both a headache and annoyance.

Seeing that Su Chen didn't hold a medicine box in his hand, many people seemed to think they had guessed the outcome.

"Young man, come here."

Peng Hongxu's gaze fell upon Su Chen, and he called out with a smile.

He intended to bring Su Chen to the front for a proper talk.

Hearing this, Su Chen didn't refuse and walked directly to Peng Hongxu's side, standing at the very front.

"Young man, you just experienced it firsthand. How do you feel now?

Do you agree with our assessment?"

Peng Hongxu's words carried a hint of amusement, wanting Su Chen to admit it himself.

Hearing this, Su Chen looked at him with confusion.

Then, he took out a piece of oil paper.

Unfolding the paper, a pill was revealed to the crowd.

"I came forward because I didn't agree with you. Now that I've crafted the pill, why should I agree with you?"

Su Chen held up the pill, displaying it before everyone.

The pill exuded a jade-like quality, with a translucent and lustrous appearance, akin to the Jade Essence Pill presented earlier.

If one had to point out the difference between this pill and the Jade Essence Pill crafted by the Odd Tower and Crystal Pavilion, it was the absence of any grayish-brown spots on the pill's surface.

The entire pill resembled a flawless piece of jade, subtly emitting a medicinal fragrance, constantly reminding everyone that it was, indeed, a pill.

"Am I mistaken? This seems like a genuine Jade Essence Pill."

After a moment of silence, the crowd began whispering among themselves.

The previous ridicule and jests transformed into silence at this moment.

Even if they didn't want to believe it and sought reasons to deny it, they couldn't find the words for the time being.

The pill in front of them, from its appearance, was indeed exquisite.

Many alchemists were present today, and a pill of such quality was a treasure, the most beautiful thing in the world to them.

"The Jade Essence Pills crafted by the Odd Tower and Crystal Pavilion never seemed to reach this level of quality, did they?

There's not a single impurity on the pill's surface.

The entire pill is as translucent as jade."

"Didn't the Odd Tower and Crystal Pavilion claim that the limit of the Jade Essence Pill was to retain many impurities on the pill's surface? But how..."

Among the crowd, the alchemists who had been quiet before began an enthusiastic discussion.

Chen Linxuan, the Chu Kingdom's alchemy master who had been observing from the pavilion, jumped down and walked into the crowd to examine the pill.

Even without knowing what kind of pill it was, the quality of this pill surpassed anything the Odd Tower and Crystal Pavilion could achieve.

Even the members of the Odd Tower and Crystal Pavilion were drawn to this pill.

The crowd around them kept their discussions hushed, mostly refraining from direct comments about the pill.

After a brief hesitation, Su Chen took the initiative and asked, "Honored seniors, do any of you recognize this pill? Can you tell me, is this a pill that the Mystic Tower and Crystal Pavilion can refine?"

Su Chen's inquiry was a stark contrast to the previous ridicule; this time, no one jumped in with idle gossip.

Instead, many alchemists stepped forward to examine Su Chen's pill closely.

Unlike Peng Hongxu, who only allowed others a fleeting glance at the pill, Su Chen was more open, allowing the crowd to inspect it thoroughly.

He even let them smell the fragrance of the pill without hesitation.

The alchemists present were all well-mannered and virtuous, maintaining a certain distance as they observed and sniffed the pill.

They didn't overstep their bounds, ensuring a respectful examination.

This scrutiny left the alchemists somewhat surprised.

They guessed the type of pill it was, but some doubts lingered.

They exchanged glances and whispered among themselves, seeking others' opinions.

It was the alchemists from Chu Kingdom who spoke first.

Master Chen Linxuan, unafraid of embarrassment, asked straightforwardly, "Is the pill in your hand, young friend, a Cicada Pupa Pill refined using the Jade Essence Alchemy Technique?"

As soon as the words 'Cicada Pupa Pill' were uttered, everyone's attention turned to Chen Linxuan.

The cicada insect is universally acknowledged for its short lifespan.

Hence, many ancient texts use it to describe people or objects with fleeting existence.

However, in reality, cicada larvae can survive underground for many years.

It's only after they mature that their lifespan becomes extremely brief.

The Cicada Pupa Pill is named so because its medicinal properties dissipate extremely quickly.

Once refined, the Cicada Pupa Pill will lose all its medicinal properties within seven days at most, becoming a useless pill.

There are multiple reasons for this, but the most critical factor is that the Cicada Pupa Pill's medicinal properties are too weak. Other pills may also experience medicinal property loss, but after a while, most of the properties can be preserved.

The Cicada Pupa Pill is different; its properties are too light and shallow.

With just a slight loss of medicinal properties, the Cicada Pupa Pill becomes useless.

When the Jade Essence Alchemy Technique first emerged, many suggested that it could be used to refine the Cicada Pupa Pill, significantly enhancing its medicinal properties.

However, despite years of effort, neither the Mystic Tower nor the Crystal Pavilion has been able to refine the Cicada Pupa Pill.

The two sects have never publicly disclosed the reasons for this.

But it didn't surprise anyone, as the Cicada Pupa Pill is an extremely delicate pill to refine.

Even without incorporating the Jade Essence Alchemy Technique, it's already challenging to craft.

The Cicada Pupa Pill, with its weak medicinal properties, is difficult to condense into a pill.

Not to mention refining it using the Jade Essence Alchemy Technique.

In response to Master Chen Linxuan's question, Su Chen smiled and nodded.

"I thought my refining skills were inadequate, and the pill I made was unrecognizable to all of you masters."

With this statement, Su Chen implicitly acknowledged that it was indeed the Cicada Pupa Pill.

If it was confirmed to be the Cicada Pupa Pill, it would prove that Su Chen had truly succeeded where the Mystic Tower and Crystal Pavilion had failed!

The entire street fell into an eerie silence.

No one had expected Su Chen to achieve this feat and actually refine the pill.

There are countless types of pills in the world.

Even if the Mystic Tower and Crystal Pavilion joined forces, the number of pills they could refine would still be limited.

Su Chen had a vast array of pill options to choose from.

Yet, he chose to refine the Cicada Pupa Pill, one of the most challenging pills, right in front of everyone!

There were many other pills that were several times easier to refine, which the Mystic Tower and Crystal Pavilion couldn't manage.

"This type of pill is not included in the list that Senior Peng just mentioned.

According to what you said earlier, I, Su Xing, should be able to prove that I didn't steal their alchemy skills, right?"

Standing before the crowd, Su Chen openly revealed his identity this time.

Ever since Su Chen's appearance, they had been speculating that he might be Su Xing himself.

They had considered this possibility, but hearing Su Chen confirm it still surprised them.

After Su Chen's words, silence descended once more.

The Mystic Tower and Crystal Pavilion had issued their condemnation months ago without any evidence.

The echoes of that condemnation still lingered, but now, this unexpected outcome had emerged.

They had disparaged and condemned others, bringing forth various reasons to claim that their alchemy skills had been stolen.

However, the primary reason they had put forth was now disproven.

Instead, it was Su Chen who had refined the Jade Essence Pill, something the Mystic Tower and Crystal Pavilion couldn't accomplish.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end