https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-87-The-Death-of-a-Foundation-Establishment-Cultivator/12831575/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-89-Advancing-to-the-Sixth-Level-of-Qi-Refinement-in-a-Month/12831577/
Chapter 88: Today, My Showtime!
Chapter 88: Today, My Showtime!
The death of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator caused a massive uproar in Dahuang Market.
The Golden Core Elder from Ailao Mountain was furious and summoned all the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the area.
But in the end, they found nothing.
It was said that the Golden Core Elder stormed into the Jade Tripod Sword Pavilion, leading to a tense standoff with the two Golden Core cultivators there.
The immense Golden Core pressure once covered the entire inner city.
However, none of these matters concerned Luo Chen.
The death of a wealthy contractor and a live-in son-in-law had nothing to do with him.
What mattered to him was one thing and one thing only.
The opening of the Alchemy Hall.
For this, he had spent the last three days almost entirely in Xi Yue Valley.
He couldn't rely on those little brats.
But the group of mid-stage cultivators sent by the Break Mountain Gang was highly regarded by him.
During these three days, he did nothing but teach these twenty people how to manage the fire!
Yes, manage the fire!
When to increase the flame, when to decrease it.
How much wood to add or remove.
When the temperature was insufficient, how to use the Fireball Spell to the right degree.
In short, Luo Chen taught them the majority of what he knew about fire control.
Additionally, the herbs he needed were all delivered by Uncle Mi Hua's people.
Whether purchased or processed by the gang's own herb garden, they were supplied to him directly.
In terms of herb procurement, Luo Chen no longer had to worry about a thing.
Time flew by, and despite the turmoil outside, the three days passed in a flash.
On this day, in Xi Yue Valley!
Half of the two hundred late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators from the Break Mountain Gang, except for those left behind, gathered here.
Led by Gu Caiyi and Sima Shoujia, over a hundred people entered Xi Yue Valley one after another.
Common celebratory rituals unfolded one by one.
Soon, it was time for the main event!
The opening of the alchemy furnace and the start of the elixir refinement!
"Is that young man Luo Chen?"
"The Hall Master of the Alchemy Hall is so young!"
"He doesn't look more than thirty. His realm is a bit low, but I wonder how good his alchemy skills are."
"If he wasn't competent, Old Man Mi wouldn't have pushed him into this position."
"Is it true that everyone will benefit from the Alchemy Hall's profits?"
"Ha, do you really believe that? The major share will definitely go to the Hall Masters and the high-ranking Ninth Qi Layer cultivators. We'll just have to work hard for spirit stones."
"Look at you talking. Didn't your brother get assigned to the reserve team? When the Alchemy Hall starts producing elixirs, they'll be the ones selling them."
"Who knows, who knows!"
Amidst the murmurs, Luo Chen made his grand entrance.
There was no self-introduction.
He had no time to get to know everyone.
Dressed in a brand-new, second-grade moon-white Dao robe, his long hair flowed down his back, tied at the top with a simple wooden Dao pin.
Just in appearance, he had the air of a true cultivator.
But what he did next was less casual.
"Light the fire!"
"Open the furnaces!"
In total, three alchemy rooms were ignited with roaring flames.
Amid the rich aroma of the burning Qinggang wood, Luo Chen's face was solemn as he walked through each alchemy room.
Materials were placed in the furnaces through his hands, following specific proportions.
Especially in the central, largest alchemy room, which housed a giant, man-sized alchemy tripod. When adding herbs, Luo Chen not only used the Attraction Spell but also had to use the Wind Control Technique to oversee the process from above.
But this was not a drawback.
On the contrary, the larger tripod could hold more herbs.
While the two Purple Cloud Copper Furnaces could only refine one batch of herbs at a time, this tripod could refine two.
The cultivators outside watched Luo Chen move between the three alchemy rooms, meticulously managing the alchemy process.
He would occasionally instruct the cultivators managing the fire to adjust the flames, add herbs, or use hand seals to stir the herbs in the furnace.
His composed demeanor left them in awe.
"This is my first time witnessing an alchemist at work! It's quite a sight, with a certain charm to it!"
"Truly skilled. This young Hall Master must have started refining elixirs from the womb!"
"Refining in three furnaces at once, and with such mastery?"
"Brother, what do you mean by that?"
"To be honest, I once heard at Taishan Market that the Hall Master of the Gold and Stone Pavilion, Kang Dongyue, a Second-Rank Alchemist, could only refine one furnace at a time."
"Whoa! So you're saying Hall Master Luo's alchemy skills are on par with a Second-Rank Alchemist?"
"Who knows, who knows!"
Luo Chen couldn't hear the outside comments.
If he had, he might have laughed out loud.
Ha!
Today was his showtime, and he wasn't about to mess it up.
So, he started refining his most proficient elixir: the Spirit Grain Pill!
He was almost at the peak of mastery with this elixir, his proficiency at its highest.
Three furnaces? He could handle six if needed.
After about two hours.
Under the watchful eyes of over a hundred people, Luo Chen took a deep breath.
"Extinguish the fire!"
"Scatter!"
The cultivators managing the fires in the three alchemy rooms all exited the rooms.
According to Luo Chen, the most dangerous moment during the refining process is when it comes to an end. At this point, the furnace might explode, or toxic fumes from failed pills might be released. Therefore, alchemists usually work alone when it’s time to collect the pills.
At this moment, the doors of the three refining rooms were still wide open.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Luo Chen released his spiritual energy and cast a Master-level Attraction Spell. The lids of the three furnaces instantly flew up and landed on the iron racks on the wall.
With a wave of his hands, a dense cluster of pills soared out of the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace, floating in the air. A quick glance revealed nearly fifty to sixty pills drifting slowly.
But it didn’t stop there. With his movements, the other two furnaces also produced similar results.
In the largest refining room, the cauldron in the center released over a hundred pills.
A rich fragrance instantly filled the air. The scent of herbs, meat, and grains blended together, forming a familiar aroma of alchemy pills.
“Is it a Spirit Grain Pill?”
“It seems so!”
“After all that fuss, it’s just a Spirit Grain Pill?”
“No, it’s not!”
Amid the murmurs, Luo Chen casually flicked his wrist. The two hundred plus pills landed in the hands of every late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator from the Broken Mountain Gang, with at least two pills for each person.
Especially in Uncle Mi Hua’s hand, there were two pills with a translucent, fleshy color.
“Superior Spirit Grain Pills?”
A flash of surprise crossed Mi Hua’s face. The Spirit Grain Pills in his hand, though just a basic type of pill, had been refined to a superior level, making them as effective as genuine lower-grade Spirit Grain Pills. They could ensure a cultivator wouldn’t feel hungry for ten to fifteen days, with enough energy to carry out normal activities.
Luo Chen had actually refined Superior Spirit Grain Pills?
Looking around, he noticed everyone was shocked.
“These two are both superior!”
“I have one medium and one superior, with partial dan patterns as proof!”
“Two medium!”
“One lower and one superior!”
Luo Chen wiped the sweat from his forehead, unnoticed by the others. Refining Spirit Grain Pills wasn’t difficult, and refining superior ones wasn’t much harder for him. What truly required effort was refining pills of varying qualities in the same furnace—superior, medium, and lower.
This was actually the normal situation for alchemists. Due to the convergence of medicinal properties and the control of spiritual energy, some pills would become duds, some would be of high quality, and some would just barely qualify as pills. The number and quality of pills produced were unpredictable.
Only experienced Master Alchemists could achieve relatively stable results. Luo Chen was certainly a Master Alchemist when it came to Spirit Grain Pills and could consistently produce superior pills in every batch. However, he couldn’t reveal this to Uncle Mi Hua and the others. It would be too monstrous!
If word got out, even Mi Hua wouldn’t be able to protect him. Some stronger faction might come and take him away to be used as a tool.
Compared to unknown forces, the Broken Mountain Gang was much more manageable. His plan to "milk" the gang had only just begun.
Therefore, when he decided to become the Hall Master of the Alchemy Hall, he spent ten days at home, researching how to "normally" produce pills. At a novice level, he couldn’t do it. But with his Master-level proficiency in refining Spirit Grain Pills and the knowledge infused by the system, he covered every stage of the process. By continuously reverse-engineering, he mastered the essence.
Thus, today’s successful refinement.
“Sixty superior, one hundred twenty medium, and thirty-one lower.”
After receiving the statistics, a genuine smile of joy spread across Mi Hua’s face. He patted Luo Chen on the shoulder.
“With you, I’m at ease with the Alchemy Hall!”
Without waiting for Luo Chen to say anything flattering, he turned to the others.
“This batch of Spirit Grain Pills is a welcome gift for everyone. They may not be of high value, but it’s a token of our goodwill.”
“Our Hall Master Luo Chen’s true expertise isn’t in this basic Spirit Grain Pill.”
“In the future, he will demonstrate his full abilities and refine excellent pills for our gang.”
“With his addition, our Broken Mountain Gang will flourish, and everyone’s cultivation resources will increase.”
“So, everyone, please support Hall Master Luo Chen!”
The old man sure talked a lot. Luo Chen inwardly groaned but maintained a suitably proud expression.
The cultivators from various halls shouted in response.
“Absolutely, absolutely!”
“Having Hall Master Luo is a blessing for our Broken Mountain Gang!”
“I, Long Gen, will be the first to support Hall Master Luo. He will lead our Broken Mountain Gang out of the Great River Market and make a name in the Jade Cauldron Domain!”
Hearing these praises that didn’t cost any spiritual stones, Luo Chen smiled with restrained pride.
From today on, he had truly established his name.
The first alchemist of the Broken Mountain Gang!
In the future, he might even become the first alchemist of the Great River Market, the Jade Cauldron Domain, and the Eastern Wasteland.
After all, a person needs to have dreams.
(End of Chapter)
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