https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-90-Author-s-Note-and-Update-Plan/12831578/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-92-I-Mi-Shuhua-Lay-the-Foundation-for-Luo-Chen-s-Path-to-Immortality-Second-Update-/12831591/
Chapter 91: Luo Chen, the Biggest Rat in the Broken Mountain Gang (First Update)
Chapter 91: Luo Chen, the Biggest Rat in the Broken Mountain Gang (First Update)
This morning, after his cultivation practice, Luo Chen thought about a problem. Or rather, it wasn’t really a problem; it was something he had been considering for a while.
Would he have to personally handle all the alchemy in the Alchemy Hall from now on? If so, he would be exhausted to death! His previous solution was to delegate some tasks to others.
For example, monitoring the fire.
So when he started the furnace yesterday, he tried that approach.
But the reality was far from ideal.
Even after he had given them a crash course, those cultivators still couldn’t handle the job well. As a result, Luo Chen had to rush back and forth between the three alchemy rooms, frequently lending a hand.
The Spirit Grain Pill was just a low-grade potion, but the Marvelous Pill was a first-grade elixir, requiring much greater attention to detail! To prevent himself from being overworked, Luo Chen carefully considered his options this morning and decided to make some changes.
That was to divide the labor!
...
"Divide the labor?"
The group of thirty people became a bit restless upon hearing this.
They didn’t understand what he meant. Wasn’t alchemy supposed to be a continuous process? Could it really be divided?
Luo Chen glanced at the speaker, a man named Roldo, who seemed older than him.
A fellow clansman! Unfortunately, he wasn’t very friendly.
Roldo had the backing of Luo Invincible, the Downhill Tiger. During the Bright Moon Hall meeting, Luo Invincible had clearly been on Mi Shuhua’s side.
Now that Mi Shuhua supported him, it didn’t mean his subordinates would do the same.
Luo Chen’s expression turned cold. "Yes, we must divide the labor. I know some of you are here to learn alchemy. Do you know what it takes to cultivate a legitimate alchemist within a sect?"
Everyone was at a loss.
Just as Luo Chen was about to explain, a gentle voice spoke up.
"Identify herbs, master the fire, read a hundred scriptures, study elixir formulas, perfect techniques, and start with low-grade elixirs, gradually moving up until one can refine mid-grade elixirs and beyond."
Luo Chen’s brow furrowed as he looked at the speaker, whose face was pale but remained calm under his gaze.
It was Mi Li, Mi Junping’s daughter and Mi Shuhua’s granddaughter.
Forget it, he couldn’t afford to offend her!
He didn’t know her status within the family, but since she had been assigned to the Alchemy Hall, he had to give her the respect she deserved.
He cleared his throat. "Yes, Miss Mi is correct."
With his hands behind his back, Luo Chen paced in front of the group.
"Even large sects follow this process, so how much more should you, who have no alchemy experience, do the same?"
"So, dividing the labor and focusing on specific tasks is what you need to do right now and the only thing you can do."
After this explanation, no one objected.
After all, Luo Chen was the head of the Alchemy Hall!
Without further ado, he divided the thirty people into six teams of five.
One team would handle a few auxiliary materials, another team would handle different auxiliary materials, and two more teams would handle the main materials.
The remaining two teams would focus on mastering fire control, taking turns to manage the three alchemy rooms.
Perhaps he should consider appointing a fire control supervisor at some point?
"The raw materials for the Spirit Grain Pill and the Marvelous Pill must be familiar to you as soon as possible. Then, follow the methods I teach you to process them."
"Also, I don’t want you to try to understand the tasks of other teams before you are familiar with your own. That will slow your progress."
"You might think I’m holding you back, but if you do that, don’t blame me for not warning you."
With that, he beckoned to someone outside.
Gu Caiyi brought in the various herbs he needed.
"This is the most common ginseng, artificially cultivated, ten years old. It contains very little spiritual energy but is an important auxiliary material for many low-grade elixirs."
"Thus, the processing methods are varied. I’ll teach you two methods first. A few of you, follow me to the herb room!"
Five people followed Luo Chen into the room with enthusiasm.
The rest stood outside, whispering among themselves.
In the crowd, Mi Li’s willow-like eyebrows furrowed, her pale face showing confusion.
The standard process was indeed as the hall master described.
But was it necessary to divide it so finely?
...
Was it necessary?
Luo Chen thought, of course, it was!
If I don’t divide it so finely, you’ll all learn the entire pre-alchemy process.
If you also figure out the ingredient ratios for each batch of elixirs and the corresponding alchemy techniques, you might succeed after a few dozen or a hundred failures.
Then, what would be the point of having the Broken Mountain Gang’s top alchemist?
Luo Chen was deliberately creating a knowledge barrier.
Even if someone tried to gather this group together in the future and combine their knowledge, it would take a lot of effort.
Even if they managed to understand it, Luo Chen planned to make some adjustments to the alchemy details later.
In short, he didn’t want to teach his apprentices and starve himself.
...
Teaching these people the specific skills took Luo Chen five days.
It didn’t sound like much, but some people were already getting impatient.
Mi Shuhua specifically asked Sikong Shoujia to inquire when he would start refining the Marvelous Pill.
After all, the sect had to pay spirit stones for so many cultivators staying in the Alchemy Hall!
After delving deeper into the Broken Mountain Gang's situation, Luo Chen learned that the Logistics Department was different from the combat departments. Most of the logistics personnel received a fixed salary with no bonuses.
The combat departments, on the other hand, had variable income based on their harvests.
During times of heavy casualties or significant gains, there were often substantial rewards.
Therefore, most capable cultivators were in the three combat departments and Wang Yuan’s Dragon Hall.
In response to Sikong Shoujia’s probing, Luo Chen simply said, "No rush, no rush!"
Of course, he wasn’t in a hurry. Once this batch of people became proficient, his future alchemy work would be much easier.
Five days later.
Mi Shuhua personally came to the Alchemy Hall.
Luo Chen wasted no time, immediately instructing his subordinates to begin the alchemy process.
Steam began to rise from the three alchemy chambers once more, and the Tranquil Rain Pavilion resumed its operations.
Watching Luo Chen move between the chambers, directing the cultivators and adding ingredients, Uncle Mi Hua finally felt a bit of relief from his anxiety.
"Grandfather."
"Hmm."
Without turning his head, Uncle Mi Hua asked casually, "Have you learned anything from Hall Master Luo Chen these past few days?"
Mi Li whispered, "His techniques for handling the ingredients of two different elixirs are extremely proficient, far surpassing the alchemists our family used to hire."
Uncle Mi Hua shook his head. "Those alchemists could only produce low-grade elixirs; naturally, they can't compare to Luo Chen."
Mi Li thought for a moment. "Hall Master is also very experienced in controlling the heat."
"What I'm asking about is not these things!"
"He hasn't said anything else, and he doesn't allow us apprentices to observe."
"Apprentices?" Uncle Mi Hua was curious about this term.
Mi Li answered promptly, "Currently, the Elixir Hall is divided into two roles: apprentices and furnace workers. The names are self-explanatory."
After hearing this, Uncle Mi Hua's brow furrowed.
He pondered for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.
"Go in and observe!"
Mi Li looked up, hesitating.
But under Uncle Mi Hua's firm gaze, she finally stepped into the alchemy chamber where Luo Chen was busy.
Inside the chamber,
Luo Chen immediately noticed the newcomer.
He glanced over, his gaze cold and silent.
The woman froze in place.
The furnace worker, who was tending the fire, held his breath.
For a moment, the only sounds in the chamber were the crackling of the green steel wood and the bubbling from the alchemy furnace.
Outside the chamber, Uncle Mi Hua watched the scene intently.
He first raised an eyebrow, then frowned, and finally took a deep breath.
A telepathic message was sent inside.
"Little Mi Li is the most talented alchemist in our family. Let her observe for a bit."
"This is my bread and butter!"
"She..."
"No, unless... you give me an additional bottle of Qi Nourishing Elixir every month!"
...
...
Can one learn the techniques by merely observing someone alchemize?
The answer to this question varies.
For those with exceptional talent, even a small technique or a single release of spiritual energy might be enough to help them make connections and gain insights.
But for most people with no natural talent for alchemy, even watching it a hundred times would be of little use.
Especially for those with a weak foundation in alchemy.
Luo Chen's proficiency in refining the Marvel Pill had long reached the perfect level, producing at least mid-grade elixirs.
In other words, his expertise in refining the Marvel Pill was already at the initial master level.
His techniques were far beyond the beginner stage.
Mi Li was now fully focused on observing his techniques. Even if she learned something, it would be related to refining mid-grade Marvel Pills.
But the question was, could she directly refine mid-grade elixirs after learning these techniques?
The answer was no.
Because she would still need to start with low-grade Marvel Pills.
The techniques for refining low-grade Marvel Pills had been simplified by Luo Chen as his proficiency increased.
Without those basic techniques, Mi Li would never be able to refine mid-grade or even low-grade Marvel Pills.
This was why Luo Chen wasn't worried about his skills being stolen.
But with this opportunity, he wouldn't let it pass.
An additional bottle of Qi Nourishing Elixir every month was a good deal for him!
...
The Marvel Pill was a higher-grade elixir, so its refinement time was much longer than that of the Fasting Powder.
It took the entire morning to complete the refinement process in the three alchemy chambers.
Under Uncle Mi Hua's watchful eye, Luo Chen dismissed everyone and began the process of collecting the elixirs.
Inside the chamber, Luo Chen's expression was solemn as he used the Attraction Technique to open the furnace lid.
The low-grade Purple Cloud Copper Furnace produced ten elixirs, seven of which were mid-grade and three low-grade.
Luo Chen was satisfied; this was a deliberate result.
If he had refined them himself, all would have been mid-grade.
"Even though I dismissed everyone, Uncle Mi Hua's spiritual sense is likely still observing here."
"But I don't need to put on a show."
"Let things be as they are!"
He left the chamber and opened the copper furnace in another room.
An acrid smell instantly spread.
Luo Chen shook his head, not feeling particularly upset.
Even with his perfect-level proficiency, a 100% success rate wasn't guaranteed.
Currently, his success rate was around 40%, which was already quite high.
Based on his experience with Fasting Powder, the success rate at each stage was relatively fixed.
At the beginner stage, it was 10%, at the proficient stage 20%, at the expert stage 30%, and at the perfect level, around 40%.
At the grandmaster level, the success rate would stabilize around 50%.
As for a 100% success rate?
Luo Chen had never really considered it. Among alchemists, there was a saying that the higher the grade of the elixir, the lower the success rate.
Even the legendary Central Continent Alchemy Sage, who could easily produce high-grade and supreme-grade elixirs for low-grade ones, occasionally failed when dealing with third- and fourth-grade elixirs.
From Luo Chen's perspective, as long as the success rate was over 50%, the high profit margins of elixirs would ensure substantial gains!
Outside, Uncle Mi Hua's brow furrowed when he sensed a failed batch.
That meant five spirit stones' worth of raw materials had been wasted.
However, when Luo Chen opened the lid of the mid-grade elixir furnace and a fragrant aroma filled the air, his frown relaxed.
Carrying a large wooden tray, Luo Chen walked out of the chamber.
"This time, we had good luck. Thirty elixirs were produced, most of them mid-grade, a few low-grade."
"I have not let you down!"
He handed the tray to Mi Li, who was standing nearby, clapped his hands, and acted nonchalant.
The usually pale woman's face now had a blush of excitement.
Three alchemy chambers, four sets of raw materials, three successful batches!
And the success rate ensured that more than half were mid-grade.
What does this mean?
It means that Luo Chen has truly become a first-rank alchemist, and an exceptional one at that, a veritable elite!
If Luo Chen can consistently produce mid-grade pills and occasionally a high-grade one, he could be called a master alchemist in this particular elixir!
Of course, the cultivation world doesn't have such detailed classifications.
A master alchemist is typically someone who can refine third-rank elixirs.
No one would judge an alchemist's skill based on their performance with a single type of elixir.
Seeing his granddaughter's excited reaction, Uncle Mi realized that Luo Chen's alchemy skills had truly impressed her.
For himself, he was more concerned with the profit.
Thirty Elixir of Many Wonders—how many spirit stones could they fetch!
"Luo Chen, you did a great job!"
Luo Chen smirked and waved his hand, "Today was a good start, but it doesn't mean I'll have such good luck every time."
"Hehe, I have the most faith in you."
"By the way, I still need more help. Send me a few mid-rank cultivators," Luo Chen said.
"Still not enough?" Uncle Mi was surprised.
Luo Chen pointed to the pills on the plate, "After the pills are formed, there's a period of stabilization. This period is crucial, and the external environment can affect the potency of the pills. I need a team to keep a constant watch."
Lingling chimed in, "That's right, Grandpa. The Qingyuan Pill manual mentions similar details."
Uncle Mi suddenly understood, "I remember now. Many elixirs can degrade over time if not stored properly, even dropping in quality."
With that, Uncle Mi didn't hesitate.
He immediately instructed Gu Caiyi to go to the Alchemy Hall and bring over a few more cultivators.
"Alright, everyone, dismiss!"
Luo Chen yawned, "I've been busy all morning. I'm going to take a nap. Bring lunch to my door later."
Seeing his lazy demeanor, Uncle Mi couldn't help but ask, "Not going to continue refining?"
Luo Chen stared back, "Leader, I'm human, not a puppet. I get tired. Without spirit sense, I can't monitor three alchemy chambers at once. Do you think I can keep this up?"
"Besides, if I don't rest, how can they rest?"
Luo Chen pointed, and Uncle Mi noticed the fatigue on the faces of the cultivators responsible for the fires.
Even a few older female cultivators had flushed cheeks and beads of sweat.
"Besides, the alchemy furnaces can't hold up either!" Luo Chen added, "Two low-grade magical tools and one mid-grade alchemy cauldron can't support constant refining. Unless you can get me a magical treasure furnace or a top-grade alchemy cauldron."
Uncle Mi smiled wryly, "Then you all should rest!"
What a joke, a magical treasure furnace?
He didn't even have a life-bound magical treasure himself.
His most useful high-grade magical tools included a purple river robe, which Qin Liangchen had destroyed on the Dao Discussion Platform.
...
When Luo Chen came out to fetch his lunch, he found that Uncle Mi had already left the Crescent Moon Valley.
Good, with him around, everything felt restricted.
Luo Chen glanced at his lunch and couldn't help but grin.
"Hey, the food is great! All spirit rice and spirit vegetables, and this meat is from a first-rank beast."
The treatment provided by the Mountain Breaking Gang was absolutely top-notch!
Even better than what the other hall leaders received.
After all, Luo Chen was the Mountain Breaking Gang's cash cow, so they had to take good care of him.
He poured all the food into a large bowl, creating a hearty mixed rice dish!
Luo Chen took out the green gourd from his storage bag and hung it on his waist.
Then, while eating, he wandered around the Alchemy Hall, checking if anything was missing in his domain.
After a while, he had a good idea and, while eating, leisurely left the Alchemy Hall.
Following the gravel path made from slag, he slowly made his way to the Crescent Moon Valley.
Several large stone houses were built in a row along the valley's mountain walls.
These were the offices of the Alchemy Hall.
At noon, there were fewer people, but some cultivators were still busy turning the herbs to ensure they dried properly.
When he found Murong Qinglian, she was busy writing something.
"Sister-in-law, busy?"
Murong Qinglian looked up at him, irritated.
"You still have the nerve to come here."
"What's wrong?" Luo Chen stopped eating, confused.
Murong Qinglian sighed, "Look, in the past few days, your Alchemy Hall has taken so many people from us. Now we're short-handed."
Luo Chen hadn't expected this.
But from Murong Qinglian's expression, she wasn't really angry with him.
"I'm busy selecting suitable cultivators from the outer ranks. These are their backgrounds and histories. I need to choose the ones with relatively clean records."
Murong Qinglian pointed to the stack of bamboo slips and books on the table.
Got it, resumes!
"Although the Alchemy Hall's work is tedious, it's safe. Many cultivators in the gang want to work here."
Murong Qinglian explained.
As she spoke, she glanced at Luo Chen's large bowl of "mixed rice."
"Wow, your treatment is really good. Someone might think you're eating spirit stones!"
"Of course, I'm the Mountain Breaking Gang's cash cow. Who else deserves top treatment?"
Luo Chen placed a hand on his hip, looking smug.
To be honest, when he first decided to join the Mountain Breaking Gang and become the head of the Alchemy Hall, he felt a bit stifled. But after enjoying all the perks, he realized this was the best decision!
No worries about food or security, and he didn't have to source or process raw materials himself.
Once he trained those apprentices and fire workers, refining elixirs would be even easier.
And the four bottles of Qi Cultivation Pills as a monthly salary were incredibly sweet.
"But it's still not enough!"
The greedy Luo Chen wouldn't be satisfied so easily.
The Mountain Breaking Gang was a large and wealthy organization, and as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Uncle Mi was even richer.
He needed to find a way to get more out of it!
"How can I get more?"
The cunning rat, Luo Chen, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
(End of Chapter)
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