The Extreme Alchemist of the Mighty Cauldron Chapter 961

Chapter 961: Chapter 961: Spirit Soil Chapter 961: Chapter 961: Spirit Soil “Ah, it has failed again,” sighed many a Grandmaster of Pill Refining, all shaking their heads in disappointment.

The elderly man found it particularly hard to accept; after all, he had utilized beads crafted from the Fire Origin Stone, yet even they had failed to improve the condition of the Frost Fire Grass.

The elder's complexion turned rather unsightly, dominated by embarrassment. Just a moment ago, he had felt quite proud, but now he was blushing to his ears, truly a humiliating experience.

However, no one ridiculed him, as the Frost Fire Grass had indeed returned to normal for a brief while; no one could have anticipated it would relapse into such a weak state so soon.

Master Wen spoke with a smile, “Treating the symptoms, not the disease.”

Those five simple words sent a jolt through the elder, who then showed a look of shame and walked away silently, ceasing his attempts.

Now, the many Grandmasters of Pill Refining present understood the difficulty of the problem. For a time, no one dared try their hand, fearing they would make a fool of themselves like the first elder had.

“Master Wen mentioned treating the symptoms, not the disease, which means we must change the Frost Fire Grass from its roots,” someone concluded.

“We all understand the principle, but how to actually do it, that is the real challenge,” another voiced.

“Perhaps there is an issue at the source of the Frost Fire Grass. We could try starting with its roots and stems.”

“That's a good idea, but it might not guarantee success.”

For a long while, no one made a move, all deep in thought. Some may have had ideas, but none were in a hurry to act, preferring to observe others' methods first.

In this game of watching and waiting, with everyone hesitant to be the first to act, the atmosphere grew somewhat awkward.

Master Wen was in no rush, either. With a wave of his hand, he brought over a chair, seated himself comfortably, and even closed his eyes slightly, as if to meditate.

Fang Lin also didn't make a move. He certainly had a solution, but the problem at hand was too simple; he wanted to see if any of the Grandmasters present truly possessed genuine skills and knowledge.

At that moment, Master Long, standing beside Fang Lin, appeared to be stirred, seemingly ready to make a move.

But Master Zhong was quicker, stepping up to the Frost Fire Grass first.

All onlookers showed surprise, while Master Long frowned slightly, having lost the initiative, he made no further moves.

“With Master Zhong stepping forward, the issue with the Frost Fire Grass is sure to be resolved effortlessly,” complimented someone, but with few echoes, the commentor felt embarrassed and fell silent.

Master Zhong's expression was solemn as he waved his hand, revealing a delicate little gourd.

The crowd was puzzled. Why would Master Zhong bring out a small gourd? Could the contents of this gourd improve the condition of the Frost Fire Grass?

Master Wen opened his eyes, glanced at the small gourd in Master Zhong's hand, and showed a hint of a smile, as if he had discerned something.

Master Zhong, composed and serene, opened the gourd and gently poured its contents onto the soil planting the Frost Fire Grass.

Out fell a small clump of purple soil, teeming with Spiritual Energy, which settled on the roots and stems of the Frost Fire Grass.

“This seems to be Spirit Soil, such a rich essence!” someone exclaimed.

“Indeed, this is Spirit Soil; Master Zhong truly is extraordinary,”
“This Spirit Soil should be able to fundamentally alter the Frost Fire Grass.”

****
The so-called Spirit Soil is the earth that contains Spiritual Energy, though not all earth imbued with Spiritual Energy can be called Spirit Soil.

Only the soil that can continuously generate Spiritual Energy can be deemed true Spirit Soil, highly coveted and beloved by Pill Refiners.

Using Spirit Soil to cultivate herbs, the herbs grow faster and their medicinal properties are better.

Master Zhong's approach is easy to understand; using the Spiritual Energy of the Spirit Soil to nourish the Frost Fire Grass itself, allowing the Spiritual Energy to mellow out the two types of auras.

Surely, such a method could be considered a root solution to the problem, and with Spirit Soil, after some time, the growth of the Frost Fire Grass would improve even more.

“Worthy of Master Zhong, he has solved the problem in no time.”

“Master Zhong is indeed formidable, earning the admiration of us all.”

“Compared to some who are all show and no substance, Master Zhong is truly much stronger.”

****
Some from the Alchemy Tao noble families began to praise, and their words were not just elevating Master Zhong but also took the opportunity to belittle Fang Lin.

But more people were focused on the Frost Fire Grass. Following the first elder's attempt, the Frost Fire Grass initially became normal, but quickly reverted to its original state.

However, this time, it seemed that the issue with the Frost Fire Grass had indeed been resolved by Master Zhong; after almost half an hour, the problems it had initially exhibited did not recur.

Master Zhong heaved a slight sigh of relief, a rare smile finally appearing on his aged face, regaining his usual confidence.

Having been eclipsed by Fang Lin in the mastery of controlling fire, Master Zhong had always taken it to heart and found it hard to let go.

Now, by leveraging the miraculous effects of the Spirit Soil, he had solved the first problem posed by Master Wen, and Master Zhong finally felt a great sense of relief as he was able to vent out the pent-up frustration.

Master Long, who had intended to act, quietly sighed. He too had Spirit Soil and even more exotic treasures that could have been used to solve the problem, but his slight hesitation allowed Master Zhong to take the initiative, with Master Zhong hogging all the limelight.

Fang Lin remained calm, his expression revealed little, as Master Zhong's method to solve the Frost Fire Grass issue, in his view, was not particularly brilliant, only amounting to the use of the power of heavenly and earthly treasures.

Though Spirit Soil is excellent, what should one do once it runs out?

“Not bad,” Master Wen said, effectively praising Master Zhong.

Master Zhong bowed slightly, displaying little pride. Solving such a problem, for an old Grandmaster of Pill like him, did not offer much of a sense of accomplishment.

Some Pill Grandmasters who had previously focused on Fang Lin now looked towards him, their eyes filled with disdain and mockery. Master Zhong having solved the problem had saved face, and Fang Lin had not made any contribution–this unquestionably overshadowed Fang Lin's prior achievements, much to their satisfaction.

Fang Lin smiled lightly, seemingly unconcerned. If he had wanted to solve the problem with the Frost Fire Grass, he could have done so earlier, he simply chose not to act.

Master Wen looked at Master Zhong and said, “In my original thinking, I was not very keen on you all resolving the issue with the Frost Fire Grass through external means, but using external resources can be considered an approach as well.”

Upon hearing this, Master Zhong's expression shifted subtly, his white brows furrowed, but he said nothing.

Master Wen's meaning was clear, depending on external objects to resolve the problem with the Frost Fire Grass was viewed as an inferior solution and had not entirely satisfied Master Wen.

Chapter end

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