Chapter 56: Alchemist Ding Xiu Assumes His Post

The pill furnace blazed, filling the air with the rich fragrance of medicine.

Shen Lian sat cross-legged beside the furnace, his spiritual sense closely monitoring the transformation of the herbs within. When the plants had been reduced to powder by the intense flames, he cast a series of incantations.

The quality of a pill depends on how thoroughly impurities are removed during the process, and on how well the various herbs are fused together.

As time passed, the powdered herbs inside the furnace began to form a viscous paste, emitting green and black spiritual light.

"Sizzle—"

Seizing the moment, Shen Lian rapidly performed a sequence of hand seals, controlling the heat of the furnace while condensing the medicinal liquid and purifying its potency.

The liquid inside the furnace shifted and churned, wisps of black vapor curling from the spout. Nearly half a day slipped by before a mass of azure-black medicine rolled within. Shen Lian then began the final stage of pill condensation.

His spiritual sense enveloped the liquid, and with a specialized method, he divided it into twenty-one droplets of nearly equal size, each beginning to solidify.

"Come forth."

When the pills were fully formed, Shen Lian poured his spiritual energy into the furnace and performed the opening technique. The lid, shimmering with heat and light, lifted into the air.

Inside, the heat and green brilliance surged, and the fragrance spread throughout the chamber.

With a swift motion, he reached in and scooped out twenty-one steaming pills, which landed in his palm.

Examining the crystalline orbs, Shen Lian nodded in satisfaction.

"Fifteen superior grade, six of medium quality."

Pills were generally classified into inferior, medium, superior, and Dao grade—the last being those inscribed with Dao patterns, much like spiritual restrictions found within magical artifacts, a rare manifestation of the principles of heaven and earth. Below inferior lay the defective grade, which could still be used but with diminished effect and stronger toxicity, posing risks to one's cultivation if consumed in excess.

The number and quality of pills produced in a single batch depended on the quantity and grade of the herbs used. During refinement, an alchemist apportioned the liquid medicine, ensuring each pill contained an even share. The more essence retained in a droplet, the higher the resulting quality.

The Spirit Nourishing Pill Shen Lian crafted was of medium grade, yet he had produced superior quality right from the start—a remarkable achievement.

This, of course, was thanks not only to the legacy of pillcraft he possessed, but also to his powerful spiritual sense, which made dividing and condensing the medicinal liquids effortless. Perhaps he had always been a prodigy in the Dao of Alchemy, only his talents had been hidden until now.

To be able to refine superior pills at a stroke, Shen Lian felt quite content. As for Dao-grade pills, their time would come.

The Spirit Nourishing Pill sold for the same price as the Yellow Sprout Pill—five spirit stones apiece in the markets. However, most sold there were of inferior quality, and a bottle containing only three defective pills was already considered honest by the standards of those vendors.

Medium-quality pills rarely circulated among itinerant cultivators, and superior ones were beyond imagining. Sects and clans considered possessing even inferior pills a great boon for a rogue cultivator—what more could they ask for, did they really expect to become immortals?

Superior pills could fetch two or three times the ordinary price, sometimes more, depending on demand. They mostly appeared at auctions or in the hands of venerable, long-established shops, their buyers invariably wealthy.

As for rare pills, their prices could multiply several times over.

Shen Lian did a quick calculation. Fifteen superior Spirit Nourishing Pills could be sold to a larger shop for seven low-grade spirit stones each, with the medium ones at five apiece. For twenty-one pills, that was a total of one hundred and thirty-five spirit stones. The cost of the herbs for this batch was just over thirty spirit stones, and the process had taken half a day.

In the same amount of time, he could inscribe four or five superior first-rank talismans.

Thus, refining medium-grade pills was more lucrative than drawing superior talismans.

"In the future, I can focus on Yellow Sprout, Returning Vitality, and Barrier-Breaking Pills as my main products."

---

"These pills are in high demand among Qi Refining cultivators and are a staple for every alchemist."

"For now, I'll set the quality of those I sell at medium, mixing in the inferior ones. As for the superior pills, I'll only sell them discreetly if circumstances allow—no need to draw unwanted attention."

Very soon, Shen Lian had mapped out a clear plan in his mind.

Common pills had readily available ingredients, and a single batch could yield dozens—an ideal situation for bulk sales.

Naturally, he would keep the high-grade pills for himself; flaunting them in the market would only invite trouble. Selling one or two was manageable, but offloading an entire batch at once would be reckless.

Other rarer, more versatile pills required herbs that were harder to find. Cultivators in need often collected their own ingredients before seeking an alchemist to refine them.

Alchemists charged a fee to prepare their furnaces, kept any leftover materials from successful batches, and demanded an extra fee for the service. If the batch failed, they bore no responsibility.

It was, without question, the most desirable profession in the cultivation world.

A reputable alchemist would never lack for business—spirit stones seemed to fall from the sky.

Yet Shen Lian had no interest in making a name for himself. He refined pills to earn spirit stones, to advance his own cultivation, not to become a grandmaster of the Dao of Alchemy.

...

"Come, eldest one, try this Spirit Nourishing Pill."

"Hiss—"

He pried open Dahei's jaws and forced a pill inside, the great black ant obediently shaking its head in response.

Previously, Dahei had only ever taken Yellow Sprout Pills, which were effective enough, but for a spirit beast, such human-focused medicines were suboptimal. Spirit Nourishing Pills, crafted specifically for spirit beasts, were far more suitable.

Indeed, as soon as the pill entered Dahei's belly, demon energy began to seep through the seams of its armored carapace.

Shen Lian was generous, refining several more batches of Spirit Nourishing Pills.

He summoned all the Blackhorn Demon Ants on the island, feeding each one in turn.

From this day forward, his spirit beasts would all be nourished on pills.

...

A month later.

"Here, try this freshly refined Barrier-Breaking Pill."

"Hiss—"

Dahei, seeing the pill glowing with blue light in Shen Lian's hand, scrabbled backward with its legs, hesitation gleaming in its black, bulbous eyes.

It simply couldn't eat anymore.

Truly, it couldn't.

Its mouth was still full of the lingering taste of Spirit Nourishing Pills.

Even the demon energy oozing from its scales was from undigested medicine.

Dahei glanced nervously at its companions. The other Blackhorn Demon Ants were in the same state—there had been no shortage of pills lately, and they were practically swallowing the powder whole.

Yet the effects were obvious; more than twenty ants had advanced to the middle stage of the first rank.

"Why run? Out there, countless demons have never even tasted a pill."

"Your demon power has already reached its limit. Take the Barrier-Breaking Pill, and you'll break through to the late Qi Refining stage."

Seeing Dahei retreat, Shen Lian chided it with a laugh.

He had always provided ample resources for their cultivation, but due to its bloodline, Dahei had been stuck at the seventh layer of Qi Refining.

If its lineage couldn't carry it further, external assistance was the only option.

...

"Come here and eat the Barrier-Breaking Pill."

Shen Lian reached out, ready to help Dahei swallow the medicine.

"...Master..."

A sudden wave of spiritual thought surfaced.

"Hmm."

Shen Lian paused in surprise, then realized what had happened.

Dahei could speak!

"Hiss—"

Seeing the nervousness in Dahei's tiny eyes, Shen Lian couldn't help but laugh in exasperation.

Was he truly so frightening, that the ant had to use spiritual transmission to communicate?

The Blackhorn Demon Ant's bloodline was inferior to most birds and beasts, making intelligence harder to develop.

Shen Lian had already planned to purchase spiritual items to further awaken Dahei's mind.

Now, it seemed, Dahei had comprehended on its own—though out of fear.

"...Master..."

Watching Dahei lower its head in abject misery, Shen Lian pulled it close and gently patted its horns.

"Ah... Once you step onto the path of immortality, there’s no turning back..."

After a moment’s comfort, Shen Lian still stuffed the pill into Dahei’s mouth.

At present, Dahei’s intelligence was no greater than that of a five- or six-year-old child, with little understanding of cultivation—living mostly from moment to moment.

Some monsters, born of a noble bloodline, awakened their minds from birth and quickly set out on the path of cultivation.

For a humble creature like Dahei, lacking ancestral heritage, it could only rely on chance to acquire the right techniques—or hope to trigger dormant bloodline power during a breakthrough, inheriting the cultivation path of its ancestors.

"Crack—"

As the potent medicine surged within, Dahei split open once more, a torrent of demon power pouring forth.

Shen Lian observed closely, breaking a healing pill and applying it to Dahei’s wounds.

Amidst the demon energy swirling from the ant’s body, there still lingered the essence of the Spirit Nourishing Pills, evidence of its inefficiency in refining the medicine.

But that was not Dahei’s fault; its bloodline and talent had predetermined such obstacles. Overcoming these shackles would require unimaginable effort.

For Dahei, each breakthrough meant splitting open, its flesh and blood enduring a baptism anew every time.

"Hiss—"

With Shen Lian’s assistance, calming the surging medicinal power with his spiritual sense, Dahei’s disorderly demon energy gradually settled, circulating steadily within.

Its aura rose from the sixth to the seventh layer of Qi Refining.

Yet the demon energy did not subside; instead, a blood-red aura began to emanate from within, enveloping its entire head.

The moment this bloody, hazy aura appeared, all the other Blackhorn Demon Ants in the abode trembled, instantly prostrating themselves in fear.