Longevity with a Turtle

Chapter 171: Chapter 126: Obtaining the Foundation Establishment Pill

Alchemist Zhuang instructed Jiang Ruxu.

”This disciple understands. I will study the Alchemy Dao diligently and protect Senior Sister.”

A moment later.

After Alchemist Zhuang gestured for silence, the Alchemy Room fell quiet for a brief moment. After about a hundred breaths, a flicker of fire appeared.

This was followed by the sound of surging Earth Fire.

Alchemist Zhuang circled the Pill Furnace, forming Hand Seals to control the intensity of the Earth Fire.

Following the steps on the special Foundation Establishment Pill Formula, he first added the Purple Mist Red Fruit and three Fire Attribute Auxiliary Materials—Leaving Fire Cinnabar, Red Sunflower Bud, and Heaven-Burning Vine Ash—over a Mild Fire.

Two hours later, the Spiritual Materials inside the Pill Furnace had melted into a turquoise paste.

Alchemist Zhuang’s Hand Seal suddenly changed, causing the Earth Fire to become exceptionally fierce.

The Martial Fire roared to life!

He instantly tossed in the Tier Two Ice Spirit Core—the substitute for the Profound Ice Jade Marrow—and inscribed the Ice and Fire Seal Technique above the Pill Furnace, causing the Pill Liquid to be repeatedly tempered in ice and fire.

A quarter of an hour later, he added the other Five Elements Auxiliary Materials.

At that same moment, he activated the Spirit Gathering Array on the Pill Furnace, condensing Spiritual Qi and infusing it into the thick Pill Liquid.

The Martial Fire subsided, and the Mild Fire began its slow simmer.

Five hours later.

Beads of sweat had formed on Alchemist Zhuang’s brow, and his clothes were soaked through. He took out a High-Grade Qi Replenishing Pill and consumed it.

His expression was tense as he changed his Seal Technique.

Reaching the final annealing step, he balanced the Mild and Martial Fires, simultaneously adding the Illusion Heart Grass and Five Elements Spiritual Sand, as well as the Solidifying Liquid Powder, a Spirit Gathering Pill, and the Cinnabar Guide.

With his Divine Sense, he outlined the Spirit Gathering Array Pattern and sealed the Pill Furnace!

Every one of Alchemist Zhuang’s movements was incredibly smooth, even though this was his first time refining a Foundation Establishment Pill.

However, the refining steps on this special Pill Formula were extremely simple.

It was even easier than refining a Youthful Pill.

It was just a bit draining on his Magical Power and Heart and Mind.

But with the help of Elixirs, it wasn’t a problem at all.

The Pill Liquid was now sealed within the Pill Furnace. All he had to do was wait seven hours before opening it to retrieve the pills.

Time trickled by.

Seven hours passed.

Alchemist Zhuang opened the Pill Furnace and threw in a Clearing Muddiness Talisman to purge the impure energies from the Alchemy Furnace.

Instantly,

a brilliant Golden Light erupted from the Pill Furnace.

Three Spirit Pills with flecks of gold flew out of the Alchemy Furnace, landing gently in the jade box in Alchemist Zhuang’s hand.

”Master, is it... done?”

”Yes.”

Inside, however, Alchemist Zhuang’s heart was a tempest. He never imagined that Ruan Tieniu’s Foundation Establishment Pill Formula would be so miraculous.

The steps were simple.

Not only was it easy to refine, but the Pill Success Rate was also incredibly high.

’One Genuine Foundation Establishment Pill... that’s enough to fulfill my end of the bargain.’

He looked at the three Foundation Establishment Pills in the jade box. One had two fractured-gold lines, while the other two had only a single fractured-gold line.

These were the Pill Patterns unique to Foundation Establishment Pills.

One Pill Pattern meant it was a Low-Quality Foundation Establishment Pill, which only increased the success rate by ten percent.

Two Pill Patterns indicated a Genuine Foundation Establishment Pill, which could boost the success rate of Foundation Establishment by twenty percent.

Three patterns signified a Top-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill, capable of increasing the success rate by thirty percent.

Refining a Genuine Foundation Establishment Pill was a test of one’s Alchemy Skills.

As for a Top-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill, that was purely a matter of luck.

It was possible for a Tier Two Lower-Grade Alchemist to refine a Top-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill, while a Tier Two High-Grade Alchemist might fail to do so.

At that moment, outside Blessed Residence 136.

Chen Jianghe and Ruan Tieniu had been there since 5:00 AM, having come from the Qinghe Tavern.

It was now approaching 3:00 PM.

Ruan Tieniu’s expression grew more and more tense. He looked at Chen Jianghe and asked worriedly, ”Brother Chen, Alchemist Zhuang still hasn’t come out. Do you think something went wrong?”

Chen Jianghe smiled calmly and offered a word of comfort.

”Don’t worry. Alchemist Zhuang said he was more than eighty percent confident, so there shouldn’t be any problems. We just have to wait patiently out here.”

About half an hour passed.

Ji Wujin emerged from his home and came to stand beside Chen Jianghe.

He didn’t speak, but his brow, visible above his mask, was furrowed.

Clearly, Ji Wujin had also become nervous.

A Purple Mist Red Fruit and four hundred Spirit Stones was a significant sum, even for him.

More importantly, he didn’t have many Spirit Stones left.

Without a Foundation Establishment Pill, he wouldn’t dare attempt Foundation Establishment.

But if he didn’t reach Foundation Establishment, he couldn’t go back.

At this, the breathing of both Ji Wujin and Ruan Tieniu grew heavy.

Chen Jianghe was also growing tense inside.

’Even though my pill has a ninety percent chance of being a Low-Quality one, it’s still a Foundation Establishment Pill,’ he thought. ’As long as it’s a Foundation Establishment Pill, it can save your life when you’re breaking through to Foundation Establishment.’

’But if Alchemist Zhuang failed...’

’Then I won’t even get a Low-Quality Foundation Establishment Pill.’

’Without that life-saving guarantee, how can I possibly attempt Foundation Establishment?’

CREAK~

The courtyard gate opened.

A somewhat weakened Alchemist Zhuang walked out.

The three of them—Chen Jianghe, Ruan Tieniu, and Ji Wujin—all unconsciously took a step forward, staring intently at Alchemist Zhuang, desperate to hear the answer they craved.

”Fortunately, I did not fail. The Alchemy was a success.”

Alchemist Zhuang took out three jade boxes, then added, ”It’s just that this old man’s skills are lacking. I only managed to produce one Genuine Foundation Establishment Pill.”

”Alchemist Zhuang, you’re truly skilled!” Ji Wujin immediately praised.

In truth, Alchemist Zhuang’s Alchemy Skills really were quite good. Another Tier Two Lower-Grade Alchemist might not have necessarily been able to produce even one Genuine Foundation Establishment Pill.

When refining a batch of three Foundation Establishment Pills, the usual result was one genuine pill. It was rare to get two, and almost unheard of for all three to be genuine.

However, getting three Low-Quality Foundation Establishment Pills was very common.

Therefore, Alchemist Zhuang’s Alchemy Skills were truly worthy of Ji Wujin’s praise.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Ruan Tieniu’s eyes. He had naturally hoped that Alchemist Zhuang would be able to refine two Genuine Foundation Establishment Pills.

That way, he would have been able to get one.

When Chen Jianghe heard this, his expression didn’t change.

It didn’t matter to him whether one or two Genuine Foundation Establishment Pills had been produced.

That is, unless all three were genuine pills.

But that was obviously impossible.

”This jade box contains the Genuine Foundation Establishment Pill, and these two have the Low-Quality Foundation Establishment Pills. Please, take your shares.”

Alchemist Zhuang pushed the three jade boxes toward Chen Jianghe and the others.

Ji Wujin acted instantly, pulling the Genuine Foundation Establishment Pill into his hand. He offered a word of thanks and turned to return to his own courtyard.

Ruan Tieniu also took a jade box, said his thanks, and left quickly.

However, he wasn’t heading toward Qingping Lane, but in the direction of the Southeast District.

Evidently, Ruan Tieniu was going to begin his attempt at Foundation Establishment.

”Fellow Daoist, please, come into my humble home for a chat.” Alchemist Zhuang opened both halves of the courtyard gate.

Chen Jianghe put the jade box with the Foundation Establishment Pill into his Storage Pouch, nodded to Alchemist Zhuang, and walked inside.

When Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan saw Chen Jianghe enter, they both bowed respectfully before retreating.

”Fellow Daoist, here are twelve Body Refining Spiritual Pills.”

Alchemist Zhuang produced three Jade Bottles and handed them to Chen Jianghe.

”Alchemist Zhuang, what is the meaning of this?”

Chen Jianghe asked this, but his hand moved quickly, naturally accepting the Jade Bottles from Alchemist Zhuang.

A sweep of his Divine Sense revealed their contents.

Four Meridian Opening Pills, four Qi Blood Pills, and four Body Refining Pills.

They were worth two hundred and forty Spirit Stones.

”Heh heh~” Alchemist Zhuang chuckled lightly, not answering Chen Jianghe’s question.

Everything was understood without words.

”Have you prepared the Auxiliary Materials for refining the Youthful Pill, Alchemist Zhuang?” Chen Jianghe asked with a smile.

Alchemist Zhuang’s face lit up at the question. His wrinkled features trembled slightly as he nodded emphatically.

”I’m just waiting for you to bring back the Youthful Grass, Fellow Daoist.”

”I’ll bring the Youthful Grass in a few days. At that time, I’ll have to ask Alchemist Zhuang to refine it.”

Chen Jianghe put the Jade Bottles into his Storage Pouch and said, ”In that case, I won’t disturb your rest any longer, Alchemist Zhuang.”

”Mm. This old man will await your return, Fellow Daoist.”

Chen Jianghe left Blessed Residence and headed for Qingping Lane.

”Grandpa, why did you give Elder Chen another twelve Body Refining Spiritual Pills?” Zhuang Xinyan came out and asked, confused.

”Ruxu, do you know your master’s reasoning?” Alchemist Zhuang asked, turning his kind gaze to Jiang Ruxu.

”Master, you collected eight hundred Spirit Stones from those other two elders. The thirty Spirit Pills you gave before were worth six hundred Spirit Stones. There was no need to let a matter of two hundred Spirit Stones create a rift with Elder Chen.”

Jiang Ruxu looked at Alchemist Zhuang with her large, watery eyes. She knew he was paving the way for her and her Senior Sister.

”Master, this disciple will definitely work hard on her Alchemy, become a Tier Two Alchemist, and protect Senior Sister.”