The First Immortal of Destiny

Chapter 541: 541 Refining Grade V Elixir_1

After handling Elder Li’s final affairs, Shen Mo pushed open the door leading deeper into the main hall and walked in.

There was nothing else in the room except for several luminous stone pillars stabilizing the spatial rift in the center.

Shen Mo had been here once before and naturally knew that this rift was the entrance and exit to the Jade Pool Realm. He gave a brief instruction to Flower Fairy Ami before stepping into it confidently.

...

The scenery within the Jade Pool Dungeon had not changed significantly since his last visit.

However, many weeds had grown in the spiritual fields. Based on their age, it could be inferred that Elder Li had fallen over two years ago!

Considering the time flow within this dungeon, it’s been over twenty years since anyone came to tend to it. It’s quite normal for some weeds to have grown.

Fortunately, these weeds are mostly the result of the original rare and exotic flowers and herbs degenerating and cross-breeding. Aside from competing with other spiritual plants for sunlight and rain, they don’t have a significant impact.

After nearly a thousand years of cultivation, even a single weed from within the dungeon would be an incredible treasure to a common mortal.

However, in Shen Mo’s eyes, if it didn’t possess the required medicinal effect, it was no different from an ordinary weed!

SWOOSH!

As soon as they entered the Jade Pool Realm, Flower Fairy Ami flew out impatiently, joyfully weaving through various rare and exotic flowers and herbs.

She looked like a miser who had stumbled into a treasure trove, so overjoyed she couldn’t stop smiling.

”Moro Shen, Moro Shen... you really didn’t lie to Ami!”

”When I get back to the clan, the Big Moros will definitely reward me well,” Ami conveyed telepathically to Shen Mo, chirping excitedly as she flitted among the flowers and plants like a butterfly.

Shen Mo’s mood lightened slightly as he watched Ami’s graceful dance.

”You’re much better at transplanting spiritual plants than I am. I’ll have to trouble you with what comes next!”

He had made a deal with the Flower Fairy clan. The spiritual mother plants from the Outer Zone he had acquired were still in Ami’s Golden Flowery Realm. He needed to take them out one by one and find suitable places to plant them within this dungeon.

Meanwhile, within the dungeon, there were also many rare and exotic flowers and herbs that the Flower Fairy clan needed to transplant to the forbidden land.

”Don’t worry, Moro Shen! Just leave everything to Ami!”

Saying this, Ami took out her Golden Flowery Realm from her pouch, ready to showcase her abilities.

Since Shen Mo also needed to gather spiritual medicine to concoct the Grade V Chaotic Yuan Pill, he asked Ami to first transplant the spiritual mother plants from within the dungeon into the Golden Flowery Realm. After he finished collecting the spiritual medicine, they would then transplant the spiritual mother plants from the Outer Zone into the dungeon.

The Jade Pool Dungeon was not vast, only about ten to twenty percent the size of the Riverside Sect’s main grounds.

Most of its area had been converted into medicinal fields where various spiritual medicines were planted. Several other areas, however, retained their original, untouched appearance.

Gathering all sorts of spiritual medicine was quite a laborious task...

Even with Flower Fairy Ami assisting him, it took Shen Mo the better part of a month to complete this work!

He didn’t just collect the medicinal ingredients needed for the Chaotic Yuan Pill; he also harvested any other spiritual medicines that had reached maturity. After all, an unknown evil spirit lurked in the Dragon Fall Abyss. Who knew when someone might enter this place again after their trip? Naturally, he had to take everything he could, even if it meant accepting some minor losses in the process.

Having finished these tasks, Shen Mo returned to the small courtyard by the wooden house, leaving the remaining work to Ami.

Some of the freshly picked Spirit Fruits and spiritual grasses needed processing before they could be used as medicine. Shen Mo spent some more time preparing these medicinal materials required for alchemy.

Then, he took out his cauldron, manifested the Green Lotus Flame, and began his attempt to concoct the Chaotic Yuan Pill!

Thousand-year Ice Lotus, Gold Tear Bamboo Juice, Fire Lotus Seed, Rosy Cloud Grass... Snake Eye Fruit, Phoenix Blood Mulberry. Let’s try with these thirteen medicinal ingredients first.

Shen Mo quickly began calculating in his mind. He wanted to verify the Grade V Chaotic Yuan Pill elixir recipe he had deduced using the minimum possible resources and the fewest attempts.

In no time, a detailed and complete plan formed in his mind. With a mental command, he sent the Green Lotus Flame into the Fire Chi Cauldron and then, following his first formulation, began adding the different spiritual medicines in sequence!

...

GURGLE!

GURGLE!

Inside the cauldron, the essence of the spiritual medicines, resembling a swirling mass of vapor and liquid, tumbled continuously under the lapping Green Lotus Flame.

Ordinarily, the next step would be to condense the elixir and shape its form.

However, Shen Mo did not execute the corresponding technique. Instead, he allowed the Green Lotus Flame to burn fiercely, reducing the semi-refined elixir to ashes.

There was no need to proceed to the next step. Based solely on its color, aroma, and immortal charm, Shen Mo already knew this batch was a ruined elixir. Not only did it lack any extraordinary medicinal effects, but it also carried severe toxic side effects!

The medicinal properties of the Snake Eye Fruit changed drastically upon contact with the Fire Lotus Seed, and various techniques struggled to suppress this transformation... I’ll switch to Dragon Saliva Grass and try again.

After summarizing the reasons for his failure, Shen Mo reduced the intensity of the Green Lotus Flame and prepared to try again.

Even though he could roughly deduce the elixir recipe for the Chaotic Yuan Pill, merely confirming the main ingredients was already extremely challenging. Furthermore, the process was influenced by numerous factors such as the ratio of spiritual medicines, the smelting order, the refining heat control, and the concoction techniques.

Various problems emerged one after another. Even though Shen Mo’s soul strength far surpassed that of his peers, he was still left feeling mentally drained and muddled.

Fortunately, his Grade IV attainment in the Alchemy Path provided a solid foundation. So, even though he stumbled, he consistently moved forward.

Attempt after attempt, failure after failure, followed by summarizing the reasons... then continuing to try!

Time flew by.

Aside from brief rests to recover his condition, Shen Mo spent almost every moment sitting before the Fire Chi Cauldron.

Flower Fairy Ami had already flown all over the Jade Pool Realm. For every spiritual plant from the Outer Zone within her Golden Flowery Realm, she had found a suitable environment and transplanted it.

Seeing Shen Mo completely immersed in alchemy, she didn’t disturb him and instead busied herself with tending to the flowers and spiritual plants within the dungeon!

「Three months later」

Shen Mo was still sitting rigidly before the cauldron, engrossed in alchemy.

If not for the fact that only nine days had passed in the Outer Realm, even the usually patient Ami would have likely become exasperated with him, especially since she carried a mission given to her by Big Moro.

”Moro Shen, you still haven’t refined the elixir you wanted?” Ami chirped, fluttering her wings and landing on his shoulder as Shen Mo took a moment to regulate his breathing.

The Flower Fairy clan possessed innate talents. They had no need to specifically refine elixirs. Simply by chewing the leaves, petals, nectar, dew, and similar parts of various spiritual plants in specific proportions, miraculous changes would occur within their bodies, producing effects similar to consuming an elixir!

Therefore, Ami had little interest in the alchemy process itself. She had only sought out Shen Mo for a casual chat because she was utterly bored.

”Mm,” Shen Mo acknowledged with a nod. His face was etched with fatigue from the excessive consumption of his soul power, yet his eyes were exceptionally bright.

”Although I haven’t achieved the desired results yet, it shouldn’t be much longer now.”

After more than a hundred attempts, he had already identified the primary ingredients required to concoct the Chaotic Yuan Pill.

Now, he just needed to master the external factors—such as proportions, sequence, heat control, and refining techniques—to successfully form the pill!