Immortality Begins as an Alchemy Master 82

Chapter 82: A Detailed Explanation of Alchemy by Qing Yuanzi

When Luo Chen arrived, Uncle Mi Shuhua’s smile was genuine.

When Luo Chen left, his smile was strained.

In the Bright Moon Hall, Si Kong Shou Jia and Luo Chen had already departed, leaving only Mi Junping, who arrived later, seated.

“Father, building a pill furnace requires such a large investment?”

Mi Junping couldn’t help but ask. She was the hall master of the Merit Hall, which, in addition to managing personnel, was also responsible for some accounting.

The items Luo Chen had just requested, roughly estimated, would require an investment of over a thousand spiritual stones.

And that was just for the construction of the pill furnace.

Their Mi family had also invested a Xuan Yun Ding worth nine hundred spiritual stones and a Zi Yun copper furnace worth four hundred spiritual stones.

In addition, once the pill furnace is built and alchemy begins,

the Broken Mountain Sect would have to provide countless raw materials.

Even though Mi Junping handled thousands of spiritual stones daily, spiritual stones weren’t to be spent so carelessly!

Mi Shuhua sighed, revealing a hint of bitterness.

In front of his family, he wouldn’t constantly hide his true feelings.

“Ping’er, you don’t understand. Our current investment is nothing.”

Mi Junping was surprised, “It’s already quite a lot!”

Mi Shuhua shook his head, “Why do most alchemists only exist in large sects? Even family alchemists are often from Golden Elixir families, or long-established Foundation Establishment families.”

“This kind of investment, usually unknown to outsiders, is one of the reasons!”

“Our Mi family is a newly risen Foundation Establishment family, unable to support the extravagant spending of a true alchemist. The current establishment of the Pill Hall is actually relying on the Broken Mountain Sect’s strength.”

Mi Junping naturally knew the situation of her family.

Thinking about supporting an alchemist’s cultivation for decades, even centuries, she felt a chill run down her spine.

This was simply not something a newly established Foundation Establishment family could manage.

“Luo Chen’s requests are still small-scale.”

“Those second-rank alchemists are even more prestigious. Their alchemy equipment is at least a top-grade artifact. They wouldn’t deign to use mortal flames; they would use earth fire. Do you know the cost of building a pill furnace containing earth fire?”

Mi Junping softly asked, “How much?”

“From obtaining an earth fire spring to channeling the earth fire, constructing the array, isolating the inside and outside, and building the furnace. A cultivator from the Ailao Mountains once quoted a price of eight thousand spiritual stones!”

“Whoa, they might as well just rob people!” Mi Junping gasped.

Mi Shuhua sighed, “That’s only the labor cost, excluding the building materials. The materials must be purchased from the Ailao Mountain’s Immortal Construction Residence, and they’ll also make a profit.”

“So, while Luo Chen seems to have made many demands, it’s only a couple of thousand spiritual stones, which I can afford, and the Broken Mountain Sect can also afford.”

Mi Junping asked, “Then, can we make a profit later?”

“We’ll definitely make a profit, but to earn more, it depends on whether that kid can refine the recipe I gave him.”

Mi Shuhua said calmly, with a hint of expectation, yet also hesitation.

“Elder Si Kong, I’ll leave the matter of the Pill Hall to you.”

“No problem, the sect leader has said he will fully support you, so I certainly can’t hold you back.”

“Then, see you tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow!”

At the crossroads in the Inner City, watching Si Kong Shou Jia hurry away, Luo Chen smiled slightly.

Then, he eagerly headed home.

In a short while, he returned to his courtyard.

He didn’t need to turn on the lights.

The new addition to the back room included two luminous skylights, making the lighting much better than before.

Luo Chen sat at his desk, taking out a pile of items from his storage pouch.

Two bottles of Qi-Nourishing Pills; this was his fixed monthly salary, just received. He had almost finished the five bottles he had bought before. This was a perfect replenishment.

Besides the Qi-Nourishing Pills, there was a yellowed book and two bamboo scrolls.

First, he used the Spirit Eye Technique to carefully examine them, making sure there were no hidden mechanisms.

Only then did Luo Chen confidently pick up the book.

*A Detailed Explanation of Alchemy by Qing Yuanzi*

This was the alchemy-related book Mi Shuhua had promised.

The paper was yellowed, and there were even many annotations.

It was clear that Luo Chen wasn’t the first person, besides the author, to read this book.

The Mi family must have also read it many times.

“The way of alchemy is vast and profound, ranking first among the hundred arts of cultivation. Though it lacks the outward display of power found in artifacts, formations, puppets, etc., it can assist cultivators in their pursuit of the Dao.”

“I am unworthy, my cultivation is only at the late Foundation Establishment stage, yet I am a third-rank alchemist, a master of my generation.”

“This book is a collection of my notes written during my spare time, recording everything from the basics of alchemy to…”

Just by reading the beginning, Luo Chen could feel the pride of the alchemist named “Qing Yuanzi” between the lines.

He did have reason to be proud.

He had refined third-rank elixirs at the Foundation Establishment stage.

The book’s content was extremely detailed.

It covered almost all the techniques for beginners in alchemy. Some of the professional terms even gave Luo Chen a headache.

“It’s a good book, but I can’t finish it in a short time. I can read it more often.”

Carefully putting away *A Detailed Explanation of Alchemy by Qing Yuanzi*, Luo Chen’s gaze fell on the two bamboo scrolls.

One was complete; the other showed signs of being burned.

Mi Shuhua had actually given him two recipes, but one was incomplete, so he didn’t have high expectations for Luo Chen.

What the old man truly cared about was the complete recipe.

“Jade Marrow Pill!”

Luo Chen carefully read the recipe, from the main ingredients and proportions to the effects and contraindications.

By the time he finished, it was already night.

He rubbed his aching temples, feeling overwhelmed.

“No wonder Mi Shuhua went to such great lengths to bring me in, even going so far as to establish a Pill Hall.”

“If I can really refine this Jade Marrow Pill, the Broken Mountain Sect will make a fortune!”

“No, wait, Mi Shuhua will make a fortune.”

Luo Chen had secretly asked Qin Liangchen how the Pill Hall’s profits were distributed after deducting his share.

While he didn’t know the exact proportions, Sect Leader Mi Shuhua definitely took the biggest share.

Other halls, except for the hall masters and cultivators at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, hardly received any spiritual stones.

In other words, most of the Pill Hall’s profits would go into Mi Shuhua’s pocket.

And this Jade Marrow Pill was something capable of generating enormous profits.

“It’s actually a mainstream cultivation elixir!”

This alone explained the Jade Marrow Pill’s value.

According to the recipe’s description, after taking the Jade Marrow Pill, cultivators could increase their spiritual energy.

A common effect, right?

However, the more common something is, the more mainstream it is.

Yet these mainstream pills, both in terms of recipes and channels, were controlled by large sects.

Ordinary forces simply didn’t have access to such elixirs. Even if they did, a powerful sect would certainly be involved.

“However, this pill also has many drawbacks!”

Luo Chen recalled the recipe’s descriptions of effects and contraindications, feeling a bit regretful.

Although the Jade Marrow Pill was a mainstream elixir, it didn’t contain much spiritual energy, only one-tenth of a Qi-Nourishing Pill.

Furthermore, taking too much would lead to drug resistance.

Drug resistance is relatively common; most elixirs have this drawback.

The Jade Marrow Pill’s biggest drawback is that excessive consumption could cause the dantian to become jade-like!

This was absolutely unacceptable to cultivators.

The dantian was the most important part for low-level cultivators.

Once damaged, it would at best lead to the end of one’s cultivation path, and at worst, lead to spiritual energy going berserk and death.

Jade-like wasn’t a good thing either.

Once jade-like, it would be very difficult for cultivators to break through their cultivation level.

In the professional terminology of alchemy, this is called a “Pill Barrier,” an obstacle caused by taking elixirs.

Many unorthodox elixirs easily create Pill Barriers.

Only Qi-Nourishing Pills, Dust-Transforming Pills, and Jade Dew Pills, elixirs that have been studied countless times, have had their Pill Barriers solved.

At most, taking too much simply means no effect.

“Despite its numerous drawbacks, it remains a wonderful elixir for low-level cultivators!”

Luo Chen had gradually cultivated from Qi Refining layers one and two. He knew the pain of needing elixirs!

The Spirit Herb Pavilion never sold Qi-Nourishing Pills individually; they only sold them in bottles.

And one bottle cost one hundred spiritual stones!

One hundred spiritual stones! Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn’t bat an eye; late-stage Qi Refining cultivators could easily afford it, and mid-stage cultivators could manage it occasionally with some effort.

But for early-stage cultivators, this was a huge sum!

They might spend everything they owned and still not be able to afford a bottle.

The Jade Marrow Pill was different.

Its ingredients, effects, and drawbacks determined that its price wouldn’t be high.

In other words, low-level cultivators could afford it!

“Poor people are poor, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have spiritual stones.”

“If I had known about this pill back then, I would have gritted my teeth and bought some every year.”

“This pill, once refined, is specifically designed to scrape spiritual stones from poor people!”

Luo Chen put down the bamboo scroll, no longer confused.

As for Mi Shuhua’s worry about whether he could refine it?

No way, he was a man with a system!

Of course, he wouldn’t refine it easily.

Luo Chen had his own plans, then his gaze fell on the burned bamboo scroll.

“Ghostly Insight Pill?”

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(End of Chapter)

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