txolops Chapter 22 The Deal! The Golden Essence Pill!
Chapter 22 The Deal! The Golden Essence Pill!
Chapter 22 The Deal! The Golden Essence Pill!
The two descended the winding mountain path and soon returned to Lin Chuan's small courtyard located halfway up Xuankun Mountain.
Pushing open the courtyard gate, one sees green tiles and white walls, simple and tidy.
Lin Chuan led Han Li into the main room. The room was simply furnished with only a table, a few chairs, a tea set, and a tapestry with basic runes hanging on the wall, giving it the atmosphere of a secluded place for cultivation.
"My humble abode is simple and unassuming; I apologize for neglecting Junior Brother Han." Lin Chuan gestured for Han Li to sit down on the wooden chair.
"Senior Brother Lin, you're too kind. It's I who have bothered you." Han Li bowed slightly in response, his gaze quickly and cautiously sweeping over the furnishings in the room without lingering for long.
Lin Chuan took out the tea set, took out a small celadon jar from his storage bag, put some light green tea leaves into the teapot, and poured in boiling water.
A delicate tea aroma, accompanied by a subtle spiritual aura, wafted through the air.
"This is 'Azure Cloud Spirit Tea,' which is still young and has little spiritual energy. Please don't be offended, Junior Brother Han." Lin Chuan poured two cups and pushed one of them in front of Han Li.
Han Li accepted the gift with both hands, thanked the purse, and took a small sip. He felt a gentle spiritual energy spread from his throat into his limbs and bones. Although it was faint, it calmed his mind.
"Good tea, with a pure and mild spirit."
Lin Chuan also took a sip, put down his teacup, and without further pleasantries, went straight to the point: "Just now at Tingsong Pavilion, I heard that Junior Brother Han wanted to purchase an ancient pill formula. Coincidentally, I once obtained a notebook of an alchemist, which recorded many pill formulas. Among them is a formula called 'Golden Essence Pill,' which, according to the record, was a superior pill used by late-stage Qi Refining cultivators in ancient times to improve their cultivation. Its medicinal power is rich and potent, and its effects seem to be better than common pills such as 'Condensing Essence Pill' and 'Golden Marrow Pill'. This pill formula is recorded in detail, but the refining method requires a high level of skill, and the timing of the heat and the fusion of medicinal properties is extremely critical. I know that my talent in the path of alchemy is limited, and I have never dared to try it lightly."
"Golden Yuan Pill? The complete ancient pill formula?" Han Li's hand holding the teacup tightened almost imperceptibly, and a hint of undisguised eagerness flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly covered by his usual calm.
His resistance to Huanglong Dan and Jinsui Wan is becoming increasingly apparent, and he urgently needs new and more potent pill formulas to advance his cultivation.
This Golden Essence Pill sounds even more potent, and it's a complete formula—exactly what he's been dreaming of.
"Senior Brother Lin, how do you intend to trade this pill formula?"
Lin Chuan didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at Han Li and asked with a hint of inquiry, "Junior Brother Han is so obsessed with ancient pill formulas. Could it be... that Junior Brother is actually proficient in alchemy?"
His tone carried just the right amount of curiosity and surprise, as if it were just a casual question.
Han Li felt a slight chill, but a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face: "Senior Brother is too kind. I dare not claim to be an expert. It's just that I work in the Hundred Herbs Garden and come into contact with spiritual herbs every day. In my spare time, I've learned a little bit from Uncle Ma in the garden, and I can barely refine some of the lowest-grade pills. My interest in ancient pill formulas is simply because I want to see more, try more, and improve my meager skills."
This statement was half true and half false, neither overly praising himself nor overstating his position, which is consistent with his cautious and low-key style.
Lin Chuan nodded, seemingly accepting the explanation, and pondered for a moment before saying, "I see. In that case, I have a suggestion. What do you think, Junior Brother Han?"
"Please speak, senior brother."
"I can make a copy of the complete formula for this 'Golden Essence Pill' for you, Junior Brother," Lin Chuan said slowly. "In exchange, you must refine two bottles of 'Golden Essence Pills' for me free of charge. Furthermore... if I need this pill again in the future, as long as I provide sufficient materials, you must refine it for me free of charge. Of course, this only applies to this 'Golden Essence Pill'."
Upon hearing this, Han Li fell silent, his fingers unconsciously stroking the rim of the teacup.
He quickly weighed the options in his mind.
The complete and more effective formula for the Golden Elixir is crucial for him to break through his current bottleneck, and its value is immeasurable.
The price of two bottles of pills may seem low, but the implicit promise and future obligation to refine them are the key points. However, he is confident in his alchemy skills; as long as the formula is correct, the success rate should be quite high.
The key point is that this is a complete prescription!
It saves you from countless hours and risks of figuring things out on your own.
After a moment's thought, Han Li raised his head and looked at Lin Chuan with a sincere gaze: "I can agree to Senior Brother Lin's conditions. However, as you also said, the requirements for refining this pill are quite high. My skills are rudimentary, and I cannot guarantee that I will succeed on my first attempt. It may require many attempts and a lot of materials and time."
Lin Chuan smiled and said, "It's alright, Junior Brother, please feel free to try. Material loss is common in alchemy, and I'm prepared for that since I've provided the formula."
As he spoke, he took out a blank jade slip, placed it on his forehead, and clearly and accurately copied the complete record of "Golden Yuan Pill" from Chen Tianhe's "Hundred Herbs Elixir Classic"—including the proportion of medicinal materials, processing methods, refining steps, key points of fire control, and even the characteristics of the pill—into it, and then handed it to Han Li.
Han Li solemnly accepted the jade slip, and his divine sense immersed himself in it to quickly browse through it. The more he looked at it, the more surprised and delighted he became.
The details of this pill formula far exceeded any pill formula he had ever encountered before. Many of the exquisite processing techniques and the details of controlling the heat opened his eyes as a "beginner" in alchemy, and at the same time made him realize that the refining process was indeed quite difficult.
"Thank you for your trust, Senior Brother Lin. I will personally deliver the pills once they are ready."
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Junior Brother Han." Lin Chuan smiled and nodded, personally escorting Han Li to the courtyard gate.
Watching Han Li's unassuming and ordinary figure gradually disappear at the end of the bluestone path, Lin Chuan stood at the courtyard gate, his eyes becoming somewhat complicated.
"Han Li..." he murmured to himself, with a hint of indescribable emotion.
This future figure who will shake up the human world, the spirit world, and even the immortal world has now completed such a seemingly ordinary transaction with his "fellow disciple".
The trajectory of fate is indeed wondrous.
However, these thoughts only flashed through my mind.
Lin Chuan quickly regained his composure and returned to reality.
In any case, this deal is a real benefit for him.
If the Golden Essence Pill is successfully made, it will have a good effect on improving his current Qi Refining Level 12 cultivation, and can further shorten the time it takes for him to reach the Qi Refining Level 13 perfection.
He went back into the house, took out the pale white jade fragment he had exchanged with Zhao Yong earlier that day from his storage bag, and examined it carefully once again.
The cool touch, the ancient and blurred cloud patterns, the slight sluggishness when divine sense swept over them...
Apart from these, there is still nothing particularly special about it.
"The Void Stone..." Lin Chuan put the jade pendant fragment back into his bag, lost in thought. "It seems I'll have to go to the market another day to specifically look for this."
This stone is rare and may not be available in ordinary shops. You would probably have to inquire at a large store like Wanbaolou, where the price would likely be quite high.
However, there's no rush. We've already got the jade fragment, so we can wait until we have more money or when the divination gives us some hints.
Right now, the most important thing is still cultivation.
The opening of the Crimson Forbidden Land is only about a year away.
He must, during this period, raise his cultivation to the peak of the thirteenth level of Qi Refining as much as possible, and hone all his skills to a high degree, so that he can increase his ability to protect himself in the dangerous environment of the forbidden area.
Return to the quiet room and activate the shielding array.
Lin Chuan sat down cross-legged, took out a Qi Condensation Pill and swallowed it. He closed his eyes and slowly circulated the Fire Separation Technique. Crimson-gold spiritual power flowed through his meridians like a stream, steadily advancing towards the late stage of the twelfth level of Qi Refining.
---
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
That afternoon, Lin Chuan had just finished a brief breathing exercise when a slight fluctuation came from the protective barrier outside the courtyard.
He got up and went to the courtyard gate, removed the restriction, and there stood Han Li outside the gate.
"Senior Brother Lin, the pills are ready." Han Li said calmly, handing over two small celadon bottles.
Lin Chuan took the bottle, uncorked one of the bottles, and a rich yet mellow medicinal fragrance immediately wafted out. Inside the bottle lay ten pills, each the size of a longan, with a golden and oily sheen. The pill patterns were clear, and the surface had a faint spiritual glow. The quality was unexpectedly superior!
"Excellent pill!" Lin Chuan praised with satisfaction, "In just one month, Junior Brother Han has been able to refine such a high-quality Golden Essence Pill according to the formula. His alchemy skills are truly extraordinary!"
His words were not merely polite. In five days, he not only had to familiarize himself with the new pill formula, but also gather all the materials to start the refining process and successfully produce high-quality pills. This efficiency and quality could not be explained by "a superficial understanding".
Han Li showed no pride, but simply shook his head modestly: "Senior brother, you flatter me. It was just a lucky success. I barely mastered a few key points by repeatedly studying the formula and carefully trying them out. Please examine these two bottles of pills, senior brother."
Lin Chuan scanned the two bottles of pills with his divine sense and confirmed that both contained a full twenty pills of the same quality, which pleased him even more.
Han Li is really reliable when it comes to doing things.
"Junior Brother Han, you've worked hard. This pill is of great benefit to me. If you need to refine more in the future, I will have to trouble you again."
"You're too kind, senior brother. It's just my duty."
Han Li cupped his hands in greeting, "If Senior Brother has nothing else to attend to, I will take my leave now. I still have some miscellaneous tasks to attend to at the Hundred Herbs Garden."
"Take care, junior brother."
After seeing Han Li off, Lin Chuan returned to his quiet room. Looking at the two bottles of Golden Essence Pills in his hand, he felt more confident about the Crimson Forbidden Land a year from now.
He took out a Golden Essence Pill and put it in his mouth.
The pill melted upon entering the stomach, and a warm current, even more powerful and pure than the Condensing Essence Pill, suddenly spread out and surged into the limbs and bones.
Lin Chuan dared not delay and immediately activated the Fire Separation Technique to guide and refine this powerful medicinal force.
Cultivation knows no time, and Lin Chuan once again immersed himself in arduous training, resolutely moving forward towards his goal of perfecting the thirteenth level of Qi Refining.