Chapter 21: What the—Success on the First Try?

Cao Xuan could hear the sincerity in Senior Brother Yang Fan's words. In the world of cultivation, strength reigns supreme, and selfishness is intrinsic; for him to say so much was already rare. Cultivation required resources, and resources had to be fought for. No cultivator, no matter their level, would ever feel they had too many resources for cultivation.

Even Ye Caixuan, Protector Ye Hong, and other Foundation Establishment cultivators might have had ample resources during the Qi Refining stage, but once they reached Foundation Establishment, they faced the same scarcity. No one starts out selfish, but when constantly deprived, anyone would become so.

In his two and a half years of cultivation, Cao Xuan was no exception. Before the "Bootlicker System" activated, his monthly tribute of ten spirit stones was fiercely guarded; no one could pry half a stone from him. This showed that Senior Brother Yang Fan, having become an alchemist, was temporarily free from resource shortages.

From a few simple words, Cao Xuan had already grasped Yang Fan’s situation.

“All right, enough said. If you reach Foundation Establishment, these pills—should you wish to study them—you’ll eventually be able to refine them yourself. After all…”

“Foundation Establishment cultivators live two hundred years—that’s twice the lifespan of us ‘mortals’!” Yang Fan clenched his fist as he spoke. He possessed a seven-fold tempered spiritual root; his chance at Foundation Establishment was merely theoretical. Ding Qing, with a nine-fold tempered root, was certain to achieve it unless fate intervened.

“By the way, one last reminder: if you want to use the Earthfire pill chamber, it’s best to do so after we alchemists finish and leave.”

“Generally, once an alchemist picks a pill chamber, no other alchemist will choose it that day.”

Cao Xuan nodded; he understood this well. The Earthfire pill chambers were meant for alchemists, not for disciples to monopolize.

Earlier, he’d watched Yang Fan refine pills; a single batch of Gathering Qi Pills took four quarters—about an hour. If an alchemist chose an Earthfire pill chamber, they wouldn’t make just one batch; ten batches would mean ten hours. Thus, their Alpha Chamber No. 1, once chosen by Yang Fan, was unlikely to be picked by another alchemist that day.

Moreover, most disciples didn’t have enough spirit stones to experiment so freely. Before becoming an alchemist, each batch was a costly trial. For disciples, activating a pill furnace for five spirit stones and refining a single batch was already extravagant.

“Senior Brother, your pill furnace is still burning—are you just leaving it like that?”

Cao Xuan looked at the activated furnace and asked instinctively.

Yang Fan laughed, “Generally, five spirit stones last six hours, letting you refine twelve batches. Once activated, it can’t be stopped.”

“I just happened to refine ten batches today, so there’s one hour left…” His eyes flashed, and he smiled, “What’s this? Interested in trying to refine Gathering Qi Pills?”

“Four spirit stones—I’ll sell you two sets of ingredients so you can give it a try!”

Cao Xuan had already bought ingredients, though he wasn’t carrying them due to lacking a storage pouch. He understood Yang Fan’s implied meaning: two sets of ingredients should cost two spirit stones, but he asked for four, hinting at the furnace usage fee. Though a bit “pricey,” Yang Fan had taught him all afternoon, so Cao Xuan was willing to pay.

He took out a cloth pouch and handed over four spirit stones.

Yang Fan took them without ceremony, then grabbed two sets of ingredients from the shelf.

Cao Xuan quickly prepared them and, imitating Yang Fan, sat before the pill furnace.

Yang Fan smiled, “Relax. Don’t expect success on your first try—just find that feeling for alchemy, remember it!”

“In the future, use that feeling and watch other alchemists. Though it’s slower than throwing spirit stones at the process, it’s the most ‘economical’ way.”

As Cao Xuan sat before the furnace, the profound comprehension from “True Explanation of Alchemy” surged within him. In that moment, he was like a reborn Pill Sovereign; though his cultivation was lacking, the memories of alchemy were all there.

True essence guided the earthfire.

Flames roared, the furnace heated rapidly!

Yang Fan shook his head at the sight, “The flames are too hot—alchemy needs gentle heat, not a blaze. If you throw in the ginseng after a quarter hour, it’ll be nothing but ash!”

He spoke softly, nearly to himself. He knew that distraction was a taboo in alchemy; once Cao Xuan sat to refine, he would be oblivious to all else.

A quarter hour—or fifteen minutes—passed. Unlike Yang Fan, Cao Xuan didn’t wait fifteen minutes; at ten minutes, he tossed in the prepared ginseng.

Controlling the furnace, he realized that the actual operating time, considering preparation and conversation, was less than an hour. If he followed Yang Fan’s gentle heat method, he wouldn’t have time for two batches before the furnace extinguished.

So, he made a swift judgment: high heat for ten minutes, then add the ginseng. Yang Fan instantly covered his face and shook his head.

With his early Qi Refining stage cultivation, Yang Fan could accurately track time to the second; he knew Cao Xuan was not only early, but much too early.

“What a waste—one batch of ingredients gone!” Yang Fan laughed suddenly. What was he thinking? When he first started, he’d failed countless times just trying to turn ingredients to juice, let alone form pills.

“This is the point—once you’re skilled, you forget what beginners need.”

Yang Fan decided, once Cao Xuan had wasted all his ingredients, he’d ask if he wanted to buy a batch of ginseng, and first learn to turn it to juice.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to refund the ingredients; both batches were already prepared, unused would be wasted.

A spirit stone for a batch of ingredients—most of it went to the Gathering Qi Orchid. If you only bought ginseng, a spirit stone could buy ten roots.

“Wait, I owe my junior an apology—I forgot beginners should first learn to refine ingredients!”

He hadn’t finished speaking when the furnace shook slightly. “Impossible!”

A ball of transparent, pale gold juice floated in the furnace—purer than his own ginseng juice!

“This kid—such luck?”

“Adding ginseng at less than a quarter hour has never been recorded in the recipe…”

Yang Fan’s eyes flickered, thoughts racing. He realized he’d lucked out as well: while Cao Xuan stumbled into success, he’d discovered a new refinement step.

Time slipped by unnoticed, and Yang Fan’s confused gaze gradually cleared. He muttered, “Early ginseng refinement is viable, but the heat needs practical testing.”

“No, Junior Cao, let me use the pill… furnace… What the—!!”

Yang Fan watched as the furnace lid popped open, and ten pills flew into the air!

“What the—!! Success on the first try?!!”