113 Copying Elixir Four
The countless medicinal herbs, many pill formulas, and everything else he knew so well were like a grain of sand falling into the sea by comparison—not even enough to stir a ripple worthy of notice.
Counting carefully, the formula involved a total of twenty-five medicinal herbs, yet there were more than fifty varieties on the herb rack.
Although the formula did not merely list the names of the herbs—it also touched upon their general appearances, characteristics, medicinal properties, and effects—the path of alchemy was abstruse. Anything that had not been verified remained no more than a superficial understanding.
Then Qin Chuan noticed something unusual.
The twenty-five medicinal herbs could be divided into four categories corresponding to earth, wind, water, and fire. As for the final ingredient, the Elixirheart Fruit, there was no need to say more.
Qin Chuan had just stepped forward and was about to reach out to examine them when Yu Dan stopped him.
With a solemn expression, he said, “Use your heart to resonate with them, and you will be able to sense the herbs’ responses. Follow your own intuition. The path of alchemy is a manifestation of the Heavenly Dao—how can you make wild guesses? Refine it however you wish, but remember: you have only one chance.”
Qin Chuan was stunned. What did he mean by “wild guesses”?
Back in the Azure Mountain Sect, he had explored medicinal herbs bit by bit, refusing to overlook even the slightest detail. That was how he had laid his foundation. None of it had come from thin air, nor could it be called wild speculation.
Every person’s talent in alchemy might differ because of comprehension, immortal affinity, or other factors. Yet it could not be said that anyone who refined a pill by relying on feeling possessed extraordinary talent.
If someone refined a pill without first verifying the process, it was most likely nothing more than good luck.
After pondering for a moment, Qin Chuan raised his head and looked at the man, who was much taller than him and supposedly his father.
“Must I refine it exactly according to the formula?”
“Of course not. So long as you can refine the Four-Element Pill while preserving its medicinal properties.” Yu Dan seemed somewhat impatient now. He sat down cross-legged without another word.
“Some of the herbs in the formula are completely unfamiliar to me. In that case, perhaps I should improve the Four-Element Pill first.”
Based on the formula’s description of the pill, the required herbs, and the transformations of the plants and trees, Qin Chuan could infer that the pill used medicinal herbs representing earth, wind, water, and fire as auxiliary ingredients, with the Elixirheart Fruit as the main ingredient, to refine a pill treasure.
“Stop overthinking it. Begin refining the pill.”
Seeing Qin Chuan’s brows knit tightly together, Yu Dan’s expression darkened.
Qin Chuan did not know what would happen if he failed. After considering the matter from every angle, he ultimately decided to follow the formula.
With that decision made, he immediately summoned earthfire. Thanks to his mastery of minute spiritual-energy control, he could manipulate the flames with extreme precision while expending very little spiritual energy.
At that moment, Yu Dan’s closed eyes suddenly opened.
Qin Chuan did not dare make the slightest mistake. Since he had never verified the herbs before, every time he picked up one that looked unfamiliar, he would carefully identify it, prompting Yu Dan behind him to urge him onward.
Earthroot Grass, Windbell Flower, Snowspirit Essence, Lantern Grass...
It was a standard combination of earth, wind, water, and fire, and he proceeded methodically, following each step described in the formula.
Qin Chuan did not attempt to divide his attention. Some of the herbs were unfamiliar to him, and he dared not be careless in the slightest.
Fortunately, while he refined the pill, Yu Dan merely urged him along and did not interfere. The pill should, in theory, have taken only two hours to complete, yet Qin Chuan somehow continued refining it until evening.
Given Qin Chuan’s degree of spiritual-energy control, even maintaining his current output had become somewhat taxing.
His movements were steady and composed, revealing none of the awkwardness of a first-time alchemist. Yet as time passed, Yu Dan’s expression behind him grew increasingly gloomy, until at last only disappointment remained.
Completely absorbed in the refinement, Qin Chuan failed to notice that he had taken the main ingredient—the Elixirheart Fruit—directly from the herb rack.
The fruit was shaped like a chicken’s heart, about the size of an infant’s fist, and red from stem to skin.
Following the instructions in the formula, he placed the entire fruit into the cauldron.
Now all he had to do was maintain the earthfire and wait for the pill to take shape.
A portion of hope still remained in Qin Chuan’s heart. He had followed the formula strictly, without missing a single detail, and every sign indicated that his refinement had proceeded without error.
The glow of the earthfire reflected in his eyes, lending them a brilliant spark.
But soon, the hope in Qin Chuan’s heart was shattered.
No more than three breaths after the Elixirheart Fruit was added, a chain reaction erupted.
The cauldron trembled violently at first, then released a furious roar like an enraged beast.
The commotion grew louder and louder, until at last the cauldron exploded with a thunderous bang.
Qin Chuan tried to dodge, but at some point his body had ceased to obey him. Because he was standing so close, he bore the full force of the explosion, and his body was shattered in an instant.
In the final moments before his consciousness faded, he seemed to see the entire Elixirheart Valley blown apart, fragmented as though reflected in a shattered mirror.
Then came a stretch of darkness of unknowable length. It might have lasted an instant, or ten million years.
When Qin Chuan opened his eyes, the scene before him was once again that gently sloping earthen mound.
A middle-aged Daoist stood with his back to Qin Chuan.
“My son, do you know how our Dan Family Stronghold survives in these mountains and receives offerings from all the myriad races?”
Twice. Three times...
Qin Chuan had traversed the cycle of reincarnation so many times that he had gradually grown numb.
The pill formula appeared simple, yet it had stopped him here.
Boom!
Another tremendous explosion shook his mind. Qin Chuan let out a sigh.
He had failed again.
Just as he was about to enter the dark space, he suddenly caught sight of the herb rack beside him.
“This is...”
His heart jolted. In an instant, enlightenment dawned upon him. The inspiration in his mind surged like a flood bursting through a breached dam, so overwhelming that even the sound of the entire space collapsing could not drown it out.
“I understand!”
“The Elixirheart Valley truly is wondrous.”
Qin Chuan sighed to himself in that utterly insensate darkness.
“I entered the Elixirheart Valley’s light formation carrying my obsession with the Yin-Yang Thunder Pearl, so this scene was connected to it like a hook.”
“More astonishingly, although the Four-Element Pill appears unrelated to the Yin-Yang Thunder Pearl, the crucial problem within both is strikingly similar!”
When the familiar light finally appeared again, the half-height body was still there. The figure before him still presented the same weathered back, and the same gently raised mound remained before him.
But now, the soul within Qin Chuan’s body was different.
Yu Dan was just about to speak when he suddenly heard a voice behind him.
“Our Dan Family Stronghold survives in these mountains through the path of alchemy and receives offerings from the myriad races.”
“Of the four great paths—alchemy, formations, restrictions, and talismans—the path of alchemy is the most complex. Father, please pass its essence on to me. I will surpass every peer and all other alchemists alike. I am destined to become the greatest alchemical master of the future, and the future lord of the stronghold!”
“Today I successfully entered the first level of Energy Refinement, which means I now possess the qualifications to compete with the other alchemists beneath Heaven. Father, give me my first pill formula.”
Without waiting for Yu Dan to react, Qin Chuan finished speaking in one breath. Seeing the astonishment in Yu Dan’s eyes, he urged him impatiently, “Father, bring me the formula at once. Do not dawdle!”
With Qin Chuan’s degree of spiritual-energy control, even maintaining his current output had become somewhat taxing.
His movements were steady and composed, revealing none of the awkwardness of a first-time alchemist. Yet as time passed, Yu Dan’s expression behind him grew increasingly gloomy, until at last only disappointment remained.
Completely absorbed in the refinement, Qin Chuan failed to notice that he had taken the main ingredient—the Elixirheart Fruit—directly from the herb rack.
The fruit was shaped like a chicken’s heart, about the size of an infant’s fist, and red from stem to skin.
Following the instructions in the formula, he placed the entire fruit into the cauldron.
Now all he had to do was maintain the earthfire and wait for the pill to take shape.
A portion of hope still remained in Qin Chuan’s heart. He had followed the formula strictly, without missing a single detail, and every sign indicated that his refinement had proceeded without error.
The glow of the earthfire reflected in his eyes, lending them a brilliant spark.
But soon, the hope in Qin Chuan’s heart was shattered.
No more than three breaths after the Elixirheart Fruit was added, a chain reaction erupted.
The cauldron trembled violently at first, then released a furious roar like an enraged beast.
The commotion grew louder and louder, until at last the cauldron exploded with a thunderous bang.
Qin Chuan tried to dodge, but at some point his body had ceased to obey him. Because he was standing so close, he bore the full force of the explosion, and his body was shattered in an instant.
In the final moments before his consciousness faded, he seemed to see the entire Elixirheart Valley blown apart, fragmented as though reflected in a shattered mirror.
Then came a stretch of darkness of unknowable length. It might have lasted an instant, or ten million years.
When Qin Chuan opened his eyes, the scene before him was once again that gently sloping earthen mound.
A middle-aged Daoist stood with his back to Qin Chuan.
“My son, do you know how our Dan Family Stronghold survives in these mountains and receives offerings from all the myriad races?”
Twice. Three times...
Qin Chuan had traversed the cycle of reincarnation so many times that he had gradually grown numb.
The pill formula appeared simple, yet it had stopped him here.
Boom!
Another tremendous explosion shook his mind. Qin Chuan let out a sigh.
He had failed again.
Just as he was about to enter the dark space, he suddenly caught sight of the herb rack beside him.
“This is...”
His heart jolted. In an instant, enlightenment dawned upon him. The inspiration in his mind surged like a flood bursting through a breached dam, so overwhelming that even the sound of the entire space collapsing could not drown it out.
“I understand!”
“The Elixirheart Valley truly is wondrous.”
Qin Chuan sighed to himself in that utterly insensate darkness.
“I entered the Elixirheart Valley’s light formation carrying my obsession with the Yin-Yang Thunder Pearl, so this scene was connected to it like a hook.”
“More astonishingly, although the Four-Element Pill appears unrelated to the Yin-Yang Thunder Pearl, the crucial problem within both is strikingly similar!”
When the familiar light finally appeared again, the half-height body was still there. The figure before him still presented the same weathered back, and the same gently raised mound remained before him.
But now, the soul within Qin Chuan’s body was different.
Yu Dan was just about to speak when he suddenly heard a voice behind him.
“Our Dan Family Stronghold survives in these mountains through the path of alchemy and receives offerings from the myriad races.”
“Of the four great paths—alchemy, formations, restrictions, and talismans—the path of alchemy is the most complex. Father, please pass its essence on to me. I will surpass every peer and all other alchemists alike. I am destined to become the greatest alchemical master of the future, and the future lord of the stronghold!”
“Today I successfully entered the first level of Energy Refinement, which means I now possess the qualifications to compete with the other alchemists beneath Heaven. Father, give me my first pill formula.”
Without waiting for Yu Dan to react, Qin Chuan finished speaking in one breath. Seeing the astonishment in Yu Dan’s eyes, he urged him impatiently, “Father, bring me the formula at once. Do not dawdle!”