Chapter 24: A New Entry
After completing all the preliminary preparations, Master Su Dan raised his hand in a gesture, and the prepared medicinal base floated into the pill furnace. He swiftly formed arcane hand seals. Inside the furnace, the medicinal base danced and tumbled, merging continuously. Throughout the entire process, Master Su Dan was decisive and efficient, evidently mastering every step of refining the “Marrow Cleansing Pill.” From the very beginning, Qin Ming watched with unwavering attention, afraid to miss even the slightest detail.
Time ticked away. Master Su Dan managed everything flawlessly, simultaneously controlling the heat and ensuring the thorough fusion of the spiritual ingredients within the furnace. Gradually, the medicinal base began to take form, condensing into shape. The expression on Master Su Dan’s face grew serious. The final step had arrived!
Qin Ming held his breath, not daring to make a sound.
In that moment, a soft “pop” echoed from the purple furnace, followed by a cloud of black smoke.
“Even this attempt failed?!” Qin Ming couldn’t help but lament. Was the difficulty of refining a first-grade high-tier spiritual pill truly so great? Just the cost of the spiritual ingredients lost in this one attempt could run into several hundred spirit stones.
Yet Master Su Dan’s expression remained unchanged, as if he had expected this outcome. He closed the fire valve and extinguished the earth fire. With great care, he cleaned out the blackened dregs from the furnace. Then, without hurry, he began the next attempt.
Master Su Dan had prepared more than a dozen sets of ingredients for the Marrow Cleansing Pill this time. If he failed in all, the losses would amount to several thousand spirit stones.
The second refinement began... failure.
The third refinement... failure.
The fourth refinement, once again, failure.
...
It wasn’t until the twelfth attempt that, almost imperceptibly, night had fallen. Master Su Dan was tense, sweat beading on his brow.
At last!
A crisp sound rang from the purple furnace, followed by an overwhelmingly rich fragrance of pills.
“It’s done!” Master Su Dan exclaimed in delight.
With a wave of his hand, six jade-green spiritual pills spun into his palm. As a breakthrough medicine for the late stages of Qi Refinement, even a single Marrow Cleansing Pill was priceless. Qin Ming gazed longingly at the pills, swallowing hard. He couldn’t afford them... At the auction house in Qingyang Market, one of these pills could easily fetch a sky-high price of over a thousand spirit stones.
At the same time, this also meant that Master Su Dan had broken through to the rank of High-Grade Alchemist! And to achieve this at just over twenty years of age spoke volumes for his exceptional talent in pill refinement. He had every reason to be proud.
“Congratulations to Master Su Dan on your success and for becoming a High-Grade Alchemist!” Qin Ming offered his timely congratulations.
Master Su Dan took out an exquisite porcelain bottle and put away the Marrow Cleansing Pills, clearly in excellent spirits. He then produced a jade vial from his robe and tossed it to Qin Ming.
“A token of good fortune for the witness.”
Qin Ming’s face lit up as he caught the vial and opened it, finding a single spiritual pill nestled inside.
“A Spirit Gathering Pill!”
“Thank you, Master Su Dan!” Qin Ming cupped his hands in gratitude. This pill, which enhanced cultivation, was ideal for him. Yet, compared to receiving the pill, what was truly invaluable was witnessing the entire process of Master Su Dan’s refinement firsthand; the insights he gained were far more precious.
After shutting off the fire valve, the two left the pill room.
“Fellow Daoist Qin, in the coming year, I intend to continue refining high-grade pills,” Master Su Dan said. “I want to consolidate and improve the success rate and quality of these superior medicines. You’ll continue helping me cultivate spiritual herbs, but...” He paused mid-sentence.
Qin Ming smiled awkwardly. “Master Su Dan, whatever spiritual plants you need me to grow, just say the word.”
If nothing else, he was confident in his skill at cultivating spiritual plants. With his unique abilities, he had even managed to accelerate the ripening of top-grade first-tier Blood Locust Rice...
Master Su Dan looked at Qin Ming in slight surprise, noting his air of self-assurance. He relaxed, saying, “Indeed, your talent in spiritual cultivation is not to be underestimated either, Fellow Daoist Qin. No need for such formality in the future—just call me Su Yuqing, or Brother Su.”
Qin Ming nodded. “Very well, Brother Su.”
“This time, I need you to cultivate two types of first-tier, mid-grade spiritual plants: Cold Mist Grass and Spirit Candle Fruit.” Su Yuqing took out two small packets of seeds from his storage pouch and handed them to Qin Ming.
Qin Ming opened the packets. One contained about twenty or thirty black grass seeds, the other a dozen or so kernels resembling peanuts.
“Fellow Daoist Qin, do you recognize these two types?” Su Dan Master asked with a smile.
After a moment’s thought, Qin Ming replied, “Of course. Cold Mist Grass has extremely broad uses; it’s needed in almost any first-tier pill. As for Spirit Candle Fruit...”
“The fruit is highly poisonous, and its leaves are serrated, capable of trapping and consuming insects. It requires venomous insects or toxic materials as fertilizer. Moreover, both plants have very strict requirements for spiritual energy, and the earliest harvest takes at least a year.”
Qin Ming paused briefly before continuing, “In a first-tier spiritual vein, unless you use an advanced Spirit Rain Technique to irrigate them... it’s nearly impossible for them to mature.”
After he finished, Su Yuqing patted his shoulder admiringly. “I knew I wasn’t wrong about you, Fellow Daoist Qin.”
“Well?” he asked. “Cultivating mid-grade spiritual plants demands much dedication. Regardless of the harvest, I’m willing to promise you one favor, as long as it’s within my power.”
Qin Ming’s eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he grinned. “Deal!”
...
The next morning, Qin Ming rose at dawn. He hefted his spiritual hoe and, as always, went to work in the spiritual fields.
This season, he now had five acres of land he rented himself, plus three acres rented from Su Yuqing—a total of eight acres. With his current third-level Qi Refinement cultivation, it was just enough to manage all the fields.
His plan was to plant three acres with Golden Spirit Rice, three acres with Beast Tooth Rice, and use the remaining two acres for the Cold Mist Grass and Spirit Candle Fruit seeds.
After all, Golden Spirit Rice could be harvested three times a year, which increased the chances of obtaining rare “entries.” Beast Tooth Rice would provide a steady income in spirit stones, and besides, he’d promised Manager Liao.
Having made up his mind, Qin Ming grabbed his hoe and got to work immediately.
By midday, all eight acres were planted. He cast the Intermediate Spirit Rain Technique over every field, contentedly returning home only afterward. As for the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique, he was close to mastering it. With a few more experiences, he sensed that a breakthrough was near.
Seasons passed—winter gave way to spring.
Qin Ming once again came to his spiritual fields, looking every bit the farmer as he surveyed his precious acres.
In the three acres of Golden Spirit Rice, two entries shimmered in gold:
[Name]: Golden Spirit Rice [Entry]: Faint Mana (Maturity 2%)
[Name]: Golden Spirit Rice [Entry]: Faint Mana (Maturity 3%)
In the three acres of Beast Tooth Rice, two entries appeared:
[Name]: Beast Tooth Rice [Entry]: Faint Vitality x5 (Maturity 1%)
[Name]: Beast Tooth Rice [Entry]: Accelerate Growth x5 (Maturity 2%)
In the two acres of Cold Mist Grass and Spirit Candle Fruit, three entries glimmered:
[Name]: Cold Mist Grass [Entry]: Faint Soul Power x5 (Maturity %)
[Name]: Cold Mist Grass [Entry]: Accelerate Growth x5 (Maturity 2%)
[Name]: Spirit Candle Fruit [Entry]: Regenerating Seeds x3 (Maturity 2%)
“Regenerating Seeds?”
PS: Many thanks to “Grand Steward Niu Lao Zhi” for the recommendation vote.