Star Sky Professional
Chapter 152 - 135 Alchemy (Subscription Request)

Chapter 152: Chapter 135 Alchemy (Subscription Request)

"Right, Fang Xing, my dear nephew..."

Zhou Yuantong twirled an invitation card in his hand, "On this occasion... do you truly intend to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill? Have you really collected the primary materials?"

"Of course, please have a look..."

Fang Xing took out a box from his storage bag and casually tossed it over.

Upon opening it, Zhou Yuantong’s eyes immediately lit up at the sight of the Second Rank vulture-like demon bird’s core.

After a brief examination, he nodded in admiration, "Indeed, it’s a Second Rank Demon Core. My nephew, your fortune is commendable... I once ventured with a friend deep into the Wilderness, slaying seven Second Rank Demon Beasts, yet in the end garnered nothing... I wonder where my nephew acquired this Second Rank Demon Core..."

"What, now we’re questioning the origin of the main ingredients for alchemy?" Fang Xing chuckled, "Naturally, I obtained it through a stroke of serendipity."

"Ha, what a fortuitous coincidence, it seems the heavens themselves want you to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill," Zhou Yuantong laughed heartily, his heart somewhat shaken.

Is this Qi Cultivator a bit too confident?

Ordinary Loose Cultivators who obtain precious treasures tend to hide them, not so openly pass on a Second Rank Demon Core like this.

"Alright, let’s discuss the alchemy process..."

Fang Xing asked, "When can senior start on the pill refining?"

"Well... with only one Second Rank Demon Core, we can’t start the furnace. We still need magical materials like Blue Dragon Ginseng and Moonlight Dew..."

A look of difficulty surfaced on Zhou Yuantong’s face.

"That’s simple, just spread the word, and won’t they be available?" Fang Xing said with a smile.

"So, my nephew is prepared to cooperate in alchemy?" A glint flashed in Zhou Yuantong’s eyes as he stroked his beard, "With my skills, I cannot guarantee the formation of two or more pills..."

Upon hearing this, Fang Xing felt somewhat speechless.

According to the "All Techniques Pill Scripture," when using a Demon Beast’s inner core as the primary material for refining Foundation Establishment Pills, the success rate is slightly lower than with orthodox materials.

However, if an Alchemy Grandmaster were to take action, they could guarantee five high-quality pills per batch!

Even an Alchemy Master could barely ensure a batch of four or five, with genuine and high-quality pills interspersed.

Yet with Zhou Yuantong, not even two pills could be assured.

’Indeed... are the cultivators here just too weak?’

Fang Xing replied with a smile, "In any case, I get to choose first. I have a modest fortune, ample enough for compensation... Besides, perhaps senior’s alchemy is exquisite, and you could yield two or even three pills. Wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds?"

After a moment of thought, he continued, "However... according to the rules of refining precious elixirs, we must observe on the side."

"That is only natural. Please safeguard this Demon Core, my nephew. I’ll spread the word to seek other fellow cultivators..."

Zhou Yuantong honorably returned the Demon Core to Fang Xing and ordered the servants to lead Fang Xing to the guest room to rest.

"Great Ancestor?"

Zhou Xin, witnessing this scene, couldn’t help but ponder.

"Heh heh..."

With a wave of his hand, Zhou Yuantong conjured a light screen prohibition, isolating the inside from the outside.

"This youngster previously seemed dignified and generous, reminiscent of someone from a reputable lineage – nearly deceiving this old man... Yet, if he truly had such a background, why come to me for pill refining? Not to mention, he’s unable to gather even the auxiliary ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill?"

Zhou Yuantong chuckled as he stroked his beard.

"Great Ancestor means?" Zhou Xin’s eyes brightened.

"Our Zhou Family must produce another Foundation Establishment cultivator to be at ease... Your uncle has already reached the peak of Qi Cultivation, just missing a Foundation Establishment Pill..."

Zhou Yuantong said, "Within our family, there should be a Blue Dragon Ginseng... As for the Moonlight Dew, it shouldn’t be difficult to barter with the Zheng Family. You should take my token immediately, arrange for the medicinal materials from the family, and by the way... bring over your uncle and your twenty-seventh uncle."

"Yes!"

Zhou Xin responded with resolve, lifted her skirt in a curtsy, and gracefully exited.

She glanced in the direction of Fang Xing’s guest room, shaking her head inwardly, sighing in her heart: ’This is simply bad luck... If the ancestor achieves two genuine products, there might be a glimmer of hope, otherwise...’

...

Several days later.

Fang Xing was once again invited to the living room, "Oh? Your Zhou Family is prepared to cooperate with me?"

"Exactly... After much contemplation, I realized that making this public could harm the young friend, so it’s better to conduct it privately... It just so happens that my Zhou Family has some stored medicinal materials. After taking stock, we should be able to provide a set of auxiliary materials. What do you think?" Zhou Yuantong spoke with a genial smile.

Two Qi Cultivators stood next to Zhou Yuantong.

One of them was a burly man who had reached the peak of Qi Cultivation. He slapped his storage bag, producing a Jade Box.

Upon opening it, a green ginseng with a faint dragon shape was revealed.

The other Qi Cultivator, a middle-aged man with a scholarly appearance and gracious demeanor, took out a Jade Bottle from his storage bag that contained a droplet of Dew, exuding the semblance of the bright moon.

"Blue Dragon Ginseng, Moonlight Dew..."

Fang Xing nodded.

"This Blue Dragon Ginseng is over five hundred years old... and the Moonlight Dew is also of high quality. The remaining twenty-seven common auxiliary herbs are all ready in my residence. How does that suit my nephew?" Zhou Yuantong continued with a warm smile.

"I’ll leave everything to senior’s discretion. But what if only one genuine product results from the alchemy?"

Fang Xing glanced around, his voice slightly deep.

"Naturally, my nephew gets the first pick, and as compensation, you will give us three thousand five hundred Low Grade Spirit Stones..."

The burly man and the scholarly-looking man exchanged a look before speaking.

"Well done!"

Fang Xing nodded, then suddenly asked, "Is there a Second Rank Spiritual Contract? For such important matters, it’s better to sign a contract first for peace of mind..."

"This..."

The burly man and the middle-aged scholar looked at each other and then turned their gaze to their family patriarch.

"Haha, of course, there is!"

Zhou Yuantong dealt with it as if it were official business and took out a Second Rank Spiritual Contract, writing down the terms one by one, "I’ll sign first..."

The name and such were not important on this kind of contract; what mattered was the Cultivator’s mana imprint.

And if one wanted to be even more stringent, adding a Bloodline Imprint was the way to go.

With a wave of Zhou Yuantong’s sleeve, a circular imprint formed on the Spiritual Contract, which he then handed to Fang Xing.

After examining it, Fang Xing nodded and also left a trace of his mana, forming a white-gold Sword Seal.

"Done... Please come with me to the Alchemy Room."

Zhou Yuantong chuckled and led Fang Xing and the others to the Alchemy Room.

"Please stay back at least a zhang away; I’m about to begin."

Zhou Yuantong’s expression grew serious as he cast a spell.

The head of an Ancient Beast emblazoned on the wall opened its maw wide, spewing out dense plumes of Earth Fire.

His hands fluttered like butterflies weaving through flowers as he began to warm the Pill Furnace.

Zhou Xin’s eyes glittered slightly, "The Fire Control Technique used by our patriarch is becoming even more skilled."

However, she knew all too well that the provenance of his Hand Techniques was extraordinary, hence the swift execution, unlike his usual deliberate slowdown to let her observe.

Fang Xing feigned the role of an alchemy novice, widening his clear eyes as though he couldn’t understand at all.

In reality, he could discern some essence of the technique, feeling that although it wasn’t as profound as the techniques in the "All Techniques Pill Scripture," it still had effects akin to understanding by analogy.

Happily, he had a camcorder tucked away in his bosom, ready to record and later watch in slow motion frame by frame.

Despite the existence of items like ’Sound Recording Talismans’ in the Cultivation World, they all had mana fluctuations.

It never occurred to the Zhou Family patriarch that there existed a mundane device that didn’t require mana to record—a fully committed Zhou Yuantong was diligently adding various medicinal herbs into the Pill Furnace, refining them into different medicinal liquids and powders...

Next, it was the Second Rank Demon Core along with two main auxiliary materials...

The process of refining a Foundation Establishment Pill took over three days.

During this time, Fang Xing and several Qi Cultivators all sat cross-legged, occasionally consuming a Fasting Pill.

Finally...

"Open!"

Zhou Yuantong cast a spell, and the Pill Furnace that was originally red suddenly blasted open, the amazing aroma of elixirs filling the air.

A blue streak of light, like lightning, shot out, which Zhou Yuantong captured in his hand.

He glanced at it, and an awkward color flashed across his weathered face.

"How did the Dan Formation fare?"

Fang Xing asked casually, seemingly not worried in the slightest.

"Alas..."

Zhou Yuantong sighed deeply and opened his hand to reveal a blue Elixir that was inwardly restrained in its medicinal properties, looking akin to a sapphire.

Only there was a black line running across the gem.

"I’m ashamed to say that from this batch only an Inferior Grade Foundation Establishment Pill was produced..."

Zhou Yuantong looked at Fang Xing and saw a calm face, which somewhat surprised him, "Would the young master still need this? If you take this Inferior Grade Foundation Establishment Pill, the Spirit Stones for the auxiliary materials still need to be provided..."

"There’s no rush on that."

Fang Xing suddenly smiled, "I have heard that among Pill Masters, there is a ’Hidden Pill Technique’ that can conceal the finished elixir within the Pill Furnace. I wonder if it’s true or false? Would you dare let me inspect the Pill Furnace?"

"How dare you!"

The two named Zhou Qi Cultivators immediately cried out in anger, "How can you inspect the Pill Furnace, which is so private?"

"I’ve been practicing alchemy for many years, and I do have that credibility... Besides, do you not trust me? There’s also the Second Rank Spiritual Contract!"

Zhou Yuantong maintained a serious demeanor.

"A Foundation Establishment Cultivator is still willing to pay a heavy price for breaking a contract... Besides, I’ve seen a real Second Rank Spiritual Contract. The one you gave earlier looks very similar, but it’s off in some way... Probably just a defective product, which costs less to break, doesn’t it?"

Fang Xing stood with his hands behind his back, assuming the air of a superior.

Seeing this, Zhou Yuantong began to feel a flicker of doubt and uncertainty.

With a wave, he revealed a Silver Token in his hand, and with a flourish, a yellowish glow enveloped the mansion.

After doing all this, Zhou Yuantong felt somewhat relieved, looking at Fang Xing with a hint of ferocity on his face, "Since you’ve figured it out, wouldn’t it be better to take the Inferior Grade Foundation Establishment Pill and leave?"

He had indeed tampered with the Second Rank Spiritual Contract, which was counterfeit but still required paying a penalty.

If Fang Xing took the Inferior Grade Pill and left, the agreement could be considered fulfilled, preventing backlash.

Moreover... this person might have some unknown background, and perhaps even told a friend before coming for the alchemy.

If something untoward occurred, spreading the word could greatly affect the reputation of the Zhou Family patriarch.

Therefore, he was prepared to fob the man off with an Inferior Grade Foundation Establishment Pill, figuring that even if Fang Xing made a fuss afterward, it would only suggest that his performance was subpar this time.

For a single Foundation Establishment Pill, it was worth it!

Yet, he had not expected the young man to directly expose the trick... What could his reliance be?