The immortals of the two worlds started from farming and refining pills.

Chapter 41: Apprenticeship Examination, Three Entry Requirements

Laying the foundation is a crucial step for mortals to ascend to immortality. Li Qing had experienced failure once and knew the danger involved, so even after getting the Xuanjing Fruit, he did not act rashly.

From time to time, he would try to get close to Zhu Yuan and other foundation-building cultivators who came to Xuefeng Lake to fish, and inquire about other foundation-building resources to be on the safe side.

Sometimes he would return to Lingfeng to instruct the spiritual plant masters and alchemists in his clan. His life was quite fulfilling.

However, he had forgotten about the whereabouts and affiliation of the Spirit Fish King.

Ten days later, Li Qing opened the furnace again at the family's sacred peak and demonstrated how to use Pingyang fungus to refine the Qi-nourishing Pill.

Thanks to the trick taught last time, which is to use "Zhuqincao" and "Lanruizao" as media to purify the essence of the main ingredients, the success rate of the alchemists in the clan has increased a lot recently, but it is still far from 10%.

Li Qing was tireless in teaching, explaining everything from the proportions of the ingredients for the elixir, to the control of the temperature, to the timing of collecting the elixir, bit by bit.

After the other alchemists left with their gains, all the alchemy apprentices gathered around, each with a nervous and expectant look on their faces.

Li Qing looked around and said with a smile: "Two months ago, I made an agreement with you. Whoever can innovate with two tricks will be qualified to be my disciple. Now it seems that everyone has gained something!"

Li Zhao was full of confidence. He was the first to step out and handed over a bottle of medicine. "Elder, I used the Xuanyu grass slurry to blend water and fire, and refined the Purple Mist Matsutake into a nourishing spirit pill. Please taste it."

Yang Shen Dan is a very common name. Regardless of the grade, there are pills named after it. The one that Li Zhaolian is using is only a first-grade, lower-grade one.

Li Qing poured a pill in his hand and saw that the pill was round and reflected a faint purple mist in the sunlight. He put it to his nose and sniffed it, and there was another refreshing fragrance: "This pill is cooked well!"

He cast the Daojian Medicine Technique on the pill, and after sensing it clearly, he scraped off some powder and took it orally to refine it: "Although the medicinal properties of the Purple Mist Matsutake are not enough, it is supplemented by the Xuanyu Grass. This technique is still quite advanced!"

Li Qing made a comprehensive assessment and said, "Based on the time you have spent studying alchemy with me, this pill is already up to standard. Next one!"

Li Zhao was neither arrogant nor discouraged. He stood aside and waited for other members of the tribe to submit their homework results.

Li Qing took them one by one. For some, he just took a look and then returned them; for some, he observed the color and smell but did not make any judgment; only a few of them could be tasted by him personally.

It was not until a tribesman named Li Cheng handed over a bottle of soul-nourishing liquid that Li Qing's face suddenly became solemn.

He raised his head and glanced at Li Cheng: "This bottle of soul-enriching liquid uses the candle grass and the blue algae?"

Li Cheng nodded and said, "When I was refining the Soul-Enriching Liquid before, I couldn't control the temperature when the medicinal properties reached the third level."

"Thanks to you for teaching me the secret, I have tried many times before I finally got this one bottle. If you ask me to refine it again, I'm afraid it will be difficult to make a second bottle."

Li Qing nodded: "You are honest. Let me ask you, when you were refining this medicine, what was the ratio of Purple Mist Matsutake and Xuanyang Grass? When the Dan Fire was transformed into the second level, did the Dan Qi change?"

Li Cheng answered fluently.

Li Qing looked him up and down, put the Spiritual Essence aside and said, "Next!"

Afterwards, several alchemy apprentices presented the pills they had made. But from beginning to end, only Li Zhao received a "qualified" evaluation.

For a moment, the originally warm atmosphere gradually became heavy.

At the end, Li Wei stepped out confidently, "This is the Qi-nourishing Pill I just made today. Please taste it, Elder."

Li Qing couldn't help but smile when he saw that he was calm and composed: "It seems that you are determined to get my Danhuo!"

Li Zhao was a little bit incredulous when he heard this, and secretly gave Li Wei an elbow: "Didn't you say yesterday that you couldn't make a pill of my quality?"

Li Wei just smiled and said nothing.

Li Qing ignored their quarrel and poured out a Qi-nourishing Pill in his palm. His eyes narrowed slightly. "First-class, mid-grade?" He used a medicine identification technique to verify his guess. He looked at Li Wei in surprise. "With your skills, how did you make it?"

Li Wei cleared his throat and said, "I first used the Xuanyu grass slurry to blend the main ingredients of the elixir, and after the fire reached the third temperature, I added the Zhuqin grass..."

Li Qing raised his eyebrows: "You only added the candle grass, but not the Lanrui grass?"

Li Wei smiled and said, "I wanted to add more, but I didn't have time. The medicinal properties of the main ingredients were completely refined..."

Li Qing was speechless. He looked at the Qi-nourishing Pill in his hand and didn't know how to judge it for a moment.

"That's all! Regardless of how you made this Qi-nourishing Pill, judging from its color and shape, it shows that you have a solid foundation, so you have passed the test."

Li Qing waved his hand helplessly, signaling to everyone: "Based on this assessment, you all have a pretty good grasp of the tricks I taught you."

"But my energy is limited, and I really can't spare much time to teach you, so I will choose three of you."

As soon as these words were spoken, Li Zhao, Li Cheng and Li Wei, who were looked at differently by Li Qing, all showed joy on their faces.

However, the next moment, everyone was stunned.

Li Qing called out the names directly: "Li Zhao, Li Wei... and Li Ying!"

"I was actually chosen?" Li Ying, an ordinary person in the crowd, exclaimed in disbelief.

Li Cheng blurted out: "I don't accept it! How can Li Yinglian's Yang Yuan Dan compare to my Yun Shen Liquid!"

Li Qing glanced at him and said, "You made the Soul-Nourishing Liquid? Then let me ask you, can you make another one?"

Li Cheng defended himself, "I have said before that this liquid was obtained by luck. But the refining experience cannot be faked, and you have also asked about it in detail."

Li Qing smiled: "The medicine was indeed made by accident, and the experience is certainly true. But it wasn't made by you, right?"

"This furnace contains divine liquid, and uses bamboo glow fruit. When this fruit is put into the furnace, a clear air overflows, and it stays on clothes, leaving a fragrance that cannot be removed for ten days or half a month."

"I didn't smell it on you, but I did smell it faintly on an alchemist who just left. That person must be your cousin from two rooms away, right?"

Li Cheng was exposed by him, and his face turned pale. He murmured: "I can also make Yang Yuan Dan of that quality! But at home..."

Li Qing didn't want to listen to his explanation, and waved his long sleeves: "Li Zhao, Li Wei, and Li Ying stay, the others can go."

Li Cheng left in despair. Others also left in groups of three or five, feeling sympathetic.

Li Zhao and the other two excitedly followed Li Qing into the cave he was stationed in. This was a treatment only Li Wei had received before.

When passing by the spiritual pond in front of the gate, Li Zhao was attracted by the algae swimming in the pond: "Huh? This insect is swimming in the water, but it can actually spit out spiritual fire from its mouth?"

Li Qing explained nonchalantly, "This is a species of spiritual insect that I raise. It is quite intelligent and is called Azao. When you have time, you can take it out to play."

Ah Zao looked at the somewhat unfamiliar Li Zhao and the other two, called out "Wu Li", and shyly hid under the fleshy leaves of the red algae Cordyceps.

"Azao really likes all kinds of red algae plants. If you can help him find a few that he has never seen before, he will definitely like them."

Li Zhao and the other two nodded thoughtfully.

(End of this chapter)