Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 169, Chapter 168: The Furnace Opens

Li Cunxiao got into work mode, weighing each medicinal herb precisely, adjusting for over- or under-weighting, and placing them on the table.

Yuan Shen didn't disturb the other person. He gently picked up a prescription and examined it, then exclaimed in surprise.

Dispensing medicine is not a difficult task, because the specific proportions are clearly stated in the prescription.

If it's just about weighing something, accurate to the last penny or cent, that's not difficult for a martial artist like Huang Ting.

However, the difficulty in preparing a good prescription lies not in following the prescription exactly, but in grasping the subtle balance of the medicinal properties among the herbs.

After all, even with the same ingredients, the medicinal properties can vary slightly depending on the place of origin.

The subsequent storage and processing are also aimed at balancing the medicinal properties of the herbs as much as possible.

To give an example, the medicinal efficacy of a ten-year-old ginseng and an eleven-year-old ginseng will naturally differ.

Even if the same prescription is used, the latter is obviously more potent, so when it is actually used in medicine, the dosage should be appropriately reduced compared to the former.

For alchemy, the requirements for subtle differences are even more stringent.

The reason why the dosage in the prescription is refined to the millimeter is to maximize the balance of the medicinal properties.

In fact, even with the medicine prepared by Yuan Shen, De Cong would still check it again and make appropriate adjustments before the furnace was opened to ensure that its medicinal properties reached a near-perfect balance.

The elixir made from such medicinal herbs is the highest-grade elixir that the formula aims to produce with the greatest efficacy.

Li Cunxiao had previously been in charge of slaughtering in the slaughterhouse, and even though he had studied pharmacology, he had no opportunity to practice it.

But right now, the other party is preparing medicine with ease, using their eyes and nose to accurately judge the subtle differences inside these seemingly identical medicinal materials based on their smell, color, and texture.

Therefore, at first glance, although the amount of medicine varied and the weight differed from the prescription, the balance of medicinal properties was almost perfect.

He has only achieved this level a few times, and that was only when he was in top form.

Unlike the other party, who did it casually and effortlessly, as if he were a seasoned veteran who had done it a thousand times.

In fact, Li Cunxiao had indeed done it a thousand times, but not in reality, but in his dreams.

Compared to martial arts, the Eastern King Mu Gong valued alchemy more.

Especially recently, Li Cunxiao's strength has increased rapidly. He slaughtered countless corpses in the Linglong Tower. His opponent seems to have reacted as well, as if he intentionally shortened the time it took to climb the tower and spent more time on the formulas and pharmacology of pills.

Whether this powerful being is an obsession or a remnant of a memory, and whether he has any perception of reality, is another matter.

In short, under his tutelage, Li Cunxiao had already acquired a very solid foundation of knowledge about alchemy, even though he had not yet formally begun practicing alchemy.

Especially when it comes to dispensing medicine, he prepares hundreds of doses every night.

However, it seems that the pills that Dongwang Mugong made him practice were all high-level pills, and the medicines he prepared were only a part of the complete pill formula.

He used to be completely focused on martial arts, and he simply thought that having more skills was never a bad thing, so he just learned alchemy as a side skill.

But Shi Tie regained his severed limbs with the help of the Rejuvenating Pill, which also stirred up Li Cunxiao's passion.

A martial artist who roams the world may be impressive, but he must have support behind him.

As the saying goes, "an army marches on its stomach," and while commanding a million troops may sound impressive, the amount of provisions consumed behind the scenes is astronomical.

Martial artists need resources to cultivate. Nowadays, even a bottle of Qi-accumulating pills for the Yellow Court realm costs 10,000 taels of silver, and fifth-tier pills such as the Mind-Stabilizing Pill are even more expensive and cannot be bought with money.

Thinking ahead, Li Cunxiao believed it was absolutely necessary to become an alchemist so that he could provide better conditions for himself and his family in the future.

"Junior brother is not only exceptionally talented in martial arts, but also extraordinary in alchemy."

Yuan Shen spoke only after Li Cunxiao finished preparing thirty portions of medicinal herbs, his eyes filled with emotion.

"When I first prepared medicine, I thought that following the prescription was nothing special, but my master gave me a severe scolding."

"Junior brother, you've grasped the essence of balanced medicinal properties on your first try, which is the true key to proper formulation. I'm ashamed of myself."

"Senior brother is too kind," Li Cunxiao said with a smile.

Outsiders often attribute things they find hard to understand to talent, but only he knows how many times he has been scolded by Dongwang Mugong in order to prepare a single dose of medicine.

This senior was kind and loving towards "Li Qingtong" in every way, but he was extremely strict about alchemy, and could not tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes.

But after he finished scolding him, once he came to his senses, the father apologized repeatedly, leaving Li Cunxiao both amused and exasperated.

"Master's original intention was to let Junior Brother familiarize himself with the preparations before refining pills, but since you have already grasped the medicinal properties so thoroughly, there is no need to waste time."

After pondering for a moment, Yuan Shen asked Li Cunxiao to wait a while, and then took a prepared medicine directly to the alchemy room.

Not long after, De Cong hurriedly arrived with his apprentice, looking at Li Cunxiao as if he were some rare and precious herb:
"You've really never had medication dispensed before?"

"I've been paired with someone in my dreams," Li Cunxiao said truthfully, which De Cong naturally didn't believe.

It was assumed that Li Cunxiao had studied all the pharmacology books that the other party had given him very carefully, and even pondered them in his dreams, which was why he had made such a discovery.

"Not bad"

De Cong was increasingly satisfied, but he couldn't help feeling a little regretful.

Why didn't such an easy-going apprentice come two years earlier?
Now that the other party has been favored by Qici, and after teaching Yuancan, he no longer has any enthusiasm for imparting knowledge and skills.

But all of these things take a backseat to alchemy.

"Alright, since you are so talented, I think we don't need to wait any longer on the alchemy. I'll let you get started today."

"Yuan Shen, take him to your alchemy room and start refining pills!"

Having already anticipated what had just happened, Yuan Shen was not particularly surprised by what he heard. He told Li Cunxiao to take the ingredients for ten portions of Qi and Blood Pills and follow him.

Throughout the entire Medicine King Academy, the three branches are all auxiliary; the only true alchemists are actually Master De Cong and his apprentice.

The combined number of disciples in the Arhat Hall and the Bodhidharma Academy is two to three hundred.

With such a huge amount of pills needed, it seems difficult for just two people to meet the demand.

"But that's not actually the case. Although the Qi and Blood Pill is a second-tier pill, its refining process is relatively simple. One batch can produce dozens of kilograms of medicinal mud, which can yield about a hundred pills."

“However, what Junior Brother wants to refine is naturally not medicinal mud. Although it is a bit of a stretch to say that, it would be best if he could make pills in one batch to meet Master’s requirements.”

“Master doesn’t like to be disturbed. I have another small alchemy room. You can use my alchemy furnace later.”

As Yuan Can spoke, he led Li Cunxiao into his alchemy room, where there was a furnace about half a person's height.

However, there was no stove under the alchemy furnace, and no firewood or coal in the room.

Li Cunxiao knew that this was the difference between the so-called elixir and ordinary pills.

As Yuancan said, for large-volume pills like Qi Xue Dan, in order to increase output, there is no requirement for perfect pill formation.

Both the master and apprentice were making medicinal mud in batches, which was then molded into pills by the disciples of the herbal medicine shop. The production method was no different from that of folk pharmacies, except that the latter boiled the medicinal materials, while the former burned them.

However, a true alchemist must complete the refining of pills in one batch; there is no such thing as reworking them later. It must be successful the first time.

The key is not whether the shape is good or not, but that the alchemist achieves harmony and completeness, and that the alchemy is formed in one batch, which is a manifestation of the fusion of medicinal properties.

If the produced pills are pitted and uneven, it means that the process is not yet complete.
A smooth and even elixir indicates that the practitioner's skill in applying the necessary techniques and the appropriate medicinal materials are used. Even more remarkable are those elixirs that produce extraordinary phenomena, such as filling the room with fragrance or transforming into a rainbow and flying away. These are the kinds of phenomena that only occur with elixirs of the highest quality.

"The most important thing in alchemy is the fire of true qi. Now that you have opened three main channels, it should be enough to refine one batch of pills."

"The method of refining the Qi and Blood Pill is not complicated; it only requires the use of both gentle and vigorous fire."

Yuan Shen meticulously explained the steps of the refining process, how long to use a gentle fire and a strong fire, what changes the medicinal materials underwent and when the heat should be adjusted, and even his personal insights into alchemy were shared without reservation.

As Li Cunxiao listened, he felt a growing admiration for his senior brother.

If it were an ordinary person, and suddenly someone else appeared to be vying for their favor, they would do anything to sabotage them.

But perhaps it was because the old man De Cong had such a strange temper that he tormented Yuan Shen too much.

The latter, however, has been honed into a very worldly-wise person, who is considerate in his actions and even gives the impression of always yielding.

But he also knew in his heart that the other party was only like this in front of him. In front of outsiders, the head disciple of the Medicine King Academy and the alchemist of the Heavenly Drum Temple—which of these identities wouldn't command respect?
After explaining the smelting method in detail and having Li Cunxiao repeat it to confirm that there were no errors, Yuan Shen left the room.

However, he did not go far, but bowed to De Cong who was waiting outside the door.

"Master."

"Hmm," Decong responded, and walked to one side of the wall outside the alchemy room.

With a casual touch, a patch the size of a human face gradually becomes transparent, but the person inside doesn't notice.

This is a kind of medicinal mud specially refined by De Cong using the alchemist's methods. It can be made to change from colored to colorless using a specific method. He used to observe Yuan Shen's performance in alchemy.

Seeing his master's cautious demeanor, Yuancan couldn't suppress his doubts and transmitted his voice:
“Master, although Junior Brother Li is exceptionally talented, he may not be able to help you. The Xuanmen Pill is a seventh-grade pill.”

Upon hearing this, De Cong sighed silently.

"Twenty-four vertebrae connect to the heavens, breaking through the Niwan Palace to open the gates and mysteries, how difficult, how difficult, how difficult!"

Once the true form is fully formed, the Heavenly Ladder tempers the bones. Having reached the pinnacle of the True Form realm, the next step is to temper the twenty-four vertebrae of the spine.

Once the twenty-four vertebrae of the spine have been tempered, one must cultivate the primordial spirit and break through the barrier of mystery.

This step has stumped countless martial artists. For example, Daoyuan, the head of the Dharma Hall, and Daoqing, the head of the Discipline Hall, in Tiangu Temple, are both from the previous generation and are over a hundred years old. They have spent countless years lingering in front of the entrance.

In this vast sect, only Dezheng has reached the seventh realm.

De Cong was both an alchemist and a martial artist, so naturally he was unwilling to stagnate.

The Xuanmen Pill is a spiritual pill used to assist in breaking through to the seventh realm, and its difficulty in refining is self-evident.

"Yuancan, your Yellow Court is complete, and your true energy is abundant in quantity, but lacks in quality."

"To cross the threshold of this realm, one needs an extremely refined and pure mind and will."

"Correspondingly, the most basic and important point about this Xuanmen Pill is that it must not contain even the slightest bit of evil or demonic energy."

"The 'Fierce Flame Garuda Fist Manual' is ultimately just a high-grade manual, not comparable to a supreme martial art."

"I brought Li Cunxiao here out of necessity. The success or failure of this matter is not up to you or me."

It was rare to hear his master say a few kind words, and Yuancan was deeply moved.

What's even more surprising is that, judging from what De Cong said, this junior brother was actually practicing a supreme martial art that was a level higher than a high-grade martial art.

"The unique skill of Abbot Dezheng's lineage belongs to the Wood element and the Wind element. So, could it be that..."

Aside from the master and apprentice's many emotions, in the alchemy room, Li Cunxiao stroked the alchemy furnace but did not rush to start refining pills.

The combination of the medicinal ingredients and the refining method constitutes a complete prescription.

Now that things have come to this point, Li Cunxiao's focus has long since shifted from the murderous aura in the slaughterhouse to alchemy itself.

Putting aside everything else, the recipe for the second-tier Qi and Blood Pill alone is a treasure that money can't buy.

Having received such a large reward, De Cong's task must be extraordinary.

Thinking of this, he felt not fear at all, but rather eager to try.

Dreaming of alchemy is futile, no matter how many times you practice it. Now that there's a chance to practice in real life, how can I let it slip by?

"This is a perfect opportunity to validate what we've learned, and only in this way can we make progress."

Li Cunxiao had made up his mind, and without further hesitation, he gently placed his palm on a special handle of the alchemy furnace, poured in his true energy, and immediately a flame ignited in the center of the furnace.

Once the temperature of the flame stabilized, he opened the opening on the side and began adding the ingredients.

This alchemy furnace is clearly a specially designed artifact. After true qi enters, the flames condense and do not dissipate, as if the true qi has taken form, but the latter is something that can only be achieved by reaching the Great Perfection of the Yellow Court.

However, there was no demonic aura in the alchemy furnace, indicating that it was not a demonic treasure.

According to Dongwang Mugong, this was all for the sake of purifying the elixir. He then claimed that his alchemy furnace was a spiritual artifact, but he did not elaborate on what a spiritual artifact was.

Taoist alchemy has a method called "Nine Turns and Seven Returns," which produces what is known as the Jade Elixir, believed to grant immortality upon consumption.

However, since the Qi and Blood Pill is only a second-tier pill, it is naturally not that troublesome.

Generally speaking, alchemy involves three steps:
Fire ignition, climate adjustment, fire cessation and sealing

The fire is the ignition of the alchemy furnace, and initially, a powerful fire is used to refine the impurities in the medicine.

Adjusting the temperature involves changing the heat (both warm and cool) according to the color and state of the elixir inside the cauldron.

The "stopping the fire and sealing" step involves temporarily reducing the heat when the conditions are right, allowing the medicines to naturally blend and form a pill. It can also be a final, intense calcination process to enhance the medicinal properties.

There is a specially made perforated window on the alchemy furnace. After true qi is input, a transparent film will rise between the window panes.

It allows for easy observation without allowing firepower to spill out or debris to fly in.

Starting a fire to refine the impurities in the medicine was not difficult. A quarter of an hour later, all the medicinal materials at Li Cunxiao's disposal had been put into the alchemy furnace.

Under the burning of the Flaming True Qi, all kinds of impurities turned to ash and sank to the bottom, leaving only the essence of various herbs and the flesh and blood of demons, which gradually merged into one.

At this point, the most difficult step in alchemy begins.

The difference between a gentle, slow fire and a fierce, powerful fire lies in the control of one's inner energy.

If even a fraction is missing, the heat will be insufficient, and the medicinal effect will be inadequate;

Add even a fraction of that, and the heat will be too intense, turning the elixir to ashes.

The alchemy furnace allowed Li Cunxiao's three meridians of the Yellow Court to release their true energy and manifest it, but it also amplified the changes in his true energy.

Even the slightest fluctuation can cause a significant increase or decrease in firepower.

Li Cunxiao wasn't entirely confident either; he simply adjusted the heat according to the method taught by Yuan Can.

In this way, an hour passed.

"It's finally done. I wonder how many pills I can make on the first try?"

Under expectant gazes, the lid of the alchemy furnace was lifted.
(End of this chapter)