Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Harvesting the Talents of Demonic Beasts

Chapter 63 Fire-Tailed Golden Rat
Lin Changheng was unaware of the outrageous speculations Xu Xuzhong had made about his actions, but he didn't care.

After leaving the Wind and Rain Pavilion, he headed straight for the Hundred Refinements Hall.

Halfway there, a beautiful figure stood steadily in front of him, her eyes slightly curved as she smiled at him.

"Feiyue, are you going to the Hundred Refinement Hall so early today? Is it because you're going to the Hundred Refinement Hall? We can go together."

Lin Changheng smiled slightly and walked up to the tall female cultivator to greet her.

In the Xu family, talisman making and alchemy were conducted in the same hall, only separated into left and right sections.

"Brother Lin seems to have come from the direction of Guifeng Dojo. It seems that the clan really values ​​you as a mid-grade alchemist."

Tantai Feiyue's elegant voice came through, seemingly filled with emotion, but Lin Changheng could detect a strange emotion in the emphasis on "mid-grade alchemist".

"I have indeed been busy for the past two weeks and have not been able to visit the princess to seek her advice. It was my oversight, and I hope the princess will be magnanimous and not hold it against me."

Lin Changheng and Tantai Feiyue have known each other for many years and have become good friends. They have long understood each other's personalities.

"I dare not presume to presume, for I thought that after Brother Lin advanced to the mid-grade alchemist, he would no longer value our past friendship."

With her hands behind her back and her body leaning forward, revealing her exquisite curves, Tantai Feiyue spoke deliberately.

Upon hearing this, Lin Changheng's smile vanished, and he suddenly said seriously, "Feiyue, please rest assured. You should know my character. Do you think I am some kind of ungrateful person?"

"No...that's not what I meant at all..."

Tantai Feiyue was about to explain when Lin Changheng continued, sounding very serious.

"I will never forget our friendship. Even if I am only a mid-grade alchemist now, I will not go against this promise even if I am promoted to a high-grade or second-grade alchemist in the future."

Seeing Lin Changheng's serious expression, Tantai Feiyue's pretty face also turned solemn. She stretched out her jade hand, pointed to the sky, and said, "Of course I believe in Brother Lin a thousand times over... Brother Lin should also understand my heart. The path to immortality is difficult, and it is not easy to find a good friend. I will never betray this friendship!"

Suddenly, two members of the Xu family walked by and looked at the two of them with surprise, as if they were wondering what had happened to make the man and woman make such a vow to each other.

Distracted, Lin Changheng suddenly sensed that the atmosphere was a bit strange. The phrases "Lin's character" and "the heart of the crimson moon" sounded like they were talking about love and vows of eternal love. He immediately reached out and grabbed the princess's raised hand.

Tantai Feiyue felt the same way, and a blush immediately rose on her fair face, leaving her somewhat at a loss.

Then her fingertips trembled slightly, and she hurriedly withdrew her hand as she felt the warmth of Lin Changheng's palm. The blush spread from the tips of her ears to the side of her neck, making her snow-white skin appear even more translucent, and even the small cinnabar mole at the corner of her eye seemed to become more vibrant.

Lin Changheng coughed lightly, his fingers unconsciously caressing the lingering warmth of the soft hand he had just touched.

Without thinking, he blurted out, "The Crimson Moon Heart that the princess mentioned earlier..."

"Of course, I'll dedicate myself to studying the Dao of Talismans! Hmm, my task of drawing talismans is quite demanding, and I can't delay, so I'll take my leave now..."

The princess forced herself to remain calm, and then performed the ceremony before her figure transformed into a streak of light and flew away into the distance, startling a bird perched on a tree.

Amidst the fluttering of sparrow feathers, Lin Changheng picked up a petal that had fallen onto his shoulder and suddenly chuckled softly.

Regardless of what thoughts flashed through his mind, he kept walking until he arrived at the alchemy room of the Hundred Refinements Hall.

Lin Changheng immediately started refining pills.

What they were refining was the [Burning Breath Pill].

A first-grade, mid-level elixir, the formula of which was obtained from the Xu family.

After Lin Changheng advanced to the intermediate-grade alchemist level, the Xu family provided three intermediate-grade pill options, only showing the general ingredients and difficulty of refining the pills, without revealing anything else.

He spotted the [Blazing Breath Pill] at a glance. It was a mid-grade fire-type pill, and among its ingredients was an auxiliary medicine called the essence blood of the [Fire-Tailed Golden Rat].

Lin Changheng's pupils immediately dilated, and he decided that he had no choice but to refine this pill.

It should be noted that the medicinal materials used to make mid-grade pills are mostly not the essence blood of demonic beasts with "mortal bloodline", but are more likely to be "turbid evil bloodline".

He has only received one type so far.

It was the essence blood of the Flame-Tailed Spirit Fox. However, the wood-type essence blood of the Turbid Fiend Bloodline, required for the transformation of the Azure Wood Serpent Treasure Seed, had been lacking an opportunity.

Lin Changheng also knew that the Xu family provided these pill formulas not only because they needed the pills, but also because the medicinal materials were relatively easy to find and collect. Otherwise, they would be useless, since even a skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice.

Three hours later, Lin Changheng finally opened the door to the alchemy room, looking slightly tired.

He instructed Xu Liucai, the apprentice who was guarding the door, "Go and keep watch over the furnace fire."

"Yes, Master Lin."

Xu Liucai, now less naive and more composed, immediately accepted the order respectfully and headed into the alchemy room.

He had been following Lin Changheng as an apprentice tending the furnace and tending the fire since Lin Changheng first became a master alchemist.

It can be said that he witnessed the entire process of Master Lin breaking through to the middle grade.

Fortunately, Master Lin was not stingy with his knowledge and would often give him pointers, which enlightened him and greatly improved his understanding of alchemy. He even had the hope of breaking through to become an alchemist within two years.

This was an extremely fortunate opportunity, which Xu Liucai cherished immensely.

"By the way, where is Xu Liuhui?"

Lin Changheng suddenly asked.

Since Lin Changheng was promoted to a mid-grade alchemist, the Xu family has sent another apprentice to tend the furnace and tend the fire.

The reason is simple: refining a mid-grade pill takes longer than refining a low-grade pill, generally two to three days.

This means that it would be difficult for an alchemy apprentice to sustain such an activity for so long; forcing themselves to continue would lead to excessive fatigue and corresponding risks.

Therefore, having two alchemy apprentices take turns tending the fire can significantly reduce such risks.

This became an unwritten rule in the alchemy world.

Xu Liuhui was a member of the Xu family's branch, a member of the clan. After all, the opportunity to learn from a master alchemist was rare, and it was better not to let the opportunity go to outsiders.

"It's my turn to work today, she should rest at home."

Xu Liucai turned around and replied respectfully.

"Okay. When I come back to infuse the pill formula, go to her house and summon her. I need to start another batch of pills later today."

Lin Changheng gave the order directly.

Refining only one batch of pills at a time would undoubtedly be a waste of time.

By staggering the timing of inscribing the key pill-making techniques, two batches of pills can be refined simultaneously.

However, it requires an extremely high level of understanding of alchemy, mastery of alchemical formulas, and control over flames.

If an alchemist can only work in a single thread, or if their skill level is insufficient, they are prone to becoming flustered and losing their composure, resulting in two consecutive failures.

Xu Liucai's eyes widened in surprise, but recalling that it was Lin Shi who had said it, he calmly suppressed his surprise and said, "Yes."

Although Master Lin drove him away at crucial moments such as when he was learning the alchemy formula and extracting the elixir, he always had a vague feeling that Master Lin's alchemy skills were extremely strong, ridiculously strong.

However, since there is no evidence, it cannot be disclosed to the public.

However, Master Lin's recent advancement to the middle rank also proves this point from another angle.

His feeling might be right.

"Go."

Lin Changheng waved his hand and went into a quiet room to meditate.

(End of this chapter)