Cultivating Immortality Through a Hundred Lifetimes in Both Realms

"My seclusion this time will inevitably reduce the family's alchemy quota, so the Grand Elder need not worry."

Jiang Yun smiled gently, knowing that Zhou Hongchang was joking.

"You now know how to refine Gold Essence Pills and Wood Essence Pills." Zhou Hongchang then turned serious and said:

"After this period of seclusion to improve my cultivation, I will strive to refine the Water Essence Pill as soon as possible."

"In that case, you can become a first-grade high-level alchemist, just like me."

A first-grade high-level alchemist?

I was promoted to a high-grade alchemist four years ago.

Now, all five types of pills, including the Golden Essence Pill and the Fire Essence Pill, can be refined.

Jiang Yun smiled inwardly, cupped his hands, and said earnestly:

"I will certainly live up to the Elder's high expectations!"

"Very well, very well." Zhou Hongchang stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "Go into seclusion in peace."

Jiang Yun nodded and was about to turn around and go to the cultivation room when he suddenly heard two familiar voices behind him.

"Hahaha, my dear nephew, you'll have to help me this time!"

"I finally managed to snag the mission: one hundred Wood Essence Pills."

Both voices sounded excited.

Jiang Yun turned around and saw that the people who came were his third uncle Zhou Zongxiao and fourth uncle Zhou Zongyao.

"Third Uncle, Fourth Uncle." Upon seeing this, Jiang Yun was about to bow.

"There's no need for so much formality among family."

Zhou Zongxiao and Zhou Zongyao quickly stepped forward to stop Jiang Yun from bowing.

Upon arriving before Jiang Yun, they saw Zhou Hongchang there as well, and greeted him with a smile, saying, "Fourth Uncle."

"Hmph!" Zhou Hongchang sneered. "Ignorant and incompetent, what kind of behavior is this, making such a racket?"

Zhou Hongde, the head of the Zhou family, has four sons and one daughter.

The four sons were named "Chengxian Xiaoyao" (meaning "to become an immortal and live a carefree life").

The eldest son, Zhou Zongcheng, and the second son, Zhou Zongxian, had already started their own families, ensuring the continuation of the family line.

Zhou Zongxiao and Zhou Zongyao were both over forty years old and still unmarried, and had not learned any skills.

That's why Zhou Hongchang said they were ignorant and incompetent.

Zhou Zongxiao and Zhou Zongyao just smiled, walked to Jiang Yun's side, and put their hands on Jiang Yun's shoulders.

"Nephew, you'll have to help me refine pills this time," Zhou Zongxiao said. "I've taken on a pill-refining mission in the mission hall, and you'll get most of the contribution points!"

"Me too," Zhou Zongyao added. "I've been waiting in the Chun Chang Fang mission hall for months before finally getting a pill-refining mission."

"It takes months of waiting to receive an alchemy task?"

Jiang Yun was somewhat surprised.

Are alchemy tasks so sought after?

We'll have to stay in the mission hall for several months, and maybe even go to other markets to wait.

In the future, I will want to accumulate contribution points by accepting alchemy tasks to exchange for Gathering Yuan Pills.

Wouldn't that greatly increase the difficulty?

How can I earn contribution points if I can't even accept any tasks?

"These alchemy tasks are extremely sought after; as soon as they're posted, people scramble to get them," Zhou Zongxiao explained.

"Because these types of missions don't require venturing outside the city to earn contribution points, their advantage lies in safety."

"This is the situation in every one of the forty-nine wards of Maple Leaf City," Zhou Zongxiao nodded.

"However, some alchemy tasks have higher requirements, such as refining pills with pill patterns. These tasks will not be fiercely contested because most alchemists cannot refine pill patterns."

"I see." Jiang Yun suddenly understood and asked, "What kind of pills are you tasked with refining?"

"I have 100 Golden Essence Pills here!" Zhou Zongxiao replied. "The mission reward is 180 contribution points. After the mission is completed, you will get 130 contribution points. We only need 50 contribution points."

"I have 100 Wood Essence Pills here, which is also 180 contribution points. You will also get 130 contribution points," Zhou Zongxiao continued. "In addition, we will pay out of our own pockets to give you 15 more portions of medicinal herbs."

Jiang Yun nodded and fell into thought.

This seems like a good deal.

"Nonsense!" Before Jiang Yun could speak, Zhou Hongchang scolded, "If you can't refine pills, why are you taking on pill-refining tasks?"

"Isn't this Zhou Yunhui who can refine pills?" Zhou Zongxiao muttered to himself.

"Yes, Third Brother is keeping watch for the Golden Essence Pill mission in Ningyuanfang," Zhou Zongyao sighed.

"I spent months staking out the Chun Chang Fang next door before finally getting the Wood Essence Pill mission. It wasn't easy."

Zhou Hongchang was furious. "Do you know that Jiang Yun just asked the clan leader for permission to go into seclusion for a year to try and break through to the ninth level of Qi Refining? The clan leader has already agreed to it!"

"Oh no! What should we do?"

"The mission has a six-month time limit. If it is not completed, contribution points will have to be compensated."

Zhou Zongxiao and Zhou Zongyao's faces immediately turned pale.

"Good luck to you all," Zhou Hongchang sneered. "If the clan leader finds out about this, you'll be in deep trouble!"

"Nephew, could the seclusion be postponed?"

"Please help me out this time, and if you ever need anything in the future, just let me know!"

Zhou Zongxiao and Zhou Zongyao never expected to be so unlucky, encountering Jiang Yun who was about to go into seclusion.

I should have come yesterday.

Earning those 50 contribution points is really hard!

Jiang Yun began to ponder.

"The mission reward is 180 contribution points. I am in charge of refining pills, and the other two only get 50 contribution points. It is reasonable for me to get 130 contribution points."

"If I complete this mission, I will get 260 contribution points, plus extra alchemy herbs."

After a moment's thought, Jiang Yun nodded in agreement: "This is a one-time thing, and there will be no next time."

Zhou Zongxiao and Zhou Zongyao were overjoyed upon hearing this.

"Thank you for your trouble, my dear nephew."

The two breathed a sigh of relief and took out two low-level storage bags in unison.

"There are sixty-five portions of Golden Essence Pill ingredients here, fifteen of which were paid for out of our own pockets. Nephew, please take a look."

"It's the same here. We have 65 portions of Wood Essence Pill ingredients. We only need 100 pills to complete the mission. If there are any ingredients left over, they are all yours."

Zhou Zongxiao and Zhou Zongyao handed the storage bag to Jiang Yun for him to inspect.

After investigating, Jiang Yun discovered that both types of pills required sixty-five portions of medicinal materials.

"One portion of Golden Essence Pill ingredients is enough for one batch of pills. If the refining is successful, at least two pills will be produced, and at most five pills will be produced."

Jiang Yun asked, "Fifty portions of medicinal herbs, according to the minimum standard for pill refining, should yield exactly one hundred Golden Essence Pills. Did the person who issued the task not consider the possibility of pill refining failure?"

"Sigh, there's nothing we can do, contribution points are just too important." Zhou Zongxiao sighed, "Even so, these alchemy tasks are still fiercely contested."

"This is not bad. The person who issues the task calculates two pills per portion of medicinal herbs. Some people calculate three pills per portion, but that would provide even less medicinal herbs."

Zhou Zongyao also sighed.

"Hmph!" At this moment, Zhou Hongchang deeply agreed and couldn't help but let out a cold snort:

"Those who post alchemy tasks always assume that we alchemists can produce three to five Golden Essence Pills per batch!"

Zhou Zongxiao and Zhou Zongyao nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"So we're paying out of our own pockets to give you 15 extra portions of medicinal herbs."

"With your alchemy skills, my nephew, you must have a surplus of medicinal herbs. All the surplus herbs are yours."

Jiang Yun nodded slightly upon hearing this.

Two kinds of pills, each with sixty-five portions of medicinal materials.

One hundred Gold Essence Pills and Wood Essence Pills were refined.

More than enough for him.

Because his success rate in achieving the desired pill is over 80%!

When we refine two hundred pills, we will definitely have enough medicinal materials left over.

Having surplus medicinal herbs means you can earn spirit stones.

He can get 260 contribution points, plus Yuan Stones.

This elixir can be refined!

"In that case, come back in six months."

Jiang Yun accepted the medicinal herbs, preparing to start the alchemy process the next day to complete the task and earn contribution points.

As for postponing the seclusion for another six months, it won't be a big deal.