Cultivation begins with harvest.

Just two days later, Chen Guang reappeared in Xingfeng Market, holding a thousand-needle bird's nest, attracting a lot of attention.

Considering that the birdbirds would be taken out for walks frequently, a protective array was also set up in the nest to block the view. As long as the birdbirds were not disturbed, it would not be of much use to outsiders.

Today, I came to the market not to practice, nor to purchase goods, but purely to attend the banquet hosted by Yang Qingfeng. Chen Guang is interested in different groups of cultivators, as it would be good to learn more about the common knowledge of the cultivation world. His own channels are too limited, and he is prone to being misled.

……

Hongxiang Restaurant.

In a private room on the fourth floor, people were already gathered, enjoying tea and fruit in their own comfort.

Although it's called a private room, it's actually quite spacious, like a large lobby.

The tea, water, and fruits were all spiritually potent varieties, but the quality wasn't particularly high. This was because Yang Qingfeng was in charge of organizing the event, and even a cultivator at the late stage of Qi Refining, who ranked highly in a small competition, couldn't afford to waste money on a single gathering. Naturally, the sentiment was enough.

"Crunch"

The door was suddenly pushed open, and a slightly overweight man with a gloomy expression strode in. He quickly glanced around and, noticing that most of the customers were regulars, asked, "Where's Senior Brother Yang?"

A cultivator who recognized the slightly overweight man replied, "A steward who consistently ranks in the top ten of the minor competitions asked Senior Brother Yang to discuss some matters. He'll be back soon. Brother Ge, it seems you've encountered some unpleasantness?"

"Let's not talk about it, let's not talk about it." The slightly chubby man found a corner by the window and sullenly drank his tea, glancing at the street below from time to time, looking somewhat impatient.

"Who is this senior brother?" a newly arrived cultivator asked curiously.

"Oh, Senior Brother Ge Qing from Yantang was promoted to apprentice a long time ago and has gained the attention of Yantang. He has almost mastered a pill refining technique and his success rate of 10,000 pills is close to 30%. In the future, Senior Brother Ge should have a place among the pill refiners of Yantang."

"I see. It's a pity he doesn't seem to be in a good mood?"

"That remains to be seen."

New cultivators arrived from time to time. Although Ge Qing was extraordinary, every cultivator who came here had some unique skills, and no one was afraid of anyone else. The atmosphere caused by Ge Qing's arrival was slightly subdued, but it vanished in an instant.

Everyone was in high spirits and quickly shifted the topic to the recently released Crimson Melting Pill.

Even those cultivators here who aren't disciples of the Flame Hall have often opened a few batches of Crimson Fusion Pills and joined in the fun. They know a little about the oldest cultivation arts: spiritual plants, alchemy, weapon crafting, array formation, beast taming, and talismans. However, they are generally not skilled enough to be of any practical use. They have only learned a little bit, to the point that they have never actually eaten pork but have seen pigs run. They are not so ignorant as to be easily deceived.

Some people made a small profit, while others lost money because they didn't sell the Crimson Fusion Pill in time.

"This time, Yantang must have made a fortune, right?"

"Hehe, not so simple. Don't you see that those who drown are all good swimmers? Take our Senior Brother Ge, for example. Hehehe, he has great ambitions and wanted to improve the Crimson Fusion Pill. Although the improvement was successful, the barrier was only cleared the day before yesterday. So, he's here at this small meeting to sell his Crimson Fusion Pill..."

A tall, thin cultivator with the character "炎" (Yan) on a jade pendant around his waist smiled maliciously, his gaze falling on Ge Qing by the window, drawing everyone's attention.

Ge Qing's face darkened: "Zhang Zhaoyu!"

"Oh," the tall, thin monk exclaimed dramatically, pulling out a fan and fanning himself, "Getting into a hurry?"

Ge Qing's gloomy face suddenly flushed crimson.

"We've come here to exchange cultivation insights. If you two get angry, we'll be heading to the martial arts arena instead of the Red Fragrance Restaurant." Yang Qingfeng, with his square face, strode in, his sharp and unstoppable aura immediately subduing both sides.

Although Yang Qingfeng only showed his talent in the last small competition, he almost broke into the top 100. Everyone thought that he was a sure thing in the next small competition, and many of the top-ranked cultivators deliberately tried to befriend Yang Qingfeng.

His words carry more weight than anything else.

At this moment, a disciple of the Flame Hall stepped forward: "Actually, there's another technique for refining the Crimson Fusion Pill that I'm still not entirely clear on, when using the 'Upper Flame, Lower Clarity' method..."

The Yantang disciple said he was asking for advice, but in reality he was giving the two a way out.

This is a question that most cultivators cannot answer. Even some alchemists with some achievements in alchemy find it puzzling. They understand what it is, but if asked to give a detailed answer, they themselves feel that they cannot give a clear explanation.

Zhang Zhaoyu, being the one who initiated the conflict, took the initiative to explain: "The 'upper flame and lower clear' method mainly deals with the red peony and the initial form of the medicinal liquid. It involves passing the liquid over the flame without damaging it, while simultaneously using the heat to purify it and make the liquid clear. The key is three parts heat and seven parts circulation..."

Zhang Zhaoyu spoke eloquently, clearly possessing genuine expertise, which caused the other alchemists to quiet down and listen attentively.

A group of alchemists seized the opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss, using the Crimson Fusion Pill as an example to discuss alchemy techniques.

Chen Guang happened to come in at this moment and heard them discussing alchemy techniques, so he couldn't help but come closer. After listening carefully, he realized that the main ingredient was the Crimson Fusion Pill. After listening for a while, he couldn't help but shake his head slightly.

"Um?"

Ge Qing was already furious when he looked up and saw a young cultivator shaking his head slightly. He couldn't help but say coldly, "It seems this brother has some insightful opinions? I wonder if he has any objections to the 'Seeking Crystals Through Fire' technique?"

Ge Qing, who had been holding in his anger, finally let it out.

All the alchemists turned their gazes toward Chen Guang, who was holding a bird's nest and looking completely innocent, and their expressions varied.

Chen Guang had put some effort into concealing his aura and observing his qi. Perhaps some cultivators could see through his cultivation level, but most cultivators could not see through Chen Guang's foundation, so they all kept quiet.

Chen Guang bowed and asked, "May I ask everyone, what is the purpose of this 'Fire-Piercing Pursuit of Crystal'?"

"Of course, it's to extract the medicinal power of the Fire Spirit Ginseng. Weaving fire into a net and filtering out impurities are necessary to retain the medicinal properties. The fire must be fierce but not scorching, otherwise all the medicinal properties of the Fire Spirit Ginseng will evaporate," an alchemist replied.

"What if we use the Purple Moon Core to wrap and refine it? The process of extracting the crystal through fire will lock in the medicinal properties, requiring at least two more steps to unlock them. Since the medicinal properties of the crystalline form are often not fully released, it will lead to a decline in the quality of the Crimson Melting Pill and a significant reduction in its shelf life. It seems reasonable, but in reality, it is taking a roundabout and long-distance route," Chen Guang said eloquently.

A disciple of Yantang appeared to be deep in thought.

Some impatient cultivators took out the Purple Moon Core and Fire Spirit Ginseng and handed them to Chen Guang, saying, "Please demonstrate them, fellow Daoist."

Chen Guang nodded, holding the bird's nest in one hand and releasing the Kui Flame in the other. The flames rose, enveloping the two spiritual objects within. Using the fire as a knife, he cut open the Fire Spirit Ginseng, wrapped it with the Purple Moon Core, and slowly refined it. Gradually, a liquid appeared inside, turning into a purple elixir. Chen Guang released the flames, only continuing to roast it, allowing the alchemists to clearly see that the medicinal properties of the elixir were not only well preserved but also exerted their full efficacy.

"I was surprised to find such a line of thought. However, refining pills with liquid is quite different from the widely circulated Crimson Fusion Pill formula. May I ask, fellow Daoist, is this pill formula your own creation and improvement, or...?"

"It is the legacy of our ancestors."

No wonder.

The cultivators didn't show any other expression. Just the level of skill in summoning the Kui Flame and manipulating the spiritual fire was enough to make them feel ashamed. They all acknowledged that Chen Guang was qualified to give guidance. They didn't believe that he couldn't refine it using traditional pill formulas.

"Oh."

Ge Qing's face paled instantly. He hesitated several times before finally standing up, bowing to Yang Qingfeng, and leaving, his figure swaying slightly.

Chen Guang remained silent.

Ge Qing was merely a loser in this crimson elixir craze, hence his temper. It wasn't intentionally directed at him, but it gave Chen Guang pause for thought.

"Without rewarding the light of day, and unwilling to play it safe, even if it's just a little bit of speculation, Ge Qing is my role model."

The cultivators, however, paid no attention to Ge Qing's departure. The Yan Tang cultivators, in particular, almost all gathered around Chen Guang, treating him like a treasure and forcibly pulling him into the discussion about alchemy.

Chen Guang welcomed everyone; wasn't the purpose of this small meeting to exchange ideas?