I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals
chapter-63

"Rest assured, Alchemist Hua, we will understand even if the results are not perfect."

The representatives from the three groups expressed their understanding.

It wasn't easy to hire a reputable second-rank alchemist to refine Foundation Establishment Pills.

"Finally, let's discuss the distribution of the Foundation Establishment Pills!" Alchemist Hua paused for a moment, then continued.

Su Xuetong and the others listened attentively, as this concerned their interests.

"For collaborative pill refining like this, the distribution is usually based on the value of the materials provided, with priority given to those who contributed the most valuable materials."

"This time, Young Master Zhou's materials are the most valuable, followed by Miss Su, and lastly, Madam Liu. Does anyone have any objections to this priority order?" Alchemist Hua looked at the three groups.

"This distribution is fair, we have no objections," both Young Master Zhou and Su Xuetong agreed.

With a normal performance, Alchemist Hua could produce two pills.

Madam Liu's expression changed slightly, "If only one or two pills are produced, this concubine's share of materials..."

Young Master Zhou smiled and said, "Madam Liu, if you don't receive a Foundation Establishment Pill, Miss Su and I will compensate you with spirit stones for the materials you provided. The exact amount will depend on the total value of the pills produced."

Hearing this, Madam Liu accepted the distribution plan.

Those who provided materials, even if they didn't receive a Foundation Establishment Pill, could still recover part of their losses.

"Since no one has any objections, I will begin refining. You may observe from a distance within the alchemy hall, but do not come close or disturb me." After speaking, Alchemist Hua collected the three piles of materials and entered the alchemy hall.

The hall was spacious, with a brass alchemy furnace about ten feet tall in the center, at least a second-rank furnace.

The three groups sat on mats outside the hall, observing from a distance.

"Fellow Daoist Su, Fellow Daoist Lan, please be patient," Du Wei and another disciple went to assist Alchemist Hua.

Before long, the temperature inside the hall began to rise.

Around the alchemy furnace, there was a small second-rank flame formation, as well as a supply of spirit bamboo charcoal to add and subtract at the right time to control the intensity of the spirit flame.

As a superior-grade first-rank alchemist, Lan Chang'an could discern some details.

Normal pill refining had the most stable heat supply with ground fire. Though Alchemist Hua's residence lacked ground fire, the tier-two flame formation and high-quality spirit bamboo charcoal made the conditions acceptable.

What followed was waiting for the results of the pill refining.

For the three group leaders, all at the ninth layer of Qi-Refining, the wait was torturous, feeling like an eternity.

For Lan Chang'an, who was not directly involved, observing the pill refining process made time pass quickly.

Seven days later.

A rich medicinal aroma filled the hall, and the alchemy furnace began to glow.

"Rise!"

Alchemist Hua's face was solemn as he formed seals with his hands, initiating the furnace-opening technique.

A colorful mist burst from the furnace lid, accompanied by rolling waves of heat.

Within the light and heat, three pills flew out and landed in Alchemist Hua's hand.

"Alchemist Hua, how did the pills turn out?" Young Master Zhou and the others eagerly stepped forward to ask.

Alchemist Hua opened his hand, revealing three pills, frowning slightly at them.

One of the pills was dark in color, clearly a waste pill.

The other two pills were bright and shiny, their spiritual light slowly fading.

Lan Chang'an noticed that one of the Foundation Establishment Pills had four natural dao patterns.

One dao pattern indicated a low-grade first-rank pill; two dao patterns indicated a middle-grade first-rank pill.

Four dao patterns corresponded to a low-grade second-rank pill, considered a standard Foundation Establishment Pill.

The other Foundation Establishment Pill had an incomplete fourth pattern, only partially formed.

"One standard Foundation Establishment Pill and one inferior pill, which should increase the Foundation Establishment success rate by a little over ten percent." Alchemist Hua said expressionlessly.

One standard pill and one inferior pill.

This result was acceptable, within reasonable expectations.

"Haha! I will gladly accept this standard Foundation Establishment Pill." Young Master Zhou said with a smile, taking the pill from Alchemist Hua.

Su Xuetong received the inferior pill and handed it to the tall, thin man at the ninth layer of Qi-Refining, Nie Xiang.

Nie Xiang looked at the inferior pill in his hand, frowning in dissatisfaction.

This pill only increased the Foundation Establishment success rate by a little over ten percent, even slightly worse than the one auctioned at Bamboo Leaf Mountain back then.

He whispered a few words to Su Xuetong.

"Madam Liu, my husband says he doesn't plan to use this inferior Foundation Establishment Pill. Would you be interested in it? We want to exchange it for key materials for another Foundation Establishment Pill and ask Alchemist Hua to refine it again." Su Xuetong said with a smile.

Madam Liu was tempted, "I don't have many Foundation Establishment materials left. Can you give me two years to gather them? I will use spirit stones for the remaining part."

The two discussed privately and reached an agreement.

With Alchemist Hua present, Lan Chang'an didn't dare to recklessly extend his spiritual sense to eavesdrop.

After the pill refining was over, the three groups didn't stay long and flew off separately.

Su Xuetong, Lan Chang'an, and Du Wei returned together.

Nie Xiang acted alone, flying into the bustling city and soon disappeared.

...

At Water Moon Residence.

Back home, Lan Chang'an was deep in thought.

This pill-refining session gave him a general understanding of Alchemist Hua's skills.

The alchemy attainments were good, but when it came to refining the Foundation Establishment Pill, the techniques and proficiency were rather average.

It was understandable; which alchemist could afford to frequently practice with Foundation Establishment Pills?

"I need to prepare more materials, especially the rare main and auxiliary ingredients, to secure a higher priority for the pills." Lan Chang'an thought.

Currently, with Zhao Siyao's help, the materials he had gathered weren't much worse than what Nie Xiang provided this time.

With another decade or so of collecting, if he could acquire a three-hundred-year-old Xuanling Fruit, having Alchemist Hua refine the pills should yield at least one standard pill, assuming luck wasn't particularly bad.

Foundation Establishment Pills also had superior and top grades.

Superior-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, with four and a half patterns, could increase the success rate of establishing foundation by twenty-five percent.

Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, with five patterns, broke the pill grade limit and could increase the success rate by thirty percent, a rarity even for third-rank alchemists to produce successfully.

Given his conditions, Lan Chang'an only sought a standard Foundation Establishment Pill, not an inferior one.

Inferior Foundation Establishment Pills not only had poor effects but also contained more impurities.

...

Three years later.

In the secret room of Water Moon Residence, shielded by a formation.

Lan Chang'an sat in a medicinal bath, his bones crackling, and his skin glowing a crystal-like texture.

His body exuded a strong aura, making the nearby Earth Burrowing Rat and Profound Water Turtle tremble in fear.

Crack!

Lan Chang'an grabbed a piece of first-rank refined iron ore, and with a squeeze, the ore, comparable to a low-grade magical weapon, shattered into pieces.

He then took a middle-grade magical weapon flying shuttle and slid it along his arm, leaving only a white mark.

"Haha, consuming so much sand and precious medicinal baths over the decades was not in vain after all." Lan Chang'an laughed heartily.

At that moment.

His Cloud Sand Body Refinement Manual broke through to the fourth layer.

In terms of physical strength alone, he was comparable to an early-stage second-rank demonic beast.

Of course, this was just an auxiliary body refinement technique.

He didn't have the bloodline talents of demonic beasts, who could naturally perform certain spells.

With just his physical strength, Lan Chang'an could dominate the Qi-Refining stage but couldn't defeat a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator or a second-rank demonic beast.

However, with his magic power, talismans, and other trump cards, he could fully contend with an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The progress in his body refining technique was due to his financial resources, ample free time, and the regenerative benefits of the Evergreen Technique.

It wasn't because he was gifted and was some kind of body refinement genius.

"The physical techniques from the Cloud Sand Body Refinement Manual are focused on speed. I should practice them in the future." Lan Chang'an thought as he got out of the medicinal bath and left the secret room.

...

"Senior Brother Lan, let me help you change."

A pretty young girl with delicate curves greeted Lan Chang'an, using a towel to wipe his body.

Lan Chang'an used a spell to steam dry his body, and Guan Qiaozhi helped him put on his clothes.

Years ago, Lan Chang'an discussed Guan Qiaozhi's future with Master Guan and proposed two options:

One was to serve as Lan Chang'an's maid servant. The Second was to go to the Mu Family at Feiyue Lake and settle down.

Master Guan sought his female disciple's opinion.

After much consideration, Guan Qiaozhi decided to become Lan Chang'an's maid.

Of course, since Master Guan was still alive, Guan Qiaozhi only occasionally came to help with household chores and took care of the pets.

Lan Chang'an didn't mistreat Guan Qiaozhi and gave her a Beauty Pill that he had privately refined.

Guan Qiaozhi blushed, saying she had taken one at eighteen.

However, more pills were better than less, and taking one every few years could achieve the effect of a Face-Retaining pill.

Though in her twenties, Guan Qiaozhi still looked like a young girl.

.....

"Whose wine is this?"

Lan Chang’an walked into the courtyard and noticed a jar of spirit wine sitting on the stone table.

“It’s from Fellow Daoist Lin Lu,” Guan Qiaozhi replied. “He left a message for you and headed off.”

Lan Chang’an looked thoughtful.

Lin Lu had come to visit once before, also bringing a small gift as a sign of respect to his elders.

Of course, he wanted to maintain a good relationship with his Uncle Lan.

After all the ups and downs he had experienced in life, Lin Lu was no longer the arrogant young sect disciple he had been in the past. He was much more mature than he had been before.

Two years ago, he had received a breakthrough pill from Zhang Tieshan and had subsequently risen to the seventh layer of Qi-Refining.

Lan Chang'an sighed inwardly. Lin Lu was already thirty years of age when he came to the Huanglong Immortal City. It was simply too late for him to have awakened to his true potential. He was already thirty-five now.

If he had started out with the same latent talent and foundation that he had back then, it might have been possible for him to reach Foundation Establishment back in the sect.

After reaching the fourth layer of the Body Refinement Manual, Lan Chang'an was much more at ease in the Huanglong Immortal City. He began to collect Foundation Establishment materials, including the ingredients for second-rank talismans.

Before he even realized it, he had saved up ten second-rank talismans. Two of them were escape talismans, which greatly strengthened his ability to save his life!

(End of chapter)