In the Cultivation Room, Wang Hong refined three Nourishing Essence Pills. After completing the "Wood-Fire Incineration Technique," he gradually concluded his cultivation.
Extending his hand, a strand of crimson flame appeared at his fingertip. This thin flame, only as thick as half a chopstick, was the Spirit Fire cultivated through the "Wood-Fire Incineration Technique."
Though small, Wang Hong had tested its power. With a defense shield supported by Spiritual Power, it only took a few breaths for the Spirit Fire to burn a hole, albeit a small one.
At that moment, a Transmission Talisman flew to him and was caught by his outstretched hand. Typically, the arrival of such a communication indicated another customer seeking his services.
After stowing away the Transmission Talisman, Wang Hong exited the Cultivation Room.
Inside a guest room at Qingxu Tower, a mid-level Foundation Building cultivator named Qiu Jiulin sat with a deep expression of worry. He was the head of a cultivation family stationed in Jin'an City.
As Wang Hong entered, Qiu Jiulin's previous anxiety instantly vanished, replaced by his usual confidence and composure, as if the prior worry had never existed.
"Greetings, fellow cultivator. I am Wang Hong, an Alchemist from Qingxu Tower. May I inquire about the type of Pill refinement you require?" Wang Hong bowed and asked.
"Have you heard of the Python-Serpent Pill?" Qiu Jiulin inquired. The Python-Serpent Pill was a relatively obscure type, requiring ninety-eight Spiritual Herbs, with ten of them being extremely rare. The main ingredient, Dragon Blood Grass, was particularly precious and had come into Qiu Jiulin's possession through a stroke of luck.
Due to the rarity of the required Spiritual Herbs, many Alchemists had never attempted to refine this Pill. Qiu Jiulin hesitated to entrust it to just anyone, fearing that a failed refinement would make it challenging to find a second set of Spiritual Herbs.
"The Python-Serpent Pill? I do have some experience with it," Wang Hong replied with a hint of surprise. The Dragon Blood Grass, the primary herb for the Python-Serpent Pill, happened to be something he had been diligently searching for without success.
Unexpectedly, an opportunity had presented itself today, and he had to make sure to keep Qiu Jiulin interested.
"So, fellow cultivator, you've refined the Python-Serpent Pill before. That's excellent news!" Qiu Jiulin said with excitement.
Wang Hong smiled without saying a word, portraying an air of mysterious depth.
In truth, Wang Hong had never refined this particular Pill. He claimed to have experience but never explicitly stated that he had successfully refined it. Having studied Pills for many years, he felt confident in handling almost any type.
He wasn't entirely bluffing, and for a second-tier Pill like the Python-Serpent Pill, he estimated a success rate of around twenty to thirty percent for a first attempt.
"I wonder about the Pill Success Rate for refining the Python-Serpent Pill?" Qiu Jiulin asked hopefully.
"I cannot guarantee that. As you know, unforeseen events can occur. However, I can assure you of one thing: if the Pill Success Rate is less than thirty percent, I won't charge any refinement fees."
Typically, when Alchemists assisted in Pill refinement, even for a single pill, they would ask for a share of the benefits. Wang Hong's offer was already quite tempting, and it showcased his confidence. Qiu Jiulin couldn't help but be intrigued.
He had previously approached several Alchemists, none of whom had experience in refining the Python-Serpent Pill. At least this cultivator had some experience.
"In that case, I entrust you with this task," Qiu Jiulin said, handing over a Storage Bag to Wang Hong.
Wang Hong inspected its contents, ensuring the Spiritual Herbs were in order. After a thorough check, an agreement was reached to return in ten days to collect the Pill.
Taking the materials back with him, Wang Hong planted the few types of Spiritual Herbs he lacked in his personal Space, nurturing them to maturity. Among the harvest were three rare Spiritual Herbs, especially the Dragon Blood Grass, a crucial auxiliary herb for his cultivation of the "Body Strengthening Invincible Golden Body Technique."
His progress in the technique had been slow, still at the introductory stage of the first layer of skin cultivation. With the acquisition of the Dragon Blood Grass, his advancement in the technique would accelerate considerably after a few more years of cultivation.
Next, he ground a bit of powder from each type of Spiritual Herb required for the Python-Serpent Pill, familiarizing himself with the properties of each.
Determined to do his best, Wang Hong spent five days understanding the properties of each herb. Then, he sat quietly for another day, meticulously contemplating every detail to ensure nothing went wrong.
Although failures were common in the Alchemy world, especially for first attempts at refining a second-tier Pill, Wang Hong was backed by Qingxu Sect, and any objections from the client could be easily handled.
However, he preferred not to make things look too ugly. Since he had already gained benefits, he aimed to produce several Pills for the client.
After simulating and rehearsing the process in his mind several times, he began the Alchemy process.
With careful preparation, the Alchemy process went smoothly, taking just over two hours to produce the Python-Serpent Pill.
His previous efforts weren't in vain, and the outcome pleased him. A burst of good fortune resulted in four Python-Serpent Pills, an impressive feat for his first attempt at refining this Pill.
On the tenth day, Qiu Jiulin arrived to collect the Pills. Wang Hong handed him two Python-Serpent Pills, stating that only three were successfully refined, and he deducted one as the refinement fee.
Qiu Jiulin joyfully received the Pills, praising Wang Hong's Alchemy skills.
Second-tier Alchemists generally had a lower Pill Success Rate compared to first-tier Alchemists, who could achieve a fifty percent success rate or more. This was due to the scarcity of second-tier Spiritual Herbs, leading to fewer opportunities for Alchemy. Wang Hong's cautious approach was well-founded.
Within the Qingxu Sect, there were many experts with a Pill Success Rate of over fifty percent, but they were usually dedicated to refining rare Pills, such as Foundation Establishment Pills. Newly promoted second-tier Alchemists were often sent out to contribute to the Cultivation World's Alchemy while cultivating their own Disciples using other people's Spiritual Herbs.
Two months later, Zhang Chunfeng visited Wang Hong with some news. The earlier rumors about the Demon Clan discovering a medium-sized Spirit Stone vein in the Boundary Mountain Range were true. Numerous first and second-tier Demon Clan members were stationed there, fortifying defenses and formations for a prolonged stay.
The situation was critical; if the Demon Clan could establish a stronghold in the Boundary Mountain Range, especially using the Spirit Stone vein as a foundation, it would be highly detrimental to the human race.
After consultations among the leaders of Jin'an City, a decision was made to use the most formidable force to seize the Spirit Stone vein. At least, they aimed to disrupt the Demon Clan's defensive formations.
Jin'an City had ten Golden Core cultivators, and six of them would participate in this mission. Out of the over two thousand Foundation Building cultivators in the city, only five hundred would stay behind, while the rest would be sent out to join the battle for the Spirit Stone vein.
[Read at /shanefreak, and heartfelt thankyou for your support!]