C139 Perfect Pill(2)
In the center of the square, on a raised platform, stood a young man who bore a striking resemblance to Ma Tengyue. He held a jet-black spear, waiting for Woo Zhengyang to arrive.
Meanwhile, Woo Zhengyang had returned to the Liang family's alchemy room, sitting in one of the pill chambers. After an unpleasant encounter with Liang Ruoqing, both Woo Zhengyang and Liang Ruoxuan lost their appetite for breakfast. Liang Ruoxuan was eager to prepare for the upcoming Pill King Competition, so Woo Zhengyang decided to test his own skills in alchemy.
Inside the chamber, there was a small pill cauldron. Surrounding it were rows of icy jade cabinets, storing various commonly used low-grade herbs. Woo Zhengyang thought for a moment and decided to start with something simple, like a basic treasure pill.
If other alchemists knew that Woo Zhengyang was attempting to create a treasure pill on his first try, they would be furious. Anyone with common sense knows that to become an alchemist, one must spend a month studying alchemy texts, two months practicing fire control, and three months honing the art of refining herbs—a total of six months. During this time, they must also master some basic formations before they can begin practicing the art of blending herbs and forming pills.
However, at this stage, alchemists typically practice with ordinary herbs, not the more valuable spiritual herbs.
After spending half a year crafting basic herbal pills, one can finally use special herbs. Even then, the pills they produce are of the most basic quality. Even the most gifted alchemists need two to three years to create a quality treasure pill, and that's if they focus solely on alchemy without much training. If they also train, it might take four to five years.
Take Ruoxuan, for instance. She started learning at eight and can now craft mid-quality treasure pills, marking her as a prodigy. Meanwhile, Woo Zhengyang, who only began studying alchemy last night, managed to handle a basic treasure pill recipe today. It's almost unbelievable.
Zhengyang chose the simplest treasure pill, the Qi Enhancement Pill, which speeds up the recovery of a practitioner's energy. He selected the special herbs, activated the alchemy furnace, and started the fire array, adding the herbs to refine them. Having done this once before, Zhengyang was now adept, quickly transforming the herbs into spirit liquid.
Now came the real test. Using his Soul Energy, Zhengyang divided the spirit liquid into nine portions, arranging each type according to the pill formation. Under his control, the formation began to compress, merging the liquids together. Attempting to refine nine pills at once on his first try would surely shock any experienced alchemist, who would likely call it a waste.
Woo Zhengyang was incredibly confident. His Soul Energy was so strong that crafting nine pills, or even ninety, was no problem—if only the cauldron could hold them all.
Time ticked by as nine different spirit liquids blended together, slowly forming into simple, irregular spheres under the heat of the flames. This was the moment to test his fire control skills. Woo Zhengyang gradually lowered the flame's temperature, skillfully smoothing the pills' outer layers. Finally, nine perfectly round, transparent pills spun before him.
He extinguished the fire and collected the pills. Nine energy-enhancing pills rested in his hand. Seeing the results of his first attempt at pill-making, Woo Zhengyang couldn't help but smile. All nine pills were complete, and each retained 90% of its potency. According to alchemy standards, these were considered ninth-grade treasure pills, just shy of perfection.
"If I try again, I can definitely make pills with full potency!" Woo Zhengyang thought, eagerly starting another batch. This time, his skill was evident, and soon, nine flawless tenth-grade energy-enhancing pills emerged.
Woo Zhengyang was new to alchemy and didn't fully grasp the significance of his achievement. If anyone knew he had crafted perfect tenth-grade pills, it would surely shock the world.
Crafting a level ten pill, even if it's a lower-grade treasure pill or an ordinary one, is a feat many alchemists can't even imagine. Even a Pill King wouldn't dare claim they could create a level ten pill. This requires not only exceptional alchemy skills and powerful Soul Energy but also an in-depth understanding of the pill itself. The proportions of the spirit liquid and the arrangement of formations must be flawless.
Woo Zhengyang, unaware that he had achieved something even a Pill King couldn't, eagerly continued his alchemy work. This time, he was crafting a mid-grade treasure pill known as the Qi Enhancing Pill. Although its name is similar to the Qi Restoring Pill, the effects are worlds apart. The Qi Restoring Pill only speeds up the recovery of depleted energy without increasing its total capacity. In contrast, the Qi Enhancing Pill can actually increase the foundational energy capacity, akin to rigorous training.
However, the Qi Enhancing Pill is only effective for Martial Disciples below the Reality Condensing Stage, and its benefits diminish after a certain amount is consumed. Therefore, the quality of the Qi Enhancing Pill is crucial. A peak level nine Qi Enhancing Pill can rival the price of a top-grade treasure pill, yet it's often unavailable even if you have the money.
Now, back to Woo Zhengyang. On his first attempt, he successfully crafted nine level nine Qi Enhancing Pills. On his second attempt, he produced nine perfect level ten Qi Enhancing Pills...
