C10 Supreme Grade Pill
A rooster's crow pierced the tranquility of Breeze Town, heralding the dawn of a new day.
Jiang Xiaofan stood in the back hall of the courtyard, tirelessly using Martial Qi to refine pills. Whenever his Martial Qi ran dry, he would pop a Heaven Returning Pill and press on with his work.
Through the night's relentless effort, he produced 73 Fighting Spirit Pills and over a hundred Spring-Returning Pills. Moreover, he had ascended to the rank of a Sixth Grade Yellow Level Pharmacist. It must be noted that the proficiency needed to advance in the late period was immense. The leap to Seventh Grade Yellow Level demanded a staggering 8,000+ proficiency points, leaving him financially stretched.
To accelerate his progression, he had to not only craft more pills but also concoct higher-grade ones, as they conferred greater proficiency gains.
Thankfully, the sale of Fighting Spirit and Spring-Returning Pills would yield enough to procure a fresh batch of high-grade spirit herbs. His mastery over Martial Qi was now so deft that he could attempt a Seventh Grade Yellow Level pill that very night. Success would inch him closer to Qin Chuan's level.
Surpassing Qin Chuan was the key to securing a spot at the Pharmacy Conference!
Jiang Xiaofan plucked the final leaf from the Autumn Grass, adding it to the pill furnace and refining it with his Martial Qi. Meanwhile, the rest of the town was stirring awake and emerging from their homes.
"There goes that good-for-nothing, dabbling in pill refining again," sneered Qin Chuan with a derisive grin.
"What can he possibly concoct? The best he could manage are trivial pills like the First Grade Yellow Level Hemostatic Pill or the Second Grade Stasis Transforming Pill. He's no match for you, Senior Brother."
"Exactly. Jiang Xiaofan is all show, cozying up to Junior Sister with ulterior motives."
"Bet he's just produced another lump of charcoal, hahaha..."
...
Their laughter was thick with scorn, but in that instant, a chime resonated in Jiang Xiaofan's mind—the final Fighting Spirit Pill was complete!
Before even opening the pill furnace, the fragrance of success wafted out. Qin Chuan caught a whiff, and his face twisted with shock.
Ann Yunshan emerged, leaning on his walking stick, and addressed Jiang Xiaofan, "Xiaofan, may I see the pill you've crafted?"
Jiang Xiaofan nodded, opened the pill furnace, and the rich aroma of the pill immediately wafted through the backyard, eliciting looks of astonishment from everyone present.
He passed the Fighting Spirit Pill to Ann Yunshan, who sniffed it and smiled with satisfaction, "A high-quality Fifth Grade Yellow Level Fighting Spirit Pill."
"How can this be?" exclaimed Qin Chuan in disbelief. As an Eighth Grade Yellow Level Pharmacist, he could only ensure a medium-quality pill at best. Even with a Hemostatic Pill, he wouldn't dare promise a high-quality product, yet Jiang Xiaofan had managed to refine a high-quality Fifth Grade Yellow Level pill—something he found inconceivable.
The Pharmacy Apprentices in the backyard cast envious glances his way. It seemed that only Ann Yunshan could refine such a high-grade pill with apparent ease.
Moreover, the recipe for the Fighting Spirit Pill was long lost. Successfully crafting it could instantly elevate the status of the Skilled Hand Medical Hall in Breeze Town!
Ann Yunshan beamed at Jiang Xiaofan, "Xiaofan, how many Fighting Spirit Pills do you have? I'll buy them all."
Jiang Xiaofan flashed a wide smile, knowing with Ann Yunshan's backing, he wouldn't have to worry about selling the pills. Ann Yunshan was sure to compensate him fairly.
He retrieved 53 Fighting Spirit Pills from his bag, placed them in a small pouch, and handed it to Ann Yunshan, saying, "Elder Ann, here are 53 Fighting Spirit Pills. No need for payment—I'd like to exchange them for some spiritual herbs, preferably those above the Sixth Grade Yellow Level."
"Sixth Grade Yellow Level!" Qin Chuan paused, taken aback. "Jiang Xiaofan, the success rate for refining Sixth Grade Yellow Level pills isn't high, and the ingredients are incredibly rare. Please, don't squander the resources of our Skilled Hand Medical Hall."
At that moment, Ann Yunshan opened the medicine pouch and took a gentle whiff, his expression swiftly shifting to one of astonishment. "There are actually three top-grade Fighting Spirit Pills in here!"
"Top-grade Fighting Spirit Pills!?"
Everyone inhaled sharply. Pills were categorized by quality: Low, Middle, and High Grade, with Top Grade being the rarest. Few could craft such a pill, and even the Mighty Hand Medical Hall hadn't seen a Top Grade pill in years, especially one at the Fifth Grade of the Yellow Level!
Jiang Xiaofan was an enigma, managing not only to produce a Top Grade pill but three at that!
Qin Chuan, let alone Ann Yunshan, felt utterly out of his depth.
By now, Qin Chuan couldn't even think to mock Jiang Xiaofan; he simply wasn't in a position to do so. After over seven years of pill refining, he had managed just over twenty High Grade pills and had never achieved a Top Grade.
Little did they know, Jiang Xiaofan hadn't even revealed that the twenty Fighting Spirit Pills he kept for himself were all Top Grade; he had given the High Grade ones to Ann Yunshan because they didn't meet his own standards.
After a moment's thought, Ann Yunshan proposed, "These Fighting Spirit Pills are priceless. I'll sell them at the Mighty Hand Medical Hall, and you'll take ninety percent of the pure profits. Plus, you'll have free access to all the spiritual herbs in our storeroom. The only condition is that you sell any pills you refine to me at cost. How does that sound?"
Holy smokes!
Jiang Xiaofan nearly let out a triumphant yell. Unlimited access to the Mighty Hand Medical Hall's storeroom was a gold mine; the hall was one of Breeze Town's top three medicinal establishments. Despite its current decline, its deep-rooted heritage and countless spiritual herbs meant a windfall for Jiang Xiaofan.
He'd not only earn a fortune but also have his pill-refining materials covered!
Jiang Xiaofan eagerly agreed, then splashed his face with cold water to shake off the drowsiness. He and Ann Xiaobai set out to shop, partly to safeguard Xiaobai and partly in hopes of discovering new spiritual herbs. Should he stumble upon any Profound Level herbs, he'd be in for another lucrative haul.
Good fortune isn't an everyday occurrence, and today's procurement was particularly uneventful. Essentially, Ann Xiaobai picked up some Fourth Grade spirit herbs and that was that.
Upon their return to the Wondrous Hand Medical Hall, they were taken aback. The typically quiet hall was now teeming with people, so crowded it was nearly impossible to get through the door!
"I'll offer 200 copper coins! Sell the Fighting Spirit Pill to me!"
"Only 200? You're kidding, right? I'm offering 500!"
"I'll go 600!"
"700! The Fighting Spirit Pill is mine!"
...
The sale of the Fighting Spirit Pills was a sensation. It turns out that earlier this morning, a top-quality Fighting Spirit Pill had sold for a mere 50 copper coins, setting off a frenzy in Breeze Town!
The nearly extinct Fifth Grade Yellow Level Fighting Spirit Pill, a superior pill by any standard, typically fetched at least 300 copper coins elsewhere, yet here it was going for just 50. Word spread quickly, and by mid-morning, the Wondrous Hand Medical Hall was swamped with eager buyers.
After Ann Yunshan witnessed Jiang Xiaofan selling a Fighting Spirit Pill for 900 copper coins, he promptly announced that they were sold out and advised those still interested to return the next day.
As the murmurs of disappointment subsided, the crowd began to thin out. Ann Yunshan was visibly elated, a flush of joy on his cheeks, and Ann Xiaobai was equally astonished. She hadn't seen her grandfather this jubilant in years; he seemed to have shed a couple of decades in sheer happiness.
Ann Yunshan asked Ann Xiaobai to watch the counter and beckoned to Jiang Xiaofan, "Xiaofan, follow me."
Jiang Xiaofan nodded and trailed after Ann Yunshan to his quarters. With a flick of a switch on the bookshelf, a staircase leading underground emerged beside the wooden table.
Descending into the cellar, Jiang Xiaofan found himself in a vast underground chamber lined with shelves brimming with various spiritual herbs, predominantly high-grade Yellow Rank, with corners stacked with lower-grade herbs like miniature hills.
The air was thick with the scent of herbs. Ann Yunshan led Jiang Xiaofan to a Pill Refining Furnace and shared, "Xiaofan, this is the storeroom of our Wondrous Hand Medical Hall. You'll be refining pills here over the next few days. This ancestral Pill Refining Furnace of ours will significantly enhance the quality of the pills you produce."
Jiang Xiaofan nodded in appreciation, "Thank you, Elder Ann."
With a wave of his hand and a warm smile, Elder Ann replied, "Xiaofan, there's no need for formalities between us. It's your Fighting Spirit Pill that has breathed new life into the Wondrous Hand Medical Hall. And let's not forget, you saved Bai'er. Consider this my way of repaying you, although..."
Noticing Ann Yunshan's sheepish look, Jiang Xiaofan's eyebrows lifted in realization. "Elder Ann, are you hoping I'll refine more Fighting Spirit Pills?"
Caught out, Ann Yunshan chuckled, "You've seen right through me. I do hope you'll produce more Fighting Spirit Pills. The revival of the Wondrous Hand Medical Hall is a delicate thing, and I aim to leverage this chance to reverse our fortunes in Breeze Town. We have a full stock of Yellow Rank Spiritual Herbs here, which should include the necessary ingredients for the Fighting Spirit Pills. Please, if you have any conditions or needs, don't hesitate to voice them. I'll move heaven and earth to meet them."
Jiang Xiaofan paused, taken aback. He was aware that the role of a pharmacist was exceedingly rare, and those capable of crafting potent pills were held in high esteem. Yet, he hadn't anticipated that a simple Fifth Grade Yellow Level pill could earn him such regard, to the point where even the head of the Wondrous Hand Medical Hall was deferential to him.
"Elder Ann, you're giving me too much credit!" he exclaimed.
Turning to the side, Jiang Xiaofan picked up a pen and paper from the nearby table and, with a few swift strokes, penned down the recipe and method for the Fighting Spirit Pill. Handing it to Ann Yunshan, he said, "The Fighting Spirit Pill isn't all that precious. Take this recipe; that way, even if I'm not here, you'll still be able to refine it."
Accepting the formula, Ann Yunshan's stooped figure trembled slightly. He looked up at Jiang Xiaofan with misty eyes, a hint of tears shimmering within. "Thank you, Young Hero Jiang. The grace you've shown our Wondrous Hand Medical Hall will not be forgotten. I am in your debt."
As Ann Yunshan bowed deeply, Jiang Xiaofan quickly intervened, "Elder Ann, I'm merely a stranger, yet you've placed such trust in me, allowing me access to your storeroom and the use of your ancestral Pill Refining Furnace. You've already shown me great kindness. We're square."
Ann Yunshan's excitement was palpable, his enthusiasm bubbling over in a torrent of words. It took Jiang Xiaofan a great deal of pleading before he finally managed to send him on his way. As the door shut behind him, the crystals embedded in the walls sparkled to life, bathing the storeroom in a brilliant glow.
Jiang Xiaofan rubbed his hands together and chuckled, "Alright, now it's his time to shine!"
He began by locating the Cold Autumn Grass on the shelf. It's worth noting that the Skilled Hand Medical Hall truly lived up to its reputation as one of Breeze Town's top three medical establishments. To his amazement, there were over twenty stalks of the scarce Fifth Grade Yellow Level Cold Autumn Grass on display. And tucked away in the back of the storeroom lay several varieties of Profound Level Spiritual Grasses!
The Fighting Spirit Pill was a mere Fifth Grade Yellow Level concoction. But Jiang Xiaofan's ambition for the day was set higher: to refine a Seventh Grade Yellow Level pill before the break of dawn, aiming to earn his stripes as a bona fide Profound Level Pharmacist in time for the Pharmacy Conference!
