C22 Myriad Spirit Absorbing Pill
The Seven Sunglow Poisonous Lotus was a sight that commanded fear.
Jiang Xiaofan was all in this time. Only by completing this mission could he ensure the past ten days hadn't been in vain.
Only with the mission accomplished could he claim the reward, and every ace up his sleeve now improved his odds of returning to the Jiang family to save Jiang Nianrui!
The five judges on stage, who had just been marveling at Chu Zhu, were now captivated by Jiang Xiaofan. Chu Zhu's alchemy had lost its allure; their focus was entirely on Jiang Xiaofan!
The Seven Sunglow Poisonous Lotus was no trivial matter. Should Jiang Xiaofan falter, it could threaten their very lives!
Hearts raced with anxiety, yet Ling Yi's face was alight with glee—he was out of his mind with excitement! He couldn't fathom Jiang Xiaofan daring to use the Seven Sunglow Poisonous Lotus and was even more eager to see what kind of pill it could produce!
Clutching the Seven Sunglow Poisonous Lotus, Jiang Xiaofan first placed the Second Grade Qinglin Herb he'd acquired days before into the Pill Refining Furnace, along with several spiritual herbs, and swiftly stoked the furnace's flames with Martial Qi.
His left hand was just as busy. Unleashing the Spirit Extraction Hand, an unseen power enveloped the Seven Sunglow Poisonous Lotus, suspending it midair as its petals wilted rapidly, releasing a potent black mist filled with deadly toxins!
Jiang Xiaofan acted swiftly, channeling the Martial Qi to draw the black mist into the Pill Refining Furnace. The pill crafted from the Qinglin Herb had the power to absorb and neutralize the poison, but its benefits didn't stop there—the real show was just beginning!
The judges looked on in astonishment, never having witnessed such an alchemical technique—using Martial Qi to strip away a spirit herb's impurities and distill its Medicine Vital!
A pill refined from pure Medicine Vital boasted exceptional purity and quality, undoubtedly supreme! It was no surprise that Jiang Xiaofan could produce a top-grade pill with such finesse. The secret, it seemed, lay in this very technique!
They were pondering how to approach Jiang Xiaofan for his technique, whether through wealth, seduction, or power...
The petals contained the least amount of poison, yet it was still too much, surpassing Jiang Xiaofan's expectations. The White Crow Worm Grass within the furnace had turned to charcoal black!
Jiang Xiaofan's recent contemplation had borne fruit. The poisoning of the White Crow Worm Grass was due to the toxins having no outlet, eventually being absorbed into his body with the Martial Qi. If he could find something to absorb the poison, he could use Martial Qi to transfer it, preventing the toxins from entering his body.
The Qinglin Pill was precisely what he needed for this!
After refining the petals, it was time for the pistil and stem. Jiang Xiaofan swiftly activated his Martial Qi to separate the impurities, then isolated the poison from the Seven Sunglow Poisonous Lotus's Medicine Vital, channeling the poison into the Qinglin Pill.
Initially, the process went smoothly, but Jiang Xiaofan soon realized the Qinglin Pill was saturated with toxins. He had to exert more Martial Qi to keep the poison contained within the furnace, significantly increasing his consumption of Martial Qi. Before long, he had depleted his reserves!
In that critical moment, there was no room for error; a single misstep could be catastrophic!
With a determined thought, he activated his Battle Martial Body!
"Buzz!"
A surge of power burst forth, and Jiang Xiaofan's Martial Qi roared back to life, finally keeping the poison at bay. Seizing the moment, he meticulously separated the poison from the Medicine Vital of the Seven Sunglow Poisonous Lotus, a task that took as long as an incense stick to burn.
Another half-incense stick later, the other three had finished their refining, and all eyes were now on Jiang Xiaofan.
There he stood before the Pill Refining Furnace, his left hand raised high, a massive swirl of black Qi suppressed by the Martial Qi above his head, steadily flowing into the furnace. Amidst the black Qi, a Medicine Vital shimmering with seven colors was gradually extracted.
In a fleeting moment, Jiang Xiaofan expertly isolated the pure Medicine Vital. With swift precision, he channeled all his Martial Qi into the dark Qi, forcing it entirely into the Pill Refining Furnace.
The Green Cloud Pill gleamed ominously, looking as though it might ooze black oil, the very essence of poison encapsulated within.
Seizing the moment before the toxins could disperse, Jiang Xiaofan swiftly secured the pill in a specially prepared storage ring.
This tiny compartment, no larger than a small box, now held the Green Cloud Pill, transformed into a toxicant. Jiang Xiaofan intended to keep it sealed away forever.
Time was running short, with only half an incense stick's worth of time remaining. Jiang Xiaofan hastily introduced the Medicine Vital of the Seven Sunglow Poisonous Lotus into the furnace, adding several spiritual herbs to enhance its potency. He then proceeded to refine it with the last vestiges of his Martial Qi.
The crowd was on edge, having witnessed Jiang Xiaofan's alchemical prowess for the first time. His skill was undeniable, making Chu Zhu's attempts pale in comparison.
The panel of five judges was visibly thrilled, having nervously anticipated Jiang Xiaofan's outcome. To their relief, he had indeed succeeded in refining the Seven Sunglow Poisonous Lotus!
As the flame of the second incense stick flickered out, the mayor announced, "Cease the pill refining!"
Exhausted, Jiang Xiaofan collapsed to the ground, his body heaving as he caught his breath.
Yet, the Pill Refining Furnace remained still, devoid of any scent.
Speculation abounded as to whether Jiang Xiaofan had met with failure, and even he was uncertain, awaiting a sign from the system that had yet to come.
"From Jiuzhou Pharmacy, Qian Dongdong presents an Eighth Grade Yellow Level Body Refining Pill, sold for 1100 copper coins!"
"From Hundred Spirits Pharmacy, Su Jinsong offers an Eighth Grade Yellow Level Blood Replenishing Pill, fetching a price of 850 copper coins!"
Both competitors walked away with nearly a thousand copper coins in their pockets and their meals in hand. Meanwhile, the examiners approached Chu Zhu amidst a buzz of conversation. The crowd praised the alluring scent of Chu Zhu's pills, while also speculating how Jiang Xiaofan would face the aftermath of such a grand display that had seemingly ended in silence.
"At the Hanging Pot Pharmacy, Chu Zhu presents the Eighth Grade Netherworld Pill of the Yellow Level—a pill of the highest quality!"
The examiner's declaration left everyone agape. The efficacy of an Eighth Grade Profound Rank pill surely surpassed that of the standard Profound Level pills!
Despite the Imperial Inspector's support for Jiang Xiaofan, the allure of the Netherworld Yellow Pill proved too strong. He was the first to bid, "Five Silver Coins!"
The opening bid of Five Silver Coins had everyone gasping in shock!
Soong Linfeng, meanwhile, couldn't help but smile contentedly, knowing that regardless of Jiang Xiaofan's outcome, Chu Zhu was already victorious.
He Jing from the Seven Luminaries Sect hurried to make an offer as well. Given the scarcity of the Netherworld Yellow Pill's ingredients, the chance to craft such a pill might not come again in a lifetime.
Bidding escalated until the Netherworld Yellow Pill fetched a staggering 20 Silver Coins, with Soong Linfeng himself making the winning bid—a move that was nothing short of brazen!
Having triumphed in the competition and secured the Netherworld Yellow Pill, Chu Zhu and Soong Linfeng celebrated a thorough victory.
The examiners approached Jiang Xiaofan last, inquiring, "Jiang Xiaofan, where is your pill?"
Jiang Xiaofan cleared his throat awkwardly, "Well... the pill... you see... hehe... burp ~ Hahaha... hehe..."
"It appears he hasn't succeeded in refining it."
Unable to detect even a hint of the pill's fragrance or spiritual essence, the examiners were about to confirm Jiang Xiaofan's failure when they announced, "Jiang Xiaofan has failed to refine the—"
"Wait!"
Jiang Xiaofan interrupted with a triumphant shout, his face beaming with joy as the system notification finally chimed in.
"System Prompt: Pill refining successful. Pharmacy proficiency increased by +500. Myriad Spirit Absorbing Pill x2 obtained."
...
The thrill wasn't just from the successful creation of the Myriad Spirit Absorbing Pill, but also from the fact that two pills had formed in the Pill Refining Furnace. Jiang Xiaofan swiftly opened the furnace and discreetly pocketed one pill into his backpack, deeming it safer than storing it in a ring.
As the Pill Refining Furnace opened, a burst of seven-colored brilliance spilled out, bathing Jiang Xiaofan's face in a kaleidoscope of light. He extracted the pill—it was transparent, resembling a colorless glass orb, yet within it swirled a dance of seven vibrant hues.
Fortune smiled on him; both pills were of the highest quality!
As the pill emerged from the furnace, there wasn't the faintest hint of medicinal scent, yet the Spiritual Energy in the vicinity surged, multiplying several-fold in an instant!
The examiners exchanged puzzled glances as they inspected the pill in Jiang Xiaofan's hand, utterly clueless about its nature.
Brimming with pride, Jiang Xiaofan proclaimed, "Behold the Myriad Spirit Absorbing Pill, a Second Grade Profound Level elixir. Once ingested, it draws in Spiritual Energy from a thousand miles around. The benefits are self-evident."
Jaws dropped all around as they beheld the radiant pill in Jiang Xiaofan's grasp, its glow reminiscent of the sun itself, leaving no room for doubt.
"A joke, surely! You expect us to believe such grand claims about a mere Second Grade Profound Level pill?" Soong Linfeng was inwardly astounded, rising abruptly with a slam of his hand on the table.
In a blur, Ling Yi materialized next to Jiang Xiaofan, eyeing the pill intently. "Young man, may I examine your pill?" he asked.
With a nod, Jiang Xiaofan respected Ling Yi's higher standing and seniority, presenting the pill with both hands.
Ling Yi took the pill with utmost care and immediately sensed the Spiritual Qi converging upon it. Yet, he wondered, how could such an exquisite pill lack any scent?
He brought the pill to his nose for a gentle whiff and was rocked to his core. Hastily, he returned the pill to Jiang Xiaofan and sat down to compose himself.
Soong Linfeng burst into laughter. "What nonsense! A mere whiff of the aura from the Pill Refining Elder of the Divine Wind Sect and he's thrown into disarray! Absorbing Spiritual Qi? Utter nonsense!"
The other elders felt fortunate they hadn't acted as rashly as Ling Yi. Sharing a similar realm, they too sensed the disruption in his aura.
Meanwhile, a triumphant smile crept back onto Chu Zhu's face; he had clinched victory in this contest!
Just then, Ling Yi's eyes snapped open, and he exclaimed in astonishment, "I've made a breakthrough!"
The group was taken aback, swiftly tapping into their own sea of consciousness to gauge Ling Yi's Martial Level. Yet, as they neared Ling Yi, their probing was abruptly bounced back!
Previously, Ling Yi had been at the pinnacle of the Earth Martial Realm. Despite being a level or two below, they were able to sense his aura. But now, they couldn't even get close with their sea of consciousness!
The four descended quickly, their eyes fixed on the pill in Jiang Xiaofan's grasp. With avarice in their tone, they demanded, "Hey kid, let me have a look at that pill!"
Jiang Xiaofan surveyed the quartet with a slight smirk, then coolly replied, "I refuse!"
