Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Commencing Alchemy (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)
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Returning to his small courtyard.
Chen Jianghe first wrote a message and placed it in the postbox outside courtyard number 514.
When Ruan Tieniu returned, he would naturally see the message.
He would then go find Alchemist Zhuang to trade the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe with him.
Refining the pills at the end of the year—this was just as Chen Jianghe had expected.
After all, the matter of crowdfunding the refinement of the Foundation Establishment Pill was best done sooner rather than later, as unexpected changes could occur.
The next day.
Chen Jianghe went to Fushou Lane again and knocked on the door knocker of number 136. After about fifty breaths of time, Jiang Ruxu opened the gate.
Zhuang Xinyan hid behind Jiang Ruxu.
“Oh, it’s Senior Chen.”
Both Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan breathed a sigh of relief, smiles appearing on their faces as they invited Chen Jianghe inside.
But from the looks on their faces, Chen Jianghe guessed that Alchemist Zhuang was probably not at home.
“Is Alchemist Zhuang not here?”
“Master has gone to the Immortal Sect Market City.”
“Grandpa told us not to leave home during this time, and especially not to leave the market city. He said if anything happens, we should find Senior Chen.”
Zhuang Xinyan added innocently after Jiang Ruxu finished speaking.
“Alright. When Alchemist Zhuang returns, tell him that the matter he asked me to handle is settled. We can begin after the new year.”
Chen Jianghe had no intention of going inside. With only the two women at home, he didn't want to get too involved with them.
He had originally intended to find Alchemist Zhuang to purchase some body-tempering spirit pills, but he hadn't expected the alchemist to act so quickly.
He had already left for the Immortal Sect Market City.
If his guess was correct, he had likely gone to purchase the supplementary materials for refining the Visage Retention Pill.
As for the supplementary materials for the Foundation Establishment Pill, Alchemist Zhuang couldn't purchase them yet. He would have to wait for Ruan Tieniu to return from the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range.
Only after the two of them traded the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe would Alchemist Zhuang know which twenty-one supplementary materials were needed.
Although Chen Jianghe knew, he couldn't tell Alchemist Zhuang.
He had already sworn an oath to keep it a secret for Ruan Tieniu.
“Senior Chen, please wait a moment.”
Jiang Ruxu called out to Chen Jianghe, stepping out of the courtyard and handing him three jade vials.
“Master anticipated that Senior Chen would come today, so he left these three vials of pills.”
Chen Jianghe took the jade vials. With a sweep of his spiritual sense, he knew these were the very spirit pills needed for body tempering: Qi and Blood Pills, Meridian Unblocking Pills, and Body Forging Pills.
All of them were high-grade.
Each jade vial contained ten spirit pills.
A total of thirty high-grade spirit pills.
According to market prices, these thirty high-grade body-tempering spirit pills were worth six hundred spirit stones.
A high-grade Qi and Blood Pill cost twenty spirit stones each.
The Meridian Unblocking Pills and Body Forging Pills were the same price.
“So many?” Chen Jianghe exclaimed in surprise.
To be honest, he didn't have that many spirit stones. When he came to buy body-tempering pills from Alchemist Zhuang, he could afford to purchase six pills at most.
He only had a total of two hundred twenty-eight spirit stones and ninety grains of spirit sand on him.
If he spent it all on body-tempering spirit pills, he wouldn't be able to get by.
“Master said these are a gift for Senior Chen, to offset one free pill refinement session,” Jiang Ruxu said with a smile.
Chen Jianghe nodded and then left Fushou Lane.
If they were truly a gift, he couldn't accept these body-tempering spirit pills.
Otherwise, he would start owing favors.
Between him and Alchemist Zhuang, there were only transactions, not favors. As for their relationship, it was one built entirely on trade.
Offsetting it through a transaction.
That meant offsetting it with the free pill refinement.
Alchemist Zhuang had said that he would provide the supplementary materials, and Chen Jianghe would get the refinement fee.
It seemed the spirit pills in his hand were paid for with spirit stones from Ruan Tieniu and Ji Wujin.
When the time came, three hundred spirit stones from each of them would perfectly cover the cost of these thirty body-tempering spirit pills.
Returning to his small courtyard, he hung up a "In Seclusion" sign.
Then, he let out Xiao Hei and Maoqiu to continue processing and breaking down the beast parts.
Meanwhile, he cultivated, drew talismans, and tempered his body.
This transaction with Alchemist Zhuang made him understand the importance of spirit stones even more clearly.
If he weren't short on spirit stones, there would be no need to make a deal with Alchemist Zhuang at all.
Let alone make any promises.
“Ten Qi and Blood Pills, ten Meridian Unblocking Pills, and ten Body Forging Pills. This is enough for five years of my body tempering needs.”
Chen Jianghe cultivated the Tidal Body Tempering Art and was already in the mid-stage of body tempering. To continue cultivating, he needed the assistance of Tidal Essence and body-tempering spirit pills.
Each year, he required two pieces of Tidal Essence, and two each of the Qi and Blood Pills, Meridian Unblocking Pills, and Body Forging Pills.
He currently had one piece of Tidal Essence left, which was enough for this year's cultivation.
However, his time for drawing talismans would have to be reduced from now on.
Now, every day, he needed to circulate the Myriad Waters True Scripture for three major cycles, which took six hours.
Then, he would cultivate the Tidal Body Tempering Art for four hours.
The time he had for drawing talismans was reduced to fourteen hours.
Although this would reduce his income from talismans, there was no other choice.
In the middle of the eighth month.
Ruan Tieniu returned from the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range, saw Chen Jianghe's message, and went to find Alchemist Zhuang.
Then he found Ji Wujin and informed him about the year-end alchemy session.
Afterward, seeing the "In Seclusion" sign on Chen Jianghe's gate, he wrote a message in reply.
Chen Jianghe saw the message.
But he did not go out to meet Ruan Tieniu.
There were still four months until the end of the year. There was no need to meet at this time; it was better to draw more talismans.
In the eleventh month.
Chen Jianghe received a letter from Yu Daniu.
The contents of the letter left Chen Jianghe unsure whether to be happy or worried. It said that Yun Sanniu and Yun Siniu had both broken through to the late stage of Qi Refining.
Furthermore, they had both taken up positions in the Yun Clan. Yun Sanniu had become a manager at the Mirror Moon Restaurant, and Yun Siniu was now a manager at the Mirror Moon Pavilion.
Yun Youniu had also broken through to the late stage of Qi Refining.
However, unlike Yun Sanniu and Yun Siniu, he had not relied on a Calamity Dispelling Pill. Like Yun Xiaoniu, he had broken through after polishing his bottleneck through his own perseverance and effort.
In other words.
Yun Youniu also had the potential to attempt Foundation Establishment in the future.
Moreover, Yun Youniu's spiritual root talent was better than Yun Xiaoniu's; he had a four-element pseudo-spiritual root.
“Yun Youniu has only just started practicing body tempering arts. I’m afraid it will be difficult for him to cultivate his physical body to perfection by the time he reaches the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining.”
Although Yun Youniu's talent was good.
He had not started practicing body tempering arts as early as Yun Xiaoniu.
Furthermore, Yun Youniu had not received any body tempering resources from the clan, which undoubtedly restricted his development.
Chen Jianghe had a feeling that Yun Huizhen's branch was developing too quickly within the Yun Clan and was starting to face suppression from the main family branch.
Otherwise, with the status of Yu Daniu and his father-in-law, Yun Xiaoqian, in the clan, how could they have failed to secure clan funding for Yun Youniu?
The clan head, Yun Xiaotian, must have intervened.
It might have even been Yun Bufan who stepped in.
However, Yun Xiaoniu had become a high-ranking deacon in the Yun Clan this year.
And his ranking was very high.
This meant that as soon as Yun Xiaoniu broke through to the ninth level of Qi Refining, he would be directly promoted to a clan elder.
“Yun Huizhen is still too eager for quick success. She shouldn't have let Yun Sanniu and Yun Siniu get involved in clan affairs so early. This would arouse the vigilance of the main family branch.”
Chen Jianghe felt that Yun Huizhen was too focused on expanding the power of her branch. Currently, one-third of the Yun Clan's upper management consisted of people from her lineage.
This would definitely arouse the clan head's wariness.
It was still manageable while the Yun Clan's old ancestor was alive. After all, both the clan head Yun Xiaotian and the Great Elder Yun Xiaoqian were direct descendants of the old ancestor.
But once the Yun Clan's old ancestor passed away from old age.
Yun Huizhen's branch would face unimaginable suppression.
Because Yun Bufan was the clan head's son, the main branch would never allow other branches to surpass them.
The Yun Clan's old ancestor had taken a Life Extension Pill and had at least nearly twenty years left to live.
This meant that Yun Huizhen's branch still had twenty years to develop.
If Yun Xiaoniu could successfully attempt Foundation Establishment within these twenty years, their branch might be able to contend with the main family branch.
Chen Jianghe wrote a reply to Yu Daniu.
It was just a short sentence.
“Focus all resources on cultivating Xiaoniu. That is the only way to break the deadlock.”
If Yun Xiaoniu couldn't obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill to attempt Foundation Establishment before the Yun Clan's old ancestor passed away, then he could forget about ever getting one in the future.
The main family branch would never allow a Foundation Establishment Ancestor to appear in any other branch.
After replying to the letter.
Chen Jianghe continued his seclusion.
When the twelfth month arrived.
Chen Jianghe took down the "In Seclusion" sign from his gate.
But he still didn't go out, continuing to cultivate and draw talismans at home.
It wasn't until late in the twelfth month, when Ruan Tieniu came looking for him, that Chen Jianghe ended his seclusion.
In the past year, he had created forty-two mid-grade Five Elements Escape Talismans, and his talisman-crafting skills had improved rapidly.
His success rate for drawing mid-grade Five Elements Escape Talismans had stabilized at forty percent.
If it weren't for needing to spend an extra two hours cultivating the Tidal Body Tempering Art in the second half of the year, he should have been able to create forty-eight mid-grade Five Elements Escape Talismans.
His cultivation had also reached a critical point; he would break through to the ninth level of Qi Refining within a few days.
Hearing a knock on the door knocker, Chen Jianghe knew it was most likely Ruan Tieniu.
He walked out of his room, recalled Xiao Hei and Maoqiu into his spirit beast space, and temporarily moved the beast parts to the storage room.
A quarter of an hour later.
Chen Jianghe opened the courtyard gate.
Outside stood not only Ruan Tieniu but also the masked Ji Wujin.
Chen Jianghe really wanted to test if his spiritual sense could penetrate the mask and see Ji Wujin's face.
If it could block spiritual sense, he would want a mask like that too.
“Brother Ruan, Fellow Daoist Ji.”
Chen Jianghe stepped out of the courtyard and immediately locked the gate.
Cutting off any thought they might have had of coming in for a chat.
Ruan Tieniu might not have had such an idea, but the mercurial Ji Wujin might have.
“I was hoping to sit for a while in your elegant residence, Fellow Daoist. I didn't expect you to lock up so quickly,” Ji Wujin teased.
“Fellow Daoist Ji resides in Fushou Lane in the upper district of the market city. How could I dare let you be tainted by the vulgar air of the lower districts?”
Chen Jianghe replied with a chuckle.
Ji Wujin smiled and said no more.
He even disdained the Qingping Teahouse, let alone the courtyards in the Southwest and Northwest districts.
“Brother Chen, is it time to refine the pills?”
Ruan Tieniu was in no mood for banter. He just wanted to get a Foundation Establishment Pill, rent a cultivation ground in the Southeast district, and attempt his breakthrough.
“Yes, let’s go find Alchemist Zhuang.”
Chen Jianghe nodded.
Although he didn't know Ruan Tieniu's spiritual root talent, he could sense that the aura on Ruan Tieniu was no weaker than that of the rogue cultivator leader from before.
In other words.
Ruan Tieniu was a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator with a perfected physical body.
Chen Jianghe was very puzzled. Ruan Tieniu was a beast hunter; where did he get the spirit stones for body tempering?
It was impossible to tell from his aura whether Ruan Tieniu practiced a spiritual cultivation method.
But Chen Jianghe had a feeling that Ruan Tieniu might also be practicing a spiritual cultivation method.
From their very first meeting, Chen Jianghe had felt that there was a secret about this man.
Before long, they arrived at number 136, Fushou Lane.
The three of them exchanged a glance.
Then, Chen Jianghe stepped forward and knocked on the door knocker.
Jiang Ruxu opened the gate. Seeing two others beside Chen Jianghe, she said apologetically, “Senior, please wait a moment. Master is currently refining pills and will be done soon.”
“No matter, we can wait outside.”
With that said.
Chen Jianghe took a step back.
He gestured for Jiang Ruxu to close the gate.
If he were alone, Jiang Ruxu would certainly have invited him in, but he had two other people with him.
Alchemist Zhuang, who was extremely protective of his granddaughter and disciple, would never allow the other two to enter his residence.
“Alchemist Zhuang is still refining pills. We’ll need to wait a bit.”
After Jiang Ruxu closed the gate, Chen Jianghe said to Ruan Tieniu and Ji Wujin.
“It’s fine. A little while won’t make a difference,” Ruan Tieniu nodded.
Ji Wujin shrugged nonchalantly.
Seeing Ji Wujin's demeanor, Chen Jianghe had reason to believe that the other party was definitely not very old.
Perhaps not even as old as Yun Xiaoniu.
It was one thing to be immature.
Without the mask, he probably couldn't hide anything on his face.
Chen Jianghe even suspected that Ji Wujin wore a mask all day precisely because he was worried others would read his expression during conversations.
After about two hours.
The gate to the residence opened once more, and this time, it was Alchemist Zhuang who walked out, a broad smile on his face as he approached Chen Jianghe.
“My sincerest apologies for making you wait so long, Fellow Daoist. I will host a banquet at the Qinghe Restaurant another day to make it up to you.”
Alchemist Zhuang spoke in a tone that suggested a deep friendship with Chen Jianghe, even clasping his hands in a gesture of apology.
Anyone who didn't know better would truly believe their relationship was profound.
“Now that’s not right, Alchemist Zhuang. We waited too. How can you only invite Fellow Daoist Chen?”
Ji Wujin chimed in at this moment.
Chen Jianghe, who was about to respond to Alchemist Zhuang and further deepen their supposed friendship, was momentarily stunned.
Alchemist Zhuang was also taken aback.
Then he laughed heartily, “Of course, of course. Fellow Daoist Ji and Fellow Daoist Ruan must come as well.”
“Just kidding. If Alchemist Zhuang successfully refines the pills, I’ll be the one treating him to a meal at the Qinghe Restaurant.”
“I just wonder if Fellow Daoist Chen would be willing to join us.”
With just two sentences, Ji Wujin had turned the tables on Chen Jianghe.
Clearly, he was still holding a grudge about Chen Jianghe taking him to the Qingping Teahouse last time.
“If you’re extending the invitation, I don’t mind either way,” Chen Jianghe said with a shrug.
He was starting to get a handle on Ji Wujin's personality.
He was even more flighty than Jiang Ruxu.
And his tongue was sharp.
“Ahem.”
Ruan Tieniu cleared his throat at this moment.
He gave Chen Jianghe a look, signaling that it was time to discuss business. He had no time for verbal sparring.
He was desperate to get the Foundation Establishment Pill.
The closer he got to seeing the pill, the more anxious he became.
He wished he could get his hands on it immediately.
“Alchemist Zhuang, can we begin the refinement today?” Chen Jianghe understood the signal and asked.
Alchemist Zhuang nodded.
He said calmly, “You two may give me the materials now.”
Hearing this, both Ji Wujin and Ruan Tieniu took out a storage pouch and handed it to Alchemist Zhuang.
After taking the storage pouches.
Alchemist Zhuang immediately added, “You two will also need to provide another four hundred spirit stones each.”
???
Chen Jianghe was stunned. Four hundred spirit stones? For two people, that was eight hundred spirit stones.
The thirty spirit pills had offset the spirit stones from the free Foundation Establishment Pill refinement.
He had thought Alchemist Zhuang would ask for three hundred spirit stones each, which would have perfectly covered the cost of the pills.
Indeed, there was a reason why alchemists earned more spirit stones than talisman masters.
They could name their price on the spot, and you had no choice but to accept.
“Although I am a high-grade alchemist, I have long been able to refine second-tier spirit pills like the Life Extension Pill and the Visage Retention Pill. Furthermore, this time, I am more than eighty percent confident and can guarantee at least one genuine Foundation Establishment Pill.”