Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: Reencountering an Old Friend, Alchemist Grandmaster Jiang
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At the Clear Sound Pavilion, beneath a gazebo by a small bridge and flowing stream.
Chen Jianghe sipped the spirit tea brewed by Jiang Ruxu, his gentle gaze fixed on the beautiful woman before him. His words were mild, careful not to put any pressure on her.
"Yes."
Jiang Ruxu nodded slightly.
She was secretly delighted by Chen Jianghe's trust, her large, lively eyes blinking, sparkling like autumn waters.
"I will definitely succeed in refining it."
Jiang Ruxu said with determination.
At this moment, Jiang Ruxu was filled with confidence. She held an Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill in her hand.
If the refinement failed, she could still take out her own pill and give it to Chen Jianghe.
"It's just that refining the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill requires some supplementary materials. Big Brother Chen, please wait here while I go to the market city to buy them."
"I can go buy them. You should first familiarize yourself with the steps for refining the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill and contemplate the insights left by Fellow Daoist Zhuang."
Chen Jianghe said with a light laugh.
He possessed Alchemist Zhuang's alchemy legacy, so he naturally knew what the supplementary materials for the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill were.
At the same time, he also knew the refinement steps.
It was just that his alchemy skills were insufficient.
In the past two years, although his alchemy skills had improved, his progress wasn't particularly fast. He was still at the mid-grade Alchemist stage.
In fact, that wasn't bad at all.
He had only been practicing alchemy for seven years. To become a mid-grade Alchemist already showed he had considerable talent in the Dao of Alchemy.
Besides, she was helping him refine the pill; how could he let Jiang Ruxu spend her own spirit stones on supplementary materials?
Immediately, Chen Jianghe left Golden Ao Mountain, flying toward the market city on his sword. After entering the city's perimeter, he switched to flying with his Qi.
He arrived at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
He went straight to the third floor. If this were Ferry Market City, Immortal Gate Market City, or even Qinghe Market City, the supplementary materials for the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill would usually be at the medicinal herb counter in the general goods area.
But the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in Thousand Mountains Market City had a detailed classification for spirit items. The conventional spirit items needed by Foundation Establishment cultivators were categorized on the third floor, along with cultivation arts and journals.
"Ice Heart Grass is the main ingredient, and there are two stalks. I'll just prepare supplementary materials for two batches and have them all refined."
He came to the third-floor medicinal herb counter.
"Senior, may I ask what you need?"
Before Chen Jianghe could speak, a ninth-level Qi Refining clerk approached him, respectfully addressing him as Senior.
"Two second-tier low-grade Barrier-Breaking Flowers, four pieces of Ice Soul Stone, two stalks of Heart-Piercing Grass, six drops of Snow Dragon Saliva..."
Chen Jianghe listed forty-two types of medicinal herbs in one go.
Among them, thirty-six were needed to refine the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill; the rest were other herbs Chen Jianghe mixed in.
When buying medicinal herbs, one certainly wouldn't buy only the exact types needed. Doing so would allow others to figure out the recipe.
At the same time, it would also leak the recipe.
The recipe for the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill wasn't exceptionally precious, but it could allow Jiang Ruxu to trade for resources with other Alchemist Grandmasters who didn't have it.
Therefore, regarding certain precious legacies, everyone had a tacit understanding never to let them leak out and fall into the hands of lower-level cultivators.
Even if they were circulated, it was only among high-level cultivators.
The forty-two types of medicinal herbs cost a total of two thousand one hundred and twenty-four spirit stones.
Chen Jianghe paid the spirit stones, put the herbs into his storage bag, and promptly left.
Not long ago, he had 27,565 spirit stones. He spent 7,500 to buy fifteen Water Spirit Pills from Jiang Ruxu.
Now he had spent another 2,124 spirit stones on supplementary materials.
He now had 17,941 spirit stones and twenty grains of spirit sand left.
"I'm still short on spirit stones!"
Chen Jianghe sighed inwardly. It was too difficult to accumulate spirit stones just by drawing second-tier low-grade talismans.
Only by becoming a Talisman Master or a Talisman Grandmaster could one perhaps be free from worries about spirit stones.
The reason he had managed to save so many spirit stones was that Xiao Hei and Maoqiu had also earned a lot for him.
"Fellow Daoist Chen?!"
Chen Jianghe was walking down from the third floor, about to head to the first and leave the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, when he heard a familiar voice.
He looked toward the sound.
And saw a familiar figure.
The person was wearing a mask, so his face was unclear, but his figure and voice felt very familiar to Chen Jianghe.
It wasn't Ji Wujin; the mask was different.
Ji Wujin's mask covered everything below his eyes, but this person's covered his entire face.
The next moment.
This masked 'acquaintance' walked toward Chen Jianghe.
"Fellow Daoist Chen Ping?"
Chen Jianghe asked uncertainly.
The masked cultivator before him had a restrained aura, clearly a Foundation Establishment cultivator. When he had last parted ways with Chen Ping, the other man was only at the late stage of Qi Refining.
But twenty years had passed; it was possible for him to have reached Foundation Establishment.
Besides, the voice sounded identical to Chen Ping's—honest and humble.
"I didn't expect Fellow Daoist Chen to still recognize me."
This masked cultivator was indeed Chen Ping, the manager of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in Qinghe Market City. Because of Chen Jianghe's warning, he had made preparations when the beast tide erupted and managed to escape Qinghe Market City with a few friends.
"It really is Fellow Daoist Chen!"
Chen Jianghe was surprised. Chen Ping was quite lucky; not only had he survived the beast tide, but he had also successfully reached Foundation Establishment.
But why was he wearing a mask?
He didn't ask, however. Instead, he clasped his hands and congratulated Chen Ping: "Fellow Daoist Chen has truly had a great opportunity. Not only did you escape the beast tide, but you also successfully reached Foundation Establishment. A long life is in sight, and the path to immortality is promising."
"Hehe~, if not for your warning, Fellow Daoist, I wouldn't have had time to escape and would have likely fallen prey to the demonic beasts."
Chen Ping said gratefully.
But he didn't say much more.
He and Chen Jianghe were merely acquaintances. There was no need to reveal his secrets. His escape from Qinghe Market City had been arduous, and the path to Foundation Establishment even more difficult, but he had overcome it all.
The hardships involved were something he could keep to himself.
There was no need to tell others.
"If you have the time, Fellow Daoist, might we have a drink? It would allow me to thank you for your timely warning back then."
Chen Ping clasped his hands in invitation, gesturing toward the Hundred Treasures Restaurant.
Chen Jianghe calculated the time. Jiang Ruxu needed to contemplate the insights left by Alchemist Zhuang, which would likely take several hours.
He didn't need to rush back.
"You're too kind, Fellow Daoist. We were just conducting a transaction back then; there's no need to speak of favors."
Chen Jianghe replied.
The two went to a private booth with a screen at the Hundred Treasures Restaurant and activated the spiritual sense-blocking and sound-insulating arrays on the screen.
Afterward, Chen Ping had someone serve two spirit dishes and a pot of top-grade immortal spirit wine.
"It's been twenty years since we last met. I never thought we would meet again in Thousand Mountains Market City. There is indeed some fate between us, Fellow Daoist."
Chen Ping filled their cups and drank his with a smile.
Chen Jianghe also took a sip and began to chat with Chen Ping.
It turned out that after Chen Ping successfully reached Foundation Establishment, he had returned to Immortal Gate Market City. Because of a long-standing facial injury that was difficult to heal, he hadn't become a disciple of the Tiannan Sect.
However, he had become a Manager at one of the Hundred Treasures Pavilions.
Coincidentally, Chen Ping's first posting as a Manager for the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was at Mirror Moon Lake.
In other words.
During Chen Jianghe's time at Qiyun Mountain, if he had visited Mirror Moon Market City a few times, he might have run into Chen Ping.
Now, Chen Ping's term at Mirror Moon Market City had ended, and he had come to Thousand Mountains Market City to serve as the manager of the second floor.
Thousand Mountains Market City was the second-largest market city in the Tiannan Domain.
The overall Manager of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was usually a Core Formation elder from the Tiannan Sect, while the assistant manager was a newly promoted Foundation Establishment disciple from the sect.
As for the manager of each floor, they were selected from within the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, but only Foundation Establishment cultivators were qualified to compete for the position.
"Thousand Mountains Market City is the second-largest market city in the Tiannan Domain. For you to be the manager of the second floor of its Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Fellow Daoist, your future is limitless!"
Chen Jianghe said.
Chen Ping nodded. He wasn't being self-deprecating; Chen Jianghe was right. He was the manager of the second floor of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in Thousand Mountains Market City.
This position was no less prestigious than that of Cen Qingfeng, who was in charge of the Talisman Master Alliance in the market city.
However, in Chen Jianghe's presence, he showed no arrogance, because he knew about Chen Jianghe's relationship with Gao Peiyao.
As far as he knew, Gao Peiyao had already come to Thousand Mountains Market City to participate in the secret realm trial ten years from now.
Within the Tiannan Sect, she was a lofty Core Formation hopeful.
Far beyond what a mere Hundred Treasures Pavilion manager like him could compare to.
But Chen Ping didn't know that Chen Jianghe had another old friend's niece in Thousand Mountains Market City, who was also an assistant manager at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
And she happened to be Chen Ping's direct superior.
Chen Jianghe and Chen Ping talked for half an hour, speaking of Qinghe Market City and Mirror Moon Market City.
This gave Chen Jianghe a clear understanding of the situation in these two old places.
Chen Ping was a cultivator of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. A term of service was generally fifteen to twenty years. He had only arrived in Thousand Mountains Market City in the last two years.
So he was naturally very familiar with the recent situation in Mirror Moon Market City and Qinghe Market City.
Chen Jianghe hadn't received a letter from Yu Daniu in three years and wasn't very familiar with the recent situation at Qiyun Mountain.
He didn't know if Yu Daniu had encountered any difficulties.
After talking with Chen Ping, he felt much more at ease.
Mirror Moon Market City, under the joint development of the Yun and Yu clans, was thriving and becoming increasingly prosperous.
The only drawback was that Mirror Moon Market City was built on a second-tier low-grade spirit vein.
If it were built on a second-tier high-grade spirit vein, its development might have been even more rapid.
According to Chen Ping, the Yun and Yu clans offered great benefits to cultivators and strongly supported the lower-level families that depended on them.
Especially with the decline of Qinghe Market City, most cultivators within a three-thousand-mile radius chose to go to Mirror Moon Market City to purchase resources.
The resources supplied by the Hundred Treasures Pavilion headquarters to the Mirror Moon Market City branch had also been upgraded by a significant margin.
"If Mirror Moon Market City were built on a second-tier high-grade spirit vein, it would probably have already reached the former glory of Qinghe Market City."
"But every advantage has its disadvantage. If it were truly a second-tier high-grade spirit vein, with the strength of the Yun and Yu clans, they wouldn't be able to control Mirror Moon Market City at all and would even face annihilation."
Chen Jianghe thought to himself.
He felt the current situation was quite good. If a genius appeared in the Yun or Yu clans in the future and obtained some opportunities, possessing the combat power of a False Core rogue cultivator, or having a third-tier spirit beast, then their two clans could ascend to the next level.
"Fellow Daoist, how is Qinghe Market City now? The two great immortal clans of Qinghe have a third-tier spirit beast. Can't they rebuild the market city?"
It had been twenty years since the beast tide erupted.
And it had subsided for several years now.
Although the two great immortal clans of Qinghe had acted inhumanely during the beast tide, time would wear away memories.
As long as that third-tier spirit beast was around, the two great immortal clans of Qinghe had a chance to make a comeback.
"A third-tier spirit beast?"
The thought of the two great immortal clans of Qinghe filled Chen Ping with anger. If it weren't for those two clans deliberately concealing information, he wouldn't have ended up in this state.
He could have successfully reached Foundation Establishment and joined the Tiannan Sect, becoming an inner disciple directly, with the prospect of being designated a Core Formation hopeful. But because a piece of his face was bitten off by a demonic beast and he didn't take a second-tier healing spirit pill in time, it would now require a great cost to recover. But having just reached Foundation Establishment, how could he possibly obtain a third-tier healing spirit pill?
Thus, he missed his chance to become a disciple of the Tiannan Sect.
"The backing of the two Qinghe clans has fallen. That aging third-tier spirit beast was devoured by a Thunder-Patterned Crimson Flame Leopard."
"Most of the cultivators in Qinghe Market City have already moved away, and the two Qinghe clans have also begun to relocate."
"I heard that the master of Serene Valley has set his sights on that second-tier high-grade spirit vein and has already begun negotiations with the Tiannan Sect."
"It probably won't be long before the master of Serene Valley establishes a new large-scale market city."
As Chen Ping said this, he spoke quickly, his voice filled with an indescribable glee, as if he found it immensely satisfying.
Chen Jianghe was stunned.
Serene Valley?
That was a large-scale black market.
The master of Serene Valley came from a background of rogue cultivators who robbed others, and his disciples were still engaged in such activities. What? Were they establishing a market city, preparing to go legitimate?
He wasn't interested in these things.
He only cared about Qiyun Mountain and Mirror Moon Lake.
Especially the matters on Qiyun Mountain.
Right now, the only person south of the Heaven-Reaching River he was concerned about was Yu Daniu.
He chatted with Chen Ping for a while longer.
Then Chen Jianghe stood up to take his leave.
On the way back to Golden Ao Mountain, Chen Jianghe thought of Yu Daniu again. He was the only person in the cultivation world whom he considered family.
"Time flies. I'm already ninety-three. I wonder how much longer Daniu can walk this path with me."
He was already studying alchemy. In the future, when he became a second-tier Alchemist, he could refine Life Extension Pills to prolong Yu Daniu's life.
Even if he couldn't become a second-tier Alchemist within twenty years, he would ask Jiang Ruxu to help refine a batch of Life Extension Pills.
It was just that the Youth Retaining Pill required Youth Retaining Grass.
When the time came, he would trade with Gao Peiyao for a stalk of Youth Retaining Grass, refine a batch of Youth Retaining Pills, and have someone deliver them to Yu Daniu.
In other words, as long as Yu Daniu didn't encounter any danger, Chen Jianghe could extend his life to around one hundred and forty-five years.
Returning to Golden Ao Mountain, he arrived at the Clear Sound Pavilion.
Seeing Jiang Ruxu contemplating the insights left by Alchemist Zhuang on refining the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill, he didn't disturb her.
Instead, he sat to the side and cultivated the Myriad Waters True Scripture.
A day passed without him noticing.
"Big Brother Chen, I can refine the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill now. I'm very confident I'll succeed."
Jiang Ruxu put away the legacy jade slip, her large, lively eyes sparkling like autumn waters as she looked at Chen Jianghe and spoke with confidence.
"Mm, alright."
Chen Jianghe had wanted to ask if he could watch Jiang Ruxu refine the pills to increase his own alchemy experience.
But he considered that his presence might add to her pressure. After all, this was a second-tier mid-grade spirit pill, and a high-quality one at that.
It was also Jiang Ruxu's first time refining a second-tier mid-grade spirit pill.
She was already under a lot of pressure.
Chen Jianghe took out the supplementary materials for the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill, gave them to Jiang Ruxu, and told her to refine the pills with confidence.
He watched as Jiang Ruxu walked into the alchemy room.
Chen Jianghe then returned to the gazebo and closed his eyes to cultivate.
Chen Jianghe wasn't the least bit nervous about Jiang Ruxu refining the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill.
He had been tempered by Alchemist Zhuang to a state of complete calm.
He had endured the torment of refining Foundation Establishment Pills; this Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill seemed rather trivial in comparison.
Although the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill was more valuable than the Foundation Establishment Pill, it didn't inspire the same level of frantic desire in cultivators.
As the fire in the alchemy room lit up, Chen Jianghe directly took out the Peachwood Clear Heart Talisman Brush and spirit plant hide, and began drawing the Crimson Flame Cloud-Soaring Talisman under the gazebo.
It seemed, at this moment, that the success or failure of refining the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill had nothing to do with him.
Three hours passed.
Chen Jianghe finished drawing the runes for the Crimson Flame Cloud-Soaring Talisman and began to infuse it with spiritual energy.
Another three hours passed.
Chen Jianghe took out the Soul-Solidifying Clay and Spirit-Nourishing Grass and began cultivating the Soul-Suppressing and Spirit-Forging Art.
He had already cultivated the Jade Dew Flesh-Growing Incantation to completion.
To cultivate it to the Profound Realm, he would need to be at least at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and this was only because the Jade Dew Flesh-Growing Incantation was a supreme healing-type spell.
If it were a supreme offensive or defensive spell, one would need to reach the late stage of Foundation Establishment just to cultivate it to the completion realm.
As for the Profound Realm, that would require a Core Formation cultivation base.
Of course, there were some prodigies who could cultivate supreme offensive and defensive spells to the Profound Realm upon reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment.
But such prodigies were extremely rare.
One in ten thousand.
He cultivated the Soul-Suppressing and Spirit-Forging Art for two hours, absorbing the spiritual energy overflowing from the Soul-Solidifying Clay and Spirit-Nourishing Grass into his Spirit Abode.
During later cultivation sessions, it could be refined into soul power and absorbed.
After that, Chen Jianghe continued to cultivate the Myriad Waters True Scripture. At this rate, he felt it would take less than a month to cultivate the twenty-fifth drop of Foundation Establishment magical power.
The mid-stage of Foundation Establishment was no longer distant.
It was practically within reach.
In the blink of an eye.
Five hours passed.
Chen Jianghe opened his eyes, put away the Spirit Spring Pearl, and looked toward the alchemy room. The firelight was low, indicating it had entered the gentle fire condensation stage.
Reaching this stage in alchemy meant an eighty percent chance of success.
Half an hour passed.
White smoke billowed from the alchemy room, and a wave of pill fragrance wafted out, refreshing the heart and mind.
Chen Jianghe walked quickly to the door of the alchemy room and saw an excited Jiang Ruxu emerge.
"Big Brother Chen, I succeeded."
"Hee hee, I successfully refined the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill. I'm an Alchemist Grandmaster now."
Jiang Ruxu said joyfully, her slender jade hands grabbing Chen Jianghe's large, sturdy hand, shaking his arm.
"Yes, from now on I'll have to call you Grandmaster Jiang." Chen Jianghe's face was all smiles, his gentle gaze filled with satisfaction.
"Hee hee~"
Jiang Ruxu glanced at him with her beautiful eyes and said sweetly, "I don't want Big Brother Chen to call me Grandmaster. Just call me Ruxu."
"Haha... alright, alright, Fairy Ruxu."
"Don't add 'Fairy.' I'm not Elder Sister Luo," Jiang Ruxu said playfully.
Since Jiang Ruxu could refine second-tier mid-grade spirit pills, she could now be called an Alchemist Grandmaster in Thousand Mountains Market City.
He too was filled with joy.
Having an Alchemist Grandmaster as a contact was something that even disciples from top-tier immortal clans would envy.
Not to mention, his relationship with Jiang Ruxu was so close.
"Big Brother Chen, this is the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill."
After her excitement subsided, Jiang Ruxu noticed she was still holding Chen Jianghe's hand, and a blush instantly spread across her face.
She took out the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill and lowered her head to hide her inner delight and shyness.
Chen Jianghe took the pill Jiang Ruxu had refined, examined it, and felt that the quality was quite good.
It was no worse than the one Alchemist Zhuang had given him.
He silently praised Jiang Ruxu's excellent talent in the Dao of Alchemy.
"I'll hold onto these three Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pills for now. After you've rested and refined the second batch, we'll divide them. How about that?"
"Divide them? No, these are all yours, Big Brother Chen. I was just helping you refine them."
Jiang Ruxu waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "The Ice Heart Grass my senior sister and I have was also obtained through Big Brother Chen's planning. And the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill our master refined for us was also thanks to your planning."
"I can't take any more of your spirit pills, Big Brother Chen."
Hearing this, Chen Jianghe laughed, tapped Jiang Ruxu on the head, and said seriously, "If you hadn't refined them, I would have had to give another Alchemist Grandmaster one Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill as a fee."
"Besides, the Ice Heart Grass you have was pawned to you by Ruan Tieniu. Now if he wants to redeem it, you can just give him one Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill. The other two will still belong to you two."
"*Pfft~*"
Jiang Ruxu pursed her lips and smiled. "Is Big Brother Chen that confident in me, thinking I can succeed with the second batch too?"
"Success or failure doesn't matter. One batch has already succeeded."
Chen Jianghe said very casually, "Of these three pills, one for Ruan Tieniu, one for me, and one for you. That's a perfect split."
He wouldn't pressure Jiang Ruxu.
Nor would he pressure Zhuang Xinyan.
Alchemist Zhuang had entrusted the two girls to his care, not for him to pressure them or make them his laborers.
Alchemist Zhuang had shown him kindness.
Though he was gone, their bond must not grow cold. And it wouldn't.
"Mm, I'm very confident now. I will definitely succeed."
Jiang Ruxu nodded seriously, then said to Chen Jianghe, "Big Brother Chen, I'm going to rest and recuperate my spirit. In half a month, I'll start the furnace again."
"Go on."
Chen Jianghe said with a smile.
He didn't leave the Clear Sound Pavilion.
Cultivating at the Spirit Spring Abode was still cultivation, and cultivating here was also cultivation.
There was no need to run back and forth.
Next, he began infusing spiritual energy into the Crimson Flame Cloud-Soaring Talisman. After finishing, he cultivated the Soul-Suppressing and Spirit-Forging Art, and after that, the Myriad Waters True Scripture.
As long as he had resources, it didn't matter where he cultivated in the short term.
Xiao Hei had already woken up.
Xiao Hei would naturally manage the Immortal Crystal Rice planted in the spirit field and the aquatic life in the river in his spare time from cultivation.
Time passed.
Half a month went by.
Jiang Ruxu emerged from the cultivation chamber and entered the alchemy room with Chen Jianghe.
This was Jiang Ruxu's second time refining the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill. Chen Jianghe had originally wanted to ask if he could observe.
Before he could say anything, Jiang Ruxu took the initiative and invited him to watch her refine the pills.
The reason she hadn't let him watch the first time was because she herself felt pressured and was worried that having Chen Jianghe nearby would add to that pressure.
Thus, she hadn't mentioned it.
Now, her confidence had grown immensely. She had experience refining the pill and had thoroughly understood the subtleties of Alchemist Zhuang's insights.
She had even perfected some of the alchemy steps.
This increased the success rate of producing the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill.
"Big Brother Chen, I'm about to begin."