943: Chapter 944 Alchemy

"Is it difficult?"

These three words fell lightly into the Alchemy room, yet they were like a giant boulder crashing into a calm lake surface.

Old Ancestor opened his mouth, his lips twitching several times, but he couldn't manage to force out a single word.

How many years had he lived? For how many years had he presided over Tiandan Pavilion?

He asked himself that on the path of the Dao of Alchemy, looking across the entire Wasteland, almost no one could discuss the Dao with him.

Yet today, a person who looked so young had casually pointed out a few things across the Pill Furnace, allowing him to successfully refine a Supreme-grade Medicinal Pill that he had failed to refine over a hundred times.

And then he asked him — Is it difficult?

Old Ancestor took a deep breath and slowly stood up.

Due to maintaining a cross-legged posture for a long time, his legs were somewhat numb, and his body swayed slightly, but he couldn't care about that as he solemnly cupped his hands in a salute toward Gu Changge:

"This old man is Dan Wuhai, the Old Ancestor of Tiandan Pavilion. May I ask the Young Master's esteemed name?"

Gu Changge waved his hand: "My surname is Gu, a nobody, not worth mentioning. Instead, why haven't you taken out this furnace of Medicinal Pills?"

Dan Wuhai was startled, hastily turning around to cautiously take that golden-yellow Medicinal Pill out from the Pill Furnace and place it into a jade bottle that had been prepared long ago.

His movements were incomparably gentle, as if he were holding a rare and precious treasure. In fact, this was indeed the first Supreme-grade Medicinal Pill he had ever refined in his life.

After finishing all this, he finally turned around, staring intently at Gu Changge with burning eyes.

Just at this moment, Pavilion Master Danchenzi on the side stepped forward quickly and whispered a few words into Dan Wuhai's ear.

Dan Wuhai's expression went from confusion to shock, and finally turned into wild joy.

"What?! You actually completed the Pill Formulas of the first monument and the eighth monument?!"

He abruptly turned his head to look at the Jade Slip in Pavilion Master Danchenzi's hand, snatching it over. His Divine Sense probed into it, and the more he looked, the more colorful his expression became. In the end, his hands were even trembling:

"Splendid! Splendid! This nine-turn nirvana pill Pill Formula, this old man has studied for countless years and was never able to restore it. I didn't expect it to be like this. So that's how it is, so that's how it is!"

He raised his head, and the gaze he directed at Gu Changge was no longer just appreciation, but carried a hint of near-adoration:

"Young Master possesses great talent! This old man is convinced! Completely and thoroughly convinced!"

Gu Changge merely nodded indifferently and said casually:

"It's just a Pill Formula. Once the medicinal materials, pharmacology, and their mutual generation and restriction relationships are sorted out, the sequence naturally falls into place. There's nothing rare about it."

Hearing this, the corners of Dan Wuhai's mouth twitched again.

Nothing rare about it?

He had studied this Pill Formula for countless tens of thousands of years, perused ancient books, and tried over ten thousand combinations, yet he simply couldn't deduce it.

In the mouth of this Young Master Gu, it became "nothing rare about it"?

But he now no longer dared to harbor even the slightest bit of doubt. That furnace of Medicinal Pills from just moments ago was the best proof; this person indeed had the qualifications to say such words.

Dan Wuhai put away the Jade Slip, took a deep breath, and suddenly seemed to remember something as he cupped his hands and said:

"Young Master's Dao of Alchemy reaches the gods; this old man admires you to the utmost! This nine-turn nirvana pill is a Supreme treasure, and not the slightest bit of carelessness is permitted during its refinement."

Although this old man's Aptitude is dull, these hands have practiced Alchemy for hundreds of millions of years, which might be of some minor use to Young Master.

"I wonder if this old man might have the honor of being your assistant, handing you medicinal materials and controlling the heat?"

His words were phrased nicely, talking about both "not permitting carelessness" and his "dull Aptitude", placing himself extremely low.

Yet those old eyes couldn't help but secretly glance at Gu Changge, the yearning hidden deep within his eyes being even hotter than the furnace fire.

Pavilion Master Danchenzi at the side instantly reacted, cursing the Old Ancestor for being cunning in his heart, and hastily cupped his hands as well:

"Young Master, refining such a Medicinal Pill is mentally exhausting and laborious. Although this Junior is not as proficient as the Old Ancestor, I also understand a thing or two, and am willing to assist Young Master together, at your beck and call at any time!"

Seeing this, how could the other Elders hold back? They stepped forward one after another, chattering away:

"Young Master! I also understand heat control!"

"Young Master, I have the most experience in distinguishing medicinal materials and can help you sort them!"

"And me, I can..."

For a time, the Alchemy room became as lively as a vegetable market.

Heavenly Lord Qingming stood to the side, his eyelids twitching wildly as he watched.

Having lived for so many years, this was his first time seeing this group of arrogant old monsters from Tiandan Pavilion disregarding their image to fight for the position of an assistant.

Whenever he asked Tiandan Pavilion to do things in the past, which of these Elders didn't put on airs and act indifferent?

Now look at them; each and every one of them wished they could carry shoes for that white-clothed Young Master.

Gu Changge stood with his hands behind his back, quietly watching this group of old foxes perform.

The corners of his mouth hooked into an extremely faint arc, and he sneered inwardly: Assist?

His current Alchemy skills had long since reached the Supreme realm of the heavens; with a wave of his hand, Laws evolved. Where would he ever need someone else to hand him medicinal materials or adjust the heat?

These people's petty thoughts were simply as transparent as a sheet of white paper before his eyes.

Seeing the scene growing increasingly chaotic, Gu Changge gave a light cough. His voice wasn't loud, but it sounded like a thunderclap, instantly suppressing all the noise.

His gaze swept across the crowd, finally landing on Pavilion Master Danchenzi and Dan Wuhai, and he calmly spoke:

"Pavilion Revered Master Dan, Senior Wuhai can stay."

"As for the others, there is no need for now."

These simple seven words were like a basin of ice water, extinguishing the burning passion in the hearts of those few Elders.

Pavilion Master Danchenzi and Dan Wuhai looked at each other, both seeing wild joy in each other's eyes. Being allowed to stay was in itself a tremendous recognition!

Especially Dan Wuhai; his goatee was trembling with excitement as he said in a shaking voice:

"Many thanks, Young Master... No, many thanks, Revered Master... Oh no, thank you, Young Master, for your fulfillment!"

As for those few Elders, their faces were filled with disappointment, but intimidated by Gu Changge's majestic prestige, they didn't dare utter a single word of complaint. They could only respectfully bow and retreat from the Alchemy room while looking back every three steps.

Gu Changge no longer looked at them and said casually: "Lead the way!"

Dan Wuhai hastily led the way personally, his steps three points faster than Pavilion Master Danchenzi's just moments ago.

The group passed through the passageway and arrived before the door of the heaven-grade Alchemy room on the far right.

Dan Wuhai took out a token and pressed it into the groove on the door. With a soft "click" sound, the heavy stone door slowly opened.

A wave of Spiritual Qi, so dense it almost materialized, surged out from within the door, carrying a trace of warm earthly fire aura.

Gu Changge stepped inside, his gaze sweeping across the entire Alchemy room.

The room was about ten zhang square, and in the center stood a pitch-black, three-legged Pill Furnace. The body of the furnace was carved with densely packed runes, and flowing light faintly circulated upon them.

The bottom of the furnace was connected to an earthly fire vein, and an orange-red flame burned quietly in the hearth, emitting astonishing heat.

Embedded in the four walls were dozens of fist-sized luminous pearls, illuminating the entire Alchemy room as bright as day.

Several jade tables were placed in the corners, neatly stacked with various Alchemy utensils.

Gu Changge walked up to the Pill Furnace, reached out to gently press against the furnace wall, felt the temperature of the earthly fire and the material of the furnace body, and nodded slightly.

"Not bad."

Dan Wuhai and Pavilion Master Danchenzi exchanged glances, both seeing a bitter smile in each other's eyes.

The Pill Furnace in this heaven-grade Alchemy room was a top-grade Pill Furnace passed down by Tiandan Pavilion for tens of millions of years. Successive Old Ancestors had used it to refine countless Divine Pills that shook the Wasteland.

In the mouth of this Young Master Gu, it was just "not bad"?

But neither of them dared to say anything; after all, this person had just casually instructed the Old Ancestor to successfully refine a Supreme-grade Medicinal Pill.

Gu Changge turned around to look at Pavilion Master Danchenzi: "Did you bring the medicinal materials?"

Pavilion Master Danchenzi hastily nodded: "They are brought! They are all right here!"

He took out a Storage Ring and offered it with both hands.

Gu Changge took it, his Divine Sense probed inside for a quick glance, and after confirming everything was correct, he put away the ring.

The nine-turn nirvana pill required a total of eighty-one primary medicinal materials and three hundred sixty-five secondary medicinal materials, with strict requirements on the age of every single one.

Fortunately, Tiandan Pavilion lived up to its name as the number one Alchemy pavilion in the Wasteland; basically all the medicinal materials on the list had been gathered, and the few that truly couldn't be found were replaced with substitutes of equal quality.

The stone door slowly closed, cutting off the outside world.

"Since you are staying, watch closely, and do not lose your composure or disturb my Alchemy." Gu Changge said in a low voice.

Dan Wuhai and Pavilion Master Danchenzi felt their hearts tighten, hastily restraining their minds and holding their breath. They stared at the furnace without blinking, as if it were the only truth in this world.