92: Chapter 92 Four Foundation Establishment Pills!

Xiao Zhi blinked and thought back for a moment:

"Senior didn't say exactly what Medicinal Pill it was, only that it was very important... He's been inside for... almost twelve hours? Master, what's wrong?"

"Almost twelve hours..." Xiao Yurou calculated in her mind. For ordinary second-rank pills, they should have finished refining by this time.

She pondered for a moment, suppressed the urgency and anxiety in her heart, and made a decision.

She squatted down, looked into Xiao Zhi's eyes, and softly instructed:

"Xiao Zhi, take me to the Earth Fire Chamber to have a look. Remember, do not disturb him; just ask a question at the door. Say that Master wishes to meet him and ask if the Medicinal Pill has finished refining."

Xiao Zhi nodded obediently. "Mm, I understand, Master."

The two walked through the corridor and arrived before the heavy stone door of the Earth Fire Chamber.

Simple soundproofing and defensive formations were engraved on the door, and one could faintly feel the warmth and a subtle medicinal fragrance coming from behind it.

Xiao Zhi took out a communication jade slip from her waist, pressed it against the door, and cautiously sent a Divine Sense message inside:

"Senior, have you finished refining the Medicinal Pill? My Master says... she wants to see you."

A few minutes later, the jade slip vibrated slightly, and a calm, gentle male voice came through: "Come in."

Xiao Zhi glanced back at Xiao Yurou, who nodded.

Xiao Zhi then pressed her hand against the mechanism of the stone door and injected a trace of spiritual power. The heavy stone door slowly slid open to one side.

A rich and pure medicinal fragrance wafted towards them, and the Spiritual Qi contained within it refreshed Xiao Yurou's spirits.

She looked up and saw a tall young figure in the center of the Earth Fire Chamber with his back to them, focused on the three-foot-tall Red Copper Pill Furnace before him.

The earth fire beneath the Pill Furnace was steady, and the furnace body glowed slightly red.

Wisps of milky-white, misty Pill Qi were seeping from the gaps in the furnace lid; this was where the medicinal fragrance originated.

Clearly, the Medicinal Pill had reached the critical moment of final nurturing and collection.

The youth did not turn around, merely raising his hand slightly to signal them to wait.

He wore a simple cyan-grey Daoist robe, his long hair held up by a wooden hairpin.

His profile wasn't strikingly handsome, but he naturally exuded a gentle and peaceful temperament that made people feel favorable toward him upon meeting.

It wasn't caused by a Cultivation Technique or a treasure, but rather seemed like the natural outward manifestation of his state of mind and cultivation.

Seeing this, Xiao Yurou immediately pulled Xiao Zhi to stand quietly by the door, not daring to make a sound to disturb him.

Being an Alchemist, she naturally knew that any distraction at this time could, at best, lower the quality of the Medicinal Pill, or at worst, cause all previous efforts to go to waste.

Ye Changge was indeed fully focused at this moment.

Although it was his first time independently refining a foundation establishment pill, with the Yin Yang Creation Art's delicate control over Spiritual Qi and the "Second-Rank Alchemist" Legacy...

...which was part of the rewards the System had given him, the refining memories felt almost instinctive. The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, without any hitches.

At this moment, the situation inside the Pill Furnace was crystal clear within his Divine Sense.

Five pill pellets had already formed and were undergoing final Fusion and stabilization under the residual heat of the earth fire and the nourishment of his spiritual power.

The reason he let the two of them in was that he sensed only Xiao Yurou and Xiao Zhi outside.

There was no urgency or malice.

Since he had used their Alchemy room, it was only reasonable for the owner to come and check.

Time passed slowly in silence, with only the occasional faint crackle from the earth fire.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Spiritual Qi inside the Pill Furnace suddenly pulled inward, and the medicinal fragrance shifted from being released outward to becoming concentrated.

Ye Changge's eyes narrowed, and the hand seals he was performing changed.

"Open!"

He gave a low shout and made a grasping motion in the air with his right hand; the furnace lid rose in response.

Simultaneously, he flicked his left hand repeatedly, and several strands of pure Yin and Yang spiritual power shot into the furnace like threads.

They wrapped around the five pill pellets that were about to fly out,

performing the final "Pill Collection Art" to lock in the medicinal power and improve the quality.

This technique of simultaneously controlling multiple strands of spiritual power for refined pill collection...

...caused the watching Xiao Yurou's pupils to shrink, and she was secretly shocked.

This required an extremely high level of control over spiritual power and Divine Sense strength; even she, who had been immersed in Alchemy for many years, felt inferior.

As Ye Changge completed his technique, five longan-sized, round, and flawless Medicinal Pills slowly rose from the Pill Furnace,

hovering in mid-air.

The surface of the pills had an inner luster, with faint cloud patterns flowing across them, emitting pure and gentle Spiritual Qi.

Two of the pills were a pale gold color throughout, like glazed glass—these were "Top-grade";

the other three were a warm milky white, slightly less lustrous but still pure—these were "High-grade."

Five pills in one furnace: two Top-grade and three High-grade!

Xiao Yurou was completely stunned, her mouth slightly agape, almost thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her.

The refining difficulty of the foundation establishment pill was extremely high, and the main Materials were even rarer.

In Qingxuan Immortal City, those famous Second-Rank Alchemists...

...would consider it a success if they could produce two pills in one furnace; three would be an extraordinary performance.

Yet the seemingly young Cultivator before her had not only refined five in one furnace, but the lowest quality was High-grade, and there were even two Top-grade ones!

This success rate and quality were simply unheard of!

Ye Changge also let out a soft breath of turbid air, feeling very satisfied.

One set of foundation establishment pill Materials had a market price of about thirty thousand Spirit Stones, while his five pills from this furnace were estimated to be worth well over a hundred and twenty thousand!

Because the quality was so high, the actual price could even rise significantly.

'As expected of an Alchemist, it really is highly profitable.'

He lamented in his heart, but then thought,

'However, foundation establishment pill Materials are hard to come by and are often unavailable even if one has the money; such opportunities are rare.'

He composed himself and waved his hand to store the five foundation establishment pills into a pre-prepared Jade bottle before turning to look at the two people at the door.

Xiao Zhi was staring with wide eyes, looking at him with curiosity and admiration, still holding Xiao Yurou's hand.

Today, Xiao Yurou wore an elegant moon-white long dress that highlighted her graceful figure.

Her face was dignified and beautiful, but at this moment, she couldn't hide the shock on her face as she looked at him with a complex gaze.

Ye Changge naturally recognized her; she was the Shopkeeper of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion whom he had saved back then.

However, he had now used a Spiritual Artifact to adjust his appearance,

and his temperament was also different from what he usually deliberately showed, so he expected she wouldn't be able to recognize him.

"Shopkeeper Xiao, is there something I can help you with?" Ye Changge asked in a calm tone.

Only then did Xiao Yurou snap back to her senses. Realizing her earlier loss of composure, she hurriedly bowed and spoke with an apologetic and respectful tone:

"Please forgive me, Fellow Daoist. Yurou only heard that someone was using the Alchemy room and that the refining time had been quite long. Driven by curiosity, I came to pay a visit, with absolutely no intention of disturbing you. Just now, seeing your exquisite Alchemy techniques and the resulting pills... they were simply breathtaking. I lost myself for a moment; please do not take offense."

Ye Changge waved his hand and said nonchalantly:

"It's fine. This is your Alchemy room, Shopkeeper Xiao, so how can you say you're disturbing me? Since you've returned, I can just use the one next door." As he spoke, he prepared to pack his things.

"Fellow Daoist, wait!" Xiao Yurou hurriedly called out to stop him, a hint of earnestness appearing on her face.

"You are refining pills smoothly here, so why change? Please feel free to use this Alchemy room as you wish. It's just... Yurou does have a matter on her mind, and I am hesitating whether I should speak of it."