150: Chapter 150 I have some news for you, but don't tell anyone.

Su Cheng set up an Alchemy schedule for himself, alternating between refining ning shen pills and po zhang pills, interspersed with tasks for other second-rank pills.

Varieties that needed stockpiling, like clear spirit pills, qi sea pills, and bone forging pills, couldn't be neglected either; the supply to the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce couldn't be interrupted.

However, Su Cheng didn't find it tedious.

Alchemy was part of his daily routine; every furnace of Medicinal Pills produced was a solid accumulation of resources.

Compared to those Disciples who risked their lives running missions outside, he could earn a fortune just by tending the furnace in his Immortal Cave. What was there to complain about?

What remained was finding reference texts for the Condensing Pill Method and a long-term supply of spirit nurturing pills.

The Condensing Pill Method wasn't hard to obtain; the Dharma Transmission Pavilion had several related secret techniques for sale as long as one had enough contribution points.

The spirit nurturing pill was the real challenge.

The Pill Formula was held tightly by the Alchemy Hall, and the probability of obtaining it through official channels was extremely low.

Su Cheng pondered for a long while before finally setting his sights on someone.

Senior Brother Chen Yuan.

Although this eldest Senior Brother of his seemed careless, he had been in the Danding Sect for many years and surely had some connections.

Moreover, Chen Yuan was straightforward and likely wasn't the type to stab someone in the back.

Of course, asking him directly for the Pill Formula was impossible.

But he could inquire indirectly to see if there were other ways to obtain the spirit nurturing pill Pill Formula within the Sect.

Having made up his mind, Su Cheng left his Immortal Cave and headed toward another spot on the mountainside.

Chen Yuan's Immortal Cave was not far from his, behind a pine forest. At the entrance stood the horn of an Ironclad Rhino, a trophy he hadn't been able to part with even after being scolded by his Revered Master last time.

"Senior Brother, are you there?"

"Eh! Junior Brother is here! Come in, come in!"

Chen Yuan leaned halfway out of the Immortal Cave and pulled Su Cheng inside with a look of pleasant surprise.

His Immortal Cave was much larger than Su Cheng's, but it was a mess, with various Spirit Medicines, Ores, and animal bones piled haphazardly on the floor.

In a corner stood a heavy Refining Cauldron for Artifact Refining, still stained with metal powder that hadn't been wiped clean.

Su Cheng hadn't expected Chen Yuan to be so unconventional. Instead of refining pills properly, why was he dabbling in Artifact Refining?

"Junior Brother, you've come at the right time! I just brewed a pot of spirit tea. Want a taste?"

Su Cheng didn't stand on ceremony, took the tea bowl, and took a sip.

"Hmm? Not bad."

"Of course! This is High Grade spirit tea I exchanged from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, two hundred contribution points per tael!" Chen Yuan finished and took a sharp breath, feeling the pinch.

Su Cheng set down the tea bowl and didn't beat around the bush: "Senior Brother, there's something I'd like to ask."

"Speak!"

"The spirit nurturing pill."

Chen Yuan's hand holding the tea paused for a moment.

"Is there any other way to obtain the spirit nurturing pill Pill Formula within the Sect besides joining the Alchemy Hall?" Su Cheng asked.

Chen Yuan set down his tea bowl and became unusually serious: "Why the sudden question?"

"I've been cultivating a Divine Sense Spell recently and feel that my Divine Sense strength is falling behind. I thought if I could get the spirit nurturing pill Pill Formula, I could refine a few for myself."

After hearing this, Chen Yuan shook his head.

"Junior Brother, forget about it. The spirit nurturing pill Pill Formula is a core secret of the Alchemy Hall; only deacon-level figures in the Alchemy Hall have the right to access it. Personal Disciples like us, even if our Revered Master is a Golden Core Elder, cannot get it."

He then suddenly thought of something and lowered his voice: "But I'll tell you some news, don't spread it around."

Su Cheng looked all ears.

"The Alchemy Hall Competition happens once every ten years. The top three in the competition can get an opportunity to enter the Pill Hall Treasury.

Once inside, one can choose an Alchemy technique secret art or a Pill Formula to take away."

Chen Yuan raised a finger here, his tone becoming more emphatic: "But the Alchemy Hall is extremely strict about this. Whatever you choose can only be used by yourself and must never be shared.

It's said that before entering the secret room, one must swear a Heart Demon Oath. Once violated, at best your Dao Foundation will crack, and at worst you'll suffer Qi Deviation."

"The top three in the past few competitions were all people from the Alchemy Hall, and their cultivation was at or above the Late Foundation Establishment Stage." Chen Yuan counted on his fingers. "Do you see? A competition initiated by the Alchemy Hall, with prizes chosen from the Pill Hall Treasury, and the winners are all the Alchemy Hall's own people. Think about the tricks involved."

Su Cheng didn't speak, but he already understood.

Seeing his silence, Chen Yuan thought he was discouraged and quickly added: "But Junior Brother, if you only want spirit nurturing pills, why bother with the muddy waters of the competition? Why not just buy them?

The Sect's Alchemy Hall sells them. They're a bit expensive in terms of contribution points, but not unaffordable. If you really don't have enough, I can help you scrape together a few."

Su Cheng shook his head.

The spirit nurturing pills sold in the Sect were all Medium Grade.

He had swallowed several of the same quality while in seclusion in the Prefecture City. The effect became worse each time; forcing his Divine Sense to the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage was already the limit.

If he continued to take Medium Grade spirit nurturing pills, the drug resistance his body developed would greatly diminish the efficacy, unless he swallowed dozens at once to rely on sheer quantity.

But that way of consuming them—never mind whether he could afford them or even find them—the impact on his Sea of Consciousness alone would be enough to leave him bedridden for years.

What he needed was the supreme grade spirit nurturing pill.

And supreme grade was only possible if he got the Pill Formula and refined it himself.

"Senior Brother, when does the next one start?"

"Early autumn next year." Chen Yuan calculated on his fingers. "About one year and five months. As for eligibility, anyone at the level of Inner Sect Disciple or above can sign up, regardless of cultivation.

After all, it's a competition initiated by the Alchemy Hall, so it naturally tests Alchemy—from herb identification, purification, Fusion, to the final pill formation quality, screening through round after round.

The final results are announced by the Elders of the Alchemy Hall. However, since it's a competition involving the entire Sect, they won't go too far, provided one has overwhelming talent and strength."

He glanced at Su Cheng, hesitating to speak.

"Senior Brother, just say what's on your mind."

"I mean..." Chen Yuan rubbed his hands. "Junior Brother, your Alchemy talent is indeed good, but those Disciples of the Core Elders, which one of them didn't grow up soaking next to a Pill Furnace?

Exotic fires, even Treasure Artifact Pill Furnaces, and rare Pill Formulas—all sorts of good things are piled onto them.

Even if your techniques are refined, without the support of this hardware, it'll be hard to gain an advantage in the final rounds."

Su Cheng didn't argue; he just picked up the tea bowl and took another sip.

One year and five months—neither long nor short.

With his Mid-grade Spirit Root Aptitude, plus the demanding requirements of the Qiankun Creation Art for his Foundation, reaching the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage in that time was basically impossible.

Even with the help of supreme grade Medicinal Pills, even if his spiritual power went up, what about his Divine Sense? Without spirit nurturing pills, he couldn't skip a single day of the necessary hard work.

But low cultivation was just low cultivation; who said low cultivation meant one couldn't refine good Medicinal Pills?

Back in Qinghe Prefecture, as a small Cultivator in the Qi Refinement Stage, he had dared to stir up the major powers of two prefectures until they were bruised and battered.

Now that he was in the Danding Sect, a mere Alchemy competition wouldn't scare him.

"Thank you for the information, Senior Brother." Su Cheng stood up and cupped his hands.

Chen Yuan waved his hand quickly. "No need to be so polite! But Junior Brother, do you really intend to participate in the competition?"

"We'll see." Su Cheng pushed open the door of the Immortal Cave and looked back with a smile. "I'll focus on getting through the days ahead first."

(The protagonist's affairs seem to be increasing, but don't worry, everyone, let's take it slow and handle them one by one.)

(The plot has reached this point and is hard to control; I will try my best to write clearly hereafter and resolve everything properly.)