348: Wasting resources?

Liu Xuan pointed at Zi Ling and explained, "She is called Zi Ling. Her father was once the Sect Master of the Golden Core Sect, the Nether Fire Sect. This purple poison cauldron was left to her after her father passed away."

"Zi Ling Cultivates a poison technique originating from the same source as her father, so she can barely utilize a portion of its power. It is difficult to drive for combat, but it is just right for Alchemy."

An Yunmiao's Divine Sense swept over the purple poison cauldron and discovered it was much as Liu Xuan had said. She looked at Liu Xuan, "Are you trying to use this precious cauldron to make up for your cultivation level and refine a third-rank pill?"

Liu Xuan nodded, "Exactly!"

"This precious cauldron contains intense poison that ordinary Golden Core True Persons cannot control. Could it be that you also Cultivate a poison technique?" An Yunmiao asked.

"Not at all!"

"However..." Liu Xuan reached out and pinched his daughter Xin Ci's small face, asking, "Senior Sister, have you noticed anything different about my daughter?"

An Yunmiao turned her head to stare at Xin Ci. The little girl was a bit scared, shrinking into Liu Xuan's embrace, her small hands clutching her ragdoll tightly.

"Spiritual Qi?"

"Poison Qi?"

An Yunmiao's beautiful eyes lit up, "Does she possess a spirit body that absorbs poison?"

"That's right!" Liu Xuan laughed, "Both my daughter and I possess this toxic spirit body. We are fearless against intense poison and can even utilize toxic Spirit Medicine to Cultivate."

Liu Xuan handed his daughter Xin Ci to her mother, Zi Ling, to hold, then projected his Divine Sense into the interior of the purple poison cauldron.

"Hum~"

The purple poison cauldron emitted a brilliant dark green light, and Nether Fire ignited within it. Its power was several times stronger than when Zi Ling had controlled it just moments ago.

Liu Xuan's mana still only displayed the Peak Early Foundation Establishment Stage level, but his Divine Soul had reached the Peak Mid-stage Foundation Establishment level, pressing close to the Late Foundation Establishment Stage.

Many Geniuses have Divine Soul Realms that exceed their mana cultivation Realms, so An Yunmiao did not find anything strange about it.

A Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Divine Soul Realm, a Magic Treasure-level Alchemy cauldron, and a perfectly compatible toxic spirit body—it barely met the basic conditions for refining a third-rank pill.

But! These were just the basic conditions. The most crucial aspect of refining a third-rank pill had always been a profound understanding of the Dao of Alchemy.

A Third-Rank Alchemist! How many Golden Core True Persons had toiled for centuries without reaching it? Liu Xuan was just a young man of about fifty; how many years had he even been practicing Alchemy?

"Wow!"

"Daddy is amazing!"

Seeing the purple poison cauldron's light shine brighter, little Xin Ci clapped her hands in excitement, her large eyes sparkling in the reflection of the dark green light.

"Shh! Don't disturb your Daddy," Zi Ling whispered.

"Shh!" The little girl put a finger to her lips, obediently quieting down.

Liu Xuan waved his hand, and a pile of Spirit Medicine flew out from his spatial ring one after another, all hovering in the air of the Alchemy Room, arranged neatly.

Jade boxes opened one after another, and various Spirit Medicine were cast into the purple poison cauldron. The process was smooth and silky, a delight to behold.

While Liu Xuan controlled the purple poison cauldron to refine and fuse the various Spirit Medicine, he could still divide his attention to chat with An Yunmiao.

"Senior Sister, what I am refining is a special Third-rank Low-grade pill: the 'xuanhuang undying pill'. This pill focuses on cleansing the marrow and cutting the hair, cultivating the Foundation of the Physical Body, and continuously strengthening physical power."

An Yunmiao didn't care at first, until Liu Xuan took out a demon core sealed in layers.

As the Seals were undone one by one, An Yunmiao felt a Demonic Qi that was intense to the extreme.

"A third-rank demon core! And it's a Third-rank Mid-grade one!"

"Wait!"

An Yunmiao interrupted, "I don't care where you got a Third-rank Mid-grade demon core, but have you thought this through? Do you really want to use it for Alchemy?!"

A Third-rank Mid-grade demon core is worth tens of millions of Spirit Stones. Even if Liu Xuan could barely refine a third-rank pill, he shouldn't be using a treasure of this level to experiment.

"I have considered it very clearly; I will definitely succeed!"

Liu Xuan had obtained the System's top-tier second-rank Alchemy technique Legacy. After his cultivation reached the Golden Core stage, it was only natural that he reached the Third-rank Low-grade level.

Although this Third-rank Low-grade level of his was not from the System's Legacy and didn't have that Heaven-Defying effect of a one-hundred-percent success rate, his Foundation was solid, and he had no problem rivaling those Third-Rank Alchemists who had just had a Breakthrough.

The xuanhuang undying pill was something Liu Xuan had researched himself. It belonged to the category of Beast Pills that were relatively easy to refine, and its grade only touched the threshold of the third rank, so the success rate was at least as high as ninety percent.

"You..."

Seeing Liu Xuan toss the demon core into the purple poison cauldron without hesitation, An Yunmiao thought to herself: 'What a waste of heavenly treasures!!'

If a Third-rank Mid-grade demon core were given to a Third-rank High-grade Alchemist to use as the main ingredient, it would be enough to refine a furnace of 'Three-Turn Golden Spirit Pills', which would be helpful for her Cultivation.

The higher the cultivation Realm, the harder it is to obtain pills of the same rank to consume. Very few Golden Core True Persons can consume third-rank pills long-term, and many Late Golden Core Great True Persons cannot consume Third-rank Low-grade pills that increase cultivation openly.

A Yao Beast's Golden Core belongs to the top-tier Spirit Medicine of the same rank. The Three-Turn Golden Spirit Pill is a Third-rank High-grade cultivation pill, and for a Late Golden Core Great True Person, it is a luxury that can only be eaten occasionally.

The Golden Core itself is a kind of extremely condensed 'pill'. One only needs to use a large amount of Advanced Spirit Medicine to neutralize its spiritual power, and one can fully refine a pill of a higher grade.

Liu Xuan using a Third-rank Mid-grade demon core to refine a lower-grade Third-rank Low-grade pill, and a Beast Pill that increases Physical Body potential at that—regardless of success or failure, in An Yunmiao's eyes, it was a losing business.

'Perhaps it is precisely this drive to spare no cost that allows him to have such high Alchemy attainments at such a young age!'

Since it wasn't her own stuff anyway, and once the refining started, there was no turning back, An Yunmiao simply settled down to watch carefully.

She had also dabbled in Alchemy, but after learning for a long time, she remained stuck at the Bottleneck between the top of the first rank and the second rank, so she decisively gave it up.

Before the demon core was cast into the purple poison cauldron, although she felt Liu Xuan's Alchemy process was profound, she could barely understand a little bit of it.

After the demon core was added, she only felt that the interior of the purple poison cauldron was ever-changing, mysterious, and profound; as for where the mystery lay, she couldn't say.

'Could this kid really have reached the level of a Third-Rank Alchemist?!'

No matter what kind of Spirit Medicine Liu Xuan used, or whether he was refining a Beast Pill, as long as he successfully refined a third-rank pill, it meant he was a Third-Rank Alchemist!

The value of a Third-Rank Alchemist goes without saying; if he succeeded, even her father would have to look at him with new eyes!

'If he truly had such a level, why didn't he reveal it when he visited my father last time?'

...

An Yunmiao's thoughts were in turmoil. Watching Liu Xuan, who was focused on Alchemy, her interest grew even stronger; it seemed like every time they met, this person could bring her surprises.

The Alchemy process lasted for three full days. During this time, Zi Ling kept observing and learning. When little Xin Ci got tired of staying in her mother's arms, she would go to a corner to play by herself for a while, and when she was hungry, she would eat the small snacks her mother had prepared for her. She surprisingly didn't feel bored, nor did she cry or fuss.

An Yunmiao also watched attentively the whole time. Although she didn't understand Alchemy, the mysterious Concept within it was connected to the Great Dao, allowing her to draw inferences about other things. Watching Alchemy of this level was also a form of Cultivation for her.

Three days later.

"Hum~"

A silent Dao rhythm emanated from the purple poison cauldron, and a mysterious and abstruse Concept arose in the hearts of the few, as if the entire space were celebrating for it.

Without Liu Xuan needing to say more, An Yunmiao and Zi Ling both knew that Liu Xuan had succeeded.

The Third-rank Low-grade xuanhuang undying pill, it was a success!