Chapter 51: You call this a first-time alchemy attempt?

Qin Yu lightly tapped with his right hand; flames surged out like a tide, heading straight for the medicinal herbs on the alchemy cauldron, wrapping them into that ancient cauldron.

"Surely a novice, on his first attempt at alchemy he tries to control all the herbs, wanting to fuse them into a pill in one go—this is sheer fantasy."

"Even if a steward guided him from the side, even if the Heavenly King himself came, this batch is destined to explode."

The many disciples below shook their heads; although they had not yet advanced to Yellow Rank alchemists, they could already refine this ordinary pill.

Although the quality and success rate are extremely low, as long as time accumulates, they believe they will eventually reach Yellow Rank.

Even Lin Sheng's eyes flashed a hint of gloom, thinking those thirty thousand spirit stones were wasted.

And this is too fast… you know, he has already advanced to Yellow Rank alchemist, yet… it's still very difficult to achieve such alchemy.

One must follow the order, slowly refine, merging the separated medicinal effects, only then can a pill be formed.

"Pay attention to control the fire, there's still a chance to salvage it, mobilize all spiritual energy, and melt these herbs completely!" the cloth-clad old man said from the side, a hint of smile flashing in his eyes.

He was already scheming in his mind, figuring out how to reap benefits from this fat sheep.

With the strength of first-level Foundation Establishment, his spiritual energy is not abundant; at most a quarter hour and the pill will explode.

Hmm… when the furnace explodes, I'll intervene, saving him from fire and water to avoid injury—this is worth twenty or thirty thousand spirit stones, isn't that fair?

Thus, he waited quietly.

Qin Yu slightly lifted his eyelids, his fire-control movements becoming ever more proficient.

"Hummm!"

A faint humming sound emanated from the alchemy cauldron, scorching heat spreading, making the whole room seem like a furnace.

In his mind appeared the cloth-clad old man's earlier alchemy method.

First, merge eight stalks of century-old ginseng with fire into four stalks of millennium-old common medicinal herbs.

"Hummm!"

Spiritual energy from his dantian surged out through his palms, causing the flames in the alchemy cauldron to become blazingly intense.

Moreover, while melting the herbs, not a trace of flame was wasted, perfectly fusing the medicinal effects in the shortest time.

But the cultivation levels of everyone present were insufficiently strong, unable to peer inside the alchemy cauldron.

Even those few stewards were the same.

Their cultivation wasn't strong either; otherwise they wouldn't be stuck at half-step Profound Rank.

Qin Yu's forehead began to sweat involuntarily.

Time trickled by.

【The herbs have finished melting, the Perfect Fire Control Trait is in effect, and not a trace of medicinal efficacy has been lost.】

【Pill formation begins.】

Qin Yu's mind flashed with a prompt, his eyes gleaming, he again urged the flames.

"Hummm!"

Within the alchemy cauldron, a faint shadow of a spirit pill appeared before his eyes, the rich medicinal power now frantically converging.

The cloth-clad old man hesitated slightly.

"This… actually shows signs of pill formation—how is this possible?"

He was somewhat dazed, unclear what had happened.

You know, for a cultivator attempting alchemy for the first time to simultaneously melt all the herbs—how could a pill possibly form?

Moreover, why has he not sensed the dissipation of the medicinal efficacy inside?

He hesitated a bit.

More than ten disciples below also stared blankly, wondering if this person really is attempting alchemy for the first time.

His earlier fire-control technique left them feeling bewildered.

This is too proficient, isn't it?

Lin Sheng also fell into doubt at this moment, Senior Brother Qin Yu… have you really never refined a pill before?

Even I myself could not achieve such fire control, almost condensing all the medicinal efficacy into the alchemy cauldron.

"Boom!"

At that moment, the flames inside the alchemy cauldron raged violently, as if they would shatter the entire cauldron, terrifyingly unstoppable.

Qin Yu's spiritual sense was at this moment controlling the turmoil inside the alchemy cauldron.

Not long after, the commotion inside the alchemy cauldron began to subside, smoke and dust cleared, and twelve crystal-clear pills fell into the cauldron.

Above them floated a rich qi-blood essence, and their quality was considerably better than that of the pills previously refined by the cloth-clad old man.

【Perfect Quality Trait activated, your pill's success rate is supreme, and the effect is excellent, surpassing ordinary Blood-Congealing Pills, reaching Yellow Rank middle grade.】

Qin Yu let out a long breath, opened the alchemy cauldron, and placed those twelve pills in his hand.

The scene fell into silence.

The cloth-clad old man hesitated, stepped forward, and asked, "Little friend… are you really refining a pill for the first time?"

In his words lay some anger, thinking the other was coming to mock him.

Even his gaze toward Lin Sheng carried resentment.

One furnace yielded twelve pills, supreme-grade Blood-Congealing Pills, and even… their appearance faintly reached Yellow Rank middle grade.

Their medicinal efficacy rivals that of Qi-Blood Pills.

You dare call this a first-time alchemy attempt?

Whoever's first alchemy attempt can directly leap a rank?

Are you crazy?

"I really am attempting alchemy for the first time, Yellow Rank middle-grade Blood-Congealing Pills, eight thousand spirit stones each, two thousand cheaper than Qi-Blood Pills—any takers?" Qin Yu glanced at the cloth-clad old man.

Then he turned his gaze straight to the audience below and spoke calmly.

Holy shit! Eight thousand spirit stones? I want it! I want it!

This top-grade Blood-Congealing Pill, even its pill essence has reached middle-grade Yellow Tier; even if kept as a collection, thirty thousand spirit stones would be worth it—I offer ten thousand spirit stones for one!

The inner sect disciples valued by these stewards are almost all second-generation cultivators, whose families are extremely wealthy in spirit stones.

Otherwise, there's no way they'd treat them as fat sheep to be slaughtered.

So, those who appear here all have purchasing power.

In just a moment, Qin Yu sold out completely.

Twelve pills sold for 120,000 spirit stones.

Even the cloth-clad old man was left dumbfounded.

There's also this way to earn spirit stones?

Immediately, Qin Yu tossed fifty thousand spirit stones to Lin Sheng.

Lin Sheng blinked his eyes, wondering how he suddenly gained twenty thousand spirit stones in the blink of an eye.

Indeed, my older cousin was right—making many friends expands one's circle and creates room for improvement.

To be able to form a good karmic bond with a high-quality friend like Senior Brother Qin Yu is purely good luck.

"I don't believe that on your first attempt at pill refinement, your fire control technique is something even I, an old man, could not do."

"You are stealing my pill formula and refinement methods, aren't you?"

The cloth-clad old man's face gradually darkened.

He instantly understood—Qin Yu was stealing his refinement technique.

And he himself had only earned ten thousand spirit stones.

In his heart, a feeling of dissatisfaction arose instantly.

Qin Yu, hands behind his back, calmly said: "Senior, what do you mean by 'stealing'? Your words are off."

"Clearly, you previously said you would give me a free demonstration; after I learned it, how did it become stealing?"

"Moreover, the cost of this batch of pills is twenty thousand spirit stones, and I gave you thirty thousand spirit stones."

"That counts as payment."

Just demonstrating the pill refinement process once costs ten thousand spirit stones, and Qin Yu still feels he's losing out.

"Good! Very good! Since you say that, if you have the ability, refine two more kinds of pills with me—Foundation Establishment Pill and Blood Qi Pill!"

"If you succeed, I will naturally believe in your talent; if you lose, hand over the spirit stones you just earned, and I will let bygones be bygones."

"How about it?"

The cloth-clad old man narrowed his eyes slightly.

Blood Qi Pill and Foundation Establishment Pill are both middle-grade Yellow Tier, even high-grade pills.

The medicinal ingredients required for their refinement are extremely numerous.

Whether it's fire control or the spiritual energy needed to fuse the pill, both are enormously demanding.

At the very least, one needs to be at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment to complete one.

So, I am sure to win!

"Bring it on!" Qin Yu smiled confidently—since the pill formula is being delivered for free, why would he not accept?