[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign":3,"chapter-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-75":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Eternal Green Immortal Sovereign",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2270083,4432,"Chapter 75: Do You Even Understand Alchemy?","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-75",75,"\u003Cp>“Hey, Jiang, you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Xiang rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward to argue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had long despised Jiang Cheng; they were all men of the martial world, none with a gentle disposition, and today, humiliated before others, he felt his face burn with shame as head of this pharmacy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xu younger brother, calm down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui grabbed Xu Xiang before he could advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Xiang finally stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had just told Li Rui to be patient, yet he himself couldn’t hold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a deep breath:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Tangzhu, you saw it—this man has the stubbornness of a mule.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Xiang sighed helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had held the position of pharmacy head for some time and knew Jiang Cheng’s nature well: if he refused to refine, he refused—no one, not even the deputy commander, could change his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this stubborn fool was a master alchemist; without Jiang Cheng, the pharmacy would become nothing but a middleman selling medicines, a laughingstock to the other six halls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui said he wanted to try again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng spoke one sentence, then stared intently at the pill in his hand for a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He muttered under his breath: “Wrong, wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked every bit the alchemical fanatic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Qinghe branch pharmacy had seventh-rank pills, those were sent from the main branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In all of Qinghe, the most skilled alchemist could barely produce eighth-rank pills—and even then, in minuscule quantities—so Jiang Cheng was already among the very top tier of alchemists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, they would never have tolerated his arrogance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An alchemist capable of crafting eighth-rank pills was just as sought-after as an eighth-rank martial cultivator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So even though Xu Xiang was furious, he dared not lay a hand on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Jiang Cheng was muttering to himself—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui suddenly spoke: “The heat control is off. If you refined thirteen breaths longer, the pill’s efficacy would increase by thirty percent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng’s eyes lit up:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thirteen breaths—yes, thirteen breaths!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had refined this Yang Pill countless times, strictly following the formula, yet the results were always subpar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had pondered for days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still could not find the reason for failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, someone had spoken the truth in one sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng finally took a serious look at Li Rui: “You’re… the Tangzhu of Tianyi Hall? You understand alchemy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remembered Xu Xiang introducing Li Rui just now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui shook his head: “I don’t understand alchemy, but due to my cultivation technique, my eyesight is sharp.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng immediately became interested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alchemy, beyond understanding herbs and their properties, hinges critically on controlling heat during refinement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the furnace walls block the view inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heat control relies entirely on experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Tianyi Hall Tangzhu didn’t know alchemy, yet he could perceive the pill’s condition and accurately name the refinement time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such eyesight was extraordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on his years of alchemical experience, Jiang Cheng judged that Li Rui’s thirteen-breath estimate was ninety percent correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng stood up, unusually composed: “What pill did you say you wanted refined?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui’s lips curled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Got him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Technical specialists like this could only be won over by offering them real help in alchemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most alchemists could only judge by smelling the pill’s aroma or opening the furnace—both methods were inaccurate and risked leaking spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui had the Spirit Eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he could directly observe changes in spiritual matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now, the quantity of spiritual matter had dropped sharply in an instant—undoubtedly the moment for pill formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could pinpoint it within half a breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such terrifying heat control was irresistible to any alchemist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d like to ask Elder Jiang to refine a batch of pills for me. I’ll provide the spirit herbs—any type, as long as it’s a spirit pill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Jiang Cheng abandoned his earlier refusal and agreed instantly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I have one condition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Say it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t take payment for labor—just have you come to the alchemy chamber every day to assist me. In return, you can have any pills I refine for free.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Xiang’s eyes widened in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng was so proud; even when he agreed to refine, his labor fee was usually over a hundred silver taels—but now he refused silver entirely, asking only that Li Rui stay in the alchemy chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Truly, one must have a special skill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, it was Li Rui who refused: “No. I’m busy. I’ll come once every seven days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng frowned: “Seven days is too long. Three.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui turned without hesitation: “Tangzhu Xu, no need to trouble you further. Farewell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turn of events came too fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One moment Li Rui was pleading for help, the next he was walking out the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Rui truly leave,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng panicked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alchemists were rare, but people with Li Rui’s eyesight were rarer still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Li Rui’s help, he might even refine a seventh-rank spirit pill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t let this slip away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine. Seven days it is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui paused, turned with a smile: “Deal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This bargaining tactic—like haggling over hay—worked anywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly wondered if he’d been had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since he’d spoken, he couldn’t take it back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Xiang stared, dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Jiang, who never let anyone get the better of him in the branch, had just been completely outmaneuvered by Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What followed was much simpler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui first thanked Xu Xiang for the introduction, promising to speak well of him before Assistant Regional Commander Zhang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Xu Xiang left satisfied,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He handed Jiang Cheng the spirit herbs he’d acquired from the black market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also offered: if Jiang Cheng was willing to refine immediately, he could freely watch the heat control for an entire night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the overwhelming power of the words “free of charge,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng quickly plunged into refining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui had to admit: Jiang Cheng truly had talent in alchemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Worth cultivating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alchemists like Jiang Cheng brought many benefits once befriended, so Li Rui paid even closer attention to the heat control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the main reason was that the pills in the furnace were his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dawn,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pale streak of white appeared on the horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sound like bursting bamboo echoed through the alchemy chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Success!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng joyfully lifted the furnace lid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six round pills, each the size of a thumb, pitch-black and shimmering with strange golden luster, rested quietly on the central tray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng picked up the pills, held them to his nose, and sniffed for a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overjoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strength of this batch of Strong-Body Pills had increased by at least thirty percent compared to previous attempts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The medicinal herbs remained unchanged, and so did the alchemical technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By controlling variables, it was easy to determine that these three-tenths were all Li Rui’s achievement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Cheng handed all the pills straight into Li Rui’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a single coin taken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he wasn’t empty-handed—he had recorded the precise timing of successful pill formation, and his alchemy had improved considerably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was worth more than a whole batch of pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui stared at the six spirit pills in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt it was unreal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he cursed inwardly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unscrupulous middleman!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1213,"2026-06-19T22:01:09.077Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8486fd1a586c50da96838af6a8e886806eb13f47e89d3e4aca80794bf6c174b9","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-76","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-74",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternal-green-immortal-sovereign-cover.jpg"]