Chapter 14: First Glimpse of the Alchemy Dao

On this day, Alchemist Su came visiting once again.

Qin Ming not only cooked a pot of Golden Spirit Rice, but also prepared fine wine and dishes for the reception.

He had recently earned quite a few spirit stones from selling spirit rice.

The spirit stone pouch that had been flat last year was now puffed up again, holding a good two hundred-plus spirit stones.

For a mere Qi Refining cultivator like him, this was already a rather considerable sum of income.

He had also specially bought some demon beast meat to go with the wine. Some decent-quality demon beast meat, once eaten, could not only replenish qi and blood, but also offered certain benefits to cultivation.

As for the price, though — it was a bit touching. From their several encounters, Qin Ming had gradually come to understand Alchemist Su's character.

Although he carried a natural air of pride in his bones, he was still quite easy to get along with.

In daily life, Alchemist Su would occasionally mention a few questions about the art of alchemy with Qin Ming.

From Alchemist Su's words, Qin Ming could sense that the man's talent for alchemy was truly extraordinary.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to have reached the to mid-grade alchemist stage at such a young age.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, I'm not here this time to buy spirit rice from you, but to propose another transaction with you." Alchemist Su took a bite of food, raised his wine cup, tossed his head back and drained it, then stated his purpose.

Qin Ming couldn't help but feel greatly curious, secretly thinking: 'I'm nothing but an ordinary spirit farmer — what transaction could this Alchemist Su possibly have with me besides buying spirit rice?'

"Alchemist Su, what exactly is the matter?" Qin Ming also drank a cup of wine, unable to suppress his curiosity.

"I'm preparing to refine a type of pill, and will need large quantities of Yin Condensing Flowers going forward. I'd like to ask you to help cultivate them." Alchemist Su said with a solemn expression.

"Yin Condensing Flowers?"

In Qin Ming's mind, a spiritual plant resembling an orchid immediately appeared — its blooms looked as if condensed from frost, with pale yellow stamens.

The Yin Condensing Flower was a first-grade spiritual plant, with a maturation cycle of around one year and a flowering period of roughly seven days; its flowers could be used as medicine for alchemy.

Qin Ming had once seen this flower in a spiritual plant book he had bought previously.

He had quite an impression of it.

But he had heard Alchemist Su mention that this Yin Condensing Flower could serve as an auxiliary material for refining the first-grade high-grade pill 'Marrow Washing Pill'.

The Marrow Washing Pill was a breakthrough pill used in the late stage of Qi Refining — exceedingly rare, priceless yet unobtainable on the market, and extremely expensive.

'Could it be—'

'He's preparing to break through to high-grade alchemist?!'

Once Qin Ming connected the dots, he had basically figured out what pill Alchemist Su was planning to refine.

However, why didn't Alchemist Su find a spiritual planter from the Feather Spirit Sect to cultivate them? Instead, he came to a mere spirit farmer like him?

Qin Ming voiced the question in his heart.

"Heh heh, I'm Su, used to being a free spirit — I dislike the constraints of a sect. If I asked the Feather Spirit Sect to cultivate them, it would inevitably become an entangled mess." Alchemist Su explained unhurriedly.

"I see." Qin Ming nodded, then poured Alchemist Su more wine.

"But this Yin Condensing Flower is a first-grade spiritual plant, and I've never grown it before — I'm afraid—"

Qin Ming first showed a hint of hesitation, then said frankly.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, you jest. If you could successfully cultivate a spiritual plant like Beast Fang Rice, then I believe the Yin Condensing Flower naturally won't stump you either." Alchemist Su looked at Qin Ming with a half-smile.

"Furthermore, I can provide the spirit seeds for the Yin Condensing Flowers, and once successfully cultivated, I'll purchase them at five spirit stones per plant."

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming's heart pounded wildly — to say he wasn't tempted would be a lie.

At the price Alchemist Su offered, this would be a handsome sum of spirit stone income.

Qin Ming deliberated for a while, then said: "I can give it a try, but I can't guarantee success."

"Besides that, I have a presumptuous request — I wonder if Alchemist Su could grant it?"

"Please speak."

"I'll grow the Yin Condensing Flowers for you, Alchemist Su. Once mature, I'll only take one-tenth; the rest all go to you."

"However... I'd like to learn a trick or two of the art of alchemy from you—"

Qin Ming saw a heaven-sent opportunity laid right before him — how could he possibly not seize it? He didn't expect Alchemist Su to teach him any top-tier alchemy techniques; if he could pick up even a smattering of everyday alchemy basics, he'd be more than content.

If Alchemist Su refused, so be it; but if he agreed, it would be a blood profit.

Alchemist Su was stunned for a moment, looked Qin Ming up and down, then this time said with an exasperated laugh: "So that's what you've been waiting for?"

"But you'd better think this through clearly — the art of alchemy not only burns through spirit stones like crazy, it also demands great talent, and it's not something just anyone can learn."

"Don't blame me later for not warning you."

Hearing the man speak this way, Qin Ming was overjoyed at heart, knowing this matter had a good chance.

First time a stranger, second time an acquaintance — this time it's Yin Condensing Flowers; next time who knows what spiritual herbs Alchemist Su might want grown, and he could get the man to cough up a bit more good stuff.

'Hehehe!'

Qin Ming's thoughts spun wildly, his little abacus clicking away furiously.

"I'm temporarily planning to stay here another three years, so let's do this — you grow spiritual herbs for me for three more years." "I'll trade you some of my alchemy insights in exchange."

Qin Ming's face lit up as he said: "Deal!"

"This is a copy of 'Fundamentals of Alchemy' — the basic medicinal properties and such must be thoroughly mastered. Inside are some of my notes and summaries from when I first learned. You can take it and have a look first." With that, Alchemist Su took out a jade slip and handed it to Qin Ming.

Qin Ming took the jade slip and hurriedly thanked him.

He only glanced at it briefly: 'The Three Essentials of Alchemy are: the furnace-cauldron, the medicines, and the heat control—'

Qin Ming shouldn't have looked — he had assumed it was just an ordinary beginner's book on alchemy.

But once he started reading, he discovered that most of this primer on alchemy actually came from Alchemist Su's own study notes.

The jade slip divided the fundamentals of alchemy into three major chapters.

The first was 'Chapter on Furnace-Cauldrons', covering how different spirit pills required different furnace-cauldrons to refine, along with their specific functions — when to shift the furnace, when to switch the cauldron, and so on.

The 'Chapter on Medicines' covered the growth habits, environments, and medicinal properties of various spirit materials and herbs, as well as how to combine different medicines — Alchemist Su had also annotated some of his own notes.

The 'Chapter on Heat Control' mainly recorded how to regulate and apply the fire during alchemy, as well as the different grades of alchemical flames.

Overall, this foundational alchemy treatise within Master Su's jade slip was highly systematic and detailed.

'Even if I have to farm land for him for three years, just for this book, it would be worth it!'

Qin Ming happily stored away the jade slip, then picked up his wine cup to offer a toast to Master Su.

Having reached an agreement, the two continued their meal.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Just then.

A knocking sound rang out from outside Qin Ming's door.

"Master Su, please continue eating; I'll go open the door."

He called out, then set down his bowl and chopsticks, stood up, and went to open the door.

As soon as the door opened.

The visitor turned out to be Fellow Daoist Long.

Qin Ming hurriedly welcomed him inside, "Fellow Daoist Long, please come in quickly; we happen to be eating, so why not join us for a bite?"

Fellow Daoist Long furrowed his brows and got straight to the point: "No need; I've come this time just as usual, merely to purchase some spiritual rice. I won't—"

Before he could finish his sentence.

He saw a young figure clad in white robes sitting at the table, eating.

It was none other than Master Su.

His heart involuntarily jolted, and a strange expression appeared on his face.

'How could Master Su be here? And even eating together with him?'

Fellow Daoist Long went over and exchanged greetings with Master Su.

But he did not sit down.

He glanced at the dishes on the dining table; it was all spiritual rice, spiritual wine, and demonic beast meat. Just this single meal probably cost no less than five spirit stones.

'What is their relationship? It seems I have underestimated this Fellow Daoist Qin!'

Even he could not bear to eat like this every day, and in his heart, he found himself unable to fathom Qin Ming.

"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Qin, I won't stay for the meal; I still have some matters to attend to."

Seeing that the other party had little desire to stay for dinner, Qin Ming immediately took a bag of spiritual rice from his storage pouch and handed it to Fellow Daoist Long.

"The usual rules; here are eighty jin of spiritual rice. Please inspect it, Fellow Daoist Long."

Fellow Daoist Long took the spiritual rice, weighed it briefly in his hand, then stored it in his storage pouch. Immediately after, he took out twenty spirit stones and handed them to Qin Ming.

After purchasing the spiritual rice, Fellow Daoist Long exchanged a few pleasantries with the two before departing.

Having seen Fellow Daoist Long off at the door.

Qin Ming returned to his seat at the dining table.

"Hehe, it seems Fellow Daoist Qin has been making a great fortune recently from the spiritual rice business!" Master Su said teasingly as he picked up a piece of food and sent it into his mouth.

"Just barely making a living; although the market price for spiritual rice has risen slightly recently, compared to Master Su, it is not worth mentioning," Qin Ming replied modestly.

With wine and food satisfying their hunger and thirst.

Master Su took out a small packet of Yin-Ning Flower spirit seeds, handed them to Qin Ming, and instructed: "I will rent a plot of land near your spiritual field; when the time comes, you can simply plant them there."

Qin Ming carefully stored the spirit seeds and nodded in agreement.

He pondered silently, wondering whether these first-grade Yin-Ning Flowers would be able to generate an attribute entry?

(End of Chapter)