Chapter 146: Cultivating Foundation Establishment Pills

Qin Ming returned to his cave dwelling.

He first took out the notes on cultivating Foundation Establishment pills that Su Yuqing had sent him, carefully studying them over and over again.

As for the method of cultivating Foundation Establishment pills, he had long since memorized it thoroughly.

Qin Ming couldn't help but sigh.

Su Yuqing truly deserved his reputation as a prodigy in alchemy—his notes meticulously marked every critical point and each step requiring caution in cultivating Foundation Establishment pills.

He had already paved the way for Qin Ming with his own experience.

With Su Yuqing's experience and notes, Qin Ming's chances of successfully cultivating Foundation Establishment pills had increased significantly.

After all, this pill was the very elixir that low-level cultivators spent their entire lives striving to obtain.

Although the difficulty of cultivation wasn't extremely high, the challenge lay in acquiring the spiritual materials.

Even among ordinary second-rank alchemists, few could successfully cultivate Foundation Establishment pills.

Even someone as formidable as Second-Rank Superior alchemist Sun Dadan occasionally failed when cultivating Foundation Establishment pills.

No one could guarantee a hundred percent success rate.

The six sets of spiritual materials Qin Ming held could support him in cultivating over a dozen batches of pills.

Because cultivating one batch of Foundation Establishment pills doesn't require an entire herb—only a portion, according to the formula's proportions.

But once a herb is cut open, its medicinal properties begin to leak, so they're always sold whole.

Qin Ming took out all the prepared spiritual materials and arranged them beside him.

Including the three main ingredients and numerous auxiliary materials, there were a total of thirty-six jade boxes.

Before beginning alchemy.

He didn't rush to attempt cultivating Foundation Establishment pills immediately; instead, he first practiced his touch by cultivating a batch of Youth-Preserving Pills.

This was one of the small techniques Su Yuqing had told Qin Ming about.

Before officially beginning to cultivate Foundation Establishment pills, one could first cultivate a similarly difficult pill—first, to quickly enter the proper state and find the rhythm.

Second, it served to warm the furnace.

An hour later, a batch of Youth-Preserving Pills was successfully completed, yielding three pills of excellent quality.

He was now in the zone.

Qin Ming calmed his mind, quieted his spirit, and expelled all distractions.

"Begin!"

He began cultivating Foundation Establishment pills.

Qin Ming raised his hand, and all the jade boxes opened automatically.

Then he took out a piece of Jade Marrow Fungus and carefully peeled off a portion.

Following the proportions listed in the Foundation Establishment pill formula, he extracted the medicinal paste.

Soon after.

Qin Ming's powerful spiritual sense spread out, and clusters of medicinal paste floated in the air around him.

Whether in quantity or extraction precision, he handled everything perfectly.

The process of extracting the medicinal paste flowed like water, smooth beyond expectation.

Next, Qin Ming used his spiritual sense to mix the medicinal liquid.

After a stick of incense burned.

A pale blue medicinal liquid appeared before him.

Qin Ming began controlling the Soul-Devouring Toxic Flame to evenly heat the alchemy furnace, then poured the prepared medicinal liquid into it.

Immediately, his spiritual sense sank into the furnace, observing the changes within.

His expression grew more serious than ever before.

This was the most critical step—success or failure hinged entirely on whether the blending of the medicinal liquids proceeded smoothly.

However.

Just as Qin Ming was about to activate the Fusion Technique to forcibly separate and recombine the medicinal liquid into pills.

The next instant.

The purple furnace began trembling violently.

Qin Ming's expression tightened.

Bad—this was the sign of an impending explosion! He immediately intensified his spiritual sense, forcing the medicinal liquid inside to stabilize.

Puff!

A muffled sound came from within the alchemy furnace.

Immediately, a choking cloud of gray smoke billowed out.

Clearly, the first attempt had failed.

Qin Ming's expression remained calm, serene as still water—this was exactly what he had anticipated.

He carefully recalled the entire process.

He removed the black-gray medicinal residue from the furnace and spread it out for inspection.

The near-explosion had occurred because several herbs with conflicting medicinal properties had violently clashed during the blending phase.

Qin Ming cleared away the residue and cleaned the furnace thoroughly.

He then began his second attempt.

Not long after.

Another muffled failure sound came from within the alchemy furnace.

This time, he had nearly brought the medicinal liquid to fusion—but still fell short at the final moment.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.

Royal jelly has the ability to neutralize medicinal properties; adding a small amount during alchemy can increase the success rate by one to two tenths.

That effect was remarkable—if it worked for ordinary pills, it should work for Foundation Establishment pills too.

Should he try it?

He acted on impulse.

Qin Ming reopened the furnace and began alchemy again.

Time passed unnoticed, another two hours gone.

It was deep into the night.

Inside Qin Ming's cave dwelling, a faint blue glow still burned.

The third attempt at alchemy had reached the stage of blending the medicinal liquid.

Qin Ming sent a thread of spiritual sense to guide a few drops of royal jelly into the prepared Foundation Establishment liquid.

Instantly.

The previously turbulent medicinal liquid calmed down, becoming soft and stable.

"It actually works!"

Qin Ming's heart leapt with joy, yet he dared not relax for a moment.

The medicinal liquid inside the furnace fused successfully and began slowly solidifying into pills.

Just as the pill formation was about to fail.

Qin Ming activated the Fusion Technique from the Yin-Yang Separation and Union Spirit Control Scripture, forcing the pills to form.

After a moment.

A brilliant blue medicinal liquid appeared inside the furnace, radiating a mesmerizing glow.

Huh—Qin Ming immediately urged the Soul-Devouring Toxic Flame to increase its heat; the temperature inside the cave dwelling surged.

Under Qin Ming's continuous control, the blue medicinal liquid slowly solidified into pills. Half a cup of tea later.

Qin Ming's gaze burned with intensity; he formed a hand seal and pointed at the purple furnace.

Hum—the furnace lid flew open, a rainbow-hued aura burst forth, radiating a dazzling light.

A wave of heat swept through the air.

A fragrant, exotic pill aroma washed over him.

A single brilliant blue pill floated quietly in the center of the furnace.

"Foundation Establishment pill—successfully cultivated!"

Qin Ming's eyes brightened, his face lit up with overwhelming joy.

He reached out and drew the pill into his hand.

Qin Ming picked up the pill and examined it closely.

Feeling the lingering warmth of the Foundation Establishment pill in his palm.

He still couldn't believe he had actually cultivated it himself.

This pill—any single one of which could spark bloody chaos if it left his hands.

Qin Ming took the ordinary-quality Foundation Establishment pill and placed it inside a delicate porcelain vial.

Then he calmed his emotions.

He took a pill to restore his magic power, swallowed it, and meditated for a while.

He adjusted his body and spirit to peak condition.

Prepared to reopen the furnace and cultivate again.

He had only attempted it three times—and already succeeded in one batch.

His confidence surged instantly.

Of course, this was thanks to Su Yuqing's insights.

Qin Ming's goal was naturally not ordinary-quality Foundation Establishment elixirs.

But premium, even Jipin Foundation Establishment elixirs! With his first successful experience, Qin Ming's refining became smoother and more effortless, like a well-worn path.

Time passed slowly.

The fourth and fifth batches still fell short—both failed.

Perhaps the first successful Foundation Establishment elixir had a touch of luck.

But by the sixth and seventh batches,

Qin Ming successfully refined two ordinary-quality Foundation Establishment elixirs in a row.

As his experience and touch improved,

by the ninth batch,

above the purple furnace, an extraordinary phenomenon erupted—seven-colored auroras enveloped it, swirling and lingering without dispersing.

Qin Ming formed the sealing hand signs and opened the furnace; five-colored elixir auroras shot skyward.

He raised his hand and summoned.

A deep-blue Foundation Establishment elixir landed in his palm, radiating a halo of light.

Five Dao patterns now adorned the elixir's surface.

"Premium Foundation Establishment elixir!"

Qin Ming smiled with satisfaction after several consecutive attempts.

He had finally refined a premium-level Foundation Establishment elixir.

An ordinary Foundation Establishment elixir increases the chance of Foundation Establishment by thirty percent.

A premium one raises it to about thirty-five percent.

As for the legendary Jipin Foundation Establishment elixir, it is exceedingly rare across the cultivation world, shattering the very limits of elixir crafting.

It boosts the chance of Foundation Establishment by a full forty percent.

Qin Ming had refined one premium Foundation Establishment elixir after multiple furnace openings—meeting his expectations.

Yet he still had some materials left—enough for roughly four more batches.

He decided to press on with full force.

He immediately resumed refining with intense focus.

Such high-intensity refining tested his spiritual sense and magic power cultivation base.

Anyone else would have collapsed long ago.

For since he began refining,

time had quietly slipped by—three days had passed.

The blue flame within the cave had never ceased.

This was because Su Yuqing had told Qin Ming in his letter that the Foundation Establishment elixir he himself had taken was a Jipin one, refined by his own hands.

The pride in Su Yuqing's words radiated through every line!

Qin Ming naturally refused to accept it.

After repeated failures and relentless attempts,

an extraordinary phenomenon erupted within Qin Ming's cave.

A larger expanse of seven-colored elixir auroras gathered once more above the furnace.

Intense elixir fragrance flooded into Qin Ming's nostrils.

His spiritual sense slipped into the furnace—he saw a deep-blue elixir radiating astonishing light within his vision.

This Jipin Foundation Establishment elixir bore eight Dao patterns.

Qin Ming opened the furnace and summoned the elixir, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

A surge of boldness rose within him.

" Jipin Foundation Establishment elixir! Beyond my best! Hahaha!"

In this high-intensity refining session, Qin Ming exhausted all his spirit materials, yielding five elixirs total.

Three ordinary-level, one premium-level, and one Jipin Foundation Establishment elixir.

If this news spread,

the Lei Yuanzong, Lingyu Gate, the Seven Great Powers, and the Seventy-Two Islands Alliance would all come to attack his Wangyue Island. Before he had sufficient strength, he must remain discreet.

Through this refining, Qin Ming's elixir arts had advanced greatly.

Next came the attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment.

Yet his continuous, sleepless refining had drained his magic power and spiritual sense significantly.

He needed rest and adjustment to approach the breakthrough in peak condition.

One day later.

Qin Ming completed his adjustment—his spirit was bright, his energy invigorated.

He stepped out of the cave.

He arrived before his life-spirit plant, the Evergreen Vine.

As if sensing Qin Ming's thoughts, the entire plant rustled joyfully, trembling with delight.

Qin Ming exhaled a long, deep breath.

Thirty years of cultivation.

After countless trials, he had finally reached this moment.

Thank you to Da Ai Xiao Niao for the 500-coin donation and monthly votes; thank you, great master, thank you, all fellow cultivators.

(End of Chapter)