Chapter 47: Alchemy Skills Make Major Progress

The winter of Yunze Dahuang arrived once more.

Gray mist shrouded the mountains, and the cold wind howled fiercely.

Heavy snow fell over Qingyang Marketplace, yet it could not dampen the enthusiasm of the free cultivators.

The streets teemed with crowds, bustling and lively.

Several months ago, Lingyu Gate and Jin Yun Valley began issuing tasks in sequence.

As long as one completed the sect’s assigned tasks according to regulations, they would receive the promised generous rewards.

There were tasks supporting the front-line war camps, fighting against barbarian cultivators.

There were tasks to travel to Wufeng Mountain and construct Yunze Immortal City.

There were also tasks to hunt and exterminate various demonic beasts and gather spiritual herbs and materials.

A series of high-reward bounties targeting “Tribulation Cultivators” had even been posted—overall, extremely generous.

Among these tasks, the highest bounty was the most alluring: the legendary “Foundation Establishment Elixir.”

But its difficulty, naturally, was easy to imagine.

For an ordinary free cultivator to participate in such tasks was tantamount to seeking death.

Yet the free cultivators still rushed forward one after another to claim them, like moths flying into flames.

Beneath this wave of task recruitment, various cultivator groups around Qingyang Marketplace gradually emerged in droves.

They began forming teams for joint expeditions.

Qin Ming had no interest whatsoever in these tasks.

He remained as steady as an old dog, cultivating alone in his room.

He silently gazed at the [Weak Soul Force] X10 entry in his spiritual sea.

He decided to strengthen his soul today.

Qin Ming’s mind shifted, and one white word-leaf vanished.

Instantly.

A searing, unbearable swelling pain surged into his mind, as if something were violently tearing within his spiritual sea.

Hum～ When he came to his senses, sweat drenched his forehead.

“I didn’t expect strengthening the soul would hurt this much,” Qin Ming gritted his teeth, his face pale.

Yet he clearly sensed his soul had grown significantly stronger.

“Nine more left!”

Qin Ming hardened his resolve and continued using the [Weak Soul Force] entries.

……

Three days later.

After using all ten [Weak Soul Force] entries, Qin Ming’s soul force had more than doubled from its original level.

His current soul strength was likely two to three times that of cultivators at the same realm.

“Let me try refining again with Su Yuqing.”

Qin Ming felt the strengthened soul, as if his confidence had returned to him.

In Su Yuqing’s house in the shantytown.

“Brother Qin, I advise you to give up—you truly lack the talent for alchemy.”

“Why do you persist like this?”

Seeing Qin Ming’s stubborn determination, Su Yuqing tried to reason with him.

Qin Ming smiled faintly and replied, “I’d like to try one last time.”

“Fine, then do as you wish. Sigh.”

Su Yuqing, seeing he couldn’t dissuade him, let it be.

He sat down, brewed another pot of spiritual tea, and began sipping it.

Qin Ming entered the alchemy chamber.

He placed all the prepared spiritual herbs and materials on the table.

Then he began extracting the medicinal base.

This time, he intended to refine a Rank One Low-grade elixir—Soul-Returning Pill.

Qin Ming discovered that, with his strengthened soul, alchemy proceeded unusually smoothly.

The differences were obvious in the steps of extracting the medicinal base and blending ingredients.

It flowed almost effortlessly.

Qin Ming opened the fire valve.

Boom! Flames surged up from below.

Qin Ming began evenly heating the alchemy furnace according to the Fire Control techniques in the “Fire Timing Chapter.”

When the timing was right, he waved his hand.

The pre-mixed medicinal base within the vessel flew into the furnace under his will.

Qin Ming focused his mind, controlling the fire while merging the medicinal base.

Time passed slowly.

……

Outside.

Su Yuqing sipped his tea, occasionally glancing into the alchemy chamber.

He didn’t care whether Qin Ming could produce a Low-grade elixir—he worried that if Qin Ming lost control, he might blow up his house. “Sigh～ What a fool, why won’t he listen?” “How deep is his obsession?”

“I told you—it’s impossible.”

Su Yuqing shook his head and sighed, then lifted his cup and took a sip.

Jiu! At that moment, a crisp crack echoed from the alchemy chamber. “Puff!”

Su Yuqing spat out his tea.

His face twisted in disbelief. “No way—success on the first try?”

He immediately rose and rushed into the alchemy chamber.

A fragrant elixir scent filled the air.

Inside the furnace lay five green-colored pills, fully formed.

Qin Ming waved his hand, and the five Soul-Returning Pills landed in his palm.

“This—this—this—you succeeded?”

Su Yuqing could hardly believe it.

He knew that even with his own talent, his progress in refining Low-grade elixirs had been roughly the same as Qin Ming’s now.

“Heh, just luck!” Qin Ming beamed, his heart surging with excitement—finally, success! This meant he had officially become a Rank One Low-grade Alchemist.

Hearing this,

Su Yuqing suddenly looked enlightened. “Ah, right—you’ve only studied for a short while. Probably just a lucky fluke.”

Qin Ming placed the five Soul-Returning Pills into a jade vial and stored them.

“Brother Su, I’d like to try refining a Qi Condensation Pill.”

Su Yuqing frowned—he thought Qin Ming was reaching too far.

“Brother Qin, think carefully—Qi Condensation Pills are for mid-Qi Refining cultivators to increase their base. Their difficulty far exceeds that of Soul-Returning Pills.”

“Don’t rush.”

But Qin Ming insisted: “I still want to try.”

“Do as you please—I’m not the one wasting my spirit stones.”

With that, Su Yuqing returned to his tea.

Qin Ming cleaned the furnace and prepared to refine the Qi Condensation Pill.

The formula and steps for the Qi Condensation Pill were deeply etched in his mind.

All procedures proceeded methodically.

……

Su Yuqing held his teacup, his attention entirely fixed on the alchemy chamber.

“Puff!”

A muffled explosion came from the chamber, followed by the stench of burnt herbs.

“Sigh—I told you, you can’t be lucky every time. Brother Qin still won’t believe me.”

“One batch of Soul-Returning Pills gave him false confidence.”

Su Yuqing shook his head as he spoke.

Inside the alchemy chamber.

Qin Ming rested his chin in his hand, staring at the furnace, his face showing no great discouragement.

He carefully recalled every detail of the previous refining process, each step vividly replaying in his mind.

Qin Ming narrowed his eyes, a flash of insight gleaming within them.

He seemed to have understood something.

He immediately restarted the furnace.

An hour passed.

“Puchī~” A muffled sound echoed from the alchemy chamber.

Su Yuqing stuffed a bite of pastry into her mouth and shook her head helplessly.

“Failed again.” Qin Ming frowned, gesturing with his hand to draw the several ruined pills from the furnace into his palm, examining them closely.

Suddenly, a faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.

As Qin Ming stared closely, he saw that the pill in his hand had already taken shape over half its form.

“Just a little more.”

……

Qin Ming began his third attempt at refining the Qi Condensation Pill.

He felt it firsthand.

With the strengthening of his spiritual soul, his ability to precisely control the dosage of herbal essences, ingredient ratios, and flame control had improved dramatically.

Now, when extracting herbal essences or mixing ingredients, he could do so with perfect accuracy, without the slightest error.

Time passed slowly.

Su Yuqing, growing bored, was about to rise and prepare a meal.

Jiu! A crystal-clear cry rang out from his alchemy chamber.

Su Yuqing froze as if struck by lightning, her body locked in place, her foot lifted but unable to move forward.

……

(End of Chapter)