Chapter 12: Benefit from Opening a Book

Medium Auspicious?

Now I have no choice but to decode it.

Chen Zhao held a Spirit Stone and silently recited the divination interpretation.

【Today's Divination · Medium Auspicious】: While reading *Golden Light Shield*, you grew restless and skipped ahead several pages, discovering that if you take one character per page in sequence, they form a book titled *Nine Turn Controlling Yuan Art*.

Chen Zhao sold his Storage Bag and exchanged it for two Low-grade Spirit Stones.

He found a guesthouse and checked in.

He stroked his chin and opened *Golden Light Shield*.

The book was full of repetitive drivel, its thickness equaling three times that of *Wind Blade Technique*—clearly suspicious.

Take one character per page...

"Meaning: take the first character from page one, the second from page two, and so on..."

Chen Zhao spread out paper and ink, recording each character one by one.

"It's truly a Dan Theory book!"

Chen Zhao, astonished and delighted, immediately immersed himself:

The author was a second-rank Alchemist, capable of refining pills for Qi Refining's peak stage, even Foundation Establishment Pills.

After reading a strange book, he was inspired and, combining his own experience, summarized a set of Alchemy techniques.

Divided into four sections: Dan Theory, Flame Control, Refining Alchemy, and Pill Formation... Each section overturned his understanding from *Basic Dan Theory*.

The author not only synthesized his knowledge of known pills but also recorded his reasoning behind the *Nine Turn Controlling Yuan Art*.

He could be called a genius of unparalleled talent, nearly capable of founding a sect.

Chen Zhao had just begun learning Alchemy and could understand only one-thousandth of it—but even that was enough to make him utterly enchanted, slapping his knee in awe.

"If even this is just a secondhand book, what kind of marvel must the one the author called 'strange' be?"

Chen Zhao was awestruck.

If I don't understand it, I'll just memorize it as a knowledge point.

Noon.

Chen Zhao finished tending his Ling Tian and returned to his Cave Abode from Wan Bao Lou.

He had ten Low-grade Spirit Stones and six Condensing Qi Grasses left.

Last night, he barely understood the first two sections; the later sections, *Refining Alchemy* and *Pill Formation*, were too obscure—he simply couldn't grasp them.

"Fortunately, *Basic Dan Theory* also contains Pill Formation techniques—though not as mysterious as *Nine Turn Controlling Yuan Art*, they'll do."

Light the furnace. Alchemy.

He followed the book's instructions and inscribed a rune into the furnace.

This was the "Controlling Yuan Mark," capable of keeping flame temperature variance within half a degree; paired with Flame Control techniques, he manipulated fire as easily as moving his own limbs.

Though it greatly increased mental strain and Spirit Qi consumption, it was reliable.

He formed a hand seal.

Threads of Spirit Qi drifted into the Controlling Yuan Mark.

This time,

the Spirit Qi input was three times greater than before, yet the flame remained as still as a sleeping child.

Moments later,

the Condensing Qi Grass transformed into pale green medicinal liquid.

Chen Zhao held his breath, slowly placing the Spirit Rice inside.

His heart trembled with anxiety.

Last time, he failed precisely at this step.

His hand seals shifted, and the flame instantly split into two, each with different temperatures.

Left: melting the Spirit Rice. Right: simmering the medicinal liquid.

This was one technique from *Nine Turn Controlling Yuan Art*—if perfected, it could process multiple herbs with differing properties simultaneously.

But it required the Alchemist to focus on multiple tasks at once, each with full attention.

Chen Zhao's head throbbed as if about to split.

It felt as if a sharp axe had cleaved him in two—two versions of himself were refining pills at once.

Spirit Qi consumption quadrupled!

His Nourishing Qi Art was pushed to its limit; his internal Spirit Qi dwindled to only three-tenths.

His fingertips did not pause, instantly switching to the Pill Formation technique from *Basic Dan Theory*.

Pill Formation!

The furnace flame vanished instantly.

Simultaneously, threads of Spirit Qi flowed into the pill, releasing a faint herbal fragrance.

In moments,

Chen Zhao exhaled slowly and lifted the furnace lid.

Success!

The previous master's notes were incredibly useful—they saved him countless detours.

Though barely enough to fill one vial, the pill's quality was excellent.

Three-tenths better than those sold at Wan Bao Lou!

He had only just begun!

If he could fully integrate the last two sections, the output and quality he could achieve were beyond imagination.

Half a month later.

"In plain terms, you surround the pill embryo with spirit liquid, compress and reshape it over the first three rounds, infuse the spirit liquid into the embryo over the middle three rounds, and repair its cracks over the final three rounds..."

Chen Zhao recalled the content of the "Refining Alchemy" chapter.

Is this plain terms?

He was only at Qi Refining Third Layer, not Foundation Establishment Stage—where would he get spirit liquid?

Chen Zhao sighed softly.

Fortunately, Refining Alchemy was merely icing on the cake.

He had already mastered the content of the "Pill Condensation" chapter.

The failure rate dropped sharply to thirty percent, and the quality of the finished pills was twice that of Wan Bao Lou's.

"That's true—Wan Bao Lou's Qi Gathering Powder is made by a First-grade Alchemist, while this method comes from a Second-grade Alchemist's study notes; if it can't crush them, it would truly be embarrassing."

Chen Zhao stretched lazily.

He looked at the table.

Six Condensing Qi Grasses had been turned into eleven bottles of Qi Gathering Powder.

"Once I reach Qi Refining Fourth Layer, this stuff will be useless—I can sell the extra pills, but I can't say I made them."

Chen Zhao thought to himself.

If others found out, they might seize his inheritance.

Better to say I assisted Sister Li in alchemy and she gave them to me as a gift.

He put away the pills and prepared to practice the "Golden Light Shield."

"Brother Chen!"

Zheng Daocai rushed into the cave, panting, holding a hammer in his hand:

"Did you get the quest?"

"I got a quest—what, weren't you queuing up long ago? Didn't you get one?"

Seeing him flustered, Chen Zhao asked in confusion.

"I thought I'd hit the jackpot, but the client suddenly canceled it—Liu Chen's was canceled too."

Zheng Daocai thumped his thigh:

"According to Su Wanyao, all the clients are from her sister's side—they set this up as a trap to lure us in, then immediately revoked the Su Family's quest."

"Too bad my quest only requires one person—I can't help you."

Chen Zhao patted Zheng Daocai on the shoulder.

"No, I just got another quest—it was posted by Mu Qing sister, and she wants you to join."

Zheng Daocai waved his hand.

He leaned close to Chen Zhao's ear and whispered:

"Go to Fulong Mountain to gather herbs—every six Soul-Returning Grasses earns three Low-grade Spirit Stones."

He raised an eyebrow.

Chen Zhao shook his head.

The mountain has plenty of demonic beasts—if real danger arises, this guy will abandon me without hesitation.

Besides,

These two sisters—I can't offend either one; siding with either carries risk.

But from Zheng Daocai's expression...

"You want to work with Su Muqing?"

"Of course."

Zheng Daocai grinned and said:

"That girl's an Alchemist! I took the quest and immediately got a bottle of Qi Gathering Powder!"

"Besides,"

He raised the hammer,

"This is a Low-grade Dharma Treasure, made by Chen Qingmeng of the Spirit Artifact Hall—borrow and return anytime!"

Chen Qingmeng?

Isn't that the pavilion disciple on the first floor of Wan Bao Lou?

"Rumor has it he received the inheritance of a Second-grade Refining Master—his future is limitless."

Zheng Daocai said with glowing enthusiasm.

Chen Zhao froze upon hearing this.

He thought of that "chicken pecking earthworm" Pill Furnace.

Ugly as it was, it did work.

"But I'm used to being a free spirit—I don't want to rush into picking sides."

Chen Zhao waved him off.

"You're holding out for a better offer? Listen to me, brother,"

Zheng Daocai's eyes flickered with surprise, and he spoke earnestly:

"Su Wanyao just entered the Outer Disciple ranks—her sister won't let her settle in. Both sides are desperate for people right now; jumping in now brings the greatest profit."

"They're courting you because of your Three Spirit Roots, and secondly, to use you to draw me in—so they can lure that nonexistent Alchemist into their net. Once I'm in, they'll offer you a lower price."

Chen Zhao nodded slightly.

His analysis was sharp—and he truly had Chen Zhao's interests at heart.

Only that.

He had no intention of getting involved at all.

Meanwhile.

【Divination Lines have been refreshed】

【Today's Divination Lines·Unlucky】: Avoid opening the furnace; resolving the divination requires one Low-grade Spirit Stone.