Chapter 14: First-Rank Alchemist

Li Zhiwei was merely an Inner Sect Disciple.

How could she have the leisure to teach a greenhorn who hadn't even entered the path of alchemy?

Chen Zhao knew this well.

After bowing deeply in thanks, he read for half a while outside the room, then summoned his Pill Furnace.

Less than half a stick of incense.

A faint smell of burning drifted from the furnace.

"Your technique is decent, but your Qi control is insufficient."

Li Zhiwei glanced at him and remarked offhandedly.

"Thank you, Senior Sister, for your guidance."

Chen Zhao panted heavily and sincerely thanked her. Read novels on TianTianKanXiaoShuo, ttks. tw — effortless.

His Qi control was naturally insufficient!

He had deliberately drained his internal Qi, leaving less than one-tenth remaining; his hands were trembling now.

Zhao Dehai could discern the truth of his movements—could Li Zhiwei not?

If not for that, he would have been exposed long ago.

"Your talent is acceptable; with three more months of hard practice, you should be able to produce pills."

Li Zhiwei flicked her finger.

She tossed him a Qi-Replenishing Pill and encouraged him:

"Take this pill. Practice more in the future."

Feeling the lingering warmth of the pill, Chen Zhao found it strange.

Previously, he had always been the one bringing opportunities to Senior Sister Li, earning her rewards.

Yet now, merely by diligently practicing alchemy, he was being gifted a pill she had personally crafted?

After triple-checking it.

He flipped it into his Storage Bag.

Seeing this, Li Zhiwei fell silent.

"Even this little pill you're saving?"

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister, but slow birds must fly early—I'd like to trade it for some Condensing Qi Grass to practice with."

Chen Zhao scratched his head and smiled, innocent and guileless.

The pill's quality was quite high.

How could he dare eat it?

Once his hands stopped trembling and his Qi stabilized, if he truly managed to produce a pill, he'd be exposed.

He breathed in and out, replenishing his Qi, and continued alchemy.

For two consecutive months.

Chen Zhao practiced alchemy under Senior Sister's watchful eyes.

He had shown clear "progress."

"It's time to let Senior Sister see the 'results.'"

Chen Zhao calculated the timing.

He clumsily produced a vial of Qi Gathering Powder.

He needed to showcase his specialty and attract Senior Sister's investment, but not so well that suspicion fell on his hidden inheritance.

"First successful pill—with a fifty percent success rate? You've got a modest talent."

Li Zhiwei nodded slightly, a faint hint of approval on her face:

"But your growth rate is impressive. When you reach Qi Refining fourth layer, come here to assist with alchemy."

"It's all thanks to Senior Sister's excellent teaching,"

Chen Zhao said without blushing, bowing with hands clasped:

"Though, I have a humble request..."

"Speak."

"Could you please keep this secret for me? And could I sell some of the pills I've made under your name?"

"Younger Brother, I know you're cautious—I can agree to the first."

Li Zhiwei chuckled lightly, her tone laced with amusement:

"But a petty thief steals gold, a great bandit steals a nation, while a heart-thief... steals peace. You've been careful at every step—now that you've become an Alchemist, even your sectmates must weigh their words around you. It's time you faced some storms."

"As for your second request, I'll agree once your pill quality matches mine."

Hearing this,

Chen Zhao's lips twitched slightly.

This was a roundabout way of saying.

That he was incompetent and shouldn't ruin Senior Sister's reputation.

"Can't ride on Senior Sister's coattails—then I'll settle for second best."

After bidding farewell to Senior Sister, Chen Zhao sighed.

"I'll just dilute it for now, then gradually increase the proportion of high-quality pills later."

He poured out a small vial of Qi Gathering Powder made with the Nine Revolutions Controlling Essence Technique and mixed it with the "defective" pills he'd used for show.

He filled three vials total.

He took them to Wan Bao Lou to sell.

"Brother, did you just... successfully refine Qi Gathering Powder?"

Chen Qingmeng opened the bottle and sniffed it:

"Most are fairly standard, but a few pills are well-made. Four low-grade Spirit Stones per bottle—how about it?"

Registered Disciples are mostly poor; when they have pills, they consume them themselves and never sell them.

Chen Zhao once bought a Pill Furnace; now he's selling pills—he's almost certainly an Alchemist.

"Please, Brother, don't spread the word."

"How many eyes are watching this place? Does it matter whether I speak or stay silent?"

Chen Zhao let out a bitter laugh at this.

Then,

he changed the subject:

"By the way, Brother, do you still have any 'practice-made' Pill Furnaces?"

"Why would I waste time making so many? Where's the last one? Bring it out and let me see."

Chen Qingmeng gave him a disapproving look and replied irritably:

Chen Zhao patted his Storage Bag and released the Pill Furnace:

"It exploded a few times during alchemy—can it be repaired?"

Chen Qingmeng tapped and inspected it from all sides, then nodded:

"It can be fixed. Five low-grade Spirit Stones. If you add sixty more, I can even upgrade its grade."

Upgrade its grade?

But it was already a half-finished product—thinking about it, that made sense.

Unfortunately, Chen Zhao was short on funds and had no First-grade Mid-tier Spirit Pill Prescription; even if upgraded, the furnace would have no use, so he gave up.

Five days later.

Chen Zhao retrieved the repaired Pill Furnace and bought six stalks of Condensing Qi Grass.

He returned to his Cave Abode.

"I've used two bottles of the good-quality Qi Gathering Powder; now I have too few inferior ones—I need to refine them slightly."

Chen Zhao tossed the Condensing Qi Grass into the furnace.

He lit the fire and began alchemy.

Half a month later.

Another summer arrived.

Chen Zhao walked back from Wan Bao Lou to his Cave Abode.

"Twelve bottles of Qi Gathering Powder exchanged for sixty low-grade Spirit Stones—pills really are valuable."

He improved the ratio of good-quality to inferior pills from nine to one to five to one, and the price immediately rose.

"Too bad—Qi Gathering Powder is still just a Qi Refining stage-initial pill. No matter how well you refine it, the price won't skyrocket."

He weighed his options in his mind.

Even if he sold only the good-quality pills, they wouldn't fetch more than eight low-grade Spirit Stones.

That was dictated by supply and demand.

He suspected that within a year, he'd have to seek out another Spirit Pill Prescription and refine a Qi Refining mid-stage pill.

"Alchemist Chen? Why are you back so early today?"

A seductive giggle, piercing and alluring, echoed from within the cave.

The visitor needed no introduction.

Su Wanyao lifted her ivory-white legs, lowered her slender frame, and looked up at him with raised eyes.

Her robes clung to her body, dampened by sweat, revealing a vast expanse of snowy skin along her back, while two massive mounds pressed against her thighs, trembling and threatening to burst free of her clothing.

Chen Zhao smiled, taking in the scene fully.

Yet his words were:

"Sister Su, don't bother with your coaxing—I never took sides before, and I won't now."

Su Wanyao smiled faintly, her face showing no anger, only a deeper smile.

Liu Chen, hearing Su Wanyao call him "Alchemist Chen," first frowned, but after hearing "won't take sides," his expression softened slightly.

He feared that if Chen Zhao aligned himself, the Su Family's resources would shift toward him.

"Good. I naturally trust Alchemist Chen."

Su Wanyao licked her lips and changed the subject:

"But Alchemist Chen, you've misunderstood—we're here to give you a surprise."

A surprise?

"What kind of surprise?"

This time, it was Chen Zhao's turn to be baffled.

Of the four of them—Liu Su, one and all—weren't they all bad omens?

"I noticed you prefer solitude, but after alchemy, others inevitably peek."

Su Wanyao nodded toward the door, her tone alluring:

"The surprise is—we happen to have a Formation Master who can draw an Array for you at a thirty-percent discount."

Chen Zhao looked toward the door.

Indeed.

Not just because of Zhao Dehai—right now, there were still many watching eyes.

An Array can aid cultivation and also protect against surveillance.

But would they be so kind?

"What's the cost?"