Chapter 300: He's Engaging in a Loss-Making Deal

It's just an idea; whether it's feasible or not still needs verification.

Fortunately, he can afford this cost.

He took out all six portions of medicinal materials and placed them in the corresponding positions in the pill furnace.

Then, he started the machine.

Correct, he wasn't refining one portion at a time, but all six together! It is known that the quality of the pill depends on the medicinal potency.

The more medicinal materials invested, the higher the grade, the more pills produced, and the greater the chance of high quality.

For example, to refine Intermediate Spirit Nourishing Pills, an alchemy expert needs only two portions of medicinal materials to produce ten such pills, yielding a 200% profit.

For someone of average skill, they might need three or even four portions of medicinal materials; this increases the chance of producing Intermediate Spirit Nourishing Pills, with a possibility of top-grade quality, each worth nearly ten thousand, a big profit! But to do this, the premise is that the alchemist must have the skill; otherwise it's pure loss.

For instance, Shen Ming can easily refine six or seven Primary Spirit Nourishing Pills from just one portion of medicinal materials.

However, using 1.5 portions of medicinal materials, he can produce two Intermediate Spirit Nourishing Pills and a few Primary ones; any more and it fails.

Using two portions might yield slightly better results—one more Intermediate or a few more Primary—but it causes enormous waste of medicinal potency.

If using three or four portions, it's indeed possible to get High-grade Spirit Nourishing Pills, but that's not due to his skill level; it's just piling on materials, wasting medicinal potency shockingly.

In the end, the more he loses, the more he loses.

Some engage in murderous trade, but nobody does a loss-making trade.

But Jiang Cheng insists on doing it this way.

Refining one portion at a time, he produces only one Primary Spirit Nourishing Pill per batch; with a bit of luck, maybe two.

But what if he uses many portions?

He knows his skill is limited, so producing Intermediate or High-grade Spirit Nourishing Pills is nearly impossible, but because the medicinal potency is excessive, he can rely on quantity to pile up the number of Primary Spirit Nourishing Pills produced.

Others with high skill can produce ten Primary Spirit Nourishing Pills from just one portion of medicinal materials.

He uses several times the amount, even ten portions of medicinal materials, supposedly able to produce ten Primary Spirit Nourishing Pills? To others, this looks like losing money, a brain kicked by a donkey—ten portions cost fifty thousand! Ten Primary Spirit Nourishing Pills are worth only ten thousand on the market!

But Jiang Cheng doesn't care.

Because he seeks efficiency.

As long as, within a unit of time, the latter yields more experience value than refining one portion at a time, he can accept it.

As for cost?

One portion of medicinal materials costs five thousand.

Besides that, he can currently receive for free 200,000 worth of cultivation resources, which converts to forty portions of medicinal materials.

Moreover, a few days ago he uprooted the Iron Fist Gang and seized two to three hundred thousand in cash; after giving Shi Yan fifty thousand, he still has over two hundred thousand, enough to buy another forty to fifty portions of medicinal materials.

As long as the gained experience value is sufficient, money is not an issue; moreover, these are necessary investments—once proficiency is piled up, he can earn back multiples later!

Closing his eyes, relevant information about Alchemy Technique surfaced in his mind.

To produce high-quality pills, it's not just about the amount of medicinal materials; the timing of adding catalysts, the furnace temperature, etc., also differ, requiring more time and spiritual power.

Jiang Cheng had no intention of following the method for refining high-grade pills; knowing his limits, he used the method for Primary Spirit Nourishing Pills but with six times the medicinal potency! The process went smoothly—without even needing a full hour, just over half an hour, ten Primary Spirit Nourishing Pills formed in the furnace, and they continued to absorb potency.

Seeing this, Jiang Cheng's eyes flashed with anticipation.

Perhaps, it might really be possible to produce one or two Intermediate Spirit Nourishing Pills?

As time passed bit by bit, indeed two of the pills became Intermediate Spirit Nourishing Pills, while the other eight looked somewhat better than ordinary Primary Spirit Nourishing Pills.

Finally, an hour passed, and the alchemy ended.

Jiang Cheng didn't rush to open the furnace lid; after all, what was inside? He could see clearly with his spiritual power.

So he looked at the panel before him, feeling a bit nervous.

The next moment, his pupils dilated sharply.

He saw the Experience Bar for Alchemy Technique jump up by 20% instantly! Jiang Cheng took a deep breath.

Correct.

According to previous experience value calculations, each finished Primary Spirit Nourishing Pill provides a little over 1% experience.

And this furnace's pills are all finished products, two of which are Intermediate Spirit Nourishing Pills; converting, that equals twelve Primary Spirit Nourishing Pills—how could the experience not be high? Most importantly, the consumption of spiritual power hasn't changed much; he still has four chances today! "What if I invest ten portions of medicinal materials all at once?"

Jiang Cheng looked at the pill furnace before him.

It's not that he doesn't want to invest more, but space is limited; ten portions is the maximum.

If so, then the number of Intermediate Spirit Nourishing Pills produced would be more than two; it's very possible they'd all be Intermediate Spirit Nourishing Pills!

As for the experience value…

Jiang Cheng quickly arrived at the answer: over 33%.

Three times like that, and his Alchemy Technique would reach proficiency.

Time?

Less than a day!

"Exactly, just do it this way!"

Jiang Cheng immediately walked outward.

He arrived at the Logistics Department and collected medicinal materials worth 200,000.

Amid the other's stunned expression, Jiang Cheng turned and left, entering the alchemy room.

After cleaning the pill furnace, he directly placed ten portions of medicinal materials inside.

As expected, an hour passed.

The ten pills inside the furnace all formed!

Moreover, nine of them were Intermediate Spirit Nourishing Pills and one was High-grade, so the total experience gained was close to 35%.

Jiang Cheng looked at the panel.

The Experience Bar had accumulated to 55%.

After two more times, I can reach the proficient level.

Of course, if I calculate carefully, the loss is also greater.

Previously, I used six batches of medicinal ingredients at once, costing thirty thousand; the final product was eight primary Spirit Nourishing Pills and two intermediate Spirit Nourishing Pills, worth twelve thousand, resulting in a loss of eighteen thousand.

Now, I used ten batches of medicinal ingredients at once, costing fifty thousand; the final product was nine intermediate Spirit Nourishing Pills and one Gao Ji Yao Shen Dan, worth twenty-one thousand, resulting in a loss of twenty-nine thousand.

One time is nothing, but if it's ten or eight times, the loss becomes considerable.

But it's still the same saying.

As long as my alchemy technique level improves, those losses will be earned back several times over.

When evening came, after using another twenty batches of medicinal ingredients, Jiang Cheng's mind was flooded with a large amount of memories.

It felt as if, after refining Spirit Nourishing Pills for a month, various operations had become much more familiar.

"I have already met the assessment requirements."

Jiang Cheng thought to himself.

But, it's still not enough.

The good news is, as his current level improves,

With ten batches of medicinal ingredients, the final product's Gao Ji Yao Shen Dan should also be more than one.

(End of chapter)