Chapter 102: Qi Refining Seventh Level, Go Find the City Management!

Familiar steps, familiar place.

In this cramped cave, Luo Chen once again operated the Evergreen Scripture.

The fragrance of the calming incense, quiet and elegant, calmed his excited and expectant mood to a state of stillness.

A large amount of spiritual energy entered his body, was absorbed, devoured, and refined, finally becoming a part of his spiritual power.

But this was not enough!

The Nourishing Qi Pill that Luo Chen held in his mouth was swallowed into his abdomen with a gulp.

Even more massive medicinal power washed over his meridians and finally returned to his dantian.

Suddenly, as if there was a feeling of a silver bottle breaking, it flashed and disappeared.

Luo Chen's heart and mind fluctuated slightly, and he had already missed that feeling.

But he was not angry; according to what was said in Hearing Mi Shuhua's "Qi Refining Insights," the late stage of Qi Refining and the early-to-mid stage of Qi Refining were two completely different realms.

The spiritual power contained in the former's body had an upper limit that was almost the sum of the first to sixth levels, or even more.

Early-to-mid stage Qi Refining cultivators had extremely scarce spiritual power in their bodies, leading to a very lack of combat means.

Even if they had enough magic tools in their hands, they couldn't actually display them.

However, once they reached the late stage realm, the spiritual power capacity was up, and they could get rid of this layer of shackles.

Just like on the Dao Discussion Platform back then, Zeng Wen's means emerged one after another: talismans, spells, magic tools, almost perfectly displaying all the means a Qi Refining realm cultivator could display.

The reason for this change.

Lay in the principle that quantitative change leads to qualitative change.

Late-stage Qi Refining cultivators had almost opened up all the meridians they could open up.

The dantian capacity had also reached a certain level and could no longer be expanded.

Therefore, late-stage Qi Refining cultivators focused more on spiritual energy purification.

With the same dantian capacity, they purified spiritual power several times more than the previous realm.

It is said that if one can purify floating spiritual power into a liquefied state, the cultivator has the opportunity to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm.

Luo Chen didn't know the principle, but he was currently following what was said in Hearing Mi Shuhua's Qi Refining insights, trying to operate the Evergreen Scripture again and again, purifying the spiritual power in his body with the characteristics of the technique's circulation, and using this massive spiritual power to impact the dantian.

Another Nourishing Qi Pill entered his abdomen, and Luo Chen's heart and mind became still again.

For a long time, that abrupt feeling emerged again.

This time, Luo Chen caught it perfectly.

The silver bottle broke, and the spiritual power exploded suddenly.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

A series of crisp sounds erupted in his body, as if bamboo joints were cracking.

Suddenly, Luo Chen's face turned pale, and he opened his eyes instantly.

A contradictory aura of weakness and strength appeared on him at the same time.

Qi Refining Seventh Level!

"It took more than two months, finally broke through!"

Looking at the attribute panel, he smiled gratifiedly.

However, there was no time to rejoice, and his attention fell entirely on those meridians in his body.

"Late-stage Qi Refining focuses on spiritual power purification under the condition of dantian solidification and meridian opening."

"But to break through to the late stage of Qi Refining, it is mainly about opening the upper limit of the dantian and breaking through more meridians."

"My situation is different from others; the Master-level Evergreen Scripture had already allowed me to open all meridians. But I didn't expect this innate advantage to almost spoil things here."

"However, it was ultimately successful."

Breaking through to the late stage realm should have opened more meridians.

But Luo Chen had already opened all meridians, which led to those massive spiritual powers just now rushing out of the fully opened dantian.

Without the relief of innately blocked meridians, these flood-like spiritual powers ran rampant in his body.

Now, he had already taken these spiritual powers back into the dantian.

But those ravaged meridians were in a fragmented state.

"Meridian damage is a small matter; there are many ways to make up for it, so I don't have to worry about this."

"It's just that after the dantian expanded, it could almost carry twice the amount of spiritual power as at the sixth level of Qi Refining."

After observing, Luo Chen finally put his heart down.

Put away the elixir furnace, and pack the dust on the ground, to be thrown away outside later.

The time taken for the breakthrough was not long.

If it were before, Luo Chen would definitely continue to cultivate.

But today it was not possible; the meridians were damaged, and before recovery, he had to rest well.

Time was still early, and Luo Chen had no sleepiness for a while.

After all, he had just broken through, and he was still a little happy and excited.

After walking around the cramped and narrow cave, Luo Chen finally sat down on that piece of spirit stone raw ore.

Crack!

A piece of transparent spirit stone raw ore was gently broken off by him.

Under the blessing of the Spirit Eye Technique, he could easily detect the wisps of pure spiritual energy remaining in the transparent ore.

"Eh?"

Luo Chen was stunned.

He originally thought that the spiritual energy in the mineral vein could be directly absorbed because it was layered and filtered when it overflowed.

But now that he opened it to see, it didn't seem to be the case?

Clearly, the spiritual energy in the mineral vein was pure and could be directly absorbed!

"Then why is the spiritual energy in our spirit stones so full of impurities? Once inhaled into the body, it will run wild?"

Luo Chen took out a standard low-grade spirit stone.

He tried to break it, but couldn't.

Thinking about it, he tried with the Jade Green Knife, but it didn't work either.

"It's quite hard!"

Luo Chen got a temper and directly took out the Soul-Breaking Nail.

Top-grade magic tool, and it didn't engrave any first-tier array, but a second-tier armor-breaking array.

Go!

With a flick of his finger, the Soul-Breaking Nail brushed past the rhombic crystal.

A crack opened up.

At the same time, the spiritual energy contained within it frantically leaked toward the outside.

Perhaps because the distance was too close, most of it directly accumulated to the spirit stone raw ore.

But there was still a small part wandering in the outside world.

Luo Chen operated the Spirit Eye Technique to the maximum, staring dead at the spiritual energy of the spirit stone overflowing nearby.

"What are these black wandering gases?"

Suddenly, Luo Chen saw that in those spiritual energies, there were wisps of wandering black gas.

They were contradictory to the state of spiritual energy, compatible, yet repelling each other.

Once released, they fled toward the outside world, and also carried part of the spiritual energy, running wild together.

Staring at this peculiar scene, Luo Chen's mind turned a hundred times, and various guesses emerged.

"Is this the unique means of the major sects to make spirit stones?"

"Anti-counterfeiting mark? Exclusive mark?"

"Is it a means to stabilize the solidification of spiritual energy into spirit stones? Or is it a technique specifically used to curb cultivators from directly absorbing it?"

Luo Chen tried to capture those wandering black gases with spiritual power, but caught nothing.

Clearly he could see them with his eyes, but why couldn't he catch them?

Luo Chen frowned, watching those black gases dissipate into the air.

"Will they disappear directly?"

"A bit like some kind of one-time consumable."

Luo Chen stared at another low-grade spirit stone he took out again.

After hesitating for a while, he put it back.

Forget it, he didn't have the means to catch this black gas now; even if he destroyed more spirit stones, it would just be a waste.

However, if one day he could master the method of eliminating or controlling this black gas, he could absorb the spiritual energy in the spirit stones while fighting with enemies.

It is said that cultivators in major sects have similar means.

It is precisely because of this that ordinary loose cultivators find it difficult to fight head-on with sect cultivators, let alone protracted warfare.

"However, if I don't cultivate here in the future, I can consider taking this piece of raw ore away as a backup energy source!"

Luo Chen stared at that piece of spirit stone raw ore, making plans to cut off people's roots.

After a night of rest, Luo Chen's complexion was much better than before.

But at a glance, he still felt weak and powerless, with a pale face.

When Hearing Mi Shuhua arrived here, the Luo Chen he saw was in this state.

He originally came full of joy, because Sikong Shoujia brought him a medium-grade Jade Marrow Pill yesterday.

This represented a breakthrough in Luo Chen's alchemy.

Low-grade and medium-grade are completely different!

A bottle of low-grade Jade Marrow Pills can only sell for ten spirit stones, and because of the sequelae, it will make many cultivators hesitate.

But a bottle of medium-grade Jade Marrow Pills, because of sufficient medicinal power, can support the cultivation of early and mid-stage cultivators, and the price can be completely raised to forty or fifty spirit stones!

This means that the Elixir Hall will usher in huge profits.

Profits far exceeding the Zhongmiao Pill!

It is precisely because of this that the happy Hearing Mi Shuhua did not come empty-handed.

He had people bring a large batch of monster meat and spiritual rice to reward those inner-duty cultivators in the Elixir Hall.

After all, one died and one was injured yesterday; don't let the morale go down.

For Luo Chen, he even prepared a big gift, just hoping the other party would make persistent efforts.

However, seeing Luo Chen's sickly appearance, his heart was as cold as the coming winter.

"Little Luo, Little Luo, what's wrong with you!"

Lying on the bed, Luo Chen "weakly" opened his eyes, "Gang Leader Mi, I'm afraid I won't make it."

"Uh..."

Hearing Mi Shuhua couldn't hold it; spiritual sense was released, and with just a sweep, he knew Luo Chen's situation.

"What nonsense are you talking about, it's just meridian damage. I have a bottle of 'Deficiency-Filling Meridian-Moistening Liquid' here, exclusively for Foundation Establishment cultivators; take it and dilute it with water, and it will be cured in a month."

Whoosh!

That bottle of spiritual medicine was already in Luo Chen's hand before Hearing Mi Shuhua finished speaking.

Sitting up with a plop, Luo Chen looked at the elixir curiously.

"Deficiency-Filling Meridian-Moistening Liquid?"

Hearing Mi Shuhua said helplessly: "Yes, once a cultivator breaks through to Foundation Establishment, the dantian will solidify and be indestructible, rarely encountering the embarrassing situation of the dantian being broken like Qi Refining cultivators."

"In this case, Foundation Establishment cultivators will try to open all meridians and apertures in the body, using these extra places to store spiritual power."

"Rashly opening meridians and apertures will naturally have some minor damage. Therefore, the Spirit Medicine Pavilion exclusively sells this Deficiency-Filling Meridian-Moistening Liquid, which has excellent effects."

After listening to this explanation, Luo Chen was like getting a treasure.

Holding the jade bottle, Luo Chen sighed and said: "Gang Leader Mi, you are really good to me; if you weren't too old, I would want to recognize you as my foster father."

Who is old!

I still have nearly a hundred years to live!

Hearing Mi Shuhua's forehead veins jumped, and he didn't follow up.

Luo Chen's words meant he didn't want to recognize him as a foster father.

He didn't have that mood either; Luo Chen's value is in alchemy, but the other party's aptitude is too poor, and it is difficult to advance to Foundation Establishment in his life.

His current investment is almost enough.

If he became the other party's cheap old father, he would have to bleed heavily!

Mentioning aptitude, Hearing Mi Shuhua discovered something wrong.

"You are at the seventh level of Qi Refining?"

Luo Chen's heart skipped a beat; the verbal interference just now still didn't fool him.

Sure enough, he was still discovered!

The perfect-level Breath-Restraining Spirit Technique cannot resist the spiritual sense probing of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

But it seems it wasn't without effect; at least when Hearing Mi Shuhua checked his injury for the first time, he didn't discover it.

Luo Chen smiled helplessly: "Yes, this injury was left by forcibly breaking through to the seventh level of Qi Refining."

"Why be so anxious?" Hearing Mi Shuhua frowned.

"How can I not be anxious? The gang needs me to refine elixirs, and everyone in the Elixir Hall is working hard, even paying the price of their lives."

"Little Luo only hates that his realm is low and cannot contribute more power to the gang."

"I hate it!"

"Therefore, I thought about it painfully last night and broke through forcibly with the help of a whole bottle of Nourishing Qi Pills you gave me."

Luo Chen said with a pained heart, then his expression became desolate again.

"It's a pity that my aptitude is too poor; it was just one attempt, but I hurt myself all over. Sigh... the Great Dao is hopeless, the Great Dao is hopeless!"

Speaking to the end, his tone was desolate, and he looked exhausted, as if he had no interest in anything.

Hearing Mi Shuhua started listening and felt that those words were a bit familiar, as if he had heard them somewhere.

Seeing Luo Chen's look of despair later, he became anxious instead.

"At such a young age, having suffered such a small setback, why are you so discouraged!"

"And didn't you succeed? You should be proud of yourself!"

"Cheer up, I don't allow you to degenerate!"

Luo Chen opened his sparkling eyes, "Gang Leader, can five-spirit-root really achieve Foundation Establishment?"

Hearing Mi Shuhua said earnestly: "As long as the resources are enough, even a pig can become a monster beast king. You... of course, I don't mean you are a pig."

Thinking about it, he said seriously: "You can refine medium-grade Jade Marrow Pills now, the Elixir Hall's income will get better and better in the future, and the dividends will get more and more, so you are also very hopeful to achieve Foundation Establishment."

"Then I can rest assured!"

Luo Chen sat off the bed, very nimble.

He didn't look weak at all.

After all, the realm has improved, and the strength has risen. A little internal injury doesn't affect free movement.

In fact, what he wanted was that last sentence of Hearing Mi Shuhua just now.

With Hearing Mi Shuhua's words, others won't be able to manipulate him regarding the Jade Marrow Pill dividends in the future.

Looking at Hearing Mi Shuhua with a smile, Luo Chen spread his hands: "I heard you came to reward everyone today, is there a share for me!"

Hearing Mi Shuhua's skin twitched; this guy is waiting for him here!

He flicked his right hand, and a piece of paper fell in front of Luo Chen.

"Here, take a good look, it should be of great help to your alchemy."

Luo Chen looked at the paper curiously; why is this paper so familiar?

Wait, isn't this the paper of the "Qingyuan Elixir Explanation"?

Good guy, you actually kept a hand on this for me before!

Hearing Mi Shuhua went to reward the inner-duty cultivators of the Elixir Hall.

With his noble status as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, personally doing this kind of thing can play a good role in improving the morale that was originally hit.

Luo Chen was behind, holding that paper, and studied it.

He confirmed that this was a page from the "Qingyuan Elixir Explanation."

The reason why he didn't find a page missing before was because the things recorded on this page had no connection with the front at all.

Instead, it looked like a kind of alchemy technique added separately by the author, Qingyuanzi, later.

Yes, alchemy technique!

Just like spiritual planters, they will have some specific spells that are useless for fighting, but have great effects on cultivating spiritual plants in ordinary times.

Like the Small Cloud and Rain Technique, the 'Bing Fire Burning Wilderness Technique', the 'Taiyin Yi Wood Swamp Gas Technique', etc.

They alchemists actually have some auxiliary spells, known to the world as alchemy techniques.

Like the Folding Jade Hand and Su Xin Hand that Luo Chen learned before, they are the most basic alchemy techniques.

In processing mineral materials, grass, wood, flowers, and fruits, they have outstanding effects.

And on this separate piece of paper, a kind of alchemy technique called "Qingyuan Elixir-Nurturing Technique" was recorded.

This alchemy technique has no effect on processing raw materials or refining elixirs, and has no benefit to the fighting between cultivators.

But if you practice this technique, you have the opportunity to raise elixirs that have already fixed their grade to another grade.

"There is actually such an alchemy technique in the world?"

Luo Chen's gaze fell on the elixir room, where there was a group of elixir-nurturing cultivators he cultivated.

Although the name also has the two words "Elixir-Nurturing," the things they usually do are just storing, guarding, and watching elixirs to prevent the refined elixirs from losing medicinal power due to improper placement.

But this Qingyuan Elixir-Nurturing Technique is completely different.

Cooperating with specific techniques and specific environments, there is an opportunity to raise the fixed-grade elixirs by one level.

Back then, Qingyuanzi was able to refine third-tier elixirs during the Foundation Establishment period because he used this alchemy technique.

This alchemy technique is not difficult to learn, and Luo Chen had great confidence that he could learn it in a short time after reading it.

However, the "specific" means recorded on the paper made him very embarrassed.

"At the very least, it must be a first-tier top-grade elixir furnace, top-grade is best, and a magic tool elixir furnace is best!"

"The chosen elixir must be a top-grade elixir."

"Maintain at least ten sets of raw materials in the furnace at all times to replenish medicinal power."

"The location of the elixir room is best to be a spiritual vein place, at the very least it must be a special environment beneficial to elixirs."

"Cultivators must temper the elixir quality with Foundation Establishment true fire at all times; if there is no true fire, it can be replaced by various heavenly fires, earthly fires, and strange fires."

"The time limit for Elixir-Nurturing Technique starts at half a year, and can last up to a hundred years."

Scalp tingling!

After reading those "specific" means, Luo Chen only felt his scalp tingling.

None of these things were things he could easily do.

The seemingly simplest ten sets of raw materials actually had a premise of "at least."

In other words, if the raw materials were less, they had to be replenished at any time.

And starting with a half-year time limit, who knows how many raw materials it will consume.

Also, another "spiritual vein place" that he seemingly satisfied was actually wishful thinking.

The spiritual vein cave he discovered was just a branch vein.

Supporting his own cultivation was barely enough.

But to say it could support elixir-nurturing, that was absolutely impossible.

"No wonder Hearing Mi Shuhua didn't give me this piece of paper before; he was afraid I would be ambitious and wishful thinking!"

"It's also no wonder he decided to give it to me now; I guess it's because I was stuck at low-grade when refining Jade Marrow Pills before and couldn't break through for a long time. He gave me this piece of paper, wanting me to borrow the stones from other mountains to attack jade, and research something else."

In general, this Qingyuan Elixir-Nurturing Technique is very chicken-rib-like for Luo Chen now.

There are too many restrictive conditions.

"Put it away first; the future me might not have the opportunity to use this technique."

Luo Chen sighed, but still happily put it away.

Any piece of information beneficial to alchemy is an improvement for him!

Now that he has been refining elixirs for so long, the more he comes into contact with, the more he feels that the Dao of alchemy is profound.

Before, it was all small-scale tinkering, and the real scenery is just a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg now.

Perhaps truly coming into contact with the Great Dao of alchemy will have to wait until after advancing to the Foundation Establishment period.

Just when Luo Chen was fantasizing, Hearing Mi Shuhua had already finished rewarding and came to his side.

"The auction will start next month; are you sure you want to participate?"

Luo Chen patted his storage bag, "I have quite a bit of family wealth!"

The old man smiled, quite disdainfully.

Luo Chen's face flushed, "Even if I can't afford things, it's good to take a look and gain some knowledge!"

"Alright, count you as a spot, follow me to open your eyes when the time comes."

After getting off work today, Luo Chen didn't stay in the Elixir Hall.

For one, the meridians were damaged and not suitable for cultivation.

For another, staying here every day would always arouse suspicion.

And the life in the Elixir Hall is indeed quite bitter; every day is either refining elixirs or cultivating.

For Qi Refining cultivators who haven't achieved Foundation Establishment, few can endure this kind of life.

Luo Chen is not unable to endure it, but doing this every day will sooner or later lead to qi deviation.

Sometimes, some necessary relaxation and adjustment are still necessary.

After returning to the courtyard, Luo Chen did a big cleaning with the Cleaning Technique, and then went out to purchase simply.

By the way, he went to the Yuan family, found Old Yuan and Yuan Xiaoyue, and calculated the income of the snack stall last month.

"620 spirit stones, well, not bad, it seems that the monthly income has stabilized now."

Luo Chen took the spirit stones and calculated simply.

Then he gave Yuan Xiaoyue 30 spirit stones; this was her salary for last month.

He also took out an extra 100 spirit stones; this was almost the purchase price of Old Yuan's batch of pear wine.

After Yuan Xiaoyue happily took the spirit stones, she raised her goose-egg face and said: "Actually, the month before that, it once earned more than 900 spirit stones; I feel it can sell more."

"Oh?"

Luo Chen became interested; he didn't expect that a small snack stall would have such a large market.

Should he consider making it bigger and stronger and creating brilliance again?

"But starting from this month, other people have also started to sell various snacks." Yuan Xiaoyue pouted, very unhappy: "Auntie Li next door launched a bowl of tofu pudding rice, which is said to be learned from the simple recipe of the Zhong Ding family, which is full and can replenish spiritual energy."

"The stall opposite me also set up, specializing in selling all kinds of monster meat jerky. Although it doesn't taste as good as the spicy beef jerky made by Brother Luo, it wins in variety."

"And..."

Watching her chatter about those competitors, Luo Chen, who was originally a bit emotional that cultivators in this world would also follow the trend of entrepreneurship, couldn't help but laugh.

He rubbed the little girl's increasingly black and shiny hair.

"Xiaoyue, spirit stones can't be earned up; others also need to earn them for cultivation and life, we just sell our own well."

This little girl, who was soft and shy at the beginning, has become generous after setting up a stall for many months.

It's just that she is becoming more and more calculating.

Yuan Xiaoyue broke away from Luo Chen's hand and opened her round eyes, "But some of them clearly copied Brother Luo's secret recipe!"

"Just like the one selling monster meat jerky opposite, he bought half a month of beef jerky from me to eat before setting up the stall; it is clear that he was exploring the tricks inside."

"And the one selling popping beans, it's very similar to our fairy beans."

Luo Chen laughed dumbly.

After a long while, he shook his head and smiled lightly: "A secret recipe that can be copied is not a secret recipe."

"And... did they pay protection fees?"

"Uh?"

Yuan Xiaoyue was dumbfounded.

Old Yuan, who was sipping wine and not speaking, also curiously put down his wine gourd.

Luo Chen tapped Yuan Xiaoyue on the forehead, "Stupid, the wine you asked to send to the Sword Pavilion cultivators every month is not sent for nothing."

"Tomorrow, you go find that Sword Pavilion cultivator and say that the square is too dirty recently, affecting the Dao Discussion Platform environment that the Yuding Sword Pavilion worked so hard to build."

"In addition, I remember that the area of White Stone Square is still all loose stalls!"

"You give a suggestion, let the Yuding Sword Pavilion get a large stone slab and standardize the stalls. Each stall will collect one or two spirit stones."

"Remember to book the stall with the best location and the largest flow of people in advance, and we will pay the spirit stones too!"

After this series of words, Yuan Xiaoyue was stunned.

Beside her, her grandfather was also confused.

Luo Chen didn't say too much, "Find the City Management" is enough to use for a long time.

As for future competition?

With the best location, he is already invincible.

In his spare time, he will research a few new snacks, won't the product competitiveness come up again?

There are so many people in the Elixir Hall, and there is usually free time for the elixir furnaces.

Letting those inner-duty cultivators help him fry a few snacks is easy.

I don't believe it, can individual retail investors compete with him, a manufacturer with one-stop service?

"By the way, it's my birthday next month, I'm setting up a banquet in the courtyard, are you coming?"

Seeing the two hesitate, Luo Chen added a sentence.

"It's not a big deal, just a few friends eating a meal together and drinking some wine."

Yuan Xiaoyue was tempted, and her grandfather had already spoken.

"I, an old man, won't go; Xiaoyue can go and play, it's a good thing to get to know a few seniors." ===== CHAPTER 103 =====

"I, this old fellow, won't go; Xiao Yue can go and play, and getting to know a few seniors is also a good thing."