Chapter 9: Initial Practice of the Pill Method

Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method: Not Initiated/0/4 (Medicine Absorption Method, Fire Control Method, Observation Qi Method, Condensing Pill Method; none mastered yet)

Chen Ci glanced at the prompt on his Gold Finger and remained silent.

This Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method originated from the Eight Views Palace, a major sect of the Immortal path. Aside from those large sects that possess better pill-making inheritances, the alchemy methods of the various side-door sects and Miscellaneous Cultivators basically follow the path of the Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method.

"The people of the Eight Views Palace are actually quite kind."

However, alchemy in this world has quite a set of procedures; it is not the kind of metaphysical alchemy where one throws in herbs, lights a fire, and the pills just pop out one by one on their own.

First, one needs a pill formula.

A pill formula must contain the pill ingredients, the dosage, and the method of administration.

Then, one needs alchemy techniques, just like the Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method.

Medicine Absorption Method, to extract the essence of the pill ingredients.

Fire Control Method, to control the heat of the pill furnace.

Observation Qi Method, to discern the progress of the pill.

Condensing Pill Method; when the pill is formed, it is in a gaseous or liquid state. If one lacks a condensing pill method, once the furnace is opened, the medicinal properties will scatter, and most of this furnace of pills will be wasted. Therefore, the Condensing Pill Method determines how many pills can be successfully formed in the end.

"I always said that in some books, when the pill furnace is opened, there is a round, golden Golden Core inside; that is simply unscientific."

Chen Ci scratched his head. Since he had transmigrated to cultivate immortality, he probably was no longer subject to science.

However, the Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method states that if one wishes to master these four methods, each one requires ten years of hard work.

For four methods, that would be forty years.

For a Qi Refining cultivator, this is practically half a lifetime gone. Therefore, high-level alchemists in this world are either experts or disciples of large sects, as only they have the time and energy to delve into the Dao of alchemy.

But side-door Miscellaneous Cultivators also have their own wisdom; several good friends can each learn one method and cooperate to refine pills. Although a furnace of pills must be shared among several people, it is still much better than one person toiling away alone.

"Of the hundred arts of cultivating immortality, not one is simple. Either it consumes talent, consumes resources, or requires grinding."

"But for bottom-tier cultivators, talent, resources, and time are all things that are out of reach."

"Sigh."

Chen Ci grabbed a handful of polished rice and rubbed it finely; he had placed several large bags beside him, weighing about five hundred catties in total.

"Is this the raw material for the famous Bigu Pill?"

Since he was learning the pill method, how could he miss the famous "butt pill"? He just didn't know if there would be an even more famous "boiled chicken pill" in the future.

After telling a cold joke that only he understood, Chen Ci began to study the Medicine Absorption Method within the Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method.

The Medicine Absorption Method can be used to extract the essence of plants and trees. It is impossible to throw the entire pill ingredient into the furnace as it would contaminate it; one must rely on this method to extract the essence and remove the dross.

And when first practicing this method, one can use the five grains as material to extract the essence of the five grains.

The essence of the five grains is the main ingredient of the Bigu Pill, but it has nothing mysterious about it; after a cultivator consumes it, they do not need to excrete the waste of the five grains.

To put it colloquially, a Qi Refining cultivator who takes a Bigu Pill does not need to poop.

As far as Chen Ci knows, he is not sure about experts at the Dao Foundation Realm and above, but Qi Refining cultivators still need to eat and drink. They are not true Immortals who do not eat the food of the mortal world. Since they consume the five grains, they must inevitably produce the foul Qi of the five grains.

At the thought that a little fairy maiden also has to poop, Chen Ci could only click his tongue.

Because the Bigu Pill is made from the essence of the five grains, it has no impurities or foul Qi, allowing the cultivator to avoid excretion.

It seems like it has no great use and no great benefit to cultivation; isn't it just going to the toilet to squat? Maybe one can even slack off for a while, right? What's the big deal?

But among the target demographic, it still has quite a market, for example, little fairy maidens.

"A pill that doesn't require pooping is worthy of being called a 'butt pill'."

Chen Ci grinned and began to circulate his Three Yin True Qi, following the explanations in the Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method to execute the Medicine Absorption technique.

"Bang!"

With a muffled sound, the polished rice in his hand suddenly turned into powder.

But it was not the powder of flour, but something similar to plaster powder. Chen Ci tasted a little; it was very dry and had a bitter, astringent taste. He estimated that if he fed it to pigs, even the pigs wouldn't want to eat it.

"The essence of the five grains was all wasted, leaving only impurities; there is no nutrition left."

"It seems I input too much Three Yin True Qi; I need to adjust the force. Let's try again."

After several attempts and wasting nearly a hundred catties of grain, Chen Ci finally figured out a relatively suitable ratio.

One-tenth of a strand of Three Yin True Qi corresponds to ten catties of polished rice; one aperture of Three Yin True Qi can absorb a hundred catties of polished rice.

Any more or less would be difficult to control.

And on the Gold Finger, the Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method also changed.

A new annotation appeared after the Medicine Absorption Method: Not Initiated/1/100

"This isn't too hard, after all."

Chen Ci sipped some tiger bone tea and continued to practice.

"The polished rice is used up?"

Chen Ci reached to the side and grabbed empty air. Only then did he realize that five hundred catties of polished rice had been consumed in less than an hour, leaving only a large pile of pale, powdery impurities.

And on the panel.

Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method: Not Initiated/0/4

Medicine Absorption Method: Not Initiated/34/100

"Phew, the True Qi in my body has also been consumed by six apertures. Time to rest; haste makes waste."

Rubbing his slightly sore wrists, Chen Ci felt satisfied. The future is promising, the future is truly promising.

Practicing techniques, making talismans, refining artifacts, eating Qi cultivation methods, medicine absorption.

From morning till night, everything was arranged clearly.

Two days later, Sanyin Temple, backyard.

Chen Ci toyed with the milky white liquid in his hand, feeling many emotions.

"Is this the essence of the five grains? It finally succeeded!"

In his palm was a small glob of milky white liquid, thicker than milk, about the size of a finger, with a gelatinous texture.

A glob of grain essence this size, combined with honey, can produce one ordinary Bigu Pill, and five pills are worth approximately one tael of gold.

Small Heavens Qi Absorption Pill Method: Not yet entered/1/4 (Medicine Absorption Method, Fire Control Method, Observation Qi Method, Condensing Pill Method; one has been acquired)

Medicine Absorption Method Incantation: Entered/1/100 (Grain essence, one-tenth of the total, incantation performed one hundred times, can advance by one)

Medicine Absorption Method Incantation?

Chen Ci rubbed his chin, and as his thoughts stirred, the Three Yin True Qi within his body naturally condensed in his palm, forming a very peculiar suction force that flickered in and out, making him unable to resist having a bold idea.

"The Lesser Heavens Qi Absorption Method hasn't been entered yet; it seems all four methods must be entered together."

"And it takes the grain essence extracted from ten catties of refined rice to make one Bigu Pill; the success rate is just too low. Although there is a profit to be made, it isn't much, and the daily output is limited; it's time-consuming and laborious."

"If the raw material were changed to Pearl Rice, the Superior Inedia Pill produced would fetch a high price, but if the success rate doesn't go up, let alone making money, I'm afraid I'd lose even my trousers."

Pearl Rice barely counts as a type of Spirit Rice, carrying a trace of spiritual energy; it isn't worth much, but it still costs ten taels of silver per catty.

"Fortunately, refined rice is even cheaper. If one were a pure Loose Practitioner, it might be a bit troublesome, but if one has a bit of a foundation, one can still grind it out. Once the level is high, life will be easier."

Chen Ci nodded. With this craft, he would never have to... forget it, this is nothing worth boasting about.

Of the hundred arts of immortal cultivation, entering is easy, but mastering even the basics is very difficult; as for wanting to become a big shot, that is even harder than ascending to heaven.

It is just like how it is easy to become a photographer, but difficult to become Teacher Guanxi; it is the same principle.

"Cannot slack off."

Chen Ci said to himself.

The next day, at noon, inside Sanyin Temple.

Chen Ci paced back and forth, his expression not looking very good.

There was no other reason; the talisman paper he used to practice the Soul Fixing Talisman had run out.

The cinnabar ink was also down to a thin layer, and it looked like he would have to add some water to it soon.

Although this was not a major issue—he could just stop practicing the Soul Fixing Talisman for now—how should he put it? It was like being just about to squat on the toilet when the cigarettes ran out, or the phone ran out of battery.

This was even worse than not bringing paper.

His cultivation plan being interrupted made Chen Ci feel quite irritable, as if ants were crawling all over his body.

"Annoying. I need to go somewhere to get some talisman paper. It would be best to learn the craft of making talisman paper myself; a man with a Gold Finger should not have to ask anyone for anything."

Chen Ci slammed his hand into his palm, thinking just that.

(End of chapter)