Chapter 170: Daoist One Furnace

After flying for a day, Zhang Nuo arrived at a small city within the Daliang Kingdom. This city was named An City. Do not be fooled by its small size; it was fully equipped with everything one might need.

Zhang Nuo chose this remote little city to avoid the cultivators, a mixed bag of dragons and snakes, found in the large cities. As he walked into An City, he saw that the flow of people was decent, though a small city is still a small city; it could not compare to the crowds of a major city.

Occasionally, Zhang Nuo could see a few cultivators, though their cultivation levels were not very high, all around the Foundation Establishment Stage. After strolling around the city, Zhang Nuo finally selected a shop named "One Furnace."

This name was quite unique, and he believed the cultivator inside would be just as unique. When Zhang Nuo stepped into the shop, he saw a young Daoist priest sitting lazily behind the counter, dozing off. It seemed business at this shop was not good, otherwise, he would not be so idle.

This young Daoist looked to be fifteen or sixteen years old, and his features were quite refined.

"Tap, tap, tap!"

Zhang Nuo tapped the counter three times lightly. The young Daoist woke up instantly, rubbed his hazy, sleepy eyes, and upon seeing Zhang Nuo, hurried over to greet him:

"This senior, what would you like to buy?"

"I am not buying anything. I only want to ask, does your shop accept alchemy commissions?"

Upon hearing that Zhang Nuo was not buying anything, a look of disappointment appeared on the young Daoist's face, but then hearing that the other party was looking for someone to refine pills, his eyes lit up immediately. He puffed out his chest slightly and said:

"Senior, if you want to refine pills, you have come to the right place. The name of our shop is taken from my master's name. My master's Daoist title is: One Furnace! Do you know why?"

Upon first hearing this name, Zhang Nuo almost laughed. Daoist One Furnace! This was too strange. Shaking his head slightly, Zhang Nuo did not know the meaning.

"My master is called that because no matter what kind of pill it is, as long as he accepts the job, he is guaranteed to succeed in one furnace! He will absolutely not waste your materials!"

Zhang Nuo's eyes also lit up; he had not expected that in such a small city, there would be such an expert!

"Oh, is your master in? Can I see him now?"

"Of course you can, Senior, please wait a moment!"

The young Daoist ran quickly to the backyard. After a while, a Daoist wearing a yellow Daoist robe walked out. This Daoist was over fifty years old with his hair tied up in a high bun, but his cultivation level was at the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage.

"Is this fellow Daoist looking to refine pills?"

The old Daoist only glanced at Zhang Nuo. Seeing that he was young but had the same cultivation level as himself, he dared not be negligent!

"Exactly!"

As Zhang Nuo spoke, he took a piece of paper and several types of medicinal materials he had prepared in advance from his robes and handed them to the old Daoist.

Daoist One Furnace only glanced at them lightly, then said:

"Come back in two days to collect them! Five hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones!"

Seeing that the other party stated the time and required fee with just one look, Zhang Nuo was truly a bit surprised. It seemed this old Daoist One Furnace was not just famous in name only.

He did not stand on ceremony, tossed down five hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones, and turned to leave the shop! Old Daoist One Furnace watched Zhang Nuo's retreating back, feeling puzzled in his heart. He had intentionally asked for a high price of five hundred Spirit Stones, but this young man did not bargain at all, as if he were not short of Spirit Stones.

"This poor Daoist likes people like this! Disciple, watch the shop, your master is going to refine pills!"

Saying this happily to the young Daoist, One Furnace grabbed the prescription and materials from the counter and walked straight toward the inner courtyard.

Zhang Nuo left the shop, found a place to stay, and after sitting cross-legged on the bed, began to meditate and rest. Two days later, when Zhang Nuo appeared at the One Furnace shop again, two full bottles of 'Peiyuan Pill' were already placed before him.

Gently opening the bottle stopper, Zhang Nuo poured out two pills. By the color and scent, he knew this was a bottle of high-quality 'Peiyuan Pill'!

"Is the fellow Daoist satisfied?"

Zhang Nuo nodded, and after putting away the pills, he smiled slightly at Daoist One Furnace.

"Not bad! It is indeed worth the five hundred Spirit Stone refining fee! I wonder if the Daoist dares to accept this batch of pills I have in my hand?"

"Oh! Bring the prescription here for this poor Daoist to see!"

Seeing Zhang Nuo acting mysterious, the old Daoist guessed that this prescription would not be ordinary. When he took the prescription from Zhang Nuo's hand, the old Daoist only looked at it once and suddenly gasped!

He saw that the several medicinal materials on the prescription were extremely precious; even if one were willing to spend a million or so Spirit Stones, one might not be able to buy them! He looked up at Zhang Nuo, and seeing his appearance, he did not look like a disciple of any major power, so how could he have so many Spirit Stones?

"Has the Daoist finished looking?"

Fearing that old Daoist One Furnace would become suspicious, Zhang Nuo urged him.

"This poor Daoist dare not accept this! The materials you are using are too valuable. If this poor Daoist makes a mistake, I cannot afford to compensate you!"

Pushing the prescription slightly across the counter, he returned it to Zhang Nuo, and the old Daoist shook his head repeatedly:

"Why doesn't the fellow Daoist go to a large city and find some senior alchemists to refine this medicine? Perhaps the chance of success would be greater!"

"I trust you, Daoist. Please, name your price!"

Seeing the other party decline, Zhang Nuo pondered for a moment and then spoke.

"This is not a matter of Spirit Stones, it is mainly because I..."

"Two thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones!"

Before the old Daoist could finish his sentence, Zhang Nuo suddenly named this sky-high price. The young Daoist nearby almost bit his tongue upon hearing this, his eyes gazing longingly at his master! Old Daoist One Furnace was also shocked by Zhang Nuo's generosity, but he understood that these two thousand Spirit Stones would not be easy to earn!

"This fellow Daoist, I think you have misunderstood..."

"Five thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones!"

The old Daoist still wanted to explain, but Zhang Nuo spoke for the second time. This time, let alone the young Daoist, even old Daoist One Furnace's own jaw almost hit the floor!

Five thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones; this was almost half a year's income for his small shop! After a moment of silent contemplation, the old Daoist picked up the prescription he had already returned. After looking at it carefully for a while, he then said slowly:

"How many portions of materials for the pills does the fellow Daoist have?"

"Two portions!"

Seeing that under the temptation of Spirit Stones, old Daoist One Furnace finally reconsidered, Zhang Nuo smiled faintly.

"If that is the case, this poor Daoist can guarantee that at least one can be completed! As for completing both, this poor Daoist has no certainty, even if the fellow Daoist offers more Spirit Stones, it would be of no use!"

"Since that is the case! Being able to guarantee one success is enough!"

Zhang Nuo sighed and said with extreme helplessness.

"We shall go to the alchemy room in the backyard now. Disciple! Help me turn away all business; I am going to focus on refining pills!"

Old Daoist One Furnace gave his disciple a few instructions and brought Zhang Nuo to the backyard of the shop. He saw that it was not very spacious, with only a dozen or so rooms, one of which emitted a faint medicinal fragrance; it must be the old Daoist's alchemy room.

"Fellow Daoist, please hand all the materials to me! Since alchemy is delicate work, I will not invite the fellow Daoist to watch in my alchemy room!"

"Understood!"

Zhang Nuo did not insist. He untied a Storage Bag from his waist and tossed it to the old Daoist. Reaching out to catch it, the old Daoist opened the bag's mouth, swept his Divine Sense inside, and sure enough, it was exactly as the prescription stated. He turned and walked into the alchemy room.

Seeing the old Daoist go inside, Zhang Nuo did not leave; he sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, observing the movements within the pill room! The materials for refining the "Nine-Turn Heaven-Returning Pill" were extremely precious, and Zhang Nuo dared not leave easily; what if the old Daoist ran off with the materials? One must always be on guard against others! So, he sat there watching.

Not long after, a thick heat began to emanate from the pill room of Yilu the Daoist; it seemed the other party had begun to warm the furnace. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a soft "clack" was heard, as if the pill furnace had been opened.

Just like that, Zhang Nuo sat outside, listening to the movements in the pill room and calculating which step the other party had reached. In the blink of an eye, a day passed; the pill room continued to emit intense heat, and at times, the humming sound of the pill furnace could be heard!

The second day! The third day! He waited until the fifth day, and Yilu the Daoist still had not come out. Zhang Nuo became a bit anxious, standing up and pacing back and forth in the courtyard.

The "Nine-Turn Heaven-Returning Pill" was too important to him! Not the slightest mishap could be tolerated. Listening to the movements inside the pill room, Zhang Nuo's heart pounded wildly!

In the blink of an eye, the seventh day passed, and Zhang Nuo truly had the urge to rush into the pill room! What on earth was Yilu the Daoist doing? According to what Chunyangzi had said, it should only take three days to refine a "Nine-Turn Heaven-Returning Pill," yet the old Daoist had now spent a full seven days!

Could it be that the Pill had been ruined in the refining process? Zhang Nuo dared not think further, praying incessantly in his heart!

By the eighth day, the high temperature inside the pill room finally subsided a little. Zhang Nuo was immediately overjoyed; it seemed the old Daoist was about to come out.

After waiting for nearly another hour, under Zhang Nuo's expectant gaze, the door to the old Daoist's pill room finally opened. He saw Daoist Yilu, his clothes somewhat tattered and his hair disheveled; in just eight short days, it was as if he had aged eight years.

"Daoist, did you succeed?"

Taking a few quick steps to stand before the old Daoist, Zhang Nuo asked excitedly.

The old Daoist first smiled, then slowly opened his palm to reveal two snow-white Pills. Upon seeing the Pills, Zhang Nuo nearly jumped for joy, reaching out to grab both of them at once.

Taking one of them out, he examined it carefully. He saw that the surface of this "Nine-Turn Heaven-Returning Pill" had nine ripples, each one deeper than the last. These ripples existed within the interior of the Pill and could not be rubbed off by hand; Zhang Nuo tried it, and it was indeed so.

Placing it under his nose and sniffing lightly, a refreshing medicinal fragrance instantly spread throughout his entire body, and even the pores on his skin opened up. That feeling of comfort was simply impossible to describe in words.

Through these two points, Zhang Nuo could be certain that Yilu the Daoist had successfully refined both Pills! It was just that the quality of the first was slightly inferior to the second. However, this was no longer important; although the medicinal effect might be slightly weaker, it was still much better than them being ruined entirely!

"The Daoist is truly a master! Both Pills were completed!"

After putting away the "Nine-Turn Heaven-Returning Pill," Zhang Nuo cupped his hands toward Yilu the Daoist!

"Fellow Daoist is too kind, but there is one thing this poor Daoist does not understand and would like to ask about!"

Looking at Zhang Nuo's happy expression, the old Daoist knew that the five thousand Spirit Stones were his, but some questions that arose during the alchemy still puzzled him, which was why he asked.

Zhang Nuo was stunned, the happy expression on his face fading slightly; he did not know what question Yilu the Daoist wanted to ask.