Chapter 114: Each Makes Breakthroughs, Performance Pay Smells So Good

Xu Chuan made a trip to the marketplace and sold some pills. After accumulating around 150 spirit stones, he then set out for the Dan Hall's third level.

In front of the third level's restriction light curtain, he transmitted his voice inside.

Moments later, the restriction opened, and Yun Zhongzi's voice also entered his ears.

"Come in."

Hearing this, Xu Chuan entered and came before Yun Zhongzi.

At this moment, he was sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, apparently in quiet cultivation.

If he had been refining pills, Xu Chuan would probably have had to wait quite a while.

"Fellow Daoist Sansu, what brings you to this old man?" Yun Zhongzi said calmly.

"I've come wanting to learn the Nine Flames Formula and the Jade Liquid Restoration Formula. I ask the chief to approve."

Xu Chuan cupped his hands, "It was the Third Elder who enlightened this humble one."

Yun Zhongzi nodded slightly, "No wonder you know of the Nine Flames Formula. In the entire Dan Hall, only he and this old man have cultivated the Nine Flames Formula."

"As for the rest, the Second Elder has this qualification, but seeing the difficulty was too high, he ultimately gave up.

The remaining people, even if they came begging this old man, this old man wouldn't agree."

"Then this junior..."

"Your pill Dao talent is remarkable. Naturally you're qualified. Otherwise, this old man wouldn't have personally recommended you to enter the Dan Hall. You probably haven't reached sixty years of age yet? When I was your age, my pill Dao attainment wasn't as good as yours."

"Indeed, still a bit short."

Yun Zhongzi revealed a very satisfied smile, "Not yet sixty, with profound pill Dao attainment, and cultivated to ninth layer of Qi Refining. Fellow Daoist Sansu, you have hope of Foundation Establishment."

"If you're willing to completely bind your interests with our Dan Hall, I can apply to the Great Wei imperial family for a Foundation Establishment Pill for you and fully assist you.

In the future, you could even succeed me as Dan Hall chief."

Xu Chuan's heart surged with waves. He hadn't expected Yun Zhongzi to regard him so highly.

How precious was a Foundation Establishment Pill? Even as Dan Hall chief, wanting to apply for one was extremely difficult, requiring enormous sacrifice.

Xu Chuan fell silent.

After pondering for a long while, he bowed with clasped hands, "I'm grateful for the chief's great regard. This junior must think deeply about this matter."

Yun Zhongzi sighed slightly, "This old man was presumptuous. Let's return to the main topic. The Nine Flames Formula hand-copied edition costs one hundred spirit stones. The Jade Liquid Restoration Formula hand-copied edition costs thirty spirit stones."

"If you have sufficient spirit stones now, hand them to this old man and you can take them away."

Xu Chuan slapped his storage bag. A pile of spirit stones flew out and landed nearby.

Yun Zhongzi's divine consciousness swept over them. He immediately collected them into his own storage bag, then took out two technique manuals and handed them to Xu Chuan.

"Cultivate well. I hope you won't disappoint these two techniques. As for this old man's proposal just now, you can think it over carefully. No need to decide hastily."

"Yes, Chief."

After receiving them, Xu Chuan left the Dan Hall's third level. Returning to his own pill room, he read carefully.

Over half an hour later.

"These Nine Flames Formula and Jade Liquid Restoration Formula are truly exquisite. Could they be ancient pill cultivator inheritances? And requiring Yun Zhongzi's personal approval..."

Recalling his earlier expression, Xu Chuan even felt these two techniques were obtained by Yun Zhongzi himself from some pill cultivator's cave mansion.

As the technique's owner himself, he naturally had the authority to decide who could cultivate them.

Also, from the words he revealed today, one could guess his lifespan wasn't much, definitely not exceeding one jiazi.

The Dan Hall's relationship with the Great Wei imperial family was too deep. Although Xu Chuan wanted to borrow their influence, he didn't want to be overly entangled.

The current most superficial employment relationship suited his wishes perfectly.

If he fully joined, he could imagine there would be layer upon layer of constraints preventing him from betraying the Dan Hall, binding him in life, death, glory, and disgrace.

In the following days, Xu Chuan began practicing the Nine Flames Formula and Jade Liquid Restoration Formula using ordinary medicinal materials.

Still researching during the day, cultivating at night.

Occasionally consulting Daoist Yunding about these two techniques.

In just half a month, Xu Chuan had entered the gate for both techniques.

His control over flames was already not weak, his divine sense was also very powerful, and he had previously split his attention to control multiple strands of divine sense while refining pills. Therefore, achieving the three flames level wasn't difficult for him.

Another month passed.

The Jade Liquid Restoration Formula reached minor accomplishment.

Xu Chuan began refining completely new pill formulas.

For this, the Dan Hall had regulations. If an elder refined new pills, they could receive six free sets of materials. The rest required the elder to pay spirit stones themselves or go purchase spirit herbs at the marketplace.

Xu Chuan directly refined all the existing pill formulas the Dan Hall had materials for.

Even on first attempts, often by the second or third set, he could refine low-grade pills.

The third set saw a surge in low-grade pill quantity.

Starting from the fourth set, middle-grade pills might appear.

This showed that after cultivating the Nine Flames Formula and Jade Liquid Restoration Formula, his pill refining level had improved again.

Now, if he refined first-grade pills again, he might produce over three superior-grade pills.

Thinking of this, Xu Chuan went to Steward Chen to receive a 'performance task'—thirty sets of materials, two hundred middle-grade Qi Gathering Pills, with a performance reward of fifty spirit stones.

Close to one-tenth the value of the pills, similar to pill masters taking one in ten.

Going all out, after six batches on the first day, two of Xu Chuan's batches produced three or four superior-grade pills.

Over the next five days, six batches daily, the success rate for four superior-grade pills approached stability.

Afterward, he took on second-grade pill 'performance tasks,' also with spirit stone rewards of taking one in ten, except second-grade pill materials weren't as abundant as first-grade ones.

Basically ten sets per task, and only requiring low-grade pills, but the spirit stone rewards were also substantial, over thirty blocks.

After several second-grade tasks, Xu Chuan switched back to first-grade tasks.

Plenty of spirit stones, and he could hone the newly acquired techniques while also pocketing some profit.

In the eyes of others in the Dan Hall, he was a 'pill fanatic.' Acting this way also fit his persona and wouldn't arouse others' suspicion.

In the blink of an eye, summer departed and autumn arrived. It was already mid-October.

Xu Chuan's pill Dao cultivation rose again. He could now occasionally refine five superior-grade pills. Relying on 'performance tasks,' the spirit stones in his hands had accumulated to over four hundred.

Previously, he felt being cautious and just taking the base salary was sufficient.

Now, it smelled so good!

And there were no worries whatsoever.

If Xu Chuan truly were a completely alone rogue cultivator, he probably really would stay in the Dan Hall forever.

At the same time, Xu Mingxian sat cross-legged on a bluestone in the courtyard and consumed one middle-grade Breakthrough Pill.

The pill entered his throat like burning charcoal. Instantly, the medicinal power transformed into a surging stream flowing throughout his body.

Within less than a shichen, his dantian suddenly shook like thunder. The acupoints all over his body opened wide. Spiritual power churned like a flood dragon emerging from water, actually directly breaking through to eighth layer of Qi Refining!

In that instant, a surge of qi energy gushed from his pores. Flying sand and stones filled the courtyard. That century-old osmanthus tree rustled and trembled chaotically. Golden stamens fell like rain. The sound of branches and leaves rubbing together was like an immortal clapping.

"Eighth layer of Qi Refining."

Xu Mingxian let out a long breath, then formed hand seals to cleanse the filth from his body.

"The incomplete array patterns on the array flags have all been mostly deduced. Fortunately, only portions were incomplete."

Relying on the array patterns on the intact array flags plus the residual patterns on the incomplete flags, Xu Mingxian conducted deductions and finally perfected ninety percent.

The remainder could be perfected in less than half a month.

Thereafter would be redrawing the array patterns, requiring erasure of the original patches.

Those patches appeared full of loopholes in Xu Mingxian's view.

What was originally a second-grade superior-grade grand array had, after deduction and repair, only remained at first-grade superior-grade level.

One could only say that person truly wasn't skilled at deducing incomplete array formations.

"Three sets of materials should be enough. If not, I can only ask father again."

Xu Mingxian looked up at the azure sky and murmured in a low voice, "Father hasn't returned for nearly half a month. He must have made a breakthrough in pill Dao to be so devoted that he forgets food and sleep."

He steadied his spirit and continued meditating to stabilize his realm.