Chapter 118: Take It All? Superior-Grade Phoenix Furnace

Eight days later.

"Two bottles of superior-grade Advancement Spirit Pills, eight bottles of middle-grade Advancement Spirit Pills, four bottles of low-grade Advancement Spirit Pills. This is enough for the Xu family's use for a very long time to come."

Xu Chuan beamed with joy. He looked at them again, then stored them in his storage bag.

"All of this is foundation."

Xu Chuan patted his storage bag. Inside were various kinds of pills: first-grade pills, second-grade pills, healing pills, detoxification pills, qi restoration pills, magical power advancement pills, breakthrough bottleneck pills, and so on.

With the Xu family's current few immortal cultivators, these pills were enough for them to use for several years with the treatment of core disciples of a Foundation Establishment family.

"The spirit materials have been exhausted, and the agreed-upon deadline has arrived. It's time to find the chief."

Xu Chuan stood up and thoroughly cleaned away the pill fragrance in the pill room to avoid anyone detecting any abnormality.

After all, the Advancement Spirit Pill was too unique. Even the low-grade pill fragrance could make souls restless, not to mention the superior-grade ones.

Yun Zhongzi Pill Master quietly looked at Xu Chuan, stroking his beard with a faint smile, "Fellow Daoist Sansu, you've come to find this old man. Could it be that you've achieved results in completing the incomplete formula?"

Xu Chuan nodded slightly and took out a porcelain bottle. With a light wave of his palm, the porcelain bottle landed on the desk in front of Yun Zhongzi.

What he took out was naturally not the Advancement Spirit Pill, but the pill he had first successfully refined.

Yun Zhongzi merely opened it. Just by smelling the pill fragrance, he knew it was as he had anticipated.

"There's even a middle-grade pill. Not bad." Yun Zhongzi praised with a smile.

Xu Chuan cupped his fists, "Senior Yun Zhongzi can determine that what I refined is correct just from the pill fragrance. It seems you must have refined this pill long ago."

"In the end, I was a step slower than the chief."

Xu Chuan showed a regretful expression, "The chief's pill Dao is truly admirable to Sansu."

Yun Zhongzi raised his hand, "Fellow Daoist Sansu, please don't praise me anymore. If you continue, this old man will be ashamed."

Xu Chuan was slightly stunned. What's going on?

"Since Fellow Daoist Sansu has completed this precious pill formula, my Dan Hall naturally must give you a reward. You still lack a superior-grade pill furnace, don't you? This old man will bestow this pill furnace upon you in the name of the Dan Hall."

Having said this, Yun Zhongzi swept his sleeve, and a small pill furnace flew out from his storage bag, landing before Xu Chuan.

This pill furnace stood three feet and six inches high, secretly conforming to the number of the heavens. Its three legs stood like dragon claws gripping the earth, and its two ears formed the shape of a vermilion bird holding rings.

Flowing gold circulated throughout its body, with faint light appearing and disappearing.

On the furnace body was carved an image of a fire phoenix spreading its wings, each feather inlaid with red fire crystals, seemingly emitting the clear sound of a phoenix cry.

As for the furnace lid, it was carved with nine-petaled lotus flowers, with a Radiant Fire Pearl at the lotus heart shining day and night.

Looking at the pill furnace slowly rotating before him, Xu Chuan felt joy at first sight.

This furnace was extraordinary!

"This furnace is an imitation of the ancient treasure Phoenix Nine Revolutions Furnace, named the Phoenix Furnace. Although it can't be considered a successful work, it was also refined by an ancient cultivator. Among superior-grade magical artifacts, it's considered high quality. This old man used it during his Qi Refining realm."

"A pill furnace the chief once used?" Xu Chuan was shocked in his heart. Thinking of something, he repeatedly waved his hands, "This pill furnace is far too precious. This junior absolutely dares not accept it."

Yun Zhongzi shook his head and sighed, "Rest assured, it's merely a reward for completing the pill formula."

"This old man will name this pill Divine Sense Pill. In the future, it will definitely bring tremendous benefits to the Dan Hall. I have no other intentions, nor do you need to bear any karma with my Dan Hall."

So that's how it is, only then did Xu Chuan breathe a sigh of relief.

If they wanted to use just one superior-grade pill furnace to bind him completely to the Dan Hall, he would absolutely never accept.

"A superior-grade pill furnace is already more valuable than ordinary superior-grade magical artifacts, and slightly more precious than defensive types, not to mention high-quality magical artifacts. This reward is truly substantial."

Every time Xu Chuan refined pills, he would pocket some benefits. This time, he hadn't presented the Advancement Spirit Pill formula either. Now that Yun Zhongzi was treating him so generously, it did make him feel some guilt.

But it only lasted a few breaths because behind him stood an entire Xu family, and guilt was of no use to him.

"Thank you, Chief. Then this junior will accept it."

"There's also the matter of this pill's future revenue share..."

"This junior naturally doesn't dare have improper thoughts. Since the chief completed it first, the revenue should rightfully belong to you."

Yun Zhongzi smiled faintly, "Although this pill can strengthen divine sense, it's far from reaching the exaggerated effects Fellow Daoist Yunding mentioned. Perhaps it's because it hasn't been truly completed. However, even my Dan Hall cannot continue any further. With reduced effects, the revenue it brings will naturally decrease as well. Of course, this old man also wasn't the first to complete it."

"Chief, what do you mean by this? Could there be someone faster than you?"

"You." Yun Zhongzi smiled faintly and pointed at Xu Chuan.

"Me? Chief, surely you're not joking with me?"

Yun Zhongzi stopped speaking in riddles and said slowly, "Previously, when this old man was deducing this pill formula, I was also obstructed. It just so happened that you had Steward Chen go out to purchase some ordinary first-grade spirit materials. This old man thought that with your pill Dao accomplishments, you wouldn't request these medicinal materials without reason, so I also requested a few portions to try. As a result, it actually succeeded."

"It can be said that this old man took advantage of Fellow Daoist Sansu. Naturally, I'm too ashamed to take this revenue again."

Xu Chuan was also stunned. Such a thing happened?

Wasn't this another windfall from the sky?!

Taking both big and small shares?

"I must say, Fellow Daoist Sansu, your pill Dao talent truly exceeds my expectations. If you can break through to Foundation Establishment, surpassing this old man will be just around the corner."

Xu Chuan cupped his fists, "This junior currently indeed has no intention of completely joining a certain force or a certain family. Please don't blame me, Chief."

"Forget it. Each person has their own fate and fortune. In the end, forcing it won't work."

"The revenue will be calculated at half a percent. We'll settle once a year. Is that acceptable?"

Although it didn't reach one percent, Xu Chuan was already satisfied and didn't dare to ask for more.

"Thank you, Chief. Then this junior will take his leave first."

"Go ahead."

Xu Chuan left. Yun Zhongzi sighed softly again. This was the second time he had refused.

But Yun Zhongzi truly liked Xu Chuan's character. Steady and low-key, he also loved researching pill Dao. Even such difficult and complex matters as deducing and completing pill formulas, he could approach with calm composure and see them through to the end.

And finally succeeded.

That very day, Yun Zhongzi notified all the elders about Xu Chuan completing the Divine Sense Pill formula and rewarded him with a superior-grade pill furnace as well as half a percent of Divine Sense Pill revenue.

All the elders offered their congratulations. Although Xu Zhen felt unwilling, he had to admire Xu Chuan's pill Dao accomplishments.

Because the Divine Sense Pill was difficult to refine, it was only entrusted to three people: Xu Chuan, Daoist Yunding, and Xu Zhen.

Several days later, this matter shocked the entire Imperial City, causing countless families to compete in coming to the Dan Hall to request pills.

After all, pills that strengthen the divine sense of Qi Refining realm immortal cultivators were appearing for the first time in Great Wei.

Divine sense typically could only be strengthened slightly through realm breakthroughs and having powerful divine sense had many wonderful uses.

For example, controlling magical artifacts more smoothly, releasing spells more freely. For magical artifact refiners, pill refiners, talisman makers, array masters, and other practitioners of the hundred immortal arts, it had even greater use.

Qi Refining families only requested low and middle-grade Divine Sense Pills.

As for superior-grade Divine Sense Pills, they were all pre-ordered early by various Foundation Establishment families.

However, currently only Xu Chuan could refine superior-grade Divine Sense Pills. Daoist Yunding and Xu Zhen still needed a period of accumulation.

Late winter, midnight...

Xu Chuan stood with his hands behind his back in the courtyard. Thin frost condensed on the bluestone slabs, reflecting the stars in the sky.

The year-end sacrifice had already passed silently while Xu Chuan was deducing pill formulas and refining Advancement Spirit Pills.

At that time, the Imperial City was also bustling with excitement.

Immortal cultivators were also human.

If they were wandering cultivators, solitary individuals, they might spend the year-end sacrifice coldly in some tavern or pleasure house.

But in various families, it was mostly extraordinarily lively. Hundreds of descendants and thousands of grandchildren gathered in one hall. There were those who hadn't seen each other in a long time sharing their feelings, those inquiring about each other's cultivation realms, and those asking about how the family industries they managed were operating.

There were also family pillars summarizing the family's achievements for the year and determining the direction for the coming year or the next few years.

Xu Mingxian walked out from his room. Seeing Xu Chuan's figure, he approached and asked, "Father, are you missing home?"

Xu Chuan turned to look at Xu Mingxian, "I do miss it a bit."

"Zhao'er should be fifteen years old now, right?"

"Father has a good memory."

"He's also reached the age where he can establish a family and career."

"Uh..."

The corners of Xu Mingxian's mouth twitched slightly. He truly hadn't expected his father's thoughts to jump so wildly. He laughed lightly, "Father, isn't that a bit early for Zhao'er?"

"Ordinary family young masters probably already have descendants."

Xu Mingxian was immediately speechless.

After a moment, Xu Chuan smiled faintly, "What about you? Do you have anyone you fancy?"

"This child currently has no such leisure. I only hope to perfect the Four Symbols Heaven Force Array as soon as possible."

"How is it going?"

"These past months, this child has focused on the Nine Flames Formula. Not long ago, I just achieved great completion of the three flames level. This secret technique indeed helps greatly with my subsequent perfection. Otherwise, this child estimates the materials might not have been enough."

"Oh, so now you're confident?" Xu Chuan was quite surprised. Being able to master the three flames level in such a short time showed that Xu Mingxian's comprehension was truly quite good.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll go into seclusion to repair it with full effort."

"If you need anything, tell Father."

"I will, Father."

After a moment, Xu Chuan sighed, "It's a pity your realm isn't high enough now. Otherwise, the Advancement Spirit Pill could help you."

"Advancement Spirit Pill? Father, you didn't misspeak, did you? It should be Divine Sense Pill, right? Recently this pill has been very popular in the Imperial City. All the families are requesting it."

Xu Mingxian looked at Xu Chuan and grinned, "Father should have extra pills on hand, right?"

"You've guessed wrong on this one. Father doesn't have Divine Sense Pills, only Advancement Spirit Pills. This pill is my greatest harvest these past months."

Xu Chuan smiled faintly, "Just now, Father probed you. Did you notice?"

"Really? Father, you're not deliberately deceiving me, are you? I'm now at the eighth layer of Qi Refining. With Father at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, I couldn't possibly not notice your divine sense, unless..."

Xu Mingxian's eyes widened, "I once heard that what the Dan Hall was researching was a type of fortune pill that could transform divine sense into divine consciousness in advance. But later it was proven to be just a rumor. Could it be..."

"Exactly. How can the Advancement Spirit Pill compare to the Divine Sense Pill? With the help of superior-grade Advancement Spirit Pills, Father's divine sense has already transformed into divine consciousness."

Xu Mingxian looked at Xu Chuan, his eyes full of admiration, "Father, your pill Dao accomplishments could probably be called the best in Great Wei without exaggeration, right?"

"Perhaps in certain aspects, but overall I'm still not as good as some Foundation Establishment stage pill refiners." Xu Chuan said, "The Advancement Spirit Pill is only most effective the first time it's taken, and at most three can be consumed. Father took three consecutively, borrowing the massive medicinal power to transform divine sense. Moreover, this requires satisfying one condition: reaching Qi Refining perfection."

"If you take it now, you'll never have another chance to transform divine sense into divine consciousness during the Qi Refining stage."

Xu Mingxian's eyes sparkled continuously, shocked by the Advancement Spirit Pill's effects.

At least possessing divine consciousness during the Qi Refining stage was something he had never heard of and he also felt troubled by its harsh conditions.

"Then I'll wait until this child reaches Qi Refining perfection before taking it."

Xu Chuan nodded slightly, "That's the correct choice. There's no need to give in for momentary pleasure. Father has quite a few superior-grade Advancement Spirit Pills on hand. During this period, I've been secretly adding more while ostensibly refining Divine Sense Pills. All of you will have opportunities."

"Father is still the cunning strategist."

"Is there anyone who praises their father like this?" Xu Chuan deliberately put on a stern face.

Afterward, father and son looked at each other and both laughed heartily.

Accompanied by the laughter, the cold courtyard suddenly gained a bit more human warmth.

In the following days, Xu Chuan refined pills daily: one superior-grade Divine Sense Pill per day, four or five middle-grade Divine Sense Pills.

Slacking off like this, even if all the water of three rivers and five lakes were poured out, it probably wouldn't compare.

The superior-grade Divine Sense Pills he refined were naturally given priority to the imperial family.

Hearing that all superior-grade Divine Sense Pills were refined by Xu Chuan, his reputation as Daoist Sansu also quietly entered the ears of the imperial family.

Even other families had heard that he had already become the Dan Hall's well-deserved second pill Dao master.

Two days later, Yun Zhongzi went out to travel and coincidentally, one day after his departure, a steward from the Lei family came to the Dan Hall.

The Lei family, one of Great Wei's three great first-rank families, had extraordinarily deep foundations. The Wang family and their ilk simply couldn't compare.

Steward Chen naturally warmly welcomed him into the Dan Hall.

If it were an ordinary family steward, they would only be allowed to wait outside the Dan Hall.

"Steward Lei Feng, what brings you to my Dan Hall today? Could it be for the Divine Sense Pill matter?" Steward Chen said with a smile.

"My Lei family naturally knows that your Dan Hall has been very busy recently. Superior-grade Divine Sense Pills are especially few and far between right now, with no time to spare for families like ours." Lei Feng picked up his teacup and took a light sip.

"Then may I ask what matter brings you?"

"Lei came to request Chief Yun Zhongzi to make a trip to my Lei family. There's a pill matter I'd like to inquire about."

"Is that so? But Steward Lei Feng, your timing is unfortunate. The chief happened to go out traveling a few days ago. His return date is uncertain. Based on past patterns, it will be approximately several months."

"Is that so?" Lei Feng's brow furrowed, his gaze piercing.

"I naturally wouldn't dare to deceive." Steward Chen nodded.

Lei Feng pondered, his fingers lightly tapping the tea table. After a moment, he said, "Then bring the elder with the highest pill refining level in your Dan Hall to accompany me."

"Steward Lei Feng, please wait a moment."

Steward Chen didn't dare to be negligent and immediately went to the second floor of the Dan Hall to fetch Xu Chuan.

"Lei Feng?"

Xu Chuan showed a puzzled expression. The one who did good deeds without leaving his name?

"Is there a problem, Elder Sansu?"

"Oh, nothing. What matter does the Lei family steward want with this poor Daoist?"

"He said it's about a pill matter he wants to inquire about. He didn't specify the details." Steward Chen paused, then continued, "Elder Sansu, a first-rank family's steward is different from other Foundation Establishment families. You absolutely cannot offend him."

"This poor Daoist knows what to do. Then let's go meet him."

When Lei Feng saw Xu Chuan, he looked him over and said, "You're the pill refiner ranked second in the Dan Hall, after Chief Yun Zhongzi?"

"Steward Lei Feng, this is Elder Sansu." Steward Chen introduced.

"Elder Sansu, I'll remember. You're the recently rumored only Dan Hall elder who can refine superior-grade Divine Sense Pills, correct?"

"That is this poor Daoist." Xu Chuan nodded in response. "May I ask Steward Lei, who is requesting this poor Daoist to go to the Lei family?"

"My Lei family head." Lei Feng said proudly.

"So it's the Lei family head who requests my presence. That is this poor Daoist's honor."

"Since that's the case, then come with Lei."

The two left the Dan Hall and flew by sword toward the eastern direction of the Imperial City.