[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-treasure-immortal-basin":3,"chapter-the-treasure-immortal-basin-the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-179":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Treasure Immortal Basin",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2355362,4608,"Chapter 179: Alchemizing Second-Rank Pills","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-179",179,"\u003Cp>Do you have Soul-Returning Pills?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng spoke as he looked around the alchemy shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shop was tiny, less than ten zhang across, containing only a few shelves and some arrays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this was understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because cultivators in the cultivation world commonly use only a few types of pills, which take up little space, there’s no need to make the shop large.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!” the child said to He Pingsheng: “But you’ll have to wait—I can’t sell second-rank pills; I must call my master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng nodded and said: “Call him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy activated a Tongxinfu  and sent a signal; soon, an elderly man with a tall, sturdy frame and upright posture stepped out—his hair and beard were white, yet his face was ruddy and youthful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng’s spiritual sense swept over the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A customer scanning a shopkeeper isn’t impolite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he couldn’t detect anything?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng was stunned inside: this man’s cultivation base was either at the peak of Foundation Establishment or had already reached Golden Core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehehe… Welcome, fellow cultivator!” the white-haired elder said: “I am Xuan Yuan Changgeng. You want Soul-Returning Pills?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, He Pingsheng could deduce: the man’s cultivation was likely at the peak of Foundation Establishment—level ten, eleven, or twelve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because if he were at Foundation Establishment level nine, He Pingsheng could have seen it; above level nine, he couldn’t perceive it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man had just addressed him as “fellow cultivator,” meaning he was Foundation Establishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!” He Pingsheng said: “I came to ask the price!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good, good, good… please…” Xuan Yuan Changgeng invited He Pingsheng inside and said: “We have Soul-Returning Pills, but not many—only three bottles right now, and all are low-grade…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Low-grade was exactly what He Pingsheng wanted. He asked: “How much per bottle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuan Yuan Changgeng said: “Two thousand spirit stones, fellow cultivator. This is the lowest price—you won’t find cheaper in the entire Dingxiang City!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng wasn’t shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this was a second-rank pill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he had bought low-grade [Sharp Metal Talismans] at the Matou Mountain marketplace’s Fenghe Shop, each one cost three thousand spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two thousand spirit stones per bottle of Soul-Returning Pills was normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second-rank items cost many times, even hundreds of times more than first-rank ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s no help for it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining are worlds apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine…” He Pingsheng said: “I’ll take one bottle… Also, Master Xuan, do you sell the materials for Soul-Returning Pills?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We do!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuan Yuan Changgeng said: “Over here… sold by portion. The main ingredients are [Earth Yellow Root], [Night-Closing Purple], and [Mandala Lotus]; there are thirteen auxiliary ingredients, totaling sixteen materials!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Four hundred spirit stones per portion!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, the materials for making Soul-Returning Pills aren’t fixed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, the main ingredient [Night-Closing Purple] is a spiritual liquid formed from dew condensed by a certain spiritual plant, appearing purple due to its qi-rich vapor—hence the name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you lack it, other second-rank spiritual liquids can substitute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Likewise, if you have no [Earth Yellow Root], some second-rank [Ginseng varieties] can replace it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The resulting Soul-Returning Pills may differ slightly, but their effects are nearly identical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The auxiliary ingredients can be replaced in countless ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four hundred spirit stones per portion means five portions equal two thousand spirit stones—roughly the value of one bottle of pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One bottle contains twelve pills—that’s one furnace’s yield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So… the price strictly follows the rule: five portions of material yield one furnace of finished pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the cultivation world, five portions yielding one furnace is the average skill level of alchemists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most alchemists operate at this level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good!” He Pingsheng said: “Give me ten portions!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuan Yuan Changgeng’s face darkened: “Er… uh… fellow cultivator, I don’t have that many right now—only five portions left!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Small shops often lack sufficient stock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng didn’t mind; he nodded: “Five portions are fine. Give me some firewood for alchemy—I’ll pick it myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuan Yuan Changgeng said: “No problem!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After selecting the wood, He Pingsheng asked: “Do you have second-rank poison pills here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We don’t,” Xuan Yuan sighed. “No one usually needs this. Are you a poison cultivator?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng nodded, acknowledging it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since he had no poison pills, He Pingsheng had no reason to stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No need to visit the big trading houses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because when He Pingsheng had visited those big trading houses before, he’d checked pill prices—they were significantly higher than those at Xuan Yuan’s alchemy shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, there was no point going.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at his small courtyard, He Pingsheng dumped all the wood out of his storage bag at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no choice—he still had to use wood to alchemize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where else would he get fire?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t rely on fire spiritual energy—it would drain before finishing one furnace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not worth it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Golden Core disciples can use pill-fire to alchemize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But pill-fire is extremely unstable; controlling its output and intensity requires constant spiritual sense, draining it heavily—so even Golden Core cultivators rarely use it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumor says only Nascent Soul cultivators and above can generate fire from their own spiritual energy to alchemize pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first step in alchemy: study the formula.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng had only alchemized first-rank pills—[Qi-Condensing Pills]—never second-rank ones before!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled out a book: Alchemy’s Thirty-Six Formulas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This book contained an enhanced alchemy technique, recording thirty-six common first- and second-rank pill formulas in the cultivation world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Correct—only first- and second-rank pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, He Pingsheng didn’t need higher-grade pills right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He found the [Soul-Returning Pill] formula.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he studied the formula, he used the Treasure Basin to strengthen the [materials].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several days, he strengthened five portions into ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the bottle of twelve low-grade Soul-Returning Pills was upgraded to supreme quality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It became twenty-four pills!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After fully understanding the Soul-Returning Pill’s alchemy method, He Pingsheng began heating and alchemizing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Open…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He softly chanted, and the small cauldron expanded under magic power, growing to one chi tall, floating above the flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, following the method recorded in Alchemy’s Thirty-Six Formulas, he began adding materials one by one, alchemizing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About half an hour later, a loud explosion echoed from the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of heat visibly rippled outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burnt, medicinal scent filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng’s face darkened: the furnace exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cauldron’s lid had been blown three zhang away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the cauldron, nothing remained but blackened residue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even a dud pill was left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Pingsheng took a deep breath; he wasn’t discouraged, but picked up the cauldron and meticulously cleaned it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Failing the first time alchemizing a second-rank pill didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>",1098,"2026-06-21T04:08:57.694Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4305bbecde49b198a3ca10ed133277de32a70bb799ae58da6f39d2eca3f1cd28","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-180","the-treasure-immortal-basin-chapter-178",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-treasure-immortal-basin-cover.jpg"]