Chapter 201: Attempt

Less than two months later, He Pingsheng had refined the 【Golden Pattern Cloud-Stepping Boots】 to eight layers.

Worn on the feet, they granted extreme speed—each slight movement covering several zhang—and their appearance was flawless.

Paired with the 【Fire Elemental Blood-Reflecting Armor】, they complemented each other perfectly, instantly elevating He Pingsheng's entire aura.

Crucially, whether the boots or the robe, when not activated, they appeared indistinguishable from ordinary Daoist robes to outsiders.

Only if a Nascent Soul cultivator attached their spiritual sense to He Pingsheng and secretly observed could they detect the truth.

But such a probability was extremely low.

After refining them, He Pingsheng resumed his seclusion.

This seclusion primarily focused on refining the spirit and the body.

Training both simultaneously.

The spirit-refining and body-refining techniques operated through entirely different meridian systems, allowing him to cultivate both at once.

In the blink of an eye, another half-year passed.

He Pingsheng had reached the second layer of the Foundation Establishment section of the 【Mystic Gate Stillness True Scripture】.

Likewise, the Nine Toxins Golden Body Technique had also reached the second layer of its Foundation Establishment section.

Yet the remaining four dantians remained at the first layer, having not broken through to the second.

Boom…

Immediately after breaking through the second layer of spirit refinement, He Pingsheng extended his spiritual sense outward.

Now, his spiritual sense truly reached over five hundred zhang.

Though still short of the six hundred zhang typical of a Foundation Establishment peak cultivator, the difference was negligible.

Retracting his spiritual sense, he immediately conceived a bold idea—he felt he might be able to attempt refining a third-rank elixir using only the strength of his spiritual sense.

For instance, the 【Gathering Essence Elixir】, essential for Jin Dan cultivators.

He desperately wanted to try.

Of course, this didn't mean he could actually produce a true Gathering Essence Elixir—only that he believed he wouldn't blow up the furnace.

For others, producing an inferior-grade elixir counted as success; for him, even a failed elixir counted as success.

He Pingsheng stepped out of the cultivation hall, closed the gate of his small courtyard, and walked outside.

The streets of Dingxiang City were far busier than before.

For some reason, He Pingsheng suddenly felt the city's population had increased.

But it had nothing to do with him—he only wished to purchase materials for third-rank elixirs.

He Pingsheng's first stop was Xuan Yuan Changgeng's alchemy shop.

"Sorry, Elder He, our shopkeeper has entered seclusion—he's attempting to break into the Jin Dan realm!" The boy inside the shop looked at He Pingsheng with sincere expression.

He Pingsheng nodded and said: "Entered seclusion, huh? No matter—I'd like to ask, do you have materials for third-rank elixirs?"

"No!" The boy shook his head. "Elder He, even if we had such materials, we couldn't refine them. Besides, these materials are mostly monopolized by the big trading guilds—they never reach our hands!"

"Oh oh oh!" He Pingsheng nodded. "Then forget it—I'll take my leave!"

"Elder, wait!" The boy hurriedly called out, then produced a jade box. "These are the 【Poison Pills】 I've gathered for you over this period—exactly as requested!"

"Please inspect them!"

He Pingsheng had previously asked Xuan Yuan to collect two hundred poison pills; half a year ago he took some, and now the count had been replenished.

He Pingsheng paid in spirit stones.

The boy added: "Elder, the toxicity of these poison pills will slowly fade—please use them soon if you intend to."

He Pingsheng nodded: "I know."

Toxicity fading?

Not a problem.

I have the Treasure Basin!

Once strengthened, they'll still become top-grade poison pills.

After strengthening two hundred poison pills, I'll have four hundred top-grade second-rank poison pills.

According to He Pingsheng's experience, these poison pills will suffice for his entire Foundation Establishment body refinement.

Packing the poison pills, He Pingsheng left Xuan Yuan's alchemy shop and headed toward the Coral Trading Guild.

"You can refine third-rank elixirs?" A female Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Coral Trading Guild looked at He Pingsheng with curiosity.

He Pingsheng smiled and said: "Do you think that's possible? I'm only at Foundation Establishment second layer."

The woman's puzzled gaze vanished, replaced by an expression of understanding.

He Pingsheng continued: "I'm purchasing these on behalf of my master."

The woman asked: "Your master is a third-rank alchemist?"

He Pingsheng nodded.

The woman asked further: "May I ask who your master is? He could potentially collaborate with our guild…"

The Coral Trading Guild's elixir volume was enormous, and third-rank elixirs were always in short supply.

They needed to cultivate relationships with alchemists.

He Pingsheng replied calmly: "No need—my master forbade me from revealing his identity."

"Alright," the woman sighed. "That's a pity. Please convey our guild's sincerity when you return."

"Follow me."

The woman led He Pingsheng to a private room on the second floor.

After about half an incense stick's time, ten sets of 【Gathering Essence Elixir】 materials were delivered.

"Elder, please check if these materials are correct?" The woman handed the materials to He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng glanced briefly and said: "I don't understand—I trust your judgment. My master will inspect them later."

"Rest assured," the woman said. "The Coral Trading Guild has a solid reputation—we wouldn't compromise on material quality."

"Ten sets: seventy-two ten thousand spirit stones."

The woman smiled at He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng had expected this.

Earlier, at the auction, Wang Dun had purchased a single 【Chaoyuan Elixir】 for fifty thousand spirit stones.

The Gathering Essence Elixir was cheaper, but still cost thirty thousand per pill.

Ten pills: three hundred thousand.

One furnace yields twelve pills: three hundred sixty thousand.

In the cultivation world, it's customary that one furnace's output equals five sets of materials—so ten sets equate to two furnaces, making seventy-two ten thousand spirit stones reasonable.

"Fine!"

He Pingsheng didn't hesitate—he immediately produced seventy-two mid-grade spirit stones to pay.

Mid-grade spirit stones were absurd to display as a Qi Refining cultivator.

But as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it was unremarkable.

Especially since he claimed he was buying them for his master!

If he'd tried to barter with something else instead of spirit stones, it would have seemed suspicious.

Could a Jin Dan alchemist really have no spirit stones?

Indeed, the woman accepted the spirit stones without comment.

He Pingsheng took the materials and left immediately, without lingering in the shop.

He returned to his small courtyard at once.

Then he strengthened the materials.

He strengthened ten sets of alchemy materials into twenty.

He secluded himself for three days, calming his mind while studying the elixir formula.