Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Purple Cloud Bronze Furnace _1
Translator: 549690339
“Xiangxiang, can iron pots be used for pill refinement?”
Inside a waterside pavilion within Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, Gu Caiyi, who was leaning on the table, looked at Yuxiang in front of her, who was applying makeup.
Under the delicate touch of her handmaid, Yuxiang’s already beautiful face became even more dazzling.
Sometimes, she couldn’t understand why, despite Yuxiang already being an inner disciple of the Hehuan Sect, she still came to such a filthy place.
Yuxiang closed her eyes, allowing the handmaid to apply makeup on her.
“Pot? If it’s an iron pot licked by spirit mineral, naturally it can be used for pill refinement.”
“Huh?”
Gu Caiyi, with a puzzled expression, asked, “Don’t all of you pill refiners use cauldrons for pill refining?”
“Hehe, that’s where you are wrong.”
Yuxiang chuckled, “The path of pill refinement is vast and profound. There are various refinement methods such as water refinement, fire refinement, blood refinement, living refinement, and so forth.”
“As for pill refining equipment, the varieties are even more numerous.”
“Since cauldrons can withstand intense flames, accommodate more medicinal ingredients, and once the elixir is formed, they can nurture the elixir and lock in more pill power. Therefore, cauldrons have become the most mainstream pill refining equipment.”
“In actuality, pots, furnaces, gui, kettles are all commonly used pill refining equipment. I even heard that some demonic cultivators use humans as cauldrons, adopting the method of living refinement to refine the Great Pill of Humanity.”
Gu Caiyi was flabbergasted.
She never imagined that the path of pill refinement was this deep.
Furthermore, it seemed from Yuxiang’s words that there were even more unspoken rules within.
“So, can the poorest quality iron pot from the Wanbao Pavilion be used for pill refinement?” Gu Caiyi was still somewhat incredulous.
Yuxiang was somewhat unsure, “Just how poor is that pot?”
“Miss, that pot only contains trace amounts of Xuan Iron, barely enough to lock in the spirit qi that disperses during the steaming of spirit rice. It’s sold for— one lower-grade spirit stone.”
The handmaid beside them answered this question.
“Ah!”
Yuxiang opened her eyes wide in surprise, her mouth slightly opened.
“With such a utensil, I’m afraid it won’t be able to refine good pills!”
“Exactly. That’s why I am shocked, even questioning whether the decades of my cultivation career were in vain.”
Through the clear and flat Glass Sky Mirror, Yuxiang looked at Gu Caiyi in the mirror, who was leaning on the table, and became a little curious.
“The person you mentioned, who uses inferior quality spirit iron pot for pill refinement, isn’t he the pill refiner neighbour you previously mentioned?”
Gu Caiyi nodded.
Yuxiang exclaimed in awe, “A Middle Stage Qi Refinement cultivator’s spirit power is limited in the first place. Using an inferior quality iron pot that only contains a small amount of Xuan Iron for pill refining, your neighbor, he is either outstandingly talented in the Dao of Alchemy, or has extremely solid fundamentals, well-versed in the characteristics of medicinal ingredients, and can perfectly control the heat at each stage.”
“Regardless of whichever one, both are of the desired kind seeded pill refiners pursued by minor clans and forces.”
Gu Caiyi widened her eyes in disbelief, “Is he really that incredible?”
“Yes, indeed very incredible.” Yuxiang nodded her head and then her makeup smudged again.
The helpless handmaid had to redo her makeup.
“I worked as a fire watcher in the pill division of Hehuan Sect for three years, served as a medicine mixer for five years, and personally practiced the Dao of Alchemy for twenty years before laying down a decent foundation. Even in this case, I was able to walk down the path of a pill refiner because the sect was willing to cultivate me due to a certain talent for the Dao of Alchemy.”
It was a little hard to imagine, such a refined and quietly elegant lady, having spent years as a fire watcher and medicine mixer.
Gu Caiyi just felt that her neighbor seemed to be really impressive.
Although he was in the Middle Stage of Qi Refinement, and although he had a storage bag, one could tell from his living conditions that he was likely poor, and there didn’t seem to be any power behind him that was supporting him.
However, against all odds, he had honed a skill in pill refinement that most cultivators couldn’t even dream of.
“But Caiyi, there’s one thing I feel I should warn your neighbor about.”
“What is it?”
“If it’s possible, he should change to better pill refining equipment! Inferior spirit iron pot significantly affects the grade of the elixir after it is formed. Moreover, it’s very prone to exploding. If you’re not careful, you could be seriously injured or even die.”
Why did cauldrons become mainstream as the principal tool for pill refining?
Aside from the various advantages Yuxiang previously mentioned, the biggest benefit was safety!
Even if a batch of elixir was ruined, or the Earth Fire was too intense, cauldrons were unlikely to explode.
“He’s so poor, he probably can’t afford any good pill refining tools.”
Gu Caiyi curled her lip, suddenly thinking of something.
“Xiangxiang, don’t you have a spare pill refining furnace?”
The days of refining Allure pills were always dull and tedious.
Or perhaps any repetitive work would eventually feel the same after doing it for a long time.
But Luo Chen wouldn’t!
The increase in proficiency, the foreseeable spirit stone revenue, all constantly stimulated him to persevere in pill refinement.
In addition, recently, he had more “entertainment” activities.
Watching a barrel of nearly fifty kilograms of water steadily rise from the well, Luo Chen couldn’t resist smiling triumphantly.
Attraction Technique was basically mastery, the level had also reached the proficient level.
He’s been progressing so quickly because of the inspiration he drew from the scene where Gu Caiyi was drawing water before.
In fact, there’s no need to strictly follow the practice method of the Attraction Technique.
This technique can be completely integrated into all aspects of life.
From trivial tasks like dressing and sweeping, to bigger ones like moving heavy objects, just release spirit power at will, and the Attraction Technique will naturally become more and more familiar.
A proficiency level Attraction Technique can comfortably manipulate the Jade Sword Magic Tool.
Besides the Attraction Technique, Luo Chen has recently learned two more techniques.
They’re the Wind Riding Technique and the Spirit Vision Technique.
The former was quite easy to learn, perhaps because of his Carefree Wandering Technique nearing the Perfection Level, anyhow, he mastered it in just an incense stick’s time.
However, the latter was a bit tough.
As it involves the fragile eyes, and the spirit power is too powerful, without careful attention, it’s easy to become blind.
So Luo Chen only attempted to control the spirit power attaching to his eyes after he had upgraded his Attraction Technique.
It must be said, before imbuing his eyes with spirit power, Luo Chen was indeed expectant.
“In most urban novels, it would be considered a super ability, and having a X-ray vision feature wouldn’t be too much!”
However, when Luo Chen opened his eyes to see the world, he was disappointed.
No x-ray vision.
All there was, was an irritating sensation, like staring at the sun. If stared at for too long, his eyes would sore and hurt.
The downside was significant!
Yet this technique, being listed as one of the five basic techniques that a Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator must master, certainly has its reasons.
The Spirit Vision Technique, observes qi and detects spirit, penetrating the sinister and hidden.
For lower order cultivators, what affects their survival isn’t low realm, nor the lack of a powerful background, but ignorance.
Picking a fight with someone who seems ordinary yet possesses a high realm, not knowing the habitats of demon beasts, roaming at night and encountering ghosts, all these could easily cost one’s life.
However, with the Spirit Vision Technique, it can avoid these problems satisfactorily.
Although it has limitations, at least it allows cultivators to know, who they can’t afford to mess with, and what places they can’t go to.
Dirty places will be seen through a glance, and then be avoided from a distance.
“But I can’t misuse this technique, in case I look at someone who shouldn’t be looked at and annoy them, that would cause trouble.”
While it’s tolerable for a higher realm to look at a lower realm, it’s very likely for a lower realm looking at a higher realm cultivator to be noticed.
Prying, does very easily cause misunderstandings.
Of course, the higher and lower realms mentioned here refer to the major realms.
Such as Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment, Foundation Establishment and Golden Core.
Within the same major realm, except for those who practice special cultivation techniques, others generally cannot perceive themselves being spied upon.
Splash!
A bucket of water is poured into a large water tank under the force of spirit power, and Luo Chen uses the Spirit Vision Technique to carefully observe it.
Buddha said that there are forty-eight thousand insects in a drop of water.
Modern biology also says there are a large number of microbes in the water.
Why can I, a noble Immortal Cultivator, not see anything?
“This beginner Spirit Vision Technique is not even as good as a microscope.”
After muttering a few words, Luo Chen looks at the thirty jade bottles placed in front of him.
This is his achievement for half a month, not only has he produced three pots of finished products, but he has also increased the proficiency level of the Allure Pill to the proficient level.
There are still twenty-five batches of raw materials left previously. If they are to be completely refined, it will take almost a month.
What Luo Chen is considering now is the best time to sell the Allure Pill.
The busy event at the beginning of the month at the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion mentioned by Gu Caiyi made him notice a problem with his own sales.
“Selling at the grand market each time, while it saves more time for Pill Refinement, actually earns less money.”
Pills of sufficient quality often do not lack a market.
However, to create continuous profit, you need to keep these pills on the market so that consumers can notice and purchase them anytime.
Why is the Qi Nurturing Pill so popular among lower-order cultivators?
You should know that the elixirs which can enhance the spirit power of the Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator, are not just limited to the Qi Nurturing Pill.
The reason is that the Spirit Medicine Hall always has Qi Nurturing Pills for sale.
They have forcefully squeezed the survival space of other similar elixirs with their large stocks.
At present, there are not many competitors for the Allure Pill, but that’s a problem Luo Chen should consider eventually.
Try to increase the output as much as possible, but ensuring that the Allure Pills are always available on the market, is something that needs to be done.
“I’ve decided to set up stalls three times a month!”
Twice at the small market, once at the grand market.
Luo Chen is alone and can barely manage this now.
However, this plan was shaken the next morning.
“A Lower Grade First Order magic tool, the Purple Cloud Bronze Furnace?”