All 5 ingredients needed for the 'internal destruction pill' were all neatly arranged on the ground.
However, Shun Long didn't immediately start the refining process but instead aimed to bring his mental state in peak condition first.
This was the first time that he was going to refine a rank 2 pill, and it was the 'internal destruction pill' at that. After studying Lu Wen's alchemy books and the theories that were written inside, as well as all the recipes for the rank 2 pills, Shun Long felt confident that he could refine every pill that was categorized as a bronze grade pill.
However, he only had this one batch of ingredients and in case he failed, he wouldn't get another chance, so bringing himself in optimal condition was necessary before starting the refinement.
Shun Long used his spiritual strength to inspect the 5 medicinal herbs that were in front of him when suddenly, the 'water element grass' disappeared from the ground.
Shun Long was stunned as he abruptly stood up, but the 'water element grass' had vanished from the room. He sent his spiritual strength around the room but he found nothing, when he suddenly sensed something in his spiritual space.
He sent his spiritual strength inside the triangular-shaped stone, and he was shocked by what he saw inside.
The 'water element grass' had grown by almost one third of its original size as it was buried in the ground inside the triangular-shaped stone's space. Shun Long could feel his qi depleting but he didn't even react as he looked stupefied, staring blankly at the 'water element grass' in the ground. The black egg was also there but were no visible changes around it.
Different possibilities flashed through Shun Long's mind as he thought
'Can I store medicinal herbs in this space?
Do they grow faster here? Is that why the flow of time feels to be flowing faster in that patch of soil, that the 'water element grass' has buried itself at?'
Shun Long ignored his qi that was being rapidly depleted, as he used his spiritual strength on the 'fire-spirit fruit'. Originally there was no reaction, but as Shun Long willed for it to be transferred inside the spiritual space of the little stone, the 'fire-spirit fruit' vanished as it appeared near the 'water element grass'.
Shun Long removed a seed from the 'fire-spirit fruit' and after burying it near the 'water element grass' he felt his qi being sapped at an alarming rate.
Half an hour later, Shun Long forcibly stopped his qi from being transferred towards the soil as his body was almost emptied out, but the effects of the soil were shocking.
There was a small sapling at the place where he had buried the 'fire-spirit fruit' seed earlier, while the 'water element grass' had already doubled in size.
Shun Long wanted to try the same with the 'white-root Ganoderma' and the 'blood lotus' but his body was already out of qi.
Shun Long was thrilled as this discovery solved his 2 biggest problems at the same time, while also providing an even more extraordinary benefit.
''Although the space inside the little stone isn't that big, it's more than enough for me to store what I need here. Wait, I guess I should call the little stone Stone of Time from now on. That's what that voice had called it as well.''
Shun Long pondered for a bit more as he said to himself, almost as if he was trying to verify his own finds
''It seems like I have to exchange my qi for the ingredients to mature faster inside this space, but this way I can ensure that I won't really lack the ingredients for the 'internal destruction pill'. In the future, I can also duplicate any rare medicinal herb I find, and then sell them to make a killing.''
As Shun Long was having these thoughts, a wide smile was hanging on his face.
Although he couldn't really duplicate the rank 3 'black-tongued python's' poison in the soil as it wasn't a medicinal herb, he could always buy it again from the 'Treasure Pavilion' if he needed it.
Soon, 15 days passed like that, and from the constant depleting and replenishing of his qi, Shun Long had already managed to reach the early rank 8 in qi condensation.
He already had a little tree of 'fire-spirit fruits' with 3 fruits ready to be plucked. The 'water element grass' had reached 3 times its original size, and the same went for the 'white-root Ganoderma' and the 'blood lotus'.
Even if he failed the refinement process, Shun Long would only need the 'black-tongued python's' poison since he already had everything else inside the spiritual space now.
After sitting on the floor and warming up his cauldron, he started adding in the medicinal herbs.