Building a long-lasting family lineage starting with genealogy

Chapter 92 Dancheng's Unexpected Joy (Eight Updates, Please Subscribe)

Half a month later.

Moon Lake Market.

Zhou's Alchemy Shop, Class A Alchemy Studio.

Xu Chuan came out of the alchemy room and asked someone to call the manager.

"Elder San Shu, you wanted to see me?" Manager Zhou bowed respectfully.

He looked to be in his forties or fifties. Although he was also a cultivator, he was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining. Because he had the lowest level of pseudo-spiritual root aptitude, he was almost abandoned by his family and could only help his family manage the pill shop business in the market.

There are many Zhou families like him.

Fortunately, among his dozen or so offspring, there was one with mixed spiritual roots. Although he had no hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, he was able to cultivate to the late Qi Refining stage under the family's guidance, so there should be no major problems.

Now he is following Elder Zhou Sen, learning the art of alchemy.

"This is a Qi-restoring pill that I just refined. Please take a look."

After receiving the pills, Manager Zhou scanned them with his divine sense and found five pills inside: one low-grade, three mid-grade, and one more.
"High-grade elixir?!"

Shopkeeper Zhou exclaimed in surprise, looked up abruptly, and stared at Xu Chuan with an incredulous expression.

"I have made some progress in the art of alchemy."

"No wonder Elder Zhou Sen has always praised your talent in alchemy as surpassing his own; it is indeed true!"

"That was Elder Zhou Sen's flattery; it shouldn't be taken seriously."

"Come here and record the pills refined by the three guest elders. In addition, you can take one of these three mid-grade Qi-restoring pills."

Xu Chuan nodded slightly and took one.

The fact that he had refined a superior-grade pill was immediately reported back to the Zhou family by Manager Zhou.

Zhou Sen arrived late at night to congratulate Xu Chuan.

The path of alchemy is arduous; many alchemists spend their entire lives without being able to refine high-grade pills, simply because they lack the talent.

We might need to find another way to obtain medicinal herbs.

The art of fire control can also require a significant amount of time to practice.

However, mastering the changes in the medicinal properties is related to one's own talent and is also the key to refining superior pills.

This is precisely Xu Chuan's strength, and the reason why he made such a great improvement in alchemy in just one or two years.

Just like the two guest ministers Ding Ming and Zuo Qiufu, they can only consistently refine low-grade pills so far, and only occasionally refine one or two mid-grade pills.

His talent in alchemy was worlds apart from hers.

“Fellow Daoist San Shu, your talent in alchemy is truly enviable. Once you can consistently produce one high-grade pill every three or four batches, I will definitely apply to my family to increase your monthly salary to fifteen spirit stones.”

"Then I'll have to trouble you," Xu Chuan said with a smile, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

"The Bone Strengthening Pill is quite difficult to make, as there are only three ingredients in total. It would be more prudent to improve our alchemy skills before attempting to refine it."

"Once this matter is over, I should also consider collecting materials to refine pills for myself, so that I can earn some spirit stones to buy magic weapon pill furnaces."

It would take Zhou's monthly salary many years to raise the spirit stones needed by himself and Xu Mingxian.

However, if one's alchemy skills are too low, the pills will all be of low grade, and there won't be much profit to be made.

Only mid-grade and high-grade pills are needed by the pill shops in the market.

Xu Chuan also considered whether to sell the high-grade pills he had refined to the Zhou family in order to gain their protection.

He didn't think that if he refined a large number of pills and sold them in Moon Lake Market, affecting the business of the Zhou family's pill shop, they would still treat him with such courtesy.

Unless, one day, the Xu family gains the confidence to contend with the Zhou family.

For example, Xu Mingxian can set up a great formation to protect his family, which even Foundation Establishment cultivators cannot break through. In addition, Xu Mingwei entered the Dao through martial arts and, after embarking on the path of immortality, cultivated to the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

Admittedly, selling elixirs in other markets is also a viable option.

A month has passed in the blink of an eye.

As all things gradually recover, many trees in the mountains and forests surrounding Yuehu Market sprout new branches and buds.

Xu Chuan stabilized the production rate of top-grade pills at one pill every four batches.

Not only Qi-restoring pills, but also Yuan-restoring pills, Qi-nourishing pills, and Qi-gathering pills were refined into high-grade pills.

However, the difficulty in refining the Rejuvenation Pill and the Qi Gathering Pill far exceeds that of the Qi Returning Pill and the Qi Accumulation Pill; it takes seven or eight batches to obtain one high-grade pill.

But for Zhou Sen, that was enough. Starting this month, his monthly salary also increased to fifteen spirit stones.

Don't underestimate the small amount; it's enough to buy a decent low-grade magic weapon.

Xu Chuan finally began refining the Bone Strengthening Pill.

The first time was mainly to familiarize himself with the entire refining process and the changes in the heat and medicinal properties, so he didn't feel any heartache when a batch of pills was wasted.

Drawing on the experience of the first time, they refined it with all their might.

Two low-grade pills unexpectedly appeared.

On the third attempt, Xu Chuan already felt somewhat more at ease and successfully refined one low-grade pill and one mid-grade pill.

This really surprised him.

"It seems that fate is on my side."

Xu Chuan put away the pills, cleaned the alchemy furnace, and then went out to the Hundred Refinement Weapon Workshop.

Master Wu had been waiting for Xu Chuan for a long time. He was particularly excited to see him and quickly pulled him down to sit, asking, "Fellow Daoist San Shu, how did it go?"

Xu Chuan clasped his hands in a fist salute and smiled faintly, "I have not failed in my mission."

He immediately patted the storage bag, and a porcelain bottle flew out and landed on the table.

"Three low-grade pills and one mid-grade pill."

"Four pills? There's one mid-grade pill left!"

Master Wu was overjoyed, but then looked troubled. "I promised you forty spirit stones for a mid-grade pill, and even if we calculate it at sixty spirit stones, it wouldn't be unreasonable."

"If we calculate it this way, I, Wu, will actually owe you twenty spirit stones."

Previously, when Master Wu was refining weapons for Xu Chuan, although the complete set of precious bow and arrows was priced at two hundred spirit stones, the actual materials only cost fifty or sixty spirit stones.

However, in the past, refining artifacts was not always successful, and there would be occasional failures. Therefore, it is normal for custom-made magical artifacts to be priced high if the person making the order does not provide the materials.

"No need for spirit stones, but I do have a small favor I'd like to ask you for help with."

"Fellow Daoist San Shu, please speak."

"I have a friend who is studying array formations and plans to refine array plates and flags himself, but unfortunately he has limited talent in this area and has no one to teach him. Therefore, I would like to trouble you to guide him for a period of time. Is that possible?"

“This is easy to discuss. Fellow Daoist, you refined the Bone Strengthening Pill, saving my grandson’s life and allowing my Wu family bloodline to continue. This is already a great favor, so how could I not help?”

Master Wu grinned and waved his hand generously, "Just have him come tomorrow."

"While I wouldn't dare say he's an expert, he should at least be able to refine low-grade magic weapons without any problems."

"Thank you."

Compared to teaching weapon crafting skills, those mere twenty spirit stones are nothing.

However, cultivators are no different from mortals; they also need to interact with others.

A master of alchemy like Xu Chuan is a person of great value, and we might need his help in the future.

Unless it involves matters of one's own spiritual path, it's unlikely that anyone would easily offend them.

Knowing Xu Mingxian's troubles these days, Xu Chuan had a sudden inspiration and brought it up at this moment.

Upon returning home, he told Xu Mingxian about it, and Xu Mingxian was extremely excited.

“Father, I will definitely learn the art of weapon forging from Master Wu.”

"Yes, while the art of refining is also quite useful, the art of array formation is the most crucial. Without a great array to protect the family, I, as your father, would not dare to let the Xu family compete with other Qi Refining families."

"Mortals value money, and cultivators are no exception. Although we possess alchemy and array techniques, selling them in large quantities will attract the attention of Qi Refining families and even Foundation Establishment families."

“If we were independent cultivators, those powerful families might not care, and might even try to recruit us.”

"But the struggle between powerful families is a struggle for resources and talent, and behind it lies countless deadly schemes."

"Your son understands, and will certainly devote himself to studying array formations to live up to your expectations," Xu Mingxian solemnly said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

The next day.

Xu Mingxian arrived at the Hundred Refinement Weapon Workshop.

"Senior, are you looking to purchase or commission a ritual implement?"

Xu Mingxian smiled faintly, "My name is Yunming. I was fortunate to be recommended by Fellow Daoist Sanshu to come and learn the art of weapon crafting from Master Wu."

(End of this chapter)