PDLP Chapter 43 First-Grade Pill Success
Chapter 43 First-Grade Pill Success
The group was talking in hushed tones, their eyes sweeping over the contestants.
"Senior brother, who do you think will win first place in this Dharma Assembly?" The girl in yellow asked in a clear voice that could be heard from a great distance.
The young man at the head of the group smiled and said, "It's hard to say. Among the twenty-four people, there are a few rogue cultivators with considerable skills. Zhou Mingyuan from the Zhou family of Qingxuan City has also come. This young man has a long family tradition of learning and his alchemy skills are quite remarkable."
"Zhou Mingyuan?" The girl in yellow curled her lip. "Is that the guy who's arrogant because of his family background? I've met him. He's alright at alchemy, but his character is a bit lacking."
"Junior sister, watch your words." The leading youth's tone turned serious. "When you're out and about, avoid gossiping about others."
The girl in yellow stuck out her tongue and said no more.
The woman in white, Senior Sister Shen, spoke calmly: "I've heard that the purpose of this Dharma assembly at the Qingxuan City branch is to select talents to supplement the outer sect. In recent years, the upper sect of Yunmeng Continent has been facing a shortage of alchemy talents and urgently needs fresh blood."
"Senior Sister Shen is well-informed." The leading youth nodded. "That's right. In the upper sect, half of the previous batch of outer disciples have been promoted to inner disciples, leaving the outer sect vacant. That's why they're holding Dharma assemblies at various branch altars to select talent."
"That is indeed an opportunity," Senior Brother Chu of the Purple Mansion Immortal Sect said with a smile. "If there are outstanding rogue cultivators, entering the Danxia Sect once would be like a carp leaping over the dragon gate."
"Leaping over the dragon gate?" The girl in yellow couldn't help but ask again. "That depends on what kind of fish it is. Ordinary rogue cultivators, even if they enter the outer sect, without a foundation or background, are nothing more than laborers for the sect."
"Junior sister!" The young man in the lead spoke in a stern tone.
The girl in yellow pouted and stopped talking.
Zhang Lin withdrew his gaze and listened to every word of their conversation.
The outer sect of Danxia Sect was empty, and the sect held a grand Dharma assembly to select talents, which presented an opportunity for him.
If one can seize this opportunity to enter the Danxia Sect, one will have a legitimate identity, access to high-level pill formulas and spiritual herbs, and protection.
He lowered his eyes, already having made up his mind.
When the sun was high in the sky, Zhao Songxi walked to the center of the square and announced loudly, "The Dharma assembly begins!"
Twenty-three alchemy furnaces were lit simultaneously with charcoal fires, and pale blue flames danced at the bottom of the furnaces.
Zhang Lin did not rush to make a move.
He closed his eyes and focused his mind, going over the formula for the Peiyuan Pill in his head.
He opened his eyes, took out the hundred-refined bronze furnace from his storage bag, and placed it on the table.
The furnace body is pure gold, gleaming with a warm luster under the sunlight. The texture of the refined copper is like clouds, a truly breathtaking sight.
Several other contestants nearby looked on in surprise when they saw the alchemy furnace.
Top-grade magic artifact alchemy furnaces are rare items in a place like Qingxuan City.
On the viewing platform, the young man from the Danxia Sect narrowed his eyes and whispered, "A top-grade magic artifact alchemy furnace... who is this person?"
The girl in yellow widened her eyes in amazement: "Wow, this furnace is so beautiful! Senior brother, even the top-grade magic weapon furnaces in our sect have few that can compare to this, right?"
"Indeed, not many." The leading youth nodded, his gaze falling on Zhang Lin, looking him up and down. "Late stage Qi Refining cultivation, calm demeanor, doesn't seem like a rogue cultivator."
The woman in white, Senior Sister Shen, said calmly, "Perhaps he is a true disciple of some minor sect, or a scion of some prestigious family."
"Possibly." The young man in the lead nodded, but said nothing more, his gaze lingering on Zhang Lin.
Ignoring the stares of others, Zhang Lin made a hand seal with his right hand, and a stream of fire elemental energy shot into the bottom of the furnace.
The charcoal ignited, the flames a pale blue-green, burning steadily.
On the body of the hundred-refined copper furnace, the texture of the hundred-refined copper begins to flow, evenly transmitting heat to every corner of the furnace cavity.
He sensed that the furnace temperature had reached the required level, and with a flick of his right hand, the spirit orchid on the table flew up and fell into the furnace.
When the orchid is heated, its leaves quickly curl up, and its juice evaporates, turning into a clump of emerald green liquid.
Zhang Lin stared intently at the medicinal liquid in the furnace, controlling the fire with his right hand and forming a hand seal with his left, using his inner energy to guide the flow of the liquid.
Fifteen minutes later, the essence of the orchid was fully released, and the medicinal liquid changed from emerald green to light blue, becoming clear and transparent.
On the viewing platform, the young man from Danxia Sect nodded slightly: "His fire control is steady and his medicine administration is precise. This person's skills are not weak."
"That's good." Senior Brother Chu nodded as well. "Look at his fire control technique. He controls the subtle details of his true energy perfectly. It would take three to five years of hard work to master that."
The girl in yellow disagreed: "This is just the beginning. The Spirit Orchid Grass is the easiest to deal with. The Gathering Qi Grass is the difficult one. It is very strong and will explode when heated. If you are not careful, its medicinal properties will be completely destroyed. Let's wait until he has dealt with the Gathering Qi Grass."
Zhang Lin guided the Qi-gathering grass into the furnace with his right hand.
When the Qi-gathering herb was heated, it indeed exploded, splashing medicinal liquid everywhere.
Zhang Lin was prepared. He made a hand seal with his left hand, and a barrier of true energy enveloped the exploded medicinal liquid, slowly pressing it back into the furnace.
This time, the elixir was inferior to the one he had enhanced, which increased the pressure considerably.
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Zhang Lin's forehead as he maintained the flame's movement, ensuring a steady burn at the bottom of the furnace.
Two quarters of an hour later, the Qi-gathering grass transformed into a milky white liquid, which slowly merged with the pale blue liquid of the Spirit Orchid Grass.
When the two liquids met, a hissing sound came from the furnace, the liquid churned and sparkled.
On the viewing platform, a hint of approval flashed in the eyes of the young man from Danxia Sect: "The Qi Gathering Grass was handled cleanly and efficiently, and its medicinal properties were fully preserved. This person's fire control skills are no less than mine."
The girl in yellow also put away her disdain and watched Zhang Lin's actions seriously.
Finally, there is the dew-covered flower.
Zhang Lin threw it into the furnace, and in less than a quarter of an hour, it turned into a transparent liquid.
The three clumps of medicinal liquid converged in the furnace, their blue, white, and transparent colors intertwining as they slowly rotated and gradually merged into one.
Zhang Lin took a deep breath, made a hand seal, and gently poured his true energy into the furnace, guiding the medicinal liquid to condense in the furnace cavity.
The furnace shone brightly, and the aroma of medicine filled the air.
The medicinal fragrance is clear and sweet, and smelling it makes one feel refreshed.
Even those in the audience could smell the medicinal fragrance.
"What a strong medicinal fragrance!" the girl in yellow exclaimed in surprise. "This fragrance is much stronger than the Qi-Nourishing Pills we usually make."
The young man at the head of the group had a solemn expression, his eyes fixed on the alchemy furnace in Zhang Lin's hand.
Having refined pills for many years, he naturally knew what the medicinal fragrance meant: it meant that this batch of pills was of extremely high quality, at least a first-grade superior pill.
Even he couldn't refine a top-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill using the ordinary medicinal materials provided by the branch altar.
"This person... is not simple," he said in a low voice.
The woman in white, Senior Sister Shen, was also slightly moved, a hint of surprise appearing on her usually aloof face.
Senior Brother Chu stood up abruptly, staring intently at the alchemy furnace in Zhang Lin's hand.
"It's done," Zhang Lin thought to himself.
He slowly withdrew his inner energy, and the flames in the furnace gradually died down.
Once the furnace temperature dropped to room temperature, he reached out and lifted the furnace lid.
Twelve pills lay quietly at the bottom of the furnace, each about the size of a thumb, pure white, with a faint glow flowing across their surface.
Its fragrance is rich and refreshing, making it a top-grade Qi-nourishing pill.
Moreover, there are twelve pills, with a 100% success rate and not a single pill wasted.
In the square, other contestants were still engrossed in refining pills. Some furnaces emitted a burnt smell, some had liquid splashing everywhere and couldn't be contained, and some failed to condense pills, destroying their medicinal power.
Zhang Lin's batch was the first to be completed.