Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation-Chapter 78 - 44: Spirit Pet Advancement
It’s been eleven years since I last heard the name Alchemist Mo.
Back then, Li Ji’an had already suspected which party was most disadvantaged by the medicinal field discovered by the Yan and Wei families? Who was most tempted by that secret medicinal garden of the Yan family?
With a bit of reflection, a complete outline gradually emerged.
Perhaps the ancestors of the Yan and Wei families reached some kind of agreement with the Zheng family back then.
"Senior Pill Master." Li Ji’an was unsurprised by Alchemist Mo’s promotion to a senior pill master.
Having followed Alchemist Mo as an assistant for six years, Li Ji’an became familiar with his alchemy techniques and pill fire control, as well as his thought process during each improvement, proving himself to be a Pill Master with rare comprehension in the Alchemy Dao.
Six years ago, at the Qi Cultivation 7th Layer, he was already capable of refining mid-stage elixirs with a decent top-grade rate.
Of course, his ancestral alchemy inheritance was fundamental.
The so-called alchemy inheritance is a shortcut to compensate for a lack of comprehension. Most of it is the distilled theories, practices, and insights of predecessors from several or even dozens of generations. It breaks down the process, from selecting ingredients, controlling the pill fire, adjusting the pill formation success rate, to enhancing the quality of refined pills, and instills it into one’s mind. This greatly assists newcomers who have not truly grasped the essence of alchemy, and excellent alchemy inheritances can even enable one to become a Pill King without needing to understand the essence of alchemy!
Li Ji’an had always wanted to study and research others’ inheritances to learn a lot of consolidated knowledge from others’ experiences, which was far more efficient than starting from scratch himself.
Unfortunately, he never had the opportunity, and though he had grasped many essential aspects now, he still looked forward to any inheritance that could deepen his own alchemy inheritance.
"Brother Li, how much longer do you think I need to refine top-grade pill medicine?" Yan Qingwan asked somewhat frustratedly.
The Zheng family’s recent high-profile actions clearly aim to bolster their reputation and capture market share.
In the United Marketplace, there were no more than five senior pill masters, and now the Zheng family had two. Alchemist Mo was the first among them capable of refining top-grade pill medicine.
Cultivators who could afford it prioritized their potential over everything else. They’d rather spend more spirit stones to ensure pill medicine quality. A pill master capable of refining top-grade pill medicine provided enough reassurance for them.
Even if two pill masters refined pills with the same top-grade effect, psychologically, they would definitely choose the one capable of producing top-grade pills.
This was also why Yan Qingwan’s pill shop business had improved steadily since she refined a middle-grade high-level pill five years ago.
Looking at Yan Qingwan’s slightly insecure eyes, Li Ji’an thought for a moment. Though he didn’t want to discourage her, he honestly said, "Ten years!"
"Ten years? You think I can refine top-grade pills in ten years?" Yan Qingwan was quite excited.
Alchemist Mo was nearly thirty years her senior and only recently managed it. Now, Li Ji’an suggested she could achieve it in ten years, meaning she’d be twenty years ahead of Alchemist Mo.
"Stay passionate and persistent, and you will most likely succeed," Li Ji’an reassured.
"Thank you, Brother Li!" With newfound confidence, Yan Qingwan was instantly relieved.
"Brother Li, shall we observe that old dog’s top-grade pill?"
Li Ji’an decisively shook his head. There was no need to meet people already noted in his little book.
As for the top-grade pill?
Over these past five years of enlightenment, he had vaguely sensed a spiritual mechanism, and perhaps one day, a flash of inspiration might produce an ultimate-grade pill.
He advised Yan Qingwan not to rush, not to be concerned about temporary gains and losses, and to take a slow and steady approach.
Upon returning to the small courtyard, Li Ji’an gazed at a pool occupying nearly half of the courtyard, feeling nostalgic for the Yan Clan courtyard, as the Market courtyard was too small.
Gugu had changed significantly over these five years.
Five years ago, Li Ji’an devoted more time to mastery of beast taming, deepening his research into spiritual beast breeding and bloodline evolution.
In the past five years, he increased his investment in Gugu, who had now advanced to middle stage of Tier One.
First, Gugu’s size increased by a circle, and crouching at Li Ji’an’s feet, it was now waist high.
Additionally, its internal space expanded by fifty percent.
And it acquired the innate ability of Earth Escape.
"Gua~" Sensing Li Ji’an entering, Gugu poked its head out of the pool and leaped to Li Ji’an’s feet.
"Whoosh~" Taking advantage of its unpreparedness, Li Ji’an pulled out a Green Condensation Pill, using his vitality to launch it swiftly into the distance.
"Gua~" Gugu’s fleshy tongue shot out rapidly, curling around the Green Condensation Pill three yards away, pulling it back into its mouth instantly.
Li Ji’an nodded, patting the frog’s head, quite satisfied.
This was the result of three years’ training.
"Go on, keep cultivating, don’t be lazy!" He waved his hand, sending Gugu back to the pool.
Currently, Li Ji’an was very satisfied with Gugu’s abilities. If in the mortal area, it achieved Rejuvenation, relying solely on its Earth Escape ability provided some assurance. His only concern was after Rejuvenation, the instant the Divine Soul restored, the Beast Soul Stone controlling the spirit beast would lose control.
That’s why he previously asked Chen Zhaohu to keep an eye out for Soul-Holding Ants.
Unfortunately, there’s still no news.
"Knock, knock, knock~ Fellow Daoist Li, quickly open the door, an enormous opportunity awaits!" Just as he was preparing for body refining, a familiar voice came from outside.
Li Ji’an frowned, a playful smile appearing on his face.
"Fellow Daoist Zhang, what opportunity do you speak of?" Upon opening the door, he saw a body cultivator who had approached him three months ago when he bought the Thunder Flame Crystal.
With a solemn expression, the man glanced around before lowering his voice and asking, "Do you know where that vendor got the Thunder Flame Crystal from?"
"Could there be a Thunder Flame Crystal mine somewhere?" Li Ji’an pretended to be astonished.
The other paused for a moment before exaggeratedly staring at Li Ji’an, "Fellow Daoist Li, you truly have foresight. I only found out by chance today, and you guessed it at once."
Li Ji’an smiled without replying.
"To be honest, in one of the spirit stones I used to buy the Thunder Flame Crystal, a monitoring talisman was accidentally hidden, and I inadvertently learned that the mine has a vast network of tunnels. The vendor only found one area, yet monthly yields two batches. If we find another spot, we won’t have to pay high prices for Thunder Flame Crystals anymore, what do you think?" the other said with excitement.
Li Ji’an remained expressionless and didn’t respond.
"What? Still don’t trust me? If we find nothing today, I’ll give you a batch of Thunder Flame Crystal as travel expenses, how about that?" The other man continued to persuade.
"If it’s so easy, why include me, Fellow Daoist Zhang? Wouldn’t you be sharing it for nothing?" Li Ji’an shook his head with a smile.
"Well... to be honest, I invited you along because the mine has restrictions. With my strength alone, I fear I can’t breach them, or else I would’ve..."
Before the other could finish, Li Ji’an interrupted directly, "Sorry, I’m not interested, Fellow Daoist. Please seek someone else."
"Hey, Fellow Daoist Li, just one trip and you’ll easily obtain body refining treasure materials without spending spirit stones. What’s the issue?" The other was slightly flustered.
With a grand gesture, Li Ji’an waved his sleeve, "Though not wealthy, Fellow Daoist Li can afford these small expenses on Thunder Flame Crystals. It’s truly not worth the trip for mere spirit stones."
With an air of "I earn millions in a minute, don’t ask me to dumpster dive with you," he projected confidence.
"Ah?" The other was momentarily taken aback.
A single batch of Thunder Flame Crystal costs a hundred spirit stones, barely enough for three months of body refining.
According to his knowledge, Li Ji’an is just an Honored Guest Elder at a pill shop, earning eight spirit stones monthly. How could he speak with such flair?
Without further explanation, Li Ji’an closed the door directly.
Moreover, over these five years, with Yan’s Pill Shop on track, he received a minimum annual dividend of over two hundred spirit stones, plus his monthly salary allowed him to afford Thunder Flame Crystals indeed.
The main thing was that the other’s intentions were too blatant.
Six years ago, it started with alluring charm, then a cultivator’s tomb, and then a pill master inheritance... until now, they discovered he was in body refining, so they attempted to tempt him with Thunder Flame Crystals... the methods were crude.
"Six years on, still persistent?" The second time he was lured by the cultivator’s tomb opportunity, he had already marked Zheng Tianxiang in his little book.
With the more intense schemes, he became more cautious, determined not to leave the Market.
Thus, ten years flew by like a fleeting moment...
