Eternal Life Starts from Tai Chi-Chapter 131: Practice Brings True Knowledge, New Life Realizations
Yang Chan followed Zhao Yi to check on the injured disciples. Most of those who had held on long enough to return to the Cyan Yuan Sect had survived.
Their will to live was strong to begin with, and after receiving proper treatment, most had pulled through. Their recovery was progressing quite well. A few had relapsed and still required observation, but the overall situation was positive.
At least, of those brought back, no one had died yet, which was good news.
"Pharmacist Yang, while you were away, I tried Refining the Lantian Jade Refining Pill and failed again. Can I ask for your advice?"
Zhao Yi hastily asked as soon as Yang Chan was finished.
As he followed Yang Chan, he had wanted to speak up multiple times but held his tongue. For someone as talkative as him, this was its own form of torture.
Now that Yang Chan had finally finished checking on the injured disciples, he couldn’t hold back any longer, and the words came tumbling out.
"Alright. Tell me which step failed this time."
Yang Chan nodded. He wasn’t surprised that Zhao Yi had failed. Zhao Yi’s preparations hadn’t been sufficient before Yang Chan left the Sect. Even if he had forced the Refining process, the chances of failure were extremely high. Success would have depended more on luck than anything else, and when it came to Alchemy, relying on luck was tantamount to expecting failure.
He returned to his usual seat. When he was free, he would sit here reading books on pharmacology to improve his Pharmacist Abilities.
Zhao Yi was always coming over to talk, which reminded Yang Chan of how things were before he’d left the Sect, making it seem as if nothing had changed.
But only Yang Chan knew in his heart that his mentality shifted after every new experience.
For instance, right now, he had little desire to chat with Zhao Yi. But since the man had asked, he simply hadn’t refused. His mind was preoccupied with analyzing the conditions of the injured disciples, wondering if he would need to come back tomorrow.
’I need to cultivate the Tiger Demon Bone Cultivation Fist and temper all two hundred and six bones in my body into Iron Bones as soon as possible, achieving that inhuman physique of Copper Skin, Steel Bones, and Iron Flesh.’
’Martial Arts Cultivation... the further you progress, the more absurd it becomes.’
"This time, when I was Refining the Lantian Jade Refining Pill, I first added..."
Zhao Yi recounted the entire process, only becoming more detailed when he got to the point of failure. He then mentioned the medicinal residue that was left over.
He had originally intended to try tasting it, but the thought of being laid up for days made him immediately abandon the idea.
The toxicity of the dregs was considerable; he couldn’t bring himself to put them in his mouth.
He had firsthand experience, and he had also seen what happened to Yang Chan, so the memory was still fresh in his mind.
Ultimately, he just didn’t have the dedication to sacrifice himself for Alchemy, so his only recourse was to consult Yang Chan in the hopes of getting some good advice.
"The problem with your Refining process this time was, once again, heat control. The Earth Fire’s temperature fluctuates, so you need to add water accordingly."
"Based on your description, you still didn’t add enough water, causing the medicinal ingredients to scorch. That ruined the Elixir and made the dregs especially toxic."
"Next time you attempt the Refining, pay more attention to the timing of when you add water. You can also go to the Earth Fire Institute to practice with ordinary medicines and familiarize yourself with the conditions. That should be helpful."
Yang Chan analyzed the situation based on Zhao Yi’s account and gave him some reasonable advice.
Most of his own failures during Alchemy were caused by the unstable Earth Fire. Problems were most likely to arise during major fluctuations.
Therefore, one could only make the right judgment calls by becoming familiar with the Earth Fire’s fluctuations.
It was only after Refining an increasing number of times that Yang Chan himself had mastered the Earth Fire’s changes. He would make certain preparations in advance, and so his success rate in Refining the Lantian Jade Refining Pill became higher and higher.
This process relied solely on personal proficiency, something one could only feel after using the Earth Fire many times.
"Thank you, Pharmacist Yang. I’ll try your advice next time I’m refining other medicines."
"The ingredients for Refining the Lantian Jade Refining Pill are too expensive. I’m pretty much out of chances for this year. I’ll try again next year."
After listening, Zhao Yi found that most of what Yang Chan said matched his own analysis, though some points were things he hadn’t considered. He took Yang Chan’s advice to heart and planned to put it into practice himself.
"Mm. True knowledge comes from practice."
As he spoke, Yang Chan leaned against the wall and rubbed the space between his brows.
He had too much on his mind and needed to rest his spirit.
"Thank you, Pharmacist Yang. You just got back, so you must be tired. I won’t disturb you any further."
Seeing Yang Chan’s condition, Zhao Yi was perceptive enough to take the hint. He said a few words and then left.
Yang Chan waited in the Pharmacy for an hour. When he saw that no one else was coming to find him, he went straight back to his room.
’The process of Alchemy is incredibly draining on one’s Spirit. The Earth Fire is unstable, so it requires long periods of intense focus to avoid any mistakes. Otherwise, the slightest fluctuation in the fire means all your work is for naught.’
Then, Yang Chan began thinking about his subsequent plans. Reporting on the disciples who had relapsed, checking on the other injured ones, and analyzing their conditions had taken a considerable toll on his Spirit.
Even though cultivating the Ox Demon Martial Seal and the Tiger Demon Martial Seal had greatly increased his Spiritual Power, he still felt fatigued.
Although his strength now far surpassed that of an ordinary person, his physical body was still mortal, and the same was true for his spirit.
Furthermore, having just returned to the Cyan Yuan Sect, he still hadn’t settled in. The vigilance he had maintained back in Tan City had yet to dissipate, which had led to a poor night’s sleep.
Since no one was looking for him, Yang Chan decided to go back to his room for a nap to replenish his spirit. That way, he would be in better shape.
After returning to the Cyan Yuan Sect, that sense of urgency had become faint and intermittent.
However, this was of little consequence to Yang Chan.
’No matter how much things change, I can still hold true to my core principles.’
’Longevity is my true goal; Martial Arts is just the means to protect myself.’
Yang Chan returned to his room. Seeing the traps and Hidden Weapons he had subconsciously placed, he decided not to put them away. At the very least, they gave him some peace of mind. He had no intention of cleaning up and simply lay down on his wooden bed, falling asleep in no time.
When he next awoke, the sky was already growing dark. He stretched, feeling his Essence, Qi, and Spirit completely replenished.
’Next time I have to leave, I can’t immediately start Alchemy right after returning to the Sect. The drain on my Spiritual Power is a bit too much.’
Yang Chan silently told himself.
’Everyone’s energy is finite. It’s not healthy to shoulder every burden and then try to do everything at once.’
’Take me, for example. I slept poorly last night, so my Spiritual Power was already low. Then I got up early to cultivate the Purple Qi Body Cultivation Skill instead of sleeping in.’
’It’s a good habit, but it’s not great for one’s Spiritual Power.’
’But now I have this experience, which will help me avoid this issue in the future. It’s all part of a slow process of getting used to things.’
’Although I have the panel and can improve indefinitely, I’m not a machine. I need to be a bit more flexible with my own schedule.’
’My future is bright. There’s no need to force things too much.’
