What Would You Do If An Ugly Woman Asked You To Dual Cultivate?-Chapter 43: Alchemy

It had been one year and five months since Yang Hao began his cultivation journey. From an ordinary mortal, he had reached the 8th Stage of the Mortal Elemental Realm.

However, he had not yet fully stepped into the 8th Stage. To advance, he needed 18 Elemental Liquid Drops, which he had to divide into nine smaller drops before crystallizing them into Elemental Cores. Once he completed the process, he would possess two Crystallized Cores, also known as Elemental Cores.

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Most cultivators only had one Elemental Core, but Yang Hao possessed two, giving him a significant advantage when fighting multiple opponents. However, when facing an enemy from a higher realm, victory depended entirely on his skills and strategy.

Having two Elemental Cores didn't automatically mean he could defeat opponents of a higher realm. To bridge the gap, he needed to hone his combat sense, master high-grade techniques, and utilize weapons, talismans, and pills. But he also knew that his enemies could possess their own high-grade resources, making every battle unpredictable. Whether fighting someone weaker or stronger, one must remain vigilant and never underestimate anyone—a lesson that Yu Ruyi had drilled into him over the past few months.

For now, though, Yang Hao was focused on learning alchemy. Yu Ruyi had advised him not to advance to the 8th Stage yet but instead to concentrate on mastering alchemy first.

Taking her advice, Yang Hao purchased herbs and a furnace, then sat down in his room, ready to begin his alchemy training.

Yu Ruyi stood before the furnace, her expression calm as she looked at Yang Hao. "Alchemy is not just about throwing herbs into the furnace. It requires patience, control, and understanding of each ingredient," she said.

Yang Hao nodded and focused on her every word.

"The Body Tempering Pill is a low-grade pill, but refining it is not easy for beginners. First, you need to prepare the ingredients—Ironwood Root, Fire Grass, and Bone Marrow Powder." She placed each herb on the table. "These three ingredients are the foundation of the pill. If you fail to balance them, the pill will be useless."

Yang Hao carefully observed the herbs. He had read about them but never refined a pill before.

"Now, start the fire and maintain a constant temperature. Too hot, and the herbs will burn. Too low, and they won't dissolve properly."

Yang Hao lit the furnace, using his Fire Element to control the flame.

"Good. Now, add Ironwood Root first. It takes the longest to dissolve. Keep stirring with your Fire and wait for it to turn into a liquid."

He followed her instructions. The root slowly melted, releasing a faint metallic scent.

"Next, add the Fire Grass. This herb is fiery in nature, so you must control its energy. If it reacts too strongly, the mixture will explode."

Yang Hao hesitated but added the herb. A sizzling sound came from the furnace as the liquid bubbled violently. He quickly adjusted his fire element, stabilizing it.

Yu Ruyi nodded. "Not bad. Now, the final step—Bone Marrow Powder. This ingredient binds everything together and gives the pill its tempering effect. Sprinkle it in slowly while rotating your fire to mix it evenly."

Sweat dripped from Yang Hao's forehead as he carefully added the powder. The liquid thickened and slowly condensed into small round pills.

"Now, increase the flame slightly and let them solidify."

After a few minutes, Yang Hao retrieved the pills. Some were slightly cracked, but a few were perfectly round however every one of them had no medicine property. He failed.

Yu Ruyi picked up one and examined it. "Not bad for your first try. With practice, you'll refine higher-grade pills. Alchemy is just like cultivation—constant improvement is the key."

Yang Hao clenched his fists. He had taken his first step into alchemy. Now, it was time to refine more pills and perfect his skill.

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Yu Ruyi had expected Yang Hao to struggle. From knowing his talent, she thought that he needed twenty to thirty attempts before successfully refining a proper Body Tempering Pill. But to her surprise, he managed to do it on his fifth try.

She picked up one of the pills, rolling it between her fingers. It was smooth, round, and emitted a faint medicinal fragrance. "Not perfect purity, a low grade purity," she muttered to herself. Then, looking at Yang Hao, she smirked. "I didn't expect you to succeed so quickly."

Yang Hao wiped the sweat off his forehead. "It wasn't easy," he admitted. "Controlling the flame, balancing the ingredients... I almost failed multiple times."

Yu Ruyi nodded. "That's how it is. But you adapted faster than most." She placed the pill back on the table. "Alchemy isn't just about following steps. It's about understanding the reaction between herbs, controlling element precisely, and having a feel for the process. Some people take months to reach your level."

Hearing this, Yang Hao felt a sense of accomplishment.

Yu Ruyi crossed her arms. "Since you've picked this up faster than expected, we won't waste time. Your next task is to refine ten more pills in a row—all of them at least mid-grade purity. If even one fails, you start over."

Yang Hao's eyes widened. "Ten in a row?"

Yu Ruyi smirked. "What? You thought alchemy was easy?" She pointed at the furnace. "Start. The faster you refine, the more control you develop. The sooner you master this, the sooner we move on to higher-grade pills."

Yang Hao took a deep breath. He had barely succeeded once, and now he had to do it ten times without failure?

Still, he clenched his fists. He wasn't going to back down.

Sitting in front of the furnace, he took out a new set of herbs. If he was going to become an alchemist, he had to push himself beyond his limits.

Without hesitation, he lit the fire and started refining once again.

He was glad that Jiang Chenxue lend him the card, with help of that card, he doesn't have to worry about money for herbs.