Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Chapter 55: Chapter 21: Joint Study of Alchemy Skill

In the face of Miss Yan the Elder’s invitation to stay overnight, if it were Zhang Tiezhu, that simpleton, he would surely be delighted, willing to do so even if it meant breaking his bones.

But when Li Ji’an heard this, he frowned slightly.

It would undoubtedly delay his cultivation for the whole night.

Today, he had specially eaten three big bowls of spirit rice to ensure a smooth first alchemy session. Cultivation would yield twice the results with half the effort.

”Alright!” Since he was given two spirit stones, Li Ji’an didn’t make excuses and nodded in agreement.

”I will start with alchemy now, you watch by the side. If there are any deviations from Alchemist Mo’s methods, please correct me,” Yan Qingwan’s eyes turned determined.

Li Ji’an nodded; it was a good opportunity for him as well.

Then, following Li Ji’an’s guidance, Yan Qingwan tried step by step, from the combination of herbs, the choice of year and quantity, and even the control of pill fire and spiritual sense perception.

”Bang!” The first furnace exploded within half an hour.

”It should be because the temperature of the pill fire was not controlled properly,” Yan Qingwan said to herself.

”Most likely, yes. I sensed Alchemist Mo’s pill fire, and its temperature didn’t seem particularly high, and during the fusion of herbs, there was a moment of spiritual pressure surge...” Li Ji’an nodded in agreement.

Then he instructed Yan Qingwan with the pill fire temperature, spiritual pressure, and humidity estimated in his mind again.

”Tsk~” The second furnace did not explode, but in the third last step of forming, there was a mistake, turning into a pot of porridge.

Yan Qingwan and Li Ji’an both frowned at the puddle of black water in the furnace.

”It’s okay. Just try to remember if the quantity of the herbs was not accurate?” Yan Qingwan comforted Li Ji’an and encouraged him again.

This made Li Ji’an feel a bit embarrassed.

The reason being, everything he just directed Yan Qingwan to do was entirely based on his fragmented insights from Alchemist Mo’s alchemy sessions.

As for Alchemist Mo’s true alchemy details, he would never allow Li Ji’an a clear look, always keeping much hidden.

He was essentially using Yan Qingwan as a trial alchemy child the reverse way to verify his own insights into the alchemy dao.

This was naturally of great benefit to him. At the very least, if he were to try it himself, he couldn’t afford even one furnace’s worth of herbs, let alone obtain Yan Qingwan’s Tier One middle-level upper grade pill furnace.

”Please wait, Miss Yan!” After failing twice with the condensate of Qi Condensing Pills, which were already costly, Yan Qingwan did not lose her temper, and even found excuses for him, encouraging him, leading him to decide to take it seriously.

Seeing Li Ji’an sitting cross-legged in front of his pill furnace, eyes closed in thought, Yan Qingwan waited quietly without disturbing him.

Time passed by second by second, with Li Ji’an’s exceptional comprehension functioning intensely.

In his sea of consciousness, he not only reviewed every detail of Alchemist Mo’s alchemy but also combined them with the issues that arose during Yan Qingwan’s practical operation.

”Don’t force it!” Half an hour later, Yan Qingwan noticed beads of sweat appearing on Li Ji’an’s forehead and hurriedly reminded him in a warm voice.

Typically, once someone steps into Qi Cultivation, their physical body would be nourished by spiritual qi, making it rare for them to sweat easily.

Yet, Li Ji’an merely sat cross-legged in thought, yet sweated; one could imagine how much he was struggling in his sea of consciousness at the moment.

Li Ji’an remained unmoved.

It was not until nearly another half an hour had passed that Li Ji’an opened his eyes, his face full of fatigue, his mind excessively consumed.

”I apologize, Miss Yan, there are still some details that I can’t recall accurately. I think, let’s stop here tonight and wait until I’m more confident. Otherwise...”

Seeing Li Ji’an like this, an inexplicable smile appeared on Yan Qingwan’s face.

She could see Li Ji’an’s efforts and understood that he was distressed about the wasted herbs and was considering her...

”Thank you!”

These were actually not Li Ji’an’s primary responsibilities. On the contrary, she had previously been worried that Li Ji’an might be a double agent, bought off by Alchemist Mo, deliberately withholding true details.

At this moment, she was completely at ease with Li Ji’an.

”I’m not used to making promises to people, but... as long as you put your heart into it, I certainly won’t let you down.”

In her view, Li Ji’an was so dedicated, his purpose was self-evident.

Looking across the loose cultivators of Fallen Dragon Ridge Desert, who wouldn’t want to join the eight great clans?

”Thank you, Miss Yan!” Li Ji’an endured the pain in his sea of consciousness. He had indeed tried his best just now, but he truly could not fathom it yet.

”No need to be polite. You are working for me.”

After speaking, she pulled out a porcelain bottle from her waist’s storage pouch: ”For the sake of confidentiality, there are no maids here to prepare a calming soup for you. This is the Nourishing God Pill I usually condense my divine soul with. You take it; it not only soothes your sea of consciousness but also tempers your spiritual sense, greatly benefiting you.”

Li Ji’an was slightly taken aback, as any resources related to the divine soul in this world were exceedingly precious.

Although the Nourishing God Pill is merely a Tier One elementary pill, its price is comparable to the Middle Level Mana Pill.

Even the inferior pill on sale for Nourishing God Pill is about twenty spirit stones each.

Worthy of being Miss Yan from the Yan Family!

”Thank you, Miss Yan!” Receiving the porcelain bottle, Li Ji’an was even more shocked to see there were as many as six inside!

”Alright, it’s too late now. To avoid misunderstandings with the patrols in the market, you shall stay here for the night,” Yan Qingwan finished speaking and headed towards the west wing.

Li Ji’an naturally could only go to the east wing.

This place was Yan Qingwan’s secret alchemy site, nearly unknown to outsiders to avoid being discovered by Alchemist Mo, with a simple layout, turning the main chamber into an alchemy room with only east and west wings.

Even though it was a temporary arrangement, it was incomparable to the small building Li Ji’an rented.

Sitting on the brocade bed, Li Ji’an took a Nourishing God Pill.

His sea of consciousness, which was somewhat dry, was instantly soothed, and the fatigue faded away.

A moment later, as he attempted spiritual sense perception, the scenery in the courtyard unfolded before him.

”Hmm?” Originally, he did not intend to sense the west wing, but due to his strong spiritual sense, he unintentionally sensed a fluctuation from the west wing.

The always gentle and amiable Miss Yan was currently lying on the bedding, crying silently...

At this, Li Ji’an smiled and shook his head.

The world is full of suffering, a sea of bitterness to traverse.

Every family has its problems they find difficult to articulate, each with its own hardships.

He then stopped concerning himself and began cultivating in a cross-legged position.

This place is situated in the core region of the market’s spirit vein, where the spiritual qi is at least fifty percent denser than in the eastern district where he lives, and he naturally could not let it go to waste.

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Since that night, Yan Qingwan trusted Li Ji’an even more, and Li Ji’an did not disappoint her.

After another half a year, the method to refine Tier One middle-level pill medicine that she longed to learn from Alchemist Mo was finally successfully accomplished under Li Ji’an’s guidance.

Although only one pill was refined, and it was lower grade, it gave her hope.

And it made her grateful to him, even with a sense of security.

Similarly, if Yan Qingwan learned it, it naturally meant Li Ji’an did too.

The only difference is that Li Ji’an’s pill fire is currently insufficient, unable to refine on his own, but once he cultivates to the 1st Layer of Qi Cultivation, he should be able to refine independently.

In the six months when Li Ji’an and Yan Qingwan’s relationship grew closer, Zhang Tiezhu’s letters became increasingly frequent.

Li Ji’an understood; being in a foreign land and in love with the family’s elder daughter like this, Zhang Tiezhu, still a pill child, naturally needed someone to confide in.

To him, Li Ji’an was the best-fit confidant.

After all, Li Ji’an’s status was worlds apart from Miss Yan from the Yan Family, without any risk of Li Ji’an leaking anything.

Another reason for his frequent letters was to persuade Li Ji’an to join Yan Family’s pioneer team, and he even hinted that the Yan Family might rise to the next level.

Li Ji’an guessed that what he was likely referring to was the discovery of the medicinal field as mentioned by Yan Tong.

That day, just after finishing his cultivation, the communication talisman in his bosom vibrated.

At this time, there were already three communication talismans in Li Ji’an’s bosom.

Zhang Tiezhu had sent him a communication talisman two months ago, explaining its use in the letter, and praising it highly.

Li Ji’an merely smiled slightly. Indeed, compared to the paper letters of the mortal realm, this communication talisman was a divine object, but for someone like him, who had been through modernization, it couldn’t be compared to a smartphone.

Besides, it’s not cheap. A pair of bi-directional communication talismans usable a hundred times is valued at five spirit stones.

Of course, Zhang Tiezhu himself would definitely not spend five spirit stones on this; it was a reward from a talisman master elder in the family.

He took out the communication talisman from Zhang Tiezhu, and his spiritual sense probed in.

”Hmm?” Zhang Tiezhu’s transmission made Li Ji’an’s brows knit, marking the most emotionally stirred moment in his two years in the cultivation realm.