I Can Devour Spirits

As the magma gradually cooled, the heat waves within the cave subsided...

The black tripod, once burning red, returned to its original color.

At this moment, Pan Yong cautiously walked over, wearing thick leather gloves, and removed each of the four tripod lids. Instantly, the fragrance of medicine wafted out, with a hint of subtle coolness, invigorating all who inhaled it.

Duan Rong walked a few steps forward, focusing his gaze into one of the black tripods.

He saw the black bottom of the tripod, smeared with a thick layer of medicinal paste, interlaced with streaks of purple lines.

”This Purple Mark Pill is indeed worthy of being a pill for the True Qi Realm Fourth Level. The fragrance is truly intoxicating...” Yin Cong stood before a tripod, inhaling deeply, enthralled as he spoke.

”Alright, we still have work to do!” Pan Yong said coldly, glancing at Duan Rong. ”Duan Rong, come over, and assist me.”

Upon hearing, Duan Rong went to Pan Yong’s side.

Yin Cong shot a glance at Duan Rong’s back, a hint of displeasure flickering in his eyes.

Pan Yong handed a dry wooden basin to Duan Rong, saying, ”Hold this, I’ll scoop out the medicinal paste.”

Wearing gloves, Pan Yong took a small wooden spoon, bent over the black tripod, and scooped out a spoonful of medicinal paste, placing it into the wooden basin Duan Rong held.

The two excavated medicinal paste from two black tripods, filling up half of the wooden basin.

Duan Rong, carrying the basin, followed Pan Yong to a clearing.

Pan Yong produced a bamboo tube, slightly thicker than a thumb, with a wooden handle inside.

Pan Yong removed the handle, using a small wooden spoon to pack the medicinal paste into the bamboo tube, then inserted the wooden handle into the tube and pressed down forcefully.

With Pan Yong’s actions, a pill no larger than a pinky nail emerged from a small hole at the bottom of the bamboo tube, falling into another wooden basin.

Pan Yong glanced at Duan Rong and said, ”Apply the oil.”

Duan Rong realized, taking a small oilbrush, he coated the surface of the pill with oil.

Initially clumsy, Duan Rong soon sped up, skillfully brushing the oil.

Freeing his hands, Duan Rong began both oiling and bottling the previous pills simultaneously.

Gradually syncing their coordination, the medicinal paste in the wooden basin was depleted, with over twenty porcelain bottles beside Duan Rong, each containing twenty pills.

The pair finished processing all the medicinal paste. Pan Yong tallied them; exactly twenty-five porcelain bottles.

Pan Yong smiled, saying, ”The amount is just right. Quite smooth!”

Turning his head, he saw Chen Hu and Yin Cong still busy.

Pan Yong took a small cloth bag, packing the twenty-five porcelain bottles, and said to Duan Rong, ”Let’s go, it’s getting late, let’s head back first.”

Duan Rong nodded, preparing to leave with Pan Yong.

Chen Hu glanced over, displeasedly glaring at Yin Cong.

It was Duan Rong’s first time participating in alchemy, yet teamed with Pan Yong, their pill production speed surpassed Chen Hu’s group. Chen Hu realized his pace wasn’t slower than Pan Yong’s, evidently Yin Cong was the hindrance.

Attaching the small cloth bag to his waist, Pan Yong said to Duan Rong, ”Tomorrow I’ll deliver medicine to the Medicine Pavilion; come with me. I’ll also take you to Guanglu Institute to retrieve your Star Disc.”

”Star Disc?!” Duan Rong was puzzled. He didn’t understand the function of the Star Disc.

Before Duan Rong could ask Pan Yong, Yin Cong interjected from afar, muttering, ”Senior brother is so biased! When I first arrived, he took over a month to bring me for the Star Disc. Duan Rong has only been here two days and he’s taking him for the Star Disc.”

Upon hearing this, Pan Yong snorted coldly, and without responding, turned and left abruptly.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Duan Rong refrained from asking, following closely behind Pan Yong and departing.

The following day at the hour of Chen, Pan Yong, Yin Cong, and Duan Rong emerged from Guanglu Institute’s gates.

Pan Yong and Yin Cong both had small cloth bags attached to their waists, having delivered medicine to the Medicine Pavilion.

Walking behind them, Duan Rong looked curiously at the palm-sized iron disc in his hand.

The disc was heavy, with intricate mechanics inside.

A circular hole lay at the back of the disc, while the front displayed the number ninety-five in embedded fonts, drawn by complex mechanics.

A circular groove bordered the front of the disc, evenly distributed with six small holes.

Pan Yong said, ”Everyone’s Star Disc is custom-made, with unique mechanics. The number ninety-five on its surface represents your sect Contribution Points totaling ninety-five. Generally, a Registered Disciple starts with eighty-five, but since we are with Master Shang, we begin with ten extra points.”

”Don’t underestimate these ten Contribution Points. At Guanglu Institute, when accepting tasks, many tasks don’t even offer ten points!”

”Guanglu Institute? Accept tasks?” Duan Rong asked, a look of intrigue in his eyes directed towards Pan Yong.

Using his hand, Pan Yong gestured toward the bulletin board in Guanglu Institute’s main square, saying, ”There... on the bulletin board tasks are posted... mostly recruiting Registered Disciples...”

”Registered Disciples within the sect are considered the lowest tier. Eighty-something points of Contribution Points a year barely suffice for cultivation resources. Many fellow disciples survive by accepting tasks at Guanglu Institute...”

Standing beside the bulletin board, Duan Rong glanced at the top few recruitment notices.

Sure enough, he saw:

Palace construction, five days, eight Contribution Points.