Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Chapter 243: Chapter 229: Cyan Lotus Fire Cloud Furnace (Part 2)

Every time he came to share the joy of the harvest, Master was especially delighted, and the genuine smile could be felt.

“Now that the Ghost Moon Cyan Jade Tree has reached the top-grade level, it will be of use to you.

Very well, having a high spiritual strength greatly aids in breaking through to the Chao Origin Stage.”

Ge Ying showed a kind gaze, opening two jars and sniffing the fragrance of the tea near her nose.

She handed the Mutton Fat Jade Jar over to the maidservant:

“Brew two cups; I want to taste it now.”

“Please wait a moment, Junior Martial Uncle,” the maidservant said, taking the tea jar and leaving.

Ge Ying pointed to the chair with her hand and said with a smile:

“Don’t just stand there; please sit down.

At noon, I received a message from Liu Yu; he’s already broken through to the Late-stage Foundation Establishment!”

Liu Yu is a disciple of the Law Enforcement Hall and must frequently be at the front lines of battle after the outbreak of the demon calamity.

Now that his cultivation has advanced further, his safety is more assured.

The quality of magical power of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator is about twenty percent higher than that of a mid-stage one.

She is very happy now; Liu Yu is her second late-stage Foundation Establishment disciple, and the disciple before her might very well be the third.

The output of Red Flame Peak is becoming increasingly abundant and high-end, providing more support to the disciples of the Ningcui Cliff lineage.

“Haha, Senior Brother Liu is always one step ahead.”

Ji An laughed, recently sensing signs of a loosened bottleneck.

If the other had delayed their breakthrough by a year and a half, he might have been the first among them to become a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Ge Ying nodded gently and asked:

“How often do you keep in touch with your Sixth Senior Sister, Zhong Yuefei, whose alchemy has surpassed that of your master?”

Ji An shook his head, “Almost never. We, the later disciples, have little contact with other senior brothers and sisters.”

The word ’almost’ could be crossed out; he had no contact with those who entered earlier.

He preferred quiet to activity, coupled with taking care of the vast spirit fields on Red Flame Peak, leaving him no time to mingle.

“You should connect more with the other senior brothers and sisters.

Once we are familiar with each other, they’ll be there to help refine pills for you when I am no longer around.”

Ge Ying paused and continued,

“I increasingly feel my bodily functions declining and can’t hold on for much longer.”

She felt it was necessary to gather more often so that after her passing, the disciples could support each other.

“Master’s body is still robust.”

“Robust or not, I would know. Alas, time waits for no one.”

Ji An gazed at his master’s increasingly aged face, remaining silent.

Time is fair to everyone, like a chisel etching marks, wearing down the lifespan of all things.

The maidservant served the spirit tea, and Ge Ying lifted her cup to observe it closely, the tea’s color like moonlit ripples, shimmering gently.

She took a small sip and immediately felt the fragrance of the tea linger between her lips and teeth, revitalizing her spirit.

As she slowly swallowed the tea, the warmth turned into a sweet aftertaste lingering, with a slight chill rising, clearing her sea of consciousness.

“The Jade Dew Golden Bud is indeed an excellent product for nourishing the spirit soul!”

Ge Ying praised, having had only a few opportunities to taste such spirit tea.

“In the future, the tea leaves’ yield will increase, and I’ll bring more for Master to savor.”

“Being this old, it’s a waste to let me enjoy such spirit tea.”

Ge Ying lamented and added,

“The situation around Mingfeng Mountain Immortal City is becoming more unstable, with the demon calamity erupting within these few years.

Liu Yu really needs this spirit tea, so you can trade more with him.”

Ji An nodded slightly:

“This tree seed was a gift from Senior Brother Liu; I will provide a steady supply of Jade Dew Golden Bud for him in the future.”

He paused and continued,

“I’ve been thinking about trying alchemy recently, and wondered if Master has any pill furnaces suitable for a novice alchemist?”

His master is top-tier in the sect for alchemy, surely possessing many pill furnaces, eliminating the need to purchase from an artifact refiner.

“You want to learn alchemy?”

Ge Ying’s eyes brightened; if this disciple pursued alchemy, he’d truly be following in her footsteps.

“Yes, besides cultivating the Cultivation Method, I have ample time recently.”

“Good, I fully support your desire to learn alchemy.

Wait here; I’ll find a pill furnace for you in the storage.”

Ge Ying stood up, entered the storeroom of the grotto mansion, and brought out a head-sized pill furnace.

The furnace was dark red, with traces of time manifesting on it.

Three-legged with two handles, the surface engraved with lotus leaves and flames beneath the leaves.

Ge Ying’s gaze was gentle as she touched the furnace surface gently, as if reminiscing.

“This is a Tier One Top-Grade Pill Furnace, the Cyan Lotus Fire Cloud Furnace, which has accompanied me for over fifty years since I became a Tier One Upper Grade alchemist.

It can be used to refine late-stage Foundation Establishment pills, and I’m now passing it to you, hoping it will witness your growth into a Tier Two Alchemist.”

Her expression was solemn as she carefully handed the pill furnace to the disciple.

To her, this was passing on a legacy filled with hope and expectation.

Ji An stood up and received the pill furnace with both hands:

“Thank you, Master, for the bestowment.”

Ge Ying sat down again, sharing the story of purchasing the pill furnace and detailing unexpected events in pill refining and how to handle them.

“What is the first pill you plan to refine?”

“The Fasting Pill.”

Ji An answered solemnly, a decision made after careful consideration.

The Fasting Pill mainly comprises Yellow Sprout Rice or other spirit rice, supplemented by blood and qi nourishing herbs, and is relatively low-cost to refine.

Moreover, post-demon calamity, cultivators engage in long-term, intense battles, significantly depleting physical and magical power.

Though not particularly palatable, the Fasting Pill provides substantial satiety and sufficient nutrition.

After refining Fasting Pills, they can also be sold to recoup costs.

“A wise choice, not overambitious.”

Ge Ying nodded slightly, as most alchemists’ initial pill is the Fasting Pill.

The simplest Fasting Pill requires cheap materials, and mass refining can reveal one’s talent.

She pondered a moment, sharing some alchemy techniques.

“The Jade Slip I gave you contains a complete and comprehensive discussion; study it several times before you start refining.

However, understanding theory is different from actual refining; you must be prepared for multiple failures.”

She was concerned that continual failures might lead to psychological setbacks for the disciple, so she sought to manage his expectations, minimizing impact from possible failures.

“Thank you for your guidance, Master.”

They chatted for half an hour, and Ji An stood up, saying:

“The day is growing late; I’ll take my leave now. I will frequently report my progress in alchemy to Master in the future.”

He understood the significance of the pill furnace gift from his master.

“I will be here waiting for your good news.”

After Ji An left, Ge Ying put away the Mutton Fat Jade Jar and took out a Communication Talisman Sword to record information before sending it out.

The talisman sword left Ningcui Cliff, flying toward Yingyue Peak.

She no longer needed Jade Dew Golden Bud Tea to nurture her spirit soul; the tea leaves gifted by her disciple could serve greater use if given to her successors.

Ge Luoying is now at the Eighth-Layer Foundation Establishment, and not far from breaking through to Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment, and soon it’s time to prepare for the Chao Origin Stage breakthrough.

…

Green smoke rose from Red Flame Peak, as it was the season for burning spiritual charcoal.

Ji An landed at the Cold Pool and went to the stone house for talisman making.

He wrote down the pill formula for the Fasting Pill, as his master’s Inheritance Jade Slip contained numerous formulas, of which this was just one.

He handed the pill formula to Xia Yuhuan and said:

“Tomorrow, according to this pill formula, head to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall to purchase one hundred sets of materials.”

The materials were cheap, so he was quite ’generous’; a knack for alchemy wasn’t crucial, as skill alone could successfully refine pills.

Xia Yuhuan glanced at the pill formula, taking it seriously and said:

“Understood. Tomorrow, just as it will be Yulian’s turn to cook breakfast, after we wake, I’ll set off to buy the spirit rice and herbs.”

Though she wasn’t an alchemist, she recognized it was a pill formula.

She speculated in her mind that her Junior Martial Uncle might be learning alchemy, and if so, perhaps after achieving Foundation Establishment, she could buy suitable pills from him.

In her impression, whatever her Junior Martial Uncle intended to do, he had never failed to succeed.