Soul Emperor Martial God

Chapter 13: Chapter 12: Confidence

Xiao Family, inside the room.

Xiao Yi sat cross-legged on the ground, arranging the gold-plated furnace and materials, ready to refine elixirs.

After leaving the medicinal herb shop, Xiao Yi did not immediately return to the Xiao Family. Instead, he found a smaller medicinal herb shop and purchased the additional auxiliary herbs needed to refine the Body Tempering Pills.

These auxiliary herbs were not expensive, costing merely a few dozen taels.

Xiao Yi did not understand why the shop assistant gave him a discount, and furthermore, a thirty percent discount at that. This price was essentially the same as the herb shop not making any profit, perhaps even at a slight loss.

But whether their intentions were good or bad, he resolved not to set foot in that herb shop again until he had sufficient strength to protect himself.

Xiao Yi had always been cautious.

Returning to the main subject, refining elixirs is an incredibly profound study. Even with the materials ready, the process of refining is of the utmost importance.

There is a success rate involved in elixir refining. For the Body Tempering Pill, some ordinary First-grade Alchemists have less than a fifty percent success rate.

Even the experienced First-grade Alchemists of the Xiao Family only have about an eighty percent success rate.

Probably only the Great Elder, Xiao Lihuo, a Third-grade Alchemist, could achieve a one hundred percent success rate in refining First-grade Elixirs.

During elixir refining, extreme precision is required in controlling the fire, the order of herb insertion, and timing of addition.

A slight deviation in the fire’s intensity or a timing error by mere seconds could lead to failure and a ruined pill.

A different order of insertion could lead to creating a completely different elixir.

Different combinations of the order in which the materials are combined will result in many various effects.

That is why even if an alchemist possesses a pill recipe, they must thoroughly research it to ensure they don’t waste materials during the refining process.

After all, materials are quite expensive.

Xiao Yi organized his knowledge of elixir refining within his mind. As the saying goes, ”with great skill comes great courage.” He immediately began the pill refining process.

A fierce flame suddenly appeared in the palm of his hand.

With the abilities gifted by his Fire Control Beast Martial Soul, he cast the flame into the gold-plated furnace.

Once the gold-plated furnace was fully heated and the temperature controlled, he immediately inserted the first herb, Heartless Vine.

Under the burning flame, the Heartless Vine gradually melted, transforming into a greenish liquid.

Then came the Eight-leaf Flower.

....

Step by step, ingredient after ingredient, Xiao Yi was meticulous.

About half an hour later, Xiao Yi withdrew the flame.

At this moment, from within the gold-plated furnace, an enticing and pungent Dan Fragrance emanated, refreshing to anyone who smelled it.

Opening the furnace lid, four perfectly crafted Body Tempering Pills came into view.

A single set of materials would typically yield around four Body Tempering Pills.

”I succeeded on the first try,” Xiao Yi exclaimed with joy.

Not even Xiao Lihuo, who was once revered as a genius alchemist of the Xiao Family, had succeeded on his first attempt.

The reason Xiao Yi was able to achieve this was entirely due to the Ice Phoenix Sword.

Alchemists need to accumulate experience through repeated trials and failures, eventually mastering the skill and succeeding in their refinement.

However, Xiao Yi was different. The Ice Phoenix Sword had poured the complete knowledge of this world’s alchemy into his mind, much like an enlightenment, making his refining skills perfect like a textbook.

Looking at the four flawless Body Tempering Pills, Xiao Yi could not help but feel that alchemists in this world were like money-printing machines.

A single portion of materials, costing only a few dozen taels, could be refined into Body Tempering Pills, each selling for fifty taels. Four pills amounted to two hundred taels, earning him many times over the input cost.

Two hundred taels might not seem like much, but for an ordinary family, it could be enough to live on for several years.

And that is only for the lowest grade, First-grade Elixirs. What then, of the Second-grade and Third-grade pills, or even higher grades? Their prices would be astronomical.

Xiao Yi packed away the four Body Tempering Pills but did not consume them.

Although martial artists could improve their cultivation speed and level by consuming elixirs, there were limitations.

After all, besides the medicinal power, the Body Tempering Pills contained numerous impurities.

These impurities could block the Dantian. Consuming more Body Tempering Pills thereafter would have no effect.

The reason the Xiao Family only provided three Body Tempering Pills per month to the family’s disciples was because, typically, for an Orange-rank Martial Soul, three pills were the limit for one month’s consumption.

Martial artists had to completely expel these impurities before they could continue taking Body Tempering Pills.

As for Xiao Yi, his Ice Phoenix Sword Soul absorbed the medicinal power so quickly that the impurities from the Body Tempering Pills could not fully clog his Dantian. The medicine’s power was all absorbed and transformed into True Qi.

That’s how he managed to absorb several dozens of Body Tempering Pills in a short period.

Of course, the impurities were still in his body. Before dispelling them, consuming more Body Tempering Pills would be in vain.

Since Body Tempering Pills were temporarily useless, he naturally didn’t continue to refine them but instead opted to create Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pills.

According to the information in his mind, the Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pill was an elixir derived and created by the Ice Phoenix Sword, its effects far surpassing that of Body Tempering Pills. This elixir was composed entirely of pure medicinal power, without any impurities.

Martial artists could consume it without any restrictions.

Crafting the Body Tempering Pill was just a warm-up, and now the main goal was to craft the Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pill.

To craft the Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pill, the same ingredients such as Heartless Vine were needed, with the addition of Spirit Ginseng only.

Of course, the order in which the ingredients were added, as well as the timing, were different.

Xiao Yi didn’t waste any time and immediately began to craft the elixirs.

.....

It was again a sequence of steps, an addition of ingredients one by one, every minute and second done with painstaking care.

Half an hour later, within the Gold-plated Furnace, four flawless white pills appeared.

If the fragrance of the Body Tempering Pill was refreshing to the senses, then the aroma of the Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pill made one feel as though every limb and bone was clear and unobstructed.

It seemed as if all the pores in the body opened up at once, greedily absorbing the fragrance.

With every hint of the aroma inhaled, the body felt as though it was filled with refreshing energy. The physical exhaustion from crafting pills earlier was completely replenished; the fatigue fell away in an instant, as if swept away like Mount Sumeru.

Even without consuming them, Xiao Yi knew the effects of these four Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pills were extraordinary.

Flames burst forth from his palm once more as Xiao Yi began another round of elixir crafting.

...

As the moon shone and the stars scattered, night fell, and Xiao Yi finally finished crafting elixirs.

Nearly all materials had been used up, and in total, twenty Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pills had been crafted.

He had some materials left over, so Xiao Yi casually crafted some Strengthening Pills and Qi Nourishing Pills.

”After a hard day’s work, it’s time to savor the fruits of labor,” Xiao Yi smiled satisfactorily, feeling an inexplicable joy and sense of achievement.

With a casual toss, a precious Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pill was tossed into his mouth, swiftly transforming into pure medicinal power within his body.

The medicinal power had no impurities, like a clear stream, directly reaching his Dantian.

After the Dantian absorbed it, it transformed into True Qi.

The denser the True Qi became, the higher his cultivation rose.

At the same time, his body was clearly tempered to be several degrees stronger, at least much stronger than Xiao Yi’s previously frail body.

If he were now to use the Xingyi Five Extremes, his body wouldn’t collapse under strain.

In terms of efficacy and medicinal power, the Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pill was several times stronger than the Body Tempering Pill.

Without any hesitation, Xiao Yi immediately swallowed the remaining nineteen Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pills.

As each pill was consumed, a stream of pure medicinal power was absorbed, making his Dantian gradually swell and become more robust, as his body became increasingly stronger.

When the fifteenth Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pill was consumed, Xiao Yi’s cultivation completely broke through to the Mortal Realm Fifth Layer.

The remaining four pills only advanced his cultivation slightly but did not lead to a breakthrough.

It’s worth mentioning that a martial artist’s cultivation indeed becomes more difficult in the late stages.

With the efficacy of the Nine Revolutions Body Refining Pill, it took Xiao Yi fifteen pills to progress from Mortal Realm Fourth Layer to Mortal Realm Fifth Layer. If he had used ordinary Body Tempering Pills, he would surely need a massive quantity.

Moreover, since Body Tempering Pills contained impurities, they couldn’t be taken continuously. No wonder many among the Xiao Family disciples were stuck at the Mortal Realm Fourth Layer and couldn’t break through.

Those from the Xiao Family who were above Mortal Realm Fifth Layer numbered less than twenty, and above Sixth Layer, even fewer than ten.

”Crack, crack, crack.” Xiao Yi clenched his fists, making a series of cracking noises.

He could clearly feel that at this moment his body possessed explosive power.

”Although it’s only the Mortal Realm Fifth Layer, combined with my Xingyi Five Extremes, I can easily deal with the family competition in half a month,” Xiao Yi smiled. This was the first time since arriving in this world that he felt he could relax slightly.

”In this half month, I’ll practice diligently and hope to break through to the Mortal Realm Sixth Layer. At that time, I’ll have the confidence to settle scores with Xiao Ruohan,” a killing intent flashed in Xiao Yi’s eyes.

....

”Hmm...” Suddenly, a faint murmur came from the bed beside him.

Yiyi, who had been unconscious for a whole day and night, finally awoke.

”Young... Young Master,” Yiyi realized she was sleeping in Xiao Yi’s bed, feeling a bit awkward and uneasy. She struggled with her weak body, planning to get up.

”Lie down,” Xiao Yi pressed her back onto the bed.

”Young Master, Yiyi is a servant. I will dirty your bed,” Yiyi said with a face full of unease.

”If I tell you to sleep, then sleep. I slept on the floor all of last night; one more night won’t make a difference,” Xiao Yi said indifferently.

”Ah, is it night already? How long have I slept?”

”A day and a night.”

”A day and a night?” Yiyi’s eyes widened in surprise and said, ”Doesn’t that mean you must be starving, Young Master? I’ll immediately prepare supper for you.”

As she spoke, Yiyi promptly prepared to get up.

”No need, I’ve already eaten,” Xiao Yi pushed Yiyi back onto the bed.

”You’ve eaten? Young Master, can you cook? Was it the Third Elder who prepared it for you?” Yiyi was first surprised then showed a dawning realization.

In her heart, Young Master Xiao Yi was almost helpless, always waited on hand and foot, utterly incapable of taking care of himself. If she didn’t cook for him, he might even starve to death.

Seeing Yiyi’s expression, Xiao Yi roughly guessed her thoughts and was immediately full of black lines on his head. He pushed her down and tucked her in before commanding, ”Shut up, close your eyes, and sleep.”