Promoting to the fourth stage of Dou Qi in half a month, and then to the fifth stage in just another month and a half, this unparalleled cultivation speed is something that even the former Xiao Yan could only look up to with envy. Although the difficulty of advancement increases with each upgrade of Dou Qi, at the current rate, it should not be too challenging for Xiao Yan to reach the seventh stage of Dou Qi within a year. Of course, this is on the condition that there is a sufficient supply of Foundation-building Spirit Liquid. Otherwise, before Xiao Yan reaches the seventh stage, he would likely suffer a severe injury, or even death, from the beating training by the Pharmacist Elder. After all, without the restorative power of the Foundation-building Spirit Liquid, with his currently fragile body, Xiao Yan would either die from the accumulation of blood clots or have no other choice but to accept his fate.
Thus, what Xiao Yan needs to do now is to purchase more materials and refine the Foundation-building Spirit Liquid. It seems simple, but Xiao Yan faces a significant challenge—he is almost out of money.
Sitting on the bed, Xiao Yan’s face was full of wry smiles. He never imagined that he would be so cornered by a lack of funds. Tapping his fingers, he calculated the remaining money. After purchasing the last batch of materials, he had about nine hundred gold coins left. This amount was clearly insufficient to buy materials of the same grade as before.
After a moment of contemplation, Xiao Yan’s eyes flickered, and he suddenly asked, “Teacher, can we use younger-year versions of the Purple Leaf Orchid Grass or the Bone Washing Flower?”
“Yes, but the potency would be much weaker. The Foundation-building Spirit Liquid I formulated for you was carefully crafted with the most suitable combination,” the voice of the Pharmacist Elder echoed from the ring.
Xiao Yan blinked and smiled lightly, “It’s fine, this time let’s use the poorest quality materials.”
“The poorest quality? That would significantly reduce its effectiveness. At that rate, it might take you half a year to advance to the next stage,” the Pharmacist Elder’s voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction, and he was likely frowning.
“Out of money? Go to that little girl, with her background, lending you tens of thousands of gold coins is nothing. If not, ask your father. Why lower the potency and delay your cultivation?”
Hearing the Pharmacist Elder’s suggestion, Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly, “Let’s just say my pride won’t allow me to keep borrowing money from a girl. As for my father, I’ve been avoiding him for two months. And if I ask him for money, he might pry into things, and that would expose you, Teacher.”
“Teacher, can others formulate the Foundation-building Spirit Liquid?”
The Pharmacist Elder chuckled, “Young man, there are countless herbs on the Dou Qi Continent. To create different potions, you need to sift through these countless materials to find the ones that can neutralize the wild energy in the magic crystal. Only then can you successfully refine the potion. If you mix them randomly, the best-case scenario is losing the potion and the cauldron, but the worst-case scenario is a backlash…”
At this point, the Pharmacist Elder laughed eerily and continued, “This Foundation-building Spirit Liquid formula took me years of experimentation to perfect. Of course, it’s possible that others might accidentally stumble upon the same formula, but the chances are slim.”
“Moreover, in the refining process, the integration degree and quantities of the three materials, the concentration of the flame—these all require countless experiments and a powerful soul perception to master. That’s why every Alchemist needs a teacher to guide them. Without a master’s guidance, it’s almost impossible to become a powerful Alchemist. Otherwise, just the experimental formulas alone would consume your entire life.”
“So, I can’t vouch for the entire Dou Qi Continent, but I can guarantee that in the Jia Ma Empire, no one can refine the same Foundation-building Spirit Liquid as I do!” The Pharmacist Elder’s voice carried a sense of pride.
Astonished by the complexity of the Foundation-building Spirit Liquid, Xiao Yan instinctively licked his lips. When he watched the Pharmacist Elder refining it, it seemed simple, but now he realized that the process was far more intricate than it appeared. The world of Alchemists is indeed vast and mysterious, no wonder it is the most noble profession on the Dou Qi Continent.
After his astonishment, Xiao Yan felt a bit relieved. Smiling, he said, “Teacher, I don’t intend to use the poorest quality Foundation-building Spirit Liquid for cultivation. I plan to auction it off. Since I’m short on funds, once I get the money, we can buy better materials. Refining the Foundation-building Spirit Liquid is just a trivial task for you, right?”
“Alright, it’s up to you. It’s not unusual for Alchemists to auction their own potions. Besides, the Foundation-building Spirit Liquid is just a basic cultivation drug; selling it won’t be a problem.” After a brief silence, the Pharmacist Elder responded indifferently.
Hearing the Pharmacist Elder agree, Xiao Yan chuckled and packed his things, rushing out of the room with eagerness. Since he didn’t need high-grade materials this time, he chose the youngest-year versions of the Purple Leaf Orchid Grass and the Bone Washing Flower. For the Wood-type magic crystal, after several checks, he bought the cheapest Qing Mu Rat magic crystal.
With the materials in hand, Xiao Yan found an inn and had the Pharmacist Elder refine the Foundation-building Spirit Liquid. This time, the potency of the liquid was much weaker, and its color had changed from the clear emerald green to a mottled green.
Putting the Foundation-building Spirit Liquid, which was about half the size of his fist, into the previously bought white jade bottle, Xiao Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Tucking the jade bottle securely, Xiao Yan left the inn and strode swiftly toward the largest auction house in Wu Tan City.
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