Chapter 7: Back to the Primordial
Primordial.
Black Sand Town.
Lu Qingfeng stepped out of the Rebirth Pool, feeling both familiar and strange.
In reality, only two months had passed, but in the Primordial, a whole sixteen years had gone by.
Black Sand Town was still bustling as ever, yet slight changes made Lu Qingfeng feel somewhat off.
"Go to Wangchen Alchemy Workshop."
Following his memory, Lu Qingfeng hurried to the Wangchen Alchemy Workshop.
He cultivated the Flame Sun Scripture and had mastered most of the Alchemy Introduction. If he went to another alchemy workshop, he might have to start all over again, wasting time for nothing.
Better to continue at the Wangchen Alchemy Workshop.
As luck would have it.
Lu Qingfeng had received Cultivation Techniques and Elixir Pills from the Wangchen Alchemy Workshop, but after his death, this contract that did not involve reincarnation was directly voided. With his reincarnation, he could claim these once again.
If the cost of reincarnation weren't so great, probably many people would exploit this loophole.
He went straight to the Wangchen Alchemy Workshop.
...
Half an hour later.
Lu Qingfeng stood in front of the 'Luo Sheng Alchemy Workshop,' a contemplative look in his eyes.
A moment later.
He entered the Luo Sheng Alchemy Workshop.
Inside the alchemy workshop, many players were buying Elixir Pills.
"Excuse me, sir, are you here to rent an Alchemy Room or to purchase Elixir Pills?"
As soon as Lu Qingfeng entered, a grey-robed clerk approached him, quite enthusiastically.
The alchemy workshops in Black Sand Town were equipped with alchemy rooms.
Besides being used by the internal staff of the workshop, the alchemy rooms were also rented out to generate income. Of course, the main source of revenue was still from selling and wholesaling Elixir Pills.
"Neither."
"Was this place originally the Wangchen Alchemy Workshop?"
Lu Qingfeng asked the clerk.
"Wangchen Alchemy Workshop?"
"It closed down seven or eight years ago. Master Luo Sheng took over and renamed it Luo Sheng Alchemy Workshop. Master Luo Sheng has long been a Top-level Alchemy Apprentice; his three disciples and several Guest Elders are all High-level Alchemy Apprentices. Sir, if you need any Elixir Pills, anything that Wangchen Alchemy Workshop could refine, our Luo Sheng Alchemy Workshop will have it."
After explaining, the clerk seized the opportunity to promote their services.
"Thank you."
Lu Qingfeng nodded in thanks and walked out of the Luo Sheng Alchemy Workshop.
"Have a good day, sir."
The clerk's voice came from behind.
"Nice service."
Lu Qingfeng mentally complimented, looking up at the 'Luo Sheng' sign, he couldn't help but shake his head.
After all, sixteen years had passed in the Primordial, and he hadn't expected that the Wangchen Alchemy Workshop had already shut down, thinking perhaps he misremembered or the workshop had been renamed.
"Since it has closed down, let's go with this one."
Lu Qingfeng signed a contract in front of the Luo Sheng Alchemy Workshop.
Reborn once, everything feels familiar.
Sixteen years might lead to changes in the alchemy workshops, but the rules in Black Sand Town hadn't changed.
Green Wood Technique.
Alchemy Analysis.
Five Yellow Dragon Pills.
Five Fasting Pills.
One Green Stone Talisman.
The latter three remained unchanged. The Cultivation Technique changed from the Flame Sun Scripture to the Green Wood Technique, and the Alchemy Introduction was replaced with Alchemy Analysis.
Overall, minor differences.
Lu Qingfeng pressed down on the two booklets, learning everything.
The Green Wood Technique was of the same grade as the Flame Sun Scripture and could be cultivated up to the Ninth Layer of Fetal Breathing Realm. One was of the Wood Element, and the other was of the Fire attribute.
When dealing with medicinal materials, Cultivation Techniques of either the Wood or Fire attributes naturally came more naturally. Typically, the foundational techniques obtained from the alchemy workshops were of these two attributes.
As for the Alchemy Analysis, it indeed caught Lu Qingfeng's attention.
It recorded the processing methods for forty-nine types of medicinal materials, among which sixteen were not in Alchemy Introduction. In the thirty-three common types, twelve had different processing methods.
"One month's time, let's first elevate the level."
In the two months of waiting, Lu Qingfeng also had a rough plan on how to play this game, at least the initial phase planning was ready.
First.
Cultivate the Flame Sun Scripture!
The Green Wood Technique was of the same quality as the Flame Sun Scripture, and Lu Qingfeng had already been initiated in the cultivation of the Flame Sun Scripture, and having been initiated twice, once in the game and once in reality, it was naturally his first choice.
"Yellow Dragon Pill!"
One!
Two!
Only two Yellow Dragon Pills were swallowed, and Lu Qingfeng's body surged, Inner Breath bursting forth!
"The first time it took four Yellow Dragon Pills to experience Qi Perception, and this time just two allowed me to reach the First Level of Fetal Breathing Realm!"
Saving two Yellow Dragon Pills was indeed a happy occurrence for Lu Qingfeng at this stage.
Having initiated cultivation, Lu Qingfeng directly took on tasks at the Luo Sheng Alchemy Workshop through the Green Stone Talisman.
In the contract he signed with the alchemy workshop, he was required to process at least ten basic medicinal materials each day. Any excess was remunerated by the workshop at market price.
[Task: Process White Atractylodes]
[Quantity: Fifty portions]
[Requirement: Submit forty portions]
[Reward: Remaining White Atractylodes]
...
[Task: Process Licorice]
[Quantity: Fifty portions]
[Requirement: Submit forty portions]
[Reward: Remaining Licorice]
...
[Task: Process Honeysuckle]
[Quantity: Fifty portions]
[Requirement: Submit forty portions]
[Reward: Remaining Honeysuckle]
...
"Newcomers just need to be careful, and the qualification rate for handling these basic medicinal materials can be at least 80%. Luo Sheng Alchemy Workshop's task requirements ensure that players will not suffer losses."
"As the familiarity increases, and the qualification rate improves, players can enhance their rewards with each completed task."
"Through these rewards, they can exchange for Fasting Pills and Yellow Dragon Pills in the Luo Sheng Alchemy Workshop!"
Ten basic medicinal materials can be exchanged for one Fasting Pill.
Fifty basic medicinal materials can be exchanged for one Yellow Dragon Pill.
Considering that a newcomer can handle fifty basic medicinal materials a day, even in the worst-case scenario, they would have enough to exchange for one Fasting Pill with the rewards from ten basic medicinal materials in six days!
If they can't even accomplish this, they might consider changing jobs.
"With my current pace, I can handle about one hundred basic medicinal materials per day, maintaining a qualification rate of over 85%!"
Lu Qingfeng took on one task for each of the more than ten types of medicinal materials he had handled in reality, such as White Atractylodes, Licorice, Honeysuckle, Yellow Ginseng, etc.
Then he began to cultivate while processing the medicinal materials.
Both tasks were time-consuming without realization.
Time passed.
In the blink of an eye, a month had gone by.
...
Name: Lu Qingfeng
Race: Human
Faction: None
Title: None
Cultivation: Postnatal Fetal Breathing Realm Second Layer
Level: 3 (14/15)
Inner Breath: 12/12 (Grade: Basic Level)
Life Span: 16/68
Root Bone: 1
Merit: Unknown
Karma: Unknown
Cultivation Technique: Yellow Court Scripture First Layer (Uninitiated) [Characteristics: Derivation Technique (First Layer); Commanding Multiple Techniques (First Layer); Karma Removal (First Layer)]; Flame Sun Scripture Second Layer (Small Success) [Deriving]; Green Wood Technique First Layer (Uninitiated) [Can Derive]
Spells: None
Divine Skills: None
Equipment: None
Alchemy: Alchemy Introduction (Small Success) [Deriving]; Alchemy Analysis (Uninitiated)
Lu Qingfeng averages handling one hundred and twenty basic medicinal materials per day, with a qualification rate of 85%, allowing him to exchange for one Yellow Dragon Pill every eight days.
In one month, he exchanged for a total of 4 Yellow Dragon Pills. Coupled with the previously remaining 3 pills, in just one month he refined seven Yellow Dragon Pills, directly advancing his level to three and his cultivation to the Second Layer of the Fetal Breathing Realm.
The calculations show that the Experience Value of one Yellow Dragon Pill is about 3 points.
As for Lu Qingfeng's own cultivation results, they are almost negligible.
"The Experience Value is almost saved up!"
Lu Qingfeng opened the [Deriving] option from Flame Sun Scripture.
[Flame Sun Scripture Deriving, required Experience Value 1/10]
Level 3 (14/15), the total Experience Value in the experience pool has reached 30 points, barely enough for Lu Qingfeng to squander!
He poured in 9 Experience Points, and a system prompt box popped up—
[Flame Sun Scripture Deriving completed, required Experience Value 10/10, please choose the derivation direction: Strengthen/Enhance/Fuse]
[Strengthen: Raise the grade of the cultivation technique, with a certain chance to gain attributes]
[Enhance: Increase the levels of the cultivation technique]
[Fuse: Combine with other cultivation techniques, with a certain chance to enhance the grade and possibly add attributes]
"Strengthen! Enhance! Fuse!"
Lu Qingfeng suddenly realized.
Strengthening the cultivation technique has a chance of gaining attributes. After several upgrades, it might even be possible to advance the cultivation technique from Basic Level to Refined Level.
Enhancing the cultivation technique means increasing the layers of the technique. For example, the Flame Sun Scripture has nine layers, only allowing cultivation up to the Ninth Layer of the Fetal Breathing Realm. But if the tenth layer can be derived, it would enable cultivation to the First Level of the True Qi Realm!
This is to advance the cultivation upper limit.
Regarding the last type, Fusion, as the name implies, involves using one cultivation technique as the main and fusing it with others, having a chance to enhance the grade or add attributes.
"This—"
Lu Qingfeng's thoughts flowed, and in an instant, he was overwhelmed with immense joy.
Strengthen!
Enhance!
Fuse!
These combined, isn't it just saying that as long as he has enough Experience Value, he doesn't have to worry about cultivation technique issues in the future?
Whether it's Refined Level Techniques, Side Door Level Skills, or even True Sect Level and Mysterious Level Techniques, can he derive them all by himself and be self-sufficient?!
"Ha ha!"
"Heaven helps me too!"
Even Lu Qingfeng couldn't help but laugh loudly.
Although he didn't know how difficult it was to obtain cultivation techniques in the Primordial era, having the ability to derive cultivation techniques means he surely can be less restricted and worry less on his cultivation path!
This is absolutely a great thing!
"Fuse!"
"Green Wood Technique."
Lu Qingfeng suppressed the exhilaration in his heart, and through the operating panel, dragged the Green Wood Technique into the derivation column. A flash of light, and the derivation was complete.
[Flame Sun Scripture derivation complete, now renamed Green Wood Flame Sun Scripture!]
...
[Cultivation Technique: Green Wood Flame Sun Scripture]
[Grade: Basic Level, comprising nine layers]
[Derivation: One fusion]
[Cultivation Requirements: None]
[Cultivation Method Technique Characteristics: None]
[Description: Formed by the fusion of Green Wood Technique and Flame Sun Scripture]
"No Characteristics appeared, nor was there any enhancement."
"I don't know whether this Green Wood Flame Sun Scripture is stronger or weaker than the Flame Sun Scripture."
Lu Qingfeng looked at the Cultivation Method Column, only to see the Flame Sun Scripture and Green Wood Technique had disappeared, replaced by the Green Wood Flame Sun Scripture.
Derivation completed, and Lu Qingfeng was still somewhat confused.
"Let's practice and see!"
Lu Qingfeng sat down cross-legged, beginning to cultivate the Green Wood Flame Sun Scripture.