Chapter 22: Peak Alchemy Master, Huo Yuan

Since the deal had been struck, Yang Ji did not hesitate any longer. He began a frenzy of alchemy to earn Spirit Stones, preparing himself for future purchases of high-grade Spiritual Medicines.

Jin Dafu delivered all kinds of low-ranking Spiritual Medicines and Pill Recipes to his hands, including the Calming Heart Pill, Yellow Dragon Pill, Cultivation Pill, Demon Attracting Pill, Fasting Pill, and a dozen other Pill Recipes, along with a large quantity of Spiritual Medicines.

Yang Ji only glanced at the required Spiritual Medicines and the general methods of refining before he got to work.

Various Spiritual Medicines were haphazardly thrown into the Pill Furnace, and he manipulated the flames as he pleased.

Huo Yuan, who was permitted to watch, saw Yang Ji practicing alchemy for the first time and was astonished.

After a series of operations, Yang Ji's technique did not align with what he expected at all, and it was full of flaws, violating many alchemy taboos. Was this really the work of a Grandmaster?

If a novice Alchemy Apprentice were to conduct the process in such a way, they would be harshly criticized by him.

Who else would so recklessly lift the lid of the Pill Furnace and casually toss in Spiritual Medicines?

Any alchemist would worry about the loss of heat and the inability to maintain a stable temperature inside the furnace.

So who wouldn't just leave a small gap in the lid to add the Spiritual Medicines and then cover it quickly?

Only Yang Ji suspended the lid in the air, leaving a wide opening, without a hint of panic even as air rushed in.

Also, when melting the Spiritual Medicines, he did not bother to adjust the flame, opting instead to refine with fierce heat.

Didn't he fear that the Spiritual Medicines would turn to ash in an instant?

Furthermore, his way of fusing medicinal liquids left Huo Yuan speechless. Yang Ji activated the Formation within the furnace and with a sweep of Spiritual Power, he chopped off a large portion of a Spiritual Medicine's essence.

This rough manner of operation was causing Huo Yuan's heart to leap with terror.

During the merging of the medicinal liquids, who else would be so crude? In such a critical moment, doesn't one carefully and incrementally remove impurities, combining them while observing the progress of the fusion?

Such blunt and heavy-handed tactics were unique to Yang Ji alone.

It was utterly inconceivable, beyond his comprehension, and difficult to agree with.

Yet before him was a Peak Alchemy Master, and Huo Yuan dared not question, even though he watched with a mind pregnant with doubts.

Yang Ji turned his head and glanced at Huo Yuan, whose brows were furrowed into a "Chuan" character, and said indifferently, "Do you have many questions?"

"Master, I indeed have many questions. The first step of warming the furnace is baffling. Isn't the timing written on the Pill Recipe supposed to be the length of an incense stick? Moreover, the ratios for blending the medicinal liquids also differ greatly from those recorded on the recipe," Huo Yuan said, straightening his demeanor and bowing respectfully.

"When you usually warm the furnace for the duration of an incense stick, do you not have to immediately wrap the first Spirit Enhancing Herb with Spiritual Power to prevent it from being burned by the flames?" Yang Ji asked.

"Yes, if the Spirit Enhancing Herb isn't enveloped with Spiritual Energy, it will be burned to ashes," Huo Yuan answered truthfully.

"If that is so, why do you need to warm the furnace for an incense stick's time and raise the temperature so high? Isn't that making trouble for yourself?" Yang Ji asked lightly in return.

"Refining the Spirit Enhancing Pill requires the furnace to be warmed for an incense stick's time. That is what is written on the Pill Recipe, a rule passed down by the elders, and I must adhere to it," Huo Yuan replied.

"Rules are set by the powerful. You dare not overstep because you haven't reached an understanding of the Dao of Pills that allows you to break free from your confines. You can only follow the path and rely on the experience of your predecessors, treating it as holy scripture," Yang Ji explained.

"My understanding of the Dao of Pills surpasses yours. Those who reach it first are the predecessors. So, if I write a Pill Recipe, will you follow it?"

Yang Ji reached into his Storage Bag and slowly passed over a modified Pill Recipe.

He looked indifferently at Huo Yuan, whose expression was fluctuating. The opportunity was offered; whether he could seize it depended on his capability to break free from the constraints of his predecessors.

The Pill Recipe was right before his eyes, but above Huo Yuan's head, the options "Reject?" "Hesitate!" appeared.

At this moment, it was Huo Yuan making a choice, and it was also a contest between Yang Ji and those old predecessors.

If Huo Yuan believed in Yang Ji a bit more, he would accept the Pill Recipe; if the old predecessors weighed more heavily in his heart, then his heart would resist Yang Ji's Pill Recipe.

Yang Ji was waiting for his decision, which undoubtedly would require breaking past his previous notions. To erect a sanctified image of Yang Ji within his heart was no easy feat!

Undoubtedly, Huo Yuan was wrestling with a dilemma in his heart.

Whether he could take this step would depend on his own fortune.

What seems like a simple choice to Earthians, who would undoubtedly clench their fists and declare, "I want it all!"

But for the natives, whose thoughts are fixed, beliefs firm as rock, valuing traditions from the start, and once set in their ways, find it difficult to break free.

Choosing is undeniably like questioning everything they've learned in the past.

Huo Yuan was different from Jin Dafu; Jin Dafu was a merchant, the method of alchemy didn't matter to him, what he wanted was the final result of the pills.

Huo Yuan, on the other hand, was a devout follower in the pursuit of the path of alchemy, the methodologies and experience of his predecessors were etched into his heart, and he dared not break away from them.

In truth, those who are truly successful in the art of alchemy are not so rigid; their thinking is more flexible and adaptable.

Just like when Jin Dafu first saw Yang Ji perform alchemy, he was immediately impressed, but to Huo Yuan, it was riddled with mistakes.

At this moment, Huo Yuan's expression changed back and forth, obviously wrestling with a decision; at last, he let out a sigh, bowed slowly, and accepted the pill recipe.

"Thank you, Master, for imparting the way of alchemy."

"Heh, it seems that this old Daoist Huo Yuan isn't so steeped in antiquation after all, managing to overcome this psychological barrier; he has potential," Yang Ji thought with a smile.

He had written many different combinations on the pill recipe for Huo Yuan, including the melting temperature for spiritual medicines of different ages and the necessary proportions when fusing medicines of various ages.

Now one could simply apply formulas to the pill recipe; Yang Ji had simplified alchemy.

After obtaining the pill recipe, Huo Yuan started to read it intently, his eyes turning back and forth.

After Yang Ji finished concocting thirty batches of medicine pills, he left the alchemy chamber, handed some pills to Jin Dafu, and then returned to his stone room to commence cultivation.

Three days of cultivation passed in a flash.

One day, an excited shout suddenly rang out,

"Hahahahaha, I, Huo Yuan, have finally concocted a high-quality lower-grade Spirit Pill, I, Huo Yuan, have finally become a Peak Alchemy Master!"

"Master, Master, I've succeeded, I've succeeded."

Huo Yuan rushed over to Yang Ji, his hands holding a medicine pill, laughing like a child with eyes brimming with joy.

Yang Ji had already opened his eyes upon hearing the shout, and now he too congratulated with a smile, "Congratulations, congratulations, from now on, the world of peak alchemy masters has a place for you, Huo Yuan."

"I wouldn't have reached this step without the Master's guidance. Please accept my deepest respects, Huo Yuan!" Huo Yuan respectfully bowed deeply to Yang Ji, his expression extremely deferential.

Only at this moment did he truly understand the terror of the man before him; what had appeared to be crude alchemy techniques had actually been simplified from complexity.

Once Huo Yuan achieved Peak Alchemy Master status, he immediately became the chief alchemist at Myriad Treasures Tower.

Suddenly, the whole of Nanfeng Island knew of Huo Yuan's breakthrough, and gifts of congratulations came flooding in.

And the pure medicine pills crafted by Yang Ji, which everyone assumed were made by Huo Yuan, had Huo Yuan's fame soaring without equal.

And Yang Ji was pleased with this.

At this moment, in the back mountains.

In front of Yang Ji were piles of items, all of which were gifts from cultivators to Huo Yuan, and Huo Yuan had brought them all before Yang Ji.

"Master, all these treasures are to pay my respects to you," Huo Yuan said with a grin, effectively regifting them.

Yang Ji glanced over the gifts and was suddenly surprised; some of the congratulatory presents were quite precious, worth thousands of Spirit Stones each.

At this moment, he indirectly enjoyed the invisible perks that came with being an alchemist.

His gaze slowly swept over the items: there were Magic Artifacts, Spiritual Medicines, Pill Recipes, Pill Furnaces, and more.

Yang Ji smiled slightly and without ceremony claimed them all for himself.

(Thanks Nathan for the kind gift of 300 coins, love you. Thanks to the relaxed donors, the depth of gratitude is known, sorry for the wait, and thanks for the monthly ticket from OO Sword Heart. Thank you all for your recommendation tickets.)