Chapter 4: Comprehending Alchemy Insights

Returning to his small courtyard, Lin Tianming found it was already late. After dinner, he went back to his room early.

He took out the alchemy insights his grandfather had left and began to study them earnestly.

Lin Shigong was a top-tier first-grade alchemist, capable of refining most first-grade pills and the best alchemist in the Lin family.

However, due to his cultivation not breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage, he couldn't refine second-grade pills.

Besides Lin Shigong, the family had another mid-tier first-grade alchemist, Lin Tianming's granduncle, Lin Xingyuan, ranked fifth in the "Xing" generation and at the ninth level of Qi Refining. He was one of the most talented members of his generation.

Alchemists were highly respected in the cultivation world. Both low and high-level cultivators, even high-level monsters, relied on the assistance of pills.

Over millions of years, the number of monsters and humans increased, but it became increasingly difficult for high-level cultivators to break through realms due to the scarcity of spiritual herb resources.

It is said that in the ancient times, hundreds of thousands of years ago, the number of high-level cultivators among both humans and monsters was several times what it is now.

Back then, spiritual herbs and resources were abundant, and the four great cultivation arts of alchemy, tool refining, formation, and talisman crafting reached their peak.

After hundreds of thousands of years of overexploitation, spiritual herbs and resources became scarce, and many ancient alchemical recipes and refining methods were lost.

Alchemists could maximize the efficacy of spiritual herbs, refining and purifying them into pills, which not only conserved the herbs but also reduced their side effects.

Thus, pills were always in high demand in the cultivation world.

First and second-grade pills were readily available in various markets, but third and fourth-grade pills were rare due to the scarcity of alchemists and the difficulty in gathering third-grade herbs.

These higher-grade pills were mostly seen at large markets or auctions, making alchemists highly sought after.

Training an alchemist required vast resources, as each alchemist's skills were honed through countless herbs.

The same applied to the other three arts, making it difficult for rogue cultivators to afford the training.

In its 800-year history, the Lin family had never lacked a first-grade alchemist, and only two second-grade alchemists had ever emerged: one low-tier and one mid-tier.

The Lin family had limited financial resources, with many members to support, making it challenging to provide the necessary materials for training high-level alchemists or cultivators.

The primary source of income for the Lin family was Qingling Bamboo, a first-grade material used in tool refining. They sold batches of Qingling Bamboo to other families, collecting a portion of spiritual stones.

The Lin family had a few first-grade tool refiners and one second-grade tool refiner. They used some Qingling Bamboo themselves and sold the rest through market shops.

In alchemy, the family prioritized meeting the needs of Qi Refining stage cultivators. Foundation Establishment cultivators had to buy second-grade pills from various markets.

Due to these constraints, the Lin family decided to train their own second-grade alchemists, focusing on Lin Tianming, Lin Tianhong, and Lin Tianqin.

Taking out the alchemy insights from his grandfather, Lin Tianming focused intensely on studying them.

The notes detailed various first-grade pills: Bigu Pills, Spirit Essence Pills, Detoxification Pills, Rejuvenation Pills, Marrow Cleansing Pills, and Barrier Breaking Pills.

Detoxification Pills, mid-tier first-grade pills, could neutralize most first-grade monster toxins, though they were less effective against some ancient monster poisons, only temporarily suppressing their spread.

Rejuvenation Pills, mid-tier first-grade pills, quickly restored spiritual power. A single pill could replenish most of a cultivator's spiritual power within moments.

Both Rejuvenation and Detoxification Pills were essential consumables in battles, potentially life-saving in critical moments.

Marrow Cleansing Pills, top-tier first-grade pills, expanded meridians, strengthened the body, accelerated spiritual energy absorption, and increased the dantian capacity by one-tenth, making them highly prized.

In battles, having more spiritual energy often decided victory or defeat, making Marrow Cleansing Pills one of the most challenging first-grade pills to refine.

Barrier Breaking Pills, top-tier first-grade pills, contained a large amount of spiritual energy. Consuming one could break through Qi Refining stage bottlenecks. Priced at over a hundred spiritual stones each, they were highly sought after and quickly sold out whenever available.

Each person could only take one, as additional doses were ineffective.

The alchemy notes described over twenty types of pills and their recipes, along with detailed information on hundreds of spiritual herbs.

Near the end, there was even a description of the Foundation Establishment Pill!

Foundation Establishment Pills, second-grade pills, helped Qi Refining cultivators break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, increasing the success rate by 50%, making them one of the essential Foundation Establishment resources.

The Lin family greatly lacked Foundation Establishment Pills.

These pills were rare because their primary ingredient, 200-year-old White Jade Grass, was extremely difficult to cultivate, with low survival rates.

Only White Jade Grass aged 200 years was suitable for refining. Growing it from seeds had a higher survival rate but took a long time, limiting its cultivation to large sects and ancient families.

Wild White Jade Grass was almost extinct, mostly already discovered and harvested by cultivators, now mainly found only in monster territories.

The Lin family had only two Foundation Establishment cultivators due to the high cost of Foundation Establishment Pills, priced at tens of thousands of spiritual stones each. They were rarely available outside of auctions, where families fiercely competed for them.

Seeing the various pill recipes and descriptions, Lin Tianming immersed himself in studying the alchemy insights.

His father, Lin Xingrong, often traveled between the family and Luoyun Market, rarely spending time at home. From a young age, Lin Tianming stayed with his grandfather, helping him sort herbs and organize alchemical recipes.

Through years of close observation, he developed a keen interest in alchemy, showing great talent. His grandfather, seeing this, eagerly taught him, hoping he would carry on his legacy.

Today, Lin Tianming had refined three sets of materials, producing one flawed Bigu Pill. He realized that alchemy was indeed challenging.

With his grandfather's guidance, Lin Tianming's understanding of alchemy had reached a new level. Now, he needed consistent practice and experimentation.

Tomorrow, he planned to visit the Family Merit Hall to acquire an alchemy furnace and some herbs. Alchemy required herbs, a furnace, and ground fire.

Before reaching the Golden Core stage, a cultivator's magic was insufficiently pure, and the flames they conjured weren't hot enough. They had to rely on ground fire for alchemy and tool refining. After forming a golden core, they could use their own core fire, which was more effective than ground fire.

Under Green Bamboo Mountain ran a ground fire vein, existing since the family's founding. The family ancestor had set up formations to create five alchemy and five refining rooms, maintained for over 800 years, generating considerable wealth.

With Lin Renfeng's Golden Core stage cultivation, the Lin family quickly established themselves on Green Bamboo Mountain.

The family grew from a dozen members to today's 175 cultivators and tens of thousands of ordinary people.

After the ancestor's passing, the family endured numerous battles, nearly facing destruction.

Thanks to the ancestor's protective treasures, they survived, becoming more united and gradually recovering over the past century.

Having comprehended his grandfather's alchemy insights, Lin Tianming felt greatly rewarded. With diligent practice, he believed he could independently refine pills soon.

This was the advantage of having a family: a mentor who taught without reservation, greatly reducing mistakes. Without guidance, even the basic processes would be unclear.

After three hours of study, Lin Tianming put away the jade slip and reclined on his bed.

Outside, the wind rustled through the Qingfeng Bamboo. Exhausted, Lin Tianming soon fell into a deep sleep.