Chapter 17: Lu Bu: I Actually Don’t Know Alchemy, I’m Just Naturally Gifted

Chapter 17: Lu Bu: I Actually Don't Know Alchemy, I'm Just Naturally Gifted

In just a few moments, under the transparent and invisible Spiritual Flame, all 12 medicinal ingredients were refined, leaving Xiao Yan utterly dumbfounded. Refining medicine wasn't just about extracting the essence from ingredients it required refining them to precise specifications dictated by the recipe.

But it wasn't over yet. Refining pills wasn't just about processing ingredients; it required dividing the essence into specific proportions and then combining them in the correct order. This stage was the true challenge.

However, with a flick of Lu Bu's fingers, the 12 refined ingredients were divided into 36 portions, each portion wrapped in flames and rearranged in rapid succession. Before Xiao Yan could even react, a rough, uneven pill embryo had already formed within the flames.

Thanks to the transparency of the Spiritual Flame, Xiao Yan could clearly see the embryo spinning and tumbling in the fire. Within just a few breaths, the uneven pill embryo smoothed out and became round and plump, exuding an alluring fragrance.

Lu Bu raised his hand, pinching the marble sized, fiery red pill between his fingers, examining it closely. A faint pattern shimmered on the pill's surface as Lu Bu smacked his lips and exclaimed,

"Huh… It doesn't seem all that hard."

"Damn it…" Xiao Yan rolled his eyes, feeling a pang of bitterness in his liver. This is infuriating comparison truly is the thief of joy.

With a quick motion, Lu Bu tossed the Explosive Qi Pill into his mouth and swallowed it. Inside his body, his Dou Qi surged and swelled under the pill's effects.

This pill was meant for Dou Fighters, so while it had some effect on Lu Bu, who was a Dou Master, it wasn't very significant, and its side effects were relatively mild.

"Let's keep going."

With another wave of his hand, more than ten types of medicinal ingredients floated into the air.

"Evergreen Flower, Ice Crystal Fruit, and a second tier ice attribute magic core… This is for an Ice Heart Pill," Yao Lao remarked, nodding approvingly. That recipe was one of his creations.

Lu Bu shot a glance at the old geezer. The pill recipes Yao Lao had provided were all obscure and rarely used. For example, there was the Icy Purification Pill to counteract fire toxins, the Tortoise Breath Pill for feigning death, and the Appearance Restoration Pill for altering one's looks.

There wasn't a single recipe for proper cultivation pills, like Dou Spirit Pills or Emperor's Extreme Pills to boost strength just strange, impractical concoctions. And, as if that wasn't enough, all the recipes were incredibly complicated and difficult to refine.

This old fossil is truly infuriating.

While his mind wandered, Lu Bu finished refining the Ice Heart Pill. A pure white, perfectly round pill emerged, ready for use.

Xiao Yan watched with envy. When will I be able to refine pills so effortlessly?

"There's no need to envy him," Yao Lao said. "His spiritual power is extraordinarily strong, so it's only natural that his alchemy skills improve quickly."

Ignoring the mentor student duo, Lu Bu continued extracting ingredients. Soon, he successfully refined a third tier Tortoise Breath Pill and a fourth tier Clear Heart Pill, his skill and ease leaving Xiao Yan wide eyed and… slightly bitter.

"This kid…" Yao Lao's eyes sparkled with surprise. Even with immense spiritual strength, alchemy was an intricate art. Yet, Lu Bu had demonstrated fourth tier alchemy techniques with shocking proficiency.

It was particularly remarkable given that just a few days ago, this young man had never formally studied alchemy.

For Lu Bu, however, this wasn't surprising. In his past life in the Profound Realm, he was proficient in both Yuan Force and spiritual energy, excelling not only in brute force techniques but also in the delicate art of setting up arrays.

Arranging formations required precision and finesse, making it no less demanding than alchemy. His mastery of spiritual power control easily matched that of alchemists at his level.

"Could he be a prodigy in alchemy?" Yao Lao's gaze gleamed with intrigue.

At that moment, Lu Bu retrieved another set of ingredients from his storage ring. This time, instead of the usual dozen or more, there were only three:

"Blood Lotus Essence, a third tier magic core, and Ice Spirit Flame Grass… Is he making a Blood Lotus Pill?!" Xiao Yan exclaimed in shock. That was a fifth tier pill.

What's more, Xiao Yan had been searching for these three ingredients for ages. Without the Blood Lotus Pill, he wouldn't survive his attempt to devour a Heavenly Flame. He'd be reduced to ashes before even making contact.

"This guy…" Xiao Yan's face twitched. For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being cuckolded… right to his face.

"If I'd known, I wouldn't have given him that recipe," Yao Lao muttered. The Blood Lotus Pill was an obscure and niche concoction, rarely used. Who would've thought that Lu Bu had already gathered the necessary ingredients?

Lu Bu didn't immediately start refining. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and rested for a moment. Fifth tier pills were far more complex and demanding than fourth tier ones, leaving little room for error. He didn't have a second Ice Spirit Flame Grass if things went wrong.

After a while, he reopened his eyes. The Spiritual Flame ignited once more, enveloping the third tier magic core. The temperature steadily rose until, with a soft cracking sound, the core shattered into fine powder.

Lu Bu carefully collected the powdered essence into a jade bottle, then moved on to refining the Blood Lotus Essence.

This step was much slower. Xiao Yan stared intently as the transparent flame reduced the Blood Lotus Essence into a viscous paste. Lu Bu continued refining for nearly half an hour, meticulously removing yellow impurities from the red paste before storing it in another jade bottle.

The final ingredient, the Ice Spirit Flame Grass, took even longer almost half a day. By the time all three ingredients were fully refined, an entire day had passed.

The next morning, Lu Bu began combining the ingredients. Under Xiao Yan's stunned gaze, he divided the three ingredients into over a hundred portions, each varying in size and volume.

The dense array of medicinal liquids and powders floating beneath the waterfall left Xiao Yan completely overwhelmed.

He'd already been exhausted refining tier one pills was this fifth tier process trying to kill him outright?

Despite his awe, Xiao Yan felt a surge of hope. One day, he too would reach this level of skill, becoming a renowned alchemist in his own right.

By the third day, the ingredients had been successfully fused, leaving only the process of nurturing the pill until it fully took shape.

"Truly impressive work," Yao Lao commented, watching Lu Bu's three days of effort with genuine admiration.

If crafting the Blood Lotus Pill were a 100 point exam, Lu Bu had already achieved 98 points. Remarkably, just days ago, he'd never even touched alchemy techniques.

Even Yao Lao himself, refining the same pill, might not perform as well without relying on a Heavenly Flame for that final edge. But Lu Bu's flame was no ordinary fire either.

Half a day later, Xiao Yan who had been sitting for hours finally stood to stretch his stiff limbs.

At that moment, the transparent flame surrounding the blood colored pill trembled. A soft buzzing sound resonated, followed by a sudden surge of energy radiating outward.

"What's happening?" Xiao Yan exclaimed, his expression changing.

"It's the phenomenon of a fifth tier pill forming… The pill is complete," Yao Lao replied, his eyes sparkling with approval. This young man was undeniably talented.

As he spoke, a wave of blood colored energy rippled outward like a stone breaking the surface of a still pond. Simultaneously, a rich, fragrant aroma filled the air. The fatigue of Lu Bu's sleepless, tireless efforts over the past three days evaporated in an instant.

The sheer satisfaction made him feel an almost involuntary urge to let out a moan of relief.

"Ha! Finally succeeded!" Lu Bu burst out laughing, summoning the pill into his palm. A smooth, blood red pill with faintly glowing patterns rested in his hand.

He carefully placed it into a pristine jade bottle, shaking it gently. A wave of accomplishment surged through him.

"Jie Jie Jie! Hahaha!"

Lu Bu laughed uncontrollably, exhilarated by the triumph. It felt like solving an impossibly complex calculus problem the kind of euphoria that couldn't be overstated.

"Young man, excellent work," Yao Lao said, floating closer with a rare, approving smile. The "kid" had officially earned the title of "young man" in his eyes.

"Ahem, it's nothing, really." Lu Bu waved his hand modestly. "I'm just a beginner who's only been learning alchemy for a few days. I don't actually know much I'm just naturally gifted."

Xiao Yan's mouth twitched. What an infuriating guy.

"Would you like to become my apprentice?" Yao Lao asked, his tone casual, but his words shocked both Lu Bu and Xiao Yan.

"You want to take me as a disciple?" Lu Bu's expression turned strange.

"That's right." Yao Lao nodded with a smile. He had changed his mind.

"Uh…" Lu Bu's face flushed slightly, and he scratched his head bashfully. "But wouldn't that be inappropriate? Surely not just anyone is qualified to inherit the legacy of the great Yao Lao?"

Yao Lao's face darkened. This little brat hasn't even learned to respect his elders!

With a snort, Yao Lao vanished back into the ring, his voice gruff: "Stop dawdling, Xiao Yan. Start training!"

"O Okay," Xiao Yan stammered, quickly returning to his practice.

(End of Chapter)

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