Refining the Pill Again

Inside the Warehouse

"Oh? Your collection isn't small."

Staring at the stockpiled materials before her, Su Min couldn't help but raise a brow in mild surprise. It was clear now—Prince Yong's manor had spent the past twenty years diligently gathering herbs and spiritual ingredients.

"We hope these meet your standards, Senior," Cao Yuanmu said with a respectful tone. "Would you be willing to refine two Foundation Establishment Pills for us?"

"Tsk, your appetite isn't small."

She shot Cao Yuanmu a sidelong glance but didn't refuse. The materials here were abundant—even including something unexpected.

"Bones and blood of a Foundation Establishment demon beast?"

"Yes. The very one slain by Master Huiming himself. We paid a considerable price to retrieve it."

"A price?" Su Min arched a brow.

"The temple it had taken over… and the golden Buddha within," Cao Yuanmu explained with a slightly awkward chuckle. "Funny thing—I remember most of your other shrines house only clay statues, don't they?"

His gaze lingered curiously on Su Min. He, like many, knew the scattered temples devoted to Su Min bore mostly humble, earthen idols. But the one here had a radiant golden form. He was curious how the deity herself would react.

"All things respond to sincerity," Su Min replied mildly. "Whether gold or clay, it's merely a vessel. There's no difference."

He was utterly unfazed. With the Great Sun Sutra in hand, incense or worship didn't matter—its cultivation progressed regardless. Besides, now that he had stepped into the Foundation Establishment realm, the heavens no longer constrained him. He would have centuries ahead to make up for any past shortcomings.

"Tsk. Not bad at all. Even a few fourth-tier herbs. Where did you dig those up?"

"Those emerged from the secret realms. Securing them cost significant effort."

"These… are ingredients for Golden Spirit Pills." Su Min's fingers brushed over the stalks gently. "Given the state of today's spiritual world, such materials are almost extinct. Only secret realms still birth them. You've done well. You even gathered quite a bit of third-tier stock."

"With this, I can prepare a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills for you. But to be honest… I think what you need more right now are Qi Gathering Pills."

"Ah... Of course. All materials here are at your disposal, Senior."

Cao Yuanmu paused briefly, realizing what Su Min meant. His face flushed slightly with embarrassment.

He hadn't even completed the ninth layer of Qi Refinement yet—he wasn't ready to step into Foundation Establishment. Not to mention, his two companions were still stuck at the mid-stages of Qi Refinement. For them, the Qi Gathering Pills would offer far more practical aid.

"Alright then—Qi Inducing Pill, Qi Gathering Pills, Foundation Establishment Pills. I'll make you a few batches. I need some for myself anyway," Su Min said, waving them away. "Go wait outside. I'll call for you when it's done."

"No problem! No one will disturb you, I guarantee it!"

Cao Yuanmu couldn't contain his joy. These were the most crucial—and notoriously difficult—pills to produce. As for Body Tempering Pills, they could pile up enough raw materials to brute-force the process. But these higher-tier pills? Not a chance.

~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~

True alchemists were rare. And one of Su Min's caliber? Practically unheard of. He wasn't going to waste time with unnecessary words. Of course, it wasn't exactly a loss for Su Min, either. Prince Yong Manor had laid out the spoils of two decades before her. With such an abundance, she could refine a substantial number of pills for her own use. A mutually beneficial arrangement.

"They're probably hoping I'll lead them into secret realm," Su Min mused as she sorted through the herbs. "Well, that's not out of the question. The earlier stage secret realm don't pose much danger to me. As long as all the treasures end up in my hands, it matters little who tags along."

Her gaze grew colder.

"Besides… there's another matter. I need to craft a weapon to counter that old demoness. The dog emperor is no threat—but she..."

Su Min's eyes narrowed, thoughts drifting toward the palace. The emperor had started cultivating far too late in life—already over seventy and in poor health. Even with the Demon Queen's secret arts, draining the life essence of her own children to force his cultivation forward, they could only extend his lifespan. His foundation was flimsy; his combat strength negligible.

But that woman—she was dangerous.

As the saying went: For every poison, an antidote exists within five paces.

If she had risen through vile methods, there must exist a weapon or artifact to restrain her. Su Min had the knowledge to craft such tools—but not the materials. Despite Prince Yong's extensive stash, the essential core ingredients were still missing.

"No rushing ahead. Once I hit Golden Core, raw power alone can crush her. Stick to the plan—pills first."

Focus returning, she summoned her battered cauldron.

"Hah. This Yellow-grade low-tier cauldron's practically charred black."

Still functional though. No urgent need to replace it.

Hours later...

The darkened cauldron began to glow with spiritual heat. As the lid opened, a faint medicinal fragrance wafted out—and within the chamber, five pills glimmered with spiritual light.

"Five Foundation Establishment Pills."

She sorted them neatly.

"Give them three, keep two. But… they provided all the ingredients for this batch. Let's be generous—give them one extra."

Cao Yuanmu had only asked for two pills, but Su Min had used nearly the entire twenty-year stockpile. An extra pill was hardly a loss. Most of the surplus herbs had already gone into her own stores. If anything, she'd profited handsomely.

"As for the other pills… split them. Half for them, half for myself."

Su Min's refinement rate was absurd. Even back at the peak of the Qi Refinement stage, she could produce Foundation Pills. Now, in the Foundation realm, her abilities had soared—spiritual awareness, soul strength, elemental control—everything had ascended.

With the aid of the Nanming Lihuo, pill refinement became near-effortless. Not every batch yielded five, of course, but two or three was the norm—depending on the quality of the ingredients. Her personal supply of pills was growing rapidly. But she wasn't hoarding them just for cultivation.

These pills would serve as currency in the days to come. Over the last two decades, surely more spiritual herbs had surfaced across the land. Prince Yong Manor couldn't have monopolized them all. Other sects and wanderers likely had a few hidden treasures. These pills would open those doors.

After all, she couldn't show up to every trade hauling sacks of coin. Too crude. And for goods of this rarity… money was meaningless.

~

Hi, flash update. Beside "Games Invade Reality", I also now working on another novel called "Glitched: Highway Apocalypse". Of course the MC will be Female, and NoCP (Couple Pairing), she doesn't have that much sense of justice. It still on vetting process, tho-

Stay tune!!!