C11 Iron Stone Herb
In the back hall of Hanging Pot Pharmacy, nestled in Breeze Town, a group of elders gathered in a circle.
"I can't believe we haven't sold a single pill today, especially with the Hanging Pot Pharmacy offering the long-lost Fighting Spirit Pill," lamented a man in a purple robe, his brow furrowed in concern.
This man was none other than Chu Qingshan, the proprietor of Hanging Pot Pharmacy, the head of the Chu family, and a distinguished Profound Eighth Grade Pharmacist.
The First Elder of the pharmacy suddenly coughed twice, pulling out a handkerchief to dab at the corner of his mouth.
"It appears that the Mystical Hand Medical Hall has influential support. Find out who's behind it and make them an offer to work for us at Hanging Pot Pharmacy. Name their price, but if they refuse..." His voice trailed off as he drew a finger across his throat and smirked, "You get my drift?"
Chu Qingshan nodded, replying, "I'll reach out to Elder Jiang from Ocean Pavilion right away to request assistance."
The other elders nodded in agreement. The First Elder peered out the window, his tone resolute, "Whoever dares to cross Hanging Pot Pharmacy will surely regret it!"
...
Meanwhile, in the cellar of the Mystical Hand Medical Hall...
"System Prompt: Pill refinement successful. Pill Refining Technique proficiency increased by 20. Fighting Spirit Pill x 1 obtained."
"System Prompt: Congratulations, player's Pill Refining Technique has advanced. Current status: Seventh Grade of the Yellow Level, proficiency (0/12000)."
At midnight, Jiang Xiaofan paused his work. He had been refining pills non-stop for nearly seven hours, and the exhaustion was overwhelming, especially since he hadn't slept at all in days.
Ann Yunshan had been exceptionally considerate, sending sumptuous meals through Ann Xiaobai and even providing a hundred Clear Jade Pills, a Seventh Grade Yellow Level pill that steadily restores Martial Qi. Ann Yunshan had truly spared no expense.
Thanks to the Clear Jade Pills, Jiang Xiaofan had been able to sustain his Martial Qi and refine pills continuously for seven hours. The effort paid off handsomely with a total of 400 Fighting Spirit Pills, half of which were of superior quality, a feat made possible by the extraordinary powers of the ancestral Pill Refining Furnace.
400 Fighting Spirit Pills—that's sure to be a blockbuster in Breeze Town!
Jiang Xiaofan propped himself against a wall for a half-hour rest, which only slightly eased his drowsiness. With a long night ahead, Jiang Xiaofan, now a Seventh Grade Yellow Level Pharmacist, was just one level shy of catching up to Qin Chuan.
The Fifth Grade Yellow Level Fighting Spirit Pills no longer met his advancement needs. His next task was to refine pills of the Seventh Grade Yellow Level.
In pill refining, cost-effectiveness is key. While Seventh Grade Yellow Level Clear Jade Pills are indeed effective, any high-ranking pharmacist can make them. Jiang Xiaofan aimed to create a pill not found on the open market!
He hadn't realized it before, but now Jiang Xiaofan saw the Medicine King Scripture as possibly the greatest treasure he'd acquired over the past half month.
He swiftly sifted through all the Seventh Grade Yellow Level pill recipes in his mind, ultimately selecting two. The first was the Life Return Pill, capable of instantly restoring a significant amount of life and accelerating wound healing. Even those on the brink of death, if still breathing, could be revived—hence the name.
Unfortunately, the warehouse's supply of the main ingredient, Blood Spirit Flower, was limited to just over twenty stalks, forcing him to opt for the alternative Stone Condensing Pill. This battle pill could fortify the body to the point of being impervious to blades and spears!
The Stone Condensing Pill worked wonders in combat, but its main component, the Iron Stone Herb, was exclusive to the northern deserts.
With a tough exterior capable of withstanding sandstorms, the Iron Stone Herb was notoriously difficult to refine. Often, the furnace would burn out before the Medicine Vital could be extracted, making the Stone Condensing Pill one of the most extravagant among the Yellow Rank pills. Even the imperial pharmacists of the Royal Capital hesitated to attempt it, as a failed Yellow Rank pill could be quite the embarrassment.
The materials for the Stone Condensing Pill were fairly common. Despite being a Seventh Grade Yellow Rank herb, the Iron Stone Herb was surprisingly affordable. Since it was only used for the Stone Condensing Pill, which few chose to refine, it was practically given away like a couple of complimentary green onions with a grocery purchase.
The Medicine King Scripture details two methods for refining the Medicine Vital from the Iron Stone Herb. One involves using a Profound Level Spiritual Transformation Branch to assist in the extraction and subsequent refinement process. However, only a fool would choose this expensive route—one Profound Level Spirit Herb could buy you dozens of top-tier Seventh Grade Yellow Rank pills!
The alternative is to meticulously use Martial Qi to peel away the Iron Stone Herb's outer skin without damaging the Medicine Vital. A single misstep could reduce any spirit herb to nothing more than a common weed.
In the warehouse, there were only a few hundred Iron Stone Herbs, not highly stocked due to their limited use.
Jiang Xiaofan gathered all the necessary ingredients for the Life Return Pill and the Stone Condensing Pill, prioritizing the Life Return Pill for its potent effects and personal benefit. Moreover, like the elusive Fighting Spirit Pill, the Life Return Pill was a lost art, known only through the Medicine King Scripture, without which Jiang Xiaofan would never have had the chance to utilize such a remedy in his lifetime.
He carefully placed the Life Return Pill ingredients into the Pill Refining Furnace and refined them with Martial Qi. Shortly after, the system chime signaled the birth of Jiang Xiaofan's first Yellow Seventh Grade pill!
"System Prompt: Pill refinement successful. Pharmacy proficiency increased by +50. Life Return Pill x1 obtained."
Jiang Xiaofan was pleasantly surprised. A Yellow Seventh Grade pill indeed offered more than double the proficiency gain compared to the Fighting Spirit Pill. If the Blood Spirit Flower wasn't so rare, he'd be tempted to mass-produce these pills like candy!
After a marathon session producing 24 pills, Jiang Xiaofan kept ten for himself. The sale of the remaining pills would more than cover the material costs and leave a tidy sum for Ann Yunshan.
With the Pharmacy Conference looming, Jiang Xiaofan knew his return to the Jiang family would be fraught with peril. Stockpiling pills was essential for survival.
With the Life Return Pill successfully refined, Jiang Xiaofan's next challenge was clear: mastering the delicate task of stripping the Iron Stone Herbs.
He grasped a stalk of Iron Stone Herb and began to gently release his Martial Qi to envelop it, but with a faint "snap," the herb broke into two pieces.
"System Prompt: Iron Stone Herb peeling failed, Alchemy Proficiency +1."
Jiang Xiaofan took a second Iron Stone Herb and attempted to peel it. "Snap!" Another failure.
"System Prompt: Iron Stone Herb peeling failed, Alchemy Proficiency +1."
Once more!
"Snap!"
Damn! Again!
"Snap! Snap!"
This can't be happening!
"Snap! Snap! Snap!"
...
An hour later, Jiang Xiaofan's eyes were red with strain. He gasped for air, his Martial Qi nearly depleted. Hundreds of Iron Stone Herbs lay wasted, yet he hadn't succeeded even once.
But Jiang Xiaofan wasn't one to easily admit defeat. Despite being battered by fate time and again, he remained as devoted as one would be to a first love, determined to turn the tables when the opportunity arose.
Gradually, Jiang Xiaofan was getting the hang of peeling the Iron Stone Herb, but he was short on materials to practice with. He tried his hand at peeling Yellow First Grade spiritual grass, managing to extract the Medicine Vital intact about 30% of the time.
For the Iron Stone Herb, however, the success rate was virtually zero.
It seemed crafting the Stone Condensing Pill would take more time than he had. With only six days until the Pharmacy Conference, he needed to use his time wisely.
With no materials left in the cellar and a couple of hours before dawn, he slumped against the wall and allowed himself to sleep.
...
As dawn broke with a hint of light, Jiang Xiaofan emerged from the cellar. Ann Yunshan was already there, waiting at the table. Upon seeing him, Ann stood up and eagerly asked, "Xiaofan, are you tired?"
What a silly question—of course, he was exhausted!
But Jiang Xiaofan, ever respectful of his elders, wouldn't dream of complaining. He offered a weary smile and replied, "It's manageable, not too tired."
He then presented a medicine bag to Ann Yunshan, saying, "Elder Ann, here are 400 Fighting Spirit Pills and 14 Seventh Grade Yellow Level Life Return Pills for you to take care of."
"Life Return Pill!?"
Ann Yunshan quickly opened the medicine pouch and carefully examined a red pill before turning to Jiang Xiaofan with astonishment. "Xiaofan, you actually possess the recipe for the Life Return Pill?"
Jiang Xiaofan grinned, "Elder Ann, rest assured, I'll share the formula with you later. But right now, I've got something more pressing."
"Just say the word. If it's within my power, Ann Yunshan, I'll make sure you're satisfied!"
"I need Iron Stone Herb, 10,000... No, make that 20,000!"
Ann Yunshan paused, "You're planning to refine..."
"Exactly~"
Scratching his head, Jiang Xiaofan chuckled, "But refining Iron Stone Herb is tricky, so I need a large quantity to practice with."
"No problem at all!"
With that, Ann Yunshan stepped outside and instructed the others, "No pill refining today. Qin Chuan, take everyone to purchase Iron Stone Herb. Get as much as you can find!"
Qin Chuan was astounded by the order. Watching Jiang Xiaofan leave the room, he couldn't hide his incredulous look, tinged with respect. The top-tier Fighting Spirit Pill had won him over. Though skeptical about Jiang Xiaofan's chances with the Stone Condensing Pill, he admired his audacity to attempt what others wouldn't dare.
Two days ago, he would have ridiculed Jiang Xiaofan mercilessly, but now he lacked even the standing to mock him.
Only Ann Yunshan and his grandson Ann Xiaobai remained at the Mighty Hand Medical Hall to attend to the influx of customers seeking pills, while the rest set out on their task.
"First Elder, we haven't identified who crafted the Fighting Spirit Pill, but the Mighty Hand Medical Hall staff are all out procuring Iron Stone Herb in droves!" Chu Qingshan hurried into the back garden to update the First Elder.
The First Elder coughed fiercely, his brow furrowed. "Could this mastermind actually produce the Stone Condensing Pill? Impossible!"
"First Elder, there's more."
"Go on."
Chu Qingshan, cautious not to alarm the First Elder, lowered his voice, "Today, the Mighty Hand Medical Hall sold 400 Fighting Spirit Pills, mostly of the finest quality, and they also sold 14 Life Return Pills..."
Upon hearing the news, the First Elder hastily covered his mouth with a handkerchief, coughing up a mouthful of fresh blood and bulging his eyes in shock. "What?"
