C14 Pill Concocting Skills

"Can you really produce a supreme grade Full Moon Pill?" Lee Gaoyuan asked in a hushed tone, intrigued by the unfolding scene.

"Of course. Go ahead and prepare the medicinal ingredients," Lee Mo replied with serene confidence.

Lee Gaoyuan wasted no time in calling over the shopkeeper to start gathering the ingredients, and soon after, the three of them made their way to the backyard.

Although Lee Gaoyuan was keen to observe their pill refining competition, he didn't want to disturb them, so he opted to wait in the courtyard.

Inside the house, Su Yan and Lee Mo stood about ten meters apart, each in front of their respective furnace.

When all the medicinal ingredients were delivered, they began the pill refinement process.

With a steely resolve, Su Yan was intent on teaching these collateral branch disciples a lesson. She was eager to prove that Lee Mo's one-time success in refining a supreme grade Stellar Pill didn't justify his arrogance.

Once the firewood was lit, she discreetly executed the Seven Stars Incantation, and the flames split into three separate parts.

Lee Mo, ever composed, casually performed the same incantation, his flames dividing into five.

"What?" Su Yan gasped, her eyes widening in shock.

She was aware that Lee Mo had used the Seven Stars Incantation when he refined the Stellar Pill, but she had never imagined he could manage to split the flames into five.

"How is this possible?" she muttered, staring at the five flames, deeply shaken.

The Seven Stars Incantation was known to allow a maximum of seven flame splits, with each additional split marking a considerable challenge. It was only at the beginning of the year that she had managed to achieve three splits.

Yet here was this audacious young man, achieving five.

Quickly regaining her composure, Su Yan reminded herself that Lee Mo's ability to split five flames didn't prove he was better than her. There were many who focused on creating more flames but neglected the foundational aspects.

The two alchemists began the first step of pill refinement in unison, converting the herbs into a medicinal liquid.

The herbs, under the influence of high stability, transformed into liquid form.

Steam billowed from the furnaces, releasing the unique scents of the various herbs.

Su Yan aimed to produce a top grade pill from her batch, hoping to enlighten Lee Mo, the impudent youth, with her superior skills. She concentrated with unparalleled focus.

Unconcerned with Lee Mo's display of five flames, Su Yan remained absorbed in her own pill refining process. She sat in silence before her furnace, her attention unwavering, completely detached from her surroundings.

Unaffected by Lee Mo's Fire Refining Spell and disinterested in observing his alchemy, Su Yan sat quietly in front of her furnace, her gaze locked on it, oblivious to everything else.

In stark contrast to Su Yan's careful focus, Lee Mo seemed much more relaxed. Unlike his previous attempt at refining the Stellar Pill, he was not only fully healed but had also received a boost from the Spirit Gathering Pool, elevating his cultivation by two levels. With the Carnelian at his disposal, he easily split the flames into five parts.

Crafting the Full Moon Pill posed a serious challenge for an average third-grade Yellow Level Alchemist. However, for Lee Mo, the top earth-level alchemist in the Vruthurenth Empire, creating a supreme grade pill was effortless, even when using Mortal Fire.

While refining his own pill, Lee Mo kept a watchful eye on Su Yan's alchemy. His sharp gaze dissected her technique with precision. Suddenly, he frowned, as though he had spotted something unusual.

Hours passed, and both alchemists sat motionless in front of their furnaces, the ingredients nearly ready to coalesce into pills.

When a faint medicinal fragrance began to emanate from the furnace, Su Yan's expression finally relaxed a bit.

As the scent faded, it was time for Su Yan to open the furnace and retrieve the pill.

The refining process had gone smoothly, and Su Yan was confident that her furnace contained at least one top-grade pill, possibly even more.

Curious, she turned to look at Lee Mo, expecting to see him disheartened by a failed refinement and regretting his challenge. The thought brought her a hint of pleasure.

But when she saw Lee Mo, she was taken aback. He sat leisurely in front of his extinguished furnace, looking as if he had finished long before.

Su Yan let out a soft snort, refocusing on the final steps of her pill refinement.

"Let's open the furnaces!" Su Yan declared, giving Lee Mo an icy stare.

Su Yan suddenly had an ominous premonition. Yet, she couldn't believe that Lee Mo could possibly refine a supreme grade pill, let alone finish before her. However, Lee Mo's smile was unsettling.

"I've already finished refining. Take your time, Miss Su," Lee Mo said with a smile.

Su Yan huffed and refocused on the final step of her alchemy.

Soon, the fragrance dissipated, signaling the completion of her pill refinement.

"Let's open the furnaces!" Su Yan said coldly, eyeing Lee Mo.

Lee Mo responded with a slight smile, "Why don't we open them together?"

And so, they lifted the lids of their furnaces simultaneously.

Su Yan quickly glanced inside her furnace. She had successfully refined four pills: one low grade, one medium grade, and two top grade.

A wave of relief washed over her. She had managed to refine two top grade pills, a personal best.

Then, she turned her attention to Lee Mo's furnace.

The smile vanished from her face as her eyes widened in disbelief.

Lee Mo's furnace contained six pills.

Among them, one was low grade, two were medium grade, two were top grade, and the last one shone with a lustrous sheen, its surface glistening as if with flowing light – it was unmistakably a supreme grade pill!

Su Yan rubbed her eyes vigorously, ensuring that what she was seeing was indeed reality.

Her voice shook slightly, whether from sheer astonishment or the difficulty of accepting what lay before her. "Did you really refine a supreme grade Full Moon Pill?" she asked.

Lee Mo had previously shocked her with his refinement of a supreme grade Stellar Pill.

But now, he had managed to refine a supreme grade Full Moon Pill as well.

Furthermore, he had completed his refinement in less time than hers. He had refined six pills in one go, far surpassing the capabilities of an ordinary third grade Yellow Level Alchemist. His alchemy skills were undoubtedly superior to hers!

Su Yan had always looked down on and disliked Lee Mo, finding him impolite, arrogant, and boastful.

Yet now, she felt a twinge of shame. Lee Mo's abilities were formidable. He wasn't being impolite or arrogant; he was simply confident.

With a bitter smile, Su Yan shed her previous arrogance. Speaking with a hint of defeat, she admitted, "I've been bested."

Lee Mo observed her dejected expression and commented calmly, "Victory and defeat are common in the life of a warrior. Miss Su, it's nothing to fret over. The path of alchemy is boundless, filled with many challenges. Yet, these challenges serve merely as a test for you. If you lose faith after a single setback, how can you aspire to master the supreme grade of alchemy?"

Su Yan's gaze lingered on Lee Mo, his calm and composed demeanor causing her to feel a momentary daze. He exuded the warmth of a benevolent elder. His words brought her considerable comfort, and she couldn't help but feel grateful, especially since she had previously looked down on and mocked him. If Lee Mo had chosen to ridicule her in return, she would have seen it as normal human behavior. But instead, he offered her kind words of encouragement, which soothed her. It was clear that Lee Mo's magnanimity was extraordinary.

For the first time, Su Yan took a careful look at the young man before her. "He really is quite handsome," she mused. However, after a brief moment, she gathered her pills and firmly stated, "Today's events took me by surprise, but I assure you, I won't lose to you next time!"

Lee Mo's smile was gentle as he watched her regain her confidence. Noticing her intention to leave, he said, "Wait a moment, there's something I need to confirm."

"What is it?" Su Yan stopped and turned back, her tone now free from its earlier aggressiveness.

"Miss Su, have you recently felt pain under your ribs that worsens when you press on it with your finger? And does this pain mainly occur in the morning, subsiding and disappearing after sunrise?" Lee Mo asked.

"How... how did you know?" Su Yan was taken aback.

She had indeed been experiencing a nagging pain under her ribs. Although it was a localized and intermittent pain, it had drawn her concern. She had been too embarrassed to discuss it with her family, not even with her mother.

Yet, Lee Mo had not only identified the precise location of her pain but also knew that it eased with the morning light.

Lee Mo said, "Just as I thought, my hunch was correct."

"What exactly is going on? How did you come to know about this?" Su Yan asked urgently.

Lee Mo explained calmly, "While I was refining pills earlier, I intended to observe your pill refining technique. However, I accidentally noticed a faint black line on your forehead, a clear sign of Pill Poison!"

"Pill Poison? Are you saying that the pain under my ribs is due to an outbreak of Pill Poison?" Su Yan asked in surprise.

Lee Mo nodded slightly and said, "Pill Poison is a toxin that Alchemists accumulate over time from inhaling medicinal vapors during prolonged pill refining. It usually manifests after several years. Typically, only Alchemists at the Profound Level experience their first onset. With proper preparation, treating Pill Poison isn't difficult. However, you've likely accumulated it prematurely due to your focus on refining more complex pills, which is why you're showing early signs of Pill Poison."

Su Yan was already familiar with Pill Poison and, upon reflection, realized her symptoms did indeed align with what was described in the alchemy books.

She sincerely thanked Lee Mo, "Thank you."

Lee Mo smiled faintly, took out an Icy Frond, and offered it to her, saying, "This can be used to refine a Water Charm Pill, which will cure your Pill Poison."

"This is an Icy Frond!" Su Yan's eyes lit up.

Knowing its scarcity, she immediately demurred, "I can't take this."

Lee Mo spoke casually, "While many pills can treat low-grade Pill Poison, the completeness of your recovery will directly affect your cultivation. The Water Charm Pill is the best remedy for low-grade Pill Poison. Miss Su, if you feel you owe me a favor, simply repay it when the chance arises."

Hearing this, Su Yan accepted without further objection.

After Su Yan left, Lee Gaoyuan immediately inquired about the results of their pill refining competition.

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