C14 Explosion

"No need, I'm merely utilizing the Earth Fire for pill refinement. It's nothing serious. Be mindful of your words and actions in the future. Even a Worker Disciple is a valued member of our Sky Burning Valley."

The cultivator blocking his path was visibly sweating, fear palpable in his heart.

"Yes, my lord, we will be careful! Thank you for your leniency." His voice shook as he spoke.

"This way, please, my lord."

The guards, all Outer Sect Disciples, showed the utmost respect to the deacon. The saying 'rank pulls the strings' couldn't be more true!

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, your reputation has increased by 2 points."

What's this? Reputation points for that?

It was common for Outer Sect Disciples to fear the deacons, while Inner Sect Disciples were considered the norm. In the vast Sky Burning Valley, there were fewer than a hundred Inner Sect Disciples and only a handful of deacons.

With thousands in the Outer Sect and tens of thousands of Worker Disciples, these few dozen deacons had their work cut out for them. Some were responsible for managing over ten thousand individuals – no wonder they were feared.

Inner Sect Disciples represented the core strength of Sky Burning Valley, distinct from the scarce Personal Disciples, of which there were only three.

Beyond the Inner Sect and Personal Disciples were the Outer Sect Deacons, who at times wielded even more influence than Inner Sect Disciples.

Power was a coveted asset, particularly in the immortal cultivation world, where might makes right and the law of the jungle prevails. With power comes allies, making the Outer Sect Deacon a force to be reckoned with.

Ning Xiaofan approached a series of buildings, feeling the solidity of the Pill Refining Rooms constructed from large slabs of green stone.

"Master, Rooms No.05, No.288, No.365, and No.945 are currently available. Should you require one, they are at your disposal."

"Which would you prefer?"

"Room No.365 seems quite suitable. I'll take that one."

"Room No. 365, what a great number—matches the days in a year. Here's to a year filled with joy, and to your success in pill refining."

"Thank you."

Alchemists always appreciate good omens, each one aspiring to craft the finest medicinal pills.

There are two types of medicine pills: Spiritual Pills and Immortal Pills.

Ever heard that spiritual pills work wonders? They range from Grade One to Nine, with each grade featuring ordinary, outstanding, and top-grade levels. Beyond that, there's the exceptional transcendent grade.

And Immortal Pills?

These are the stuff of legends, said to be used by immortals themselves. Their grading system is a mystery, but it's rumored that an Immortal Pill once graced the Rosefinch Continent.

"Master, how long will you need the Pill Refining Room? It's one Spirit Stone per day. If you stay longer, it's two Spirit Stones for each additional day."

"Understood. Here's the Spirit Stone for today."

"This is the key to the room. Please return it once you're finished."

"Will do, thanks." Ning Xiaofan accepted the token and made his way to the mountaintop.

The guard departed to resume his post, and Ning Xiaofan found Room No. 365 halfway up the mountain—a number that seemed to embody the spirit needed for pill refining.

It took some effort to locate Room No. 365, but upon gently opening the door, he discovered an empty space with a fire pool below, from which earth fire continuously emerged.

The room was adorned with various runes, suggesting some sort of formation, the specifics of which Ning Xiaofan couldn't discern.

In the Storage Space, a glimmer of light signaled the arrival of the yellow copper furnace at the edge of the fire pool, with a lever below to adjust the intensity of the earth fire.

He inhaled deeply, watching the earth fire snake out of the pit, resembling a fiery dragon before him.

"Ding! Congratulations, master, your cultivation value has increased..."

It appeared that he didn't even need to actively cultivate; merely sitting here seemed to enhance his power! Why had he never heard of cultivating beside the fire pool before?

Then it dawned on him—it wasn't that no one had mentioned it; rather, no one would bother sharing such knowledge with someone devoid of a Spiritual Root.

It's no surprise that out of a thousand pill refining chambers, only a handful were vacant. It's clear evidence that many are here to cultivate.

Worker Disciples and those from the Outer Sect find it tough to practice here since they must exchange Spirit Stones for the privilege. The average Outer Sect Disciple can hardly afford it, let alone have extra to spend on cultivation.

The majority of those who manage to cultivate at the Pill Refining Pavilion are from the Inner Sect. It makes sense that these chambers are bustling with activity—there's an abundance of people with Spirit Stones.

"Master Xiaofan, it's so cozy here. This place is truly wonderful."

Xiaofeng had just stirred from sleep, wriggling out of the embrace and taking flight. She soared in two loops before diving headfirst into the earth fire's maw.

"Xiaofeng!"

There was no trace of Xiaofeng at the mouth of the earth fire, only the roaring sounds of wind and flame.

What a disaster, right?

I had barely bonded with the little one, and now it seemed I might have a roast chicken on my hands. Alas!

"Master Xiaofan, there's an abundance of fire spiritual energy here. Won't you come down?"

At these words, Ning Xiaofan shuddered. Was this an invitation to an early grave?

Who in their right mind would dare to plunge into an earth fire pool filled with molten lava, where one misstep meant disintegrating into ash?

Xiaofeng was unharmed? What kind of mystical creature was she? Surely, even a Demon Soldier couldn't withstand such intense earth fire!

"I'll go down and play for a bit. Just call for me when it's time to leave."

With that, Xiaofeng spun around and re-entered the earth fire pool.

This creature's lineage was extraordinary, but for now, I'd leave it be and focus on pill refining.

Ning Xiaofan browsed the Pill Recipe: Fragrant Grass for 5 coins, Seeking Karma Flower for 20 coins, Qianji Leaf for 8 coins, Dragonbone Herb for 9 taels, a hundred stalks of fruit for 7 coins, a single Night Fragrance flower, and 10 Sky Lanterns...

Such an array of herbs.

"System, could you advise on which herb to start with?"

Ning Xiaofan was aware there was a method to this alchemical art. The thought of pill concoction brought to mind ancient emperors who met their demise through lead poisoning from their own medicinal creations.

"Master, you have yet to master the art of pill refining. For now, you must rely on your own intuition and deduction skills. Why not try refining a few batches of pills?"

Bai inquired but offered no assistance to Ning Xiaofan.

His eyes sparkled with insight. The medicinal properties of the herbs before him included the cool-natured Hundred Fragrance Grass and the Yin-aligned Seeking Destiny Flower, which should not be combined. Overuse could lead to complications.

Additionally, Dragonbone Herb and Night Fragrance both possessed strong cold properties. Wouldn't adding these herbs turn the medicine pill into a cold pill?

Qianji Leaf, a neutral spiritual herb, could balance the properties of other herbs. The Sky Lantern and Hundred Fruits, both Yang in nature, could also be harmonized.

[Ding! Congratulations, Master, your deduction ability has improved...]

Time seemed to blur as Ning Xiaofan meditated with his eyes closed, only to open them later, gleaming with determination.

Let's get to work!

He began by measuring the pills on a scale, preparing ten portions and setting them aside. With so many herbs at his disposal, he couldn't afford to fail even a single batch!

With a flicker of spiritual light in his hands, he methodically placed the herbs into the pill furnace, following his carefully deduced procedure.

Truth be told, he was being overly cautious. Refining such a low-grade medicine pill didn't require such precision; simply combining all the herbs could result in success.

Perhaps it was bad luck or the Earth Fire was too intense, but before the pill could take shape, a puff of black smoke escaped the furnace, signaling the pill's ruin.

He opened the furnace and cleared out the remnants, mourning the loss of a batch of valuable herbs.

This batch alone was worth at least five Spirit Stones, but given that many of the herbs used were aged twenty to thirty years, the cost was significantly higher.

The second attempt lasted longer but ultimately ended in ashes.

Could the issue lie with the Earth Fire?

He adjusted the flame lower and tried once more. Gradually, the pill formed, and under his divine sense's watchful eye, it became perfectly round within the furnace.

Time passed slowly, and the scent of the pill gradually wafted out. Was it the fragrance of the pill nearing completion?

The moment was thrilling; a sense of achievement swelled within him. This was his first successful pill refinement.

As the pill whirled rapidly in the furnace, fine cracks began to surface. In the span of a single breath, the pill burst with a loud pop, and the aroma intensified within the room.

"Ah!" Ning Xiaofan inhaled deeply, savoring the scent of the pill he had crafted.

"Congratulations, Master. Your pill refining skills have improved, and your skill points are increasing."

His skill points were on the rise, indicating either a shortfall of one point or perhaps a greater increase?

Once more!

On the heels of two failed attempts, the third batch of pills had taken shape and emitted a fragrance. But upon opening the furnace, the once promising pill shrank to half its size.

The pill wasn't golden, nor was it white—it was black, just like the foul-smelling, dark pill Xiaofeng had consumed.

A failed pill!

He was close now. He could see the pills, smell their fragrance; only the final step eluded him. Where was the shortfall?

Another batch finally yielded a medicinal pill. All that remained was to open the furnace and retrieve it. He knew that upon opening, the pill would immediately diminish in size.

His spiritual sense could see the golden pills spinning swiftly inside the furnace—six of them.

With a bang, three of the six pills exploded, while the other three turned into worthless remnants.

Countless copper shards glinted on the shield as the blast sent him crashing against the wall. Without the protective flicker of spiritual light, the damage would have been more severe than mere internal displacement.

[Ding! Five Elements Shield activated. 1 Cultivation Point consumed.]

What had happened? A pill explosion! He had just lost 1 Cultivation Point, dropping from 6 to 5.

Sigh!

Biting back frustration, he slowly rose from the base of the wall.

It was done. The pill furnace was destroyed—fifty Spirit Stones' worth of wind-polished copper, gone!

You should've known to buy the golden one; you would've saved yourself 50 Spirit Stones!

No, I was duped. That old man sold me a flawed medicine pill. How else would the furnace have blown up?

Staring at the shattered pieces scattered on the ground, a wave of discomfort washed over me. I opened my storage bag.

"Gather!"

"System, is it possible to repair this pill furnace?"

"Yes, Master. To repair this Magic Artifact, it will cost ten times its value, requiring a substantial amount of Cultivation Points."

"How many Cultivation Points are needed?"

"One hundred points."

"That many? What if I were to craft a new pill furnace?"

"There are four ranks: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. A Heaven Rank furnace requires tens of thousands of Cultivation Points, Earth Rank a few thousand, Profound Rank several hundred, and Yellow Rank only fifty. Your current piece doesn't fit any rank and only needs ten Cultivation Points."

Even this piece of junk costs ten Cultivation Points? It seems wiser to just buy a few more pill furnaces.

The bag flickered, collecting all the debris from the Pill Refining Pavilion into the storage space, to be disposed of later.

A failed pill refinement by a deacon mustn't be seen—it would tarnish my reputation. Sigh!

"Hey, Xiaofeng, you there?"

"Xiaofeng, I'm heading out!"

"Xiaofeng!"

No answer. Well, as long as he wasn't burned alive.

Clutching the leftover herbs, I heaved the heavy door of the alchemy room open. "Ah! Fresh air never tasted so sweet."

"Hey there, Deacon, finished with your pill refining?"

Ning Xiaofan felt a twinge of irritation upon seeing him. They said the Spirit Herb Garden was always full, but it seems it's only full when you're coming and going.

Such a nuisance.

It was the same guard who had brought me here. "Yes."

Despite having destroyed the pill furnace, Ning Xiaofan managed to keep a pleasant demeanor, while the guard barely suppressed a chuckle, looking off into the distance.

"Yo."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, your Charisma has increased by 1 point."

That's a thing? Getting laughed at increases Charisma? Ning Xiaofan couldn't even savor the moment before another notification sounded.

"Master, I apologize. Due to the failed attempt at pill refining, your reputation points have decreased by one."

Aiyo, they can decrease? My already meager reputation points are now down to a single point.

Ning Xiaofan only then realized the extent of his explosion, with his body draped in tattered rags, some parts barely concealed. It was clear to all that his pill refining had been a disaster.

"Here's the key, take it."

Returning the key, Ning Xiaofan turned to leave, setting his sights on the Spirit Herb Garden's Spiritual Spring.

"Ah!"

Sky Burning Valley really had its perks. Even in winter, the spring water remained warm, and the valley's temperature was still mild compared to the sub-zero temperatures outside. This place alone retained its verdancy.

After washing away the soot and ash from his skin, he donned a new set of clothes. Now he was garbed as a deacon—no other choice, as this was the only set he had left.