Chapter 276: Cultivating Through Alchemy

“The first round of the competition has concluded. The victorious participants are…”

From the high platform, a Second-Tier Pill Refiner from Pharmaceutical King Peak announced the results of the first round of the Pill Refining Competition.

Below stood over twenty individuals - alchemical prodigies who had risen through their peers to become the cream of the First-Grade Golden Core alchemists, with aspirations to join Medicine King City. Most of their cultivation levels were in the late Qi Refining stage, with a few having reached Qi Refining Perfection. As alchemists, these individuals didn’t lack for cultivation resources. However, their cultivation realms were primarily advanced through alchemical refinement, leaving them far weaker in combat compared to cultivators of similar levels.

“So many alchemists,” one of the two young men from Qiong Hua Sect who had greeted Chen Luo earlier remarked, his face brimming with envy as he gazed at the group of alchemists on the platform.

“If I had a Fire Spiritual Root, I could definitely become an alchemist too,” Wan He said bitterly. When he first began cultivating, he had also dreamed of becoming an alchemist. Unfortunately, reality crushed those dreams - his Spirit Root quality had proven an insurmountable barrier.

“Even having a Spirit Root doesn’t guarantee you’ll become an alchemist,” another voice interjected. “True alchemists require not only proper Spirit Root quality but also exceptional sensitivity to medicinal properties. Without that, even if you possess the aptitude for alchemy, you’ll only produce worthless dregs instead of complete Pills.”

When Wan He’s words reached the front of the crowd, someone turned back with disdain to mock him.

Medicine King City never lacked for knowledge of the Pill Dao.

Those who frequented the city had all been exposed to some related knowledge. While they might not be able to perform Dan Refinement themselves, when it came to the principles of alchemy, each one could talk for hours.

“How do you know I’m not capable?” Wan He retorted, his face flushing. As a genius disciple of Qiong Hua Sect, his cultivation path had always been smooth sailing. When had he ever faced such humiliation?

“If you’re so good, why don’t you step up and do it yourself?”

“I won’t.”

Wan He’s face turned crimson as he argued with the group.

Standing beside him, Yu Xiao felt his communication talisman vibrate at his waist. He pulled it out and saw a new message:

Yu Xiao stared at the talisman’s imprint, bewildered by the sudden message.

Mei Clan.

Strands of spiritual energy guided by cultivation techniques flowed into Chen Luo’s body. In the room, the lamp’s flickering flame released black smoke.

The gourd on the table swayed.

With its pills removed, the empty gourd lost balance and toppled from the table’s edge, teetering on the brink of falling.

A wisp of spiritual energy drifted over, catching the tilted gourd and stabilizing it.

Chen Luo remained motionless in his seated meditation. The gourd was drawn to his side by spiritual energy. Soon, the ceramic bottle on the nearby cabinet tilted and fell, also caught by the swirling spiritual energy. Books, brushes, and inkstones followed. The room’s contents seemed to obey an invisible force, orbiting Chen Luo as if protected by his own spiritual aura.

Chen Luo continued his cultivation.

The spiritual energy from the last two Guiyuan Pills was being assimilated within him. The hundred spiritual energy dragons of the Perfected Realm had completely dissipated, leaving behind crimson pill shells. Throughout his cultivation, the gaps in these shells were gradually mended, while the ‘Core Formation Seed’ at their center glowed with increasing brilliance.

Time passed. Seven days flew by in the blink of an eye.

During these seven days, Chen Luo maintained his meditative state. Mei Qin came to check on him several times, but finding the door unresponsive, she understood he was in deep cultivation and refrained from disturbing him.

The objects circling around him gradually slowed, their sustaining spiritual energy dissipating like mist.

Clatter!

The inkstone crashed to the floor, its corner chipping against the impact. Black ink splattered across the ground in a radiating pattern as the supporting spiritual energy vanished. Next came the book, then the brush. One by one, the items fell until the final pill gourd descended. A hand reached out to catch it.

Chen Luo opened his eyes, spiritual energy spreading as he guided the scattered items back to their original positions.

“Another step forward in refining the High-Grade Golden Core.”

He approached the ink spill and tapped it with his finger.

The radiating black ink came alive, eerily reversing its flow to coalesce into a single mass. Under Chen Luo’s control, it flew back into the air and settled into the inkstone, though the missing corner remained irreparable.

“I can attempt another batch.”

After tidying the room, Chen Luo retrieved a Pill Furnace from his Pouch of Holding. He emptied the storage pouches of Peak Lord Pan Shi and the Peak Lord of Heartsword Peak, gathering their spiritual materials. These two peak lords had amassed substantial resources - as Foundation Establishment cultivators venturing outside, their wealth was essential for establishing their own sect branches and recruiting disciples.

Such cultivators ventured forth primarily to seek breakthrough opportunities, with only a few undertaking sect missions.

The Heavenly Tribulation proved an insurmountable barrier.

Even a major sect like Qiong Hua Sect couldn’t guarantee Core Formation success rates. The Demonic Heart Tribulation’s mysteries meant survival depended entirely on one’s mental cultivation.

The transition from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation is a monumental leap. A Foundation Establishment cultivator’s spiritual energy is too impure for Core Formation. All residual medicinal energy from cultivation and impurities from spiritual energy absorption must be refined. By burning away all impurities, leaving only the purest essence, one can ignite the ‘Core Formation Seed’ and achieve Core Condensation.

Chen Luo’s mind recalled the description of the cultivation technique.

Three Core Formation Stage brains materialized in his consciousness. Though they had no memory of their own Core Formation processes, their instincts remained intact. Particularly the brain of the Immortal Sect Leader, which was remarkably complete. Among the obsessions Chen Luo read from it were aspects related to overcoming tribulations and forming the Core.

This accumulated knowledge became a reference for Chen Luo as he sought to form his First-Grade Golden Core.

The contents of two Pouches of Holding were combined and divided into seven small piles according to medicinal properties.

Chen Luo opened the nearby Pill Furnace. Spiritual fire flew from his hand, settling beneath the furnace. As the furnace warmed, the aroma of medicine permeated the air. Elder An’s Pill Furnace truly lived up to its reputation. Even now, Chen Luo couldn’t help but feel gratitude toward his Old Brother An for his support in his cultivation journey.

Clang!

The furnace lid flew open. Chen Luo flicked his sleeve, tossing in the first batch of ingredients. Then the second, third…

This time, Chen Luo didn’t use the brains of the Second-Tier Pill Refiners like Elder An. Instead, he activated the newly acquired Third-Tier Pill Refiner’s brain.

Martial Fire, swift refinement.

This alchemist’s habits differed from Elder An and the others. His techniques were more relaxed, befitting a Third-Tier Pill Refiner. For him, refining Second-Rank Guiyuan Pills posed no challenge.

Chen Luo, already possessing the capabilities of a Second-Tier Pill Refiner, quickly adapted to this new brain’s habits after a brief adjustment period.

The medicinal ingredients were added portion by portion. Soon, the spiritual energy within the furnace coalesced, and a new batch of Guiyuan Pills was completed. Each batch yielded twelve pills, all of which were High-Grade Spirit Pills.

Chen Luo retrieved the pills and poured them into the empty gourd. He kept the last pill in his palm, feeling its warm energy seep into his hand.

“Using identical spiritual materials, the difference in pill efficacy is astonishing.”

The pill’s surface was dark red, with swirling liquid inside. Three cloud-like patterns adorned its surface - the mark of a Supreme-Grade Origin Return Pill, distinguished by three Pill Marks.

Chen Luo opened his mouth and swallowed the pill.

The pill dissolved instantly upon contact, transforming into a stream of dark red liquid that permeated his body. The scorching energy spread to his stomach, igniting his internal organs with its power. His Foundation Establishment Spirit Body manifested, spiritual energy beginning to overflow.

Whoosh!

A wisp of azure spiritual energy escaped his lips, reigniting the still spiritual wind within the room. The exhalation formed new circular patterns as it mingled with the existing currents.

The potency of this newly refined Pill surpassed the combined spiritual energy of the previous two. Every ounce of its power had been maximized.

The Pill’s wall, solidified from spiritual energy dragons, began to undulate again. The previously undetectable gaps within its structure were now compressed into solidity. Within Chen Luo’s mind, the cultivation technique derived from the Mummified Brain’s ‘Heart Demon Golden Core’ activated autonomously. Faint traces of Demonic Heart Power once more flickered in his gaze.

His vision revealed a world shrouded in gray mist.

The physical structures of the room - stone walls and furnishings - had vanished. Only walking human-shaped flames remained, their sizes varying like flickering candles. A gentle touch upon any flame would reveal hidden thoughts.

In the nearest chamber, Chen Luo reached out to touch one such flame. The thought within resonated with ambition.

Mei Qin’s junior.

Chen Luo now understood the identity of this ‘flame’. The desire to become a disciple wasn’t a Demonic Heart, but this Mei Clan junior sought fame and profit, amplifying his desires into a Demonic Heart. Through the vision of the Demonic Heart Art, Chen Luo saw it all clearly.

Passing by this flame, Chen Luo focused on a larger human-shaped flame nearby.

Senior Brother Chen’s strength is unfathomable. He might even reach Core Formation someday. If I become his Dao Companion, my status in the sect will rise like water with the tide, and the Mei Clan will advance further.

Without lingering, Chen Luo moved past this flame to observe another.

What a windfall today! I watered down the wine so much, that fool couldn’t even tell. I made three taels of silver without lifting a finger.

Medicine King City is overrated. They couldn’t even detect my Blood Demon Alchemy Technique. They actually certified me as a First-Tier Pill Refiner.

One dark thought after another flashed through the flames.

Here Chen Luo witnessed the full spectrum of human nature, seeing the shadows hidden beneath smiling facades. These very shadows served as fertile ground for Demonic Hearts to grow.

Silently, Chen Luo flew through the flames, continuously extracting Demonic Hearts from each human-shaped flame.