Chapter Forty-Six: An Extraordinary Pill
Half a month later, Gu Xiaopang, who had stopped the rapid rotation of the five-colored spiritual bead in his dantian, concluded his cultivation. Though he remained at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, the power of the five-element true energy within his body had increased several times over compared to before.
As Old Qin had said before he fell asleep again, Gu Xiaopang’s cultivation had advanced too quickly in the past year. While his foundation was solid, he needed to allow his strength to settle and mature, especially before forming a Golden Core. Each stage was critical, and he should suppress his breakthroughs as much as possible, until his intrinsic power could no longer be improved.
…
Gu Xiaopang, who had not moved for a long time, got out of bed, his joints crackling, and felt refreshed and invigorated throughout his body.
Under the great spiritual plant tree in the courtyard, two old men were playing chess, fiercely debating as one seemed to always regret his moves.
Hearing the door open, Old Gu Fifth didn’t turn his head, asking, “Brat, finished cultivating?”
“Yes.”
“A rare visitor! How come Master Mu has the leisure to come here and play chess today?!”
“Brat, last time I told you to stay out of my sight, but you really dared to play missing with me!”
“Haven’t seen you for almost a month; I’m here today to fetch you!”
…
After catching the inner sect disciple token tossed over by Old Gu Fifth, Gu Xiaopang was promptly hoisted up by Old Mu Huo and whisked away through the air.
“Cultivation must be balanced with rest. When you’re tired from training, you should obediently learn alchemy from me…”
At the main peak’s Alchemy Pavilion, Old Mu Huo wore a stern expression as he earnestly instructed.
…
After teaching the basic methods of alchemy and personally demonstrating several times, Old Mu Huo hurried back to his own enormous alchemy chamber next door to busy himself, leaving Gu Xiaopang alone in a small alchemy room, deep in thought.
“So that’s how it works.”
“If this method can be used to refine spiritual pills, perhaps it could also be used to temper true energy within the body?”
…
“Let’s start with the lowest grade Blood Dissolving Pill and try my hand,” Gu Xiaopang said, acting as he spoke. He carried a three-legged, half-human tall alchemy furnace from the corner to the center of the room, selected the necessary types of low-level spiritual herbs from the pile Old Mu Huo had casually left behind, took a deep breath, and sat cross-legged, beginning his first attempt at alchemy.
“Hmm, it seems I should add ten-year ginseng first, then ten-year chicken blood vine, then ground beetle…”
“Not bad, looks like my control of the heat is just right. The dregs have been burned away; the next step is to fuse and refine the essence of each component…”
…
“Boom!”
A deafening explosion echoed from the alchemy room… Undeterred, Gu Xiaopang prepared to open another furnace.
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
“Boom boom!”
…
“Boom!”
Just as Gu Xiaopang, covered in soot and disheveled, darted out of his alchemy room, another explosion erupted.
“Brat, are you setting off firecrackers or actually refining pills?!”
“My perfectly good Soul Cleansing Pill was ruined by your meddling.”
“How’s that my fault?!”
“Nonsense, who else would I blame?”
…
Moved to the furthest small alchemy room at the edge of the Pavilion by Old Mu Huo, Gu Xiaopang gathered his ruined spirits, reviewed his experience with exploding furnaces, and began anew…
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
…
“Oh dear, which junior is refining pills? You’ve shaken my concentration and blown up my furnace!”
“No idea, mine exploded too.”
“What kind of pill is he making?”
“He’s been blowing up furnaces all day; looks like he’s not working on an ordinary pill!”
“Yes, I think so too.”
…
“Boom!” … Yet another explosion resounded.
“Damn it, can’t anyone have a proper session of pill refining anymore?”
“Let’s go, to the outermost alchemy room. We need to see who dares to anger everyone so!”
“Let’s go! I’m coming too.”
…
The number of furnace explosions in the Alchemy Pavilion today shattered all previous records, several times over. Outside the outermost small alchemy room, crowd upon crowd gathered—a sea of faces, all disciples whose own furnaces had been ruined by the disturbance.
Just as calamity loomed, Gu Xiaopang finished another explosion. Sensing the countless angry faces outside, he activated his earth attribute Black Dragon technique, and with a whoosh, his figure vanished instantly.
…