Chapter 42 - Learning Pill Refining
Translator: Mr Voltaire
Editor: Phoobiee
"Come, let's talk inside." The Xiao family's old patriarch brought Xiao Yun to a guest hall. The grandpa and grandson sat together within the guest hall; the mood was extremely joyous.
The Xiao family's old patriarch looked at the youth beside him and happily said, "Alright, tell grandpa how you stepped into the Innate realm."
"After I regained my talent, my cultivation increased by leaps and bounds, and I successfully stepped into the Innate realm in the Violet Cloud Mountain." Xiao Yun smiled as he spoke because he also felt quite joyful when he saw how excited his grandpa looked.
"Good, it's great that you've stepped into the Innate realm." The Xiao family's old patriarch couldn't stop saying 'good', but there was still a hint of worry on his face.
"Grandpa, what's wrong?" Xiao Yun asked. He felt that there was still something troubling his grandpa.
The Xiao family's old patriarch said seriously, "It's said that Fang Hao also stepped into the Innate realm long ago!"
Xiao Yun calmly smiled and said, "Fang Hao also stepped into the Innate realm? Don't worry, grandpa, even if Fang Hao has also stepped into the Innate realm, your grandson will still defeat him. His Fang family won't be able to be arrogant for much longer."
"Oh." When he saw how confident Xiao Yun looked, the Xiao family's old patriarch stared for a second before saying, "But he has the Ice Martial Spirit!"
"It doesn't matter; isn't it just a Martial Spirit?" Xiao Yun calmly laughed. He had an extra Martial Spirit now!
"It's good that you're confident," the Xiao family's old patriarch said. "However, it's best that the news of you stepping into the Innate realm isn't spread. I'm afraid that the Fang family will do something to you - recently, they've been quite close with the Liu family, and seem to be preparing to do something."
"Are they going to ally against our Xiao family?" Xiao Yun said as his eyes glinted.
The Xiao family's old patriarch seemed quite worried as he said, "Most likely. It's a pity that your grandpa's old and it'll be difficult for me to break through again. However, so what if they ally against us? Whoever dares to offend our Xiao family, we'll kill all who come. Ai, it would be great if your father was here!" As he spoke, a look of sadness appeared in the elderly man's eyes.
"Break through again?" Xiao Yun's eyes suddenly lit up as he thought to himself, "If I refine pills, will I be able to help grandpa make a breakthrough?"
Xiao Yun felt incredibly excited when he thought about this.
"You don't need to worry too much; even if they join forces, they won't necessarily be able to destroy our Xiao family. All you need to do is cultivate." The Xiao family's old patriarch got up and said, "Moreover, the Violet Cloud County isn't a place where their Fang family can cover the sky."
"As long as you defeat Fang Hao at the Martial Competition, everything will be easily solved."
If Xiao Yun was stronger than Fang Hao, the families in the Violet Cloud County would naturally have to show restraint.
After the Xiao family's old patriarch left, Xiao Yun started to contemplate pill refining.
"Mysterious Congealing Pill - this pill can assist True Essence realm cultivators to step into the Essence Core realm." There were various recipes and effects of pills listed on the Violet Flame Pill Principles. After Xiao Yun saw the effects of the Mysterious Congealing Pill, his blood started to boil.
A Rank 1 Mysterious Congealing Pill gave a person a 10% chance of breaking through. A Rank 2 Mysterious Congealing Pill gave a person a 20% chance of breaking through. As Xiao Yun read on, his understanding towards the quality of pills deepened.
Xiao Yun muttered to himself, "Looks like there are many methods of pill refining. I wonder what Rank pill I will be able to refine."
Innate Pills could assist one to break through to the Innate realm!
Pure Essence Pills could assist one to break through to the True Essence realm!
Mysterious Congealing Pills could assist one to break through to the Essence Core realm!
Looking at the effects of these pills, Xiao Yun could feel his blood roaring within him. If he became a Pill Refiner, the Xiao family's strength would skyrocket. If that were to happen, why would they need to fear the Fang family?
"Right now, the most urgent matter is to find ingredients for pill refining," Xiao Yun thought to himself. He walked out of his room and went to find his second uncle, Xiao Hai.
"Yun'Er, I heard that you stepped into the Innate realm; hurry and let second uncle have a look." Xiao Hai was robust and in his prime, and had a heroic look above him. Seeing that Xiao Yun had come to see him, he felt quite happy and stared at his nephew in excitement.
"I only just stepped into the Innate realm," Xiao Yun smiled as he scratched his head.
"Not bad, not bad, as long as you've regained your talent, so what if your Martial Spirit can't be used in battle? You can still become a supreme expert. Cultivation speed is paramount, and if your cultivation is high enough, you'll be able to suppress those with Martial Spirits. Keep working hard," Xiao Hai encouraged.
"I'll do my best." When he saw how passionate his second uncle looked, Xiao Yun felt a warmth within his heart. These years, his second uncle had treated him quite well. Back when Fang Hao and the other people from the Fang family had come, it was him who had called out his grandpa from his closed-door training! If it wasn't for that, his eldest uncle most likely would have handed him over. When he reflected on this, Xiao Yun felt closer towards his second uncle.
"Why have you come to find me today?" Xiao Hai asked.
"Haha, second uncle, Yun'Er has a favour to ask of you," Xiao Yun said as he scratched his head.
"A favour?" Xiao Hai stared for a moment before saying seriously, "What is it? As long as second uncle can do it, I'll definitely help you."
"I need some medicinal ingredients," Xiao Yun said. "Here are the types and quantities I need." After speaking, he took out a sheepskin filled with ingredients.
"Medicinal ingredients?" A look of confusion appeared on Xiao Hai's face. He couldn't help but frown as he said, "These medicinal ingredients are all incredibly rare, and some of them can barely be found in the Violet Cloud County. Yun'Er, are you sure you need all these medicinal ingredients?"
"Mm." Xiao Yun nodded.
"I'll do my best to collect them for you. However, can you tell second uncle what you want these medicinal ingredients for?" When he saw how serious the youth looked, Xiao Hai could only agree; however, he had to ask what the youth's purpose was. After all, these medicinal ingredients were far too precious, and if they were truly to gather them, he couldn't decide this on his own.
"I want to study pill refining," Xiao Yun smiled.
"What?! Pill refining?" An expression of shock appeared on Xiao Hai's face, as if he had heard something incomprehensible. He stared at the youth as he said, "Are you sure you're not learning pill refining just to increase your cultivation?"
"Mm." Xiao Yun nodded.
"But pill refining requires Ley Fire from ley lines; our Xiao family doesn't have that sort of Ley Fire!" Xiao Hai felt incredibly doubtful about this. There was only one person in the entire Violet Cloud County who had Ley Fire, which was the Pill Refiner Yuan Xu.
"Don't worry, second uncle, I have my methods," Xiao Yun said as he smiled.
Xiao Hai felt even more curious. When Xiao Yun saw the expression on his second uncle's face, Xiao Yun calmly smiled as he stretched out his hand; a ball of violet flames appeared above it.
The violet flames danced like a fairy above the youth's palm, looking incredibly beautiful. Anyone who saw it would marvel in appreciation, but the heat the flames gave off told Xiao Hai that these flames were real.
"How is this possible? How are you able to control fire?" Xiao Hai was indescribably shocked. "Could it be that you've fused with variant flames? But that shouldn't be possible - you're only in the Innate realm, and shouldn't have high-grade techniques; you wouldn't be able to conquer variant flames. Yun'Er, just what is going on?"
Apart from those who had awakened Fire Martial Spirits, there were some who had a natural affinity with fire who could control fire. Apart from those 2 categories of people, it would be as difficult as climbing to the sky for anyone else to master flames.
Only some experts, through their peerless techniques and cultivation, could conquer some variant flames and turn them into their own power. Others could fuse Fire Martial Spirit, turning them into their own Martial Spirits. However, these people were one in a million - Xiao Yun was only 16 years old, so how could he control fire?
"I accidentally obtained a type of variant flames," Xiao Yun said as he smiled, but did not describe in depth how he had obtained the Violet Flame Martial Spirit.
"You've obtained a variant flame? That's great news! Haha, with that, you might just become a Pill Refiner. When that time comes, our Xiao family will become even more powerful. Very well, second uncle will gather those medicinal ingredients for you. Even if we lose our family fortune, I'll make sure that you learn pill refining!" Xiao Hai was overwhelmed with excitement.
It had to be known that the success rate of refining pills when using variant flames was much higher than when using Ley Fire. The quality of the refined pills were also much more superior with variant flames. This meant that Xiao Yun's future was even brighter than the Violet Cloud County's Master Yuan!
"I'll have to trouble second uncle then," Xiao Yun said as he smiled.
Xiao Hai waved his head as he suddenly thought of something. "Could these ingredients be for a specific recipe?" '
Xiao Yun nodded, giving a noncommittal smile.
"No wonder these medicinal ingredients all have the effect of raising one's cultivation," Xiao Hai muttered to himself, as he looked at the youth strangely. It seemed that this boy had quite a few secrets - ordinary people couldn't come across pill recipes. However, Xiao Hai quickly shook out these questions and did not ask any further.
"Second uncle, would it be possible for you to keep this secret for me for the time being?" Xiao Yun asked.
Xiao Hai asked, "Why? If father knew that you can control flames, he would become mad with joy."
"I want to give grandpa a surprise," Xiao Yun said as he spread out his hands.
Xiao Hai nodded. "Alright. Don't worry, second uncle will keep this secret for you. I'll go and get this arranged now." After speaking, Xiao Hai excitedly left to arrange for the medicinal ingredients to be gathered. If this youth really could learn pill refining, what need would there be to fear the Fang family? A Pill Refiner who controlled variant flames was even more valuable than someone who had a Martial Spirit!
When his second uncle left to handle the medicinal ingredients, Xiao Yun felt at ease and also left. The next day, Xiao Hai had already gathered all of the medicinal ingredients and sent them over.
These were all fairly simple medicinal ingredients, and could be used to refine some powdered medicine. After all, if one wanted to learn pill refining, they needed to start from creating powdered medicine.
This was because the costs for refining powdered medicine was much cheaper, and they were much easier to make. As such, pill refiners usually began from powdered medicine.
Only after hundreds and thousands of trials and gaining a deeper understanding of the flames and the medicinal ingredients would one be able to move on to the next step.
Within Xiao Yun's hidden chamber, there was a precious violet cauldron on a table.
Xiao Yun was currently controlling the violet flames to create a type of medicinal powder. The violet flames within the cauldron rose up as they were controlled freely and effortlessly by Xiao Yun. He could even see the slight movements of the flames.
This was because these flames were not as simple as variant flames.
These flames belonged to Xiao Yun's Martial Spirit, and could be fully controlled by his mind. Without much practice, he could perfectly control the temperature of the flames, so he only needed to familiarise himself with the medicinal ingredients.
The medicinal ingredients within the cauldron turned into a medicinal paste. Under the heat from the flames, it solidified, then broke into a powder.
A fragrant aroma arose from that powder.
"I've finally succeeded." When he smelt that medicinal aroma, a smile appeared on Xiao Yun's face. Following this, Xiao Yun carefully poured the medicinal powder into a small jade box. This was a type of medicinal powder that could stop bleeding. It was called the Blood Congealing Powder, and was incredibly effective.