Because the pill recipe was incomplete, Luo Chen had not paid it much mind at first.
Yet after reading through it, he found it impossible to calm his churning thoughts for a long time.
Nether-Passage Pill.
Primary ingredients: Phantom Nether Grass, first-tier demon fox blood.
Supplementary ingredients: Severing Yang Ginseng, Seven Origin Flower...
One of the supplementary ingredients was missing.
Furthermore, there were no specific proportion ratios or measurements.
Nor were there any explanations regarding concoction techniques or corresponding taboos.
All of that had crumbled to dust alongside the scorched half of the bamboo scroll.
Yet the description of the Nether-Passage Pill's effects sent ripples through his heart.
"Capable of bolstering the foundation of one's spiritual sense. Long-term consumption grants extreme sensitivity toward phantoms, illusions, and specters."
A simple, concise sentence, yet it made Luo Chen wish with all his might that the recipe had been whole.
It could bolster the foundation of one's spiritual sense!
Ever since Qin Liangchen and his wife had introduced him to foundational cultivation knowledge regarding the soul, spiritual sense, and divine sense, he had kept the matter close to his heart.
Later, after asking around on numerous occasions, he had also caught wind of a plausible rumor.
It was said that those with a sufficiently powerful spiritual sense foundation had an easier time breaking through to Foundation Establishment than ordinary cultivators.
Did that not mean it increased the chances of reaching Foundation Establishment?
With his mediocre five-element spiritual roots, Luo Chen already found cultivation difficult, and breaking through to Foundation Establishment would likely be just as grueling.
Even though he was only at the fifth layer of Qi Refinement right now, there would surely come a day when he reached Qi Refinement perfection.
How could he possibly remain indifferent to anything concerning spiritual sense?
"Even with a broken recipe, that doesn't mean the pill can never be refined!"
Luo Chen thought to himself.
The panel clearly stated that as long as he invested enough achievement points, he could complete the recipe and achieve basic mastery.
"Besides, it looks like Mi Shuhua doesn't care much for this damaged recipe. Giving it to me was probably just meant as reference material so I could broaden my alchemical knowledge and successfully brew the Jade Marrow Pill for him."
"I'll study it thoroughly first. Once an opportune moment presents itself later on, I can see if I can refine it in secret."
With his mind made up, Luo Chen carefully stowed away the bamboo scroll of the Nether-Passage Pill, according it the same level of importance as the Blood Fiend Pill and the Jade Dew Pill.
***
In the past, Luo Chen had been utterly destitute. An alchemist in name, in reality he could only produce Fasting Pills.
And those Fasting Pills could not even be called true first-tier pills; they were merely unranked Fasting Powder.
Only after gaining basic mastery over the Myriad Wonders Pill had he genuinely stepped onto the path of alchemy.
Now, coming into possession of three brand-new pill recipes all at once would be a joyous occasion for any alchemist, leaving them itching to plunge straight into the great undertaking of refining pills.
Yet Luo Chen did not start concocting right away. Instead, his daily life became considerably more leisurely.
Aside from his daily cultivation, he spent his time checking on the construction of the pill rooms in Crescent Moon Valley.
In addition, after much coaxing and pleading, he had managed to borrow a book from the Mountain Breaker Gang's Merit Hall.
*Illustrated Compendium of a Hundred Herbs*.
Back before Wang Yuan had made his name, this very book had sat on his stall year-round, yet no one had ever bought it.
Later, once Wang Yuan took sole charge of a hall, these items were returned to the Mountain Breaker Gang to be handled by the Merit Hall.
When Luo Chen went to borrow it, Mi Junping had flatly refused, insisting that he pay for it with spirit stones.
Heh.
Was Luo Chen the sort of fool who let himself be taken for a ride?
They were practically family now, so why would he spend spirit stones on it?
He simply invoked Mi Shuhua's name, and she had no choice but to lend it to him with obvious reluctance.
"I knew it. Once Mi Shuhua started sinking more and more investment into me, my smaller requests would be granted all the more easily."
"This is what they call putting sunk costs to good use!"
Lounging in a rocking chair with a mountain spring trickling nearby and his gang subordinates hard at work before him, Luo Chen focused his full attention on the *Illustrated Compendium of a Hundred Herbs*.
The reason he was reading this book instead of *Qing Yuanzi's Detailed Explanation of the Alchemy Dao* was precisely because the latter had demanded it:
"The Dao of Alchemy begins with the identification of herbs, proceeds to the preparation of ingredients, requires mastery over flame control, and only then slowly advances to refining pills."
It was a lengthy process of gradual accumulation.
Luo Chen had always known that his foundational alchemy knowledge was rough around the edges—calling it downright trash would hardly be an exaggeration.
His ability to refine high-grade Fasting Powder and mid-grade Myriad Wonders Pills relied entirely on the panel's direct impartations and his own day-to-day proficiency grinding.
Beyond those two pills, his understanding of other matters was shallow at best.
That was precisely why he had made a fool of himself when discussing alchemy with Miss Xiangxiang.
Now that he had the opportunity and guidance from an experienced senior, he naturally intended to patch up his fundamentals properly.
To begin with, he would start by learning to identify herbs!
Staring at an illustration of a long, thin organ in the compendium, Luo Chen was struck by sudden realization.
"So a fire hound whip isn't just an aphrodisiac and male tonic; it can also assist in cultivating fire-attribute spells? As long as one holds it in their mouth, one can sense a rich... er, forget it. Best not to mention that function!"
"Tsk, tsk. Blue Citrus Grass looks ordinary enough, yet it actually has forty-nine distinct uses! No wonder the Duan family nearby planted such a massive patch of it."
"Huanyu? Isn't this the primary ingredient for the Jade Marrow Pill? Let me take a closer look."
Just as Luo Chen was utterly absorbed in his studies, Sikong Shoujia hurried over.
"They left!"
"Who left?" Luo Chen asked without looking up.
"The Mount Ailao cultivators from Xianzhu Residence! They just packed up and walked off, without even asking for the remaining spirit stone payment!"
Luo Chen lifted his head and blinked.
"Isn't that a good thing?"
They didn't even have to pay the final installment!
Sikong Shoujia shook his head. "I'm afraid something must have happened."
"Heh, whatever happened, it's Mount Ailao's business. What does it have to do with us?"
"But the pill rooms aren't finished yet!"
Luo Chen shot to his feet and let out a furious curse.
"These contractors don't have a shred of professional responsibility! Leaving a tiny job like this unfinished—damn them!"
With that, he hurried over to the pill rooms.
After a thorough inspection, he let out a sigh of relief.
"No matter. Sect cultivators do have some credibility after all. The framework of the pill rooms is basically assembled; we just need to add the building materials ourselves going forward."
Hearing this, Sikong Shoujia sighed in relief as well.
Between labor and materials, two thousand spirit stones had been poured into these three pill rooms—enough to buy a decent high-grade dharma artifact.
He had never enjoyed living in such expensive quarters in his entire life.
Seeing that nothing had gone wrong, he cracked a smile.
"Sect cultivators always put their reputation first. A thumbs up for them!"
Watching Sikong Shoujia mimic the hand gesture he himself had used a few days earlier, Luo Chen could not help but shudder.
*Old man, do you really have to keep up with the times so aggressively?!*
"By the way, I won't be coming here tomorrow. Keep a close eye on things for me, will you?"
Sikong Shoujia asked in confusion, "Where are you going?"
"To see off a few friends. Their ten-year rotation has come to an end, so they're returning to their sect," Luo Chen said casually.
The old man blinked, his body freezing.
A ten-year rotation, returning to their sect!
That was no rule of the small shops in Dahe Market; it was a tradition of the six superior sects.
When had Luo Chen gotten to know cultivators of that caliber, and on such good terms that he needed to see them off in person?
"I'm off!"
Greasing the soles of his feet, Luo Chen slipped away immediately.
On his way out of the valley, he greeted the busy Gu Caiyi and Murong Qinglian.
Gu Caiyi did not follow him. Having just joined the Mountain Breaker Gang, she was still in the phase of mingling with other cultivators and making herself familiar.
Moreover, her ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivation ensured she was no ordinary gang member.
At Luo Chen's request, she was now a deacon of the Pill Hall, standing on roughly equal footing with Sikong Shoujia in their division.
***
Crescent Moon Valley was technically classified as part of the outer city, but in truth, it lay quite far from the outer city proper.
Mishaps could easily occur along the road.
For that reason, the Mountain Breaker Gang routinely assigned guards to protect Luo Chen.
They were two late-stage Qi Refinement brothers, one surnamed Zhou and the other Liu.
The pair excelled in combined assault tactics, and working together, they did not fear ordinary ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivators.
Nothing untoward occurred during the journey.
Upon reaching the inner city gates, Luo Chen waved goodbye to the pair.
Watching his carefree, receding figure, Liu Qiang's face filled with envy.
"Look at the life he lives, and look at ours. A mere fifth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator actually has the two of us at the eighth layer escorting him every single day. In his past life, he must have been an emperor who died from an assassination!"
"Mind your words, Brother Liu!" Zhou Yuanli said softly. "Hall Master Luo is not someone you or I can criticize."
Liu Qiang snorted. Without another word, he turned to leave.
"Don't be late tomorrow, or you won't be able to answer to the gang leader."
Liu Qiang's posture stiffened, and his flying pace quickened noticeably.
At the city gate, Zhou Yuanli shook his head. This brother of his always aimed higher than the sky.
Earlier, overestimating his own abilities, he had tried to compete for the position of Mining Hall Master, claiming that since Wang Yuan could be a hall master at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement, so could he!
Naturally, he had ended up getting thoroughly beaten.
Now, after finally landing a leisurely assignment alongside Zhou Yuanli that paid handsomely in spirit stones, he was still dissatisfied.
He would really have to urge him to show more prudence in the future!
Chapter 83