Refining the Jade Marrow Pill

Of the three alchemy chambers, the one in the middle was the largest. Its facilities were also the most comprehensive. This was simply because it housed the most valuable possession in the Pill Hall besides Luo Chen himself: the Xuanyun Cauldron, a mid-grade Tier 1 artifact. It was said to be among the most expensive types of mid-grade artifacts, costing even more than some mediocre mid-grade defensive artifacts. At that moment, not a single outsider was in the grand alchemy chamber. Even Mi Li had been kept outside. Luo Chen tended the fire and opened the furnace himself, continuously tossing in the medicinal ingredients Mi Shuhua had prepared long in advance. Common herbs like ginseng and fleeceflower root were indispensable supplementary ingredients. Even Qi-Nourishing Pills required such materials, as they provided a cultivator's foundational vitality. Beyond those were relatively costly supplementary materials like blue citrus grass and snow ganoderma orchid. They served as excellent complements to the primary ingredient, either drawing out its medicinal potency or suppressing unwanted properties. Once these secondary ingredients were inside the cauldron, Luo Chen fixed an intense gaze upon it. The Spiritual Eye Art was already active over his eyes. By now, his Spiritual Eye Art was just one step away from the Grandmaster level. When cast, his vision was keen enough to see right through the cultivation realm of a ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivator with a single glance. Ordinary Qi Refining cultivators would never expend so much effort on a technique like this, so naturally, their attainments could not compare with his. Occasionally, Luo Chen wondered whether advancing the Spiritual Eye Art to the Grandmaster tier would let him see through the disguises of Foundation Establishment cultivators. "The medicinal potency of the secondary ingredients has mostly been released." "Time for the main ingredient!" Luo Chen retrieved a bamboo box from a nearby shelf. Opening it, a palm-sized piece of cold jade shimmered brightly. Huanyu jade was a Tier 1 spirit jade produced abundantly in regions with rivers, lakes, and seas, as well as places rich in yin fiend energy. This jade had many uses: it could be crafted into jade boxes to seal pills, or carved into water-attribute jade slips. The jade marrow within could even be used for body tempering. It was said to be quite popular in the mortal realm as well, whether serving as the core construction material for icehouses or quarried in bulk to build grand mausoleums. Its price was on the higher side. A single palm-sized piece of Huanyu jade cost one spirit stone. Taking it to the market, one could buy ten jin of spirit rice outright. And the primary ingredient of the Jade Marrow Pill was none other than the jade marrow within this Huanyu jade. It alone accounted for a fifth of the cost of a single cauldron batch. According to Luo Chen's estimate, the raw material cost for a cauldron of Jade Marrow Pills was around five spirit stones. Neither cheap nor exorbitant—roughly the same cost as the Myriad Wonders Pill. In truth, the Myriad Wonders Pill should not have been so expensive; its cost was artificially inflated primarily because one of its key ingredients came from the Northern Sea in the outer domains. With the Jade Marrow Pill's production cost set, Luo Chen was still unsure how many pills a single cauldron batch would yield. But as long as the yield exceeded that of the Myriad Wonders Pill, it was bound to be profitable! After all, one was an aphrodisiac, while the other was a cultivation pill. The two markets could not be compared in the same breath. As these thoughts crossed his mind, Luo Chen's hands did not waver for an instant. With the Huanyu jade suspended above the cauldron, he steadily channeled his spiritual power. The amount released was small—merely a tenth of a Fireball Art—yet the flow had to remain exceptionally steady and stable. Sustaining it for an extended period could even induce exhaustion. Furthermore, once the spiritual power was released, it had to be manipulated through a specialized technique of kneading and pressing. Luo Chen had learned this technique from the *Qingyuan Alchemy Exposition*. Called the Jade Breaking Hand, it was designed specifically for handling jade-based materials. Under the Jade Breaking Hand, fine fractures crept across the outer crust of the Huanyu jade. Then, shimmering, translucent drops seeped out like bone marrow. This was the Huanyu jade marrow! It was originally solid, but under the kneading of his spiritual power, it turned into a semi-solid, semi-liquid state. Once it entered the cauldron, the high temperature would melt it completely into a liquid. Extracting the jade marrow took considerable effort. It was a full hour before Luo Chen finished the task. "One of the two most difficult steps is complete." "Now comes the other hurdle." Using jade as the primary ingredient meant this pill was not a medicinal pill, but a mineral pill! In the cultivation world, pills were the absolute mainstream, and they were classified into various categories based on their primary ingredients and effects. Pills made primarily from herbs were medicinal pills. Those made from demon beast cores were beast pills. Those made from minerals and ores were mineral pills, also known as stone-and-metal pills. It was said there were also soul pills made from spiritual souls, qi pills focused on intangible vapors, and wondrous pills crafted from natural anomalies. Rumor even had it that grandmasters of alchemy could refine Dao pills using the intangible laws of the Great Dao as ingredients! *Swallow a Dao pill into the belly, the Great Dao within sight, my destiny governed by me, not by Heaven.* Luo Chen had no interest in such ethereal legends. For now, he had only encountered medicinal pills and mineral pills. The Jade Marrow Pill was a mineral pill. Refining mineral pills inevitably presented a challenge: how to eliminate mineral impurities while blending the stone seamlessly with plant-based medicinal ingredients. If impurities were not thoroughly purged, residual toxins of metal and stone would linger in the pill. And if the blending was flawed, the pill form would become unstable and easily mineralize! As for the outcome of mineralization? Luo Chen witnessed it soon enough. And not just him—Mi Shuhua and the others saw it too. "These are the Jade Marrow Pills you refined?" Mi Shuhua stared in utter disbelief at the handful of colorful little stone beads in his palm. Luo Chen scratched his head in mild embarrassment. "Well, even people trip up and horses stumble! Besides, who succeeds on their very first cauldron batch? Never mind me—even if you brought over that old Pill Saint from the Central Plains, he wouldn't dare make such a boast." As he spoke, Luo Chen's voice grew louder, perfectly righteous and self-assured! The words were reasonable enough, and the logic held up, but the disappointment was hard to conceal. Mi Shuhua sighed, tossing the handful of colorful little stones onto the ground. "I was too impatient." Luo Chen subconsciously patted him on the shoulder, only to startle himself right after. *Since when did I become so disrespectful to a Foundation Establishment cultivator?!* Seeing that the other man took no offense, Luo Chen grinned unabashedly. "Hey, failure is the mother of success! Failing this time means we'll definitely succeed down the line. Old Mi, don't lose heart. I've already gained plenty of insight into refining the Jade Marrow Pill!" Repeating the phrase "failure is the mother of success" under his breath, Old Mi headed home in a daze. He had stood guard as a protector for three days, only for the fellow he was protecting to hit him over the head with this the moment he emerged. After Mi Shuhua left, Luo Chen shook his head. *A young lad at such a ripe old age, yet still so impatient! When I was refining the Myriad Wonders Pill, I failed for days on end and never lost my confidence.* Under the gazes of his subordinates, he bent down and picked up the colorful stone beads. After all, they were crafted from five spirit stones' worth of materials. If nothing else, they could be used to play marbles or Chinese checkers during his leisure hours! There still weren't enough, though; failing a few more batches to gather all six colors would make a proper set. That was his thought, and the others watched as he happily gathered the beads. Over the next few days, every failed bead was collected and handed over to Luo Chen. During this time, Luo Chen made a rare display of diligent alchemy, refining a batch of Myriad Wonders Pills every morning and afternoon. Under his deliberate control, the yield of low-grade, mid-grade, and superior-grade pills was maintained at a three-to-six-to-one ratio. Doing this slowed his progress toward Grandmaster-level proficiency in the Myriad Wonders Pill, but it effectively concealed his true skill level. In response to this, the gang held another meeting, presided over by Mi Junping. She intended to implement tiered pricing across the three pill grades. After some discussion, the low-grade Myriad Wonders Pill was priced at three spirit stones, the mid-grade remained at five, and the superior-grade soared to ten spirit stones. Such a high price made it almost as expensive as a Qi-Nourishing Pill! Hardly anyone would buy it, but that was fine—there was always a wealthy fool willing to pay. Moreover, the difference in grade brought a profound difference in efficacy. According to a report from Mr. Zeng Wen, a seasoned veteran consumer, the mid-grade Myriad Wonders Pill was twice as potent as the low-grade version, while the superior-grade eliminated all of the pill's side effects. Even prolonged consumption would not loosen the golden lock of the lower gate, and it genuinely fortified foundational essence. Zeng Wen had loudly declared that he had found the true direction of his Great Dao! Luo Chen felt touched by his own contribution. He had brought warmth and color to this cold, unfeeling cultivation world. A man like him deserved to be recognized as one of the Jade Cauldron Domain's top ten outstanding youths! The Jade Cauldron Sword Sect owed him a trophy forged from superior-grade spirit stones! *All right, enough self-adulation.* Aside from refining two batches of Myriad Wonders Pills a day, Luo Chen refined Jade Marrow Pills alone every evening. That was how so many colorful beads had accumulated. Time flew by, and ten days passed in a flash. Mi Shuhua stepped into the Crescent Moon Valley Pill Hall once again, only to bristle with irritation the moment he arrived. "What are you all doing?" On the left side of the Pill Hall was a slightly protruding cliffside terrace. A stone table had been set up there for Luo Chen's meals and drinks. Today, three people were seated around it: Luo Chen, Gu Caiyi, and Sikong Shoujia. They were huddled around a hexagonal board densely covered with stone beads of six colors. It was Sikong Shoujia's turn to move. Startled by Mi Shuhua's sudden bellow, he flinched and hastily knocked the board over. "Reporting to the Gang Leader, we are studying the properties of the discarded Jade Marrow Pills to explore the possibilities of success!" It sounded dignified enough, but Luo Chen glared at Sikong Shoujia through gritted teeth. *You old scoundrel, you were on the verge of losing, so you flipped the board! I don't care—you're still handing over that book you wagered!* *** Faced with Sikong Shoujia's excuse, Mi Shuhua was thoroughly unconvinced. In fact, he didn't believe a single word! Still, seeing how the man was looking expectantly at Luo Chen, Mi Shuhua also wanted to know what progress had been made. Seeing both old men gazing at him pitifully, Luo Chen sighed. He drew a jade bottle from his storage bag and casually tossed it to Old Man Mi. Mi Shuhua caught the bottle with a puzzled look. The moment he unstoppered it, his eyes went wide. Then... "Hahaha! I knew it—you really are an alchemy genius!" Luo Chen gave him a thumbs-up. "Your vision is truly keen, Elder!" Mi Shuhua froze for a second. *This kid is utterly shameless!* Yet he could not contain his joy as he poured a pale white pill from the bottle into his hand. "Hey, Luo kid, get over here!" Luo Chen took a step forward instinctively before turning red with annoyance. *Damn it, he was calling Luo Erduo, Luo Wudi's nephew!* *Unacceptable! Once I become a grand patriarch in the future, the Luo surname will definitely require naming taboos out of respect!* Luo Erduo walked forward in confusion. "Gang Leader!" "Swallow this, run your cultivation art, try to refine it, and tell me the result." "Oh." Luo Erduo was usually brash, but before a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was obedient and nimble. Swallowing the Jade Marrow Pill, he immediately began cultivating on the spot. His posture, however, was as bizarre as could be—at times crouching low like a toad, at others resembling a fierce tiger descending a mountain with bristling fur. Luo Chen stared, dumbfounded. Seeing his confusion, Gu Caiyi whispered, "Every cultivation art has its unique purpose, so naturally the training methods differ. I hear Luo Erduo practices his uncle Luo Wudi's Xin Tiger Mountain-Traversing Art. At each stage, the art mimics certain movements of a demon tiger to better absorb worldly spiritual energy." Luo Chen came to an understanding. He knew very little about cultivation arts, familiar only with the Eternal Spring Art. A wood-attribute art, the Eternal Spring Art favored stillness over motion. When operating it, one had to remain as still as a standing tree. The Xin Tiger Mountain-Traversing Art, on the other hand, was oriented toward active movement. He wondered what other techniques were like. With that in mind, he glanced at Gu Caiyi, only to find her looking somewhat self-conscious as she turned her face away. Luo Chen's interest was piqued. "Fellow Daoist Gu, care to cultivate together sometime?" "Get lost!" Gu Caiyi spat in mock disgust, shooting him a sultry glare—or rather, rolling her eyes. Seeing the two whispering, Mi Shuhua glared sharply at them and cast a silencing ward around Luo Erduo. For low-tier cultivators, circulating their cultivation arts took a long time. When Luo Chen had first practiced the Eternal Spring Art, a single cycle took two full hours. Only as his proficiency climbed had that time gradually shrunk to half an hour. Luo Erduo was no exception. He cycled through various strange postures, holding each for twenty minutes. Two hours later, he finished, dripping with sweat. Mi Shuhua nodded. "The Xin Tiger Mountain-Traversing Art consists of nine movements in total. You can currently perform six, which means your foundation in the mid-stage of Qi Refining is quite solid." Pleased by the praise, Luo Erduo wiped away his sweat and described his experience with the pill. "Its medicinal nature is on the cold side, not as mild as a Qi-Nourishing Pill." "Normal," Luo Chen chimed in. "The primary ingredient is Huanyu jade, which carries a cold attribute. Naturally, the pill leans cold as well." Glancing at Luo Chen, Luo Erduo continued, "The medicinal potency is quite good. It increased my total spiritual power by about one or two parts in a thousand." One or two parts in a thousand—about 0.1 to 0.2 percent. Luo Chen frowned slightly upon hearing this. "The potency is a bit low. Perhaps my technique still needs refinement." Mi Shuhua, however, was already thrilled. He chuckled and said, "Luo Erduo is only at the fourth layer of Qi Refining. Taking a single Qi-Nourishing Pill would only increase his spiritual power by one or two percent at most. In other words, this low-grade Jade Marrow Pill already possesses a tenth of a Qi-Nourishing Pill's efficacy!" Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. Mi Shuhua seemed remarkably well-versed in this area. Coincidentally, Luo Chen had been harboring some doubts on this front. Perhaps he could find an opportunity to shear some wool off Mi Shuhua. A Foundation Establishment cultivator was bound to yield plenty of wool if one fleeced him properly. Having obtained the feedback, Mi Shuhua dismissed the bystanders. He looked eagerly at Luo Chen. "What is the success rate?" Luo Chen replied casually, "Out of the past ten days, I've only succeeded once, using my own Purple Cloud Bronze Furnace. That single cauldron produced eleven Jade Marrow Pills." Hearing this, Mi Shuhua's excitement waned. The Jade Marrow Pill could not be sold like the Myriad Wonders Pill. As Kang Dongyue, pavilion master of the Gold and Stone Pavilion in Taishan Market, had pointed out, the Myriad Wonders Pill's price was grossly inflated. It commanded five spirit stones per pill solely because of its unique properties and the market conditions in Dahe Market, where cultivators frequently battled demon beasts. In a more peaceful inland market, its true value would be no more than one or two spirit stones. Now, the Jade Marrow Pill offered only a tenth of a Qi-Nourishing Pill's potency, so a whole bottle could hardly fetch an exorbitant price. Cultivators were exceptionally sensitive when it came to the cost of cultivation pills. "With a production cost of five spirit stones, if we sell a bottle for ten, our profit margin won't be very large!" Mi Shuhua murmured. Then he looked at Luo Chen hopefully. "Can you increase the yield per batch?" Luo Chen spread his hands. "Not at the moment, unless I make a major breakthrough in refining the Jade Marrow Pill." "Besides, we can't scale production like we did with the Myriad Wonders Pill yet. I haven't even mastered it myself, so I can't teach the techniques to others." For now, Luo Chen indeed had to handle everything personally. If he rushed into having herb apprentices and fire-tenders help, they might not succeed even once in a hundred tries. Hearing these obstacles, Mi Shuhua's aged face wrinkled with distress. Seeing this, Luo Chen almost felt bad for him. Before getting to know him, he had seemed like an easygoing, wealthy patriarch. Only after spending more time together did Luo Chen realize the man had plenty of worries of his own! Thus, Luo Chen decided to solve his problem. "Gang Leader, the main bottleneck preventing me from refining more Jade Marrow Pills lies in processing the Huanyu jade." Mi Shuhua perked up. He had studied the recipe countless times and had even had the Mi family's apprentice alchemists attempt it, so he knew where the difficulties lay. "Every time I handle the Huanyu jade—whether squeezing out the jade marrow or blending it with the secondary ingredients—I have to concentrate with my entire being." Luo Chen rubbed between his brows. "As you know, our spiritual soul foundation as Qi Refining cultivators is shallow. Our spiritual sense can't even extend outside our bodies. Under these conditions, it's very difficult for me to accomplish more." "So?" Mi Shuhua asked cautiously, faintly sensing that something was amiss. Luo Chen looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. "So, if there were some spirit medicine to calm the mind and soothe the soul, I could refine more and better Jade Marrow Pills for you, Elder." "Say, Spirit Calming Incense would be fantastic—cheap, effective, and if I had just one small box a month, I could definitely do so much more for our gang!" Spirit Calming Incense was one of the finest external aids for low-tier cultivators. Burning one stick a day allowed a cultivator to practice their primary cultivation art five extra times, as it was said to restore the fragile souls of low-tier cultivators. Luo Chen had used it before, having looted it from an unlucky fellow in one of his rare experiences of killing someone and claiming their treasures. That encounter had left him with both terrible and wonderful memories, and the Spirit Calming Incense had been part of the wonderful half. A single box had allowed him to cultivate unreservedly for a time, even leaving him with energy to develop his own combat techniques. Without that box of Spirit Calming Incense and the accompanying Qi-Nourishing Pills, he might never have survived his second deadly battle. Hearing that name, Mi Shuhua shuddered all over. Not because it was expensive—a box of Spirit Calming Incense was a mere drop in the bucket for him. He shuddered because this brat always seemed to push his luck, taking an inch and demanding a mile! Yet, for the sake of the Jade Marrow Pill! Mi Shuhua took a deep breath. "Spirit Calming Incense, is it? I will have someone deliver it. But you had better show me results!" "Of course, of course! Little Luo never makes empty promises. Just wait at home and get ready to count spirit stones until your jaw aches from grinning!" As for Little Luo, he was already grinning from ear to ear!