Chapter 616: Is This What You Call Alchemy?

"My purpose in building the Rare Treasures Pavilion was to decipher these stone pillars. Now that I have all the answers, I can die without regret. It's time to return to my hometown and spend my final days in peace."

Gan Yiping smiled, his face serene.

Having obtained so many stone pillars, he had been captivated by the special characters on them. After fifty years of failure, he finally learned the truth, and immediately felt a lightness throughout his body. It was time to let go.

"This..."

Zhang Xuan nodded, looking at the other with admiration.

It seemed this man, nearing his end, had truly come to terms with everything.

But thinking about it, it was understandable. When life reaches its end, and the greatest wish is fulfilled, there really is no regret.

These treasures, though precious, were nothing compared to life and death!

You bring nothing into life, and take nothing out. Even if you have thousands of gold and silver, in death you grasp empty fists!

Knowing that the other sincerely wanted to give him these treasures, Zhang Xuan stopped refusing and casually offered a few pointers as repayment.

Hearing that the guidance suited him perfectly, Gan Yiping was overjoyed and expressed his gratitude profusely.

After chatting for a while, Zhang Xuan left with Yuan Tao and Sun Qiang.

"Young master, where are we going now?"

Walking out of the Rare Treasures Pavilion, Sun Qiang asked.

"We have the Luosnake inner core and the Duyou grass, but we still need some herbs to neutralize them and brew a special medicinal liquid..."

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment. "Let's go to the Alchemist Guild and find an alchemist to help prepare it!"

Although he was a formal three-star alchemist, he had obtained the title through pill debate. For actual pill refining, it was better to let someone else do it.

"Yes!" The two nodded.

The Alchemist Guild was some distance away. They hired a carriage and rode for about half an hour before arriving.

The Alchemist Guild of the Huan Yu Empire was tall and spacious. In front of the main gate stood a stone cauldron over ten meters high, exuding an imposing aura.

Stepping inside, before they had gone far, they caught whiffs of medicinal fragrance. The rich spiritual energy surged into every pore, invigorating the spirit.

"This is pill fragrance. It seems a fifth-grade pill has been produced here, and quite frequently!"

Zhang Xuan smiled after taking a sniff.

Once a fifth-grade pill is refined, it emits a rich pill fragrance that drifts everywhere, refreshing and energizing those nearby.

It seemed that such pills were often successfully refined here, giving the place such a strong scent.

"There are five-star alchemists here, so fifth-grade pills are naturally no problem!" Sun Qiang nodded.

The strongest alchemist in the Huan Yu Empire's Alchemist Guild had reached the peak of five-star, far beyond what the lower-level guilds could compare.

"Mm, we need to find a five-star alchemist. Let's go to the front desk and check!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

The Luosnake inner core and Duyou grass were extremely precious, and there was only one set. No mistakes could be allowed. Even just brewing a medicinal liquid required a five-star alchemist. A lower level would easily lead to accidents and waste all the materials.

"Young master, what do you need?"

Soon they reached the front desk. The attendant was a girl of eighteen or nineteen, who looked at Zhang Xuan with a full smile.

"I want to brew a special medicinal liquid. What is the fee for a five-star alchemist to do commissioned refining here?"

Zhang Xuan asked.

At the Master Teacher Academy, one could purchase courses; at the Alchemist Guild, one could provide materials and hire someone to refine.

The cost of commissioned refining was much lower than buying finished pills directly; one only needed to gather the materials.

"Commissioned refining by a five-star alchemist?" The girl was taken aback.

"What? Is there none?" Seeing her reaction, Zhang Xuan frowned.

If not, it would be troublesome. The Luosnake that produced this inner core had reached the seventh level of Mortal Transformation in life, with abundant energy and violent power. A four-star alchemist would likely find it hard to control.

A five-star alchemist, at least at the sixth level of Mortal Transformation, the Bridge Heaven realm, would find it relatively easier to manage.

"There is, but... today a distinguished five-star alchemist from headquarters is giving a lecture. All the five-star alchemists in the guild have gone to listen, and even some three-star and four-star ones have gone. No one is available for commissioned refining right now. If you really want it done, could you come back tomorrow?"

After hesitating, the girl said.

"Tomorrow?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

The selection for the Purification Pool was tonight, and he would likely enter soon. Delaying a day would mean not having enough time.

"I can't wait until tomorrow. When does this lecture end? Could you help me arrange to meet a five-star alchemist?" After a moment's hesitation, he asked.

"Arrange?" The girl looked troubled. "I'm just a service staff. Five-star alchemists are too high in rank; I really can't arrange a meeting."

She was only a receptionist, at most an apprentice. She had no qualifications to contact even three-star or four-star alchemists, let alone five-star ones. The gap in rank was too great.

"Besides, after the lecture, there will definitely be exchanges and discussions. Everyone will be very busy then. No one will take on commissioned refining. No matter how much you offer, you probably won't be able to hire anyone."

Who would miss such an exchange opportunity just to earn a little money?

After all, the alchemist from headquarters, even if not much higher in rank, would have more advanced alchemy techniques and furnace control, worth studying and learning.

"This..."

Zhang Xuan raised his eyebrows.

With a lecturer from headquarters, no one would want to miss such a good opportunity. But he couldn't refine it himself.

Not to mention whether he could learn alchemy in time, even if he could, his strength was only at the peak of Turbid Clear realm. Once the Luosnake inner core acted up, he would definitely not be able to suppress it.

He couldn't do it himself, and no alchemist was willing to take the job... What to do?

"How about this: where are they listening to the lecture? Could you take me there?" After thinking for a moment, Zhang Xuan asked.

Waiting for a five-star alchemist to come out for commissioned refining was impossible today. If all else failed, he could go over and find one to help. Since they were both alchemists, communication should be easier.

"Take you there?" The girl frowned. "That's a place only alchemists can go..."

"Oh, I am an alchemist. I just haven't taken the rank exam recently."

Zhang Xuan flipped his wrist and took out his badge.

His alchemist rank was still the one he obtained back in the Tianwu Kingdom, only three-star. But even so, it was enough.

Taking the badge, the girl glanced at it and quickly bowed. "So you are an alchemist, sir. This way, please!"

A three-star alchemist, though unremarkable in the Huan Yu Empire, still had a status far above hers as a mere service staff.

"Mm."

Zhang Xuan nodded and followed her with Sun Qiang and Yuan Tao.

The Alchemist Guild was very large. After walking for a while, they arrived at a spacious hall.

"Sir, only alchemists can enter to listen to the lecture. I am not qualified to enter..."

She stopped, looking apologetic.

"No matter." Zhang Xuan smiled, took the badge, pinned it on his chest, and instructed Sun Qiang and Yuan Tao: "Wait here. I'll go take a look."

With that, he stepped inside.

They were not alchemists, so they naturally could not enter either.

The guard at the door saw the badge on his chest and did not stop him.

The hall was several hundred square meters in size, packed with people sitting densely, all wearing alchemist robes. Just like the selection match in Wanguo City with Ruohuan and the others, they were all staring intently at the front.

Looking up, he saw someone standing before a cauldron on a round platform, explaining while refining medicine.

Flames shot out. A fair hand placed herbs one by one into the blazing furnace, calm and steady.

"A woman? So young?"

Zhang Xuan was surprised.

He had thought the lecturer from headquarters would be an old man of seventy or eighty, but it turned out to be a woman in her twenties.

Female alchemists were rare, and to be able to lecture so many people, she must be of a high rank. He couldn't help but look over.

She wore a light purple robe that concealed her figure. Her jet-black hair was coiled on her head, and her eyes were like stars, sparkling with wisdom. But her face was cold as ice, devoid of any emotion.

Her beauty was no less than that of the Sixth Miss he had seen earlier, and under the loose robe, her graceful figure was faintly visible, giving another kind of aesthetic appeal.

The alchemist badge on her chest shone with five stars, clearly indicating she was a five-star alchemist!

"Alchemy requires working with furnace flames, which is quite arduous. For her to reach five-star, impressive!"

Zhang Xuan nodded to himself.

Great alchemists were usually men. Not that women were incapable, but the furnace flames were scorching, the variety of herbs numerous, and many grew in dangerous places. A moment's inattention could lead to danger.

Thus, many women were unwilling to learn this profession.

The woman before him, though young, had reached five-star. Her techniques were exquisite, and her movements in alchemy were fluid... It showed that besides talent, she had put in great effort.

Otherwise, she could not have achieved such success!

In any profession, talent is only part of it; effort is more important.

Not far from the woman stood an old man with a white beard, stroking his beard and looking at her with an expression full of praise.

"He should be the guild leader."

Zhang Xuan guessed after a glance.

The old man had a majestic bearing and profound cultivation, clearly of high status. Standing behind the woman to oversee and occasionally interject to explain to the alchemists in the hall, he was likely the guild leader or at least someone of high rank.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have such an aura.

After looking around, Zhang Xuan found an empty seat and walked over.

As he sat down, he heard the woman's light voice continue.

Her voice was crisp, like jade striking, a pleasure to hear. But her tone carried a coldness that kept others at a distance.

"Qingling grass is cold in nature. If placed directly into the furnace, it will conflict with the previous cypress flower. It needs to be soaked in sweet fish juice for an hour before use. This enhances the medicinal effect and lowers the furnace temperature, raising the pill's grade by one level."

"As for this mutanxiang flower, it must be combined with purple essence water and exposed to strong sunlight for five days to achieve the best effect. Otherwise, it is added in the middle of refining this pill, when the furnace is hottest and the flames most intense. A slight mistake will burn it to ashes..."

...

The woman introduced each item one by one, occasionally explaining refining techniques and the rationale behind them. Her reasoning was sound, and the audience was completely captivated, nodding continuously.

"Heavenly bestowal of speech? Could she... also be a master teacher?"

Seeing the audience's expressions and the special charm in her voice, Zhang Xuan smiled slightly and shook his head involuntarily.

Although she was teaching alchemy and how to mix medicines in the manner of an alchemist lecture, her voice incorporated heavenly bestowal of speech, making it easier for people to understand and learn.

This technique could only be used by master teachers.

It seemed that the woman before him was not just an alchemist but also a master teacher of no less than five stars.

He had just met two twenty-something five-star master teachers, and now another one. Truly, the Huan Yu Empire was full of geniuses.

If these people were also among the twenty-eight forces, he would at most be fourth, not first.

Not that his knowledge was inferior to five-star master teachers, but his strength was far behind. In a contest of strength, he couldn't win.

"Since she's a master teacher, it'll be easier to communicate. Later, I can ask her to help brew the medicinal liquid..."

He had been worrying about where to find a five-star alchemist to do commissioned refining. Since she was a master teacher, it would be much simpler.

This medicinal liquid had the inner core of a seventh-level Mortal Transformation Luosnake as its main ingredient. To achieve the best effect, he would need to provide guidance to avoid mistakes. A normal five-star alchemist would never listen to a three-star alchemist like him.

But if both were master teachers, as long as she didn't know his rank, he could bluff a bit and convince her. That would be much easier.

"Thank you all. That is my understanding of the fifth-grade Qingshen Pill."

As he was thinking about how to negotiate with her later to help brew the liquid, he heard a "creak!" The furnace in front opened, and a rich medicinal fragrance burst forth, filling the entire room.

Looking up, he saw a round, glossy pill appear in the cauldron, its fragrance spreading everywhere, fresh and pleasant.

"A perfect-grade fifth-grade pill?"

"The Qingshen Pill is a peak fifth-grade pill, notoriously difficult to refine. Even the guild leader himself, out of ten batches, rarely achieves two perfect ones. She succeeded on her first try. Truly impressive, as expected of an alchemist from headquarters!"

"And you may not know, she is not only an alchemist but also a master teacher. Her alchemy techniques are meticulous, and her explanations are clear and logical. Learning from her will greatly improve our alchemy skills!"

"Yes, today's lecture has been incredibly rewarding. As expected of someone from the Hongyuan Empire, her foundation and understanding of alchemy are far deeper and more accurate than ours."

"Of course. The Alchemy Academy of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy has a complete alchemy heritage, far more comprehensive than our branch."

...

Seeing the pill emerge, the audience buzzed with excitement.

Pills are graded; even within the same grade and type, there are differences: formed, full, perfect, and pill pattern.

Normally, a formed pill passes the alchemist exam, and a full pill is considered outstanding.

Achieving perfect grade is rare, perhaps once in ten attempts. This woman in her twenties, while lecturing and refining simultaneously, succeeded smoothly. Her skill was astonishing.

"Everyone can now discuss. If you have any different suggestions, feel free to raise them. I can also learn from them."

Setting down the refined pill, the woman on stage looked around calmly.

"Alchemist Luo, I have a question. The Qingshen Pill also benefits the soul. During refining, soul power needs to be infused. I've tried several times, but each time my soul power was burned by the flames. Do you have any good suggestions?"

A five-star alchemist in the front row spoke up.

Since it was a discussion, everyone was free to speak.

"The furnace is scorching, and soul power is yin and soft. If you recklessly extend it, it will naturally be burned. So why extend soul power at all? The Qingshen Pill formula includes a herb called ganxin grass, which is a spirit-level medicine with its own spirituality."

The female alchemist Luo nodded and explained: "If you control the spirituality of this herb before it enters the furnace flame, you can neutralize the medicinal properties well, achieving a calming effect!"

"I see!"

The five-star alchemist suddenly understood and nodded gratefully.

"I also have a question..."

Another five-star alchemist stood up.

Soon, six or seven five-star alchemists voiced their doubts. The young woman, seemingly only in her twenties, showed no sign of panic. She answered each one, citing various sources and reasoning soundly, earning everyone's admiration.

"Besides questions, do you have any comments to offer? I came here today to exchange ideas. If you have any opinions, feel free to speak directly, no need to hold back."

After explaining for a while and seeing no more questions, Alchemist Luo looked around.

Recently, she had hit a bottleneck in alchemy and couldn't break through. Her alchemy teacher told her to communicate more with other alchemists and cross-validate to improve.

That was why she had come here specifically to give this lecture.

It had to be said, this method was indeed good. Previously, when refining, she had only a partial understanding, and many things were not fully grasped. Now, by explaining, her understanding of alchemy became clearer and deeper.

But this alone was not enough.

She also wanted to hear others' opinions, to think deeply, in order to improve.

"Alchemist Luo, you jest. Your lecture is excellent, and your alchemy skills are so high. We really can't offer any comments!"

"Yes, your movements are flawless, and you refined a perfect-grade Qingshen Pill. Even if we wanted to, we couldn't!"

"Your understanding of alchemy is deeper than ours. If not for insufficient cultivation, you might even be able to challenge for six-star alchemist. Offering you comments... we dare not..."

...

Everyone shook their heads simultaneously.

This woman was from the Hongyuan Empire, not only a five-star alchemist but also a master teacher. It was enough that she was instructing them; even if they had comments, they couldn't see them!

"Sigh."

Seeing everyone shaking their heads and offering no comments, Alchemist Luo shook her head.

In the Hongyuan Empire, everyone feared her status and position; even if they had problems, they dared not speak. She had thought that here, where no one knew her, she could get plenty of opinions, but unexpectedly she still gained nothing.

"Opinions? Do you really want to hear them?"

Just as she was feeling somewhat disappointed, she heard a faint voice from the crowd.

"Yes!" Master Luo quickly nodded.

"Alright then... I have only one sentence... After all this fuss, you're panting and out of breath—and you call this alchemy?"