Chapter 41: Red Eyes (Request for Follow-up Reading)

Due to the transportation of spiritual energy and the consumption of elixirs, a cultivator's appearance often does not match their age.

Therefore, in the world of cultivation, the worst thing to do when judging someone is to judge by their appearance.

Luo Chen did not know what type of spiritual root Gu Caiyi had.

However, when he chatted with Bai Meiling, he had asked about her age.

He remembered that Gu Caiyi was thirty-seven years old.

At thirty-seven, being at the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation was neither good nor bad. Her talent was not bad, but it was not particularly outstanding, or she would have been recruited into a sect long ago.

But in just a few short days, she had actually broken through to the Ninth Level of Qi Condensation.

This greatly surprised Luo Chen.

"How did you do it? Did you take some miraculous elixir?"

"Hehe, you guessed right."

Gu Caiyi pouted, "Recently, for some reason, there are many new faces in the Great River Market, including many Foundation Establishment cultivators."

"The Bell and Tripod Family and our Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion are the places they frequent the most."

"Elixirs that are precious to us Qi Condensation cultivators are insignificant to Foundation Establishment cultivators. We performed a new dance and pleased a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, who casually rewarded us with a bottle of Dust Transformation Pills."

Luo Chen's eyes widened, "Dust Transformation Pills!"

"It seems you're not as ignorant as I thought!"

Luo Chen was certainly not so stupid as to not know about Dust Transformation Pills.

These were top-grade elixirs for the Qi Condensation stage, with the effect of transcending the mundane and transforming into dust.

One pill's potency was several times that of a Qi Nourishing Pill of the same level, and its price was ten times higher!

Even when lower-stage cultivators couldn't find Foundation Establishment elixirs, they would use Dust Transformation Pills to try to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Although the effect was far inferior to Foundation Establishment elixirs, it still had some effect.

"We received a bottle of Dust Transformation Pills, and each of us got one. As the lead dancer, I got two."

Gu Caiyi said proudly, "These past two days, I stayed at the Feathered Garment Pavilion and used these two pills to break through to the Ninth Level of Qi Condensation."

"Do you still recruit people at your Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion?" Luo Chen's voice was tinged with envy, his eyes red.

"Why would you come? To be a pimp?"

"Don't talk nonsense. I was also talented in music and dance from a young age!"

"Alright, no more teasing." Gu Caiyi's expression turned serious, "I want to tell you that something might happen in the Great River Market soon, with so many unfamiliar cultivators around. Be careful when you go out, and don't offend the wrong people."

Luo Chen nodded heavily.

Foreign cultivators were the most feared.

Their roots were not here, and they didn't care much about the various rules of the Great River Market.

Sometimes, they would kill in a fit of anger and then flee, and even the stationed cultivators of the Jade Tripod Sword Sect couldn't do anything about it.

At night, when it was quiet, Luo Chen thought about what had happened during the day, feeling complicated.

Others had easily broken through to the Ninth Level of Qi Condensation, just one step away from Foundation Establishment.

He was still struggling at the Fourth Level of Qi Condensation.

The huge gap made him feel uncomfortable, even though he was trying to put on a brave face.

However, despite his envy, Luo Chen was still happy for Gu Caiyi.

This woman had been very caring towards him since he moved here.

She would always greet him when he came and went, giving him, a nobody in the cultivation world, a sense of existence.

When she learned about his difficulties with alchemy equipment, she used her connections to help him find a high-quality alchemy furnace at a good price.

Now that Gu Caiyi had made a breakthrough, he should be happy for her.

"But I can't slack off either."

"These recent days of comfort seem to have dulled my edge."

"Gu Caiyi's talent is definitely better than mine, yet she still works hard to earn cultivation resources. I'm just a Five Spiritual Root cultivator with a lifespan of only a few decades, and I only have one bottle of Qi Nourishing Pills left."

"What right do I have to live a carefree life?"

From tomorrow on, I must work even harder!

A brand new alchemy room.

A dedicated alchemy artifact, the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace.

The Alchemy Technique of the Marvelous Pill, which had reached the second level of proficiency.

Never has there been a better start!

Everything is ready, except for the fire!

Luo Chen's expression was solemn as he skillfully cast a Fireball Spell to ignite the wood in the fire pit.

The flames roared, quickly heating the small alchemy room to a scorching temperature.

Amidst the heat, Luo Chen seemed unaffected, carefully adding the processed herbs to the furnace.

Not only that, he also used a spirit seal to activate the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace.

The simple patterns engraved on it glowed faintly, as if breathing.

Even though the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace was only a first-tier lower-grade artifact, it was still far superior to the inferior spirit iron pot he had used before.

Luo Chen focused intently on the changes in the herbs inside the furnace, with the Spirit Eye Technique already activated in his eyes.

Even with the obstruction, he could sense the flow of spiritual energy inside.

He also occasionally opened the furnace lid to stir the materials with a wooden stick to prevent them from burning.

Soon, it was noon.

It was time to open the furnace.

The fire had been extinguished for half an hour, and the temperature in the furnace had gradually cooled down.

"Up!"

With a spirit seal, the Traction Technique, which he had mastered, lifted the still warm furnace lid slowly.

A strange fragrance spread, mixed with a hint of burnt smell.

With the Spirit Eye Technique, Luo Chen looked down, his brows furrowed.

The first batch of Marvelous Pills had failed.

This was to be expected, everything was new, and no matter how much preparation he did, he couldn't guarantee a hundred percent success rate.

Luo Chen was not discouraged. He took a shovel and scooped out the herbal residue.

After a simple cleaning, he left the alchemy room.

As soon as he came out, even though it was noon, he still felt a refreshing coolness.

The temperature difference between the alchemy room and the outside was too great.

At this moment, Luo Chen actually missed Sun Shou a bit.

Without any means to cool down, this house, located at the center of the ghost king's suppression, at least provided a bit of coolness.

"Cooking, showering, and continuing in the afternoon!"

He put the rice on to cook and went to the corner of the yard, using the Traction Technique to draw a bucket of water from the well.

Splash!

He poured it directly over his bare body.

"Comfortable!"

Luo Chen couldn't help but moan.

He didn't notice the heat while he was focused inside, but once he came out, he realized the alchemy room was like a furnace.

"It must be a problem with my design and materials; otherwise, it wouldn't be so hot."

"If only a disciple of the Ailao Mountain could design my alchemy room for me."

He chuckled at the thought.

Where would he get the spirit stones to hire a disciple from a prestigious sect to design his alchemy room?

The appearance fee would probably start at a thousand or so spirit stones!

After a simple lunch, Luo Chen gritted his teeth and entered the alchemy room again.

Second batch, let's go!

"Is Xiao Luo at home?"

"Busy, what's up, Sister Caiyi?"

"Nothing, you keep working!"

"Alchemizing again?"

"Can't help it, life is tough."

"Look at you, so pitiful. Sister brought you a box of Green Essence Cake, eat it while it's hot."

"Put it outside, I can't leave, I'm about to add the main ingredients."

"I'll leave then, come out and chat when you're done."

In the afternoon, Luo Chen sat by the well, looking very exhausted.

Gu Caiyi came out and saw this scene.

She frowned and walked over, "Luo Chen, what's wrong with you lately?"

"Nothing, just alchemizing as usual." Luo Chen snapped out of his daze, rubbed his eyes, and quickly stood up.

"You say nothing, but look at you."

Spirit energy flowed, and the remaining water on the ground formed a water mirror.

Luo Chen looked down and saw his red, swollen eyes, heavy bags, and dry, cracked lips.

His messy hair had escaped the hair tie and stuck to his face.

At first glance, he looked like he had worked overtime in front of a computer for a month in his previous life.

Was it because the temperature in the alchemy room was too high?

Luo Chen wasn't sure. In the past ten days, he had tried to alchemize two batches a day.

The success rate was just about as expected, not quite reaching the anticipated twenty percent, but much better than the beginner stage.

However, using an artifact for alchemy required constant use of the Spirit Eye Technique.

Not only did it consume spiritual energy, but it also strained his eyes, especially over long periods, leaving him mentally exhausted.

Not wanting to show weakness in front of a woman, Luo Chen casually changed the subject.

His gaze fell on Gu Caiyi's arm, where a white, transparent gauze was draped.

"Is this a new artifact?"

"You have good eyes!" Gu Caiyi lifted the gauze, beaming, "A Foundation Establishment cultivator named Fei Baiwen gave it to me. It's a high-grade defensive artifact."

Luo Chen was taken aback.

A high-grade artifact, and a defensive one at that?

Someone actually gave this away?

He couldn't help but ask, "Are Foundation Establishment cultivators so wealthy? This artifact must be worth four or five thousand spirit stones, right?"

Gu Caiyi smiled, "Most Foundation Establishment cultivators are not wealthy, and some might even be more frugal than us itinerant cultivators. But Fei Baiwen is different."

"Hmm? How so?"

(End of Chapter)