Chapter 8: Do You Know the Crane in the Clouds?

"Why have the Frost Wolf Pack been coming to the outskirts recently?"

"Really bad luck, it's a pity we didn't have time to cut up and store the two first-stage demonic beasts we hunted."

"It's probably the time for the wolf king to be contested in the Howling Moon Mountains. It's said that hundreds of years ago, many wolf packs fled to the outskirts to avoid disaster."

"Forget it, let's head back to the market for a rest. We've been exhausted lately."

"Yeah, as long as everyone is safe."

A few words, filled with frustration and the relief of surviving a crisis.

Several cultivators walked from the plains toward the center of the market. They paused when they passed by Luo Chen's house.

Then a clear and straightforward female voice came over.

"Fellow Daoist, it seems this area isn't safe lately. If you can, move closer to the inner city!"

Luo Chen didn't respond.

If he had the means, he would have moved long ago.

And the areas near the inner city, which aren't the inner city, aren't really safe either.

Those wandering cultivators live on the edge, often ambushing and robbing others in the dark. It's quite frequent.

He has seen bloodstains and bones on the ground more than once on his way into the city.

This area, though dangerous, has the cultivators in the plains setting up protective barriers every year. Low-level demonic beasts instinctively avoid coming in, and stronger second-level demonic beasts dare not approach human settlements.

Relatively speaking, living here is still relatively safe.

Moreover, he usually acts as if he has nothing, barely earning a few spirit stones a month to get by, and few cultivators look at him with interest.

"Why are you bothering that kid, Huiniang?"

"Taking a bath in the stream during the day, he must be a new arrival to the Dahuang Market!"

"Let's go, let's go, back home."

Perhaps not hearing a response, the people outside grumbled a few words and left together.

Hearing them leave, Luo Chen couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Compared to demonic beasts, he was more afraid of human cultivators.

But what Huiniang said made sense. If there really is a disturbance in the Howling Moon Mountains, the southwestern area, being the closest, would indeed be very dangerous.

"My mood is adjusted just right, not too tense, not too relaxed. I'll start refining the pills tomorrow!"

"This time, it will definitely succeed!"

After a day and night of rest, both his body and mind were in the best state.

At dawn, after running through the Changchun Technique, Luo Chen put on a gray apron and walked to the kitchen window.

A long-bearded clay figure stood there, holding a wooden knife, with phoenix eyes, thick eyebrows, and red cheeks.

"Lord Guan, bless me to succeed!"

Calmly, he started the stove, added water, and used the Fireball Spell to ignite it.

First, he boiled the auxiliary materials, then stir-fried the mineral materials, added broth to boil, and sequentially added Polygonum multiflorum, yam, and fire dog penis.

After about three hours of boiling, he added the last water-type spirit medicine, scallops, to balance the yin and yang.

The fire control was adjusted, sometimes high, sometimes low.

After another two hours, he opened the pot!

A pot of light red paste, condensed in the pot, wobbled like jelly when poked with a new wooden spoon.

It's quite bouncy!

But it still failed.

According to the pill formula, the finished paste should be dark red, and only then would the Zongmiao Pills have the maximum effect of enhancing yang.

Although it failed, Luo Chen wasn't overly distressed.

Clearly, this batch was very close to success.

At least it solidified well, achieving a bouncy texture.

For cultivators, if someone isn't afraid of the drug's toxicity and eats the whole pot, it would probably work.

Of course, the side effects would be significant.

So Luo Chen didn't plan to sell it, as it would easily get him beaten up.

He tasted a tiny bit to confirm the difference in potency, recalled the process, nodded, and then dumped the dregs into the stream.

In the evening, he practiced and slept as usual.

The next day, he promptly paid respects to Lord Guan and then refined the pills.

Failed!

The third day, he promptly paid respects to Lord Guan and then refined the pills.

Succeeded!

Yeah, succeeded!

Luo Chen looked at the large pot of red jelly, feeling that the bitter times were over, and his eyes couldn't help but moisten.

"Eight batches of materials failed, equivalent to the loss of forty spirit stones. If we also deduct the forty bottles of辟谷散 (Pigusuan) that could have been refined in these eight days, it's equivalent to a loss of eight spirit stones."

"Ugh, almost all my savings are gone."

He quickly took out all the ointment, ignoring the heat, and cut it into pieces with a bamboo knife, then shaped it into small balls.

After drying overnight, it would be a success!

There was still one batch of materials left, so he could try again the next day.

The next morning, Luo Chen eagerly went to the kitchen where the pill-making board was set up.

Sure enough, the ten small balls had shrunk to the size of longan.

The water had evaporated, leaving only the essence.

Any one of them would make a man soar!

He carefully placed the red pills into a jade bottle and paid respects to Lord Guan again.

"Lord, you are truly considerate. Even though I have crossed over, you still protect me. When I become successful, I will definitely build a temple and a golden statue for you!"

After paying respects, he put on his apron and clenched his fists tightly.

"Indeed, I am a pill-refining genius, born to refine pills!"

"In the future, I will definitely become famous. I've even thought of a nickname: the Pill God of the Eastern Wasteland, with a prestige no less than that of the Central Plains Pill Saint!"

After self-motivating, Luo Chen got busy again.

The smoky and hot kitchen was filled with a warm and pleasant atmosphere.

However, when the bright sunlight shone in, it revealed a face without expression.

"Hehe, everyone has their off days. Even the Pill Saint had his furnace explode when refining first-stage pills as a child."

"Next time, it will definitely succeed, it will definitely succeed!"

Saying that, Luo Chen still felt the pain.

This batch of materials cost five spirit stones!

He was in a bind!

"No, this only bottle of Zongmiao Pills must be sold at a high price, or the costs won't be covered!"

The sky was just beginning to brighten.

The world seemed to be enveloped in a white mist, and the vast mountains looked like a giant abyss, waiting to swallow the Dahuang Market.

A young man in a washed-out lower-grade robe ran through the muddy shantytown of wandering cultivators like the wind.

A female cultivator who was out to empty a chamber pot in the morning couldn't help but laugh and scold.

"The kid runs pretty fast, does he have a dog chasing him?"

Fast, indeed it was fast.

Luo Chen seemed to have a knack for martial arts. He spent just a few days to advance from the beginner level to the proficient level in the *Xiaoyao You*.

Not only did it give him an achievement point, but it also doubled his speed.

Before, he could run 100 meters in nine seconds.

Now, with a few leaps, he could cover more than 100 meters.

The usual one and a half-hour walk to the city took him about 30 to 40 minutes to run.

Today, he reached the city gate in just 20 minutes!

Luo Chen hadn't experienced the *Yufeng Jue* (Wind Riding Technique), but he felt the *Xiaoyao You* wasn't bad either, and this was just the proficient level. There were still advanced, perfect, and master levels to go.

Great potential to explore!

When he arrived at the southwestern area of the wandering cultivators, it was still dark. This time, the old Daoist Chen Xiu didn't arrive earlier than him.

In the vast area for setting up stalls, only a few people were already there.

Luo Chen looked around and didn't put the pills out first. Instead, he went to a stall.

"Brother Wang, you're here pretty early!"

Wang Yuan glanced at him and didn't say a word.

Luo Chen chuckled, not feeling awkward, and squatted down to flip through the books.

"Leave *Five Essential Techniques for the Qi Condensation Stage* alone, it costs money."

"How much?"

"Two mid-level spirit stones."

"Why don't you just rob people!"

"This is what I robbed!"

"Uh, forget I said that."

Wang Yuan, at the seventh level of the Qi Condensation Stage, was one of those who lived on the edge, often involved in village conflicts and highway robberies.

Luo Chen couldn't provoke him, and Wang Yuan didn't look at him with interest, so they only chatted occasionally when setting up stalls.

Oh, when Wang Yuan was down on his luck and forced to hunt in the Ancient Plains Mountains, Luo Chen had given him a few bottles of Pigusuan on credit.

So the two actually had some connection.

"Leave this one alone, it records a sinister and evil technique."

"Hey, you little brat, be careful, or I'll rob you outside the inner city!"

"Here, you can read this one for free. If you want to buy it, I'll give you a 50% discount, five spirit stones."

Why buy when you can get it for free?

No matter how rich you are, you shouldn't waste money like that!

Luo Chen eagerly picked up the *Six Regions' Scenic Records* and read it with great interest.

He read for an hour.

When the market became crowded, Luo Chen reluctantly put the book down.

"Brother Wang, I'll go over there first. Here's a bag of spicy beef jerky for you to enjoy."

Wang Yuan glared at him, "Get lost!"

Looking at the bag of beef jerky, he subtly swallowed and squeezed his buttocks.

Back at the stone slab stall, Old Daoist Chen was already setting up talismans and talisman paper.

"Uncle Chen, do you know the Crane in the Clouds?"

(End of Chapter)