## Section 29: Pill Refining
2014-06-18 Author: Gu Zhenren
“Cold-blooded grass, three *qian*; Blue Tui flower, five blooms; Carefree powder, two *liang*… Simmer over low heat until an exotic fragrance fills the air… Forge with high heat until the pill skin turns golden… Exhale Xueyi Dan Qi, and achieve the White Lotus Pill of Great Snow Mountain.”
Putting down the prescription, Chu Yun rubbed his eyes, a strong wave of sleepiness washing over him.
Prescriptions weren’t easy to comprehend, especially those for heart ailments, which were often bizarre and unique in their nature.
Fully understanding the medicinal principles within these prescriptions, the reasons behind the ingredient pairings, and the precise execution of each step in the refinement process required profound Alchemy Master skill and wisdom.
“Prescription number one hundred and seventy…” Chu Yun neatly stacked the prescriptions he had reviewed to his right. To his left lay three thousand two hundred more.
Chu Yun possessed Emperor level spirit light, endowing him with superior intellect. Combined with his Innate Body, his energy was seemingly inexhaustible. However, even he felt a growing fatigue after consecutively studying one hundred and seventy prescriptions.
It was a mental weariness.
While Chu Yun’s body was an Innate Body and his spirit light was Emperor level, his soul was comparatively weaker. Such intense study of prescriptions strained his spirit.
“Persist, just a little longer.”
Blinking hard, Chu Yun picked up another prescription, gathering all his focus to begin his study.
“Two hundred prescriptions!” The night had passed. Relying on his formidable willpower, Chu Yun had deciphered thirty more prescriptions.
He was utterly exhausted.
This was not physical exhaustion, but a depletion of his soul and spirit.
He collapsed into sleep.
He benefited greatly from his Innate Body, recovering completely in just one hour. The Innate Body’s boost to the soul and spirit light was considerable.
Four days had passed since the Blind Date Gathering.
During these four days, Chu Yun worked at the research institute during the day and buried himself in studying prescriptions at night. Each prescription he completed, he thoroughly understood all its hidden secrets and principles. He had now reviewed two hundred prescriptions, averaging fifty per day.
Such speed, if revealed, would shock the entire Danzhou. Yet, Chu Yun still felt it was too slow.
The thought of Moon Frost King suffering from her heart ailment, spitting up blood daily due to the severity of her condition, made Chu Yun anxious.
He wished he could finish all the prescriptions in a single day, but he knew it was an unrealistic fantasy.
Fortunately, he discovered that each time his spirit was completely depleted and he recovered from his exhaustion, the refinement of his soul experienced a small but significant improvement.
This discovery brought him great joy. Progress at the Emperor level was arduous, requiring extensive accumulation. Though the soul’s improvement was incremental, over time, it amounted to a substantial gain.
This was also thanks to his Innate Body.
The Innate Body, a physique possessed only by Saints, represented the pinnacle state of all worldly bloodlines. Chu Yun had attained the Innate Body through the Blissful Joy Ship.
Body, soul, and spirit light, though distinct, were interconnected. Chu Yun pushed his soul and spirit to their limits. Any other Emperor level cultivator would require time to recover. Chu Yun, however, could quickly recuperate thanks to the Innate Body’s influence on his soul and spirit light.
In essence, this was Chu Yun’s unique shortcut to rapid cultivation advancement. No other Emperor level cultivators possessed the Innate Body. The nine Saints who had the Innate Body already had Saint-level souls and spirit light, leaving them with no room for such improvement.
This was an unexpected and delightful discovery.
The improvement in his soul allowed Chu Yun to sustain his prescription studies for longer periods.
On the first day, he could only study thirty prescriptions at a time. By the second day, he could manage thirty-five. On the third and fourth days, his progress accelerated daily.
In these four days, Chu Yun’s Pill Refining skill concerning heart ailments had advanced by leaps and bounds.
After reviewing two hundred prescriptions, Chu Yun was worlds apart from his former self, a testament to his rapid transformation.
Of course, his Blissful Immortal Consorts also contributed. They assisted Chu Yun in interpreting the prescriptions, discussing his findings after each study session. Many of his confusions were resolved, and hidden secrets he hadn’t noticed were pointed out, much to his amazement.
Chu Yun was like a tireless machine, absorbing knowledge voraciously. Externally, he appeared no different, but inwardly, both his cultivation and his Pill Refining skills were advancing at a breakneck pace.
His already exceptional willpower was fueled by the personal nature of this endeavor, involving his own mother. In just over a month, he finished studying all the prescriptions. In terms of alchemy, he successfully broke through to the Grandmaster level. His cultivation stabilized at the initial Emperor stage, steadily progressing towards the middle stage.
He began refining pills.
Leveraging his position at the research institute, most of the Yun Family’s medicinal ingredient stores were made accessible to him. However, this time, his Pill Refining endeavor was causing a considerable stir, involving numerous Supreme grade medicinal ingredients. Some of the required ingredients were scarce even within the Yun Family’s collection. Despite his low-key approach, word of his undertaking spread rapidly, becoming common knowledge.
Yun Baishen and Yun Xiaoai approached him because of this.
Chu Yun’s readiness to refine pills so quickly astonished the siblings. They had expected him to take until the end of the year to even cursorily review the three thousand prescriptions. They hadn’t anticipated him attempting refinement so soon.
“It’s nothing. After thoroughly studying just over thirty prescriptions, I suddenly had an inspiration, a flash of insight, and came up with this plan,” Chu Yun explained.
Yun Xiaoai was taken aback. Over a month and already over thirty prescriptions? That was an average of one per day – an incredible pace.
Chu Yun, naturally, did not reveal that he had already completely studied all the prescriptions and understood their every hidden secret.
“You’ve come at the right time. Obtaining certain medicinal ingredients is difficult for me. You are direct descendants of the Yun Family; could you assist me with this?” Chu Yun asked.
His words made the siblings feel slightly embarrassed.
Chu Yun was helping them, yet now he was asking for their assistance.
Yun Baishen immediately patted his chest, vowing to provide full support for all the necessary ingredients. Before leaving, however, Yun Baishen subtly advised Chu Yun to be cautious.
Since entering the Yun Family, Chu Yun had been the center of attention. His position at the research institute was a meteoric rise that already sparked envy. His performance at the Blind Date Gathering further fueled jealousy and dissatisfaction among many in the Yun Family. Now, when he was about to refine pills for Moon Frost King, many were waiting for him to fail, anticipating a spectacle.
Chu Yun nodded, thanking the Yun siblings for their well-intentioned warning.
“No need for politeness. You were invited into the Yun Family by me. I feel a strong connection with you. You might not believe it, but the first time I discovered you, it was simply because you gave me a feeling of familiarity. It was only later that I recognized your talent. I suppose this is fate. In truth, it’s alright if the refinement fails. For over forty years, the Yun Family has mobilized countless Alchemy Masters, even Grandmasters, but none have been able to significantly improve my aunt’s condition, only to slow the symptoms. Don’t worry too much about what others say.”
Yun Baishen’s parting words were tactful. The initial idea to enlist Chu Yun’s help had been his. Of course, he, too, believed Chu Yun’s chances of success were extremely slim. After all, for so many years, immense resources had been expended without finding a cure. Considering Chu Yun’s current age and skill, success would be nothing short of a miracle.
But as he said, there had been no substantial results for decades. Letting Chu Yun give it a try wouldn’t hurt, would it?
However, Yun Baishen hadn’t anticipated the magnitude of Chu Yun’s undertaking. The medicinal ingredients required for the refined pill were so rare that even he found them difficult to obtain, necessitating the clan head’s explicit approval for their release from the stores.
This matter had stirred undercurrents, drawing widespread attention throughout the Yun Family. Yun Baishen had to admit that the probability of Chu Yun’s failure was very high, with success being minuscule. If he failed, Chu Yun would undoubtedly face cold treatment and widespread mockery from the Yun Family.
In Yun Baishen’s view, this had originally been his responsibility. Now, it was implicating Chu Yun. Yun Xiaoai, carefree as ever, hadn’t grasped the full implications, but Yun Baishen felt deeply apologetic. However, the situation had progressed too far to retreat.
“Regardless, I need these medicinal ingredients! I can bear the risk. If the Pill Refining fails, please record the debt for the consumed ingredients under my name,” Yun Baishen stated firmly when speaking to the clan leader, requesting permission. He knew that at this stage, this was the greatest support he could offer Chu Yun.
Yun Baishen’s personal guarantee propelled the entire affair to a new climax, even alarming the Yun Family’s highest leadership.
“The alliance of two geniuses attempts to overcome Moon Frost King’s forty-year heart ailment.”
There was astonishment, support, and also many eagerly anticipating a spectacle.
The entire Yun Family’s attention was fixed on this matter.
Chu Yun remained oblivious to the external commotion. The opinions of others meant nothing to him. His entire focus was on Pill Refining.
Refining pills for his mother!
He could not afford to fail.
He *must* succeed!
He leased the Yun Family’s highest-level refining chamber and worked tirelessly for seven consecutive days and nights, constantly engaged in Pill Refining.
This relentless approach to Pill Refining deeply moved the Yun siblings and drew renewed attention from many.
Ordinary Pill Refining, even if it took a month or even one to two years, allowed the Alchemist to rest, provided the heat control was maintained.
However, Chu Yun’s current method required constant manipulation of flames and sustained high-level mental focus from the Alchemist, placing immense strain on his body, soul, and spirit light.
On the day the pill was perfected, an unparalleled white Dan Qi formed clouds of mist, swirling above the Yun Family. A majestic nine-colored pill light shot skyward, piercing the heavens. The spectacle even alerted several reclusive elders of the Yun Family.
Supreme grade Pill!
Those who rushed to the scene upon hearing the news were stunned by the display.
(To be continued)
