New Pill

Let's save ourselves the trouble today. In the future, the Xuanqing Sect cultivators will send someone to check the accounts.

They don't care where the spirit stones, elixirs, and magical artifacts came from; they only care whether taxes were paid according to regulations.

If discrepancies are found in the inflow and outflow of certain spirit stones, a large-scale investigation will be conducted into all the accounts of the Enforcement Department.

When the time comes, any problems will come to light, and they absolutely cannot afford to lose sight of the bigger picture for the sake of small gains.

"Hmm... Fellow Daoist, I can't calculate the exact amount, so I can only use the highest possible amount."

However, even with a 50% discount, it's still cheaper no matter how you look at it.

Based on a cost of 1500 spirit stones, you only need to give 700 spirit stones!

"good!"

Chen Lu nodded slightly and took out the spirit tickets he had prepared in advance from his storage bag.

"Um...do you need an invoice?" the enforcement squad leader asked after counting the spirit tickets.

"Need not."

When Xuanqing Sect investigates taxes, they only focus on large merchants and powerful forces. They have never even investigated small merchants, let alone a cultivator like him who has no power.

Chen Lu was very satisfied after getting what he wanted.

He adjusted his straw hat, spun around a few times, and only left the black market after confirming that no bandits were following him.

Back at his residence, he carefully placed them all away. These were processed items, ready to be used directly for alchemy or medicine preparation, saving him a lot of trouble.

With everything settled down, Chen Lu's life finally returned to normal, and everything was moving in a positive direction.

I spent five days learning alchemy from Master Li, then seven days learning swordsmanship from Elder Chuanjing, and the remaining seven days consolidating my alchemy skills.

In the blink of an eye, more than half a year has passed.

In the Immortal City of Red Bamboo, at the residence of Master Li Dan, Chen Lu finished the last batch of pills during his study trip.

Chen Lu took a deep breath and slowly opened the alchemy furnace.

The lingering scalding heat had not yet dissipated, but he reached directly into the furnace and, with his bare hands, retrieved several pills enveloped in spiritual energy from the furnace, which was hot enough to burn flesh.

Li Danshi, who was watching from the side, nodded in satisfaction:

"You kid, time is so tight, yet you haven't neglected either alchemy or body tempering."

This batch of Qi-Nourishing Pills barely qualifies as mid-grade, but there's still quite a bit of residual poison.

The reason for this is that you were a bit too hasty when you were refining it. When you get back, practice more. It's better to slow down and double the refining time to properly remove the poison from the pill.

"Yes, Master."

Chen Lu respectfully agreed and tossed the Qi-Nourishing Pills into a box to the side, which contained many such low-grade or mid-grade pills.

Because they used Master Li's elixirs, he couldn't take these finished pills with him.

As for the fasting pill, he successfully refined it to a high-grade level two months ago.

Under Master Li Dan's special refining method, the elixir poisoning was almost completely controlled and eliminated.

The Qi-Nourishing Pill was the second type of elixir he learned to refine.

With the experience gained from the Bigu Pill, coupled with the high intensity of alchemy, he quickly refined a low-grade Qi Nourishing Pill. Today's last batch is the first time it has reached the mid-grade level.

"Then... Master, do you think this grade of Qi-Nourishing Pill should be sold on the market?"

Chen Lu looked at the pills in the box, feeling a sense of anticipation.

After selling the fasting pills I had previously refined, the money I earned wasn't even enough to cover the cost of the ruined medicinal herbs.

He had worked most of the way through, but he was basically losing money.

The failed attempts at refining the Bigu Pill and the failed attempts at refining the Yangqi Pill not only depleted his monthly salary but also used up more than a thousand of his five thousand lower-level spiritual coins in savings.

Master Li looked at him and said with a smile:

"Sure, when did I ever say I couldn't sell it? You can sell it as you please, as long as you don't use my name to sell it."

You can sell it in your own name as you please, as long as you're not afraid of making people sick and having customers come to you for compensation.

"Don't you still have over three thousand spirit coins in savings? That should be enough to compensate two rogue cultivators."

"hey-hey."

Chen Lu scratched his head awkwardly; the cost of the Qi Nourishing Pill was several times that of the Grain-Abstaining Pill.

If he still doesn't make money after two more months of training, he'll be left penniless.

Looking at Chen Lu's embarrassed appearance, Li Danshi shook his head helplessly.

"If you want to sell it, you can only do so on the black market."

According to market prices, a top-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill costs one low-grade spirit stone, while your mid-grade pill can only fetch a maximum of seven spirit stones.

Ordinary pharmacies would take 2% as a commission, while the black market would take 3%, meaning they would receive 5 pieces of Soul Shards.

After deducting costs, you can only earn less than half a spirit fragment per piece, but you are different; you can make small profits but sell in large quantities.

An ordinary alchemy furnace produces 50 pills a day, but yours can produce 200. If you refine pills for 7 days a month, you can earn 56 lower-grade spirit pills.

After Li Danshi's calculations, Chen Lu seemed to see a glimmer of hope.

Master Li Dan's calculations were roughly correct; he used to spend 50 lower-level spiritual stones on cultivation each month.

Now, I earn 56 lower-level spirit coins a month from alchemy, and with the profits from the escort team, I can afford a better cultivation room.

He spends a maximum of 7 days a month on alchemy, and only half of each day on it.

While spending more time can earn more spirit stones, it greatly affects cultivation, causing stagnation in cultivation level.

Having spiritual stones but not being able to use them effectively is, in the long run, harmful rather than beneficial.

"Giving up the job of a bodyguard to choose full-time alchemy has a major drawback..."

Staying with the family will undoubtedly mean losing some freedom, but it will also bring more attention and resources.

Master Li is a case in point. Although he earns a lot of spirit stones, he is tightly controlled by the alchemy workshop and cannot leave or escape. He is stuck in the position of refining pills.

While leaving one's family may bring more spirit stones and freedom, a cultivator without the protection of a powerful force is like a castle in the air, with no guarantee of safety should an accident occur.

Freedom and more resources cannot coexist; a choice must be made.

I love freedom, and I'm willing to pay a higher price to maintain it.

Therefore, the work of a bodyguard cannot be abandoned, while the identity of an alchemist can only be kept hidden, as a last resort.

After pondering his plan, Chen Lu stood up and respectfully took his leave.

As I walked out of the alchemy room, Chu Liutang also came out, carrying a basket filled with discarded pills and medicines, from which a strange stench wafted out from time to time.

"Junior Brother Chen, how's the Qi-Nourishing Pill coming along?"

Chu Liutang placed the basket at his feet and asked curiously.

Chen Lu shook his head dejectedly, looking at him with a hint of envy in his eyes:

"Not as good as Senior Brother Chu, who can refine a high-grade pill in two months."

As for me, it took me two months to barely reach the level of a mid-grade pill.

Chu Liutang's comprehension was no less than his, but their alchemy results were vastly different after two months.

The difference between the top 100 and the top 300 is not just about qualifications.

Chu Liutang was taken aback, then forced a rather awkward smile.

"As long as Junior Brother Chen puts his heart into it, he will definitely be able to catch up with Senior Brother."

It took me two months, but I practiced every day to achieve these results.

He has only been studying for two months, and has actually spent less than a month on alchemy.

In terms of aptitude, I am better than him, but in terms of comprehension, I am much weaker.

It took more than half the time; compared to him, I can only be considered someone who can make up for my shortcomings through hard work.