Cultivating Immortality in a World of Chaos

Chapter 145: Pill Concoction

Inside the immortal’s cave.

The runes of the fire control formation illuminated one by one, drawing upon spirit stones and spiritual energy to create a tier-2 azure flame beneath the Violet Jade Furnace.

Heat waves surged, steadily increasing the temperature around it.

Sensing the stability and obedience of this flame, Fang Xi nodded with satisfaction.

His designed formation operated remarkably well, with its only drawback being the consumption of spirit stones.

Fang Xi took a deep breath and first retrieved other medicinal ingredients to concoct a batch of ‘Qi Supplement Pills’.

In the art of pill concoction, this technique is known as ‘Warming the Furnace’!

When using a pill furnace that has been idle for a long time, the performance during the first batch often diminishes, potentially affecting subsequent pill outcomes. Therefore, before attempting important medicinal pills, alchemists typically start by concocting a different type of pill beforehand.

With a solemn expression, Fang Xi set aside the prepared Qi Supplement Pills and then extracted sixteen jade boxes from his bag of holding.

As he opened them, various ingredients became visible, with a striking gray-white monster core catching the most attention.

“Let’s begin!” Fang Xi murmured and first retrieved a pristine white ‘Dragon Transformation Ginseng’, resembling fine jade, before carefully slicing off a portion with a small jade knife.

To concoct a Foundation Establishment Pill, one actually doesn’t require an entire Dragon Transformation Ginseng; just a segment is sufficient. However, once cut, this ginseng rapidly loses its medicinal potency, hence it is typically sold whole.

“These monster cores are from early Foundation Establishment beasts. I don’t expect to produce more than two pills per batch, so naturally, I’ll use minimal ingredients… Small quantities at a time, gradually accumulating experience…”

Fang Xi released his divine sense, directing it into the Violet Jade Furnace.

In the next moment, he placed the sliced Dragon Transformation Ginseng inside, manipulating flames to envelop it and refine it into a transparent liquid essence.

Next came the other auxiliary materials…

Throughout this process, Fang Xi meticulously observed every change within the medicine furnace using his divine sense.

Since he wasn’t expecting success with his first batch, his mindset remained calm, treating it purely as an experimental exercise.

As soon as the grayish-white monster core entered the pill furnace, Fang Xi’s expression turned unprecedentedly solemn.

Roar! Roar!

Upon encountering the flames, the monster core instantly unleashed a powerful resistance, accompanied by faint sounds of furious mythical beasts.

“Concocting with monster beast cores indeed lacks the gentleness found in spirit medicines…”

Fang Xi swiftly added the Jade Spirit Solution to blend the medicinal properties and stabilize the various ingredients.

However, in the very next moment!

Boom!

The Violet Jade Furnace trembled violently as the internal conflict between the drug solution and the monster core escalated, resulting in both turning to ashes!

In this first attempt, Fang Xi failed even before reaching the stage of solidifying the liquid into a pill.

“Hm… The impact from the monster beast core was too strong, and I introduced the Jade Spirit Solution slightly late…” His face remained impassive, showing no concern for having destroyed such an incredibly valuable monster beast core. Instead, he reflected on his pill-concocting experience thus far.

After resting overnight and mentally rehearsing numerous times, Fang Xi once again commenced pill concoction!

Bang!

This time, he barely managed to integrate the Jade Spirit Solution with the monster core, merging it with the drug solution. Yet, at the final step…

---

Three months later.

“Sixth batch!”

Fang Xi’s expression remained composed, his gaze sharp and focused as he skillfully added each ingredient to the pill furnace with fluid grace.

Next, he introduced a crystal-like monster inner core along with the Jade Spirit Solution!

“In the fifth batch, I was close to forming the pill just before running out of magical energy at the critical moment…”

This time, Fang Xi was well-prepared. He perfectly activated the demonic energy from the monster core, seamlessly blending it with the existing medicinal liquid, resulting in a translucent mixture tinged with shades of purple and green.

The roaring flames continuously nurtured this mass of liquid…

After seven days and nights, Fang Xi consumed a Qi Supplement Pill to replenish his magical energy before calmly executing a magic art:

“Condense!”

Within the pill furnace, the purplish-green liquid rapidly concentrated, its color shifting between various hues of iridescent shimmer…

Sweat beaded on Fang Xi’s forehead as he struggled to stabilize the conflicting spiritual energies within the medicinal pill.

Three days later.

“Open the furnace!”

His magical energy surged, channeling multiple magic arts into the Violet Jade Furnace.

With a resounding rumble, a pale blue medicinal pill emerged, landing in Fang Xi’s hand.

Before any joy could surface on his face, the Foundation Establishment Pill swiftly turned black, exploded, and disintegrated into ash.

“I need to refine my technique for extracting the pill…I rushed it slightly earlier.”

---

Another three months passed.

As Fang Xi’s attempts continued, the time he spent on each Foundation Establishment Pill grew longer, which was indeed a positive sign.

Initially, he had failed early in the process, but now, he could persist all the way to the final step of extracting the pill.

“Eighteenth batch!”

Fang Xi meticulously navigated through each challenging stage until reaching the crucial extraction phase.

This time, having refined his original technique for collecting pills, he cast a new magic seal into the pill furnace.

The Violet Jade Furnace rumbled open, filling the room with a potent medicinal aroma.

A deep blue medicinal pill landed in Fang Xi’s hand - it was the Foundation Establishment Pill!

However, upon closer inspection, there was a gray alchemy marking visible on its surface!

“Inferior-grade Foundation Establishment Pill?!” Fang Xi frowned. “It seems my previous method still has imperfections…”

Despite being inferior grade, this pill retained the remarkable effect of aiding a cultivator’s transformation during Foundation Establishment. The downside was its excessive pill toxicity and slightly diminished efficacy compared to a genuine Foundation Establishment Pill, estimated at only around 60-70% effectiveness.

“But it’s enough, more than enough…”

“As long as the Foundation Establishment Pill safeguards the meridians and ensures survival even if the attempt fails, that alone is sufficient…”

Fang Xi carefully stored away this substandard Foundation Establishment Pill and then went to catch up on much-needed sleep.

The recent pressure had been immense, especially during the final few batches.

Despite reminding himself that failure would merely mean repeating the process of gathering materials, the supply of Monster Kings in Great Liang was not inexhaustible.

Now, with all stress swept aside, Fang Xi joyfully took a few months off for leisure before returning refreshed to resume his work!

For the ninth batch of Foundation Establishment Pills, Fang Xi approached it freely, letting his creativity soar… He tested several hypotheses one by one, but ultimately, the furnace exploded midway through the process.

With a hearty laugh, he cleaned the furnace and proceeded to refine the last monster beast inner core.

This time, as if aided by divine providence, he successfully produced a genuine Foundation Establishment Pill in his final attempt!

---

Lying half-reclined on his bed within the immortal’s cave, Fang Xi tossed two jade bottles in his hands.

“With ten monster beast cores, any pill concocting grandmaster could easily produce at least ten genuine Foundation Establishment Pills…”

This wasn’t to say they always succeeded with every batch, but some grandmasters were capable of creating two Foundation Establishment Pills per furnace!

In contrast, Fang Xi managed only two pills from ten cores, one of which was inferior quality—a significant loss!

Yet, he still felt it was quite profitable.

At the very least, he quietly obtained two Foundation Establishment Pills and learned the art of crafting them!

Armed with this skill, he could dare to impersonate a tier-2 pill concocting grandmaster!

However, Fang Xi had no intention of doing so.

As he played with the jade bottles containing the Foundation Establishment Pills, he began contemplating his path to Foundation Establishment.

“Swallowing the Foundation Establishment Pill for transformation should ideally be done above a tier-2 spiritual vein, benefiting from its enhancement…”

“With my identity as Fang Xi, I can openly declare my intent to break through to Foundation Establishment… At just fifty-eight years old, I can claim that nearing the sixty-year deadline, I’m taking a desperate gamble!”

Although the self-guided Foundation Establishment process has extremely low success rates and high mortality, there have been fortunate exceptions!

“Or perhaps… announce having luckily acquired a Foundation Establishment spirit item?”

“After all, once reaching Foundation Establishment, the spirit object is consumed. Who could verify it then?”

---

Bai Ze Immortal City was renowned as a sanctuary for rogue cultivators seeking Foundation Establishment.

News of successful rogue cultivators achieving this milestone circulated regularly, ensuring a reasonable level of credibility.

Since Fang Xi had meticulously planned to acquire a Foundation Establishment Pill, he naturally aimed for optimal conditions across all aspects.

Renting a tier-2 spiritual vein immortal’s cave indeed offered unparalleled safety compared to any other location within the Yue Kingdom.

Moreover…Fang Xi also considered the challenges post-Foundation Establishment.

“After reaching Foundation Establishment, despite my superior spiritual roots, I’ll still require access to a tier-2 spiritual vein, suitable cultivation techniques, and ample resources for effective practice… Ideally, having support from a major power would be beneficial.”

“Bai Ze Immortal City seems promising… If I achieve Foundation Establishment here, with a clear background, they might seek me out. Perhaps I could leverage this opportunity to join them?”

As for the Core Formation sects in the three kingdoms, they were not part of Fang Xi’s considerations. Aside from potentially stringent entry evaluations, simply being a disciple not raised from childhood by a sect virtually guaranteed exclusion from its inner circles, unless under extraordinary circumstances.

After all, loyalty is highly valued within sects!

---

With this decision made, Fang Xi tidied up his cave and returned to Bai Ze Immortal City.

Smokey Willow Lane, Building 87.

He had previously rented it for ten years, and the lease was still valid.

Gazing at his little courtyard brought a sense of familiarity.

“Fellow Daoist, you’re back! Something significant happened recently!”

The Grapevine Fairy, clad in a green dress, brightened upon seeing Fang Xi. “Your cultivation… has reached great perfection?”

“Indeed, by sheer fortune, I finally advanced to the tenth level of Qi Refinement!” Fang Xi smiled slightly. Since he aimed for Foundation Establishment soon, there was no need to conceal his cultivation base publicly anymore. He then asked, “What occurred?”

“Sigh… Jin Ling’s husband, nearing the end of his longevity, rented a tier-2 immortal’s cave in the inner city to attempt Foundation Establishment but failed, leading to his demise…” The Grapevine Fairy recounted with a tone of respect, acknowledging that Fang Xi was now a formidable expert at the great perfection stage.

“Oh… truly unexpected.”

Fang Xi promptly took some gifts and headed to Su Lie’s residence to offer condolences.

“Fellow Daoist Fang…”

Jin Ling, dressed in a snowy white gown, looked on with a cold expression.

“My condolences, Fellow Daoist Jin,” Fang Xi offered sympathetically.

“You know old Su’s temperament well… Before exhausting his longevity, he would inevitably take the chance.” Jin Ling spoke emotionlessly, “Before entering his death-defying seclusion, he mentioned his greatest regret was not attempting earlier, before age sixty, which led to diminished blood qi and reduced chances of success… Not once did he consider me; how utterly heartless!”

Fang Xi remained speechless, unsure how to respond.

---

The next day, Fang Xi ventured to the inner city and found the manager responsible for rentals, requesting a tier-two immortal’s cave.

“Certainly, certainly…” The manager, dressed in a green silk robe, introduced himself with a smile as Manager Han. “May I ask what purpose you have for renting an immortal’s cave? If it’s for seclusion to break through your cultivation, our top-tier ‘A’ class caves are ideal, boasting tier-two high-grade spiritual energy inside!”

“Indeed, it’s for breaking through in seclusion!” Fang Xi replied firmly.

Noticing Fang Xi’s Peak Qi Refinement cultivation base, Manager Han’s expression turned slightly more serious. “If I may inquire, how old is esteemed sir?”

“Fifty-eight years…” Fang Xi answered with a weary demeanor.

“Ah, an A-class immortal’s cave costs one hundred spirit stones per year…” Without further ado, Manager Han swiftly processed the rental formalities.

After Fang Xi left, Manager Han watched his departing figure, a hint of pity evident on his face.

Having worked here, he had seen numerous rogue cultivators attempting their final gamble before reaching the age of sixty.

Most ended up failing; some even tragically lost their lives due to bad luck.

“Foundation Establishment, ah…” A trace of melancholy and self-deprecation crossed Manager Han’s face. “The true darlings of the heavens achieve Peak Qi Refining by thirty and then breakthrough using Foundation Establishment Pills… How can mere elders like us compare?”