Chapter 840: Fengwu Marrow

The Duanxu Pill is famously capable of rejoining severed limbs. Precisely because of this, it is exceptionally difficult to refine.

Its grade is among the highest in the seventh-tier of medicines, making it difficult even for average 7-star alchemists to complete. How could they possibly achieve it?

In Upper Nine Stream professions, once you surpass the fifth rank, the gap between each subsequent level becomes increasingly vast.

Although only one level separates a 6-star and 7-star alchemist, the difference is as vast as that between a Saint and a Spirit Realm cultivator; they simply cannot be compared.

Furthermore, even within the 7-star rank, there is a world of difference between a low-grade and a high-grade alchemist.

This means that although they have all reached the peak of 6-star alchemists and are on the verge of breakthroughs, refining the Duanxu Pill — which only a high-grade 7-star alchemist can achieve — remains impossible for them.

"This... I'm afraid we are willing, but our abilities fall short!"

Alchemist Lu let out a bitter laugh and shook his head helplessly.

"I'm aware of the difficulty; that's precisely why I hope you will work together!" said Zhang Xuan.

"Work together? We... we've never cooperated before; how could we possibly team up?" Everyone shook their heads.

Alchemy isn't like combat or martial arts, where people can coordinate and cover for each other. Every alchemist has their own unique methods and steps. If they attempt to refine together, errors often occur, ranging from wasting all the ingredients to a furnace explosion.

While joint alchemy does exist, it's typically practiced by fellow disciples who have cooperated for decades, understanding each other implicitly and working together flawlessly.

For people like them, who have been immersed in their individual practices for centuries and developed unique styles, attempting to cooperate would likely result in failure to refine the pill at best. At worst, the entire Master Teacher Academy could be blown to smithereens.

As a top-tier seventh-grade pill, the Duanxu Pill contains energy comparable to that of a Saint Realm 4-dan expert. If an error were to occur, it would be almost impossible for them, with their Saint Realm 1-dan cultivation, to suppress it.

"Don't worry about that. I have a few sets of alchemy techniques here that I hope you can learn and master quickly. As for how to coordinate, as long as you strictly follow my instructions, there won't be any problems!"

Zhang Xuan took out a few books and handed them over.

He had written them after finishing his lecture and carefully studying the Duanxu Pill's refining method.

"Techniques?"

Alchemist Lu and the others took the books and looked down at them.

Each book they received was different, and both the names and the alchemy techniques presented formed complete, self-contained systems.

"Misty Rain Alchemy Technique..."

After quickly reading through his own book, Alchemist Lu's expression grew increasingly solemn.

This Misty Rain Alchemy Technique emphasized a gentle, nurturing approach, like soft winds and moistening rain. The techniques were so advanced and intricate that he had never seen anything like them in his life. With his knowledge as a peak 6-star alchemist, he could foresee that mastering it would undoubtedly elevate his alchemy level significantly.

As long as his cultivation reached the necessary level, advancing to a 7-star alchemist would be effortless!

Most importantly, it perfectly complemented the cultivation technique he practiced internally. This set of techniques not only enhanced his alchemy but also allowed him to better utilize his own strength.

"What excellent techniques; they perfectly complement my Spirit Turtle True Qi..."

"This one also perfectly integrates with my cultivation method..."

After the others finished reading, their eyes also lit up, and they couldn't help but exclaim.

Turning to look, Alchemist Lu quickly flipped through his friends' books, and his eyebrows couldn't help but twitch wildly.

These sets of techniques surprisingly matched the cultivation methods and powers practiced by each of them perfectly, without a single flaw.

This meant... these were techniques specifically designed by Master Zhang for each of them!

Specifically designing tailor-made alchemy techniques... How profound must one's understanding of alchemy be to accomplish something like this?

Even some peak 7-star alchemists couldn't do this!

"This, this..."

As he realized this, so did the others. They all widened their eyes and looked at Zhang Xuan again, their faces filled with admiration.

While they had admired him during his lecture, now they were truly convinced and impressed by the knowledge of this young man before them.

"Master Zhang, have the medicinal ingredients been prepared? As far as I know, the main ingredient for the Duanxu Pill, Duanxu Grass, is a very rare holy medicine!"

Even the cleverest cook cannot make a meal without rice.

In alchemy, ingredients are paramount. While 7th-tier pill ingredients aren't hard to find in a Conferred Empire, they are extremely difficult to source in Hongyuan City.

Especially the Duanxu Grass, the main ingredient, is not only rare and impossible to cultivate but also frequently found in areas infested with poisonous insects. Even Saint Realm 3-dan or 4-dan experts would find it incredibly difficult to obtain.

"As for the Duanxu Grass, I have already applied to the Alchemist Guild Headquarters for it."

Zhang Xuan said.

Upon obtaining the Duanxu Pill's formula, he knew that the Duanxu Grass, as the main ingredient, would be very difficult to acquire in Hongyuan City, so he directly applied to the headquarters.

"Apply to headquarters?"

Alchemist Lu and the other alchemists exchanged glances, stunned. "The Duanxu Grass is so valuable; can it be obtained simply by applying?"

A holy medicine of the Duanxu Grass's caliber, even if purchased from the headquarters, would still require an enormous cost—at least several hundred, or even thousands, of high-grade spirit stones. An application... how could that be possible?!

Purchasing from the headquarters and applying to the headquarters are two entirely different matters.

An application typically refers to headquarters support, which is free of charge, while a purchase requires paying a price.

Can such a valuable item be obtained through an application? If it were that simple, the Alchemist Guild Headquarters would likely have gone bankrupt long ago from applications by alchemists in lower branches.

"I happened to solve a problem for someone, and he personally guaranteed he'd help me apply for it... It should be fine, right!" Zhang Xuan said after thinking for a moment.

While the communication wall could only receive messages, the Alchemist Academy's communication jade screen was capable of transmitting full images from the other side.

Previously, during an alchemist examination, someone had transmitted an image of themselves refining a pill. He had intervened to correct several errors, earning the other party's admiration, which led to their enthusiastic offer to help him with the application.

The other party had sounded very casual about it. Could they have been deceiving him?

Alchemist Lu was taken aback and frowned slightly. "Even an alchemist from the headquarters would find it difficult to apply for medicinal ingredients without a certain status. Do you know the name of this alchemist you mentioned?"

"I think his name was... Wu Huayu! There were over ten alchemists transmitting images at the time, and he was the most talkative..."

After carefully recalling, Zhang Xuan said, but before he could finish speaking, he saw the old men before him, their eyes wide with shock, trembling with fright.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing their expressions, Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Master Zhang... do you know who Wu Huayu is?" Alchemist Lu's lips trembled.

"How would I know who he is? He talks too much, he's foolish, a complete blockhead. What, do you know him?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but say.

"Blockhead?"

"Cough, cough..."

Alchemist Lu nearly choked on his saliva. Seeing that the young man truly had no idea, he could only shake his head with a bitter smile. "Alchemist Wu Huayu is the President of the Alchemist Guild branch in the Qingyuan Conferred Empire... a peak 7-star alchemist!"

The other alchemists also nodded frantically, each of them almost in tears.

It's one thing not to know President Wu, but to call him a blockhead directly...

That's the foremost alchemist in the Qingyuan Conferred Empire... yet in your mouth, he's nothing!

And most critically, he even helped him solve a problem...

What kind of freakish talent is this young man, really?

"President? That guy is the President? No wonder..."

Only then did Zhang Xuan understand. He nodded and didn't dwell on the matter. "Since he's the President, if he said he'd help me apply, he'll definitely be able to get it. As for the other auxiliary ingredients, their grade isn't high, so I'll make a list. It might be troublesome for a few of you to help me find them!"

After speaking, he took out a piece of white paper and, with a brush, wrote down all the remaining ingredients.

"You are alchemists with wide connections. Please help me buy them first. If the value isn't enough, I can exchange them for 6th-tier pills..."

Handing over the prescription, Zhang Xuan said.

When troubling others to help find ingredients, he naturally couldn't let them pay out of their own pockets.

He happened to have quite a few 6th-tier pills left, which could be perfectly used to exchange for ingredients.

"The remaining ingredients are not particularly valuable..."

Taking the prescription, Alchemist Lu read through it and said, "Master Zhang doesn't need to pay. We might be able to gather them from our personal collections. Firstly, it's to repay your kindness for the lecture, and secondly, it can also count as compensation for the alchemy techniques you imparted."

As elders of the Alchemist Guild, they certainly had many privately stored medicinal ingredients. Even for a 7th-tier pill like the Duanxu Pill, with the main ingredient secured, they could still gather many of the others.

As peak 6-star alchemists and elders of the Master Teacher Academy, having listened to his lecture and received unique alchemy techniques for free, they would truly feel ashamed not to offer something in return.

A few herbs were nothing; if they had them, they could simply hand them over.

"Then many thanks!"

His eyes lit up, and Zhang Xuan hastily cupped his fist.

"Master Zhang, please don't rush to thank me; I haven't finished speaking yet..." Alchemist Lu waved his hands repeatedly. "We can gather the rest of the ingredients, but there's one more that Master Zhang might need to find himself."

"What?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"It's... the last item you wrote: Phoenix Parasol Marrow!"

"Phoenix Parasol Marrow?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "This... you can't find it?"

He had just seen this ingredient; it was neither a holy nor a spiritual medicine, not even considered a medicinal ingredient.

He had initially thought it would be the easiest to find and had thus listed it last, so he was surprised that these elders said they couldn't find it.

"Phoenix Parasol Marrow is the essence of the Phoenix Parasol Tree. It has effects like stopping bleeding and regenerating muscle. Compared to other medicinal ingredients, it's indeed not considered precious, but it is extremely rare... None of us possess it, and it's probably not even available in the entire Alchemist Academy or Physician Academy!"

"Not even in the Alchemist Academy... Then where do I find it?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

The Alchemist Academy and Physician Academy should be the most comprehensively stocked in medicinal ingredients within the Master Teacher Academy. If even they couldn't find it, then without any clues, it would certainly be even harder to locate.

"Master Zhang, don't worry. To be honest, we don't have Phoenix Parasol Marrow, but we do know where it is. If Master Zhang has enough influence, he might be able to obtain it!"

"Oh?" Zhang Xuan looked over. "Please, Alchemist Lu, tell me..."

"The greatest use of the Phoenix Parasol plant is not medicinal but for crafting exquisite zithers. If I remember correctly, the Demonic Tune Institute has one planted. If you go to Dean Jiang Qingqin, you might be able to obtain it!"