Chapter 77: Han Chi Pellet

Eight Treasures Pavilion.

Gǔ Zhèngshùn arrived as agreed and met Wang Yu in a private room. The Tier 2 ice-attributed python-type demon core he had requested was ready, along with three thousand spirit stones.

Gǔ Zhèngshùn said with a smile, "This is an Ice Python demon core that I had my master acquire from the sect's Tier 2 treasure vault. Please examine it."

Wang Yu took the glistening blue demon core, which emanated a chilling aura. Inside, there was a faint serpentine illusion, a wisp of the demon core's owner's essence, proving its authenticity and making it impossible to fake.

The Cold Drake Pill was only a Tier 1 elixir, yet it required Tier 2 materials, highlighting its unique nature. If he could successfully condense a Cold Flame Seed in his dantian and qi sea, this method could accompany him all the way to the Core Formation stage!

It was a rare growth-type spell. However, Wang Yu felt it could be classified as a treasure art, giving the impression of borrowing power from a demonic beast.

Wang Yu, satisfied, put it down. The two main ingredients, the Ice Python demon core and the Yin Marrow Liquid, were now complete. The remaining ingredients were common Tier 1 spirit herbs.

"The items are all good," Wang Yu said. "This is the Foundation Establishment corpse. With its soul scattered, it's very suitable for refining into an armored corpse, at least an Iron Armored Corpse."

Upon hearing this, Gǔ Zhèngshùn didn't find the corpse's grotesque appearance off-putting. Instead, he stroked it admiringly, a twisted behavior that sent a shiver down Wang Yu's spine.

"Excellent, excellent, the transaction is complete."

Both parties put away their respective items. Wang Yu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Brother Gǔ, could you do me a favor and gather information about the Ice Snow Pavilion over the past five years?"

"Oh?"

Gǔ Zhèngshùn rubbed his fingers together.

"This is simple; I can find out everything clearly within a month at most. But why should I help you?"

Wang Yu took out a storage bag filled with loot he intended to sell and tossed it directly to Gǔ Zhèngshùn.

"Brother Gǔ, your status on Heavenly Corpse Peak is quite high, and you've likely joined a true disciple's faction," Wang Yu stated. "You should have the channels to handle these items. Whatever you sell them for, just give me eight thousand spirit stones."

The implication was that any excess profit would be Gǔ Zhèngshùn's compensation for gathering the information. By Wang Yu's estimation, even though the items were secondhand, their total value exceeded ten thousand spirit stones.

Gǔ Zhèngshùn was an astute judge of value. After hearing Wang Yu's proposal, he immediately agreed.

"No problem," Gǔ Zhèngshùn replied. "I didn't expect Brother Wang to have so much loot. It seems your trip to Profound Bone Mountain was quite fruitful."

Wang Yu smiled, both understanding the unspoken meaning.

"I also have a batch of Profound Essence Flowers," Wang Yu continued. "Are you interested, Brother Gǔ?"

"Oh?"

"Tell me more."

As drinks were brought to them, the two chatted amicably for a long time, only parting ways as dusk approached.

Having entrusted all these matters to Gǔ Zhèngshùn, Wang Yu now possessed over thirty-six thousand spirit stones, a considerable fortune among Qi Refining disciples.

With four thousand more, he could use the Ice Snow Pavilion's internal channels to acquire a High-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill. This was Zhao Shang's aspiration, yet it was Wang Yu who was about to achieve it—a twist of fate.

However, he had killed so many late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, effectively plundering their accumulated wealth. It was his ambition for Foundation Establishment that led him to amass such a large sum.

Unfortunately, a High-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill was largely ineffective for someone with a crippled spirit root.

To truly prepare for a breakthrough, he would need to start with Demonic Dao secret arts.

Over the next month, while awaiting news from Gǔ Zhèngshùn, Wang Yu also waited for the Cold Drake Pill in his placement slot to reach completion. Each day, a large volume of refining experience flooded his mind.

When combined with his existing alchemy techniques, the efficiency was exceptionally high!

Besides completing his daily cultivation practices, he also found time to visit the Alchemists' Society he had founded. However, the situation was vastly different now. In just five years, it had attracted a large number of lower-tier alchemists.

The number of members had surged from four to over a hundred, led by Zhōu Tāo, a Qi Refining Level 9 cultivator. Compared to Wang Yu's time as leader, their money-making ability had reached new heights, and they had truly stepped into the limelight.

They were even more renowned than the elixir shops opened by typical Foundation Establishment alchemists.

This situation quickly dampened Wang Yu's desire to reminisce. Even if this wasn't the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect, such a high-profile approach was unacceptable.

Furthermore, the sect's elixir business had long been monopolized. Only with certification from the Elixir Hall could one operate in related industries.

When Wang Yu first discovered this, besides the uniform elixir prices, he also noticed that low-tier alchemists worked for elixir shops, earning only a crafting fee.

They didn't set up stalls to sell their own cheaper elixirs at lower prices.

Zhōu Tāo's move to step into the limelight was undoubtedly overconfident. He most likely believed that with True Disciple Sū's protection, nothing would go wrong.

Expanding the business from Cold Blood Square outwards, earning more and more, he had become blinded by spirit stones and couldn't stop.

Such rampant profiteering, once it crossed a certain line, would inevitably lead to death.

Of the original four members of the Alchemists' Society, the one who left when Wang Yu went to Profound Bone Mountain had already quit, and the taciturn Huáng Kǎi had also left. Only Luó Pínghǔ remained, serving by Zhōu Tāo's side.

After understanding the situation, Wang Yu could only sigh.

If it continued at this pace, they likely wouldn't survive the year.

If he were a bit more ruthless, he could use this to offer another "golden key" to Zhuó Shǒuqìng of the Enforcement Hall, perhaps gaining more benefits. However, after consideration, he abandoned the idea.

After all, they were once colleagues, and only that Huáng Kǎi had some potential to be leveraged.

He set the matter aside.

It was the fifth month of his eighth year as an outer disciple, marking a full month since his return to the sect.

On this day, good news arrived.

Placement Slot 4: Cold Drake Pill (Completed)

"Cold Drake Pill (100/100): Thirty-six refinements per day, achievable in thirty years."

The completion of the pill formula meant that Wang Yu's familiarity with this elixir had reached a state of mastery.

Previously, the placement slot showed twenty-four refinements per day, as if another version of him was refining twenty-four batches of "Cold Drake Pills" daily in an unknown place. All these experiences and techniques were fully inherited by him.

In four months, this amounted to 2,880 batches refined.

Such experience could no longer be described merely as mastery; it was nothing short of divine artistry. Few could ever have such extensive experience to aid them.

Wang Yu, who had long been prepared, specifically spent some of the contribution points he earned from the Profound Bone Mountain mission.

He rented an earth-fire chamber in the Elixir Hall of the Various Halls District. Surprisingly, as a top-grade Tier 1 alchemist, he still didn't own a proper pill furnace.

This was common for most Tier 1 alchemists.

Cultivating the Fire Refining Method required a fire source. Before mastering flame-emission techniques, one could only use earth fire for alchemy, which necessitated specific locations, and thus, furnaces were merely used temporarily.

Once he successfully refined the "Cold Drake Pill" and condensed a cold flame seed, he could then consider carrying a personal pill furnace.

At this point, his focus shifted to alchemy.

Washing herbs, purifying spirits... He used the power of the earth fire to remove all unnecessary medicinal properties from the ingredients according to the formula. This removed portion constituted the so-called impurities, leaving only what was needed.

Wang Yu's technique was skilled, and his timing was precise. Each addition of herbs and subsequent refinement was almost flawless.

After refinement came fusion!

His fire control was also exceptional, allowing the medicinal properties to blend smoothly without any waste. Aided by various pill-forming seals, the refining process quickly entered the pill nurturing stage.