Chapter 4 - Condensing the Wind Mansion Star

Jiu Yin Grass, extraction complete. Earth Dragon Root, extraction complete. Fiery Flavor Seed, extraction complete. … Over thirty types of ingredients—the extraction alone took Long Chen several hours, leaving him drenched in sweat. Refining pills is not the same as brewing potions; each herb must be distilled to its essence, impurities removed, and then ground into powder. However, the flame Long Chen wielded was utterly inadequate, leaving the powder tainted with impurities—an unavoidable flaw. Firstly, Long Chen's cultivation level was insufficient to sustain the energy needed to stimulate powerful pill fire; hence, the flame was weak. Secondly, Long Chen had neither the opportunity nor the capacity to tame other flames, and thus had to make do with what he had. The Wind Mansion Pill is a first-tier pill, which normally only a Pill Apprentice can refine. To learn pill refinement, one needs not only a strong pill fire but immense spirit energy, and most importantly, formidable soul power. The latter two are not too difficult to come by. Pill fire, if conditions allow, can be obtained by taming fire-attributed mystical beasts and harnessing their fire. With such assistance, one’s own flame source can become immensely powerful. Over ninety-nine percent of Pill Masters use beast fire. Only those with ancient heritage and formidable strength can control the enigmatic and ethereal spirit fire existing between heaven and earth. Spirit fire possesses a soul. In Long Chen's memory, he vaguely remembered possessing an incredible spirit fire. But no matter how formidable, now he was stuck with the pathetic low-quality flame. Resting sufficiently, Long Chen took a deep breath. “Hoo.” A half-foot-long yellow flame leaped from his palm, its heat rushing forth. "Not bad. After refining just now, the flame's power has slightly increased. Well, better than nothing." He fed seven types of herbal essences into the furnace. Harnessing his soul power, the flame in his hand suddenly surged, multiple times stronger than before. "Using soul power to fuel the fire... if other Pill Masters were to see this, wouldn’t they be scared to death?" Long Chen chuckled wryly. The most precious resource for a Pill Master is soul power, chiefly innate, growing passively as one advances in cultivation. Soul power is fundamental for refining pills; controlling the flame without fail is crucial; any error reduces everything to ash or could even cause explosive failure. Typically, Pill Masters reserve their soul power for the mid-to-late stages when a pill is forming, to carefully modulate fire power. After all, those moments are critical—flame temperature requires meticulous adjustment, depleting soul strength significantly. Should soul power run dry then, the entire batch is wasted, yet Long Chen used it from the start. And this valuable soul power, he used just to amplify the flame—as kindling—any Pill Master witnessing this would certainly curse loudly, for not even the most wasteful would squander resources like this. Yet Long Chen had no cause for fear. With the memories of a Pill Sovereign, he had clarity about his energy reserves. This time, following his awakening, Long Chen's soul power underwent a mutation, becoming extraordinarily powerful. Thus, he was qualified to act this way. “Buzz.” Before Long Chen, the pill furnace quivered slightly with a faint noise. "Heh, adding fuel to the fire certainly speeds things up." Hurriedly, he added three more ingredients to the furnace, though perspiration now dotted his forehead. Quickly retrieving a long stalk, over two feet in length, he placed one end into a jar filled with energy-replenishing liquid and the other into his mouth, taking a deep draw. The liquid entered his abdomen, causing his pores to rapidly open, absorbing spiritual energy from the surroundings. The spirit power that was nearly depleted began hastily replenishing. Prepared in advance, this step was essential to refining the Wind Mansion Pill, otherwise attempting it with his current spirit power would be laughable. Clenching the stalk between his teeth, he sipped energy replenishing liquid intermittently, sustaining the output of his internal energy. Though comparable to his spirit energy, his soul power was immensely superior. It took Long Chen nearly two days to feel the slightest fatigue, indicating substantial soul power consumption. However, by this point, all the ingredients had been added to the furnace; only the finishing touches remained. The aroma of the concoction began wafting through the air. Long Chen remembered crafting such a first-tier pill could be done with eyes closed, but this time was different—for this pill could change his fate. The nerve-wracking tension was unmistakable. “Buzz.” Suddenly, the furnace vibrated, emitting a humming sound as its contents grew volatile. Not the least bit flustered, Long Chen's lips curled into a smile. This was the herald of success, the most crucial moment in pill refinement. Channeling all his soul power, leaving nothing reserved, the flame in his hand flared dramatically, binding the entire furnace in an ethereal force. This technique, named "Sealing Heaven and Earth," was Long Chen's own invention to prevent explosion and furnace shattering. Not only is it very practical, but it can also lock the medicinal powers within the furnace in no time, preventing excessive dispersion. Commonly, Pill Masters take a gentle approach at the final stage, making the pill stable when it turns volatile. While this method is far safer, it leads to substantial loss of medicinal essence, resulting in a very ordinary pill in terms of efficacy. With Long Chen’s soul power firmly restraining it, the furnace emitted a muffled thud and then fell silent. Gazing at the now-still furnace before him, Long Chen panted heavily, drenched in sweat, feeling dizzy. After slowly regaining composure, Long Chen, teeming with excitement, opened the furnace lid, his hands trembling as they moved. Five perfectly rounded pills came into view, their intense fragrance suffusing the entire room. "Two low-grade, three defective... Sigh, telling anyone would be a disgrace.” Despite his excitement, Long Chen sighed aloud. Stunned momentarily, he burst into laughter—having merged memories with a Pill Sovereign must have left that Sovereign's pride ingrained. He didn’t care about disgrace; he carefully examined the five pills in his hand. Two Low-Grade Pills radiated a wholly captivating fragrance, invigorating even upon whiffing. Long Chen couldn’t contain his glee; a single Complete-Grade Pill could fetch tens of thousands of gold coins in the capital. And the three defective pills in his hand were far superior to the pills his mother had obtained; at least 30% of their medicinal essence was locked inside. Pills with 50% medicinal essence are termed Low-Grade and make up over 80% of the pill market. Those with 60% are called Medium-Grade, 70% High-Grade, 80% Top-Grade, 90% Supreme-Grade, and as for 100%... well. Long Chen set aside thoughts of perfection—too distant a reality. Some might wonder, what's the difference between 50% and 60%? Why not take two Low-Grades instead of one Medium-Grade? Anyone who vocalized such reasoning would be berated. Apart from essence, pills have impurities and “three parts poison, seven parts life” isn’t just an idiom, but a truth. During refinement, pill poison inevitably arises. These toxins aren’t problematic unless consumed frequently. Yet for cultivators, pills commonly serve as life-saving resources, consumed countless times over a lifetime. When these toxins accumulate, they transform into lethal poisoning. Pill poison, deeply ingrained in flesh, bone, and even the soul, is notoriously difficult to purge. Thus, as the pill grade rises, side effects diminish. Hence, the efficacy gap between Low-Grade and Medium-Grade Pills is tenfold, and the cost, a hundredfold. Long Chen stored the five pills, tidied the furnace and materials, and then collapsed into sleep, unable to sustain wakefulness. Unsure of how long he slept, at one point Long Chen felt warm hands stroking his face, whispers barely audible, yet too exhausted to rouse himself. When he finally awoke, hunger gnawing, he devoured a meal before resuming his seclusion. Swallowing a defective pill, he directed its power with his soul force to the Yong Quan acupoint beneath his foot, where the first star of the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art—the Wind Mansion Star—is condensed. “Boom.” Long Chen's right foot stamped down, shaking the ground, cracks webbing across the room. "Good, I've located the meridian path and precise point. Now, I can truly launch the attack." With a slight smile, Long Chen produced a Low-Grade Wind Mansion Pill, tossing it into his mouth. An immensely pure energy erupted, directed towards Long Chen's foot's Yong Quan acupoint. The acupoint stirred, like a barren riverbed receiving rain, as the energy surged through like a writhing dragon. “Boom.” A resounding blast echoed as terrifying energy burst forth, Long Chen’s robe fluttered amidst an explosive aura that ravaged the room, sending dust and wind billowing. As dust settled, Long Chen's face emerged—pleased, his star-filled eyes alive with the thrill of feeling a small bean-shaped force beneath his foot, its endless energy coursing through his body, inducing an urge to roar skywards. Long Chen's activity prompted immediate notice from the entire Marquis household, and many came running. Seeing his mother approach, Long Chen hastily said, "Mother, today is the Young Master's day to start at the Imperial Academy. I must quickly head there." Leaving behind a speechless crowd amidst the ruins, he changed into clean clothes and dashed toward the Imperial Academy.