DSE Chapter 120: Alchemy Breakthrough (Patreon)

Slifer smiled, pleased that his plan was coming together. "Shall we get started?"

Elder Feng blinked, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Get started? What do you mean?"

"Well, I thought we'd make the pill now," Slifer replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We have the recipe, after all."

The old alchemist stared at Slifer for a moment before bursting into laughter. His shoulders shook as he wheezed, clutching his stomach.

"Oh, Supreme Elder," Elder Feng chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye. "You truly are something else. Does it look like I have the ingredients for such a pill just lying around?"

Geez, it wasn't that funny, Slifer rolled his eyes at the old man's extreme reaction. These cultivators and their dramatics.

"Actually," Slifer said, reaching into his storage ring, "I do have the ingredients."

Elder Feng's laughter cut off abruptly, his eyes widening as Slifer began pulling out various items and placing them on the workbench.

"Impossible," the old alchemist muttered, leaning in to examine the ingredients. "I know you said you would bring the ingredients but how did you already... where did you..."

Slifer shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "I have my sources."

And by sources, I mean a convenient interdimensional shopping system, he added silently.

Elder Feng picked up the first ingredient, a delicate petal. "A Celestial Lotus Petal," he whispered. "I've only seen these drawn out in my master’s books."

Slifer watched, feeling slightly awkward as the old man cradled the petal like it was a newborn child. Is this normal behavior for alchemists? he wondered.

Elder Feng moved on to the next ingredient, a small vial. "Nine-Tailed Fox Essence," he murmured, holding the vial up to the light. "Legend has it that this essence can grant a cultivator unparalleled control over their spiritual energy."

Elder Feng then held up a fruit that crackled with tiny sparks. "Thunderbolt Fruit! Oh, the power contained within... I've always wanted to work with one of these!"

As the old alchemist continued to salivate over each ingredient, Slifer found himself torn between fascination and discomfort. On one hand, Elder Feng's knowledge was impressive, and Slifer could see the value in learning about these rare materials. On the other hand...

He looks absolutely crazy, Slifer thought, watching as Elder Feng practically cooed at the ingredients. Is this what I'd turn into if I became an alchemist? This old man seems one step away from talking to the walls!

"And this!" Elder Feng exclaimed, holding up a glowing crystal. "Dragon's Breath Crystal! Do you know how rare these are? It takes a hundred years for a single crystal to form from a dragon's exhalations!"

A hundred years of dragon morning breath. Lovely, Slifer thought, suppressing a grimace.

Finally, Elder Feng picked up the last ingredient. "Void Lotus Root," he breathed heavily. "Grown in the spaces between realms... I never thought I'd see one with my own eyes."

As the old alchemist continued to fawn over the ingredients, Slifer found himself reconsidering his career choices. If becoming an alchemist means turning into... this, maybe I should stick to cultivation.

After what felt like an eternity of ingredient worship, Elder Feng finally seemed to remember Slifer's presence. He cleared his throat, composing himself. "We must begin immediately! But first, we need the proper equipment."

The old alchemist hurried to a nearby shelf, pulling out various tools and instruments. "We'll need my finest mortar and pestle for grinding the Celestial Lotus Petal," he muttered, more to himself than to Slifer. "And a crystal vial for the Nine-Tailed Fox Essence..."

After a few minutes, Elder Feng returned to the workbench, his arms full of various tools and instruments. He set them down carefully, then turned to Slifer with a proud grin.

"Now, Supreme Elder, let me show you the pride of my collection," Elder Feng said, gesturing to a row of cauldrons against the far wall. "These are no ordinary pill-refining vessels. Each one is specially crafted to enhance certain aspects of the alchemical process."

He pointed to a cauldron made of what looked like polished jade. "This one amplifies wood energy, perfect for pills that promote growth and healing." Then he indicated a copper cauldron with flame patterns etched into its surface. "And this beauty is ideal for fire-based concoctions. The patterns help circulate heat evenly, reducing the chance of overheating."

Slifer nodded politely, trying to show interest. I suppose every profession has its tools of the trade. Though I doubt blacksmiths get quite this excited about their hammers.

"For the Core Formation Celestial Lotus Pill," Elder Feng continued, "we'll need something truly special. Perhaps the silver cauldron with celestial runes, or maybe the one forged from meteorite iron..."

As the old alchemist debated with himself over which cauldron to use, Slifer had an idea. If he's this excited about his cauldrons, I wonder what he'll think of mine.

"Actually, Elder Feng," Slifer interrupted, "I have a cauldron we might use." He reached into his storage ring once more and pulled out a beautiful green cauldron.

Elder Feng turned to look, his words dying on his lips as he saw the cauldron in Slifer's hands. The old man's face went pale, his eyes widening to an almost impossible degree.

"Elder Feng?" Slifer asked, concerned by the alchemist's reaction. "Are you okay?"

Elder Feng stumbled backward, catching himself on the edge of the workbench. "That... that can't be," he whispered, his voice trembling. "The Jade Skyfire Cauldron? Here?"

"You know about this cauldron?" Slifer blinked in surprise.

Elder Feng nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the green vessel. "I... I had heard rumors," he whispered. "Whispers that you possessed the Jade Skyfire Cauldron, but I thought... well, I assumed it was exaggeration. Most things related to you tend to be, after all."

Slifer raised an eyebrow at that last comment. Most things related to me are exaggerations? I'm not sure if I should be flattered or offended.

Elder Feng approached slowly, his hands outstretched as if he were approaching a wild animal. "May I... may I touch it?" he asked.

Slifer nodded, holding out the cauldron. Elder Feng's hands shook as he ran them over the smooth surface, tracing the intricate patterns etched into the green material.

"Incredible," Elder Feng murmured. "The stories don't do it justice. This cauldron... it's said to increase the success rate of pill refinement by eight times! And the purity of the resulting pills... they say it's one of the top ten cauldrons of the Immortal Realm."

Slifer's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Eight times? I knew it was special since it could contain Vowron, a Half Immortal, but this? I can’t believe even with such an OP cauldron I failed that badly, maybe I’m worse at alchemy than I thought.

Elder Feng continued to caress the cauldron, his eyes shining with excitement. "The Jade Skyfire Cauldron was said to be created in the earliest days of cultivation, when the boundaries between mortal and immortal realms were still blurred. It's said that the cauldron can even refine heavenly materials that would destroy lesser vessels."

He looked up at Slifer with crazy eyes. "We must use this for the Core Formation Celestial Lotus Pill. With this cauldron, our chances of success are practically guaranteed!"

Slifer nodded, secretly relieved. At least now I won't have to worry about blowing us both up. Hopefully.

"Alright," Slifer said, "let's get started then. What's the first step?"

***

Over the next few hours, Slifer acted as Elder Feng's assistant, following the old alchemist's instructions to the letter. They carefully measured out each ingredient, preparing them according to the recipe.

"Now, gently crush the Celestial Lotus Petal," Elder Feng instructed. "We want to release its essence without damaging the delicate structures within."

Slifer complied, using a jade mortar and pestle to carefully grind the petal. As he worked, he felt a strange tingling in his fingers, as if the petal's celestial energy was seeping into his skin.

Huh, maybe there's something to all this alchemy stuff after all, he thought.

Next came the Nine-Tailed Fox Essence, which Elder Feng insisted on handling himself. "One must approach this with the utmost caution," he explained. "A single misplaced drop could imbue the entire pill with chaotic fox energy."

Slifer watched closely as the old alchemist carefully measured out three drops of the silvery liquid.

As they continued through the process, Slifer found himself becoming more and more invested. There was a rhythm to alchemy, a dance of elements and energies that he hadn't fully appreciated before.

"Now, Supreme Elder," Elder Feng said, his voice tense with concentration, "we come to the most crucial step. We must combine the Thunderbolt Fruit with the Dragon's Breath Crystal at precisely the right moment. Too soon, and the energies will clash. Too late, and they'll fizzle out."

Slifer nodded, feeling a bead of sweat form on his brow. No pressure or anything.

Elder Feng began to chant, his hands moving in intricate patterns over the cauldron. Slifer watched in fascination as tendrils of energy began to swirl within the vessel, forming a miniature vortex.

"Now!" the old alchemist cried.

Slifer dropped the Thunderbolt Fruit into the cauldron, followed immediately by the Dragon's Breath Crystal. For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened.

Then, with a blinding flash and a crack of thunder, the cauldron erupted with power. Slifer stumbled back, shielding his eyes.

"Yes!" Elder Feng crowed. "Perfect fusion! Oh, I haven't felt such a rush in centuries!"

As the light faded, Slifer blinked the spots from his vision. The cauldron now glowed with an inner fire, pulsing with barely contained energy.

"What now?" Slifer asked, his voice hoarse.

Elder Feng grinned, a manic glint in his eye. "Now, we add the final ingredient. The Void Lotus Root."

With extreme care, the old alchemist lowered the root into the cauldron. As soon as it touched the swirling energies within, it began to dissolve, spreading threads of void-like emptiness throughout the mixture.

"And now," Elder Feng said, his voice dropping to a whisper, "we wait."

For the next hour, Slifer and Elder Feng sat in tense silence, watching the cauldron. The energies within continued to swirl and pulse, slowly coalescing into a single point of light.

Just when Slifer thought he couldn't take the suspense any longer, Elder Feng leapt to his feet. "It's ready!"

With practiced movements, the old alchemist began the final steps of the refinement process. Slifer watched in awe as Elder Feng's hands blurred, channeling spiritual energy into the cauldron with incredible precision.

Finally, with a sound like a distant bell, a single pill rose from the cauldron. It hovered in the air for a moment, glowing with an inner light, before gently settling into Elder Feng's outstretched palm.

A blue box appeared before Slifer’s eyes:

Ding!

You have gained 200 Karmic Credits for breaking through to Level 2

You have gained 400 Karmic Credits for breaking through to Level 3

You have gained 800 Karmic Credits for breaking through to Level 4

Congratulations!

You have broken through to Intermediate Alchemy!

Intermediate Alchemy (Level 4):

• Can create pills up to Nascent Soul realm with a 40% success rate
  
• 70% success rate for Core Formation pills and below
  
• Can work with materials of up to 3rd-grade rarity with 50% reduced risk of waste
  
• Ability to infuse pills with up to 2 complementary attributes
  
• Can identify common ingredient interactions with 80% accuracy
  
• 30% increase in pill potency compared to Novice level
  
• Able to sense and correct minor imbalances during pill formation
  

Three levels at once? That's unexpected, Slifer blinked in surprise. Wait…if I jumped three levels just by assisting in making this pill, there's no way I could have crafted it myself. It would have been completely impossible.

If I'd tried this pill on my own, I wouldn't have just ended up covered in sticky ingredients, he thought. Best case, I'd have reduced the entire sect to rubble. Worst case? I might have opened a portal to who-knows-where and gotten sucked into the void between realms.

Thank the heavens I decided to seek out Elder Feng, Slifer thought, a wave of relief washing over him. Not only did I get the pill, but I've learned more in one session than I probably would have fumbling around on my own for years.

"We've done it," the old alchemist breathed, bringing Slifer out of his thoughts. "The Core Formation Celestial Lotus Pill. In all my years, I never thought I'd see one, let alone create it myself."

Slifer leaned in, examining the pill. It was smaller than he expected, no larger than a grape, but it radiated an aura of power that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

"Can I see it?" Slifer asked, holding out his hand.

Elder Feng hesitated for a moment, clearly reluctant to part with his creation. But after a brief internal struggle, he carefully placed the pill in Slifer's palm.

"Fascinating," Slifer murmured, turning the pill over in his hand. Then, without warning, he slipped it into his storage ring.

Elder Feng's jaw dropped. "W-what are you doing?" he sputtered.

Slifer blinked innocently. "Storing it for safekeeping, of course."

The old alchemist's face cycled through a range of emotions - shock, confusion, anger, and finally, resignation. "I... I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," he sighed. "But why would you want it? Surely an Ascendant realm cultivator like yourself has no need for a Core Formation pill."

Slifer shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "It never hurts to be prepared."

Elder Feng frowned, his brow furrowing in thought. After a moment, his eyes widened in realization. "Oh," he said softly. "I didn't think you cared so much about your disciples."

I need it a lot more than my disciples, Slifer thought.

Aloud, he said, "A sect leader must look out for his own."

Elder Feng nodded, a hint of newfound respect in his eyes. "Well, I'm afraid it will be some time before we can make another. Gathering ingredients of this caliber is no easy task."

Slifer nodded, already planning his next shopping spree in the System store. "I understand. Thank you for your help, Elder Feng. I don’t think I’d have been able to do it without you."

The old alchemist puffed up at the praise, his earlier disappointment forgotten. "Yes, well, with a cauldron like that, even a novice could work wonders."

At the mention of the cauldron, Slifer realized he should probably put it away. He reached out, grasping the Jade Skyfire Cauldron and preparing to store it in his storage ring.

Elder Feng's reaction was immediate and extreme. His face drained of color, his eyes bulging as if he might have a heart attack on the spot. He reached out with trembling hands, making small, distressed noises.

Slifer took a step back, genuinely concerned. Geez, what's his problem now?

"Elder Feng?" he asked cautiously. "You okay there?"

The old alchemist's eyes had taken on a crazed, desperate look. "The cauldron," he croaked. "You can't... you can't just take it away!"

Slifer glanced down at the cauldron, then back at Elder Feng. An idea began to form in his mind.

He really wants to use this thing, huh? I bet I could work out a deal here...

"You know, Elder Feng," Slifer said casually, "I might be willing to loan out the cauldron from time to time."

The old alchemist's head snapped up, hope blooming in his eyes. "Truly? You would... you would allow me to use the Jade Skyfire Cauldron?"

Slifer nodded slowly, as if considering. "On one condition."

"Anything!" Elder Feng blurted out, then quickly composed himself. "I mean, what did you have in mind, Supreme Elder?"

"It's simple," Slifer said. "You agree to make any pill I want, free of charge. I'll provide the ingredients, of course."

Elder Feng's eyes widened. For a moment, Slifer thought he might refuse. But then the old alchemist nodded vigorously.

"Yes! Yes, of course!" he exclaimed. "It would be my honor to craft pills for you, Supreme Elder. With the Jade Skyfire Cauldron, we could create wonders beyond imagination!"

As Elder Feng continued to ramble about the possibilities, Slifer found himself wondering if he should have asked for more. Maybe I could have gotten him to throw in some cultivation resources too. Oh well, there's always next time.

"Excellent," Slifer said, cutting off the old alchemist's excited babbling. "I'll leave the cauldron with you for now, then. I'm sure you're eager to experiment with it."

Elder Feng nodded enthusiastically, already reaching for the cauldron. "Oh yes, Supreme Elder. I have so many ideas... so many possibilities to explore! I might even be able to finally become an Expert Alchemist!"

Slifer nodded absently, already inching towards the cave entrance. The thought of listening to another hour of alchemical theories made his newly-acquired Intermediate Alchemy knowledge recoil in horror.

"That's... great," Slifer said, forcing a smile. "I look forward to seeing what you come up with. But for now, I should really be going. Sect business and all that."

As Elder Feng opened his mouth, likely to launch into another lecture about pill formation or cauldron maintenance, Slifer quickly added, "I'll be in touch when I need more pills. Good day, Elder Feng."

Without waiting for a response, Slifer turned and almost ran out of the cave, breathing a sigh of relief as the fresh air hit his face. Behind him, he could still hear Elder Feng's excited muttering echoing from the cave.

Slifer shook his head as he turned his focus on his next step of action. Time to breakthrough to Core Formation Realm!