You Cultivate, I Farm - Chapter 428 (Patreon)

Chapter 428: Joy and Sorrow of the Medicine Bug Are Worlds Apart

All six pills were of superior quality, rich in spiritual energy.

"Such quality could only come from the hands of a master alchemist."

"The experience packs from the light orbs are incredibly powerful, propelling me from a novice straight to a grandmaster level."

"It's a pity that so far, I've only had three types of pill formula experience packs. It seems there might be an opportunity to try cultivating other spiritual plants in the future, to see if more pill formula experience packs can be produced."

Lu Xuan thought to himself.

Entering the path of alchemy is extremely difficult, unlike cultivating spiritual plants, where low-grade plants only require sufficient pure spiritual energy and fertile spiritual soil to mature with high probability.

Even for a first-grade medicinal pill, one needs to possess a rare pill formula and also skilled alchemical experience.

Yet, once one has a not insignificant mastery in pill crafting, it can generate vast wealth for the alchemist.

After all, pills are consumables, unlike magical tools and techniques that can be used for a long time once purchased, thereby providing a continuous stream of spiritual stones for the alchemist.

The wealthiest branch within the Sky Sword Sect is undoubtedly the Pill Hall.

Of course, that's provided you possess remarkable alchemical skills.

Before earning a large amount of spiritual stones, the rate at which alchemy consumes spiritual stones is also terrifying.

When first touching upon alchemy, most cultivators have a pill success rate of less than 10%, requiring a vast amount of medicinal herbs and slowly accumulating experience.

Only when the pill success rate reaches about 30% can one barely achieve a balance of expenditure and income. At about 50%, one can start to make a modest profit.

Within the Pill Hall, if an alchemist can increase the success rate of several low-grade medicinal pills and one third-grade or higher medicinal pill to 50%, they qualify for promotion to a core alchemist.

And Lu Xuan, after absorbing numerous pill formula experience packs, started with a success rate of over 90% for both the Primordial Essence Pill and the Spirit Nurturing Pill. Even core alchemists in the Pill Hall do not have absolute confidence to achieve such high success rates with certain pills.

"The future looks bright."

Lu Xuan rejoiced in his heart.

Although both pills were only first and second-grade, such a high success rate could still earn a considerable number of spiritual stones.

"Once the new batch of Hidden Essence Grass matures and bursts out a few Foundation Establishment Pill experience packs, then I'll truly soar."

From the previously cultivated Hidden Essence Grass, he harvested five Foundation Establishment Pill experience packs, reaching a proficient level in crafting Foundation Establishment Pills. He estimated a success rate of 30% to 50% if the conditions of the pill furnace and pill fire were met.

"After the success rate of the Foundation Establishment Pills increases, it will be like picking up spiritual stones."

"I can't help it; I'm too poor. Even though I have many magical treasures, I lack spiritual stones."

He lamented in his heart, storing the freshly crafted six Primordial Essence Pills into his storage bag. Just as he was about to prepare materials for another round of alchemy, he saw the nearly transparent Medicine Bug slowly drifting out of the pill furnace.

Focusing his mind on this irregular, semi-transparent strange bug, Lu Xuan sensed an emptiness within it, as if it was puzzled why there wasn't much residual pill poison left in the pill furnace after alchemy.

"You seem disappointed, little bug? What, did my crafting of a batch of perfect-quality pills leave you with unfulfilled expectations?"

Lu Xuan's lips curved up, teasing the Medicine Bug that morphed like flowing water.

Seeing him ready to craft another batch of pills, the Medicine Bug hurriedly merged into the pill furnace.

The result was no different from before; Lu Xuan successfully crafted a batch of second-grade Spirit Nurturing Pills of superior quality, with barely a trace of pill poison left in the furnace.

"Isn't alchemy supposed to be easy with just a set of hands?"

After successively crafting seven or eight batches of Primordial Essence Pills and Spirit Nurturing Pills, Lu Xuan's confidence began to swell.

"It's time to try the Beast Spirit Pill."

He took out a portion of free medicinal herbs provided by the Pill Hall and followed the steps learned from the jade slips to process the various materials.

Lacking the rich experience provided by the pill formula experience packs, the process immediately revealed its true nature; his actions, once smooth as flowing water, became clumsy and hesitant, occasionally pausing to recall the alchemical process from his sea of consciousness.

"Alright, finally ready to start crafting."

He slowly added the various materials in order into the pill furnace, controlling the Celestial Azure Dan Fire with focused and calm precision.

"Disaster!"

Midway through the crafting, his keen spiritual sense detected changes within the pill furnace, and a massive aura

 lifted the lid, with a piece of charred material flying out.

Before it reached Lu Xuan, the Medicine Bug, following closely, wrapped its semi-transparent body tightly around the charred material, feeling intense joy within.

These dregs, essentially a concentration of pill poison, were considered a great tonic for it.

"Even the Celestial Azure Dan Fire couldn't save me."

Lu Xuan finally recognized his true level of alchemy without the pill formula experience packs and couldn't help but sigh.

Adjusting his mindset, undeterred, he took out another portion of medicinal herbs.

The second attempt was smoother, but the result remained unchanged.

A lump of charred dregs flew out of the pill furnace again.

The Medicine Bug, having waited for a long time, transformed its shape to intercept the dregs, wrapping them tightly and feeling ecstatic joy.

Moments later.

The third lump.

The fourth lump.

…

As Lu Xuan focused on the Medicine Bug, intense joy washed over him.

"What paradise!"

"I've never enjoyed such a feast before!!"

"……"

Lu Xuan was left speechless.

The joys and sorrows of cultivators and bugs do not intersect; I only find it noisy.

He felt helpless and turned to crafting a batch of second-grade Spirit Nurturing Pills, regaining some confidence.

As for the Beast Spirit Pill, considering its ability to nourish spiritual beasts, he didn't give up on it, planning to attempt more crafting in the future to gradually accumulate experience.

Fortunately, among the three low-grade pill formulas, he had already reached a grandmaster level with the Primordial Essence Pill and Spirit Nurturing Pill, more than enough to cover for the Beast Spirit Pill.

He went all out, crafting all the materials plucked from the Pill Hall into pills before stopping.

The Primordial Essence Pill and Spirit Nurturing Pill were almost all successfully crafted, filling two white jade bottles with pills.

Since the materials were free, Lu Xuan estimated he could earn a couple of thousand spiritual stones. Factoring in the cost, the profit wouldn't be as exorbitant.

As for the Beast Spirit Pill, it indeed provided the Medicine Bug with more than enough to feast on.

"The Medicine Bug is my spirit pet; what it earns is what I earn. There's no difference."

Lu Xuan could only comfort himself this way.

The pills he crafted, he planned to deal with a batch at the Pill Hall after some time, and the rest would be sold at a store in Sword Gate Town.

Being able to raise his alchemy level to a grandmaster realm so quickly was already beyond common sense, something not even alchemical prodigies could achieve.

If the Pill Hall knew, it might attract the attention of many high-ranking members of the sect, but it would also undoubtedly stir up countless suspicions and doubts, potentially harmful to him. Lu Xuan decided it was better to quietly make a fortune.

"I need to visit the incomplete secret realm, to transplant the Pure Lustrous Tea and Dragon Bone Grass there."

Lu Xuan thought to himself.

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