Chapter 170: Qiu Long Tea (Patreon)
Content
Immortal Path Space : Table of Content/Chapter List
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Wang Hong and Tang Wan'er's bet on the first two furnaces, with each producing three Pills, ended in a draw.
As the third furnace's Pill production began, Wang Hong continued to operate calmly and methodically, following the previous procedure.
Tang Wan'er, however, was now ignited with a competitive spirit. Changing her Technique, she manipulated her Spiritual Power in a unique way, causing a surge in her vitality.
This was an Alchemy technique she had learned, capable of temporarily enhancing Divine Sense, strengthening Spiritual Power, and consequently increasing the Pill Success Rate. However, the aftermath meant she would need several days of rest to recover.
After using the technique, Tang Wan'er's Pill formation speed increased significantly, employing techniques she had never used before.
Witnessing this, Wang Hong sighed inwardly. It seemed he was destined to lose this time, but he wouldn't increase his Pill Success Rate because of it.
At his current level, in the eyes of many, he was already an Alchemy genius. Explaining that he had already refined one or two thousand second-tier Pills would be difficult. Besides, he wasn't one to shy away from a loss, and the Spirit Bee Royal Jelly, though extremely rare to others, was abundant in his Space, with over a hundred pounds.
Over the years, there had been occasional fellow practitioners seeking to purchase from him, but he hadn't sold much, considering he only had the one nest on the Spirit Jujube Tree openly.
In the end, during the third furnace, Tang Wan'er produced five Pills, far surpassing Wang Hong's three.
With this, the assessment concluded smoothly, and both Wang Hong and Tang Wan'er successfully became second-tier Alchemists in the Pill Hall.
Three first-tier Alchemists also passed the assessment, smoothly joining the Pill Hall.
"Alright! The assessment has concluded successfully. For those who didn't pass, don't be discouraged. Work hard, and there will be another chance next year.
Wang Hong, Tang Wan'er, Xiao Jun, Gao Ge, Duan Wei, stay. The rest can leave now."
Others left one after another. The cultivator with the protruding teeth who had chatted with Wang Hong before bid him farewell, hoping for more interactions in the future.
"I'm Yuan Yong. Welcome to the Pill Hall. From today, you five are Alchemists of the Pill Hall. Refine at least two furnaces of Pills per month for the Pill Hall, and, of course, the rewards in Spirit Stones will not be meager.
If anyone among you can't accept this condition, you can leave the Pill Hall right now."
Yuan Yong paused for a moment when there was no response.
"Follow me. I'll take you to meet our Pill Hall's Master. If you can receive guidance from the Master, it will be of great benefit."
Leading the way, Yuan Yong took the five to the fifth floor. Standing in front of a door, Yuan Yong respectfully said, "Master Mei, I've brought the five who passed this year's assessment."
"Creak!"
The door in front of Yuan Yong opened automatically.
"Come in!"
A friendly female voice echoed from inside.
Yuan Yong led Wang Hong and the others into the room. Inside, a woman in her thirties or forties was arranging a set of tea utensils, currently brewing a pot of Spirit Tea on her own.
"Please, have a seat," the female cultivator gestured towards several chairs in front of her.
Carefully, the group took their seats.
By now, the Spirit Tea was ready. The woman poured it into seven small cups, and then six of them gracefully flew to the small table in front of each person.
"This is Cloud Mist Tea from the peak of Lingxiao Peak. It's challenging to come by, harvested only once every thirty years, producing a mere four ounces each time. Give it a try."
"Thank you, Senior Mei!" the six of them expressed their gratitude simultaneously. Even the Golden Core cultivator could tell that this tea was extraordinary.
Wang Hong brought the cup to his lips, taking a sip. The tea was fragrant, imbued with a hint of Spiritual Energy. It seemed to repair Divine Sense fatigue after consumption, though he felt it was slightly inferior to the Spirit Tea he grew in his own Space.
Tang Wan'er, who had felt fatigued due to her secret technique, regained some vitality after drinking a cup.
"Excellent tea. I didn't expect such a good tea in the world," Yuan Yong praised after taking a sip, whether he genuinely felt so or was just being complimentary remained uncertain.
"During the last secret realm opening, there was a Qiu Long Tea inside. Its quality surpassed even this Cloud Mist Tea. It can be harvested each time the secret realm opens, about one or two times each time. Originally, I sent two Qi Cultivation disciples to collect it, but somehow, someone dug up the entire tea tree," Master Mei revealed, a hint of resentment showing on her normally calm face.
Yuan Yong, knowing Master Mei's temperament, was aware that she rarely showed such expressions. It was evident how much she cherished that Spirit Tea. Trying to ease the atmosphere, he suggested, "Are there no other places with Qiu Long Tea? We can transplant a few to our sect."
"As far as I know, there is only this one in the East Zhou Cultivation Realm. Several thousand years ago, there were several Qiu Long Tea plants there. Unfortunately, people always tried to claim them for themselves, and one by one, they were stolen. None of the transplanted Qiu Long Tea trees survived," Master Mei explained.
Hearing this, Wang Hong seemed to realize something. That cursed person mentioned by Master Mei was probably him. It seemed he needed to be more careful even when drinking tea in the future. It felt somewhat unfair to sneakily enjoy the fruits, vegetables, and tea he cultivated himself.
"Enough of these digressions. Let's discuss them later. You all are quite promising. Xiao Jun, Gao Ge, Duan Wei, what you lack now is experience in Alchemy. Practice more in the future.
Xiao Jun, reduce the fire slightly during refining, and..." Master Mei provided guidance on the strengths and weaknesses of the three.
"Thank you, Master, for your guidance," the three thanked her before being dismissed.
Master Mei then looked at the remaining two. "Tang family girl, don't let your emotions guide your Alchemy. Using a self-damaging secret technique for just half a catty of Spirit Bee Royal Jelly is imprudent. Be more cautious in the future."
"Thank you, Master Mei, for your guidance! I will be more careful in the future," Tang Wan'er quickly expressed her gratitude.
"As for you, why are you always a bit slower in Pill Condensation each time? You make the same mistake every time. Pay more attention in the future. Also, you seem a bit unfamiliar with the process of merging Spiritual Herbs. Practice more," Master Mei pointed out Wang Hong's shortcomings and issues directly.
It turned out that although Master Mei didn't personally preside over the assessment in the main hall, her Divine Sense had been observing the entire event.
Afterward, Master Mei gave them some additional instructions, and Wang Hong took the opportunity to ask her about some challenging Alchemy questions.
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