Xu Chang’an did not hide his success in refining the Rejuvenation Pill from Pill Master Ye.
When Pill Master Ye found out, his expression was a sight to behold.
It had only been a few years since he had reached the Tier Two level of skill, yet Xu Chang’an could already successfully refine Tier Two Middle-grade Elixirs.
That speed...
It was simply terrifying!
The talent Xu Chang’an displayed was so great, it was as if he were born for alchemy.
A few days later, Xu Chang’an began his attempt to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.
This set of materials for the Foundation Establishment Pill was from the Flame Leaf Elixir Workshop’s own stores, not from a client’s custom order.
Although the materials were paid for via deductions from Xu Chang’an’s salary and earnings, Pill Master Ye was willing to provide such a set of Foundation Establishment Pill materials for Xu Chang’an to attempt refining.
This spoke volumes about how highly he valued him.
Xu Chang’an was naturally pleased, as this would save him a great deal of time.
In addition to informing Pill Master Ye, Xu Chang’an also made a point of writing a letter to Cheng Mengying at Lion’s Mane Cave.
He informed her about the state of his alchemy skills: that he had successfully refined the Rejuvenation Pill and was now preparing to attempt the Foundation Establishment Pill.
After all, Cheng Mengying was his demon investor; keeping her updated on his progress was only to be expected.
At the end of the letter, Xu Chang’an deliberately added another line.
From now on, the alchemy materials you supply can be prepared for Tier Two Middle-grade Elixirs!
Xu Chang’an had no idea what a pleasant surprise the letter’s contents would be for Cheng Mengying.
For him, more opportunities for alchemy simply meant more improvement in his alchemy skills.
Even he had to marvel at his own progress. ’My talent for alchemy really is quite good!’
When combined with his insight and cultivation realm, his talent reached a terrifying level.
After more than ten days of meticulous preparation, Xu Chang’an officially began refining the Foundation Establishment Pill.
The combination of spirit medicine and spiritual materials, the sequence for adding them to the furnace, the in-process adjustments, the control of the heat, the mastery of timing...
He had long since committed every necessary step to heart.
The refining process took the better part of a day.
In front of the alchemy furnace, sweat dripped from Xu Chang’an’s brow.
He didn’t bother using his demon power to dry the sweat; his entire consciousness was focused on the contents of the alchemy furnace.
’The final step!’
Xu Chang’an fine-tuned the temperature of the flame beneath the pill furnace while continuously activating the spirituality within the spirit medicine and spiritual materials, adjusting the minute details.
The process demanded extreme care and meticulous attention. An error at any stage would be catastrophic and irreversible.
Time slowly passed.
"Rise!"
Xu Chang’an’s expression was grave as he let out a loud cry.
HUM!
The pill furnace flew open!
A thick, shimmering mist surged from the alchemy furnace, carrying with it rolling waves of heat.
An incredibly rich fragrance of elixirs filled the air.
A look of joy flashed across Xu Chang’an’s face.
’The rich fragrance means the Foundation Establishment Pill was a success!’
After a moment, the thick mist began to dissipate.
Two elixirs lay quietly inside the alchemy furnace.
One was dim and lusterless, the other had a faint sheen.
The look of joy on Xu Chang’an’s face froze.
’One low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill! And the other is a wasted pill, completely useless!’
When Pill Master Ye had refined the Foundation Establishment Pill, he had produced four pills, one of which was even a high-grade version.
The difference in their skills was clear at a glance.
But a moment later, Xu Chang’an had already calmed down.
’It was my first attempt, and I still managed to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill.’
’Even if it’s just a low-grade one, that’s still not bad.’
’Now that I’ve succeeded once, I’m bound to get more and more skilled!’
After stowing away the low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill he had managed to refine, Xu Chang’an left the Alchemy Room.
When Pill Master Ye learned that Xu Chang’an had managed to refine a low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill on his very first attempt, his expression was, once again, a sight to behold.
That evening, Xu Chang’an treated Pill Master Ye and a few other Tier Two Alchemists from the Flame Leaf Elixir Workshop to a Spiritual Food Banquet.
At the banquet, Xu Chang’an stated that his successful promotion to Tier Two Middle-grade Alchemist would not have been possible without everyone’s support and help.
He said that if there was anything he could do for them in the future, they should not hesitate to ask.
Such words spoken at a banquet are best heard and then forgotten—they can’t be taken at face value!
Regardless, by saying this, Xu Chang’an was making his attitude clear, and the atmosphere at the feast was naturally joyous and harmonious.
"Gray Rat Alchemist, congratulations! I always knew you were exceptionally talented and that a mere Tier Two Middle-grade bottleneck wouldn’t hold you back. But I never expected this day to come so soon."
Horned Horse Demon Alchemist Lin said with a smile, raising his cup to congratulate Xu Chang’an.
"I must thank you, Pill Master Lin, for so often sharing your experience and discussing alchemy techniques with me!"
Xu Chang’an smiled and toasted Pill Master Lin in return.
Amidst the clinking of cups, the demons of the Flame Leaf Elixir Workshop witnessed the rise of a new Tier Two Middle-grade Alchemist.
After officially becoming a Tier Two Middle-grade Alchemist, Xu Chang’an began accepting jobs to refine Foundation Establishment Pills at the Flame Leaf Elixir Workshop.
This would not only generate income for the Elixir Workshop, but also allow him to improve his Alchemy Skill.
The process for commissioning the refining of a Foundation Establishment Pill at the Elixir Workshop was similar to the Hundred Tools Workshop that Xu Chang’an had visited before.
The only difference was that visiting demon clients had to provide their own alchemy materials.
The Flame Leaf Elixir Workshop, however, offered a service with a one-hundred-percent success guarantee.
Clients could opt for this service, but it required paying a much more expensive insurance fee.
If an alchemist failed the refining, the Flame Leaf Elixir Workshop would procure another set of materials and attempt the process again.
If the refining was successful, the insurance fee would not be refunded.
In other words, for the Flame Leaf Elixir Workshop, a higher success rate in refining meant a greater profit.
However, the vast majority of Qi Refining Old Demons were strapped for cash. They already struggled just to gather the alchemy materials, so very few had the extra funds to opt for the insurance.
As such, most demons would choose an alchemist with a better reputation and more seasoned refining techniques.