Chapter 499 – Forming the Pill

Not long after, a rich burst of medicinal fragrance suddenly wafted out from the pill furnace, only to vanish just as quickly. Zhang Xiaohua knew that the thirteen days of pill nurturing had been completely finished. He immediately rose from his meditation cushion, extended his divine sense into the furnace, and once more reviewed the pill-drawing techniques in his mind. Only then did he stretch out both hands, his ten fingers moving slightly as he began forming incantation seals in a slow, rhythmic pattern.

In just a few moments, the incantation was complete. Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Xiaohua flicked his hand and sent the seal into the pill furnace. His hands did not pause for even an instant, continuing to release the remaining pill-drawing seals in an orderly sequence.

Inside the furnace, the medicinal mass transformed—one pill became two, two became three… until that originally large pill was divided into eight separate ones. Looking at the remaining medicinal liquid, Zhang Xiaohua knew that although there was still quite a bit left, it would only be enough to draw out one more pill. Producing yet another Scarlet Flame Pill beyond that would be impossible.

However, when he sent in the final incantation seal, the ninth Scarlet Flame Pill was drawn out smoothly. Yet the remaining medicinal liquid did not mysteriously vanish as it usually did after pill refinement. Instead, it continued to float quietly within the furnace.

“Huh?” Zhang Xiaohua let out an involuntary sound of surprise. Could it be that refining Scarlet Flame Pills could break the long-standing limit of “nine pills”?

Almost instinctively, Zhang Xiaohua once again sent the final pill-drawing seal into the remaining liquid. In that instant, an unbelievable scene unfolded. When his seal entered the last of the medicinal liquid, nothing happened at first. Then it suddenly swelled and flickered, as if phasing in and out of existence. Just as Zhang Xiaohua thought it was about to disappear, a faint, crisp pop rang out—like a roasted soybean bursting open. Out of thin air, six thumb-sized pills abruptly appeared, clattering as they fell to the bottom of the pill furnace!

Zhang Xiaohua’s eyes widened. Those six pills were all a brownish-red color—weren’t they exactly the Scarlet Flame Pills described in the scrolls from Spring Rebirth Valley?

Ugh~ Zhang Xiaohua was completely stunned. Wasn’t he refining Meridian-Nourishing Pills? How had six Scarlet Flame Pills suddenly popped out at the end?

But this was no time for hesitation. Once he snapped back to his senses, Zhang Xiaohua quickly took out a jade bottle from his money pouch. Using a pill-collecting incantation, he carefully stored the nine Meridian-Nourishing Pills, then sealed the bottle with a restriction and placed it on a shelf within the pouch’s storage space.

Just as his divine sense was about to withdraw from the space, it casually swept across the very bottom of the shelf, where several jade bottles had been tossed aside. Instantly, Zhang Xiaohua felt as if struck by lightning.

Qi-Boosting Pills!!!

He finally remembered. These were Qi-Boosting Pills! Not something he had merely read about in a jade slip, but actual Qi-Boosting Pills that had been sitting in his pouch all along!

Almost without thinking, he immediately took one of the bottles out of the pouch and held it in his hand to examine closely.

The three small characters on the jade bottle—“Qi-Boosting Pill”—were written sloppily and casually, as if of little importance. And yet… this was the legendary sacred medicine Elder Zhang had mentioned yesterday, the one said to increase cultivation power???

Zhang Xiaohua frowned tightly, finding it hard to believe. But when his gaze shifted to the six brownish-red Scarlet Flame Pills lying quietly at the bottom of the furnace, realization suddenly dawned on him.

Previously, when he had used Huangjing to refine Fasting Pills, Tianma to refine Blood-Tonifying Pills, and other herbs to make various medicines, he had always employed immortal dao pil refining techniques. The number of pills formed had always been fewer than nine. Whenever the count exceeded nine, no matter how many medicinal ingredients remained, they would mysteriously vanish—disappearing out of thin air without a trace. But those had all been basic pills.

The Scarlet Flame Pill was the first true low-grade medicinal pill Zhang Xiaohua had refined. It, too, seemed bound by the limit of nine pills. However, the medicinal power of Scarlet Pearl Grass and Sunflame Herb was exceptionally potent. Even after forming nine pills, surplus essence remained—and that leftover essence had condensed into what Spring Rebirth Valley referred to as Scarlet Flame Pills!

These Scarlet Flame Pills were merely byproducts of refining the Meridian-Nourishing Pills. Compared to the Meridian-Nourishing Pills, the Scarlet Flame Pills were nothing more than scraps. If Elder Zhang and Valley Master Nie hadn’t repeatedly stressed their importance, Zhang Xiaohua would definitely have treated them as ordinary pills and stored them away without a second thought.

By that same logic, the Qi-Boosting Pills Elder Zhang spoke of—the very ones now in Zhang Xiaohua’s hand—were likely just byproducts of some even more advanced pill. Though they were a sacred medicine to martial artists, to immortal cultivators who refined pills, they were probably insignificant, something optional at best.

That must be why they were given such a casual name, and why they had been tossed so carelessly into a corner of the shelf! [TL_Note: The stuff from the Fire Dragon True Person]

After thinking it through, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but shake his head slightly. He lifted the jade bottle and gave it a gentle shake beside his ear—there was no sound at all. Could it be empty?

He immediately sent out his divine sense. Fortunately, the restriction on the jade bottle was still intact, and inside, three Qi-Boosting Pills rested perfectly fine.

Zhang Xiaohua pursed his lips into a faint smile, and the jade bottle in his hand vanished into thin air.

His gaze then returned to the six Scarlet Flame Pills at the bottom of the furnace. He had been worrying about how to explain the difference between Meridian-Nourishing Pills and Scarlet Flame Pills to Valley Master Nie and Elder Zhang. But now things were simple—Scarlet Flame Pills were merely byproducts of refining Meridian-Nourishing Pills. Did he even need to explain anything anymore?

Even better, the Meridian-Nourishing Pills would of course be kept by Zhang Xiaohua himself; he wouldn’t be leaving those with Spring Rebirth Valley. They were far too mysterious—giving them away might not be a good thing. He would only hand over the Scarlet Flame Pills to the valley. Truly killing two birds with one stone.

Picking up the porcelain bottle that Spring Rebirth Valley had prepared in advance, Zhang Xiaohua was just about to store the Scarlet Flame Pills inside when he suddenly remembered that the Qi-Boosting Pills were also kept in jade bottles. This porcelain bottle probably wouldn’t do. So instead, he picked up the jade box that had originally held medicinal herbs on the table. With a pinch of incantation seals, the six Scarlet Flame Pills were all collected into the jade box.

Only then did Zhang Xiaohua finally let out a long breath. At last, he had lived up to expectations—fourteen days of hard work had not been in vain. The Scarlet Flame Pills… hehe… and the Meridian-Nourishing Pills had both been successfully refined.

Tucking the jade box into his robe, Zhang Xiaohua stepped out of the pill room.

By now, it had long passed noon. Valley Master Nie and Elder Zhang were surely growing anxious from the wait.

Sure enough, when they saw Zhang Xiaohua walk in with a gloomy expression, the already impatient Elder Zhang and Valley Master Nie both felt their hearts skip a beat. They exchanged a glance and hurried forward. Elder Zhang immediately asked, “Young Hero Ren, how did the refinement of the Scarlet Flame Pills go?”

Zhang Xiaohua sighed. “Alas, this junior’s skills are not refined…”

Valley Master Nie had also been extremely curious, but seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s expression, he assumed something had gone wrong. Not waiting for him to finish, he quickly said: “Nephew Ren, if there was a mishap, don’t take it to heart. Even failure brings experience. Don’t we still have another set of medicinal herbs? Although time is short, you can still refine them at the Incense Spreading Sect. Next time, you will surely succeed. We’ll just wait here at Spring Rebirth Valley for you to bring back the Scarlet Flame Pills.”

Hearing this, Elder Zhang’s face also darkened, though he forced a smile. “Yes, Young Hero Ren, if not this time, there’s always next time.”

Listening to the two of them console him in turn, Zhang Xiaohua sighed again. “Alas, this junior’s skills are not refined—the number of Scarlet Flame Pills I managed to produce is somewhat small.”

“Mmm, it’s fine, fewer is still—” they began to reassure him.

But then the two suddenly froze, realization dawning, and both burst out in delight. “What? Few? That means you succeeded in refining them?!”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled. “Yes, I was fortunate not to fail your expectations. Though the quantity is small, the refinement was indeed a success.”

Elder Zhang laughed. “No matter, no matter—as long as the refinement succeeded, that’s what matters. I’ll just take a look; I don’t need to take one. Let the Valley Master take this pill.”

“This…” Valley Master Nie hesitated. If he said he didn’t want to take it, that would be a lie. But… After a moment, he clenched his teeth and said, “Elder Zhang should take it instead. You’re advanced in years, and it may not… As for me, I’ll wait for Nephew Ren’s next batch of pills.”

“Valley Master…” Elder Zhang began, intending to persuade him otherwise.

Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but laugh, touched as well. The two of them clearly valued the Scarlet Flame Pills far too much—so worried about gains and losses that they wouldn’t even wait for him to finish speaking before jumping to conclusions.

He cleared his throat and said with a smile: “Seniors, please don’t keep deferring to each other. This time, I refined a total of six Scarlet Flame Pills—enough for both of you to take one.”

“What?!” Elder Zhang and Valley Lord Nie both cried out in unison. “Six pills?!”

“Yes?” Zhang Xiaohua felt puzzled. Why were they so jumpy today?

Tears welled up in Elder Zhang’s eyes as he stepped forward and grabbed Zhang Xiaohua’s hand. “Young Hero Ren, you are truly a divine talent! It’s long been said in the valley that Scarlet Flame Pills are extremely difficult to refine. In past, we only ever heard of one furnace producing two pills at most. And yet you—six in a single batch! This is simply…”

“Simply miraculous!” Valley Master Nie could not conceal his excitement either.

“Yes, absolutely miraculous.” Elder Zhang beamed. “According to our previous agreement, Young Hero Ren will take three pills, and our Spring Rebirth Valley will keep three. The Valley Master and I will each take one… but that leaves one pill, which is rather troublesome. We’ll have to let the Valley Master decide.”

Valley Master Nie frowned slightly. “Indeed. If there were none left, that would be one thing. But with just a single pill remaining, it’s hard to decide who should have it.”

Elder Zhang thought for a moment. “How about this—perhaps I shouldn’t take one after all. We older folks can go without. Better to give it to the younger generation. We can see who has the best aptitude and most potential, and let them take it.”

Valley Master Nie shook his head. “It’s only five years’ worth of internal energy. Young people should temper themselves through hardship—that’s the proper path. Gaining power out of thin air might actually hinder their future cultivation.”

Elder Zhang… Seeing the two of them drift off into their own discussion. Zhang Xiaohua shook his head to himself. Calm down, calm down—it’s only five years’ worth of cultivation. I’ve got pills worth thirty years of cultivation in my possession, and I’m not even that excited. How are you two this worked up?

Seeing them still debating, Zhang Xiaohua had no choice but to cough again. “Seniors, it’s not three Scarlet Flame Pills—it’s five.”

The two men froze, both staring at him in confusion. “Five? How is it five?”

A moment later, Valley Master Nie realized what he meant and quickly said, “No, no—earlier we agreed that you would keep three Scarlet Flame Pills for yourself, Nephew Ren. How can we go back on our word?”

Zhang Xiaohua shook his head. “Uncle Nie, you overstate it. I am only one person—one pill is enough for me. Besides, don’t I still have other medicinal herbs? I can refine more in the future.”