Starry Sky Professional

“Oh, by the way, Nephew Fang...”

Zhou Yuantong toyed with a name card in his hand. "Are you planning to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill this time? Have you really gathered the main ingredient?"

"Naturally, take a look."

Fang Xing took a box out of his storage bag and casually tossed it over.

Zhou Yuantong opened it to reveal the demonic core of a Second-Order Vulture Monstrosity, his eyes lighting up immediately.

After a brief examination, he nodded repeatedly. "Indeed, a Second-Order demonic core. Nephew Fang, luck is truly on your side... Back in my day, I ventured into the uncharted lands with friends, slaughtered seven Second-Order demonic beasts, but returned empty-handed... I wonder how you acquired this demonic core?"

"Oh my, must one inquire about the source of the main ingredients for alchemy now?"

Fang Xing chuckled. "Of course, it was a fortuitous opportunity bestowed upon me."

"Ha ha, what a fortuitous opportunity indeed; it seems even heaven wishes for you to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill, Nephew Fang."

Zhou Yuantong laughed heartily, though his mind was wary.

This Qi Refinement cultivator—was his confidence excessive?

Most itinerant cultivators would hide their treasures, yet Fang Xing openly offered a Second-Order demonic core?

"Alright, let's discuss the alchemy process...”

Fang Xing inquired, "When can you begin refining, Senior?"

"Well... a single demonic core won't be enough to start. We still need auxiliary materials like Green Dragon Ginseng and Moonflower Dew..."

A trace of difficulty appeared on Zhou Yuantong's face.

"That's simple, just spread the word, and they will come,"

Fang Xing replied with a smile.

"Oh, Nephew Fang plans for a joint venture in alchemy?"

A flicker of sharpness danced in Zhou Yuantong's eyes as he stroked his beard.

"With my skills, I can't guarantee more than two pills from this batch..."

Fang Xing was rendered speechless.

According to the "Myriad Laws Alchemy Sutra," using a demon core as the main ingredient for refining a Foundation Establishment Pill would yield slightly fewer pills compared to traditional materials.

However, if an alchemy grandmaster undertakes it, five excellent pills per batch can be ensured!

With a master-level alchemist, they can manage around four to five pills per batch, a mixture of good and excellent quality.

Yet here with Zhou Yuantong, not even two pills could be assured.

‘Could it be... the cultivators here are just too weak?’

Fang Xing laughed, "Anyway, I get to choose first. I have a modest fortune, enough to compensate... Besides, perhaps Senior’s alchemy skills are so advanced that you could even produce two or three pills, wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds?"

He pondered for a moment, then continued, "However... according to the rules for refining precious pills, we must observe closely."

"Naturally, please hold on to this demon core, Nephew. Once I spread the word, we can find other Daoist friends to aid us..."

Zhou Yuantong straightforwardly returned the demon core to Fang Xing, instructing the servants to escort him to the guest room to rest.

"Ancestor?"

Seeing this, Zhou Xin couldn't help but ponder.

"Heh heh..."

Zhou Yuantong waved his hand, and a light screen appeared, isolating the space inside from the outside.

"This boy seems grand and dignified, as if from a prestigious background, almost fooled this old man... But if he truly had connections, why come to me for alchemy? Moreover, he can't even gather enough auxiliary herbs for a Foundation Establishment Pill?"

Stroking his beard, Zhou Yuantong chuckled.

"Are you saying, Ancestor?" Zhou Xin's eyes brightened.

"For safety, the Zhou family needs to produce another Foundation Establishment cultivator... Your Sixth Uncle has long achieved Qi Refinement perfection, yet he is just missing a Foundation Establishment Pill..."

Zhou Yuantong continued, "In our family, there should be a Blue Dragon Ginseng... As for the Moonlight Dew, trade with the Zheng family for a bit, gathering the auxiliary materials shouldn’t be an issue. Immediately take my warrant, gather the herbs, and bring your Sixth Uncle, the Twenty-seventh Uncle with you."

"Yes!"

Zhou Xin respectfully lifted her skirt and curtsied before gracefully exiting. As she glanced towards Fang Xing's room, she shook her head inwardly, sighing, ‘Such unfortunate fate... If only Ancestor could refine two perfect pills, there might be a sliver of hope, otherwise...’

...

Several days later.

Fang Xing was invited back to the hall, "Oh? The Zhou family wishes to collaborate with me?"

Zhou Yuantong chuckled, "Indeed... After much consideration, publicizing this matter might not be beneficial for you, my friend. Better to handle it privately... Besides, our family does have some herbs stored away. We’ve taken stock and can provide a set of auxiliary materials, as you see!"

Standing beside Zhou Yuantong were two Qi Refinement stage cultivators.

Among them was a burly man whose cultivation level was at the pinnacle of Qi Refinement. He patted the storage bag at his waist, and a jade box appeared.

Opening it, they saw a verdant ginseng inside, faintly shaped like a dragon.

The other cultivator of Qi Refinement was a middle-aged scholar with a refined appearance. He likewise took out a jade bottle from his storage bag, containing a drop of dew that vaguely emitted the shape of a bright moon.

"Jade Dragon Ginseng, Moonlight Dew..."

Fang Xing nodded slightly.

"This Jade Dragon Ginseng is five hundred years old... The Moonlight Dew is also top-notch. As for the remaining twenty-seven ordinary supplementary materials, my residence has them all prepared. What do you think, dear nephew?"

Zhou Yuantong said with a smile.

"I will defer to the senior's decision. But... what if there is only one perfect pill after refinement?"

Fang Xing surveyed the surroundings, his voice carrying a hint of gravity.

"Naturally, the dear nephew chooses first, and we shall be compensated with three thousand five hundred lower-grade spirit stones..."

The burly man and the middle-aged scholar exchanged a glance and said.

"Agreed!"

Fang Xing nodded, suddenly asking: "Do you have a second-grade spirit contract? For such important matters, signing a contract first brings peace of mind..."

The burly man and the middle-aged scholar exchanged a look and turned to their old ancestor.

"Haha, of course we have it!"

Zhou Yuantong replied in an official tone, pulling out a second-grade spirit contract and writing down the conditions one by one: "I shall sign first..."

In such spirit contracts, the names are irrelevant; what matters is the cultivator's mana imprint.

For stricter terms, a bloodline imprint can be added.

With a wave of Zhou Yuantong's sleeve, a circular mark formed on the spirit contract, which he handed to Fang Xing.

Fang Xing examined it, nodded, and left a mana imprint in the form of a platinum sword seal.

"It's set... Please follow me to the alchemy room."

Zhou Yuantong chuckled, leading Fang Xing and the others to the alchemy room.

“Everyone, please stay at least a meter away. I’m about to begin.”

Zhou Yuantong spoke with a solemn expression as he cast a spell.

On the wall, the head of an ancient crimson beast opened its mouth wide, spewing forth waves of dense earth flames.

His hands moved like graceful butterflies, warming up the alchemical furnace.

Zhou Xin's eyes sparkled, “The Ancestor’s mastery of this fire control technique has become increasingly refined.”

In her heart, she understood that this set of hand-signs had extraordinary origins, which was why the Ancestor moved so swiftly, unlike his usual deliberate slow pace meant for her to observe.

Fang Xing pretended to be a novice at alchemy, his clear eyes wide open as if he didn’t comprehend anything.

In reality, he could discern a few insights from the technique, feeling that while it wasn’t as advanced as the methods in the Universal Alchemy Scripture, it still offered a semblance of understanding.

Conveniently, he had a camcorder tucked in his sleeve, allowing him to record the process, planning to review it frame by frame later.

Though the cultivation world had items like ‘Memory Stones’ and ‘Sound Retention Talismans’, all had mystical energy fluctuations.

The Zhou Ancestor would never imagine a mortal device capable of recording without any magical influence, as he focused entirely, throwing in various medicinal ingredients into the furnace, each transforming into different liquids and powders...

Then came the second-level beast core and two primary auxiliary materials...

Forging the Foundation Establishment Pill took over three days.

During this period, Fang Xing and several Qi Refinement cultivators all sat cross-legged, occasionally taking a fasting pill.

Eventually...

“Open!”

Zhou Yuantong cast a spell, and the once crimson furnace opened with a loud roar, releasing an overwhelming fragrance of pills.

A streak of blue light shot out like lightning, caught in Zhou Yuantong's hand.

He glanced at it, a hint of embarrassment appearing on his aged face.

“How did the pill turn out?”

asked Fang Xing nonchalantly, as if he had no worries.

“Ah...”

Zhou Yuantong sighed softly along with a gentle breeze, opening his hand to reveal a blue pill nestled within. The pill's medicinal nature was subtle yet profound, resembling a blue sapphire.

Yet, a black line ran across its otherwise pristine surface.

“Alas, I'm ashamed to admit, I only managed to produce a single inferior Foundation Establishment Pill this time…”

Zhou Yuantong glanced towards Fang Xing, noticing his calm demeanor, which left him somewhat surprised. “Well then… may I ask, do you still need this, dear nephew? Even if you take this inferior pill, the spirit stones for the supplementary materials still need to be paid.”

“There's no rush in that matter.”

Fang Xing suddenly smiled, “I've heard that among alchemists, there exists a technique called the ‘Pill Concealment Method,’ which allows one to hide a completed pill within the cauldron. Is there any truth to this? Might I inspect the cauldron?”

“How dare you!”

The two Qi Refinement stage cultivators surnamed Zhou immediately barked in anger, “The cauldron is an extremely private object, how can you inspect it?”

“I have been refining pills for many years; I have established quite a reputation… Besides, surely, you don't doubt me, young friend? After all, here's the second-tier spirit contract!”

Zhou Yuantong said with a solemn expression.

“A Foundation Establishment cultivator, if willing to pay a heavy price, can still breach a contract… More so, I've seen genuine second-tier spirit contracts. The one you showed earlier, though similar in appearance, was slightly deficient… likely just a defective one. Breaching it would incur less of a penalty, wouldn't it?”

Fang Xing stood with his hands clasped behind him, cutting a figure of remarkable authority.

Witnessing this, Zhou Yuantong was plunged further into hesitation and uncertainty.

From his hand emerged a silver token, with just a flick, the estate was engulfed in a layer of ochre light.

Only after finishing this precaution did he relax somewhat, looking at Fang Xing with a faint hint of malevolence. “Since you've noticed, wouldn't it be simpler to leave with that inferior Foundation Establishment Pill?”

He had indeed deceived others earlier, offering a defective second-tier spirit contract, but it still came at some cost.

If Fang Xing took the inferior pill and left, the agreement could be considered fulfilled, sparing him from any backlash.

Moreover… this person might come with unknown connections, perhaps even speaking to friends beforehand about attending the alchemy session.

If an incident arose and was publicized, it could greatly tarnish the Zhou family ancestor's reputation.

Thus, he intended to placate with an inferior pill; even if this individual went out to make noise, at worst it would be blamed on poor performance this time around.

Certainly, it was worth it for a Foundation Establishment Pill!

He hadn’t expected him to reveal it directly… what could be his leverage?

(End of Chapter)