"This..."
After listening to Ji Chen's words, Li Huayuan couldn't help but frown, "Young Sect Leader, are you suggesting that this Spirit Transformation Pill formula of mine is a 'fake pill formula'?"
The so-called fake pill formula doesn't mean that it's a false formula.
It's just a term used.
Typically, such formulas are crafted by alchemists with extremely high attainments.
Their alchemy techniques are advanced, so when selecting the primary ingredients, they don't deliberately choose carefully and don't overly consider whether the properties will clash too severely.
Though it's said to be a Third Grade elixir, due to the primary ingredient issues, this formula in Li Huayuan's hands could probably only be successfully refined by a Fifth Grade or even Sixth Grade alchemist.
Thinking of this, his expression grew increasingly grim.
Originally, he had hoped to rely on this pill formula to refine the Spirit Transformation Pill and thereby smoothly advance to a Third Grade alchemist, yet he could never have imagined that it was actually a fake pill formula.
Now with the examination imminent, where else could he go to find another pill formula?
Ji Chen seemed to notice the distress in Li Huayuan's heart and couldn't help but smile, "Actually, if you want to refine this Spirit Transformation Pill, it's not that difficult."
Upon hearing this, Li Huayuan's eyes lit up, "Could it be that the Young Sect Leader has a solution?"
"Since the properties of Blood Spirit Grass and Frost Flower clash severely, doesn't it work if you replace them with two other herbs with milder properties?" Ji Chen said.
"This..."
Li Huayuan immediately frowned.
The theory was correct.
But as an alchemist, he understood better than anyone that the selection of ingredients in any pill formula involves many considerations and nuances.
To want to change two herbs and thereby successfully refine the Spirit Transformation Pill, this undertaking could be even more difficult than simply following the original formula to refine the pill!
After all, there are thousands of herbs, and no one knows exactly what to substitute.
Unless your knowledge of pharmacology has reached an extremely high level, otherwise, it would be a mere pipe dream.
"I'll recommend two herbs for you. Try swapping the Blood Spirit Grass and Frost Flower with these two when you get back and see if it works."
Ji Chen didn't waste any words and promptly found pen and paper, wrote down the names of two herbs, and handed it to Li Huayuan.
"Dragon Beard Grass... Snow Lotus..."
Looking at the herbs Ji Chen had written down, Li Huayuan was somewhat stunned.
Because, based on his understanding, these two herbs seemed too cheap, far from it not to mention that these herbs were even growing in his own Pill Pavilion's yard.
Compared to Frost Flower and Blood Spirit Grass, the price difference was enormous.
Can this really work?
He thought about it this way but didn't dare to say it out loud.
Though he knew that Ji Chen's alchemy Dao attainment far surpassed his own, Li Huayuan didn't believe that someone could simply glance at a pill formula and swap out two main ingredients, and thereby let him successfully refine the Spirit Transformation Pill.
What level of attainment and knowledge of pharmacology does it take to do this?
Such a person probably wouldn't even exist in the entire Alchemy Master Alliance, right?
Thinking this way in his heart, he still put away the names of the two herbs written by Ji Chen, then stood up and cupped his hands in a slight bow, "It's truly my honor to receive the Young Sect Leader's guidance today. I will definitely come to visit again if I have the opportunity in the future!"
Finally, he left the Drunken Ink Residence with Wang Ping.
...
Back at the Pill Pavilion, Wang Ping followed Li Huayuan's instructions and picked Dragon Beard Grass and Snow Lotus from the yard.
Seeing Li Huayuan actually planning to attempt to substitute these two herbs for Frost Flower and Blood Spirit Grass to refine the Spirit Transformation Pill, Wang Ping couldn't help but say, "Elder Li, could this lead to any issues? And the Young Sect Leader's words... are they really trustworthy?"
He always felt like Elder Li had perhaps made a mistake, having been fooled by this prodigal Ji Chen.
After all, no matter what, Wang Ping couldn't believe that the Young Sect Leader, famous for being a playboy in the Chu Kingdom, could also know alchemy, and his attainments were even above Elder Li's.
"What do you know?"
Li Huayuan glared at him, "If you were also an alchemist, you would understand the meaning behind the questions I asked the Young Sect Leader at the Drunken Ink Residence."
"The Young Sect Leader's alchemy Dao attainment is more terrifying than you can imagine. The so-called playboy title is unworthy. Behind him, there must be a high-level master!"
"Don't casually spread today's events. Since the Young Sect Leader considers himself prodigal, he must have his reasons. Do not anger the high-level master behind him." Li Huayuan warned.
"Elder Li, rest assured, I dare not spread it." Wang Ping nodded seriously, though he was extremely surprised.
He seemed to have discovered some incredible secret!
Soon, after dismissing Wang Ping, Li Huayuan sat down in front of the alchemy furnace, murmuring to himself, "Though it seems unlikely to succeed, there's no harm in trying..."
The main cost of the Spirit Transformation Pill's ingredients was the high price of the Blood Spirit Grass and Frost Flower, whereas the other ingredients were quite common.
Now, by replacing the Frost Flower and Blood Spirit Grass with Dragon Beard Grass and Snow Lotus, even if the refinement fails, the value of these ingredients wouldn't pain Li Huayuan too much.
Without hesitation, he promptly placed the ingredients in the alchemy furnace one by one, starting the refinement attempt.
...
Time passed.
Gradually, the blazing sun sank in the west, and the sky was filled with sunset glow.
In the Drunken Ink Residence, Ji Chen finally managed to imprint two sets of Profound Tier Martial Techniques successfully.
Just as he exhaled a long breath, preparing to cultivate.
Suddenly, someone arrived outside the courtyard gate.
It was Fang Qingyao.
This senior sister of the Lingyun Sect had very high prestige within the sect.
Many said that because Ji Chen was too prodigal, he was unlikely to inherit the position of Sect Leader in the future.
Thus, Fang Qingyao naturally became the primary candidate.
Firstly, she was now the senior sister of the Lingyun Sect, and secondly, she was Sect Leader Ji Xiaotian's direct disciple.
Besides her, only the second senior brother, Song Chengyuan, had any chance.
However, Song Chengyuan had once colluded with people from the Celestial Profound Sect to injure Ji Chen, an issue that Ji Chen would rectify sooner or later.
A person with such improper intentions, willing to harm his own Young Sect Leader for the sake of power, could never be tolerated by Ji Chen. He just hadn't had the time to deal with him yet.
"Senior Sister looking for me?"
Ji Chen invited Fang Qingyao into the courtyard while observing her intently.
He had to admit, Fang Qingyao had a certain charm.
Don't forget that in his previous life he was a Pill Saint renowned worldwide, but, in truth, the previous Ji Chen was only in his twenties, not much older than Fang Qingyao.
Young people, upon seeing a beauty, tend to take a few more glances, right?
"The Master asked me to deliver some spirit stones to you."
Fang Qingyao frowned, clearly dissatisfied with Ji Chen's scrutinizing gaze, which fit her perception of this prodigal Young Sect Leader.
With that, she handed him a storage bag.
As Ji Chen opened it, he was momentarily taken aback, "So many?"
Inside the storage bag, there was a sea of bright spirit stones, numbering at least a hundred.
That was an enormous amount.
Keep in mind, ordinary disciples in the Lingyun Sect could only receive five spirit stones from the sect each month. Even the Sect Leader's direct disciple like Fang Qingyao only received twenty per month.
This many spirit stones was no trivial figure.