The owner of Hongguang Tower was a burly old man with pale skin but a ruddy complexion.
Sensing the blood-red light that Zhao Sheng had deliberately released, he immediately felt relieved and laughed loudly, "So you are a fellow traveler! My name is Hong Yuanliang. May I ask your esteemed name, fellow traveler?"
"Just call me Daoist Longli," Zhao Sheng said calmly.
The burly old man didn't care. Most of the cultivators who dared to come to him wouldn't reveal their real names; having a title was enough. After all, everyone who came was a guest.
After all, their Blood Demon Sect is known for its "education for all" and "heroes need not be judged by their origins."
Once you cultivate the Blood Soul Scripture, you will be a like-minded fellow Daoist.
"Fellow Daoist Longli, have you come to the Red Light Pavilion because you need the Essence Blood Bead or the Blood Melting Talisman?"
To be honest, fellow Daoist, we recently received a batch of fresh goods; I guarantee you'll be satisfied.
Zhao Sheng knew from his previous life that the Blood Soul Scripture was an extremely evil and extraordinary skill, characterized by exchanging lifespan for cultivation, which allowed him to advance several times faster than usual.
However, its negative consequences are also quite obvious.
The most obvious drawback is that rapidly improving one's cultivation level requires a large amount of essence and blood to be converted into spiritual power.
The most insidious and terrifying consequence is that once you advance to the Foundation Establishment stage and die, your soul will not only be unable to reincarnate, but will also be transformed into a Blood Spirit Pill, ultimately becoming food for the Blood Demon.
Zhao Sheng didn't know much about the Blood Demon, but he roughly knew that it was the one who orchestrated the Blood Demon disaster three hundred years ago.
Legend has it that the Blood Demon is not a cultivator, but a strange being. It may originate from the upper realm and possesses near-immortality.
Of course, these are just rumors, and no one can confirm them.
However, one thing is certain.
The Blood Demon Sect has a terrible reputation among the upper echelons of the cultivation world, and is considered a pariah, but it is viewed with mixed opinions by lower-level cultivators.
Every year, countless cultivators begin to attempt to cultivate the Blood Soul Scripture for various reasons.
Once they've tasted the benefits, these people will flock to it.
The thrill of improving one's cultivation is no less than that of drug addiction; once you've tried it, you often can't break free.
This is one of the key reasons why the Blood Demon Sect was able to rise again in a short period of time after being wiped out several times.
Zhao Sheng waved his hand, "I don't need the Essence Blood Beads and Blood Melting Talismans. I need a few Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruits. Does Red Light Tower have any in stock?"
Upon hearing this, the burly old man's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and then he smiled amiably and said, "Fellow Daoist Longli, this Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruit is an extremely rare item, monopolized by those sects and aristocratic families, and rarely circulated in the market. May I ask, Fellow Daoist, do you perhaps wish to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill?"
The old man said so much, but the last sentence was the key point.
Of course, Zhao Sheng's willingness to come here meant he had no intention of hiding anything.
"Um!"
"Is it true? Fellow Daoist, can you provide proof?"
Upon hearing this, the burly old man abruptly stood up and, surprisingly, lost his composure, asked another question.
"I never joke!" Zhao Sheng smiled slightly, took out a first-level alchemist jade token from the Alchemist Association, and waved it in front of the old man.
Upon seeing the alchemist's token, the burly old man's face lit up with joy. He excitedly approached Zhao Sheng, his expression full of flattery.
"Excellent! Fellow Daoist Longli, you may not know this, but our establishment happens to have three Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruits in its collection. If you wish to have them, we will give them to you free of charge. As long as you agree to one small condition."
The old man was also gambling, betting that the other party wouldn't use this to deceive him.
"What are the conditions? Please speak!" Zhao Sheng remained outwardly calm, but his mind was clear, and he immediately guessed the conditions the other party was about to state.
"If you, fellow Daoist, manage to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill, would you be willing to sell it to my Red Light Pavilion? We are not only willing to pay a high price, but we will also try our best to continue supplying Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruit at the lowest possible price."
As soon as the old man finished speaking, Zhao Sheng thought to himself, "Just as I expected."
The Blood Demon Sect was ostracized by the mainstream cultivation forces, and was treated like a rat in a gutter, with everyone wanting to kill it.
Because of the unique characteristics of the Blood Soul Scripture, the Blood Demon Sect has a large number of disciples and has accumulated a large number of Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivators.
These Qi Refining Grand Perfection cultivators are desperate to extend their lifespan and advance to Foundation Establishment, but Foundation Establishment Pills are almost nowhere to be found on the market, and the sect can only allocate far too few Foundation Establishment Pills each year, resulting in a severe imbalance between supply and demand.
This explains why the burly old man became so excited and lost his composure when he heard that Zhao Sheng wanted to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.
This old man is one of those "poor people" too!
Seeing Zhao Sheng remain silent in thought, the burly old man gritted his teeth and said in a humble voice, "One Foundation Establishment Pill in exchange for five Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruits, and I will also offer treasures worth at least fifty thousand spirit stones. You can choose the treasures, fellow Daoist. If you are not satisfied, we can discuss it further. What do you say?"
Zhao Sheng secretly estimated that the Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruit was priceless, with a single fruit averaging around 10,000 spirit stones.
In other words, a Foundation Establishment Pill can be sold for at least 100,000 spirit stones at the Red Light Pavilion.
However, the true value cannot be calculated in this way.
If Zhao Sheng were to collect the Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruit by himself, it would be too much of a waste of his energy.
Only a major demonic sect like the Blood Demon Sect has the channels to continuously supply a certain amount of Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruit.
By saving the effort of collecting the main ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill, the time saved by Zhao Sheng far exceeded what 100,000 spirit stones could measure.
Of course, trading Foundation Establishment Pills with the Blood Demon Sect is tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin, and one must be extremely cautious.
Zhao Sheng had already made ample preparations for his arrival, so he was not worried about his true appearance being exposed for the time being.
But once he actually refines the Foundation Establishment Pill, the situation will definitely not be as easy as it seems.
After the old man finished speaking, he looked nervously at the middle-aged Taoist priest with a sallow face in front of him, waiting for the other party's reply.
Zhao Sheng tapped the table and nodded, saying, "I agree to these conditions."
"Alright! Fellow Daoist Longli, please wait a moment. I'll be right back."
After saying that, the old man turned around and walked out of the private room with an excited expression.
A moment later, he hurriedly returned, carrying a square box made of sunken wood.
The old man placed the wooden box on the table in front of Zhao Sheng and gently opened the lid.
Inside, there was a layer of white brocade covering the box, and beneath the brocade were three round objects. At that moment, a fragrance similar to that of apples was emanating from the box.
"Fellow Daoist, please look!"
The burly old man spoke with a smile, reaching out to unveil the brocade.
Zhao Sheng looked closely and saw three egg-sized, smooth, hairless, date-red fruits lying in the box.
As the brocade was removed, the aroma of the fruit became even more intense and intoxicating, instantly clearing the mind and quickening the thinking process.
These jujube-red fruits are the renowned Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruit of the Shattered Star Sea.
Despite its unassuming appearance, once you cut it open, you'll see layers upon layers of crystallized flesh, like a mille-feuille cake, while the seed is as transparent as a diamond, containing the essence of heaven and earth.
Snap!
Zhao Sheng closed the lid with one hand, a satisfied smile on his face, and nodded to the old man.
"Indeed, it is the Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruit!"
"I'm glad you're satisfied, fellow Daoist. I'll be bold and say this: if you fail this time, please come to my Red Light Pavilion. I'm willing to provide you with three more Thousand-Pattern Star Algae Fruits at half price."
This time, the old man did not mention the word "free of charge".
Zhao Sheng understood the meaning behind his words: even if Hongguanglou was willing to strongly support him in refining Foundation Establishment Pills, there were limits to it.
If he fails too many times and doesn't live up to expectations, then Hongguanglou will have to deal with the matter officially.
Zhao Sheng put the wooden box back into his storage bag, stood up, cupped his hands to the old man, and said confidently, "Three are not enough. I will come again next time. I hope Manager Hong can provide at least five Star Algae Fruits. Also, I would like to ask you for a favor."
Seeing the other party's confident demeanor, the burly old man felt even more confident and solemnly declared, "Fellow Daoist Longli, please speak! Anything I can do, I will absolutely not hesitate to do."
"This humble Taoist needs a large quantity of one-yuan heavy water. I hope Hongguanglou can find it for me as soon as possible. Price is not an issue."
"One-element heavy water?!" The old man repeated it thoughtfully before decisively agreeing.
"No problem! Even if I have to lose face, I will make sure you get what you want."
"Very well! I will remember your words. I will reward you handsomely after this is done!"
...
After leaving Hongguang Tower, Zhao Sheng went nowhere and flew directly away from Baizhou Island.
After flying dozens of miles, it plunged into the sea.
When he reappeared at the Pill Fire Workshop, he had already changed back to Zhao Chonghe's appearance.
Yes, he joined the Spring and Autumn Alliance using the name Zhao Chonghe from his previous life.
However,
Zhao Sheng arrived at the Precious Medicine Pavilion.
At this time, the area in front of the large Zhenyao Pavilion was very deserted, with few carriages and people. There were only two or three customers in the store, and most of the staff looked listless, with their eyes often revealing fear and unease.
As soon as Zhao Sheng entered, he was recognized by the shop assistant.
A quick-handed waiter immediately came forward, while another person ran off to the backyard to inform the manager.
Later, Zhao Sheng met Jin Dancheng, who looked worried.
Zhao Sheng didn't say much, but he comforted the other party with a few words, saying that if they persisted for another month, things would definitely take a turn for the better.
Then, he took a batch of spiritual herbs from the medicine storehouse, left behind most of the elixirs he had refined over the past few years, and then drifted away.
...
More than a thousand miles west of Jiuzhen Island lies the seabed, four thousand feet deep.
At the deepest part of a narrow, winding, and secluded underwater cave, a large grotto with a diameter of more than 20 zhang (approximately 63 meters) has been carved out.
An enormous jade shell filled the entire grotto, its surface gleaming with a dazzling white light.
The grotto of Bei Mansion, the alchemy chamber.
Zhao Sheng sat cross-legged and tossed out the Nine Dragon Cauldron.
The Nine Dragon Cauldron swelled to more than a person's height and quickly flew down to the obsidian platform three zhang away.
Zhao Sheng released his divine sense, enveloping the Nine Dragon Cauldron.
He cast a spell, his divine sense stirring.
Then a golden dragon appeared on the surface of the Nine Dragons Cauldron. After circling the surface of the cauldron a few times, the dragon disappeared into the cauldron.
Suddenly,
Suddenly, a ball of golden flames ignited beneath the Nine Dragon Cauldron, engulfing the area beneath it.
After activating the Nine Dragon Cauldron, Zhao Sheng ignored it for a moment and waved his hand, and suddenly a large pile of wooden boxes, bottles, jade bowls, porcelain jars and other items appeared in front of him.
The Thousand-Pattern Foundation-Building Pill uses the Thousand-Pattern Star Algae Fruit as its main ingredient, with nearly twenty kinds of auxiliary ingredients and more than eighty other ingredients.
The Thousand-Pattern Foundation Building Pill is a second-tier spiritual pill, but it is very difficult to refine and cannot tolerate the slightest mistake.
Zhao Sheng has had the elixir formula for almost ten years.
Over the past decade, he has deduced every step of refining the Foundation Establishment Pill countless times.
He also personally prepared many of the other auxiliary medicines besides the main medicine.
Finally, the best of the best were selected from among the best batches.
Having obtained three Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruits this time, he has set a minimum goal: to ensure that he can refine at least one Foundation Establishment Pill.
In any case, Zhao Sheng has been refining elixirs for almost ten years now, and is already a battle-hardened first-level alchemist.
His experience, vision, and techniques far surpass those of ordinary alchemists, coupled with his talent and ten years of continuous study.
Zhao Sheng also had some experience and insights into refining Foundation Establishment Pills. He was fairly confident that he could achieve his goal; while he couldn't guarantee a 100% success rate, he could certainly ensure a 10-20% chance.
Zhao Sheng knew very well that this success rate was enough for him.
Since there was plenty of time, Zhao Sheng didn't rush to start refining pills. Instead, he took out the jade slip containing the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe and went through the recipe, refining method, and steps several times.
After confirming that he had mastered the technique, he refined several batches of Water Spirit Pills to familiarize himself with the process and ensure that he would not make mistakes due to unfamiliarity with the technique.
The next day arrived in the blink of an eye. Zhao Sheng quietly closed his eyes to rest and adjust his state.
In front of him, besides the spiritual herbs for refining Foundation Establishment Pills, there was a row of bottles of five colors: black, white, blue, red, and yellow. Each bottle contained pills such as Marrow Spirit Pills, Mind Condensation Pills, and Soul Refreshing Pills to restore or enhance spiritual consciousness.
These pills are very useful; they can allow Zhao Sheng to use bullet time more often in crucial moments.
After an unknown amount of time, the Nine Dragon Cauldron had been nurtured to its optimal state by the Burning Gold Spirit Flame.
After silently reciting the steps for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill in his mind, Zhao Sheng suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with divine light.
As the Thousand-Patterned Star Algae Fruit flew into the cauldron, the Foundation Establishment Pill officially began to be refined.
Unlike other types of Foundation Building Pills, the Thousand Pattern Foundation Building Pill requires the main Foundation Building ingredient from the very beginning of its refining process.
The most crucial aspect of this elixir lies in the techniques of "boiling" and "melting." It is essential to ensure that the kernel of the star algae fruit is not boiled away while simultaneously ensuring that the medicinal properties of the star algae fruit pulp are fully extracted.
Meanwhile, using the fruit pit as the core of the elixir, the elixir refined from the auxiliary and main ingredients is fused with the fruit pit, ensuring that there is no conflict between the medicinal properties. Finally, the elixir is condensed and produced.
The entire alchemy process is described as simple, but it takes up to seven days and involves more than twenty steps, making it more than a hundred times more complicated than the mere four steps of the Water Spirit Pill.
For alchemists with slightly weaker talent, let alone giving them three portions of Foundation Establishment Pill ingredients, even if they were given ten portions, they still wouldn't be able to refine a single Foundation Establishment Pill.
There is a saying in the alchemy world: every alchemist who can refine a Foundation Establishment Pill has the potential to become a third-tier alchemist.
"First, add the dragon's spirit blood, then calcine and purify it!"
Zhao Sheng cast a series of incantations, and a streak of crimson light suddenly flew out of the porcelain jar in front of him and landed in the cauldron.
With a thought, the Burning Gold Spirit Flame instantly increased its power by five times, and the flames surged soared up that they engulfed the Nine Dragon Cauldron.
"Add another tael and two mace of sea lingzhi powder, then a jade glutton leaf, wait half an hour, then add more..."
Zhao Sheng silently recited the steps of alchemy in his mind, his hands moving without the slightest hesitation, as if he had refined it countless times, his technique extremely skilled.
The Foundation Establishment Pill is really difficult to refine. Although Zhao Sheng had made thorough preparations beforehand, his techniques and steps were flawless and without any stagnation.
However, when adding the twelfth auxiliary ingredient, Shi Lingzhi, he did not control the heat well. Fortunately, he activated bullet time in time and removed some of the "impurity" liquid before the alchemy failed, which allowed him to barely continue the process.
Mistakes were inevitable on the first attempt at refining Foundation Establishment Pills. He didn't believe he could succeed on his first try.
Since it's the first time, whether it's successful or not is another matter. The most important thing is to go through the entire alchemy process as thoroughly as possible.