After bidding farewell to Brother Lu, Li Jizhou went to the market to purchase daily necessities, replenishing talisman paper and spiritual ink.
He made a special trip to a magical artifact shop, spending a hefty sum of twenty spirit stones to buy a middle-level storage bag.
A junior level storage bag isolates spiritual sense detection at Qi Cultivation stage,
while a middle-level storage bag can isolate divine sense detection at Foundation Establishment stage.
On his way home, he visited Pharmacist Zheng's courtyard.
Although Pharmacist Zheng's insights were recorded in the jade slip, there were some subtle areas that were still unclear. Rather than relying solely on it, he decided to directly consult Pharmacist Zheng. Besides, the third annual ring had recently gained a new effect, making it a chance to test its effectiveness and verify the truth of what was said by Pharmacist Zheng months ago.
When seeing Pharmacist Zheng again, Li Jizhou didn't hold back on showcasing the achievements he had made by studying both the Medical Scripture and Poison Scripture.
This brought a rare smile to Pharmacist Zheng's usually stern face.
He further sought advice on the difficulties he encountered during his study of the twin scriptures, which only caused Pharmacist Zheng's joyful expression to deepen.
His eyes seemed to have a light.
His demeanor and attitude were no longer as harsh and distance as before; instead, he showed much affection towards Li Jizhou.
At this moment, Li Jizhou also verified what Pharmacist Zheng had told him six months ago.
"Indeed, his lifespan is short; he probably won't survive more than three years!"
Upon forming the third annual ring, Li Jizhou felt a connection, able to sense the vitality of heaven and earth.
Previously, during his visit to the Ten Thousand Talisman Pavilion, he realized that each person emitted a different level of vitality, but compared to their cultivation realms, there was some evidence.
Lu Zhenhua, at the peak of Qi Cultivation, working in a commercial firm, rarely engaged in battles, had about seventy years left to live.
After consulting with Pharmacist Zheng, and confirming his short lifespan, Li Jizhou's doubts regarding the task commissioned by Pharmacist Zheng months ago were further alleviated.
Before leaving, under the guise of practicing his craft, he borrowed a variety of medical and poison concoctions from Pharmacist Zheng.
Back at his residence, Li Jizhou activated the array, neatly arranging the borrowed concoctions from Pharmacist Zheng.
"Spirit-Transforming Powder... colorless, tasteless, no magical aura, just half a dose inhaled by an Early Stage of Qi Cultivation practitioner will cause their spiritual qi to disperse, appearing as mundane, while a full dose will cause their entire body to collapse."
"Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation practitioners, upon inhaling, will find their magical power diluted, having barely five-tenths of their usual power."
"Even Late Stage of Qi Cultivation practitioners, if inhaling enough and for a long duration, will have their magical power weakened."
"Soul-Devouring Incense... targets the divine soul; as long as the divine soul is weaker than the caster, it can bind the soul and imprison the spirit."
...
"Desolation Over Thousands of Miles! This insight gained while observing the third annual ring, linking the divine soul to the passage of time, eroding vitality with time; if this poison is concocted, it could silently obliterate a formidable practitioner at Foundation Establishment stage... Sadly, with my current divine soul and magical power, I can't formulate it!"
Li Jizhou, combining the theory of Poison Scripture and Medical Scripture, along with pharmacology, devised several unusual poisons and categorized the concoctions.
However, these were all theoretical, and he wasn't entirely certain of their effectiveness in real confrontations.
The jade slip of Poison Scripture given by Pharmacist Zheng didn't seem to contain any poison formulas, or perhaps Pharmacist Zheng intentionally omitted them, leaving only the poison theory.
Thus, the poisons he had devised himself were only theoretically feasible.
After thoroughly contemplating the viability of several poison concoctions, Li Jizhou resolved without hesitation, sweeping the concoctions into the storage bag, beginning to search through his past life's memories for fire element cultivation techniques.
In this cultivation world, many skills align with one's spirit root and cultivation technique.
Alchemy requires a fire attribute cultivation technique to condense pill fire, and then use the pill fire to refine medicinal materials, extract their essence, and combine it with the essences of other medicinal materials to condense into pills.
Hence, every alchemist must have a somewhat adequate fire spirit root; otherwise, regardless of whether they primarily or supplementarily practice fire element cultivation techniques, they can't quickly condense pill fire.
Physicians have two options, either the water element or wood element, as water is adept at nourishing all things, and wood contains infinite vitality, each has its strengths.
Pharmacists are the advanced stage of physicians, not only able to heal using magical power but also capable of preparing divine medicine.
Preparing divine medicine involves using pill fire to refine herbs, hence requiring a fire spirit root and practicing a fire attribute cultivation technique to condense pill fire.
Pharmacist Zheng primarily practices water attribute medicine, supplementing it with fire attribute to create medicine.
Poison concoction also requires pill fire for refining.
So, at this moment, Li Jizhou prepares to supplementarily practice a fire element cultivation technique.
Alchemy is his greatest skill, previously he couldn't supplementarily practice due to focusing on Qi Cultivation entry, but now the Evergreen Skill has an annual ring enhancement, the speed isn't slow, and he has spare time.
In his past life, upon entering cultivation initially, he primarily practiced Lower Grade fire attribute "Red Flame Skill," and after Foundation Establishment, he switched to Top-Grade "Flame Phosphorus Skill."
In this life, without hesitation, he naturally chooses to practice "Flame Phosphorus Skill."
The higher the grade of fire attribute cultivation technique, the higher the grade of condensed pill fire, which is beneficial for future alchemy and poison concoction.
With past life cultivation experience and in this life having already upgraded his fire spirit root to Middle Grade, now supplementarily practicing "Flame Phosphorus Skill" is as smooth as fish swimming in water.
However, during the process of practicing "Flame Phosphorus Skill," Li Jizhou genuinely feels the drawbacks brought by the thin and unstable spiritual qi in this place.
In his past life, with superior fire spirit root, practicing "Flame Phosphorus Skill" was never this slow, but in this life, with a Middle Grade fire spirit root, cultivation here is considerably slower.
It took a full three years to condense a thread of pill fire!
This side fact also reflects the powerful aspect of "Complete Evergreen Skill."
"With just this little pill fire, I'm afraid I can't even refine Tier One Junior Level pills!"
Li Jizhou gazes at the wisp of yellow-orange flame in his palm, chuckling to himself.
"However, refining poison is barely possible."
Throughout these three years, he has been waiting for this very moment.
After nurturing the pill fire for another three days, he immediately begins refining the Spirit-Transforming Powder derived from his own understanding in this life.
Preparing the Spirit-Transforming Powder only requires refining the concoctions to extract their essences and then combining them, the technique and skill requirements are not too high.
The sole necessity is a comprehensive understanding of the medicinal properties and poison theory.
The herb ratio, sequence, strength of magical power, etc., can affect the success of the poison formula.
Three days later, following the theoretical ratio and sequence, the first batch of Spirit-Transforming Powder, accompanied by a soft sound, is completed.
This copper furnace was also borrowed from Pharmacist Zheng.
"Gua Gua." Observing the tiny speck of white powder at the bottom of the furnace, Li Jizhou calls softly.
"Gua~." A head emerges from the ground beneath his feet.
Gua Gua, with its head held high, looks at Li Jizhou expectantly.
Six months ago, it finally emerged from the earth, its forelimbs having grown back to their former condition.
Additionally, daily consumption of the Evergreen Magical Power released into the air during Li Jizhou's cultivation has caused Gua Gua to undergo some mutations.
Since Li Jizhou has never delved into the art of beast taming, he remains unfamiliar with the situation of domestic demon beasts and is unable to make assessments.
Nonetheless, judging by its appearance alone, Gua Gua's size has even reduced slightly, and its skin appears more vibrant and lustrous.
If Gua Gua remains motionless in a squat, it resembles a jade frog statue.
During these three years, Xu Mei hasn't returned.
And apart from enjoying absorbing the Evergreen Magical Power released by Li Jizhou, Gua Gua also needs to be fed and consume the Demon Beast Pill.
Li Jizhou naturally wouldn't raise it for free, so he resolved that Xu Mei has perhaps already perished, flipped the Spirit Pet Bag, and refined it.
Henceforth, he became Gua Gua's new master.
He let Gua Gua handle some simple tasks.
And now, the honorable task of poison testing falls upon it!
"Open your mouth!"