Chapter 16 Practicing Alchemy

Liang Chen arrived back at the academy grounds. He was pretty surprised that there is no Liu Yang or his goons from the Liu Family waiting for him. He felt a bit disappointed. Liang Chen was planning to act like a scared cat and run away. Doing this might lower Liu Yang's guard during the tournament. Acting like a pig to devour a tiger as they say in most immortal cultivation novels.

He saw someone waiting and was greeted by Xiu Ying with a frown. "Why didn't you wait for me before you went on a mission?"

Liang Chen can't help it and just said. "You were still in close-door cultivation so..." He felt that Xiu Ying is being too clingy or dependent. Is this his fault? It doesn't feel bad but he wants Xiu Ying to be independent. She is not his girlfriend or anything. He suddenly remembers Ling Fei, her wet body and clothes clinging to him. Liang Chen immediately pushed the scene behind the back of his head.

Liang Chen coughed awkwardly. "How is your cultivation?"

Xiu Ying showed him a bright smile and released the Shadow Veil Stealth technique showing her cultivation at the peak of Mortal realm level 9.

Liang Chen nodded in approvement. "Not bad! Since you are also at the Bone Refining stage, you will not have any problems facing the Divine Damnation."

When Xiu Ying heard about Divine Damnation, she became nervous. Liang Chen explained in simple terms what happens during Divine Damnations and try to calm her. "Wait for me at our sect peak. I will enter closed-door cultivation for a couple of days then I will give you something."

While Xiu Ying went back, Liang Chen went to the assignment hall to finish his business. He got 1000 contribution points for this mission. It seems that someone needs the Swiftsilver Flower as soon as possible. Once back, with the chunk of jade he got from those hoodlums, he made a couple of jade boxes and pill bottles. He took out the Thousand-year ice lotus from a wet cloth and placed it inside one of the jade boxes. He immediately began his practice on alchemy. Liang Chen sat cross-legged in the center of his room, his mind focused on the alchemy cauldron in front of him.

He carefully measured out the ingredients for the pill he was attempting to make, the Swift Absorbtion pill, which he hoped would help increase his and Xiu Ying's cultivation speed. As he added each ingredient to the cauldron, he controlled the flame, making sure it burned at the right temperature and for the right amount of time. It was a delicate process that required his full attention. With the help of the Universal Guide, after 30 minutes, Liang Chen finally finished making his 1st pills.

Liang Chen is really grateful to have the Universal Guide. With such speed, everything from refining the ingredients, combining the mixture, and molding the pill, took just 30 minutes. Normally this would take hours of practice with finding the right temperature, removing the impurities of each ingredient, trial, and error for mixing ingredients and molding the pill. It is like cooking with a cookbook on the side.

Liang Chen carefully removed the 12 Swift Absorbtion pills from the cauldron and placed them in a jade bottle. The pills didn't come out as perfect quality pills but are of high quality instead since this is his 1st time. He is confident to get perfect quality pills the next time. He continued to concoct pills and for the 4th time, he finally mastered refining the ingredients, taking out all the impurities, and making perfect quality pills.

Liang Chen thought of something and asked the Universal Guide. "Since pill refinement, mixture, and molding uses qi, can I use array formations to do it for me?"

"There is no known method but it is plausible." The Universal Guide said.

Liang Chen's eyes became bright and he is thinking of something more if it is possible. "Since soul flames are made from me, can it be maintained as long as it is provided with qi?"

The Universal Guide didn't answer for a few moments. "You want to use a combined array to concoct pills. However, it will not work since every ingredient doesn't have the same refining point and doesn't have the same impurities. Unless..."

Liang Chen didn't let the Universal Guide continue. "Unless I can enter the value myself right?"

"Correct." The Universal Guide continued. "However, it will not work with higher-level pills."

"I know, I just want it to be automatic. So here is what we will do..." Liang Chen and the Universal Guide brainstormed for hours and finally made a combined array formation formula. With this array, he just needs to enter the value for each herb, set the temperature, and the array formation will do the rest. Combined with the qi gathering array formation and the spirit stone as a medium, his soul flame will not extinguish.

In a few days, Liang Chen spent all his time studying and reading alchemy recipes, only leaving his closed room occasionally to eat and rest. As time passed, he became more skilled, able to make pills of increasing potency. Despite his dedication to alchemy, Liang Chen did not neglect his cultivation. He practiced his cultivation techniques daily, honing his skills and improving his strength. With enough sword skills, the Universal Guide also taught him about the Rising Sun Swords technique and Sword Intent. The Rising Sun Swords are sword moves that find the attacker's weak spot and counterattack immediately. However, unlike other techniques, both cannot be done quickly. Sword techniques need time for practice and muscle memory while Sword Intent can only be unleashed once you have a high level of understanding and attainment about swords.

Finally, after many days, Liang Chen emerged from his closed room, feeling confident in his newfound skills. Though he hasn't mastered any moves with the Rising Sun Sword and hasn't touched the ground for Sword Intent, he is quite happy with his formation and alchemy skills. He looked at the jade bottles containing his pills and smiled, knowing that he had the tools he needed to achieve greatness, and went to look for Xiu Ying.