Liu Cunzhi smiled and said, "To tell you the truth, I became an alchemy apprentice at the age of six, started refining medicine at sixteen, and have been doing so for over seventy years, yet I've been stuck on a problem for over thirty years. I heard of Miss Ling's reputation and wanted to ask her for advice, but unfortunately, Miss Ling is in seclusion. However, it doesn't matter, I believe you can also enlighten me."
After hearing Liu Cunzhi's words, coupled with what Zhu Shuang had told her while waiting, Qiu Yuanxi understood.
Liu Cunzhi, the president of the Alchemist Guild headquarters, had become a ninth-grade alchemist over thirty years ago. Before Ling Luoyi, he was widely recognized as the most talented alchemist, but he had only reached ninth grade and made no further progress. Ninth-grade pills were of little use to spiritual cultivators above the Spirit Master realm.
Qiu Yuanxi had heard from Ling Luoyi that the most powerful forces on this continent were in the Heavenly Profound Domain at the center of the continent, where everyone, except the younger generation, was at the Spirit Master realm or above. With only one ninth-grade alchemist and few applicable ninth-grade pills, and even fewer pills of other grades, the Alchemist Guild's position in the Heavenly Profound Domain was rather awkward.
Although Qiu Yuanxi was annoyed by Liu Cunzhi's constant gaze since he entered, she could offer some guidance for Ling Luoyi's sake.
Qiu Yuanxi could roughly guess Ling Luoyi's thoughts. Besides his initial impoliteness, he hadn't done anything that offended her. Seeing his clear eyes, he seemed like an upright person. If she taught him, it could elevate the level of alchemy on this continent.
As for Ling Luoyi's previous five students, it would take a long time for them to grow. She couldn't make all the alchemists on the continent wait for them.
Qiu Yuanxi said, "President Liu, are you asking how to improve your alchemy grade?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Cunzhi was not surprised. At his level, he had long known that there were realms above ninth grade, but he had never found the entrance.
"Is the young lady willing to offer some guidance?" Liu Cunzhi asked tentatively.
"Yes, besides Little Luo'er, only I can help you on this continent. However, you must promise me that after your alchemy grade advances, you will teach this method to others and cultivate more high-grade alchemists for this continent!"
Hearing this, Liu Cunzhi looked at Qiu Yuanxi with a peculiar light in his eyes. He suddenly stood up and said solemnly and majestically, "I, Liu Cunzhi, hereby swear that if I can break through to a grade above ninth-grade alchemist, I will definitely teach this method and cultivate more high-grade alchemists for this continent! If I break this oath, I shall perish and have no next life!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a star seal appeared beneath Liu Cunzhi's feet – a Heavenly Oath!
Qiu Yuanxi naturally saw it, so she asked, "Do you have any ninth-grade pills with you? Give me one, and I'll demonstrate."
Upon hearing this, Liu Cunzhi readily took out a jade box, opened it, and handed the pill inside to Qiu Yuanxi.
Qiu Yuanxi carefully examined the pill and said, "This is the Yuan Yang Tian Chen Pill, one of the most difficult pills to refine among ninth-grade mortal-grade pills. This pill's efficacy reaches ninety percent, making it the best of the best."
Seeing that Qiu Yuanxi recognized the pill, Liu Cunzhi became even more curious about her alchemy grade, and what she meant by 'mortal-grade'.
"President Liu, this ninth-grade pill of yours is no longer within the scope of ninth-grade mortal-grade, yet it hasn't reached the superior grade. President Liu, let me upgrade this pill for you." After speaking, Qiu Yuanxi summoned her flames and enveloped the pill within them.
Qiu Yuanxi's flames were blue, yet very clear, allowing one to see the situation within the flames with the naked eye.
Liu Cunzhi watched as his pill slowly melted into powder in Qiu Yuanxi's hand. Then, Qiu Yuanxi took out a crimson crystal stone, threw it into the flames, and the spiritual energy of the crystal stone slowly fused the powder again until the powder was completely formed into a pill. The spiritual energy of the crystal stone was exhausted and vanished without a trace.
As the pill formed, a lightning bolt suddenly struck from the sky above Qing Yin Pavilion, hitting the barrier directly, but causing no damage. The thunder was quite loud, and everyone heard it.
Liu Cunzhi had no mind to look at the outside world; his entire focus was on the pill in Qiu Yuanxi's hand. The pill showed no change compared to before, except it was slightly smaller and had a red pill pattern on it.
"President Liu, this pill is now a first-grade illusion-grade."
"Illusion-grade?" Liu Cunzhi was bewildered by this term.
"Just like weapons, pills also have various grades, with mortal-grade being the lowest and illusion-grade being the next. On your continent, illusion-grade pills are sufficient," Qiu Yuanxi explained. "The difference between mortal-grade and illusion-grade pills lies in the spiritual energy within the pills. Mortal-grade pills do not have high requirements for spiritual energy; the spiritual energy from the medicinal ingredients is enough. However, illusion-grade pills require several hundred times more spiritual energy, and the ratio of spiritual energy to efficacy must not change. President Liu, do you understand?"
Liu Cunzhi pondered what he had heard. After a long while, he said, "I understand a little."
"Since I've already said this much, I might as well tell you more. The spiritual energy in the pills must be very pure and consistent with the pill's attributes, otherwise, it's easy to cause a furnace explosion. Furthermore, the error margin in the proportions of spiritual herbs for illusion-grade pills must be even smaller than for mortal-grade pills, otherwise, at best, the pill will be废丹 (waste pill), and at worst, the furnace will explode," Qiu Yuanxi thought for a moment and said, "For now, these are the only two points. You will discover the rest through your own refining; otherwise, talking about it is useless."
"Thank you, young lady, for your enlightenment." Liu Cunzhi had been stuck as a ninth-grade alchemist for over thirty years. It wasn't that he hadn't thought of breaking through; he had tried countless methods, but all had failed. He never expected the problem to be in something he had discarded from the beginning.
This could not be blamed on Liu Cunzhi, as no one would have thought of adding spiritual energy to pills.
"It's nothing, just a few words," Qiu Yuanxi suddenly said with a stern face, "Don't forget the Heavenly Oath you just made!"
"Young lady, rest assured. Once I have researched the refining method for illusion-grade pills, I will teach it to the next generation of disciples."
"Do you have anything else?"
Sensing Qiu Yuanxi's intention to dismiss him, Liu Cunzhi, with great perceptiveness, said, "No, I shall take my leave."
"Zhu Shuang, see the guest out."
"Yes."
After Zhu Shuang escorted Liu Cunzhi out of the Ling Mansion and returned, Qiu Yuanxi had already gone upstairs. Seeing the tightly closed door upstairs, Zhu Shuang had a second-class maid wait outside the room, gave her a charcoal basin, and then returned to her own room.
Zhu Shuang did not understand the conversation between Qiu Yuanxi and Liu Cunzhi, but she did not reveal anything about it.
Half a year after Ling Luoyi went into seclusion, although not a long time, the entire Ancient Spirit Continent had undergone a transformation. Although Ling Luoyi had only given things to Wen Zonglin and Li Shu, both families had many branches, so the items Ling Luoyi provided were sold throughout the continent in a short period.
With these two families, the Ling family's reputation soared once again. Especially after it was confirmed that Ling Luoyi was Wen Zonglin's youngest disciple, with the teleportation network, the Ling family's business had not stopped for a single day.
Although Ling Luoyi's remaining inventory was limited, with Qiu Yuanxi restocking from time to time, it was still barely enough to meet demand.
Liu Cunzhi had also successfully refined illusion-grade pills. Although their efficacy was not as good as Qiu Yuanxi's ninth-grade mortal-grade pills, it allowed Qiu Yuanxi to relax a bit.
As for weapons, with the major artificer guilds, the Ling family did not need to worry.
Life passed by peacefully, but Wen Zonglin and Qiu Yuanxi both knew that a sword was hanging over their heads, and they didn't know when it would fall.