When it comes to cultivating immortality, it naturally starts with upgrading the herb garden.

The recipe for the Qi Gathering Pill is not a secret among cultivators; it is widely known.

Apart from the Qi Gathering Pill, a second-grade pill, the formulas for the other second-grade pills are all a mystery.

As for why only the Qi Gathering Pill is so widely known?

Because most people, even if they knew it, couldn't actually master it.

Similarly, apart from the Spirit Gathering Pill, whose formula is publicly available, the formulas for the other Grade 3 pills are unknown.

Song Chen continued scanning the words on the jade tube: "Three Green Jade Dew? What is this?"

Song Chen didn't recognize the second medicinal ingredient.

The third ingredient is also like this.

"There's a fourth ingredient?"

Song Chen asked in surprise.

Generally speaking, when refining elixirs, a first-grade elixir requires two spiritual herbs, a second-grade elixir requires three spiritual herbs, a third-grade elixir requires four spiritual herbs, and so on.

Almost all prescriptions follow this rule, with only a very few violating it.

The formula for a third-grade elixir was actually left behind by the father of the original owner?

"Four main ingredients in total, the auxiliary ingredients are quite standard... Purple Qi Breakthrough Pill? What kind of pill is this?"

Song Chen glanced down and saw a message from his father, who was the father of his predecessor.

"This formula is for refining a Grade 3 breakthrough pill, the Purple Qi Breakthrough Pill..."

Grade 3 Breakthrough Pill!

Song Chen's breath hitched, and his heart raced.

This thing is even more valuable than the Spirit Gathering Pill!

Many Qi Refining cultivators are stuck at a bottleneck, unable to make any progress in their cultivation, and spend their entire lives feeling frustrated and unfulfilled.

If we could refine this pill and trade it with them, making them spend all their money to exchange for it, it wouldn't be impossible.

"The recipe was obtained from Wind Crane Island and is kept here, hoping that Xiao Chen will be able to use it in the future..."

It turns out that the two elders in the previous life were not fun. They even came back once in the middle, but for some reason left again.

"Do not expose yourself, lest you invite death."

After that, it's all what the predecessor's father wanted to say to the predecessor.

Matters concerning the future, cultivation, alchemy, and even love are treated like a deathbed entrustment.

It was ordinary, yet it contained deep concern and love.

"Your mother and I will likely not return from this journey. You must focus on your cultivation and don't worry about us..."

"Be careful of the Zhang family and Zhou Ming; they're in cahoots. Don't take out any loans..."

"We will always love you. We don't ask you to become an immortal or roam freely across the world. We only ask that you be safe and sound, and not go astray. Please don't worry about us."

The handwriting is elegant yet messy, clearly written on the spot.

After reading it, Song Chen was deeply moved. Although he was not the original owner of this body, he still had the memories of the original owner and could feel the authenticity of this family affection.

He savored the emotions conveyed in the words, remaining silent for a long time.

After a while, he came to his senses, quickly copied several copies, and hid the prescription.

Song Chen's heart pounded, and his mind raced with excited thoughts.

"To break through from the fifth level of Qi Refining to the sixth level, one needs to condense one hundred drops of spiritual liquid, which takes ten times longer than breaking through from the fourth level to the fifth level."

"When I break through to the late stage of Qi Refining in the future, the time required for each breakthrough will be unimaginable."

"Furthermore, I won't have as many Qi Gathering Pills to take, so my cultivation speed will inevitably decline, and I'll have to spend more time cultivating."

"Who knows, maybe when I reach the tenth level of Qi Refining, I'll be able to break through to the third-grade alchemist level?"

Song Chen fantasized that when he was stuck at the peak of Qi Refining, he would become a third-grade alchemist, independently refine a Purple Qi Breakthrough Pill, and thus break through the bottleneck. He would then continue refining these third-grade pills to amass a fortune...

Snapped!

Song Chen slapped the bed, as if shattering that unrealistic fantasy.

He returned to normal, completely shedding his possessiveness towards the elixir formula, and thought:

"By the time I reach the tenth level of Qi Refining, I don't know when that will be. I need to improve my strength as soon as possible."

"As for this elixir formula..."

Song Chen took out the jade tube, gripped it tightly, and said resolutely, "Since we've already confiscated it, let's just sell it!"

"A third-grade pill formula must be very valuable, right?"

"However, I need to find a good way to sell it, so that I don't become a target again."

......

It started raining outside. Zhang Jiu sat down in the shop, watching the raindrops outside the door, and said, "It's raining..."

Zhang Jiu has been working tirelessly through the night for the past few days exploring the hybridization of spiritual herbs, and yesterday he made a breakthrough.

If this research succeeds, he will achieve great success.

Leaving the Zhang family is no longer a naive act of youth, but will become a path to prove one's talent.

A figure walked into the shop, and Zhang Jiu looked up and said, "Welcome..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw who it was and his expression darkened.

"Butler! I've said I'm not going back, don't try to persuade me!"

It was Manager Zhang. His face was solemn, as if something serious had happened.

Zhang Jiu frowned even more. In the past, when Zhang Guan came to see him, he would always be smiling and ingratiating. This time, however, it was different.

"What's wrong?"

"The master is ill, very ill. Aren't you going back to see him?"

Zhang Guan's words were astonishing, immediately shocking Zhang Jiu: his father, who was at the tenth level of Qi Refining, was ill.

How is that possible?

"Is this your new trick?"

Zhang Guan threw out a talisman, a recording talisman, which could record specific images.

When Zhang Jiu saw the scene, his face darkened. In the scene, his father was critically ill, lying on the bedside, barely breathing.

"Young Master, aren't you going home yet? The Master's days are numbered."

A few tears streamed from the corners of Zhang Guan's eyes as he spoke sincerely.

Zhang Jiu remained silent, his eyes trembling. His research was at a crucial point, so why was it such a coincidence?

He left the Zhang family not only to prove that he was not just a pretty face under the family's protection, but also to prove his abilities to his father.

If his father were to die, Zhang Jiu's actions would seem utterly ridiculous.

After a long pause, Zhang Jiu said, "Alright, I'll go back, but there's one more thing I need to do before I go back."

......

The next day.

Song Chen didn't sleep all night, and as the sun rose, he emerged from his meditative state.

"Thump... thump... thump..."

Who could it be so early in the morning?

Song Chen cautiously walked to the courtyard gate, only to hear a voice from behind it: "Not up yet?"

The voice sounded familiar, but Song Chen couldn't quite place it.

Who can recall the voice of a convenience store owner?

Song Chen didn't open the door, but asked hesitantly through it, "Who is it?"

"It's me! Brother Song! Zhang Jiu."

Snapped!

Pushing open the door, Song Chen was stunned to see who it was—Zhang Jiu.

However, he is somewhat different.

His dark circles were even worse, and he looked even more listless than the last time we met. The light in his eyes was gone, replaced by a stagnant pool.

His attire was very dignified, and he looked very elegant. His beard was gone, and his slicked-back hair fell down, covering half of his face.

Zhang Jiu held a small green bottle in his hand, with five large characters on it: "Herbal Insect Eliminator".

Upon seeing the bottle, Song Chen knew what he had come for.

"Brother Zhang? Why did you deliver the goods to my door?"

Song Chen smiled and took out spirit stones to pay, but his smile quickly froze.

"Song Chen, orphaned, was tricked into going to Fenghe Island by Zhou Ming and Zhang Guan. He later escaped with great difficulty, but then used you as leverage to go to the Zhang family to die. His shop was taken over by the Zhang family and has not yet opened for business."

"Pseudo-spiritual root aptitude, cultivation level four of Qi Refining, suspected of breaking through to the fifth level of Qi Refining, Master Feng Sancai, this person is extremely dangerous, it is recommended to stay away immediately, otherwise there is a risk to his life..."

Zhang Jiu didn't answer Song Chen's question, and instead started talking about everything that had happened in his life.

He talked about everything in great detail, from the midwife who gave birth to him to his dating experiences.

Song Chen frowned as he listened; Zhang Jiu's words sounded like both a threat and a piece of advice.

"Zhang Jiu? What's wrong with you?"

The next moment, Zhang Jiu's body became illusory and gradually dissipated into the world.

The bottle of the herbal insect-repelling liquid lost its support and fell from the air. If it fell to the ground, it would surely break.