Cultivation begins with alchemy and collecting runes.

As night deepened, the surrounding courtyards gradually quieted down.

Li Xiuyuan lit the furnace, preparing to refine elixirs!

He took out dozens of medicinal herbs, including angelica, fragrant flowers, and orchid buds, and arranged them in categories.

Recalling the detailed steps of Du Wuxin's alchemy process, he steadily lit the fire and started the furnace...

After about three hours, the last water-type spiritual herb, Water Orchid, was added to the process of condensing the elixir and regulating the breath.

The heat is controlled in the middle, sometimes increasing the heat and sometimes simmering over low heat.

Another half hour passed, then the furnace was opened!

A blob of pale blue paste was stuck to the bottom of the alchemy furnace. When a spoonful was scooped out, it wobbled like blueberry jam.

So bouncy and bouncy!

Another failure!

According to the "Qingxin Dan Jie", the finished product should be a light blue pill to maximize its calming and tranquilizing effect!

Although he failed this time, Li Xiuyuan was not angry.

It's obvious that he made a mistake in the core condensation stage; he was only one step away from achieving core formation!

For cultivators, some are not afraid of the poison of pills and can eat this paste-like substance to achieve the desired effect.

Of course, it's normal to have some aftereffects!

He dared not sell it in the market, as that would ruin his reputation.

So without saying a word, Li Xiuyuan took out the Beast Taming Token from his storage bag and infused it with magical power.

A small, golden mouse darted in from outside and jumped into Li Xiuyuan's arms, affectionately raising its paws to rub against his cheeks.

The Migu Mouse was sleek and plump, looking quite well-off. "Alright, little Migu, it's only been half a month since we last met. Come on, let your master feed you something good!"

The Migu Mouse always made a "migu migu" sound, so Li Xiuyuan named it "Migu".

Without saying a word, Li Xiuyuan grabbed a large lump of Qingxin Dan paste from under the alchemy furnace, rolled it into a ball, and fed it to the Migu rat little by little.

"Migu Migu!"

The mischievous mouse's bright eyes sparkled with a憨厚 (honest and simple) expression, and it opened its little mouth to eat little by little with complete trust.

"Your rat has thick skin and tough flesh, a little erysipelas is nothing to worry about."

In no time, the mouse finished the fist-sized amount of ointment. Its breathing became a little rapid, and it instinctively felt dizzy. It lay in Li Xiuyuan's arms and slept for half an incense stick's time. When it woke up, it was still lively and energetic.

"As expected of an ancient rare species, its physical attributes are truly impressive. From now on, I'll leave all the discarded cores to you!"

The Migu Mouse, lacking intelligence, blinked its big eyes and clung to Li Xiuyuan, making "migu migu" sounds.

Li Xiuyuan learned through the Beast Taming Token that the Misty Valley Rat was unharmed, confirmed the potency of the medicine, and carefully recalled the alchemy process.

Only then did they release the Migu Mouse out of the house so it could play in the yard.

I don't plan to refine pills tonight. I'll recover my mana first, and then go to sleep.

The next day, Li Xiuyuan got up early to refine elixirs, but failed again.

As usual, the ointment was fed to the migratory rats.

The third day ended in failure, so I fed the pills and continued refining them!

On the fourth day, the elixir was successfully refined!

【Qingxin Dan (Beginner's Guide), 48/50】

[Cleansing Heart Pill [White Rune]: Cleansing Heart Pill Technique x1 (Refinable)]

Looking at the pale blue pills, each the size of a pigeon's egg, inside the alchemy furnace, Li Xiuyuan felt as if his misfortune had turned into good fortune, and he couldn't help but want to let out a long roar!

"Nearly forty sets of materials failed, costing approximately several dozen spirit stones. Adding the fasting pills that could have been refined in these four days and the previous three days, the total loss is nearly eighty spirit stones!"

"Finally, the hard times are over!"

Finding a rune for crafting the Tranquilizing Pill is the icing on the cake!

Li Xiuyuan hurriedly took out all the pills, ignoring their scalding heat, and picked them out one by one with his bare hands, placing them into the porcelain bottle.

The next morning, Li Xiuyuan continued his alchemy work with a cheerful rhythm.

He hummed a cheerful tune as he processed the alchemy materials.

The smoky little house was filled with a warm and cheerful atmosphere.

When the bright sunlight streamed into the room, what met the eye was his handsome face, which looked utterly lifeless.

"Failure is the mother of success. A pharmacist's failures are insignificant; even a Pill Saint couldn't help them!"

"I'll definitely succeed next time! I'll definitely succeed next time!"

Li Xiuyuan smiled and encouraged himself.

……

The next day, Li Xiuyuan slept soundly until midday before getting up.

Feeling refreshed and in peak condition, he entered the inner city mission hall.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Du!"

"Hmm, Xiu Yuan, are you here to participate in the alchemy assessment?"

After Du Wuxin finished checking the quantity and quality of the medicine powders for the month, he turned around and looked at Li Xiuyuan, who had a smile on his face, and immediately asked.

"Exactly!"

"Senior Brother Du, I've been studying the [Crimson Heart Fire Technique] these past few days and have gained some insights into alchemy. That's why I've come to participate in the assessment. Thank you for your help!"

Li Xiuyuan feigned an eagerness to try.

"Hmm, not bad. Enough with the small talk, let's begin!"

Du Wuxin smiled slightly, then said seriously, "Each examinee has three sets of alchemy materials. How many do you need, and what kind of pill do you plan to refine?"

"Three portions! Ingredients for the Qingxin Dan!"

Li Xiuyuan looked into Du Wuxin's eyes, his expression resolute.

"A calming pill?"

"Three doses of Qingxin Dan!"

Du Wuxin was taken aback at first, then confirmed it several times.

After carefully observing Li Xiuyuan for a few moments, and seemingly sensing the unwavering belief in his resolute gaze, he took out three sets of materials for the [Heart-Clearing Pill] from his storage bag, all of which were of superior quality.

Time flies, and the world changes. Talented young cultivators, full of ambition and boundless energy, have been stopped by countless others.

Fortunately, Xiu Yuan's spirit had not dissipated.

Perhaps he truly is a late bloomer...

……

At this moment, Li Xiuyuan looked solemn, unaware of Du Wuxin's thoughts and sighs.

Instead, he was completely focused on the blazing alchemy furnace in front of him.

He silently recited each step of the "Qingxin Dan Jie" (a method for refining the Qingxin Dan), carefully recalling his own experience in making the Qingxin Dan.

He was already extremely familiar with the process of refining the Mind-Clearing Pill.

"Furnace firing complete!"

Li Xiuyuan then placed the spiritual herbs, such as the Hundred Spirit Grass and Water Orchid, into the alchemy furnace in sequence, and used his own magic power to continuously impact the furnace while performing a fire control technique.

Simultaneously, manipulate the flames to refine the elixir, removing impurities and retaining the essence.

Brush brush!

Half an hour later, Li Xiuyuan, with a focused mind, controlled the fire snake to complete the extraction of medicinal herbs from the furnace.

The pure medicinal liquid emitted a delicate fragrance under the firelight.

Next came the preparation of the medicine and the refining...

Li Xiuyuan performed each step flawlessly, calmly and patiently, like a leisurely and carefree hermit, which was quite charming.

As the sun set, the last bit of magical power was poured into the alchemy furnace.

A round, soybean-sized, translucent, light blue pill appeared inside the alchemy furnace.

He was fully prepared to use the Tranquil Heart Pill rune, but he never expected to refine it himself!

[Clarity Pill +1]

【Qingxin Dan (Beginner's Guide), 49/50】

"Excellent, excellent! Junior Brother Li's decades of hardship and tears have finally come to a successful conclusion!"

Du Wuxin, who was outside the Earth Fire Room, smelled the familiar fragrance of the pills and smiled with great satisfaction.

"Heaven rewards those who persevere; you have finally become one of us!"

Du Wuxin walked in through the side door of the Earth Fire Room. As he saw, there was no burnt smell of waste or inferior pills, only the faint fragrance of finished pills.

It's not unusual for someone who has just entered the first stage to form a pill.

With the same materials, when Du Wuxin and other seasoned veterans immersed in alchemy work, the number of pills produced will not only double, but the quality will also be higher.

He gently patted Li Xiuyuan's shoulder, and with great satisfaction took out a wooden box, carefully placing the pill inside. "These pills need to be sealed as soon as they're made to prevent the medicinal properties from evaporating, which would be such a waste."

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother. I have learned a lot."

"These are all minor matters. Becoming a master alchemist is a joyous occasion for you. Consider this book, 'Detailed Explanation of the Dao of Alchemy,' as your congratulatory gift."

"Thank you, senior brother!"

After storing the other two portions of Qingxin Pill ingredients in his storage bag, Du Wuxin once again marveled at Li Xiuyuan's high success rate in refining pills.

Many of the handyman disciples who passed by, upon hearing this, all showed expressions of disbelief, and their gazes toward Li Xiuyuan were filled with envy, admiration... and respect.

In the past, Li Xiuyuan was just a menial alchemy worker, and they could still call him "Brother Li" or "Big Brother Li". But when he became an advanced alchemist, his status and position in the city would rise rapidly.

When you meet him, you must bow and address him as "Master Li Dan"!

He was surrounded by a constant stream of compliments and congratulations, to which Li Xiuyuan responded with a smile and a cupped-hand salute.

Upon arriving at the main hall of the mission hall, Du Wuxin took out a refreshing pill that was emitting heat and announced loudly to everyone present,

"Li Xiuyuan, a menial servant of the Dan Ding Sect, has achieved the rank of low-grade alchemist by refining the Qingxin Pill. From this day forward, his menial servant status is revoked, his corvée labor and taxes are halved, and he will enjoy ten years of residency in a first-grade spiritual vein cave dwelling under the Blazing Fire Sect!"

"Thank you very much, Senior Brother in charge!"

Li Xiuyuan bowed respectfully to Du Wuxin, then stood up and thanked everyone present.

……

The news quickly spread from the mission hall to the outskirts of the market.

Soon everyone knew that a new alchemist had appeared in the market, capable of refining the Heart-Clearing Pill, and that he had been promoted from a menial servant in the alchemy room.

The next day he received offers of service from many powerful forces.

Among them, Lingbao Pavilion and the Zhou family of Lingzhi offered the most generous terms.

Pang Dehai of Lingbao Pavilion personally visited Li Xiuyuan to hire him as an external alchemist.

Lingbao Pavilion provides alchemy materials. You only need to open the furnace fifty times a month, and half of the pills from each furnace must be handed over, and they must be of no lower quality than the lowest grade.

The rest belongs to Li Xiuyuan, or he can sell it to Lingbao Pavilion at market price.

As for alchemy inheritance, it can be purchased at market price after completing specific tasks.

Compared to the materials provided by the Zhou family, which are spiritual plants, three alchemy apprentices still need to be trained, and a fixed amount of pills for the family needs to be refined every year.

In this way, he would have to sign a fifteen-year contract in exchange for a first-grade mid-level alchemy inheritance.

Lingbao Pavilion imposed very few, if any, restrictions on Li Xiuyuan, as long as he could regularly hand over Qingxin Pills.

"How about it, Fellow Daoist Li? This is the greatest right I can secure for you."

Li Xiuyuan picked up his teacup, savored the tea, and made up his mind.

With his alchemy skills, which are proven forever, the quality of the elixirs will continue to improve steadily.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, after handing over 50%, he would still have a considerable amount left over, which already demonstrates his extremely high level of alchemy skill.

A low-grade Mind-Clearing Pill sells for one spirit stone, and his income in just one month far exceeded that of the previous several years.

No wonder they say alchemists are walking "spirit stone mines"—that's absolutely true!

Li Xiuyuan smiled and nodded, then stood up and high-fived Pang Dehai to make a vow.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Pang. I look forward to a pleasant collaboration from now on!"