Cultivation: Beginning with the Heart Reflecting Heaven and Earth

Lu Qian did not immediately begin refining pills. Instead, he went to complete his wood-chopping task again and secretly chopped some redwood, putting it into his storage bag.

In fact, the Canghai Sect has basically no control over these low-level spirit trees. As long as it's not too blatant and no one reports it, no one will say anything if you steal a little.

Lu Qian went to get the red wood, naturally to use it for alchemy. Although cultivators can also use true qi to turn into true fire, he is only at the second level of Qi Refining, and his flames are not powerful enough or last long enough to be used for alchemy.

Moreover, their own true fire is still much weaker than earth fire, so many Foundation Establishment alchemists have to build special alchemy rooms and then draw in earth fire.

If there were spiritual fire from heaven and earth, that would be a better choice, but spiritual fire has its own properties, and it is more selective in choosing pills to use for alchemy, making it difficult to control. In any case, Lu Qian doesn't need to consider this for the time being.

A pit was dug in the ground, the alchemy furnace was placed inside, and the red wood was arranged. The preparations were then complete.

He first took a Huangya Dan (a type of medicinal pill), meditated and cultivated, and then had a good sleep. After confirming that he was full of energy, he took out the alchemy furnace and several medicinal herbs for refining Qi and Blood Pills, and prepared to start the furnace.

Of course, it's not about starting a furnace in reality, but in the world of the mind.

"The Crimson Blood Vine must be cut first, the Mysterious Iron Fruit must be crushed, and the Heart-Stabilizing Flower should be added last..."

Lu Qian tried his best to recall the steps of refining the Qi and Blood Pill in his mind, then materialized everything into his mind world, and then used his true fire to ignite the red wood.

With a hiss, the red wood caught fire and flames shot up a meter high, quickly raising the temperature of the alchemy furnace. Lu Qian first put the Crimson Blood Vine into the furnace, then channeled his true energy into it and began to control the fire.

The two hollowed-out ears on the daytime incense burner seemed to have the ability to radiate heat, and they quickly became very hot. However, the burner was only slightly warm. Moreover, Lu Qian's "Fire Filling the Furnace" technique was now truly effective. He could use his true qi to guide the flames to burn in the direction he wanted, or suppress or amplify the flames, which was very convenient.

All the previous preparations came in handy, making Lu Qian clap his hands and laugh, "Opportunity truly only favors the prepared."

As he gradually became familiar with the use of the day-incense furnace and adapted to the rhythm of alchemy, he no longer wanted to work so slowly and meticulously. The flames under the furnace suddenly grew larger, and a medicinal fragrance with a rusty smell began to waft from the furnace. The Qi and Blood Pill seemed to be just around the corner.

"It doesn't seem that difficult!"

Despite it being just an entry-level pill, Lu Qian was still somewhat complacent. Even though he had made some preparations beforehand, he succeeded on his first try. Didn't that mean he was very talented in alchemy?

Lu Qian couldn't wait that long, so he increased the heat again. Suddenly, the incense burner made a whistling sound, followed by a loud bang. The lid of the burner shot into the sky, and the flames formed from the red wood spread outwards.

Although he was flustered, he remained calm and composed. He pointed and cast the Minor Rain Spell, which quickly extinguished the flames with a few scattered raindrops. However, Lu Qian was left covered in soot.

"I never expected that my first use of the Minor Rain Spell would be to put out a fire."

Although it was somewhat unfortunate, it was still a way to make the best use of resources.

The next moment, everything in the inner world returned to normal, and Lu Qian started again. Although he still failed each time for various reasons, the number of times the furnace exploded decreased significantly, and he could be considered to have become somewhat proficient.

Over the course of two days, Lu Qian failed more than ten times in a row, which made him doubt whether there was a problem with the pill formula he had obtained. However, after so many failures, he also summarized some key points.

"The best way to process the red blood vine is to chop it into small pieces, roast it over high heat first, and then reduce the heat and stir-fry it slowly."

"The Xuan Tie Fruit needs to be kept under intense heat, and the Gu Xin Flower should be added only after the medicinal properties of the Xuan Tie Fruit and the Chi Xue Teng have fused together, then we can succeed in one go."

However, despite his good intentions, Lu Qian never succeeded. He felt that it wasn't just a matter of experience, but also some other reasons.

"Relying solely on experience to refine medicine is not feasible. Others don't have my ability to make endless mistakes. No amount of investment would be enough. It's impossible to meticulously study every single pill formula from beginning to end."

Some high-grade pills can only be collected once every few decades. If they are ruined after one attempt, one may never be able to successfully refine them in a lifetime.

"I've heard that alchemists have specific techniques for refining pills, whether it's promoting the fusion of medicinal properties or finishing the pill, which are definitely better than what I do, relying solely on intuition."

There are also methods of inheritance in alchemy, and it is best to have a master to guide you. However, what Lu Qian hopes most right now is to find out where he can obtain the inheritance of an alchemist.

After all, Lu Qian is currently incapable of finding a master alchemist, and by the time he can, he will no longer need one.

Therefore, it would be best to have a lineage of alchemy practitioners.

Bang!Bang!Bang!

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Lu Qian opened the door and saw a person dressed in a butler's uniform standing outside.

"Meet outside the mission hall in three days."

The steward said something and left on his own. Lu Qian didn't seem to care. It must have been the pearl-gathering mission that Zhao Qi had mentioned earlier that had come looking for him.

"I have three days left to refine the pills. Hopefully, I'll succeed!"

Lu Qian remained focused and immersed himself in refining pills in his inner world once more. After failing more than ten times, he seized a fleeting opportunity, slapped the furnace lid, and threw the Heart-Stabilizing Flower inside. The powder in the furnace surged like water, engulfing the solitary flower and eventually turning it into a moist red patch.

At this moment, Lu Qian extinguished the flames and waited for a quarter of an hour before opening the furnace lid. Inside was a blood-red clump, and a bitter smell mixed with the aroma of medicine wafted out. The Qi and Blood Pill had been successfully made.

"It should be considered a success. It's a pity that there's no technique for collecting the pill, so the medicinal power can't be directly divided into its form. But it's okay, I can just roll it into a ball by hand."

After all, it's just an entry-level pill, perhaps even less advanced. Even people without cultivation can refine Qi and Blood Pills; it just takes a little longer. Overall, it's the same, and it's not a difficult pill to make.

Lu Qian pinched a little with his fingers and put it in his mouth. It tasted slightly sweet with a hint of metallic flavor. His body quickly began to heat up, as if he were full of energy and could kill a bull with one punch.

Even in the realm of his mind, he had no intention of wasting time. He took Qi and Blood Pills while simultaneously cultivating the Mysterious Whale Technique.

The Xuanjing Technique wasn't particularly difficult, at least not in the early stages. Moreover, Lu Qian was able to adjust his body according to the specific situation. His muscles seemed to ripple like fish scales as he rapidly absorbed the medicinal power. After just one round of practice, his physique seemed to have become more proportionate.

"As expected, with enough resources, even a pig can fly when it comes to body-refining techniques."

Of course, this is only the initial stage. Later on, body-refining techniques will also require a certain amount of talent. The main difference is that when practicing the same technique, those with body-refining talent will be faster and more powerful.

It should be known that even pigs have a limited appetite. People with the talent for body refinement are like pigs with extraordinary talent, able to eat more than other pigs, and naturally cultivate faster and become stronger.