On the path to immortality, I can see destiny.

Zhao Fan carried the wooden sign down the mountain, his steps light and quick.

The wooden plaque is slightly heavy and has a warm, smooth texture. The front is engraved with the character "丹" (Dan), and the back has a few simple spiritual patterns.

He knew that this thing represented the approval of Danfeng and was proof that he could legitimately refine pills.

Back in the cabin, he didn't rush to start, but first went through the recipe and refining steps of the Qingling Pill in his mind.

He had refined this elixir countless times, knowing every step of the process even with his eyes closed, but this was the first time since he had restarted his cultivation, and he dared not be careless.

The next morning, after tidying up the spirit field, Zhao Fan took the wooden plaque and headed towards the main peak of Danfeng.

At the main peak gate, the gatekeeper was a different person. Seeing the wooden plaque in his hand, he didn't ask any questions and stepped aside to make way.

Zhao Fan walked up the stone steps and came to a tall hall.

Above the entrance to the hall hangs a plaque with the words "Danfang" (丹房, meaning alchemy room).

He pushed open the door and went inside. There were rows of neat shelves filled with all kinds of medicinal herbs, and the aroma of the herbs was wonderful.

A middle-aged cultivator was sitting behind the counter. When he saw Zhao Fan come in, he raised his eyelids slightly.

"What do you want?"

Zhao Fan handed over the wooden plaque.

"This disciple wishes to receive five portions of the ingredients for the Qingling Pill."

The middle-aged monk took the wooden plaque, made a note in a booklet, then turned around and took several packets of medicinal herbs from the shelf, placing them one by one on the counter.

With a casual wave of his hand, Zhao Fan sent the medicinal herbs flying into his storage bag.

He looked at the middle-aged man, who was about to leave, then thought for a moment and said again.

"I'd also like to rent a pill-making furnace."

The middle-aged cultivator glanced at him and pointed to a row of pill furnaces behind him.

"A mid-grade first-tier item costs one spirit stone per day to rent."

Zhao Fan nodded, selected a pill furnace that looked to be of good quality, paid the spirit stones, put the furnace and medicinal herbs into his storage bag, and turned to leave.

Back at the wooden house on the back mountain, he took out the alchemy furnace, placed it on the open ground in front of the house, and then laid out the medicinal herbs one by one.

The waiter squatted to the side, tilting his head to look at him, with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

It hadn't smelled the aroma of medicine for a long time, and seeing that Zhao Fan was about to start the furnace again, it quickly lay down beside him.

Zhao Fan did not rush to make a move, but first sat cross-legged and adjusted his state to the best.

Then, he took a deep breath, placed his hands on the alchemy furnace, and slowly poured in spiritual energy.

The spirit stones at the bottom of the furnace lit up, and the temperature inside the furnace began to rise.

Zhao Fan closed his eyes and sensed the flames, probing into the furnace with his divine sense.

After six months of retraining, although his spiritual sense has not yet recovered to its previous level, its accuracy is much higher than before.

He can clearly sense the changes in temperature inside the furnace and perceive every subtle reaction of the medicinal herbs in the flames.

The first ingredient was added, the second, the third... His movements were fluid and seamless.

Spiritual energy transformed into threads, ten threads extending from the fingertips, connecting to the inscriptions on the alchemy furnace, precisely controlling every step.

He had done this process countless times, so skillfully that it was as natural as breathing.

But this time, he clearly sensed something was different.

The spiritual energy is more condensed than before. With the same output, more power can be mobilized. The divine sense is more refined than before. Although the total amount has not yet recovered, every step is precise and without any waste.

The process of melting the medicine, separating the pills, and condensing the pills was incredibly smooth.

He didn't try to get as much as before, and only divided the elixir into six portions.

Previously, when I was at the fourth level of Qi Refining, dividing my energy into six parts was already the limit, and I still needed to hold a spirit stone to replenish my spiritual power at any time.

This time, the spiritual energy in his dantian was steadily output without any sign of depletion.

The six portions of elixir rotated, solidified, and took shape in the furnace.

After an unknown amount of time, the alchemy furnace emitted a soft sound. Zhao Fan opened his eyes, lifted the lid, and six pills rolled out from the outlet, landing in his palm.

The elixir is pale gold in color, round and smooth, with clear patterns, and is of medium quality.

It's not the best, but it's definitely not bad.

Looking at the six pills in his palm, Zhao Fan felt an indescribable sense of peace.

He clearly felt the benefits of the reconstruction.

With his spiritual energy solidified, and also at the fourth level of Qi Refining, he could easily complete a batch of pills without needing to replenish spirit stones along the way.

The divine sense has also become more refined. Although the total amount has not yet recovered, the control is more precise, with no waste whatsoever.

This is not an illusion; it is a real improvement.

He held the spirit stone, but didn't use it at all. If it were before, he would have been exhausted of spiritual energy long ago after refining this batch of pills.

Zhao Fan put the six pills into a jade bottle, and then took out the alchemy furnace he had rented from his storage bag.

It's the kind of ordinary alchemy furnace we used during the previous assessment, with simple patterns and basic functions.

He wanted to test what he could achieve with his current abilities without his master's alchemy furnace.

Zhao Fan meditated for an hour to restore his spiritual energy before opening the furnace again.

As spiritual energy flowed into the alchemy furnace, the spirit stones at the bottom of the furnace lit up.

Zhao Fan put the medicinal herbs into the furnace, probed the furnace with his divine sense, and began to control it.

But he soon discovered the problem.

Without the aid of the Azure Gold Furnace, he had to use his divine sense to control every wisp of flame, and the more medicinal herbs there were, the heavier the burden became.

Although his spiritual sense was refined, its total amount was still insufficient.

The first time, halfway through melting the medicine, my spiritual sense couldn't keep up, and the medicinal materials turned into a burnt mess.

The second time, he barely managed to hold on until the elixir was divided, but his divine sense was already exhausted, and the divided elixir dissipated before it could solidify.

Zhao Fan gritted his teeth and tried for the third time.

This time he dared not be greedy and only took two portions of the elixir.

As the alchemy process became increasingly complex, Zhao Fan's spiritual sense became more and more strained, feeling as if it might break at any moment.

But he gritted his teeth and persevered, daring not to relax in the slightest.

The elixir rotates, solidifies, and takes shape in the furnace.

The alchemy furnace made a soft sound, and Zhao Fan lifted the lid, releasing a pill.

Its color is dull and its surface is rough; it can barely be considered a low-grade product.

Zhao Fan looked at the poor-quality pill in his palm and fell silent.

He finally realized clearly what the alchemy furnace and the technique of transforming spiritual energy into silk left by his master meant to him.

Without these, he wouldn't even be able to refine a decent batch of pills.

With these, he was able to refine six medium-quality Qingling Pills at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

This wasn't due to his own ability; it was the help he received from his master.

He sighed, carefully put away the low-grade pill separately, and then put six medium-grade Qingling Pills into another jade bottle.

He stood up, put both alchemy furnaces into his storage bag, then returned to the wooden house and sat down cross-legged.

The benefits of rebuilding are real; his foundation is now more stable than before.

However, he is not yet ready to start refining pills. If he uses spiritual energy to create silk and the pill furnace left by his master, although he can make pills, it is not commensurate with his current strength. If people find out, it will inevitably attract their covetousness.

This is why Zhao Fan chose to rent another alchemy furnace. Only when he can use this furnace to refine finished pills that meet the standards can he try alchemy himself.