303 Alchemy and Progression (1/2)

The Mysterious Yang Dan and the Missing Yin Dan were bodily nourishment medicines, and were to be taken by men and women respectively. They were refined using the most ordinary herbs, and could be consumed by the most ordinary of people; without any fear of a side effect. However, the Spirit Amassing Dan was a high-level Dan, and was only suited for high-level martial practitioners.

The Spirit Amassing Dan was also known as the 'Devil's Heart' Dan. This Dan was designed to be consumed while undertaking martial training. It would increase the concentration of the 'spirit energy' inside a person's body by a very significant margin. Moreover, the possibility of a backlash — or the 'Devil's Bite'— would be more-or-less eliminated even if a person would wholeheartedly immerse themselves in their practice. This function of the Devil's Heart Dan would seem rather simple, but it was no trivial matter. This Dan wasn't a rare treasure, but it wasn't exactly sold openly in the market; nor did it have a price.

A martial practitioner can't afford to be afraid of foreign object; they can't fear pain. However, the 'Devil's Bite' was one the biggest hurdles in their path. And, most people were afraid of this phenomenon. It was hard to say how many high-level martial practitioners had succumbed to the Devil's Bite over the course of their training, and had lost their lives and cultivation to this tragedy. In fact, the effect of the Devil's Bite was likely to be more severe for a martial practitioner of a higher level. But, the Devil's Heart Dan effectively put an end to this phenomenon's possibility. Hence, this Dan was often considered as a 'Life-saving' Dan.

An open circulation of the 'Devil's Heart Dan' would likely give rise to a ruckus in the entire Xuan Xuan continent. This small medicine pill could easily cause a blood-bath; a very tragic one at that. In fact, the intensity of the scramble for this medicine wouldn't be very different from the one that had unfolded for the 'Level Nine Xuan Core'.

The ”Multi-Cure Dan”[3] did what its name suggests. It was miracle medicine that could cure a myriad of infections and diseases. This medicine could blend with a plethora of infectious and poisonous substances inside the host's body, and could remove them from therein — without causing any harm to the subject. It was a long road to Tian Fa. Moreover, the journey and the destination were filled with a variety of elements that could cause infections in the troops' bodies. And, this medicinal pill could act as a major means of prevention against all such elements by preserving the troops' health. Therefore, Jun Mo Xie had given this medicine preference over the others.

The last was the 'Connecting-Meridians Dan'. Jun Mo Xie had given it a different name: Ten Years Dan. According his experiments — a person's Xuan Qi and internal strength were likely to see an enhancement after the consumption of this Dan. This Dan wouldn't exactly open-up a person's Xuan meridians, but it could enhance a person's Xuan cultivation by ten years' time!

Moreover, the effects of this enhancement were possibly permanent in nature!

In other words, this 'Medicinal Dan' could provide a life-long enhancement in person's combat effectiveness. Moreover, this miraculous medicine could produce this effect in a very short period of time. Jun Mo Xie could enhance the cultivation level of the 300 hundred guards he was training to an entirely new level if this medicine could be combined with the 'Devil's Heart Dan'.

Jun Mo Xie could naturally refine a few more medicines using the second level of the 'Art of Unlocking the Heaven's fortune'. But, those medicines were mostly nourishment medicines such as 'Spirit Purifying' Dan etc. These medicines were quite effective as well, but Jun Mo Xie didn't think very highly of them; nor did he need them very urgently. So, he had temporarily ignored them when he had made a list of his first-choice medicines.

It was imperative for him to enhance strength as soon as possible. Not just his own — but that of the entire Jun Family's troops.

Jun Mo Xie sat cross-legged inside the Hongjun Pagoda. He was facing the 'Furnace of Good Fortune', and was trying to calm his excited frame of mind. The 'Art of Unlocking the Heaven's Fortune' had been surging like a torrent, but it started to flow like a smooth stream as his mental state became calmer. Suddenly, he felt burst of clarity in his mind.

[Well!]

Jun Mo Xie raised his hands after a loud shout, and drew a large circle in the void of the air. Then, he rapidly drew some characters with his finger. He wasn't using any kind of ink, but some strange characters would show up in that circle he had previously drawn. And, those strange characters would fly into the Furnace of Good Fortune once they had been fully formed…

Boom!

The 'Flame of Primal Chaos' was lightly ablaze under the 'Furnace of Good Fortune' when he had started. However, the flame suddenly became more ardent and fierce. A jet-black flame soared ten feet into the sky, and enveloped the entire 'Furnace of Good Fortune' inside it.

Jun Mo Xie pointed the index finger of his hand towards the 'Furnace of Good Fortune' as this happened. A 'buzz' resounded from the Furnace, and it started to float and swirl in midair. Soon, the Furnace's body started to radiate with a rainbow-colored light, and countless strange patterns appeared on its outer surface. Then, those patterns suddenly disappeared. But, that rainbow-colored light continued to radiate on the furnace's body. The furnace continued to swirl and buzz midair as its lid was raised into the sky.

Jun Mo Xie tossed the medicinal ingredients into the furnace with his right hand, and the entire atmosphere was suddenly filled with a rich medicinal aroma. This dense fragrance had come to life the moment the ingredients made contact with the Furnace. Then, the Furnace's lid slammed down, and the 'Flame of Primal Chaos' lit-up once again. Then, Jun Mo Xie pointed his finger towards the furnace, and it was enveloped in that jet-black flame again.

Suddenly, Jun Mo Xie felt as if the spiritual energy inside his body had surged out like a massive river that had broken past its dam…

This was merely the beginning. The Young Master Jun had always sailed swiftly — despite the direction of the current. However, he found himself complaining like never before…

[Oh My God! Is this medicinal alchemy or blood suction? That feeling from a moment ago was simply terrifying! Refining such a small amount of Dans requires so much strength, and such a substantial amount of Aura?! And, that's when I'm only refining the most basic and ordinary Dans! If this is merely the starting point… wouldn't it kill me if I were to refine high-end Dans? This is too much…!]

[Damn it! I've seen the movies! Those Daoist alchemists would concoct Dans with so much ease. They would merely stroke their beards and scratch their whiskers, and the job would be done. The clouds would shake, and the Dan would show up in front of them. And, a person could be brought back from the dead with the Dan they would concoct! In fact, a person could become as light as feather, and ascend to the heavens as an Immortal…]

[Ah… why did it have to be so difficult in my case? I just want to treat some injuries, cure some infections, and enhance a person's cultivation by a few years… that's all! But, why does something so simple have to demand so much energy from my spirit, ah?]

Jun Mo Xie grumbled in his heart, but didn't dare to slack off. He tried to maintain a steady flow, and allowed his body's spiritual energy to surge out like a massive river…

A long while later…

”Bang!”

The Furnace of Good Fortune issued a loud sound, and resumed its original position on the ground. The Flame of Primal Chaos simmered down and reverted back to its original color.

As for the Young Master Jun — he was completely exhausted. He didn't even have the strength to move his fingers. He panted for air as he sensed the HongJun Pagoda frantically pour Aura into his meridians. He felt as if he had just run 5 kilometers with a 500kg boulder on his body. He was literally on the verge of his sticking his tongue out of his mouth to breathe more air. In fact, the Young Master Jun would've probably fallen into a deep slumber if it wasn't the crazy amount of supplementary energy that the HongJun Pagoda was pouring into his body.

Physical fatigue was secondary. The crucial point was that his spirit had been exhausted. This was a rather frightening situation. The consequences could be very serious if his spirit wasn't timely supplemented.

A long, long while later… Jun Mo Xie finally felt as if his dried-out meridians had been somewhat replenished. He strutted off the ground with the help of the little remaining spiritual energy in his body, and lifted the Furnace's lid. Then, he peeked to take a look inside it. He violently cried-out after a quick glance, while his limbs started to tremble.

There was nothing inside the Furnace of Good Fortune! … apart from some burnt-out ashes…

”I'm going to fu*k you!” The Hitman was flabbergasted. He continued to curse in anger, ”I don't believe this! I spent all the effort I could, and this Dan still didn't get refined?! I can't believe that I'll have to try a second time over such silly and ordinary Dans!”

He sat down cross-legged, put the HongJun Pagoda into motion, and started to absorb the spiritual energy… [I won't mess up the second time]…

Then…

”You recumbent furnace!” the Hitman couldn't believe the result of his second attempt either. ”This is again… ah… well, my I'm going to get serious! Let's see who the real daddy is!”

Then, he started all over again…

Bang! Then…

”Damn it! I can't believe this devil! I don't know how many attempts this nonsense is going to take… ten times… Do I have to try a hundred times? A thousand times…?” he continued to curse in anger. He vented out his anger till he exhausted himself, and then sat down cross-legged again. He restarted the HongJun Pagoda to replenish his energy, and started the process again…

He couldn't believe the result again… abused till he was exhausted… and then started the entire process again…

It's hard to say how many times it took, but eventually…

”Wow, ha ha ha ha… I'm your daddy! How can a piece of trash like you keep turning my stuff into ashes, huh? Ah? You son of a bit*h! You think I don't know you? You're a bastard! Ha! You evil little thing! You think you can beat me? Hum…”

The Young Master Jun's messy hair and dirt-filled face didn't look much different from that of a beggar's. In fact, even a beggar would look better than Jun Mo Xie's present appearance. His face had gone as green as that of a zombie's. His entire body was trembling as if he was suffering from a stroke of epilepsy. He extended his hand, and grabbed a tiny and shiny pill from the Furnace. He then raised it into the air, and started jumping up and down like a maniac…

He gnashed his teeth as he held that pill in his hands. Jun Mo Xie had a strong impulse to throw that pill on the ground so he could trample it like a maniac. [Damn it! I suffered so much for this tiny piece of trash?! I've got cramps from that tortuous ordeal! What if I were to toss you to the ground, and stamp on you… that would be fun… that would feel so good… how good would that feel?]

However, the heartless and ruthless Jun Mo Xie was reluctant to part with it. [Damn! Trample on this thing? Has my brain short-circuited? That's not enough! I'm going to swallow you! You will squirm inside my intestines till you've been digested. And then, you shall be transformed into my moisty and stinky sh*t. That's the best punishment for you!]

He continued to rain curses as he slowly put them into a jade bottle. Then, he pulled one pill out of the jade bottle, and brought it up to his mouth. His hands treated the pill as if it was a priceless treasure, while his mouth cursed it ”Tiny piece of trash”. Then, that pill reluctantly left his hand, and dropped into his mouth. Crack, crack, crack… he chewed it a few times, and swallowed it down…

”The result looks good.” Jun Mo Xie face reveled in the aftertaste of the Mysterious Yang Dan as it came in contact with his mouth. Then, Jun Mo Xie's face revealed a bitter expression as he realized that he had many more to refine, [How much time will this take?]

[Forget about the material required for this Mysterious Yang Dan… I came in with 100 packets of herbs… and now I only have 78 left. It took me 22 attempts to succeed once. And, it could've been by accident too! I can only concoct 30 pills in one go. So, I will have to succeed 10 times if I want to make enough for all my trainees. How many attempts will it take to succeed 10 times…?]

”This stupid furnace!” Jun Mo Xie sat down again, and started to replenish his spiritual energy…

One had to say that Jun Mo Xie had a very tough will-power. It had certainly surpassed that of an ordinary person. An ordinary person wouldn't back away if they were met with a wall on their path. However, Jun Mo Xie wouldn't just refuse to give-up… he'd continue to knock against the wall until he had broken past it.

Jun Mo Xie had initiated the Hongjun Pagoda to reinstate his spiritual power for the 22nd time. He wanted to restart the Furnace of Good Fortune and Flame of Primal Chaos so he could adhere to his task of concocting the required number of pills. However, the spiritual energy in his body had been exhausted. In fact, not even a spec of it was left.

What kind of sensation would a martial man feel once their Xuan Qi and Spiritual Energy had been depleted? Such excessive strain would leave their limbs cold, and their mind in chaos. And, if a person had to experience this feeling over 22 times… one would feel as if the very depth of the sea of their soul had started to tremble… as if they would wither at a moment's notice; it was a very creepy sensation that would leave one's hair standing at an end! It would be akin to taking a recreational hike along the gates of hell.

An average person would at best endure this the first time due to their ”discipline”. But, they would never attempt it a second time. Moreover, the memory of this sensation was likely to shatter the said-person's will-power, and leave them traumatized. In fact, even the individuals bestowed with the strongest of will-powers wouldn't attempt this more than three-to-five times.

However, the Young Master Jun had attempted this process 22 times in a row! He had failed the first 21 times… but judging by his zeal — he would've single-mindedly carried-on even if he hadn't succeeded in his 22nd attempt.