"Junior Sister Xia!" Wei Haolan called.
The alchemist named Xia Qing merely frowned, waved her hand impatiently, and continued muttering calculations.
Wei Haolan sighed in resignation and said to Mo Tiange, "Fellow Daoist Ye, would you mind waiting a moment? I really can't do anything with her."
Mo Tiange smiled. "Alchemists all have their quirks. I'm in no hurry, Sect Leader Wei, please take your time."
Wei Haolan offered an apologetic smile, instructed a disciple to prepare seats, and the two of them sat and chatted idly for a while. Suddenly, Xia Qing stood up and shouted, "Alright, fire up the furnace and start the refinement!"
"Junior Sister Xia!" Seizing the opportunity, Wei Haolan called again.
This time, Xia Qing finally heard her. She scratched her head and turned around. "Oh, Sect Leader Senior Sister, what is it?" Her tone was as if she were shooing away a fly.
Mo Tiange couldn't help but smile. In truth, Xia Qing was rather delicate and pretty. If she tidied herself up, she could be considered quite lovely. Unfortunately, she was so unkempt—her hair a mess, her clothes askew—that if not for the bearing of a cultivator, she might have been mistaken for a beggar.
Wei Haolan pulled Mo Tiange over. "Let me introduce you. This is a cultivator from the Kunwu Xuanqing Sect, Fellow Daoist Ye Xiaotian."
Xia Qing frowned, showing no curiosity about her identity. She just casually raised a hand. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Ye." Before Mo Tiange could return the courtesy, she immediately asked Wei Haolan directly, "I'm busy here. Why did you bring someone?"
Mo Tiange's words caught in her throat, so she could only listen to Wei Haolan's response.
Wei Haolan said, "Didn't you say there was no one to discuss alchemy with? Fellow Daoist Ye is proficient in alchemy. I specifically invited her here to exchange insights on refinement techniques with you."
"Oh?" Hearing this, Xia Qing's attitude changed dramatically. She warmly grabbed Mo Tiange's hand. "Fellow Daoist Ye, you know alchemy?"
Mo Tiange looked down at Xia Qing's hand, which had turned gray from who-knows-what, resisted the urge to pull back, and replied calmly, "I know a little."
"Just a little?" Xia Qing pressed. "Can you refine Core Condensation Pills? Heart-Protecting Powder? Beauty-Preserving Pills? Or Dustless Pills?"
"I can refine some of each," Mo Tiange said, subtly retrieving her sleeve and giving it a shake. "If I have the materials, I can refine them all, though my success rate isn't very high."
"Wow, you can refine all of them? Not bad!" Xia Qing continued her interrogation. "Not very high? How high? Thirty percent? Forty?"
"...About fifty percent. If I'm in good form, it can reach sixty." A fifty to sixty percent success rate in alchemy could be considered that of a master alchemist. When Mo Tiange first started alchemy, she wasn't particularly talented. But she had piles of spirit herbs to squander, and slowly her success rate increased. So she concluded: talent or not, if one had endless spirit herbs to practice with, most people could become master alchemists.
"Sixty percent!" Xia Qing exclaimed. Even Wei Haolan's eyes lit up.
"Come, come!" Xia Qing immediately grabbed Mo Tiange's sleeve and pulled her toward the alchemy furnace. "I have all the materials ready here. Refine a Core Condensation Pill and let me see."
"Uh..." Mo Tiange retrieved her sleeve from Xia Qing's grasp and looked at Wei Haolan. "Fellow Daoist Wei, this..."
Hearing that Mo Tiange's success rate could reach sixty percent, Wei Haolan was also excited. She quickly said, "Fellow Daoist Ye, please give it a try. If you succeed, as long as you pass on your alchemy techniques to Junior Sister Xia, we'll lend you the teleportation array free of charge."
Having received this promise, Mo Tiange nodded. "Alright."
For alchemists, alchemy techniques were rarely passed on to others. But Mo Tiange didn't rely on alchemy to earn Spirit Stones, so she had no such reservations. Besides, her techniques were just insights summarized from long practice, nothing particularly special. Even if she taught Xia Qing, it would only save her some time in figuring things out. Since she found Xia Qing agreeable enough, teaching her wouldn't feel unpleasant.
Seeing her agree, Xia Qing immediately waved a hand. "Bring the materials!"
"Yes!" The many Qi Refining disciples responded, each bringing forward the spirit herbs they were responsible for.
Mo Tiange looked them over. The materials were all quite ordinary. The main ingredients for the Core Condensation Pill, the Ziyin Herb and the Splashing Snow Spirit Fungus, were only five hundred years old. The other ingredients were even less impressive, some only a hundred years old.
Actually, this wasn't a big issue. The Core Condensation Pill was a basic pill for Core Formation cultivators. Its material requirements were simple: the Ziyin Herb and Splashing Snow Spirit Fungus needed to be over five hundred years old; the other ingredients weren't too demanding. However, the higher the age of the spirit herbs, the better the pill's efficacy. With the ingredients before her, the resulting pill's effect would only be passable.
In truth, only she would think this way. In this world, spirit herbs over a thousand years old were already hard to come by. Even Core Formation cultivators commonly used herbs over five hundred years old. Who else was like her, with a private herb garden to practice alchemy freely, and almost all of them over a thousand years old?
Noticing Mo Tiange's slight frown, Wei Haolan glanced at the materials and asked, "Fellow Daoist Ye, is there a problem with these spirit herbs?"
"No," Mo Tiange gently shook her head. She inspected all the herbs once more, then signaled for a Qi Refining disciple to bring an empty tray. After laying down a clean cloth, she began to measure out the portions she needed.
She simply weighed them in her hand and placed them directly on the cloth, not using any scales. Quickly, dozens of portions were separated.
Wiping her hands clean, she said to the Qi Refining disciple holding the tray, "Place them over there. Be careful not to mix them up."
The Qi Refining disciple acknowledged and carefully carried them over.
Xia Qing leaned in, let out a breath, and praised, "Fellow Daoist Ye, putting aside everything else, you actually separated the required portions without calculating or weighing them. I can't do that. Impressive."
Mo Tiange just smiled. "When you've refined enough pills, you get a feel for it." This was the truth, no trick to it. However, few people could be like her, completely unconcerned about materials, so few could reach this level.
Of course, there were exceptions. Almost all master alchemists in Kunwu could do this, let alone grandmaster alchemists. They were either nurtured by sects or backed by major cultivation families. From this perspective, alchemy was built on piles of spirit herbs, or rather, piles of Spirit Stones. Unfortunately, the Bixuan Pavilion was located in Linhai. Even with a teleportation array connecting to Kunwu, they weren't wealthy enough to casually buy piles of materials to waste.
Wei Haolan was also full of admiration, thinking to herself: The Xuanqing Sect isn't even an alchemy-focused sect. This Fellow Daoist Ye doesn't seem very old either, yet she possesses such advanced alchemy skills. It truly shows that Kunwu is teeming with talent, worthy of being Tianji's cultivation holy land.
With the materials prepared, Mo Tiange looked at the already preheated furnace, pondered for a moment, reached out to test the temperature of the earth fire, and felt the thickness of the furnace. This furnace was much thicker than the Purple Wood Cauldron she used, and the earth fire was slightly inferior. The timing for opening the furnace would need to be slightly delayed. She would have to monitor this closely with her Divine Sense.
After checking everything, she washed her hands and ordered, "Open the furnace!"
Xia Qing had long been impatient. She waved her hands hurriedly. "Open it, open it!"
With this demanding senior watching, the Qi Refining disciples didn't dare slack off. They quickly arranged the materials, poured in the clear spring water, and together lifted the furnace lid.
To be honest, this furnace was far inferior to Mo Tiange's own Purple Wood Cauldron. After all, the Purple Wood Cauldron was something once used by a Deity Transformation cultivator; even if only once, it was extraordinary. This furnace, however, was merely a magic tool, not even a magic treasure.
This wasn't surprising. Given the Bixuan Pavilion's scale, with only three Core Formation cultivators total and no expertise in alchemy, it was difficult for them to possess a top-grade furnace. Still, this furnace wasn't too bad; it was worth at least a hundred Spirit Stones, much better than the common goods Mo Tiange had used at the beginning.
After ordering the furnace opened, Mo Tiange didn't start refining immediately. Instead, she closed her eyes and entered meditation. Although the portions were already measured, during refinement, adjustments might be needed based on changes in the furnace fire. This required complete concentration, not a shred of distraction.
The other two Foundation Establishment cultivators and dozens of Qi Refining cultivators present didn't dare make a sound. They were accustomed to Xia Qing's refinement sessions. With Xia Qing's temper, anyone who made noise during refinement would be immediately expelled from the alchemy chamber and demoted to menial disciple status. The disciples who remained here were all well-tested and knew the rules.
Once her mind was calm and the furnace sufficiently hot, Mo Tiange first took the Celestial Sunflower Powder and Ziyin Herb, mixed them together, threw them into the furnace, and ordered, "Seal the furnace."
Several Qi Refining disciples immediately acted swiftly to comply.
Mo Tiange closed her eyes, sending a strand of Divine Sense into the furnace. She felt the Ziyin Herb slowly melt into a pool of purple liquid, with the Celestial Sunflower Powder dissolving into it.
As the furnace temperature rose, the two materials merged into one, gradually becoming indistinguishable, forming a new substance.
The temperature inside the furnace reached boiling point. The Ziyin Herb liquid rapidly evaporated, slowly solidifying into lumpy masses.
Mo Tiange opened her eyes. "Open the furnace."
Without Xia Qing needing to emphasize it again, the Qi Refining disciples moved quickly, immediately lifting the furnace lid.
This time, Mo Tiange kept only a few materials and threw in most of the rest, again ordering the furnace sealed. Then she sat motionless as if in deep meditation.
At first, Xia Qing could stare intently at the furnace, but she didn't dare extend her Divine Sense. When an alchemist was refining, their Divine Sense had to constantly monitor the furnace's interior. If disturbed by another's Divine Sense, they might misjudge. Xia Qing thought that since both were at the Foundation Establishment stage, even if there was a difference in Divine Sense strength, it wouldn't be too great, so interference was possible. She didn't know that Mo Tiange's Divine Sense was not something a cultivator of the same rank could affect. Due to practicing the Spirit-Refining Art, the resilience of her Divine Sense exceeded that of ordinary cultivators and wouldn't be easily disturbed.
Later, perhaps because it was time for her own refinement session, Xia Qing grew restless. But she didn't dare disturb Mo Tiange, so she stood up and paced in circles, occasionally making gestures to Wei Haolan.
Wei Haolan couldn't understand her gestures and could only nod randomly.
Finally, just as Xia Qing was about to lose patience, Mo Tiange opened her eyes and gave the third order: "Open the furnace."
After the Qi Refining cultivators opened the furnace, she first poured in the clear spring water, then added the last few types of spirit herbs. "Alright, seal it. You can rest now."
The attending Qi Refining cultivators breathed a sigh of relief but didn't dare make noise. They each stepped back and waited quietly.
This wait was even longer than the last. Xia Qing couldn't help but speak up: "Fellow Daoist Ye, isn't it taking too long?"
Mo Tiange wasn't in deep meditation this time, but upon hearing the question, she merely shook her head. "Don't worry."
After saying this, she fell silent again. Xia Qing anxiously circled behind her.
Mo Tiange remained unhurried, quietly watching the furnace.