Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master - Chapter 1365 - 539: The Furnace Spirit Chooses Its Master (Part 2)
A group of cultivators surrounded the stone platform, watching with enthusiasm.
This Xingyun Trial had reached its final stage.
Only two people remained, and Ning Zhuo was one of them.
His opponent was an elderly man.
Thin in stature, his back slightly hunched, his gray hair casually tied up, with a few strands hanging over his forehead.
His hands were rough like tree bark, with knobby fingers, and his nails embedded with dirt that couldn’t be washed away.
Yet his eyes were very bright, shining like fresh ginger just dug out from the earth, carrying a scent of soil.
His original name wasn’t widely known, at least Ning Zhuo didn’t know, only that he was known as Hundred Herbs Elder.
The host cultivator announced the start.
Ning Zhuo walked to his designated pill platform and first opened the elixir recipe.
The Fire Element Pill, a mid-grade elixir, was specially refined for fire element cultivators. Consuming it can enhance fire-attribute magic power, nourishing fire meridians. The main ingredient is Red Flame Grass, complemented by seven auxiliary ingredients—Fire Ganoderma, Vermilion Fruit, Flame Sunflower, Earth Fire Root, Molten Rock Moss, Phoenix Blood Extinct, Red Copper Ore Powder.
Ning Zhuo then reviewed the additional requirement—Water Element Constitution.
He immediately furrowed his brow.
Simply refining the Fire Element Pill wasn’t difficult at all.
Jia Luanzhen had refined no fewer than a hundred furnaces in his lifetime.
Red Flame Grass should be boosted fiercely with martial fire, Fire Ganoderma should be simmered slowly with a gentle fire, Vermilion Fruit comes in last, Flame Sunflower needs its stamen removed first, Earth Fire Root must be sliced, Molten Rock Moss should be ground into powder, Phoenix Blood Extinct needs to be dissolved in water, Red Copper Ore Powder should be sieved… these memories and experiences belong to Ning Zhuo.
But the trial content was to first modify the Fire Element Pill’s formula to also be consumable for those with a Water Element Constitution, then refine it.
Transforming a fire-attribute pill into one compatible with water-attribute is very challenging. Fire and water counteract each other, conflicting medicinal properties may result in an entire furnace of wasted pills.
Ning Zhuo reviewed the elixir recipe from start to finish once more.
He contemplated in his mind, “The Red Flame Grass can’t be altered, it’s the primary ingredient. Changing it means it couldn’t even be called the Fire Element Pill anymore.”
“The auxiliary ingredients can be adjusted in proportion, can be replaced, can be increased or decreased.”
“Among them, Fire Ganoderma is the top auxiliary ingredient, its medicinal property is intensely hot, a water element cultivator consuming it would be like drinking boiling water, it must be replaced.”
So, with what should it be replaced?
Ning Zhuo closed his eyes, sinking into contemplation.
Jia Luanzhen’s memories surged continuously in his mind…
“Among water attribute herbs, the only substitute for Fire Ganoderma is Cold Pond Lotus Heart. Its medicinal property is intensely cold, it is mild, enters the kidney meridian, precisely suitable for the Water Element Constitution. But suddenly adding a cold ingredient into the Fire Element Pill messes up the balance of the entire elixir recipe. Fire Ganoderma’s fire attribute is replaced by Cold Pond Lotus Heart’s cold attribute, necessitating adjustments in other auxiliary ingredients.”
Ning Zhuo picked up a pen, drawing on the elixir recipe.
Vermilion Fruit is hot, its quantity should be reduced.
Flame Sunflower is fierce, it should be removed.
Earth Fire Root is dry, it can be replaced by Xuanbing Root.
Molten Rock Moss is warm, it can be replaced by Water Mica.
Phoenix Blood Extinct is warm, should it be first tried with Ice Silkworm Silk as a substitute?
Ning Zhuo wrote stroke by stroke, becoming faster and more agile. When he reached the seventh auxiliary ingredient, he suddenly stopped his pen.
A sense of intuition rippled through his heart, making him feel uneasy.
“There’s something not quite right…”
Ning Zhuo valued this feeling. His understanding of artifact refining principles includes identifying and thinking about the properties of medicinal herbs, which falls within its scope.
He began to reevaluate and rigorously examine.
Time passed by gradually, and the brow of the young man gradually seeped a layer of subtle sweat.
Once Ning Zhuo finished revising the elixir recipe, he looked up towards the opposite side.
Hundred Herbs Elder had long since begun selecting medicinal ingredients.
The old cultivator moved slowly, with a composed demeanor. He picked up a medicinal herb, often first pinching with his fingertips, then placing either his fingertip or the herb itself under his nose to sniff it. If needed, he even extended his tongue to taste.
His experience was so extensive, his journey in cultivating the art of alchemy largely covered his entire life.
His tongue could accurately discern the age of the medicinal herbs, his nose could even smell out the herb’s origin, and his fingers made the humidity, hardness, and elasticity of the herbs undetectable.
He no longer looked at Hundred Herbs Elder, taking a deep breath and couldn’t help but feel a multitude of urgent pressures.
Fortunately, Jia Luanzhen’s lifetime of memories and experience, combined with Ning Zhuo’s own foundation in artifact refining, were all robust and substantial.
Ning Zhuo picked his medicinal ingredients and began alchemy.
The first furnace, he failed.
Though the pills were refined, their appearance was too poor, and effectiveness was less than ten percent. Ning Zhuo did not hesitate and directly discarded them.
The second furnace, he immediately started adjustments.
Quite a few pills were refined.
The third furnace, he refined to the very end, but seeing the time running out, he had to temporarily change the alchemy method and used fierce fire.
In the end, the number of refined pills was even fewer, but the appearance was slightly better than the second furnace.
However, when his pills were compared side by side with Hundred Herbs Elder’s results, anyone could see the latter was more superior.
The surrounding cultivators discussed fervently, finding Ning Zhuo’s failure quite curious.
Ning Zhuo was also calm, voluntarily cupping his fists, congratulating Hundred Herbs Elder.
Hundred Herbs Elder didn’t look down upon Ning Zhuo for losing, rather he regarded him with even more esteem: “Young friend Ning Zhuo, don’t be disheartened.”
“I am at the Golden Core Peak, while you are merely at the Foundation Establishment Cultivation.”
“With this alchemy session, my mana and alchemy techniques are far beyond yours, winning is not surprising at all.”
“Young friend Ning Zhuo, you have great potential in alchemy, and will certainly achieve much in the future.”
“Only, alchemy is always a matter of meticulous work, it cannot be rushed, cannot be rushed.”
Ning Zhuo bowed: “Thank you, senior, for your guidance.”
Hundred Herbs Elder nodded with a smile, looking at Ning Zhuo, with a peculiar gleam in his eyes. He had long heard of Ning Zhuo’s reputation as a genius, and it was his first time meeting him, discovering Ning Zhuo was without arrogance, rather practical, making him secretly surprised and simultaneously have a fondness.
Ning Zhuo returned to the Bluestone Cave Mansion, reviewing the Xingyun Trial.
Though he had been defeated, he never took it to heart.
Closing his eyes, he recalled every detail of today’s trial. Not only concerning himself but also the other opponents.
Various alchemy techniques, medicine identification methods, the interaction between herbs, and refining recipe improvements, all made everything related other people’s memories and experiences in Ning Zhuo’s mind, because of personal experience become vivid, spirited, solid.
“My alchemy skills have greatly improved!”
“Hundred Herbs Elder was right. I truly lost due to insufficient cultivation level. The last third furnace spent quite a bit of time recovering, replenishing mana. If it wasn’t wasted, although I would also lose, the gap wouldn’t be so large.”
If the opponent was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Ning Zhuo would have the confidence to win.
But Hundred Herbs Elder was at the Golden Core, and at the Golden Core Peak, with cultivation years significantly longer than his.
Thus Ning Zhuo losing was not surprising at all.
The spectators also wouldn’t find it unacceptable.
Ning Zhuo had already performed outstandingly in other aspects, expecting him to excel also in alchemy—this was too demanding.
The audience’s greater curiosity was why Ning Zhuo suddenly changed direction, participating in the alchemy trial.
Unlike array formation and artifact refining, Ning Zhuo’s realm in alchemy was insufficient, facing a Golden Core Level alchemist, the disadvantage was quite evident.
“In the future, surely will result in mostly defeats.”
Even then, as long as he continued to refine this skill diligently, Ning Zhuo endeavored to enjoy it.
He currently didn’t lack a foundation, but lacked actual practice, verifying memories and experiences, turning them for own use. This itself was an extremely efficient digestion.
“Of course, it does not match Knowledge and Action Unity Skill.”
Alchemy definitely needed to be advanced. Ning Zhuo had long term plans: In the future, consuming elixir pills will surely replace Fetal Breathing Spirit Boat, continuing to promote his physical cultivation.
He also wanted to keep a lower profile, observing the follow-up of the Fire Burial Mysterious Nascent Soul.
As a result, on the second day, a message from the Xingyun Trial erupted explosively within the Wanxiang Sect’s Main Mountain Gate, sparking a whirlwind of public opinion unmatched in previous years!
At Danxia Peak Xingyun Trial—Furnace Spirit choosing a master.
Myriad Images Sect acted transparently, directly providing a detailed explanation of the causes and effects.
“Saving Vermilion Bird Artifact Spirit!”
“Whoever gains its trust and retrieves it, will be the new master of the Nanming Fire Furnace.”
“Nanming Fire Furnace… this is a spiritual treasure for alchemy.”
Even Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but be intensely moved.
