CHAPTER 216: CHAPTER 22: HEAVEN-REACHING TOWER

Next day.

Lin Jing used the Hidden Dragon Fortune to deduce the pill formulas for the "Self-destructive Tree Man Pill" and "Sun Fake Pill".

This was a common technique.

Pills like the Dragon Ascending Pill, Gluttonous Pill, and Pain Relief Pill were all born this way.

First, he employs the Hidden Dragon Fortune, combining it with his own knowledge of the Alchemy Dao to deduce.

After deducing several suitable formulas, he then hands over the pill formulas and materials to Fire Qilin Dragon for experimentation, to see if they can truly be refined.

After refining them, he finds test subjects to experiment with the pill effects. If they match the results from his deduction, a new pill is successfully created...

...

"Is the master here?"

In the Nameless Pill Pavilion, Lin Jing lay in a wooden chair, seemingly asleep, but in reality deducing pill formulas in his mind.

The young boy in blue who was interested in the Gluttonous Pill the previous day returned to this Nameless Pill Pavilion, calling for Lin Jing.

He was panting, his face tense, seeming a bit stealthy.

"Did you bring the Holy Fire Lotus?" Lin Jing opened his eyes. This young man... perhaps has been overly protected, showing a bit of naivety.

Fortunately, his father still maintains him with his remaining soul state, otherwise, his path of growth would inevitably be difficult.

"I brought it, Senior."

He carefully took out a stone box containing a lotus flower resembling platinum-colored flames. Lin Jing glanced at it and said, "The quality is good, preserved well. It seems your father is a very skilled alchemist, knowing how to perfectly store spiritual objects..."

"You flatter me, compared to your master, I am nothing. If I’m not mistaken, this Gluttonous Pill must be an original creation of your master. In Qingzhou, in terms of the pill’s effectiveness, your master has reached the utmost level, unrivaled."

The remnant soul within the young boy in blue slowly opened its mouth, fully confident in its judgment. This Gluttonous Pill has unimaginable effects in assisting low-level cultivators in absorbing high-level resources.

Lin Jing said, "Alright, how many Gluttonous Pills do you wish to exchange for this Holy Fire Lotus?"

The remnant soul pondered for a while, "You can give however many pills you wish."

"The materials for the Gluttonous Pill, although none exceed the second grade, the alchemy techniques are extremely refined, at least originating from a third-grade alchemist, along with its remarkable effectiveness and rare attributes. Its value is comparable to an ordinary fourth-grade pill. You decide, rarity increases value, we believe regardless."

Lin Jing smiled, it seems the other party wishes to sacrifice some profit to gain my friendship.

"These ten bottles contain one hundred Gluttonous Pills altogether, you can take them. I’ve heard you have a vast inheritance to assimilate; if it’s not enough, you can use Spirit Stones to buy more from me, consider it a favor," Lin Jing said.

"Thank you, Master," the remnant soul laughed heartily, and the young boy, too, immediately said, "Xia Yan thanks the master."

Following the completion of the trade, Lin Jing directly saw the guest off and tossed the Holy Fire Lotus into the pendant of the Zen staff.

The Holy Fire Lotus is a fourth-grade fire-attribute spirit plant, but due to its accompanying strange fire, its value is comparable to a fifth-grade spirit plant. With Foundation Establishment stage cultivation, generally, assimilating such treasures is difficult. Despite the gentle power of the Holy Fire Lotus and secluding for decades during the Foundation Establishment stage to absorb power, it remains hard to refine.

However, Fire Qilin Dragon is an exception; it possesses a royal-grade fire lineage. Even without the assistance of the Gluttonous Pill, it can refine the Holy Fire Lotus successfully soon enough, and with the Gluttonous Pill, even quicker.

It didn’t take long before Fire Qilin Dragon, having consumed many Gluttonous Pills, absorbed the power of the Holy Fire Lotus perfectly. As a series of lotus-shaped white flames emanated from its body, it reached Foundation Establishment Great Perfection ahead of Pine Mouse and Ice Soul Gu, poised to form a core at any moment!!!

"Roar!!!"

Inside the Zen staff, the once young Dragon Koi roared to the sky.

"No hurry, in your current state, you should still be able to refine several more kinds of strange fires. When your body can no longer withstand the excess of strange fires, then proceed with core formation," Lin Jing still sat leisurely on the wooden chair, planning everything, waiting for the next "Fire Delivery Boy" to arrive.

......

Celestial Cyan City, the Xia Family of the immortal cultivation clan.

The young Xia Yan secretly entered a hidden underground chamber through a special array.

With a hundred Gluttonous Pills in hand, he walked on the stairs, softly saying, "Father, are these pills enough?"

"Definitely not enough."

"However, picking some important items for absorption, it should still barely suffice."

The remnant soul materialized in the basement, immediately surrounded by five items radiating treasures’ brightness.

"You possess an acquired Fire Spirit Body, now at Early-Stage Foundation Establishment. Simply relying on your current level, you certainly can’t pass the Heaven-Reaching Tower’s assessment. Entering the Heaven-Reaching Tower through the Alchemy Dao or strength is not feasible."

"Unable to pass the Heaven-Reaching Tower’s assessment means staying in the Xia Family forever, never achieving Nascent Soul."

"Originally, I had paved the way for you, but unfortunately..."

"That Holy Fire Lotus was meant for you too. If the ’Lotus Heart Flame’ could be born when the time comes, no matter if you pursue the Alchemy Dao or something else, it would be greatly beneficial to you. Yet given the current circumstances, that’s relegated behind this Gluttonous Pill, the most necessary for you."

"This is my concocted ’Four-Grade Pill Fire Spirit Pill,’ capable of perfecting your acquired Fire Spirit Body and enhancing your power, but it’s meant for Golden Core Stage consumption. Yet now paired with this Gluttonous Pill, you can take it directly, while the effect might not fully manifest, it undoubtedly will greatly boost your Fire Spirit Body’s power."

"This is my collected ’Four-Grade Spirit Plant Tornado Flower,’ once consumed, it can complete the ’Tornado Technique’ you’re cultivating..."

"This is..."

The remnant soul introduced the treasures prepared to his son one by one. As the young man consumed the Gluttonous Pills, he began to refine and swiftly absorb them, causing his cultivation level to soar from Early-Stage Foundation Establishment quickly. The remnant soul revealed a satisfied expression.

"The pill effects are truly remarkable..."

"In this way, in less than half a month, he can refine all five of these treasures... reaching Foundation Establishment Great Perfection... while bringing various powers close to perfection, just in time for the Heaven-Reaching Tower’s assessment."

......

In the following days, Lin Jing repeatedly deduced pill formulas, waiting for buyers to arrive.

However, whether due to bad luck or not, while later several guests were interested in the Gluttonous Pill, none offered strange fires or fire-related intelligence that satisfied Lin Jing.

Apart from the opening success in the first transaction, most traders at best offered "low-grade beast fires" for exchange. Such beast fires, mere substitutes under the Dragon Qilin Fire, hold no interest for Lin Jing. Their quality is too low; even if fused with the Flame Emperor Divine Techniques, it cannot stir significant waves, wasting divine power in vain.

Thus, for half a month, Lin Jing did not engage in another exchange with the Gluttonous Pill. He only sold common pills used for practice. Rare situations like the Xia family father and son were exceptions. Additionally... due to tight inventory, Lin Jing did not actively promote, relying on the pill aroma of the Gluttonous Pill to attract discerning buyers, further making it hard to start trading.

"Today’s commercial street seems especially quiet..."

During a break, Lin Jing went out for air, hearing conversations from passersby.

"Let’s go, don’t bother browsing. The Heaven-Reaching Tower people have come to Celestial Cyan City to recruit disciples. I wonder how many celestial seedlings from Celestial Cyan City will be favored by the Heaven-Reaching Tower this year..."

"It’s said that many descendants from major families like the Xia Family, Zhu Family, and Fan Family went to observe. Let’s go take a look."

"The Heaven-Reaching Tower..." Lin Jing pondered. The Heaven-Reaching Tower is indeed rumored to favor recruiting disciples from first-rate Immortal Cities, but unfortunately, the Heaven-Reaching Tower is filled with experts, numerous Existential and Empirical Realms, even Dao Seeking period individuals, making it unsuitable for deeper interaction. Despite all being human forces, the relationship between the Heaven-Reaching Tower and the Ancient Country is not notably good... The Ancient Emperor once schemed for Immortal Pills!

But merely the Heaven-Reaching Tower cultivators arriving at Celestial Cyan City, their cultivation is unlikely very high, probably at most Nascent Soul...

"The passersby just mentioned the Xia Family, the young Xia Yan who bought the Gluttonous Pill should be a member of the Xia Family, right. His father’s so-called ’quota,’ could it be the disciple quota of the Heaven-Reaching Tower? If so, he might be able to promote the Gluttonous Pill well during this assessment..."

"Will it capture the attention of the Heaven-Reaching Tower cultivators? As the strongest Alchemy Dao force, the Heaven-Reaching Tower must possess more advanced, top-tier strange fire information! Although there’s some risk, if merely common Heaven-Reaching Tower cultivators, it’s worth interacting with them." Lin Jing returned indoors, continuing to lie down.