Little girl, what are you thinking about?" Seeing Miao Xianyu's pretty face flushed red as she stood there dumbfounded, Mu Yun waved his hand and said, "Hurry up and take your mentor to the sales area!"
"Ah! Oh! Okay..."
Miao Xianyu reacted, her face turning even redder, and she hurriedly led Mu Yun to the main hall.
At this moment, the main hall of the Sacred Pill Pavilion was bustling with people, some there to sell demon cores, spiritual herbs and plants, and others to buy and sell pills.
When Miao Xianyu and Mu Yun came out from the back together, all eyes in the entire hall instantly turned to them, focusing on Miao Xianyu.
"Wow, so beautiful! Who is that? I'd die happy just to sleep with her for one night!"
"Pah! Are you out of your mind? She's Master Miaoqing's granddaughter! Sleep with her for one night? You'd be dead before you knew it if you just touched her!" "
That's Miao Xianyu! So young, yet so beautiful. She'll probably be just as devastating as Miss Qin!"
"You know what, it's true!"
"I heard Miss Qin's strange illness is cured, and she's even reached the eighth level of the Core Formation Realm. But she's engaged to that good-for-nothing Mu Yun from the Mu family. It's like a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung!"
"What do you know? The Wang and Diao families are putting pressure on the Qin and Mu families, but that's just a temporary measure. How could they possibly let a beauty like Qin Mengyao marry that good-for-nothing Mu Yun!"
...
In an instant, the entire hall was buzzing with excitement, and whispers could be heard everywhere.
Having reached the sixth level of the Qi Condensation Realm, Mu Yun possessed a physique of exceptional talent, and he naturally heard everything those people said clearly.
However, he paid them no heed.
"Instructor Mu, don't listen to their nonsense; they just don't know the real you!" Miao Xianyu comforted him, seeing his silence.
"Why would I care about such things!" Mu Yun laughed heartily. "A scourge to the nation, but that phrase suits you quite well!"
Looking at Mu Yun's demeanor, Miao Xianyu suddenly realized that
the current Mu Yun was vastly different from before!
"Let's go. I still need some medicinal herbs for alchemy; let's exchange them for spirit stones first!"
Arriving at the sales area, Mu Yun exchanged all the demon cores he had killed in the past three days for spirit stones.
Three thousand one hundred and fifty-five low-grade spirit stones!
Seeing that nearly a hundred demon cores of various grades had only yielded such a small amount of spirit stones, Mu Yun was helpless.
Spirit stones were divided into four grades: low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and top-grade, with each grade exchanged at a ratio of one to one hundred.
Thinking back to his previous life, even top-grade spirit stones were nothing to Mu Yun, yet in this life he had to struggle for three days for a mere few thousand low-grade spirit stones.
Mu Yun felt incredibly frustrated.
"One Rejuvenating Fruit—
five hundred low-grade spirit stones, one Iron Mountain Grass—four hundred low-grade spirit stones, and the demon core of a third-tier demon beast, the Blazing Flame Lion, is two hundred low-grade spirit stones!"
Carefully calculating, three thousand low-grade spirit stones could only buy three portions, not even including other auxiliary herbs.
What a rip-off!
Looking at his spirit stones transformed into three portions of medicinal herbs, and this was only because he bought them cheaply out of respect for Miss Miao Xianyu, Mu Yun felt a pang of heartache.
Especially the demon core of the third-tier demon beast, the Blazing Flame Lion. Third-tier demon beasts weren't uncommon, but the Blazing Flame Lion was indeed rare in the Northern Cloud Mountains; two hundred low-grade spirit stones was more than ten times the price of a typical third-tier demon beast's demon core.
"Master Mu, what kind of pill are you preparing to refine?"
"A Meridian Condensation Pill!"
Mu Yun replied. "I'm currently at the sixth level of the Meridian Condensation Realm, and I need to temper my meridians before I can prepare to enter the seventh level, the Yuan Condensation Realm. The Meridian Condensation Pill is undoubtedly the best pill!" A
Meridian Condensation Pill?
A second-grade pill!
As the granddaughter of Master Miao Qing, Miao Xianyu had some knowledge of pills.
A Meridian Condensation Pill, a second-grade pill, was perfectly suited for tempering a martial artist's meridians.
However, the Spirit Returning Fruit, Iron Mountain Grass, and the demon core of the third-tier demon beast, the Blazing Flame Lion, were not ingredients for refining a Meridian Condensation Pill!
But thinking of the third-grade pill—the Spirit Gathering Pill—Mu Yun offered a fresh perspective. Miao Xianyu suppressed her confusion and led Mu Yun to the alchemy room.
"Master, our Sacred Pill Pavilion not only trades in demon cores and spirit herbs, but also sells pills. As long as the pills pass the appraisal of specialized personnel, they can be sold at the corresponding price."
"Oh? That's good!"
After calculating, Mu Yun estimated that three portions of medicinal materials would be enough for him to refine six Qi Condensation Pills. He would keep one for himself and sell the remaining five.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Miao Qing, Yu Zu, and other high-ranking members of the Sacred Pill Pavilion in Beiyun City were entertaining Shao Yu and his group on the third floor, chatting about everyday matters.
"Master Miao, as the sect's vanguard, there are some places I still need to investigate!"
Shao Yu said. "The alchemy rooms, the auction house, the trading hall, and the alchemy rooms of all the alchemists in the Holy Pill Pavilion all need to be inspected!"
"Of course!"
Miao Qing replied. "These all concern the reputation of the Holy Pill Sect, so we should handle them with care!"
"Then let's set off now!"
"Alright!"
After saying this, Master Miao stood up and, with Shao Yu and several other outer disciples of the Holy Pill Sect, began to inspect the various locations of the Holy Pill Pavilion.
"Instructor Mu, may I watch you refine pills?" Entering the alchemy room, Miao Xianyu smiled slyly and chuckled.
For ordinary alchemists, the most important thing is the pill formula, followed by the alchemy techniques.
Ordinary alchemists are very reluctant to have others watch them refine pills.
Firstly, it will affect the alchemist's concentration, and secondly, their insights and alchemy methods will be stolen.
"Of course, you're my student, and you do have some talent in alchemy. Taking a look should be beneficial to you!"
Mu Yun said casually.
Alchemy formulas and methods—Mu Yun's head was filled with far too many.
Even if Miao Xianyu watched him refine pills every day, she probably wouldn't learn them all in her lifetime.
Some talent?
Hearing Mu Yun's assessment, Miao Xianyu chewed her teeth.
Her grandfather had praised her as a once-in-a-century alchemy genius, yet Mu Yun described her as merely having "some talent"! "
I'll see how skilled you are at alchemy, you lecher!"
With this thought in mind, Miao Xianyu sat down in a chair in the corner of the alchemy section and began to study it intently.
The alchemy room of the Sacred Pill Pavilion was simply decorated.
A single alchemy furnace, a row of shelves for medicinal herbs, and a few tables and chairs—nothing else.
At a glance, Mu Yun couldn't help but be astonished; the furnace in the Sacred Pill Pavilion was far superior to the one used in his family's internal alchemy practice.
When refining the Bone Forging Pill, Mu Yun sensed that the furnace in his family's internal alchemy practice was at most a mid-grade mortal artifact.
But the furnace in the Sacred Pill Pavilion was a high-grade mortal artifact.
Moreover, the alchemical fire wasn't simply ignited by burning special wood; it also carried the fire of demonic beast cores.
The alchemy furnace and alchemical fire required by alchemists were crucial.
The grade of the furnace determined the success rate of the pills.
The same applied to the quality of the alchemical fire.
The lowest quality alchemical fire was obtained by burning some good, special wood.
Next was the fire power of fire-attribute demonic beast cores.
And what alchemists yearned for most was the legendary Heavenly Fire.
Heavenly Fire, born of heaven and earth, possesses sentience from birth, constantly absorbing and growing, much like a martial artist's cultivation, enabling continuous improvement.
This kind of alchemical fire is most suitable for alchemists!
However, Mu Yun also knows that for him to subdue Heavenly Fire now is simply a pipe dream!
Even a newly formed Heavenly Fire would probably turn to ashes as soon as he gets within a ten-mile radius.
"By the way, this is a Bone Forging Pill. You're currently at the third level of the Body Refinement Realm, so it's perfect for you!" Mu Yun remembered he still had a few Bone Forging Pills left, so he took one out and handed it to Miao Xianyu.
"I need to familiarize myself with the pill furnace and pill fire before refining pills. You can use this time to cultivate!"
Mu Yun could easily sense that Miao Xianyu was already at the third level of the Body Refinement Realm, but advancing further was difficult.
It wasn't that Miao Xianyu lacked talent, but rather that there were some impurities in her body. Clearly, she had consumed some pills during her previous advancement, leaving behind these impurities.
One Bone Forging Pill should be enough for her to enter the fourth level of the Body Strengthening Realm.
Bone Forging Pill?
Miao Xianyu had never heard of this kind of pill before. Looking at the round pill in her hand, she was somewhat taken aback.
But she knew Mu Yun wouldn't lie to her, so she swallowed the pill without hesitation.
Seeing Miao Xianyu enter meditation and begin to comprehend the power of the pill, Mu Yun then carefully examined the pill furnace before him.
True essence surged in his palm, slowly igniting the furnace fire.
The combined fire of fine wood and demon core to power the furnace was undoubtedly far more effective than the flames of pure burning wood.
After a period of familiarization, Mu Yun had gradually mastered the furnace's mechanics.
"Hoo... Once the little girl wakes up, I can begin refining!"
Mu Yun sat cross-legged, adjusting his state to its best.
"Hmm..."
A soft chime suddenly rang out from the quiet furnace.
Miao Xianyu let out a chime, sweat dripping from her face, her clothes damp, revealing her bare skin through the thin fabric.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
She had achieved the fourth level of the Body Strengthening Realm!
Feeling the warm, comforting power coursing through her bones and meridians, Miao Xianyu's face lit up with joy.
The third level, which had troubled her for three months, was finally over.
Not only that, she could clearly feel that some previously blocked areas in her body were now flowing freely, being expelled with her breath.
With each inhale and exhale, her strength increased more than tenfold.
"Bone Forging Pill, what a miraculous pill!"
Miao Xianyu couldn't help but exclaim.
"Of course, look who refined this pill!"
Just as Miao Xianyu was feeling smug, a smug voice came from beside her.
"Instructor Mu, you... why haven't you started refining the pill yet? Instead, you're sitting here cultivating?" Miao Xianyu was slightly taken aback when she saw Instructor Mu sitting beside her.