Starting from iron smelting

Chapter 105 Foundation Building Pill

In the secret realm, in a dark alchemy room, Lu Xiuyuan and Wen Lingyue were carefully searching every corner, hoping to find some valuable treasures. They had already turned the place upside down, from the bottom of the alchemy furnace to the spider webs in the corners, leaving no place untouched, but unfortunately, it seemed that they did not find anything particularly eye-catching.

Just as the two were about to give up, suddenly, a crisp "bang" sounded, followed by Wen Lingyue's terrified "ah". Lu Xiuyuan's heart tightened, and he immediately put down the object in his hand and quickly rushed in the direction of Wen Lingyue.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Lu Xiuyuan asked nervously, looking back and forth at Wen Lingyue, fearing that she was injured.

Wen Lingyue looked a little pale. She pointed to the ground at her feet and said with a trembling voice, "I tripped over something."

Lu Xiuyuan squatted down and took out the moonstone he carried with him. Suddenly, a soft light sprinkled on the ground. Under the moonlight, an ancient and shabby little tripod appeared. Although the little tripod looked a bit shabby, the pattern carved on it was extremely exquisite. The five-clawed golden dragon circled and stretched, as if it would jump out of the tripod at any time and soar into the sky. The whole little tripod showed a simple color, as if it had experienced the baptism of time, but still maintained that unique charm.

Lu Xiuyuan carefully picked up the small tripod and examined it carefully. He felt that this small tripod seemed to be not simple, and it exuded a strange aura. He looked up at Wen Lingyue, his eyes flashing with doubt and curiosity.

Wen Lingyue also came over. She took the small tripod and gently turned it in her hands, as if she was feeling its texture and breath. Her brows were furrowed, as if she was recalling something. After a long while, she suddenly exclaimed, with a bit of excitement and disbelief in her voice.

"Could it be... this is the legendary Wandering Dragon Cauldron?" Wen Lingyue's voice trembled slightly, her eyes fixed on the small cauldron in her hand, as if she was afraid that it would suddenly disappear.

Lu Xiuyuan was also stunned when he heard this. He had also heard of the legendary Youlong Ding. It was said that this Youlong Ding was an extremely precious magical instrument with mysterious power. However, he had never seen the real Youlong Ding, and did not know what it looked like. At this moment, when he heard Wen Lingyue's words, he could not help but feel a strong curiosity and expectation in his heart.

"Are you sure? Is this really the Youlong Ding?" Lu Xiuyuan couldn't help but ask, his eyes fixed on the small cauldron in Wen Lingyue's hand, as if he wanted to see some clues.

Wen Lingyue took a deep breath, calmed down her excitement, and then slowly said, "I'm not sure, but according to the legends and records I know about the Youlong Ding, the shape, pattern and aura of this small tripod are very similar to the legendary Youlong Ding. Especially the five-clawed golden dragon pattern on it, which is the iconic feature of the Youlong Ding."

Lu Xiuyuan nodded when he heard this. He also felt that what Wen Lingyue said made sense. This small tripod did have many similarities with the legendary Wandering Dragon Tripod. If this was really the Wandering Dragon Tripod, then their trip to the secret realm would really be a big win.

Wen Lingyue gently fiddled with the ancient and worn-out little tripod in her hand, her eyes flashing with a desire for knowledge and awe for mysterious objects. She turned to Lu Xiuyuan and began to introduce the secrets of alchemy in detail.

"The key to alchemy is the cauldron. The quality of the cauldron is directly related to the composition and effectiveness of the elixir produced." Wen Lingyue's voice was smooth and rhythmic, as if telling an ancient and mysterious story.

"Generally speaking, ordinary alchemy furnaces are sufficient for refining ordinary elixirs such as Qi Gathering Powder. Although Qi Gathering Powder can help people gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and improve their cultivation, its refining method is relatively simple and the materials required are not very rare, so the requirements for the alchemy furnace are not strict."

Lu Xiuyuan listened with great interest. He was very interested in alchemy, but he had no famous teacher to guide him, so he could only explore on his own. Now, listening to Wen Lingyue's story, he felt that the world of alchemy was far more profound than he had imagined.

"So, what if we want to refine a higher-level elixir?" Lu Xiuyuan couldn't help but ask, "Do we need a better elixir furnace?"

Wen Lingyue nodded and continued, "That's right. To refine high-level elixirs, not only do you need rare materials and complex techniques, you also need a high-quality elixir furnace. A good elixir furnace can perfectly blend various materials and extract the purest medicinal properties, thus doubling the effect of the refined elixir."

She paused for a moment, and then continued, "Moreover, the better the alchemy furnace, the more often the elixirs refined have a special fragrance, which we call 'elixir fragrance'. The elixir fragrance is one of the keys to judging the quality of an elixir. The stronger the fragrance, the stronger the medicinal properties of the elixir and the higher the quality."

Lu Xiuyuan was so fascinated by what he heard that he could already smell the alluring fragrance of the pill and feel the wonderful feeling of the pill taking effect in his body. He couldn't help but ask again: "What if I refine the foundation-building pill? The foundation-building pill is the key to a cultivator's foundation building. Does it require a higher level of furnace?"

Wen Lingyue smiled slightly, nodded and said: "The importance of the foundation-building pill is self-evident. It is related to whether the cultivator can successfully build the foundation and step into a new realm of cultivation. Therefore, the requirements for the pill furnace are naturally extremely high."

She paused and continued, "If you use an ordinary alchemy furnace to refine the foundation-building pill, the chance of successfully building the foundation is often only one-third or one-quarter, or even lower. This is because ordinary alchemy furnaces cannot completely extract the medicinal properties of the materials, resulting in a significant reduction in the effectiveness of the pill."

Lu Xiuyuan was horrified when he heard this. He knew the importance of foundation building for cultivators. If he failed, not only would all his previous efforts be wasted, but it might also cause irreparable damage to his future cultivation. He couldn't help but get nervous and asked, "What if I use the Youlong Ding to refine the foundation building pill?"

Wen Lingyue looked at the small tripod in her hand, and a gleam of affirmation flashed in her eyes. She said: "As a legendary magical instrument, the quality of the Youlong Ding is so high that it cannot be compared with ordinary alchemy furnaces. If the Youlong Ding is used to refine the foundation-building pill, the probability of successfully building the foundation will be increased by at least half."

Lu Xiuyuan was overjoyed when he heard this. He said excitedly, "Is it so exaggerated? That's great! With the Youlong Ding, our success rate in refining the foundation-building pill will be greatly improved. This is undoubtedly a huge help for us!"

After hearing Wen Lingyue's explanation about the Wandering Dragon Cauldron, Lu Xiuyuan was instantly filled with an indescribable ecstasy. He seemed to have seen the moment when he successfully built his foundation, and felt the exhilaration of his cultivation level soaring. With the help of this legendary Wandering Dragon Cauldron, he was one step closer to the goal of building his foundation, which was undoubtedly a great encouragement and help to him.

He excitedly held Wen Lingyue's hand, his eyes gleaming with determination and expectation: "Junior Sister Wen, let's quickly find a clean and secluded place to give it a try!"

Wen Lingyue couldn't help but smile at Lu Xiuyuan's excitement. She nodded, pointed to a secret room next to her and said, "There's a secret room next to it. It looks clean and tidy. Let's go in and try it."

The two of them could not wait to walk into the secret room, only to see that the furnishings were simple and elegant, and the air was filled with a faint fragrance. Lu Xiuyuan immediately placed the Youlong Ding in the center of the secret room and prepared to start refining the foundation-building pill.

He took a deep breath, calmed down his excitement, and began to prepare the spiritual medicine in an orderly manner. He took out spiritual medicines one by one from the storage bag, including Huanglong wood, ginseng, and Polygonum multiflorum... Each of them was a rare material needed to refine the foundation-building pill. Finally, he carefully took out the Tianxin grass he had just obtained, which was the most critical medicinal ingredient in the foundation-building pill and could greatly enhance the effect of the pill.

In order to make the effect of the foundation-building pill more significant, Lu Xiuyuan also specially added a bottle of precious spiritual spring water. He knew that the addition of spiritual spring water could better blend the medicinal properties of the spiritual medicine, thereby improving the quality of the pill.

After everything was ready, Lu Xiuyuan took a deep breath to calm his excitement and nervousness. He closed his eyes and began to activate the spiritual energy in his body. As the spiritual energy flowed, he slowly raised his hands, and a stream of pure spiritual energy gradually condensed in his palms.

He opened his eyes, his gaze was firm and bright. With a slight wave of his hands, the spiritual energy flowed into the Dragon Cauldron like a stream. A blazing flame suddenly surged in the Dragon Cauldron. The flame was deep red, as hot as lava, and the surrounding air was distorted.

Lu Xiuyuan stared at the flame in the cauldron and flicked his fingers. He saw several tiny flames coming out of the flames, enveloping each spiritual medicine one by one. Each spiritual medicine was gently licked by the flames, as if undergoing a sacred baptism.

As time went by, the elixir gradually changed under the scorching flames. The originally hard Huanglong wood began to soften, emitting a faint woody fragrance; the ginseng and Polygonum multiflorum slowly melted in the flames, turning into streams of sticky liquid medicine; and the Tianxin grass, under the calcination of the flames, exuded a refreshing fragrance that seemed to tinge the entire secret room with a layer of mysterious atmosphere.

Lu Xiuyuan was concentrating on controlling the temperature of the flame and the degree of integration of the spiritual medicine. His hands kept moving in complex paths in the air, as if he was playing a silent piece of music. His eyes were always fixed on the Youlong Ding, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

He knew that the process of refining the foundation-building pill was extremely complicated, and every step was crucial. If he was not careful, it could lead to the loss of the medicinal properties of the elixir, or even cause an explosion or other dangerous situations. Therefore, he used all the alchemy skills he had learned to strive for the best.

Wen Lingyue watched Lu Xiuyuan's operation quietly. Her eyes were shining with appreciation and expectation. She looked at Lu Xiuyuan's focused and determined eyes, and she couldn't help but feel admiration in her heart. She knew that Lu Xiuyuan was a very talented alchemist, and every move he made seemed so skillful and natural.

As time went by, the fusion of the spiritual medicine in the flame had reached a critical stage. Lu Xiuyuan's fingers suddenly sped up, and a stronger spiritual energy was injected into the Youlong Ding. The flames in the Ding instantly became more intense, as if they were going to melt the entire secret room.

However, Lu Xiuyuan was not affected at all, he was still concentrating on controlling the flame and the elixir. His hands drew mysterious tracks in the air, as if guiding the fusion of the elixir.

Finally, after a slight muffled sound, the spiritual medicine completely merged together and turned into a rich liquid medicine. The liquid medicine gradually solidified under the calcination of the flame, and finally turned into round and plump pills.

When the last wisp of medicinal fragrance floated out of the Youlong Ding, Lu Xiuyuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. He carefully opened the lid of the Ding, and saw pills lying quietly inside the Ding, emitting a faint luster. Each pill was as flawless as a work of art, making people want to reach out and touch it.

Seeing the freshly refined foundation-building pills, the two were extremely happy, and their excitement was beyond words. Lu Xiuyuan held the ten round and plump pills in his hands, his eyes sparkling with joy. He repeatedly stroked the pills, feeling the faint medicinal fragrance they exuded, and his heart was filled with a sense of accomplishment.

"It's done! It's done! It's done!" He shouted excitedly, his voice echoing in the secret room. Wen Lingyue also clapped her hands excitedly, her face was filled with smiles, and her eyes were shining with admiration for Lu Xiuyuan.

"I didn't expect that we could refine the Foundation Building Pill, which is worth a fortune and is in short supply!" Lu Xiuyuan said with emotion. He knew very well how precious the Foundation Building Pill was. This kind of pill was extremely rare in the world of immortal cultivation, and was often in short supply. It was a treasure that countless immortal cultivators dreamed of. And now, they have successfully refined the Foundation Building Pill with the help of the Wandering Dragon Cauldron and their own alchemy skills. This is really unbelievable.

"And this is a very good foundation-building pill, which greatly increases the chances of the two of them successfully building their foundations." Wen Lingyue added. She carefully observed the color and luster of the foundation-building pills and found that these pills were of high quality and were not ordinary. She knew that with the help of these foundation-building pills, her and Lu Xiuyuan's cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds, and their future cultivation path would be smoother.

Lu Xiuyuan carefully placed the ten foundation-building pills he had refined in his palm, and then handed five of them to Wen Lingyue. Seeing this, Wen Lingyue quickly waved her hand and refused: "Brother Xiuyuan, this is too expensive, I can't take it."

Lu Xiuyuan insisted, "It's okay, it's okay. This is what you deserve. Not only did you provide me with treasures like the Youlong Ding, but you also gave me a lot of guidance and help during the alchemy process. Without you, I would not have been able to successfully refine the Foundation Establishment Pill. Therefore, these five Foundation Establishment Pills are the reward you deserve."

Wen Lingyue felt a warm current in her heart when she heard Lu Xiuyuan's words. She knew that Lu Xiuyuan was a grateful person, and his sincerity and generosity made her feel very warm. However, she was still a little hesitant: "But this foundation-building pill is too precious, I..."

Lu Xiuyuan interrupted her and said with a smile: "Junior Sister Lingyue, please don't be polite. We worked together to refine these foundation-building pills, and we should share the results together. Moreover, I believe in your strength and talent. These five foundation-building pills will definitely help you and allow you to reach a higher level on the road of cultivation."

Wen Lingyue looked at Lu Xiuyuan's sincere and determined eyes, and the hesitation in her heart finally disappeared. She nodded and said gratefully: "Brother Xiuyuan, thank you. I will definitely cherish these five foundation-building pills, work hard to cultivate, and live up to your expectations."

Lu Xiuyuan smiled and nodded, saying: "Then let's work together and move towards a higher level together!"

The two smiled at each other, and their friendship became even deeper. They knew that with the help of the foundation-building pill, their path of cultivation would be broader and smoother. And all of this was inseparable from their joint efforts and cooperation.

Then, Lu Xiuyuan proposed a condition of exchange: "Junior Sister Lingyue, since you have taken the Foundation Establishment Pill, give me this small tripod." He pointed to the Youlong Tripod next to him, his eyes flashing with anticipation.

Wen Lingyue was slightly stunned, and then she understood what Lu Xiuyuan meant. She looked at the Youlong Ding that had accompanied her for many years, and she couldn't help but feel a little emotional. Although this tripod was precious, it was more of an emotional sustenance for her. However, she also knew that Lu Xiuyuan longed for and valued this tripod.

After some thought, Wen Lingyue finally made a decision. She nodded and said, "Deal." Then, she handed the Youlong Ding to Lu Xiuyuan.