In the middle of the Zhong Ming Mountain Range, there was an isolated peak with a very peculiar shape. Its peak and mountain roots were bulging, but the waist of the mountain was like a woman's slender waist, looking like a huge gourd with two big ends and a small middle.
This peak was also named "Gourd Peak" because of this. Like the Imperial Dragon Peak, it was also one of the most important peaks in the entire Fire Dragon Path.
The Gourd Peak was not dangerous, and it was less than a thousand feet high. At the bottom of the mountain, there was an extremely high-quality spiritual spring that could nourish all the living beings on the entire peak, making the vegetation on the peak green all year round.
Outside the peak, there was an extremely tight defensive formation that was activated all year round. Therefore, all the elders and disciples in the sect, regardless of whether they were inner or outer sect, had to pass through the teleportation hall at the foot of the mountain if they wanted to enter the peak.
There was only one reason why the peak was so heavily guarded, that was, almost all the elixirs in the entire Fire Dragon Path came from this peak, and the alchemists cultivated by the sect also lived on this peak all year round.
On the Gourd Peak, the alchemist who could refine the elixirs consumed by immortals was naturally the person with the highest status.
Usually, a cultivator in the Early-stage of True Immortal Realm, according to the normal cultivation speed, it would take at least a hundred years to tens of thousands of years to be able to open an Immortal Aperture, and the further one went, the more difficult it would be to open an Immortal Aperture. However, if there was the help of elixirs that matched the realm, this time could naturally be greatly shortened.
It was just that the refining of such elixirs not only required tens of thousands of years of spiritual herbs as the main material, but even the auxiliary materials were very rare and expensive. With so many materials added together, a furnace of elixirs could be refined.
Even an experienced Earth Pill Refiner would have a pathetically low success rate if they did not attempt at least ten times.
This was also the reason why only big sects or forces could cultivate an alchemist.
At this time, Han Li walked out of the Imperial Inheritance Pavilion near the Gourd Peak, came to the foot of the mountain, and walked into a golden hall with double eaves.
This hall was closely connected to the large formation that shrouded the Gourd Peak, and it was the only entrance and exit of the entire Gourd Peak.
After verifying his identity, Han Li directly stepped into the central teleportation formation, and with a burst of white light, he disappeared from the place.
Not long after, he appeared in a vermilion hall at the peak of the mountain.
The furnishings in the hall were no different from the pharmacy in the marketplace. It was also in the form of a front cabinet and a back cabinet. However, there were obvious restrictions on the shelves where the earth-rank pills were placed.
There were very few people in the main hall. In addition to the two Deacon Elders, there were only a few people wearing the robes of the Inner Sect Elders who came to buy pills.
Seeing Han Li come in, a slender middle-aged deacon elder walked up and asked, "I'm Ye Nanfeng, the deacon of the Celestial Herb Pavilion. What can I do for you?"
"My name is Han Li Feiyu. I would like to purchase some medicinal pills that can assist in cultivation." Han Li cupped his hands and said.
"So it's Fellow Li. Then let me recommend a few pills for Fellow Li …" Ye Nanfeng smiled and said.
"Thank you for your trouble." Han Li nodded.
"With Fellow Li's current cultivation, the most suitable medicinal pill to improve your cultivation is the 'Unity Pill'. There are ten pills in each bottle, and it only costs 200 merit points.
If you have a high requirement for medicinal efficacy, then you will definitely not be disappointed with the 'Zhen Panacea'. However, the price of this pill is slightly higher. It costs 500 merit points per bottle, and there are also ten pills. "Ye Nanfeng introduced.
Although Han Li was already mentally prepared, he was still shocked when he heard the price.
He had previously completed three regular deacon missions, and now he had less than 500 merit points on him. The price of these medicinal pills was really a bit expensive.
"This Zhen Panacea is really not cheap." Han Li said with a bitter smile.
"Of course. In the entire sect, only Master Hu Yan can refine this Zhen Panacea, and the quantity is very limited." Ye Nanfeng explained with a smile.
When Han Li heard the title 'Master Hu Yan', he couldn't help but think of the sloppy old man who wore a grey robe and always carried a gourd with him.
Could it be that this person was actually a high level Earth Pill Master?
"Fellow Li, if neither of these two are suitable, this' Spring Rain Pill 'is suitable. The price is lower than my Zhen Panacea, and the medicinal efficacy is better than the Unity Pill. It has the highest quality-price ratio." Ye Nanfeng said when he saw that Han Li was a bit lost in thought.
"May I ask Elder Su if there are any pill recipes for sale in the Celestial Medicine Pavilion?" Han Li suddenly asked.
"This … Could it be that Fellow Li intends to refine pills by himself?" Ye Nanfeng was startled when he heard this and asked subconsciously.
"Oh, it's like this. I happen to know a newly advanced Earth Pill Master. He promised me that as long as you can provide me with pill recipes and spiritual materials, he is willing to help me refine pills." Han Li said.
When Ye Nanfeng heard this, there was a trace of hesitation on his face.
Seeing this, Han Li knew that Ye Nanfeng probably wanted to advise him. Instead of buying the pill recipes for that person to try, it would be more cost-effective to buy pills.
"The pill recipes for the Unity Pill and the Spring Rain Pill are for sale. Only the pill recipe for the Zhen Panacea cannot be sold without Master Hu Yan's permission." Probably because he was concerned that Ye Nanfeng didn't want to talk too much, Ye Nanfeng finally changed the topic.
"May I know how many merit points these two pill recipes require?" Han Li asked.
"The pill recipe for the Unity Pill requires fifty merit points, and the Spring Rain Pill requires one hundred and fifty merit points." Ye Nanfeng answered.
When Han Li heard this, there was a look of hesitation on his face. He was thinking about which pill recipe would be more cost-effective to buy.
"Elder Li, you can decide which pill recipe to buy after seeing the ingredients used for the two pill recipes." Seeing this, Ye Nanfeng reminded him with a smile.
"Then I'll have to trouble you." Han Li nodded.
Ye Nanfeng's palm swiped in the void. After a flash of green light, a green book appeared.
He opened it, flipped through it, and handed it to Han Li.
After Han Li took it, he checked it and found that it was the list of the ingredients needed for the Spring Rain Pill.
"One fifty thousand year old Horned Dragon Grass, three five thousand year old Broken Sea Flower, a handful of Wind Snow Sand, seven three thousand year old You Luo Fruit …" Han Li pointed at these names and read them one by one.
He found that among the fifteen kinds of spiritual medicine, there were very few ordinary spiritual medicine. Most of them were high level spiritual medicine, and the youngest one was at least three thousand years old.
"Elder Ye, do you also need merit points to exchange for the spiritual medicine in the Celestial Medicine Pavilion?" Han Li thought for a moment and asked Ye Nanfeng.
"That's not necessary. Other than some of the older and more rare spiritual medicine that needs to be settled with Immortal Origin Stones, the other spiritual medicine can be bought with Immortal Origin Stones or Highest Grade Spirit Stones." Ye Nanfeng shook his head and said.
"If you want to buy all the medicinal ingredients for this Spring Rain Pill, how many spirit stones do you need?" Han Li continued to ask.
"Among them, the main ingredient, Horned Dragon Grass, needs to be settled with Immortal Origin Stones. The price is seven Immortal Origin Stones. The rest of the spiritual medicine add up to about two thousand Highest Grade Spirit Stones. Of course, you can also use Immortal Origin Stones to settle the price." Ye Nanfeng thought for a moment and said.
Hearing this, Han Li couldn't help but be speechless. According to this price, even if he spent all the Immortal Origin Stones and Highest Grade Spirit Stones on him, he wouldn't be able to buy a few of the spiritual medicine needed for this pill.
He twisted the page with his finger and was about to flip to the back, but Ye Nanfeng reminded him:
"The position of the Unity Pill is a bit further forward. Elder Li should be able to see it if you flip a few pages forward."
Han Li did as he was told and flipped two pages forward. Sure enough, he saw the list of spiritual medicine that recorded the Unity Pill.
When his gaze fell on the first line of the pill formula, "One Fifty Thousand Years Old Candle Grass", he raised his eyebrows slightly.
This medicine was the main ingredient for refining the Unity Pill. He had planted it in the Spiritual Medicine Garden in his cave abode. Moreover, he had already cultivated a few stalks of it. They were basically the same age and could be used.
He continued to look at the more than ten supplementary spiritual medicine at the back, but he wasn't so lucky. They were all spiritual medicines that he had never planted before.
"Besides the Candle Grass, how many spirit stones do the other spiritual medicines cost?" Han Li asked.
"If the main ingredient, the Candle Grass, is excluded, the other spiritual medicines would cost one thousand and two hundred Highest Grade Spirit Stones." Ye Nanfeng answered.
When Han Li heard this, he had a plan in his heart.
This time, he bought the pill formula and it was his first time trying to refine an Earth Pill. He didn't know how many spiritual medicines he would waste. Choosing the more expensive Spring Rain Pill formula was definitely not worth it.
"Then I'll take the pill formula for the Unity Pill." Han Li made up his mind and said.
"Okay, please give me the token." Ye Nanfeng said.
Han Li took out the elder command medallion and handed it over. After the elder received it, he deducted fifty merit points from it and returned the pill formulas and command medallion to Han Li.
"In addition, I want to buy ten sets of each of the other spiritual medicines that are needed to refine the Unity Pill other than the Candle Grass." Han Li immediately took the pill formula and looked at it carefully for a moment.
With all the savings he had now, he wouldn't have much left after buying these spiritual medicines.
After the transaction, Han Li bid farewell and left the Gourd Peak. He went straight back to his cave abode.
…
Three months passed by in a flash.
During this time, Han Li didn't step out of his secret chamber. His entire focus was on studying the Dan formula. He pondered over every step of the process and simulated it in his mind. Unknowingly, he had done it hundreds and thousands of times.
Although he already had a lot of experience in alchemy, there were thousands of differences in the details in the alchemy process for different ingredients. These differences were often important factors that led to the failure of alchemy.
Therefore, he wanted to completely understand this Dan formula before starting to brew it.
Today, he finally decided to try and brew the Unity Pill for the first time.
Inside the secret chamber, on top of the table behind the praying mat, there was an incense burner. Inside the burner, there was a long green incense. At the top of the incense, there was a red dot. Green smoke rose from the incense and emitted a calming fragrance.
Han Li's back was facing the table as he sat cross-legged on top of the praying mat. After meditating for a while, he slowly opened his eyes. His entire mind was focused and no longer had any other thoughts.
On the ground in front of him, there was a purple copper cauldron with a circumference of a foot. The cauldron was engraved with flame patterns and ancient runes. Beside it was a piece of green brocade, on which there were Candle Grass and a dozen other elixirs.