novelraw Chapter 256
Chapter 256
The old master first pointed out Feng Tian and Zheng Tuo, while the other students stepped aside to watch. Only Huo Ting, casually running his fingers through his hair, remained nearby with an expressionless face.
"You two, first recite the formula and effects of the Qi Smoothing Pill," the old master added.
According to the formula recited by them, servants dressed in Huo family attire brought the ingredients with precise accuracy, even down to the exact weight.
"Each of you only has one chance to see who can refine the highest quality Qi Smoothing Pill. If what you produce is not quite the usual, as long as it has the same effect, it will still be considered a Qi Smoothing Pill, compared by quality," the old master loudly announced the rules.
These were the universal rules for every alchemy competition or exam in the academy, and no one objected.
Changgui recalled the effects mentioned by them just now: refreshing and smoothing the Qi. When taken by a regular person, it can treat weakness of the spleen and stomach, curing stomachache and abdominal pain. For cultivators, it can unblock spirit veins and help enhance spiritual power.
"Master, this ’enhancing spiritual power’ is a bit vague," Changgui couldn’t help but say, "What if my refined pill has even more effects than these, how would it count?"
"That’s enough to make someone laugh to death. Are you already finding excuses for yourself?" Zheng Tuo snickered again.
Changgui suspected that this person couldn’t speak without snickering.
The old master was slightly taken aback, but quickly stroked his beard and said, "If it has additional positive effects and the original effects remain unchanged without adding any negative effects, it is naturally still a Qi Smoothing Pill and of even higher quality."
Changgui was still unsatisfied. "Then how do you explain this ’enhancing spiritual power’ you mentioned for the Qi Smoothing Pill?"
The onlooking students couldn’t help but snicker and whisper again. This person didn’t even know what the Qi Smoothing Pill is supposed to be like, yet is refining a Qi Smoothing Pill?
Even the old master couldn’t help but furrow his brow. How else should this be explained?
"To put it bluntly, Qi Smoothing Pill is a stomach medicine sold to ordinary people. Many ordinary people suffer from chronic and worsening stomach pain that couldn’t be cured, but a single Qi Smoothing Pill can quickly resolve this. Cultivators only gain a slight boost in spiritual power from it, and it’s primarily used in emergencies when a cultivator exhausts their spiritual power. Generally, cultivators don’t use it to avoid unnecessary build-up of pill toxins," Zheng Tuo said with an air of great charity, confidently and proudly explaining the ordinary use of the Qi Smoothing Pill.
Changgui frowned. Their Qi Smoothing Pill was completely different from what was in the secret manual.
The Qi Smoothing Pill of the Qian Ding Sect was the first choice for those who advanced by taking elixirs. Cultivating by taking elixirs typically resulted in spiritual energy not keeping up with cultivation, leading to awkward situations where some techniques and magic treasures, which should have been usable, were unusable.
At this time, consuming the Qian Ding Sect’s Qi Smoothing Pill not only unblocked spirit veins but also greatly replenished spiritual power. For cultivators below the Nascent Soul Realm, two or three pills could solve their problems, and compared to other advancement elixirs, it had minimal pill toxins. Those who felt their spiritual power was insufficient liked to take a couple.
The Qi Smoothing Pill of the Qian Ding Sect was a popular elixir often in short supply, never replenished quickly enough, and was listed prominently in the secret manual, which is why Changgui remembered it so clearly.
Seeing Changgui’s frown, Zheng Tuo couldn’t hold back his laughter again, "Are you scared? If you can’t refine it, you can concede voluntarily."
For a moment, everyone, including always-expressionless Huo Ting, turned their eyes toward Changgui.
"Let’s begin," Changgui said.