Infinite Professions

Chapter 169 - 82: Foundation Establishment

In the alchemy room, Shen Hex sat alone.

Before him was a cauldron, entirely gold and jade in color, with an Eight Trigrams figure beneath it. Within the Eight Trigrams, there were black and white fish swirling into a Taiji pattern.

Shen Hex cast a wave of magical power, and the Taiji immediately began to revolve, substantial Earth Vein Spiritual Energy surging out, ignited by the magical power, turning into Earth Vein Spirit Fire to burn the cauldron.

Taiji Eight Trigrams, great Dao figure!

Although Shen Hex at this level was far from qualified to touch upon the "great Dao," this did not prevent him from emulating, having purchased the method to refine the "Eight Trigrams Furnace" from the real-world network.

This Eight Trigrams Furnace is a common cauldron used by Immortal Dao Professionals in the real world, lacking special abilities in low tiers. The function of Taiji Eight Trigrams is merely to adjust the fire intensity at different tiers.

Yet this is already sufficient because regardless of whether it’s alchemy or artifact refining, controlling the fire is paramount. Strong when needed, weak when needed, balanced and stable with no errors, these are the basic and most important conditions for a cauldron.

Only such basic conditions appear very demanding in this world.

Previously, in the Red Maple Valley Marketplace, Shen Hex acquired several cauldrons only to find out that neither top-grade nor lower-grade cauldrons could precisely and stably control the fire intensity.

This is quite normal because the level of the Inland Cultivation Realm is rather limited, making it reasonable that the cauldrons produced here are not satisfactory.

But reasonable does not mean Shen Hex must accept it, and upon returning to Fish Dragon Island, he decisively gathered materials to self-manufacture this Eight Trigrams Furnace, although it has no special features, its stability in fire control alone is far superior to those previous cauldrons.

Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen; Xun, Li, Kun, Dui!

Eight Trigrams, Eight Directions, with eight tiers that can be adjusted, even combining the Eight Trigrams Eight Stances to adjust to the desired fire control, making alchemical refining most convenient.

If indigenous cultivators of this world had this Eight Trigrams Furnace, they would still have to gradually explore to refine pills because fire control is subjective and metaphysical, and the pill master tradition in this world is not so transparent, many units are vague.

Things like appropriate amount, a little, a certain amount, strong fire, weak fire, apart from medicinal ingredients having clear metric standards, all else is vague quantity—how much is a little, how large is large, with no explanation at all.

This is not intentional difficulty from this world’s alchemists for future generations but rather limitations due to Spirit Fire, cauldrons, and the alchemists’ own technical impact; these units cannot have a set standard, leaving it to alchemists to explore themselves, mastering it after practice.

Therefore, the initial investment in alchemy is extremely remarkable; only controlling various fire conditions would sacrifice substantial materials, without sufficient wealth, cultivating alchemists is futile.

Not only alchemy techniques are like this, talismanic, artifact, and array techniques, all hundred arts and techniques are alike.

But this problem has been solved to a certain extent within the Human Empire’s tens of thousands of years development of the Immortal Dao System in the real world.

"Foundation Establishment Pill, refined with Qiankun Fire!"

"First refine the essence blood medicinal ingredient with eight parts Qian Fire!"

"Then refine the divine soul material with seven parts Kun Fire!"

"Lastly, balance Qiankun Fire at six parts each—twelve parts fire intensity—to refine Primordial Spirit Quenching!"

"Refining the essence of these three materials, one can elevate Qiankun Fire to eighteen parts, supplemented with Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Dui’s auxiliary fire three parts each, thirty-six parts in total, fusing three talents, achieving three elements unification, condensing three splendors—Foundation Establishment Pill!"

In Shen Hex’s mind emerged the Foundation Establishment Pill formula acquired from the real world.

Medicinal ingredients dosage, fire intensity size, refinement time, all are detailed standards.

This is the data-driven scientific alchemy method!

Through the precise and stable Eight Trigrams Furnace, all alchemy procedures can be data-driven, standardized, clearly measured, prescribed flow, unlike traditional alchemy methods relying on instinct, exploration.

Though this method can only be applied to middle-low tier pills, unable to be used for high-tier pills due to uncontrollable conditions, its value remains undeniable.

It establishes a pill manufacturing system for the Human Empire, stabilizing the price of middle-low tier pills, meeting the market demand of middle-low tier pills across various Star Realm regions under the Empire’s rule, it’s truly merit-worthy.

Data-driven, standardized, systematic!

Although this takes away some flavor from cultivating immortality, as a middle-low tier cultivator, what flavor are you considering? That’s enjoyment for high-tier cultivators and even those Immortals; you as a low-tier cultivator lack the capital to pursue such.

Honestly, focus on refining pills.

Shen Hex is quite clear about his current status, thus he doesn’t reject this data-standardized scientific alchemy method, but rather likes and appreciates it.

"Boom!"

"Eight parts Qian Fire!"

Shen Hex pinched a hand sign, magical power surged, Earth Vein Fire instantly rose, rushing into the Eight Trigrams Furnace Qian Celestial Position, adjusted to eight parts fire intensity.

Subsequently, Shen Hex tossed in the air a Golden Embroidered Storage Pouch, releasing spiritual objects capable of invigorating essence blood, varying from Tier Three to Five, and finally a Tier Four Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object.

Foundation Establishment Pill requires three talents in medicinal ingredients, corresponding to the Three Flowers Power of Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

Shen Hex first used Qian Fire to refine essence blood ingredients, from Tier Three to Four, all were refined into extracts, soon a crimson spirit light began to flash inside the Eight Trigrams Furnace, resembling a red dragon swirling, filled with immense essence Qi.

Shen Hex divided the furnace fire, placing it aside, then took out another storage pouch, casting in various spiritual objects amplifying divine soul, refining with seven parts Kun Fire, soon a pure cyan spirit light, akin to a cyan dragon swimming, rich with divine splendor emerged.