Immortal Cultivation: Starting from a Pharmacy Apprentice

Chapter 204: Chapter 204: A Matter of Priority

The Xuandao Sect was vast, with a legacy spanning many generations.

Each generation produced exceptionally talented Cultivators and outstanding scions of prominent bloodlines.

The young woman was An Caiwei, a member of the An family within the Xuandao Sect and one of their most exceptional talents.

After she arrived, Bai Mo had to devote a portion of his energy to dealing with her.

It was worth it, though.

"Are you really not entering the Jade Plate Secret Realm?"

An Caiwei asked hesitantly, her brow furrowed.

Bai Mo sighed helplessly.

"From what you’ve said, Senior Sister, I know how dangerous the Secret Realm is. If someone like me went in, I’d just end up troubling the sect to waste their energy rescuing me."

The Jade Plate Secret Realm was not a place for the Human Race to inhabit. Its interior was murky and impure, making it a first-rate danger zone.

Legend had it that the Jade Plate Secret Realm was a celestial object that had fallen into the mortal realm after a calamity.

Otherwise, there was no way to explain its many peculiarities.

An Caiwei stared intently at Bai Mo, her expression full of suspicion.

"You’re a Loose Cultivator. You would never pass up such a beneficial opportunity."

"Although, if the turbid qi inside flares up, you’d be reduced to ash and have to experience the terror of hovering between life and death."

"But a Pill Master’s temperament should be steady. You shouldn’t be so afraid as to develop a mental block."

She often searched far and wide for Pills, so she understood a thing or two about the world of alchemy.

For Bai Mo to make such a decision could only mean he had other plans.

Bai Mo coughed.

"Senior Sister, you have sharp eyes. I won’t hide it from you, I do have other plans."

"Thanks to you spreading my name in the sect, I’ve become somewhat famous."

"Since my fellow disciples are willing to spend the money and seek me out, I naturally have to do my utmost to help them."

An Caiwei was stunned. "Huh?"

She stared blankly for a moment, looking Bai Mo up and down.

"You care that much about material possessions?"

Bai Mo smiled but said nothing.

In the past few days, he had started to get a handle on the Pill Formula deduced by the sect elders.

It was like grabbing a single thread; all he had to do was pull gently, and the entire line of thought would reveal itself.

The experience and ideas of such a grand predecessor were on a level Bai Mo had never touched. What he gained from it was worth more than a thousand wise words in a book.

A venture like this was naturally worth developing further.

After all, the Pill Formulas his fellow disciples brought him were never run-of-the-mill.

The concepts and ideas within them were truly eye-opening.

An Caiwei had important matters to attend to, so she naturally wouldn’t linger in the shop.

Once she confirmed Bai Mo’s intentions, she patted down her clothes and stood up.

Before leaving, she glanced at the Pills displayed in the shop with a look of disdain.

"The Pills in your shop are terribly subpar. Have something better ready to receive me next time."

With that, she stepped over the threshold and left.

A customer in the shop, who was selecting Pills with Wei An’s assistance, heard her words and was somewhat indignant.

"Who does she think she is? How can she look down on Pills at this price?"

His companion quickly tugged his sleeve.

"Shopkeeper Bai was personally attending to her. How could she be an ordinary person?"

"It’s perfectly normal for someone like her to look down on them."

Wei An, standing nearby, could only offer a bitter smile.

Qin Wen walked over to Bai Mo’s side.

"Shopkeeper, we can’t gather all the medicinal ingredients you wanted from the warehouse."

"Should I go pick some up from the market?"

Since these were Pills commissioned by their fellow disciples from the Xuandao Sect, Qin Wen had expected Bai Mo to be anxious.

But to his surprise, Bai Mo shook his head.

"Don’t rush. Just give a copy of the list to Daoist Xu."

"The channels he controls are not to be underestimated. Let him find them."

"But..."

Qin Wen hesitated.

"His subordinates are a bit slow. Shouldn’t we urge them on?"

"No need. This matter isn’t urgent."

Bai Mo said, "I have other things to do. Delaying the Pills for the senior brothers by a few days won’t be a problem."

...

Back in the quiet room.

Bai Mo’s mind was teeming with so many thoughts he couldn’t suppress them at all.

An idea struck him.

[Pill Master: Bai Mo]

[Realm: Qi Refining Sixth Layer]

[Identity: Pill Disciple (469/900)]

[Aptitude: Glimpse the whole from a part, Comprehension Manifesting]

As he had calmed his mind and focused on alchemy recently, his proficiency had risen considerably.

’It’s a shame. If I could just reach the next level, I should be able to clear this fog in my mind.’

Ever since deciphering the concepts behind the Pill Formula, inspiration flowed through Bai Mo like a spring. Now, when he looked back at the Pills he had previously crafted, they seemed crude.

’Perhaps... I could write a Pill Book of my own?’

The thought popped into his head, startling even himself.

But once he processed it, he felt the idea had merit.

’My current attainments in the Alchemy Dao have already surpassed many of the predecessors who wrote Pill Books.’

’If I really set my mind to it, it’s not like I wouldn’t know where to start.’

He was a man of action. After instructing Qin Wen not to let anyone disturb him, Bai Mo meditated in the quiet room for half a day, completely emptying his mind.

Then, he began to write.

Compiling a Pill Book was no simple feat. It was difficult enough for a Cultivator to put their insights on the Alchemy Dao onto paper.

What’s more, after writing, one had to carefully consider if there were any errors or omissions, lest they lead future generations astray.

Thus, for a Cultivator, this task was in itself a test of their own knowledge.

Any deviations in their understanding of the Dao would be exposed.

Bai Mo found the writing process arduous.

It took him seven days just to write a foreword.

Although it was only a mere two pages, it was filled with Bai Mo’s own perspectives and insights on the Alchemy Dao. He had already gone through more than ten revisions.

If released to the outside world, it would be something many alchemy apprentices would fight to read.

Bai Mo held up the book and looked at it for a moment, but couldn’t help but feel a sense of wry amusement.

The content within seemed excellent, yet he was still left with a lingering sense of incompleteness.

’Forget it. My understanding of the Dao must still be too shallow.’

Putting away the empty book, which had only a few pages stained with ink, Bai Mo stood up, stumbled, and steadied himself against the wall.

HISS!

’Have I overexerted my mental energy?’

Bai Mo shook his head and, without hesitation, opened the door to his bedroom and fell straight into bed.

Outside, Qin Wen happened to see Bai Mo come out. Before he could even greet him, Bai Mo had already closed the door.

He couldn’t help but worry.

Fortunately, Bai Mo emerged the next day. After tinkering in the quiet room for several hours, he gathered everyone together.

"I have been in seclusion recently and feel I have made some gains, which is why I’ve called you all here."

Xue Ning bowed slightly and cupped his hands.

"Progress is difficult for us Alchemy Cultivators. Congratulations, Shopkeeper."

Bai Mo waved a hand at him and said quickly,

"This also concerns the shop’s future business, so you all must pay close attention."

Xue Ning’s heart tightened, and he quickly perked up his ears to listen.

Bai Mo swept his hand across the table, and a row of pill vials appeared before them.

"These will be the main Pills the shop will sell from now on."

"The Righteous Qi Pill, Evil Exorcism Pill, and Qi Absorption Pill will remain unchanged. The customers are already used to them."

"As for the Qi Blood Pill and the Fire Marrow Pill, those are my responsibility. The rest of you don’t need to worry about them."

Xue Ning shook his head with a bitter smile.

Since coming to the shop, he had seen several types of Pills and had even observed Bai Mo’s Alchemy process, which could only be described as dazzling.

He knew it would take him years to even begin to grasp how to make those Pills.

As for Wei An, he simply lowered his head and said nothing.

Now that Xue Ning and the others were in the shop, he didn’t need to put all the pressure on himself.

Bai Mo looked at their expressions and couldn’t help but sigh.

"As for the other Pills, I’ve already improved and categorized them. From now on, I’ll be entrusting them to you."

"Can you all handle it?"

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