Immortal Cultivation: Starting from a Pharmacy Apprentice

Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Pill Concocted

"The senior is a bit sensitive and not easy to deal with."

Brother Wu didn’t know the origins of the one living in the tree stump, nor did he know much about events from a thousand years ago. It required further investigation.

Bai Mo said, "If we use the scraps from the old man’s soul-summoning banner as the main ingredient, we can definitely succeed in our Alchemy!"

"The only problem is how to please him. That’s a profound art in itself."

Bai Mo looked at Brother Wu. In this regard, the disciples of Divine Dao Mountain were the true experts.

Brother Wu smiled smugly, already understanding Bai Mo’s meaning.

"Don’t worry, I have my ways."

He mulled it over for a moment, considering the situation in Immortal Arrival City, before saying:

"Just build a small temple for the old timer."

"It doesn’t need to be tall. Just place it next to the tree stump, a bit shorter than the stump itself, so that passing Cultivators can see it."

"If one or two of them occasionally leave a grass wreath and pay their respects, that’ll be enough to make him happy."

Bai Mo had expected Brother Wu to suggest some brilliant method or propose terms the other party couldn’t refuse.

He never imagined it would be such a casual idea.

Bai Mo hesitated for a moment before asking:

"Won’t that be a bit too obvious? I’m afraid he won’t appreciate the gesture."

Brother Wu just smiled.

"It’s not up to him. Having become what he is, he can’t refuse the matter of a temple."

Seeing Bai Mo’s confusion, he explained.

"In that state, separated from a human body and without a fixed form, his mind is easily swayed by external forces."

"It’s a subtle influence. Unless you’re someone who walks a Great Dao, it’s hard to avoid."

Only then did Bai Mo understand.

So, after that day, word of the soul-summoning began to spread through the city.

The story was told so vividly and convincingly that even the skeptics were swayed by the earnest demeanor of the men from the Demon Hunting Team.

These rough, straightforward men even built a small temple next to the tree stump.

As time went on, everyone came to accept it as fact.

Some common folk with little to no cultivation even made special trips to pay their respects after hearing about it.

They did it for their friends and relatives who had died in the Celestial Barrier Mountain.

...

After more than a month had passed, Bai Mo felt it was about time.

He chose a dark and windy night, tidied his clothes, and calmly made his way to the spot.

A proper-looking little temple stood right beside the tree stump.

It wasn’t large; tall weeds could easily hide it.

Bai Mo moved closer and saw a small incense burner inside, with a few sticks of incense stuck in it.

Some wise guy had even tossed a good number of copper coins into the incense burner.

"I have come with a request and ask that you show yourself, Senior."

A wisp of smoke drifted out, dispersing to form the blurry figure of an old man.

"What is it?"

The old man’s tone was flat, but his expression was much softer than when they had first met.

Reading his expression, Bai Mo immediately felt more confident.

"Are you satisfied with this temple, Senior?"

The old man gave him a deadpan look.

"It’s not bad. A thoughtful gesture. But I can’t accept a reward I haven’t earned. So speak, what is it you want?"

"I’ll say this upfront: I am a solitary man with nothing to my name, and I have nothing to teach an outsider."

He was, after all, satisfied.

Bai Mo breathed a sigh of relief.

"Senior, you wove the great soul-summoning banner. I have come to ask for a single thread you used to weave it!"

With that, he bowed deeply, his hands clasped.

But the old man’s expression changed.

"What do you want that for?"

As he spoke, he became very guarded.

Bai Mo quickly explained, "It’s for Alchemy."

"To be clear, Senior, I know that item is heavy with karma. I would never dare use it for nefarious purposes!"

The old man stared at him for a long while before slowly nodding.

"Fine. I know the reputation of your Xuandao Sect. I only hope you juniors don’t tarnish it."

He waved his wooden staff, then beckoned to the long incense sticks burning in the small temple.

A wisp of smoke drifted over and coiled around his finger.

"What will you use to hold it?"

Bai Mo hadn’t expected this part. In a fluster, he managed to rummage out a pill bottle.

"Will this do?"

Bai Mo held the pill bottle up to the old man.

"It will."

As the old man’s voice fell, the wisp of smoke slid into the pill bottle, drifting inside like a fish.

The old man looked exhausted.

"There. You can go now."

Bai Mo carefully put the pill bottle away and said respectfully:

"In that case, I won’t disturb you any longer, Senior."

"If you need anything, just send a message into the city."

The old man nodded.

"I know."

He gave some instructions regarding the remnant souls in the mountain, then dissipated into a puff of smoke.

After watching him depart in silence, Bai Mo hurried back to his shop.

Tossing out a quick word that he was going into seclusion, he rushed into the Alchemy Room.

BOOM!

The heavy door of the Alchemy Room slammed shut.

Bai Mo lit the Spirit Wood, and waves of heat immediately rolled through the Alchemy Room.

While the Pill Furnace was heating up, Bai Mo took out his Pill Book and reviewed the relevant sections one last time.

Refining qi into a pill was the most profound school of the Alchemy Dao, largely because the qi used in Alchemy was too ethereal.

Bai Mo then took out the Pill Formula that Brother Wu from Divine Dao Mountain had given him. He had already replaced all the ingredients he didn’t have on hand.

After several attempts, the reason he hadn’t produced a finished pill was likely because one of the ingredients was rather special.

The Shushen Flower. It was said this flower could capture remnant souls, but it was now impossible to find.

Perhaps the Shushen Flower provided some other, indescribable effect in the Pill Formula, which was why Bai Mo’s modified version wouldn’t work.

The Pill Furnace was already glowing red-hot.

Bai Mo carefully added the ingredients. He was already an expert at this process.

When the medicinal properties inside began to change violently, Bai Mo seized the perfect moment, opened the pill bottle, and poured the wisp of ethereal smoke inside.

Upon entering the Pill Furnace, the smoke still swam about like a fish, completely unhindered by the churning medicinal liquid.

CLANG!

Bai Mo slammed the lid of the Pill Furnace shut, his heart pounding.

’This doesn’t look like what the Pill Book described.’

’Whatever. I’ll just wait and see.’

An hour later, Bai Mo cautiously pushed the lid open a crack and peered inside.

The smoke was still swimming around, but the medicinal liquid was about to congeal.

Bai Mo’s eyelid twitched. He hurriedly added some Spiritual Spring water and tossed in several more ingredients to stabilize the liquid.

After repeating this several times, three hours later, Bai Mo opened the lid and finally saw a change.

The swimming smoke was gone. In its place was a small, palm-high, dark-green tree formed from the medicinal liquid, its branches and leaves exquisite.

Bai Mo was overjoyed. He calmly watched over the Pill Furnace, maintaining the heat.

About two hours later, the small, dark-green tree bore fruit. As the fruit fell, the tree disintegrated.

Bai Mo quickly extinguished the fire beneath the Pill Furnace. After the furnace had cooled, he retrieved the fruit from within.

It was a single Pill, mottled red and yellow, with a small, light-green dot on it where it had been connected to the small tree’s branch.

Bai Mo found it fascinating and marveled at it.

’This is different from the usual pill-making process. It’s almost like creating a living thing.’

During the latter half of the process, he, the Pill Master, couldn’t interfere at all. He could only struggle to keep the medicinal liquid from drying out.

It was all thanks to the efficacy of that wisp of smoke.

After examining the Pill for a moment, Bai Mo placed it in a pill bottle.

He closed his eyes, recalled the recent process, and recorded everything in great detail.

Only then did he push open the door of the Alchemy Room.

Night had fallen. Wei An was walking by, carrying a few plates of sliced meat.

He was pleasantly surprised to see Bai Mo.

"Shopkeeper, you’re out just in time."

Bai Mo nodded. He hadn’t eaten a single bite all day and was famished.

"Let me wash my hands."

"Oh, right. Tomorrow, go to the clinic in the west of the city and give a message to my senior brother..."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!