Immortal Cultivation: Starting from a Pharmacy Apprentice

"So, you told people I'm a Tier Three Alchemy Dao Grandmaster?"

Bai Mo shot An Caiwei a sidelong glance. 'Where does she get this confidence?'

"After all, I haven't even been certified yet."

An Caiwei waved her hand.

"Ah, it's just a matter of time. Why get so hung up on it?"

Her eyes darted back and forth.

"By the way, I heard that the certification for a Tier Three Grandmaster isn't held at a fixed time—that a Cultivator can make an appointment anytime, right?"

"Junior Brother, why don't you get certified first? It'll be better for business!"

Bai Mo recalled the details of the certification process and gave her his answer.

"That won't work."

"For a Grandmaster certification, you have to invite your peers to attend. The recognition is only granted after a joint evaluation and discussion."

"How many Grandmasters are there even within a thousand-mile radius? What if they finally go through the trouble of assembling, but I'm too busy with other things and can't make it…"

Upon hearing this, An Caiwei seemed a little dejected. Sighing, she moved on to the main topic.

"I've already found thirteen people. They're all skilled, and one of them, a fellow disciple from Divine Dao Mountain, is even a little famous."

As she spoke, she handed the list of names to Bai Mo.

Bai Mo looked it over. All the names on it were unfamiliar.

"Thirteen people… is that enough to take a shot in the Secret Realm?"

An Caiwei shook her head decisively.

"This handful of people is nowhere near enough. A few crises along the way would be enough to cut our numbers down."

"And after that, a single wave of Demon Beasts would be enough to send them packing."

"Sigh!" Bai Mo sighed.

"It would be great if we had help from War Peak disciples, like Senior Brother Jin Jiang and his group."

"The War Peak disciples move in large groups and charge straight through everything. I imagine they wouldn't be afraid of many of the dangers…"

"Don't even think about it."

An Caiwei rolled her eyes at Bai Mo.

"The disciples of the War Peak are fanatically obsessed with ancient battle formations. The formations that draw them into Secret Realms are never ordinary."

"Every time a Secret Realm opens, their people swarm out to search inside."

Bai Mo put down the list, a hint of doubt appearing on his face.

"This Jade Plate Secret Realm… what are its origins? How could it hide so many mysteries?"

At these words, even An Caiwei hesitated for a moment.

After pondering for a moment, she could only repeat what she had heard before.

"It's said that it was originally a vast Secret Realm that ancient Cultivators used as their final resting place."

As she spoke, she shook her head.

"No, it wasn't just Cultivators. Demon Beasts also liked to bury themselves inside."

"After countless ages, the ecosystem within has completely changed. Its current state is likely something the ancients could never have predicted."

Bai Mo's heart pounded with excitement as he listened.

'There's no such thing as a mediocre burial offering.'

'How could a Pill Formula that a Cultivator specifically took to their grave be anything ordinary?'

"I'll have to trouble you to find another twenty people for me, Senior Sister!"

Bai Mo said:

"Oh, and when you're looking, try to find people who are in good shape—those who look resilient."

"Huh?"

An Caiwei was stunned. "What do you mean by 'in good shape'?"

"The kind that can withstand a Pill's effects and won't die easily. Someone like the senior brothers from Broken Blade Peak would be perfect."

"Alright, I'll see if there are any skilled people left among the disciples still stationed on their home peaks."

An Caiwei hurried off again.

Meanwhile, Bai Mo began preparing medicinal ingredients in the Stone Lodge.

He selected over ten Pill Formulas, enough to handle most unexpected situations.

While An Caiwei was out recruiting, he needed to refine a substantial amount of Pills.

But around midnight, footsteps echoed in the valley once more.

The footsteps were quite heavy—too heavy to be An Caiwei's.

Bai Mo looked up to see a graceful and elegant figure outside, who seemed somewhat anxious.

Recalling what An Caiwei had said before, Bai Mo had already guessed the visitor's identity.

Without stopping his hands from sorting the medicinal herbs, Bai Mo called out.

"Is that Brother Yin, Yin Zhen?"

The disciple, who carried an extraordinary air, stepped through the door, glancing curiously at the Stone Lodge's furnishings.

Seeing the simple decor, his confidence in Bai Mo grew even stronger.

"Junior Brother Bai, you're a busy man. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Bai Mo gave a wry smile.

"I'm just bogged down with matters of Alchemy. It's nothing compared to you, Senior Brother. I hear you also have to divide your attention with affairs of the court?"

Yin Zhen was a Prince of an outside dynasty, so he undoubtedly had no shortage of such miscellaneous duties.

Yin Zhen's expression remained unchanged.

"Here, I am the same as you, Junior Brother—just another disciple of the sect."

Seeing that Bai Mo was still focused on the pile of herbs in front of him even as he spoke, he knew the other man was busy and got straight to the point.

"It's about the matter of my Pill."

"Originally, I thought you could, at best, barely manage to refine the Pill, and wouldn't be able to achieve its full potency, so I wasn't concerned."

"But after hearing about Yuan Chu and the other two, I realize I was mistaken!"

Bai Mo's expression flickered. He thought for a moment and said,

"Is that why you came here tonight, Senior Brother?"

"You should know, the difficulty with your Immortal Pill lies in gathering its rare ingredients from all corners of the world. That's not an easy task."

Yin Zhen nodded lightly.

"I have already reported to my father, the Emperor, and asked him to mobilize the power of the kingdom to gather them for me."

"I expect they will all be gathered soon."

"But as for you, Junior Brother, can you make refining one for me a priority?"

He knew when it came to the Immortal Pill, even a single one was incredibly rare. One of his own ancestors had only managed to have one refined with the help of another.

Bai Mo pondered for a moment, a plan already forming in his mind.

"I have no problem with that, of course."

"How about this? I'll refine two for you, Senior Brother, and in return, you'll do me a favor."

Yin Zhen's gaze sharpened, and his expression grew solemn.

"My ancestor had the help of an extraordinary master and only managed to obtain one."

"How can you make such an outrageous claim, Junior Brother?"

Bai Mo just smiled.

"That master probably got fixated on one detail. When he couldn't find a substitute for a key ingredient, he gave up on finding an alternative method."

"It just so happened that ingredient was rare, so he could only gather enough for a single Pill."

Yin Zhen guessed which ingredient it was. It was called Dragon Transformation Bone.

According to legend, it was a bone serendipitously shed by a flood dragon as it underwent its tribulation to become a true dragon.

It contained the power of transformation and held the power of tribulation, making it a key ingredient for the Immortal Pill.

Without experiencing transformation and tribulation, how could one hope to achieve immortality?

The Immortal Pill draws upon this exact principle.

Bai Mo smiled. "I have a method to gather the same essential properties as the Dragon Transformation Bone from other ingredients and successfully refine the Pill."

"Never mind two Pills. I can refine any number of them; it's just a matter of how much time and energy it takes."

Yin Zhen's pupils contracted.

If he hadn't already inquired about this junior brother's character, he would have thought the man before him was merely boasting.

"You are truly talented, Junior Brother."

"So, what is the favor you need my help with?"

Bai Mo sighed.

"I've heard there are ancient Pill Formulas in the Secret Realm, and I'm itching to get my hands on them. I just can't let the opportunity pass."

"So, I've gathered some people to help, but I'm afraid they won't be able to succeed. That's why I wanted to ask for your help, Senior Brother."

Yin Zhen considered it for a moment.

"Your ambition is not small, Junior Brother. Many have coveted those ancient Pill Formulas, and all of them have returned empty-handed and defeated."

"However, I'll help you with this."

Joy flashed across Bai Mo's face.

"But what about your own business, Senior Brother? We can't let that be delayed, can we?"

Yin Zhen shook his head.

"My goal in entering the Secret Realm is to distinguish myself, catch the eye of an inner-sect elder, and be taken on as their personal disciple."

"After I've helped you with your matter, I can still compete with the others."

Bai Mo immediately hesitated.

"After all, we're chasing opportunities, and there are many variables. What if I end up delaying your business, Senior Brother…"

"It's no problem. If I can't even handle this much, how could I talk about distinguishing myself? Wouldn't that make me no different from any other disciple?"

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