I Cultivate Immortality With Scientific Thinking

Chapter 66: Guidance

"When I go back this time to inherit the family property, there will inevitably be some risks, and I might even encounter a Foundation Building Stage cultivator. It seems that I need to prepare well for this... Hmm?"

Inside the Cave Mansion, Lin Chen, who was preparing to return to his clan, had a pensive look in his eyes. However, at this moment, he suddenly paused and turned his gaze towards the direction of the door.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The sound of knocking echoed in the quiet Cave Mansion.

"In the past, not many people came when I wasn't well-known. But now that I've risen in prominence, there seems to be quite a commotion at the door," Lin Chen chuckled lightly, snapped his fingers, and the door opened by itself. He directly said, "Come in!"

Liu Qiqiang outside the door took a deep breath and stepped inside, albeit somewhat awkwardly.

"Younger... Junior Brother Liu Qiqiang pays respects to Senior Brother Lin," Liu Qiqiang stood to the side, bowed, and respectfully said.

"Oh?" Lin Chen turned his gaze towards him, glanced at him, and asked, "What brings you here?"

"Regarding the matter on Danxia Peak last time, Senior Brother Lin's words greatly encouraged and helped me. So, I came here specifically to thank Senior Brother," Liu Qiqiang said as he took out a jade bottle from his body and placed it on the table with both hands.

Lin Chen seemed to be interested. He opened the jade bottle and saw a perfectly refined Fasting Pill inside.

In the land of Lingnan cultivation, the quality of elixirs is classified as ordinary, fine, and perfect based on the level of toxicity. Ordinary elixirs have the highest toxicity and require a lot of time to refine after consumption, followed by fine elixirs, and perfect elixirs have the least toxicity.

As for the non-toxic Qi Pill that Lin Chen had researched, only true alchemy masters, not those who were merely called alchemy masters by others, could refine such a peerless elixir.

"Although there is only one Fasting Pill, since it has reached the perfect quality, its price should not be affordable for ordinary cultivators. You are quite thoughtful!" Lin Chen played with the elixir in his hand, looked at Liu Qiqiang with a smile that was not quite a smile, and said.

"Senior Brother, you overestimate it. Compared to Senior Brother's help, this thing is far from being considered valuable," Liu Qiqiang replied sincerely.

"Oh?" Lin Chen smiled and looked directly at him. Although he didn't emit any spiritual pressure, it made Liu Qiqiang feel a bit nervous.

After a while, Lin Chen suddenly said, "Are you studying the refining of the Yellow Bud Pill?"

"Ah?" Liu Qiqiang was surprised when Lin Chen suddenly brought this up. He raised his head abruptly, showing a look of astonishment. "Senior Brother is truly amazing. Junior Brother is truly in awe!"

"Recently, in your refining, have you failed several times due to poor control of the fire?" Lin Chen continued.

"This..." Liu Qiqiang's pupils contracted. It was already impressive that Lin Chen could tell what elixir he was refining, but to also know the reason for his recent failures showed that this Senior Brother was extraordinary!

Fortunately, he had encountered this Senior Brother and established some connection. So, he must seize this opportunity and hold onto this thigh tightly!

"Junior Brother is not proficient in the art. I hope Senior Brother can give me some guidance!"

Lin Chen smiled faintly and asked, "In your opinion, what is the most important thing in alchemy?"

Liu Qiqiang observed Lin Chen's expression and cautiously asked, "The timing?"

Lin Chen smiled and remained silent.

"The dosage of the medicinal ingredients, when to add them... I am ignorant, and I hope Senior Brother can enlighten me!" Seeing that Lin Chen's expression remained unchanged, Liu Qiqiang immediately bowed and respectfully said.

"It's about the nature of the medicine," Lin Chen slowly said, "How can the timing be affected by the underground fire and become unpredictable? It is difficult to ensure that the dosage of the medicinal ingredients is exactly the same. As for the timing of adding them to the medicine, how many seconds can you accurately grasp..."

"These things vary depending on the time, place, and person. How can they be the essence of alchemy? Therefore, the essence of alchemy lies in understanding the nature of the medicine!"

"When Senior Brother mentions the nature of the medicine, does it refer to the four qi, five flavors, and meridians?" Liu Qiqiang asked in confusion.

"That's right," Lin Chen smiled at the words, "In general, it means that we can refine and use things for ourselves."

"For example, the Yellow Bud Pill you refined, the main ingredient is Yellow Spirit Grass, and the auxiliary ingredients are Poly Yuan Flower, Earth Spirit, and so on. Yellow Spirit Grass lives in damp places, and its spiritual energy attribute is Yin and cold. It forms a Yin and cold medicinal property in the Yellow Spirit Grass, which is harmful when refined into the human body. This is what we call pill toxicity..."

"And in the world, there are various attributes of spiritual energy. These spiritual energies are absorbed by Spirit Medicine and form different attributes of medicinal properties within it. If a cultivator absorbs medicinal properties that do not belong to their own spiritual roots, they will accumulate in their body, affecting their progress. This is also the origin of pill toxicity..."

"And by removing these two types of pill toxicity in sequence, the medicinal properties are left with the pure spiritual energy emitted by the spiritual veins and the attributeless spiritual energy bestowed by the heavens. It can be refined by cultivators with different spiritual roots. This is what we call a perfect Spirit Pill."

"And above that, according to one's own needs, one can extract different medicinal properties separately and transform them into pure and non-toxic Qi Pills..."

"But that kind of refining method, when you can casually refine a furnace of perfect quality pills, you can come find me, I don't mind teaching you." Lin Chen turned his head and said with a smile.

"This..." After listening to these words, Liu Qiqiang seemed a little confused, "If, as Senior Brother said, absorbing medicinal properties that are different from one's own spiritual roots will cause pill toxicity, then for cultivators with the Five Spiritual Roots, can't they absorb all the medicinal properties? Why is there still talk of wasted spiritual roots?"

"Spiritual roots also have different strengths. If the strengths of the five spiritual roots are the same, they can mutually generate and restrain each other. Not only can their cultivation speed be comparable to Heavenly Spirit Roots, but many pills can also be taken as perfect pills." Lin Chen explained lightly.

"But if the strengths of the various spiritual roots are uneven, at that time, they will not generate and restrain each other. Instead, they will burden each other. The various attributes of the medicinal properties cannot be perfectly refined, and they will entangle each other, forming more difficult-to-remove pill toxicity that affects progress. Do you understand now?"

"Junior Brother understands!" Liu Qiqiang bowed and expressed his admiration.

After so many years of alchemy, Liu Qiqiang found that no one had ever explained the essence of alchemy so clearly!

"Then may I ask Senior Brother, how should the medicinal properties be extracted and preserved?" Liu Qiqiang asked eagerly.

"Decomposition by fire, distillation by steam, extraction by water, condensation by ice..." Lin Chen casually listed more than ten methods, which made Liu Qiqiang have a sudden realization.

Although these were only the most basic understandings of alchemy that Lin Chen had comprehended, in Liu Qiqiang's eyes, this already belonged to superior alchemy!

He even felt that if it weren't for Lin Chen's guidance, even if he refined it tens of millions of times and learned from the famous alchemists in the sect, he would probably only learn about the dosage and changes in fire, which were just trivial matters!

"Thank you, Senior Brother, for enlightening me on the essence of alchemy. If there is anything I can do to help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask. I will definitely go through fire and water without hesitation!" Liu Qiqiang expressed his gratitude.

"What I am teaching you is not only to comprehend the essence of alchemy but also to learn to explore the essence of all things," Lin Chen said. As he spoke, a hint of mockery appeared on his face, and then he pointed out, "Just like this gift you gave me, on the surface, it is to express gratitude, but in essence, it is to establish a connection with me, to leverage my reputation, and to use it for your own purposes. I wonder if what I said is correct?"

As soon as the words fell, the smile on Liu Qiqiang's face froze, and his mood fluctuated greatly. He felt a chill all over his body, as if he had fallen into an ice cave!

(End of this chapter)