Two Realms: I Will Become the Immortal Emperor

Chapter 268: Chapter 241: Probing, Alchemy

To most people, a promise from a Golden Core True Master to help with Core Formation was something they would die for.

But Chen Che felt it was nothing special.

Most of the recommended students at Zhurong Daoist School could achieve Core Formation within four years. Even regular students could do it within fifty. Anyone who couldn’t was considered lazy in their Cultivation.

’He’s clearly trying to trick me into refining pills for him for the rest of his life.’

Chen Che naturally understood his calculations.

’It won’t be long before he has to go to the Black Tortoise Calm Sea. It’s not even certain if he’ll make it back alive.’

He mused to himself. After all, they were heading to the Cave Mansion of a Nascent Soul True Monarch. Venturing into a High Realm region with a Low Realm cultivation carried an immense risk of death.

Even on Earth Element Star, "archaeology" was a dangerous business.

That’s why "archaeology" was always an unpopular field of study, not to mention the Star-Picking Sect was always lurking.

"Tributor Chen?"

Clad in a black, cloud-patterned robe and accompanied by a giant beast, Chen Che turned around to see Sun Hao riding a colossal python. Perhaps due to his association with True Master Chilong, Sun Hao’s Beast Pets were always some kind of snake or python. The one he was on now was a massive, unidentified python with two horns on its forehead.

For the past few days, Sun Hao had been busy searching for the Divine Statue, while Chen Che had been focused on Alchemy. As a result, they had barely interacted since arriving in Hunzhou.

’For him to seek me out so suddenly...’

"Ah, Tributor Sun."

Chen Che cupped his hands and deliberately brought up a sore subject:

"Why aren’t you out searching for the Divine Statue?"

"You haven’t heard? Oh, right, you just got back. Something went wrong with the Divine Statue in Ze State, and all the leads have gone cold. It might even involve other Golden Core True Masters, so we pulled back..."

Sun Hao’s tone was filled with helplessness.

He had been the first to take on this matter, but in the end, it was the latecomers, Zhou Jing and Cao Xiong, who found the clues.

Now, the Divine Statue was completely lost, wasting two whole months of his time. He had originally planned to use this matter to become one of Thousand Eyes True Master’s trusted confidants, but all his hopes had turned to dust.

"I see."

Chen Che feigned understanding and said coolly, "Is there something you need, Tributor Sun?"

Sun Hao didn’t speak, instead glancing around.

Understanding, Chen Che followed him to a secluded spot. Only then did Sun Hao speak up:

"Tributor Chen, where is your Beast Pet?"

"It’s out hunting."

The Little Chick had, of course, gone to Ze State, where there was an abundance of snakes, insects, rats, and ants, not to mention a fair number of Demon Beasts. Glancing at Sun Hao’s envious expression, Chen Che said flatly:

"If you have something to say, just say it."

"In that case, I’ll be direct. Tributor Chen, you must know that I am a Beast Master. I’ve taken a great liking to your Beast Pet. I wonder if you would be willing to part with it? Name your price. I’m willing to buy it with Spirit Stones!"

Sun Hao had chosen his words carefully before speaking.

A sideways glance confirmed that the man was serious, making Chen Che a little curious:

"What’s the most you can offer?"

Sun Hao gritted his teeth and held up two hands:

"This much!"

"One million Spirit Stones?"

Chen Che’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’Well, I’ll be. I’ll be damned.’ He had to admit, that price was indeed tempting.

After all the windfalls he’d had in recent years, he only had 470,000 Spirit Stones on hand. Even including his fixed assets like the Market, auction houses, and various Halls, his total worth was less than a million Spirit Stones.

"Er..."

Sun Hao was taken aback. Even when True Master Chilong was alive, he couldn’t have produced a million Spirit Stones at once. Besides, if word of this got out, wouldn’t everyone find out about the Xuan Peng?

Forcing another smile, he said through clenched teeth:

"One hundred thousand."

"Do I look like someone who’s short on a hundred thousand Spirit Stones?"

Chen Che glanced at him, and without paying any mind to the smile that had vanished from Sun Hao’s face, he simply cupped his hands in farewell and left.

"As expected, he’s unwilling."

Sun Hao wasn’t surprised by the direct refusal; after all, he was just trying his luck. "Do you think he knows that demon beast is the Xuan Peng?"

"...Not necessarily, but he’s probably sensed that it’s extraordinary."

The Red Dragon Remnant Soul let out a long sigh:

"Ah, the Xuan Peng!"

...

’He’s still wet behind the ears, and he dares to test me?’

Turning and walking into the Alchemy Room, the smile on Chen Che’s face vanished.

One had to know that a hundred thousand Spirit Stones was enough to buy two adult Foundation Establishment Great Demons. If they were in their infancy, the price would be even cheaper. At the Dragon Fish Pill auction, the Meng Family had put up a twin-egg Profound Water Spirit Turtle, which ultimately sold for only thirty thousand Spirit Stones.

’They’re gambling that I don’t know the Little Chick’s origin and would be willing to sell it.’

「Inside the Alchemy Room.」

Chen Xi was already waiting there. When he saw Chen Che enter, he hurried over to greet him. "Tributor Chen, you’re finally back..."

"What’s wrong? Did the pill refinement fail?"

Just seeing the man looking like he was on pins and needles, Chen Che had already guessed the reason.

Seeing him nod, Chen Che wasn’t surprised. The Yin Spirit Pill was a Tier Three Elixir; even he had spent a month figuring it out.

Although Chen Xi’s Cultivation was on par with his, their Alchemy Skill was worlds apart.

"I clearly followed your steps to refine it again, Tributor Chen, but every time I fail for all sorts of reasons..."

Chen Xi sighed incessantly, truly frustrated.

He had literally watched Chen Che figure out the Yin Spirit Pill from scratch. Now, Chen Che could already refine it successfully, but despite secretly learning and asking for guidance, he hadn’t even made half the progress.

’His talent is just too incredible.’

"You suspect I’m holding something back?"

Chen Che glanced at him.

"I wouldn’t dare."

Chen Xi quickly shook his head.

"You just wouldn’t dare, but that doesn’t mean you don’t think it."

Chen Che shot him a look.

Chen Xi lowered his head and said nothing. He had indeed considered it. Judging others by his own standards, if he were to teach an apprentice, he would definitely hold something back.

"Teach the apprentice everything, and the master starves," was never just an empty saying.

"Watch closely this time."

He opened the furnace and lit the fire.

With the worries about the Divine Statue resolved, Chen Che felt his Alchemy Skill had improved significantly. As for hiding his skills from Chen Xi, there was no need. The fact that Thousand Eyes had chosen him over Chen Xi already proved everything.

’So what if Chen Xi learns to refine the Yin Spirit Pill?’

’Didn’t I teach him?’

Besides, this was a chance to plant a spy within the Imperial Mausoleum. Even if this "spy" wasn’t entirely reliable, he could help Chen Che obtain firsthand information about Hunzhou and Thousand Eyes True Master. Even if Chen Xi was unwilling, the person guiding him from the shadows would surely agree.

It was always said that it’s easier to deal with the boss than his underlings.

He didn’t have the time to get entangled in schemes and counterschemes with these Divine Dao Cultivators.

With the experience from the first batch, this round was much easier and he appeared more skilled. After all, he had figured out every part of the process himself and knew the steps like the back of his hand.

WHOOSH!

「A moment later.」

With a loud KLANG, a black mist resembling a vengeful spirit pushed open the Furnace Cauldron. A tremendous power seemed to be struggling frantically inside, as if trying to break through the Pill Furnace and escape the Sacrificial Cauldron at any moment.

"What is this? This has never happened before when I’ve done alchemy."

Chen Xi was utterly astonished.

"How can a Tier Three Elixir be compared to a Tier Two?"

Chen Che formed a Spell with his hands, activated his True Essence, and explained casually:

"Just like with Cultivators, every time a pill ascends a tier, it undergoes a qualitative change. The last batch was of poor quality; it barely managed Pill Formation. This batch of pills is of good quality, which is why you’re seeing this."

The higher the tier of the pill, the greater the difficulty. Refining a Tier Four Elixir could even attract a Celestial Tribulation. In severe cases, the furnace could be destroyed and the alchemist killed. This was precisely why High Tier Pill Masters were so rare.

Of course, this wasn’t just true for pills, but also for Spiritual Artifacts, Arrays, and Talismans.

"Tributor Chen’s skills are exquisite. This little brother is sincerely impressed."

Chen Xi was not stingy with his praise.

BOOM!

Just then, the Sacrificial Cauldron shook violently. The lid flew open, and amidst the roiling black mist, three pills floated up.

"What fine pills!"

Chen Xi’s eyes lit up. He could discern the quality of the pills with a single glance. The Pills were perfectly round, like an eye, and as deep as the night sky. There were no vengeful spirits clinging to them like before; inside the pills, there was only a wisp of black energy, like a black mist.

It danced and swirled constantly within.

If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he would have thought they were the work of some Tier Three Alchemist.

’The heat control was still a bit lacking in the end...’

Glancing at the swirling black mist, Chen Che secretly shook his head, feeling it was a bit of a shame.

Only when the black mist condensed from the outside in could this Pill be called a supreme-grade product. Only then would a pill have not a trace of Pill Poison. However, this was good enough to hand over to Thousand Eyes True Master.

"Did you get it?"

Chen Che turned his head.

!?"

Chen Xi was a bit dazed. "I saw what you did, but I’ll probably need some time to comprehend it."

This Alchemy session was no different from the previous one in terms of steps, yet the quality of the pills was much higher. He had no idea why.

Chen Che listened quietly.

Most Cultivators in this world were like this. Whether in Cultivation or Alchemy, the general process was largely the same.

But as soon as you asked for details, they would just say you had to comprehend it yourself.

In his view, although these Cultivators had found the right path through constant trial and error, knowing what to do and when, they never knew *why* they were doing it.

It was just like Foundation Establishment.

Everyone knew that reaching Qi Refining Perfection increased the chances of advancing. But they didn’t know that after Qi Refining Perfection, one’s True Essence was abundant, making it easier to condense Qi into a liquid. Increasing one’s Qi and Blood and physical strength made it easier to bear the liquefied True Essence.

As for Divine Sense, that allowed a Cultivator to control this power with precision.

Even if you asked those who knew, they would surely say that’s how their master taught them, and that’s how their grandmaster taught their master.

"Then watch a few more times..."

After meditating for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Chen Che refined two more batches in succession.

The second batch yielded three pills, and the third yielded five.

However, he controlled the quality slightly, not directly refining supreme-grade pills.

A genius could be outstanding, but one had to control the degree to which they showed it. Even so, Chen Xi was utterly horrified.

With that, he stood up and sealed the furnace.

He casually placed the pills into a crystal Jade Bottle that resembled a skull and tossed it to Chen Xi:

"Go on. I’m going to rest for three days before I refine more pills. If you still want to learn then, you can come back."

Watching Chen Xi’s retreating figure, Chen Che’s eyes narrowed slightly:

’These eleven pills should be enough to report back with.’