Translator: AnubisTL
Looking at the neatly written and well-organized "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills," which included detailed annotations on crucial steps like fire control, extraction, fusion, and pill division, Gu Feng couldn't help but grin.
This wasn't just a stack of books; it was a pile of gleaming Spirit Stones.
In the entire sect, when it came to wealth, alchemists undoubtedly stood at the top. Even an ordinary Outer Sect alchemist disciple could possess more wealth than an Inner Sect disciple.
Firstly, because pills were highly profitable products. As long as you could proficiently refine one type of pill, you would never be poor in your lifetime.
The second reason was the unique nature of alchemists. They didn't need to focus on improving combat strength, saving on expenses for martial skills and cultivation methods. Moreover, to a certain extent, they could even ignore their cultivation realm and directly cultivate their soul power, which could also extend their lifespan.
"Xi Xi, what do you think is a suitable price for this 'The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills'?" Gu Feng asked with a smile as he tore off a piece of roasted meat.
"The pill formula for the Bone Cleansing Pill is roughly worth 100,000 Spirit Stones, but hardly anyone buys it because those who can refine it can easily find out how, and those who can't wouldn't find it useful.
As for the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill, its effect is only one-third of the Bone Cleansing Pill, and it has the side effect of causing diarrhea. Pricing it at 50,000 would be about right!" Yan Xixi's lively eyes twinkled as she suggested a reference price.
"50,000? That cheap?" Gu Feng frowned, feeling somewhat disinterested. With his current financial status, 50,000 Spirit Stones were hardly worth his attention. Reluctantly, he added, "But this is the divine pill formula that created millions in wealth! Isn't 50,000 Spirit Stones too cheap?"
"It's not cheap. If you price it too high, the number of sales will drop significantly. Several alchemists might pool their resources to buy it together..."
"That makes sense. Let's set the price at 50,000. Help me find Wu Qi and the others. Tell them there's a high commission for selling the books..."
The "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills" couldn't be sold openly like the "Robbery Guide." It had to be sold secretly, one copy at a time, creating the illusion of exclusivity. Only then would these alchemists willingly fork over their money.
After Yan Xixi left, Zhu Qingyan emerged from the ground, casting a disdainful glance at the beaming Gu Feng.
"Look at you, so unsophisticated, acting like a nouveau riche. Are a few million Low-grade Spirit Stones really that much?"
"A few million isn't much?" Gu Feng retorted, displeased.
"Hmph, Low-grade Spirit Stones are full of impurities. They're not even suitable for cultivation. They're only used as currency in this tiny place. Out there, you'll find them lying on the roadside, and no one would bother to pick them up."
"I don't believe it!"
"Hurry up and find a Thunder-attribute body. Once I have a body, I'll take you to see a broader world!
Then you'll realize how ignorant you are now. Disciples of truly large sects don't even care about High-grade Spirit Stones. The resources they cultivate with are at least Profound Veins, Earth Veins... As for your physique, later on, you'll need the top-tier Dragon Veins of this world!
Do you know what a Dragon Vein means? A single Dragon Vein could sustain tens of thousands of Sunset Glow Sects!"
Listening to Zhu Qingyan's description, Gu Feng was dumbfounded, unable to help but gasp. The concept of tens of thousands of Sunset Glow Sects was something he couldn't even fathom.
"No wonder ancient texts recorded that a divine dynasty exhausted all its resources to cultivate the Myriad Tribulations Physique, attempting to defy fate, only to cause the dynasty to collapse thousands of years early. I thought it was an exaggeration, but it turns out to be true!"
After saying this, Gu Feng suddenly felt a chill run through his body. Across from him, Zhu Qingyan was emanating a terrifying aura. Although her body was engulfed in blazing flames, she resembled an imposing iceberg.
"Senior Zhu, what's wrong?"
"That's not the truth!" Zhu Qingyan suppressed her aura, her mood seemingly low. She didn't even glance at the Spirit Herbs she usually loved, and her figure gradually faded away, disappearing into the Spirit Fire without another sound.
...
"Are you two alchemists?"
"Yes, we are disciples of the Alchemy Hall."
On a secluded path, Wu Qi stopped two disciples dressed in alchemist robes.
"Step aside for a moment!"
Wu Qi led them to a hidden corner, glancing around to ensure no one was watching, then carefully pulled out a copy of the "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills" from his robe and presented it to them.
"How about this?"
The two alchemists' eyes subtly gleamed when they saw the title, but they quickly regained their composure.
"Who would care about a trash pill like the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill?" one of the alchemists sneered.
"The Modified Bone Cleansing Pill? A knockoff pill that's not even worth mentioning. Even dogs wouldn't refine it!" the other alchemist said dismissively.
Their disdainful expressions made Wu Qi think they didn't trust him, so he immediately took out his Outer Sect Disciple Token to prove his sincerity.
However, after talking for a long time, his mouth went dry, but the two remained unmoved.
Watching their retreating figures, Wu Qi could only sigh helplessly. Earning a two percent commission was truly difficult!
"Ah, let's find the next customer!" He hung his head, walking along the forest path, pondering how to sell the "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills."
Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from behind, and Wu Qi instinctively stepped to the side of the path.
"Junior Brother!" The person rushed over, pulling him into the dense forest. Wu Qi shivered, his aura bursting out, thinking he had encountered a bandit.
"Junior Brother, calm down, it's me!" The voice sounded familiar. Wu Qi looked up and realized it was one of the two alchemists from earlier.
"Is your 'The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills' genuine?" the alchemist asked excitedly.
"Of course!" Wu Qi, still not fully recovered, nodded instinctively.
"Where did it come from?"
"Gu Feng personally compiled it. Every step is detailed and accurate!" This was what Gu Feng had taught him to say.
"Why would he leak the refining method for the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill?" the alchemist asked suspiciously.
"Because there's now a shortage of the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill. Gu Feng can't refine enough on his own, and he's worried it will affect the reputation of the Jade Maiden Pavilion, so he decided to let others help refine it...
The refining method can be sold to you, but with one condition: after successful refinement, please sell the pills to the Jade Maiden Pavilion at a price of 20,000 Spirit Stones per bottle..."
With this explanation, the alchemist was half-convinced. Faced with so many customers, how could one person refine enough pills? Gu Feng selling the refining method was a last resort, especially after he boasted that he would ensure every Body Tempering Realm cultivator in the Sunset Glow Sect could take the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill.
"Can 50,000 Spirit Stones be discounted?" Thinking this over, the alchemist was slightly tempted.
He didn't suspect Wu Qi would use a fake book to deceive him. Every alchemist had many friends, and offending them would make life in the sect unbearable—medicines would become hard to come by.
"Not a single word can be reduced. This price isn't just for the 'The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills'; it also includes Gu Feng's live refining demonstration. I can't promise you'll master it, but with your alchemy skills, witnessing his refining process should be enough for you to succeed!"
The live demonstration was something Gu Feng added at the last minute, fearing the course wouldn't sell well. For him, it was just an extra step in refining, taking only an hour, and not much effort.
"Really?"
"Gu Feng's reputation is well-known. Even with the materials for the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill at their highest prices, he's never considered raising the price of the pill!"
"Right, right!" The alchemist nodded with a grin, immediately pulling out the money.
Just as Wu Qi was about to celebrate his first successful sale, the second alchemist from earlier returned.
"Keep this confidential!" the second alchemist whispered before leaving.
"Understood." Wu Qi nodded solemnly.
Wu Qi's family ran a merchant guild, so his sales skills were impeccable. After these two sales, he seemed to hit a stride, selling over ten copies in a single day.
"Haha, 1,000 Spirit Stones per copy. Earning over 10,000 in a day—I never thought Spirit Stones could be so easy to earn!"
Similarly pleased were Tuoba Lei, Chao Yuan, Guo Renkai, and others. While they weren't as skilled in sales as Wu Qi, the quality of the product greatly reduced the difficulty. Almost everyone managed to sell seven or eight copies.
This continued for several days, with hundreds of copies of the "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills" sold, all transactions conducted in secret, without any public announcement.
...
"What are you looking at? What's more interesting than my lecture?" In the Alchemy Hall, an Elder who was teaching caught a disciple secretly reading a small book and scolded him harshly.
Hmm?
The "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills"?
The Elder snatched the small book from the disciple's hands, glanced at it, and his heart skipped a beat, his fingers trembling slightly.
Recently, everyone, whether openly or secretly, had been studying the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill. This Mortal Grade pill, exclusive to Body Tempering Realm cultivators, had become a tool for the Alchemy Hall Elders to compete against each other.
Alchemists were proud; they refused to acknowledge anyone as superior, each believing themselves to be the best.
The Modified Bone Cleansing Pill was special. So far, aside from Gu Feng, no one had successfully refined it. If they could be the first to refine it, wouldn't that prove their alchemy skills were the highest?
Thinking this, the Elder's heart burned with excitement, itching to flip through the "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills."
However, it was lecture time, and with so many eyes watching, if he were seen secretly reading a disciple's alchemy notes, he'd be the laughingstock.
"Why learn from a knockoff pill? If you don't want to study alchemy properly, get out!"
Facing the Elder's scolding, the disciple trembled, bowing and apologizing repeatedly, fearing expulsion.
"Where did you buy it?"
"Reporting to the Elder, I purchased it from a Qi Refining Realm cultivator named Chao Yuan."
"Hmph, don't let it happen again!" The Elder silently memorized the name "Chao Yuan" and then slammed the "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills" onto the ground.
The loud thud startled the other disciples, their hands subtly moving as if to hide something.
These actions, of course, didn't escape the Elder's keen eyes. His lips twitched, and his eyelids jumped. It seemed most disciples here had a copy of the "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills"!
He felt a pang of regret. Such a valuable resource, and he only found out about it now. Among the Elders, he considered himself well-informed. If he only just learned of it, many Elders were probably still in the dark.
"If this 'The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills' is genuine, I'll definitely be able to refine it following the steps. Then... hehehe!"
Thinking this, he couldn't wait any longer. With a wave of his hand, he declared: Self-study!
Then, he quickly disguised himself and dashed out to the Outer Sect in search of Chao Yuan. As he ran, he fantasized about showing off in front of the other Elders.
Similar scenes unfolded in various corners of the Alchemy Hall, like an invisible virus silently spreading to every disciple and Elder.
...
"Pfft—"
"Whoosh—"
"I can't take it anymore; I'm about to die from diarrhea!"
"There's definitely something in the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill that's beyond our current knowledge!"
"It seems, with our current alchemy skills, cracking this pill is nearly impossible."
"Now, there are only two options: First, call Gu Feng over to demonstrate the refining process on the spot. Only by sampling can we uncover its secrets. However, this method is out of the question—it's too embarrassing for the Alchemy Hall.
Second, directly change the Outer Sect rules to restrict the refining and sale of this pill. If the entire Outer Sect is plagued by diarrhea, the Sunset Glow Sect will become a laughingstock.
But doing this would not only upset Gu Feng but also the Body Tempering Realm disciples who've grown accustomed to the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill." Chief Elder Shen of the Alchemy Hall spoke gravely.
"Elder Shen, we could secretly compensate Gu Feng with some Spirit Stones. With Elder Liu mediating, he might not object. As for the Body Tempering Realm disciples, if we increase the production of the Bone Cleansing Pill, we might be able to pacify them!" Elder Zhao frowned.
"Refine the Bone Cleansing Pill? In the entire Outer Sect, aside from us Elders, only a few dozen disciples can refine it successfully. To match the production of the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill, we'd be worked to death!" one Elder objected.
With this, the Alchemy Room fell silent. The seven Elders, including Chief Elder Shen, all furrowed their brows.
Never had they imagined that a Mortal Grade pill created by Gu Feng, who wasn't even an Alchemy Hall disciple, would be so difficult to crack, let alone improve.
Anyone who took the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill would spend the next twelve hours in the bathroom, plagued by diarrhea. The entire Outer Sect reeked, yet the pill was undeniably effective. The Body Tempering Realm disciples' cultivation visibly improved, making it hard to resist.
With heavy hearts, Chief Elder Shen and his group left the Alchemy Room. Passing through the teaching area, they noticed an unusual phenomenon. The once bustling classrooms were now eerily silent, with all disciples burying their heads in small books on their desks.
The Elders who were supposed to be teaching were nowhere to be seen.
Normally, Chief Elder Shen would have been furious, but now, he lacked the energy.
"Everyone's been working hard lately. Take a break!" Chief Elder Shen said softly, looking at the pale, listless faces of the Elders.
"Elder Zhao, please accompany me to Elder Liu's place. We need to discuss how to handle the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill situation!"
Elder Liu was the Chief Elder of the Outer Sect, overseeing all Outer Sect affairs. Even without Gu Feng's involvement, this matter needed to be discussed with him for final approval.
...
At Elder Liu's residence in the Hall of Elders!
Elder Liu had also been troubled by the recent events in the Outer Sect. The reason he hadn't summoned Gu Feng was that he was waiting for the Alchemy Hall's report.
"Elder Shen, any progress on the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill?" As soon as the two arrived, Elder Liu greeted them eagerly.
"Hehe—" Elder Shen chuckled bitterly, shaking his head helplessly.
"Even you can't crack the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill?" Elder Liu asked in surprise, completely surprised.
If he recalled correctly, Gu Feng didn't seem to have much alchemy talent. How could a pill he created be so troublesome?
"Our Alchemy Hall has truly been outdone this time!" Elder Zhao's face was grim, only a bitter smile remaining.
"In that case, I'll summon Gu Feng to discuss this matter!" Elder Liu sighed, already imagining Gu Feng's smug face and outrageous demands. "That brat—"
Just as Elder Liu was about to send someone to summon Gu Feng, Elder Zhao's expression changed. He took out a communication token and whispered something in Elder Shen's ear.
"Is this true?" Elder Shen's spirits lifted.
"Yes! Many people have it!"
"Go borrow a copy and study it!" Elder Shen urged, then immediately stopped him. "No, don't borrow it—buy it! If word gets out that the Chief Elder of the Alchemy Hall is referencing the refining notes of a Qi Refining Realm cultivator, we'll be the laughingstock of the sect. We can't afford that humiliation!"
"Understood!" Elder Zhao nodded solemnly. Indeed, he too had a reputation to uphold and didn't want anyone to know he was studying the "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills." Even if he succeeded, it would leave him open to ridicule.
"Buy two copies. Gu Feng's materials are likely flawed. Don't place too much hope in them. What's truly useful is his live refining demonstration!"
"Got it. The 'The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills' is just the ticket. That brat Gu Feng is swindling money from our Alchemy Hall, thinking we can't refine his pill? How naive!" Elder Zhao muttered as he headed for the door.
Listening to their conversation, Elder Liu was utterly speechless.
Two high-ranking Elders of the Alchemy Hall were secretly buying Gu Feng's alchemy notes. This was unprecedented in the history of the Outer Sect's Alchemy Hall.
He instinctively felt this was a scam. That brat Gu Feng was up to no good again.
"Should I still summon Gu Feng?" Elder Liu tentatively asked.
"Hahaha, no need. Once Gu Feng finishes his live refining demonstration, this Modified Bone Cleansing Pill fiasco will be resolved without a doubt!" Elder Shen regained his confidence.
Before leaving, he added: "In fact, it might be resolved even before then!"
Elder Zhao worked efficiently. It didn't take long for him to purchase the "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills."
Thus, the two secretly entered the Alchemy Room and began following the steps in the book to refine the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill!
"Boom—"
"Bang—"
The Alchemy Room was filled with black smoke and blazing flames. The two Elders were thrown into disarray, their confidence shattered.
"That brat Gu Feng must be selling fake books! 50,000 Spirit Stones per copy? That's robbery!"
"Elder Shen, calm down. This is the ticket to Gu Feng's live refining demonstration. You can't throw it away!"
Similar scenes played out in various corners of the Alchemy Hall. Even with the "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills" as reference, no one succeeded.
Curses echoed in the hearts of every disciple and Elder.
In a cave residence within the Inner Sect, Yan Yexue clenched her teeth, her hand trembling as she held the "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills." The room was a mess, filled with pill residues and scorch marks.
"That scoundrel Gu Feng dares to sell fake manuals! And he has the audacity to prepare a live refining demonstration?"
Yan Yexue desperately wanted to crack the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill, then confront her younger sister and force her to stay away from Gu Feng.
To this end, she spent 200,000 Spirit Stones, buying forty bottles of the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill. She refined pills day and night while suffering from diarrhea.
Her spirit was broken, her eyes bloodshot, and she had lost weight.
After failing, she disguised herself and spent 50,000 Spirit Stones to buy a copy of the "The Complete Guide to Bone Cleansing Pills."
She thought that with this manual, refining the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill would be easy. Once she succeeded, she could improve it, then go confront Yan Xixi.
Instead, she was met with endless disappointment. For the first time, she felt powerless, helpless against a mere Modified Bone Cleansing Pill!
In her fury, she swallowed the remaining three Modified Bone Cleansing Pills in one go, only to realize her mistake afterward.
The Modified Bone Cleansing Pill, even for someone in the Innate Realm, could only partially counteract its effects.
Now she was in trouble. She quickly found a container, gritted her teeth, and squatted down. Sounds echoed through the cave:
"Rip—"
"Pfft—"
"Splash—"
Gu Feng had already taught the method of refining the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill without holding anything back, but so far, he had yet to hear of anyone successfully replicating it.
This left Gu Feng feeling quite frustrated. He genuinely hoped someone could refine the pill, preferably even eliminating its diarrhea side effect.
Only then could the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill be preserved for the long term.
"Sigh—I hope someone succeeds after this refining demonstration!"
With his head hanging low, Gu Feng arrived at the teaching venue prepared for him by Yan Xixi.
Upon entering, he was immediately stunned. The room was a sea of black, not because there were too many people, but because most of them were cloaked in black robes, their hats pulled down low, obscuring their faces.
"Xi Xi, is the black robe trend popular among the outer disciples now?" Gu Feng couldn't help but ask in surprise.
"I don't know either, maybe so!" Yan Xixi's lively eyes showed a hint of confusion, as she felt that a few of the figures seemed oddly familiar.
(End of the Chapter)
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