The result of Nie Kong’s fourth stage immediately sent ripples of excitement throughout the estate. While the ordinary or truly ignorant might not grasp the significance of an "eighty-five percent" refinement rate, to any Spirit Master with even a rudimentary knowledge of alchemy, this level of medicinal fusion was utterly astonishing.
The difficulty gap between refining a Spirit Medicine from raw herbs and refining one from two existing Spirit Medicines was a chasm. Producing an eighty-five percent pill using only herbs was not difficult. But synthesizing an eighty-five percent new medicine from two pre-made Spirit Medicines was a challenge comparable to achieving a fusion rate exceeding ninety-five percent when starting from scratch.
Moreover, before combining the ingredients, Nie Kong had ground the two "Bamboo Leaf Pills" into a fine powder, which introduced an immense layer of complexity to the spiritual fusion process.
The crowds within the estate gradually dispersed, and within half an hour, news of the grand Apothecary Competition’s progress was carried by word of mouth to every corner of Jiyang City.
On every street and in every alley, conversations centered on the six young Spirit Apothecaries who had advanced to the fifth stage, and among them, Nie Kong was undeniably the most captivating figure.
Gu Qi, who stormed into the fifth stage at the tender age of fourteen, Fourth Prince Cheng Zixuan, a Third-Grade Spirit Apothecary, along with Mu Xiaoling, Qu Xinyi, and Yu Qingguan, were all exceptional talents.
Had it not been for Nie Kong, they would certainly have been the main focus of attention, but now, overshadowed by him, their brilliance seemed somewhat dimmed.
Before the competition, virtually no one had paid Nie Kong any mind. Yet, he had erupted like a dark horse, presenting an astonishing display that stunned everyone. Consequently, the stories of Nie Kong’s past dealings within the Nie family were rapidly unearthed by Spirit Masters across the city through various means, leading everyone to realize just how well-known—or perhaps, infamous—Nie Kong already was in Jiyang City…
……
At noon, Nie Kong, the subject of all this talk, sat quietly in a small, secluded room on the fourth floor of the Spirit Treasure Pavilion. Surrounding him were various medicinal ingredients—some he had retrieved from his pet inventory, and others that Nie Xingyun and Lian Tianxin had procured on credit from the Pavilion.
Though the fourth-stage combination process had ultimately succeeded, Nie Kong and the little fellow were utterly exhausted. All they needed now was rapid recuperation.
Nie Kong circulated the Wood Sun True Spirit Art while chewing on medicinal herbs, his mind filled with longing for the "Coiling Serpent Blood Lotus" he had snatched from the giant snake's maw in the second layer of the Illusion Realm.
In this world, the most potent and pure essence of Wood Spirit Energy was not found floating in the void of heaven and earth, but concentrated within rare and precious medicinal herbs, such as the Coiling Serpent Blood Lotus or the Lightning Vine. Their medicinal fragrance could rapidly replenish Xiangxiang’s inherent medicinal power while simultaneously being absorbed and refined to enhance Wood Spirit Energy.
It was a pity that herbs of the Coiling Serpent Blood Lotus’s caliber were exceedingly rare. The entire Nie family possessed only one variety, the Lightning Vine, and while the Spirit Treasure Pavilion would have more, those were likely housed in the main branch in Luocheng. The stock in the Jiyang City branch could probably be counted on one hand.
From the morning until now, Nie Kong had consumed nearly three pounds of medicinal herbs. Although the power had been absorbed, the dregs remained heavy in his stomach, leaving him perpetually bloated, thereby eliminating the need for lunch. Nie Kong estimated he would need to consume at least another pound of herbs before the little fellow could fully regain his vigor.
“Creak.” A light sound came from the door, and a bald head peered in.
“Master?”
Nie Kong looked up with some surprise.
Nie Xingyun entered, hands clasped behind his back, a wide smile on his face. He sat cross-legged before Nie Kong. Just as Nie Kong was about to speak, the old man flicked his right hand, and a jade box radiating a soft purple light landed before Nie Kong. With a hint of pride, he asked, “Little fellow, look what I have here?”
“Lightning Vine?” Upon seeing the lightning-shaped purple herb in the box, Nie Kong couldn't help but exclaim, looking up at Nie Xingyun in genuine shock.
Nie Xingyun nodded. “That’s right, it is. Take it.”
Nie Kong was momentarily stunned. “For me? Master, didn’t you say you were saving it to refine the Sixth-Grade Spirit Medicine, the ‘Thunder Dragon Pill’? How come now…”
“Because you are my disciple!”
Nie Xingyun snorted. “After the fourth stage, your ‘Spirit God Three Apertures’ are completely drained. How long will it take to recover just relying on your Wood Sun True Spirit Art? Furthermore, you are a Wood Spirit Master; you can’t just ingest the specialized Spirit Medicines that girls like Mu Xiaoling can take for rapid energy restoration. I had no choice but to dig deep into my resources so you can recover quickly and fight for the win in this final stage.”
What the old man said was true. If Nie Kong hadn't used his restrained Spiritual Power as needles to execute the Nine Revolutions Golden Needle Technique at the critical moment of the fourth stage, he could have used the residual energy within his apertures as a guide to quickly restore his power. But now, the process was far more complicated.
After a moment of thought, Nie Kong shook his head. “Master, I cannot take this ‘Lightning Vine.’ I…”
“You what!”
The old man’s expression immediately darkened, his eyes wide. “If I tell you to eat it, you eat it! Stop being so wishy-washy. Humph, don’t think I don’t know you’ve been coveting this ‘Lightning Vine’ all along. Every time you enter the secret chamber behind the Alchemy Hall, your eyes always drift toward this box.”
Nie Kong managed a sheepish smile. The primary covetous party was certainly the little fellow, but he admitted he was a little tempted himself. However, he could swear that he only thought about it; he had never harbored the desire to claim it for himself like the little guy.
“Take it.” The old man pressed the box into Nie Kong’s arms and stood up.
“Master, then… thank you very much.” Nie Kong figured if he refused any further, the old man would surely reward him with a few sharp raps to the head.
“Haha, thank what? I’m counting on you to bring more honor to our Nie family!”
“…”
The door slammed shut.
Nie Kong stroked the medicine box, the cool chill seeping into his skin, filling him with a sense of complexity.
In his previous life, he disliked owing anyone favors for his actions. After arriving on the Tianling Continent, he had no intention of dedicating his entire life to serving the Nie family like his late father, Nie Qingyang, only to lose his life in the end. Therefore, he always planned to leave the Nie family with Hua Mei once his cultivation reached a sufficient level.
But now, Nie Kong realized the debts he owed were growing heavier. The family provided him benefits because they valued the strength he might bring them in the future, but Nie Xingyun and Lian Tianxin genuinely treated him as their true disciple, never harboring any thought of exploiting his value.
Could it be that in this lifetime, he was truly bound to the Nie family?
Nie Kong frowned slightly, eventually pushing the question aside. He opened the medicine box, and a thick medicinal fragrance flooded his senses. Nie Kong inhaled deeply, feeling as though a sweet elixir poured from his head and flowed out through his soles. The sensation of complete clarity and comfort made him hum involuntarily.
“Aiyaya, aiyaya…”
The little fellow was energized, like a cat that had just smelled fish. Its previously curved, soft stem instantly straightened rigidly, and its two drooping little leaves and listless tiny roots began to sway cheerfully, bouncing above the mass of dark green fluid.
This was truly a miraculous medicine!
Nie Kong felt his spirit lift, and some of his physical fatigue vanished instantly. Wasting no more time, he took the ‘Lightning Vine’ from the box, held it between his palms, and rapidly circulated the Wood Sun True Spirit Art. Strands of tangible medicinal power permeated from the outer skin of the ‘Lightning Vine’ and sank into Nie Kong’s palm…
……
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