Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Alchemy King Zhuang Miao
What on earth is going on?
Why do Qin Lan and Li Huayuan appear so respectful towards Ji Chen, a known wastrel?
Could I be dreaming?
Old Chen frowned, unable to make sense of it.
...
However, Ji Chen and the others were clearly not going to provide any answers to his confusion.
At this moment, led by Qin Lan, the three of them arrived outside a certain room door at the back of a three-story pavilion.
"The Dan King wants to see me?"
Standing outside the door, Ji Chen learned this from Qin Lan and couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised.
Qin Lan spoke, "After all, Young Sect Leader was recommended by the two of us to participate in this assessment and has not truly passed the Alliance’s exam. The Dan King is aware of this, which is why he’s curious about you..."
Normally, such matters wouldn’t warrant the attention of the Dan King, but Qin Lan’s status is rather unusual.
Therefore, those he recommends gain the Dan King’s attention.
"It’s just a normal meeting, a casual chat. Young Sect Leader need not worry; the Dan King is a kind person without airs. I remember when I first joined the Alchemy Master Alliance, I received a lot of care from him," said Li Huayuan.
Ji Chen nodded, not feeling particularly nervous, just a bit taken by surprise.
However, since he was already here, there was no harm in meeting him.
Furthermore, he was somewhat curious about this Alchemy Dao figure.
After all, he was the only fifth-grade alchemist within the Chu Kingdom.
Soon, Qin Lan opened the door and led Ji Chen and Li Huayuan into the room.
Inside the room, an elderly man with white hair and beard was sitting at a desk, seemingly engrossed in reading some documents.
"Dan King, sir."
Qin Lan and Li Huayuan stepped forward, both respectfully cupping their fists.
Hearing the words, the white-haired old man slowly raised his head, then showed a faint smile, "You’ve arrived, this young friend..."
Saying this, he turned his gaze to Ji Chen, "It must be the person you recommended, right?"
"I am Ji Chen, greetings to Dan King," Ji Chen said, cupping his fists with composure.
"Young Ji Chen, even at such a young age, participating in our Alchemy Master Alliance’s first-grade alchemist assessment, truly promising." The Dan King laughed heartily, setting down what he was holding and guided Ji Chen and the others to sit by a nearby tea table.
Li Huayuan and Qin Lan appeared a bit uneasy. After all, before them was a titan of Chu Kingdom’s Alchemy Realm. Though they had had contact with him multiple times, they couldn’t maintain their usual composure in the face of his identity and status.
Ji Chen, on the other hand, appeared much more at ease, not showing any sign of nervousness.
In his past life, as a Pill Saint, a mere fifth-grade alchemist was not even qualified to be his medicine boy.
"Your name, young friend, sounds somewhat familiar. Have I perhaps heard it somewhere before? Are you perhaps a disciple of a renowned peer?"
Soon after sitting down, the Dan King couldn’t resist his curiosity and inquired.
He indeed felt the name Ji Chen was familiar but couldn’t recall where he heard it.
He assumed Ji Chen might be a disciple of some Alchemy Master, which was why he had an impression of the name.
Ji Chen chuckled, "My name as a wastrel is almost universally known in the Chu Kingdom. Although you, Dan King, are busy with many duties, you may have occasionally heard it mentioned, which is why it sounds familiar."
"Name as a wastrel?"
Hearing this, the Dan King was momentarily stunned, somewhat perplexed.
Li Huayuan laughed and then explained, "Dan King should know, I am currently an honored guest alchemist of the Lingyun Sect, and this young friend Ji Chen is our Lingyun Sect’s Young Sect Leader..."
"Oh?"
Upon hearing this, the Dan King seemed to suddenly understand, as if remembering something.
He looked at Ji Chen again, surprised, "So, you are the Young Sect Leader Ji Chen of the Lingyun Sect?"
"If there isn’t a second Lingyun Sect in the Chu Kingdom, then the person you refer to is likely me," Ji Chen said, stroking his chin.
"Haha..."
Upon hearing this, the Dan King laughed, his gaze becoming quite curious, "They say Lingyun Sect’s Young Sect Leader is the number one wastrel in the Chu Kingdom. I never expected you to know alchemy, and now you’re about to participate in our Alchemy Master Alliance’s first-grade alchemist assessment. Such news would likely be hard to believe if spread around."
"Since you were recommended by Qin Lan and Li Huayuan, I won’t question it. However, I am curious, so I want to test your knowledge in Alchemy Dao." He said this.
Ji Chen said, "Feel free to ask whatever you like."
"Among the most common first-grade elixirs, there is one called ’Qi Refining Pill’. Can you list the required herbs for concocting this pill and briefly explain the process?"
After all, considering Ji Chen was participating in the first-grade alchemist assessment, the questions naturally had to be related to first-grade elixirs.
Strictly speaking, the Qi Refining Pill is the most common first-grade elixir, one that almost every newcomer to alchemy first encounters and attempts to concoct. Such a question would not pose a difficulty to anyone qualified for the first-grade assessment.
Ji Chen smiled and then spoke, "There are thirteen kinds of herbs required for the Qi Refining Pill, namely Sea Spirit Flower, Illusion Wind Grass..."
"The concoction process varies from person to person. Those with strong spiritual power can place all herbs into the pill furnace simultaneously, using high heat to refine them into liquid for fusion. Those with weaker spiritual power need to refine the herbs sequentially..."
What he mentioned were the most basic aspects of concocting the Qi Refining Pill.
Of course, Ji Chen had only learned about this particular pill from Li Huayuan and had never actually concocted it.
In his previous life, the world was different, and naturally, the first-grade elixirs were different as well.
After Ji Chen’s explanation, Li Huayuan and the others exchanged glances but did not speak.
"What’s wrong? Is there something incorrect in what I said?" Ji Chen was taken aback by their reaction.
He was extremely confident in his alchemical knowledge, believing that by understanding one or two aspects, he could fully infer the required herbs and methods for concoction.
He believed his explanation was accurate.
The Dan King then spoke, "What you said, young friend... isn’t wrong, but it differs from what I know. The Qi Refining Pill should require twelve herbs, but you mentioned an additional herb called ’Hidden Spirit Grass’."
The Qi Refining Pill, as the most common first-grade elixir, aids in cultivation, similar to the Qi Gathering Pill.
However, its effects are far inferior, and there is no real comparison between the two.
Ji Chen spoke, "Hidden Spirit Grass grows at the peak of high mountains, absorbing a small amount of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi each day, barely qualifying as a noble herb. Most people use it when concocting second or third-grade elixirs, but in fact, when concocting the Qi Refining Pill, this herb can also be added."
"Moreover, adding this herb can greatly enhance the resulting Qi Refining Pill’s effect and other attributes."
Hearing this, the Dan King shook his head in disagreement, "Each elixir must be concocted as per the pill formula. To my knowledge, no Qi Refining Pill formula includes Hidden Spirit Grass. Did you add it yourself, young friend?"
"I did add it myself." Ji Chen nodded, not denying it.
"Then it’s no wonder."
The Dan King smiled, "Your idea is unique, young friend, but alchemy is very meticulous. Randomly adding other herbs often leads to side effects."
Ji Chen remained silent. Given his understanding of alchemy, he was confident that this method was feasible.
However, since the Dan King didn’t believe it, he didn’t bother to explain further.