For the moment, Lin Changheng suppressed the urge to launch a [Fire Bomb Skill] at the pond in the dead of night. Instead, he began circulating his Master Level [Flowing Fire Technique] and immersed himself in his cultivation.
He soon discovered that the efficiency of completing one full circulation had increased by a third!
The process of absorbing Fire Spiritual Power into his body had become much easier and simpler.
Furthermore, when he refined it, the energy was no longer difficult to command or circulate. It now flowed smoothly with his Cultivation Technique, being refined wisp by wisp into Magical Power.
This was a massive improvement.
Lin Changheng couldn't help but wonder, 'If someone had the aptitude of a Celestial Spirit Root, does Spiritual Qi just actively and automatically burrow into their body? Does it shamelessly race through their Qi Veins and meridians on its own, refining instantly upon contact?'
...
「The next morning.」
Lin Changheng rose early and went out into the courtyard.
Facing the morning sun, he formed a hand seal and cast the spell. A fist-sized ball of fire instantly materialized in his palm, its flames flaring.
The next instant, with a mere shift of his gaze, the ball of fire swelled without warning, stopping only when it grew to the size of a baby's head.
If anyone else had witnessed this, they would have been shocked enough to bite their own tongue off. 'How did he do that? Could that still be called a "Fire Bomb"? It's closer to a "Fireball"!'
The Fireball then abruptly shrank back to its original fist size, but its power had clearly intensified. Crackling with sparks like frying oil, it shot straight toward the pond.
"HISSS!"
The Fire Bomb whizzed through the air and exploded with a BOOM. A wave of crimson-orange fire, like the gaping maw of a savage beast, engulfed the area. The resulting sparks and vaporized water droplets carried a terrifying heat, enough to melt Gold and iron!
"The speed hasn't changed much, but the increase in power is plain to see!"
Lin Changheng felt a thrill of excitement.
What he didn't realize, however, was that with the boost to his Fire Control from the Second Layer Treasure Seed, the power of his technique now surpassed that of a [Fire Bomb Skill] at the Minor Achievement Level!
Meanwhile, in the neighboring residence, Su Shuangjiang—exhausted from Demon Hunting and deep in slumber—was jolted awake by the commotion.
She had clearly activated a Tier One Lower Grade [Sound Insulation Array], but it hadn't managed to block out the disturbance completely.
After a moment of assessment, she pinpointed the source of the commotion: her neighbor's courtyard.
'Was that Brother Lin? How did he do that...'
A flicker of astonishment crossed her beautiful eyes, and she was lost in thought.
...
Lin Changheng, oblivious to the surprise of his female cultivator neighbor, had already left home in his eagerness and arrived at the Xu Family's Pharmacy.
Inside the Alchemy Room, he was just about to light the furnace.
"Master Lin."
Seeing movement in the Alchemy Room, Xu Liucai hurried over, bowed respectfully, and prepared to wait outside as usual.
"Ah, Liucai," Lin Changheng said with a smile. "Yes, I've had a minor breakthrough with my Alchemy that I need to verify. You don't need to tend the furnace today. I'm giving you the day off, so feel free to use it as you wish."
"Thank you, Master Lin." Xu Liucai's face lit up. He immediately bowed and departed, remembering to close the door to the Alchemy Room behind him.
By now, Lin Changheng had already gathered his Heart and Spirit, his focus absolute. 'This time, I'll test the [Fire Control Anomaly Technique: Spiritual]!'
Once the furnace was searing hot, the alchemical ingredients went in...
Night fell, and the door to the Alchemy Room remained tightly shut, though no heat seemed to escape it.
Inside, Lin Changheng, his expression calm but with a trace of fatigue in his eyes, completed the final step of the Pill Formula.
"BUZZ..."
Five pills flew out in a single, connected stream.
A single glance was all it took for Lin Changheng's pupils to contract. Among the five pills, one was clearly different from the other four.
It was perfectly round, like a red jade, with what looked like Spiritual Light flowing across its surface.
He took a whiff. The medicinal fragrance was crisp and invigorating, its scent concentrated and long-lasting.
'A Masterpiece [Red Flame Pill]?'
The answer came to Lin Changheng naturally. The quality of this pill was so much higher than the Genuine [Red Flame Pills] he had refined before that there could be no other explanation.
'So it really was an issue with my Fire Control! I'd always thought my Alchemy steps and timing were flawless, yet I could never seem to reach the realm of creating a Masterpiece Pill. I've been puzzling over it for so long.'
'Now that my Fire Control has improved, I've actually refined a Masterpiece Pill!'
'Without the boost from the [Second Layer Fire Crow Treasure Seed], I would have had to grind away at my Fire Control technique for ten, maybe even dozens of years before I had a chance at this... Ink Master himself once said it took him twenty to thirty years of practicing Alchemy before he refined his first Masterpiece Pill.'
Lin Changheng's mind raced with a whirl of emotions, and a smile bloomed on his face.
Refining a Masterpiece Pill wasn't just a validation of his Alchemy Skill; it also meant a greater income of Spirit Stones and... another boost to the speed of his cultivation progress.
According to market prices, a Genuine [Red Flame Pill] sold for two Lower Grade Spirit Stones, whereas a Masterpiece [Red Flame Pill] could fetch three to four.
Loose Cultivators with low cultivation levels rarely bought them; they weren't the target demographic.
However, cultivators at the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation, as well as the junior members and disciples of some Cultivation Clans and Sects, would scramble to purchase them.
For the Middle Stage cultivators, this was because a masterpiece-quality Lower Grade Elixir was still effective for them, yet it was considerably cheaper than a Middle Grade Elixir.
As for the latter group, the clan and sect disciples, they favored them because the amount of Pill Poison in a Masterpiece Pill was negligible. It wouldn't harm their future cultivation path and could rapidly increase their cultivation level, making it a favorite for those who weren't short on Spirit Stones.
'From now on, I can take two Masterpiece Pills a month. My cultivation speed will increase by fifty percent!'
'In other words, in about two and a half more years, I can polish my current realm to the point of Perfection and break through to the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation.'
This reduction in time represented an expenditure of two to three hundred Spirit Stones.
'It's a good thing I can refine them myself. Otherwise, even if I had the Spirit Stones, I wouldn't know where to buy so many Masterpiece Pills!'
Lin Changheng shook his head and smiled.
Pills, Artifacts, Arrays, and Talismans—the foremost of the Hundred Skills of Cultivation. Alchemy was subtly regarded as the chief among them, and its immense value was demonstrated in moments like this.
...
Time continued to pass.
Lin Changheng continued to practice Alchemy in peace, stockpiling his Masterpiece [Red Flame Pills].
He didn't breathe a word to anyone about his ability to refine Masterpiece Pills; the news would be far too sensational.
Meanwhile, the changes occurring in the Purple River District had become impossible for any observant person to ignore.
Many of the powers that had set up shops in the Purple River District were scaling back their operations. Notably, even the district's owners, the Foundation Establishment Clan from Qingfeng Ridge, the Wang Family, were slowly withdrawing their forces.
One clear sign of this was the Wang Family's patrol force within the Marketplace; their numbers had dwindled, and the frequency of their patrols had decreased.
This, in turn, led to all sorts of rumors running rampant.
However, the collection of the "pioneering" tax, a levy for those seeking to avoid conscription, remained unchanged. Under the Wang Family's direction, it was launched and now proceeded in full swing.
After all, on the surface, this pioneering effort was led by the Upper Sect, the Purple Extreme Sect, and was touted as a selfless act for the benefit of all future generations!
It was intended to secure the future of the Song Territory's Cultivation Realm and open up new frontiers for all the world's cultivators. This was a grand, thousand-year plan, and all cultivators had a responsibility to contribute!
A cultivator could either participate in the pioneering effort and contribute their strength!
Or, they could pay the pioneering tax and contribute their wealth!
They had to choose one; otherwise, they would be condemned by the entire realm and targeted for joint extermination!
The dangers of this pioneering were also self-evident. The casualty rate for a "minor reclamation" was around ten percent, while for a "major reclamation," the rate climbed to nearly twenty percent!
But danger, as is often the case, also represented opportunity!
The rougher the seas, the more valuable the fish!
It was a chance for Loose Cultivators and clans alike to leap the Dragon Gate!