Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 630 – The three alchemy recipes from Yuan Su

Yuan Su examined the medicine within the bottle, smelling its intoxicating fragrance. She looked up at Qing Shui happily. Her expression melted into a more relaxed and light-hearted smile.

“A person that is highly regarded by Sister Qing is indeed one of a kind. This is a surprise, you have impressed me.” Yuan Su smiled and passed the bottle of medicine back to Qing Shui.

“Since Miss Yuan trusts my ability now, can we start our discussion?” Qing Shui laughed and placed the bottle on the table.

“Of course. If I knew that you, sir, are so skilled at alchemy, I would have searched for you even without you coming here to find me.” Yuan Su replied while smiling.

“Fine, then let’s just lay our cards on the tables. I am in great need of a few of your precious alchemy recipes. It is ultimately your decision though. After all, you are backed by the Medicine Sect. How about this? I only want those alchemy recipes that are deemed ‘useless’ by the others. Will that be fine with you?” Qing Shui thought for a moment before stating his objectives directly.

“On the account of your relationship with Sister Qing, I trust you. Since you have been so frank, there will definitely be many chances that we can work together. No matter what it is, let’s just be open about it. I am a straightforward person” Yuan Su said delightedly in a relaxed manner.

“I’m glad to hear you say that. At the very least, we are both benefiting from this and our cooperation will be a win-win situation. Let me suggest something. You will provide the alchemy recipes and we can share the burden of getting the ingredients. Once the medical pills are made, we can split them 50:50. What is your opinion on this?” Qing Shui evaluated the situation. The pills are only for his own consumption and for the people around him anyway. Since he was not planning to sell any, he might at most use them to exchange for other items. He really did not need that many.

“Actually, I am not certain of your success rate. Take this ‘Vital Essence Pill’ for example. From the ingredients sufficient for ten batches, did you manage to create one or two batches?” Yuan Su asked after considering it for a moment.

“I have a fairly good success rate at doing this. I am usually successful 2 out of 3 times.” Qing Shui replied, while still concealing his actual yield. Achieving such a result was already impressive, there was no need for him to overwhelm her. Furthermore, he might be marked if he told the truth and there may be crazy people around who wanted to benefit off him. However, he couldn’t lie too much or it would be meaningless to negotiate.

“2 out of 3 times!” The usually calm and collected lady was extremely astonished. Qing Shui could see her set of pearly white teeth and delicate pink tongue as she opened her attractive little mouth. Her beautiful face and bright sparkling teeth were the greatest assets of this beauty.

“That’s great! We, the Medicine Sect, will provide all the ingredients needed. You can decide on the amount you want to create. Nevertheless, I’d hope that you would make an adequate amount. I am alright with the 50:50 split. It will not be a problem even if you get more and I get less.”

Yuan Su was totally honest with her words. This can only be blamed on the fact that no one in the Medicine Sect can successfully concoct any medicinal pill from her alchemy recipes. Even if Qin Shui’s success rate was 1 out of 10 or worse, she could not find any other outsiders to work with. She considered the advantages of working with this young man. Since his success rate was so terrifically high, even if the Medicine Sect provided all the ingredients and got a lesser percentage, they will still benefit a lot overall.

In any case, working together will be the best scenario for both of them. Since they both stood to gain from this cooperation, and because Di Qing was involved, the intelligent lady conceded.

Qing Shui was extremely pleased, noting that she was an intelligent woman. Sometimes taking a step back may not mean that one would lose more, at times, one can even gain more.

“You don’t have to be that generous, I do not need to use that much anyway. I will try my best to satisfy your expectations.” Qing Shui laughed, taking it as his promise.

Yuan Su beamed. She took out an embroidered box and opened it. Inside the box were three pieces of Beast Parchment. She took them out and passed them to Qing Shui, “Have a look. Do you have confidence?”

Qing Shui took them with a smile and nodded. He examined the first piece.

Yang Pellet!

Qing Shui did not look at the recipe in detail, instead looked at the effects first.

Increase one’s lifespan by 50 years!

That was equivalent to one Peach of Immortality. He had to admit that it was indeed a powerful recipe. He looked at the ingredient list casually and realized that there were many medicinal herbs that he had never even heard of, such as Pot Marigold, Starflower, 1000 Year Blue Three-Leafed Clover and 3000 Year Longevity Marigold.

Qing Shui placed the first recipe to the back and looked at the second recipe.

Pure Jade Pellet!

Again, Qing Shui skipped straight to the effects and saw two words: Counteracts poisons

After that, he went through the list of ingredients calmly while entertaining many other thoughts in his mind. He concluded that the potency of the Pure Jade Pellet must be quite extraordinary, since Medicine Sect had many other antidotes. In addition to that, he felt that the development of the Pure Jade Pellet must be connected to the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect. After all, other than the business-centric Medicine Sect, which other sect could easily suppress a sect like the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect which uses poison?

Actually, there was no distinction between the study of poison and medicine. All alchemist are able to concoct a few types of poison. It is just that the nature of alchemists who focus on poisons slowly changed. The thing is that all good alchemists are also outstanding Poison makers, otherwise they will not be able to develop antidotes. Only when one is familiar with the characteristics of the poison, can one discover the method to concoct the antidote. Of course, Qing Shui is an exception. As long as he had the alchemy recipe, be it any sort of elixir or poison, he would be able to successfully concoct them.

Similarly, the ingredients that were required for the Pure Jade Pellet were all extremely valuable. This was the reason he believed that the potency of the Pure Jade Pellet should match that of his Five Dragon Pellet — which was already very powerful.

“Miss Yuan, may I be so bold as to ask, what is the effectiveness of the Pure Jade Pellet if it is made?” Qing Shui had already decided that if the effects were not to his standard, he would not manufacture the Pure Jade Pellet, and instead focus on his Five Dragon Pellet.

“Fair. Most importantly, it can increase a person’s antibodies. After consumption, the user will be impervious to any sort of poison for 15 mins.” Yuan Su replied with a smile.

After Yuan Su’s sentence, Qing Shui was entirely convinced that this medicinal pill must be concocted. Even if it is just for that 15 mins of total poison immunity.

Qing Shui had spotted a type of saint-level detoxifying herb which could be considered a rare antidote. It was the Cold Jade Blue Lotus.

This was how he came to the conclusion that it should be as effective as his Five Dragon Pellet. Considering the effectiveness at counteracting poisons, the two medicines should be on the same level but the added effect of the Pure Jade Pellet was simply too amazing.

Qing Shui finally laid his eyes on the last recipe and was stunned.

Meridians Clearing Pellet!

Qing Shui knew immediately before even reading on that this medicinal pill was developed because Yuan Su, herself, had permanently blocked meridians. It was a pity that no one could successfully create it.

Effect: Clearing the body’s meridians.

The effects of the medicinal pills were all very concise. Qing Shui examined the herbs that were required. He realized that most of the medicinal herbs that were required were above two thousand years. There were a number of them which were as rare as the Cold Jade Blue Lotus.

“Actually, you won’t be able to use this medicinal pill even if it was created. Instead, it will harm your body.” Qing Shui said as he placed down the third alchemy recipe.

“I spent five years developing this alchemy recipe. As long as it is created, I am confident.” Yuan Su bid her lower lip lightly as she looked at Qing Shui.

“It has been so many years, do you still want to clear your meridians even now?” Qing Shui asked mildly. Last time, she mentioned that she did not hold much hopes. It now seemed that she in fact held a strong belief that it was possible.

“I had almost given up on it. Over the past few years, I tried to look around for many alchemists. They were all famous alchemists but time and time again they’ve failed. They declared that this was not a viable alchemist recipe. In the end, even I began to feel that the recipe was defective. After I found out that you are able to concoct the Vital Essence Pill, I suddenly started to hope again.” Yuan Su said truthfully, without masking the hope in her eyes.

“Aren’t you afraid that it will fail again?”

“There were so many failures, what is one more?” Su Yuan replied, regaining her usual composure.

“Even if the medicinal pill was successfully concocted, for others, it may be a incredible elixir. However, you won’t be able to use it. Your meridians are totally blocked, so it is impossible for the pill to be absorbed through your meridians, thus the medicinal effect will be released in your stomach. After a period of time, it will become extremely damaging to your stomach.” Qing Shui felt that it was important to explain this to her.

“Actually, I did try some normal meridian clearing medicines in the past. Just as you said, it was useless. Instead, it weakened my body to a point as though I suffered from a major illness.” Yuan Su explained, sighing.

“Then, do you still want to try this? You must know that the better a medicine is, the greater its efficacy. If it cannot interact properly to cure an illness, and the body is not able to reduce the effects, it will be extremely damaging for the body. It may even be life-threatening.” Qing Shui told her the truth, which Yuan Su should have already known. It was just that once a person stubbornly believed in something, it was difficult for them to change. Just like in his previous life, there were people who had impotency issues. Even though they knew that some drugs were unsafe, just like drinking poison to quench one’s thirst, they would still buy those expensive drugs.

Yuan Su fell silent. She was a rational and opinionated person. However, when it came to such matters, she would still feel hesitant.

“I have already consume all sorts of things. What is one more try?” Yuan Su gritted her teeth as she replied with uncertainty.

After finishing that sentence, she laughed and said, “Let’s talk about this after you created it. There is no point asking me to make such a difficult decision now.”

“Haha. You’re right. But I’d rather you consider this carefully.”

“Thank you! I will.”

Just when Qing Shui was about to stand up and leave, he paused for a while after looking at Yuan Su before he said, “If it fails again and you still want to try to clear your meridians, I actually have a method we could try. That’s if you are still up for it then.”

“What method?” Yuan Su asked with vigor in her eyes. She had already sensed Qing Shui’s brilliance so she trusted his words.

“I won’t say. This is a riddle I won’t share. It is only for people who are closest to me.” Qing Shui chuckled.

“Go. You won’t say yet you use it to tease me.” Yuan Su said with a light-hearted annoyance. She changed the subject, not wanting to continue because of Qing Shui’s words.

“We will be heading to the Di Residence soon and will stay there for some time. If you need me for anything, you can look for me at the Di Residence.” Qing Shui stood up and informed Yuan Su.

“Sure!”

Qing Shui took out four bottles of Vital Essence Pills and placed them on the table. “I’ll give these to you.”

“That’s generous?”

“This is not my generosity. It’s my principles. As long as you trust me, it will be fine.” Qing Shui laughed.

Before leaving, Qing Shui followed Yuan Su to the basement to collect the ingredients. These were ingredients that Yuan Su had collected, or rather the Medicine Sect had collected. In fact, Yuan Su had never stopped trying to make these medicinal pills.

Medicine Sect was a large sect and had a successful business. Their influence was also very huge. Among all the sects, their collection was astounding. Sects and clans that have gone through many generations are indeed a class above the others in such matters.

Qing Shui did not find it necessary to be modest. He stored everything he was given into the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal and bid Yuan Su farewell before leaving.

……

At the northeastern boundary of Seven Stars Country, there was a mountainous region that was about 1 million kilometers squares. Even though it is under the administrative region of Seven Stars Country, it was left undeveloped. There was no sign of human habitation there, with only Demonic Beasts, Poison Beasts and sparse vegetation here and there.

In the middle of this mountainous region, there were ten tall mountain peaks. The tallest peak in the center was surrounded by nine other shorter peaks forming the shape of a large lotus flower.