What age, Still practicing traditional herbal medicine

"Alchemy requires careful control of medicinal properties," Zhang DaoMing said in a lecturing tone, criticizing Chen Xia.

He had a point. Throughout history, no alchemist was known to concoct pills by stir-frying. How extraordinary Chen Xia was to be able to produce pills of the Dao with a rusted iron wok!

Holding the iron wok, Chen Xia raised his eyebrows indifferently. "What era is this still concocting traditional pills?"

Zhang DaoMing became anxious. "The medicinal materials this time are extremely precious. If I fail, my life will be completely ruined!"

"Don't worry," Chen Xia said grandly with a wave of his hand. "If it's destroyed, I'll compensate you."

"With what will you compensate me?!" Zhang DaoMing shouted, pointing at Chen Xia's nose.

"If you hadn't borrowed 10,000 Spirit Stones from me and not repaid me for 500 years, how could I have fallen into such destitution?!"

"Let's forget about that. I won't say much more. But now I'm asking you to produce a pill, yet you're so perfunctory. Do you want me to die?!"

Chen Xia frowned, stroked his cheek, feeling a little embarrassed. He had owed money for far too long. With a smirk, he consoled,

"Don't worry. When I make money in the future, I'll definitely pay you back double."

"I don't believe you," Zhang DaoMing said through gritted teeth. "If you don't concoct the pill properly for me today, I'll...I'll..."

He shouted twice but didn't come up with anything.

Just as Chen Xia opened his mouth to placate him again, Zhang DaoMing pointed at the Sword Sea and bellowed, "I'll jump from here into the Sword Sea!"

Oh, that's fine then.

Chen Xia felt relieved. After all, jumping into the Sword Sea wouldn't kill anyone.

After half a day of tug-of-war, Chen Xia finally agreed to use Zhang DaoMing's furnace to produce the Dao pill.

Zhang DaoMing was victorious over Chen Xia. His face glowed red, radiant and spirited.

Chen Xia followed behind, feeling this old guy seemed to have become mentally abnormal, probably stimulated by something.

"Have you seen Big Yellow Dog recently?" Chen Xia curiously asked.

"I saw it once a few years ago," Zhang DaoMing recalled. "At that time, it was in the Sword Forest, swinging a broom over its head, as if cultivating some Fury of Counterattack. I didn't really understand."

Chen Xia didn't understand either, but as long as he knew Big Yellow Dog was fine.

The two quickly reached Zhang DaoMing's cave without encountering anyone else.

"I've prepared the medicinal materials. You can start concocting directly," Zhang DaoMing said. At the same time, he looked at Chen Xia pleadingly, "Whether it succeeds or fails depends on this time. I've staked my life on you, so you must be serious!"

Looking at Zhang DaoMing, Chen Xia persuaded, "Although you don't have many years left to live, I still don't want you to gamble with your life."

"If I don't succeed again, I'll have nothing left but a rotten life. Mediocre in life and mediocre in death, I don't want to live anymore. Death would be liberation!" Zhang DaoMing said indignantly.

"Sigh." Chen Xia let out a breath. For the first time in alchemy, he felt a trace of pressure.

Luckily it was just a trace, so Chen Xia soon let go.

Life and death are predestined; wealth and honor are in heaven.

He was only responsible for concocting. Whether Zhang DaoMing lived depended on heaven's will.

Zhang DaoMing's eyes were slightly red. He handed the formula to Chen Xia and instructed, "You've produced Dao pills before, so I shouldn't say much..."

"Good, then don't say anything," Chen Xia interrupted directly, and started examining the formula in hand.

The pill to be produced this time was a low-grade Dao pill - the Great Mist Ice Pellet.

Its effect was to condense great mist profound ice within the body, considered one of the top attributes of the water element, and a favorite of many water-based tribes and cultivators.

But due to significant restrictions, it was only a low-grade Dao pill.

After Chen Xia read through the steps and felt they were correct, he confidently said, "Ignite the furnace."

Zhang DaoMing forcefully opened the furnace, igniting the flames within. The reddish flames illuminated his aged complexion, making him appear even more decrepit.

This was his last hope.

If he could not succeed, Zhang DaoMing did not want to live a life laden with debt either.

Not everyone could stand at the pinnacle looking down on others like Chen Xia.

The vast majority were looked down upon by Chen Xia.

Including Zhang DaoMing.

The only mistake he made in his life...

Was being mediocre.

The furnace had started concocting. Zhang DaoMing reacted, standing tensely on the side watching.

First the materials were added, then came the slow refinement with skills, very common methods. It was just that Chen Xia's skills were not very standard.

But the materials did not seem to be leaking, so it should be fine.

While adding materials, Chen Xia channeled the few hundred points accumulated in Blue Sky Sword Sea all into his luck.

This was alchemy of the new era!

Success depended entirely on luck. It emphasized relying on heaven for food.

After Chen Xia put all the materials in, the next step was to close the pill furnace and slowly refine it with flame and spirit energy.

This step tested skills and experience the most. The slightest mistake, even a tiny leak of spirit energy, would ruin this Dao pill.

Zhang DaoMing clenched his fists, extremely nervous, but thinking of Chen Xia having produced a Dao pill before, he felt it should be fine.

Chen Xia must possess the necessary skills and experience for alchemy, otherwise he could not have produced the high-grade Observing the Profound Elixir last time.

Zhang DaoMing let out a murky breath, about to urge himself to relax.

Suddenly, Chen Xia took out a spatula from his pocket.

What's the point of closing the damn furnace? Stir-frying was his Dao of alchemy!

Unable to become a pill if not following the steps?

How inconvenient the Dao of alchemy is!

The not-so-big spatula rudely entered the pill furnace, stirring the materials, starting to stir-fry.

Chen Xia held one corner of the furnace with one hand, occasionally tossing it up.

"Huff... huff..." Zhang DaoMing couldn't catch his breath. He directly fainted and fell flat on the ground.

At the instant Zhang DaoMing fainted.

The sky thundered violently.

Dense thunderclouds covered a range of kilometers in Blue Sky Sword Sea.

Many outer disciples looked over in shock and terror.

"It's Elder Zhang's cave. He succeeded at concocting!"

"What kind of pill could have such a terrifying phenomenon?!"

"Elder Zhang is so formidable?"

"..."

Discussions continued.

The thunder rumbled down aggressively like roaring cries.

It lasted thirty breaths.

"Old Zhang, Old Zhang, wake up. You don't have to die now," Chen Xia said with a smile.

Zhang DaoMing woke up in confusion, looking at the terrifyingly icy Dao pill in Chen Xia's hand. It seemed to stagnate, then he incredulously said,

"Success!"

He quickly shook his head again. His expression was even more shocked. "No, it's not the Great Mist Ice Pellet, but the Supreme Profound Ice Spirit Pellet, one level higher!"

Zhang DaoMing's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Chen Xia and asked,

"Did you completely change the medicinal properties?!"

This was like asking you to cook a fish stew.

The stew was stewed, and the taste was even better.

But the problem is...

Is crocodile considered fish?!

Only children say drink tea, adults say beverage.