Ziju Min was rather surprised to hear the stone door to the secret room open. It couldnât have been more than ten hours since Shao Yuan started. Had he finished refining the pills? Or had he failed?
It defied logic for a pill of such importance to be refined in less than a day. It had to take more than a couple days, surely!
It didnât bode well for the process to end so soon. Ziju Min shot to his feet and hurried to the door.
Jiang Chen walked out after refocusing his mind. He was met by a concerned Ziju Min.
âWhy have you come out already, Shao Yuan?â the pill sovereign asked without ceremony, his tone anxious. âDid something go wrong?â
Jiang Chen smiled. âNo, everything went very smoothly, which is exactly why I came out earlier than expected.â
His words sounded as an explosion in Ziju Minâs head. He felt almost woozy. That was it? The pill had been refined successfully just like that?
The time it took was so short that it surprised and befuddled him.
Seeing was believing. Jiang Chen placed an exquisite pill bottle on a table nearby.
âPlease take a look, Elder Ziju. Itâs my first attempt, so the efficiency wasnât particularly high. Only nine pills were yielded.â
Ziju Min was ecstatic. âThatâs more than enough. The yield exceeds my expectations! I thought youâd failed when you came out after such a short period of time.â
Jiang Chen smiled slightly, covering his satisfaction. In truth, the refining process had gone unusually well, yielding fifteen pills, but he felt that he deserved some reward for his hard work. He kept six for himself and handed Ziju Min nine. But even that was more than Ziju Min couldâve hope for.
Jiang Chen wondered if heâd been too generous when he saw the wide smile on Ziju Minâs face. The pill sovereign would probably be just as happy presented with five or six pills. He wasnât going to become greedy, though.
Six pills were more than enough for him. This wouldnât be the last time he refined the Taiyi Skymender Pill. There had been three Taiyi Dragonscale Fruits in the sacred land.
The other two would be delivered to him sooner or later. He could keep some for himself then. He was partial to the Taiyi Skymender Pill, but he didnât have the resources to refine any in the human domain.
Aside from the Taiyi Dragonscale Fruit, even the supplemental ingredients would take great effort to collect, and there was no guarantee he would find them.
Such were the perks of staying on Myriad Abyss Island. There were a lot of resources, and they fell into his lap without much work on his part. Itâs actually quite nice to let my pill dao talent shine every once in a while, huh!
If heâd kept his talents hidden, he wouldnât be given the opportunities to refine and keep so many pills.
Ziju Min considered the Taiyi Skymender Pill, his expression growing increasingly serious. The more he looked, the more he believed that the pill was close to perfection.
He sighed. âI didnât believe that the two pills you mentioned existed, Shao Yuan, but it seems I was the oblivious one here. This pill far surpasses anything Iâve seen in my life. Itâs not a scam. Its energy alone is awe-inspiring.â
Even without knowledge of how the pill was refined, he was able to appraise it. The color, runework, and presence it brimmed with were more than enough to convince him that the pill would live up to its name.
Jiang Chen smiled. âI wasnât exaggerating when I talked about its effects, Elder Ziju. For some geniuses, the effects may turn out even more impressive than what I described.â
Ziju Minâs face lit up in joy. âGood, good. If you donât mind, Shao Yuan, Iâm going to take the pill to the three primes. With their help, itâll be easier to collect the ingredients for the Crowning Empyrean Pill. They have more connections and resources than I do.â
Jiang Chen chuckled. âOf course I donât mind. Iâm honored that the first prime has been so supportive of me. Itâs only right that I should give her something to earn her trust.â
Ziju Min was pleased with Jiang Chenâs tactful response. Without hesitation, he took the pill to the three primes.
The three primes were also surprised that the Taiyi Skymender Pill had been finished in such a short time. Shao Yuan was more efficient than they had ever expected.
The first prime laughed. âThat young man sure is driven,â she said before taking the pill from Ziju Min. âWhat a surprise that the pillâs refined already! Elder Ziju, youâve seen the pill yourself. Whatâs are impressions?â
Ziju Min responded honestly, âThis subordinate wouldnât claim to be observant, but in my opinion, the pillâs more remarkable than I expected. Please have a look yourselves, Your Excellencies.â
He presented the pill respectfully to three expectant primes. Their merry eyes turned surprised and thoughtful once they took the pill. Its appearance alone was enough to win their approval.
âGood,â complimented the first prime. âI can see immediately that itâs a fine pill.â
âYouâll be even more surprised when you inspect it closely,â Ziju Min prompted, subtly praising the pill. He could, on good conscience, talk the pill up to his heartâs content. It deserved any praise he could think of.
The three primes reacted the same way Ziju Min had. Solemnity descended and their eyes lit up more and more.
At the end, the first prime slapped the table and exclaimed, âExtraordinary! My pill dao is mediocre at best, but I know a good pill when I see it. This one is flawless, truly flawless. What say you, gentlemen?â added the first prime.
âItâs indeed a remarkable achievement,â said the second prime. âBut how could Shao Yuan refine a pill of such energy in such a short time? Isnât that a little hard to believe?â
âThatâs right.â The third prime echoed his worry. âElder Ziju, are you sure that Shao Yuan was the one who refined the pill?â
âThis subordinate can guarantee that it was him. There is a trace of the Taiyi Dragonscale Fruitâs energy left in the pill. I left my unique mark on the fruit. So yes, I am sure. Moreover, I can feel that the pill has just been refined. Thatâs something no one can fake.â
Ziju Min was an authority figure in pill dao after all. He wasnât old or decrepit enough that heâd be tricked by a preexisting pill.
The three primes nodded earnestly.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
The first prime couldnât be more pleased. âElder Ziju, Shao Yuan keeps on surprising us. We canât possibly not support him now, can we?â
Ziju Min smiled. âI dare not say so, but Shao Yuanâs talent in pill dao is beyond my imagination. Even if I knew the recipe and method for refining the Taiyi Skymender Pill, it would be almost impossible for me to refine it in only a few hours. His foundation in pill dao is much more solid than I expected.â
âAre you confident that heâll be able to complete the mission?â
âIâve been confident in him since he took the mission,â admitted Ziju Min. âHowever, as an elder of the sacred land, I couldnât show my support too enthusiastically, or my objectivity may be questioned.â
The three primes broke into laughter.
âYou donât have to restrain yourself anymore, Elder Ziju,â the first prime said with a smile, her tone relaxed. âThis seat hereby authorizes you to provide any support Shao Yuan asks for. Weâll also spare no effort in holding a pill dao festival. The Taiyi Skymender Pill more than justifies it. Everyone in the Myriad Abyss pill dao community is greedy. Once they see the pill for themselves, itâs impossible for them to turn us down.â
Ziju Min perked up. âWhat do you mean exactly, First Prime?â
âGive Shao Yuan the remaining two Taiyi Dragonscale Fruits and ask him to refine more pills, Elder Ziju. The more, the better. In two days, I will send out my confidantes to the other divine nations with the pills. Do you think our friends from different nations will be willing to trade a pill with a Taiyi Dragonscale Fruit?â
Ziju Min smield. âOf course they will. The pill is a gamechanger. They wonât be able to resist their curiosity.â
âYes, we want them curious,â the first prime responded confidently. âOnly then will they put aside their pride and come to the pill dao festival. Wouldnât you agree?â
Ziju Min nodded emphatically. The first prime was being much more thorough than he had been. Her plan was well thought out. Theyâd be able to promote the pill and attract peopleâs attention at the same time, making them curious.
No pill dao figureheads from the greatest factions of the Ten Divine Nations could resist such a perfect pill. Theyâd all come to the festival.
There was one thing the first prime was worried about. âElder Ziju, I have a concern. If we trade them the pill, will they be able to figure out the recipe?â
Ziju Min contemplated for a short while before shaking his head decisively. âThatâs impossible. If people could figure out the recipe of any pill simply by studying it, everyone would be a pill god.â
He was an expert in the field and knew the possibility of that happening was slim. Even if someone did figure out the recipe, it would most likely take them a lifetime to successfully refine it.