Chapter 123: Bleeding Out
A single One Star Alchemist Ability Book was sold within the system store for five hundred act tough points.
Although it was extremely expensive, it was worth it. The reason is because the ability book guarantees a 100% success rate on pill refining for One Star Pills.
This means that when it comes to One Star pill refining, the failure rate is zero and no pills would be wasted while in the refining process.
Although One Star Alchemists are of the lowest ranks of Alchemists within the cultivation world, there are extremely few of them in existence. Hence, even the lowest ranking Alchemists hold lofty statuses. And none of these One Star Alchemists can guarantee a 100% success rate when it comes to refining pills. Even if they manage to attain Five Star or Six Star rankings, there would still be a chance that they might get distracted while refining the simplests pills and fail or create a low quality pill.
Once, a Nine Star Alchemist was teaching and helping a disciple to refine a One Star Pill. While he was busy at work, he made a small error while controlling the furnace. As a result, half the entire batch of pills were failures and went to waste. However, that didn’t cause respect for him to decline. In fact, he was still widely revered and admired since everyone understood that mistakes happened and that nobody could achieve a 100% success rate.
Hence, with such an example, even Nine Star Alchemists wouldn’t be able to confidently say that they can attain 100% success rate when it came to refining pills!
However, with this particular One Star Alchemist Ability Book, Xu Que didn’t have to waste time practicing and could boast that he had a 100% success rate. This caused the disparity between him and other Alchemists to be very obvious.
That’s why when Xu Que stumbled upon the "Two Star Alchemist Ability Book" price, he was excited beyond words.
[Two Star Alchemist Ability Book]:
After purchasing and activating, it would cause the user to attain Two Star Alchemist Ranking. He would be able to refine Two Star Pills at a 100% success rate!
Price : 1500 act tough points.
"Screw this!" Xu Que’s lips curled into a snarl. Compared to the One Star Alchemist Ability Book, this Two Star Book was more expensive by a thousand act tough points.
However, while gritting his teeth, Xu Que still purchased the Two Star Alchemist Ability book.
Xu Que knew that he would require several Vitality Pills and Circulation Pill in order to successfully make it through the Tribulations. These concoction could only be refined by a Two Star Alchemist and was thus naturally expensive.
Xu Que knew about the Vitality Pills and how precious they were. Some time ago, Sun Jue Li or Elder Sun of Celestial Sect had used a single Vitality Pill to convince the Sect Leader of Fallen Spirits Sect to attack Pan Shan Village. This showed its worth and value.
As for the Circulation Pill, it was used to recuperate and heal by improving blood circulation. To an Original Infant Stage Cultivator, owning a single Circulation Pill was akin to having a second life.
Su Ling’er also knew that she needed these two pills when it came to the Thunder Tribulations Worship.
The Vitality Pill was used to maintain and regain Soul Strength, while the Circulation Pill was used to recuperate and heal up. These pills were extremely important to her and to Xu Que, who had his own Tribulations to worry about.
Xu Que was unclear on how much difficulties he would face while facing the tribulations. He also didn’t know if his Spirit Visage Armour would be able to withstand the Tribulations all the way to the end. So, he felt the need to prepare some pills for himself.
However, the pill which he needed wasn’t the Vitality Pill nor was it the Circulation Pill. In fact, it was another type of rare pill.
When it came to regaining his Soul Strength, he could use Smelly Tofu to help him in that aspect. As for healing and circulation of blood, he could use the System’s healing function to aid him.
What he truly wanted to refine was the Lightning Evasion Pill!
[太清避雷丹]:
Lightning Evasion Pill :
Two Star Ranked. This pill was first refined during the ancient days and is considered a mythical pill. After consuming, it can improve physical toughness and reduce the effects of lightning during the Heavenly Tribulations. In fact, whenever lightning strikes the user, he can borrow the strengths of the lightning to refine his own body, and make himself stronger.
Cost: 200 act tough points.
Although this pill did belong to the cultivation realm, it was a lost art since almost nobody around knew how to refine it anymore.
Just a single Lightning Evasion Pill was sold for a high price of 200 act tough points.
And the recipe for the Lightning Evasion Pill costed 1000 act tough points.
Xu Que knew that he would have to face the Tribulations several times over the course of his life. Hence, without much hesitation, he purchased the recipe.
Along with the Two Star Alchemist Ability Book, Xu Que had spent 2500 act tough points just like that. The feeling was comparable to losing a large amount of blood.
However, he didn’t regret his purchase. Neither did it cost him any heartache. Afterall, the act tough points were there for him to become stronger.
Xu Que had a feeling that this particular Heavenly Tribulations wasn’t going to be simple. Hence, he knew that he had to refine this Lightning Evasion Pill to go along with his Spirit Visage Armour. Only then would he be confident about his preparations.
"Ding! Congratulations to hots ‘Xu Que’ for activating the Two Star Alchemist Ability Book. You have ascended the realms of the Two Star Ranked Alchemist!"
"Ding! Congratulations to host ‘Xu Que’ for activating the Lightning Evasion Recipe. You have successfully grasped the methods of refining it."
...
Feeling the beeps go off in his head and surge of knowledge flooded into his mind, Xu Que fell backwards onto his soft king sized bed while a smile lingered on the corners of his lips.
At this point, his disguise had worn off. The system thus started deducting 1 act tough point for every hour in which Xu Que was still in his disguise. He didn’t care too much about it as he closed his eyes and started drifting into deep sleep.
"Boom boom boom!"
"Boom doom boom!"
After some time, Xu Que heard someone knocking on his door and woke up.
Slowly opening his heavy eyelids, he waved a hand casually as the door opened.
"Sun Wu Kong, come with me."
The second the door opened, an anxious sounding Yun’er could be heard. However as she was speaking, the words seemed to get stuck within her throat.
Yun’er stared wide eyed, mouth gaping into the luxurious room which Xu Que was residing in. She was so stumped that she couldn’t speak.
"Ding! Congratulations to host ‘Xu Que’ for successfully acting tough. The reward is 50 act tough points!"
Hearing the notification in his head, Xu Que immediately became alert.
I could even act tough just like that? Yun’er must’ve seen how suave I am after waking up huh?
"Yun’er, what’s the matter? Where would you like to go? Is it time to eat yet?" Xu Que asked out happily.
Yun’er didn’t reply as a look of disbelief swept across her face while she glanced at the luxurious furniture spread out across the room. She then spoke out in envy, "Sun Wu Kong, this... Where did you get all these from? They are so pretty..."
Xu Que’s expression froze. He then realized that he managed to earn the act tough points because of the furniture instead of how handsome he was!
But that didn’t matter. All the furniture added up only costed two or three act tough points. And now he had earned 50 act tough points just like that. He was making huge profits!
He smiled, causing his eyes to disappear, "You like it? Don’t worry. I’ll be gone in a few days, I can give them all to you then."
"Wa, are you for real?" Yun’er was clearly elated as she beamed at him.
"Of course. I, Xu... No. I am the equal to heaven, the Great Sage. Whatever I say counts. I can easily conjure furniture like these effortlessly. Just a snap of my fingers and I can create several thousands. You can have this entire set, it’s no big deal." Xu Que replied benevolently.
"That’s wonderful. Thank you, Sun Wu Kong." Yun’er looked extremely touched.
"Wait a second. Giving you all these furniture is not a problem at all. But you have to promise me something!"
"What is it?"
"From now on, you have to refer to me as the Great Sage." Xu Que spoke out confidently.
Yun’er paused before breaking out into a smile and nodding her head profusely, "Fine, fine. Great Sage. The equal to Heaven..."
"Ding! Congratulations to host ‘Xu Que’ for successfully acting tough. The reward is 40 act tough points!"
Xu Que revealed an extremely glad smile. He had earned points just like that!
"Oh yes, I almost forgot. Hurry and come with me to the Pill Refining Room. If not, Xiao Yu will throw another tantrum." At this point, Yun’er seemed to have recalled something and hurriedly spoke out.
"Right, pill refining!"
Xu Que looked outside and realized it was the morning of the second day. He hurriedly jumped off the bed.
One should never be late for his first ever experience of pill refining!