Sha Chen was unaware of the thoughts running through Red Boy’s mind. Otherwise, he would surely have cried out, "Unfilial son, behold my sword!"
Red Boy, on the other hand, was considering helping his adoptive father sell the Elixirs to alleviate the awkward predicant of his adoptive father’s lack of clothing and food. As for how to sell them, could his adoptive father possibly know better than him? No one understood buying and selling better than Red Boy himself. As he pondered this, he was almost moved by his own thoughts.
I am truly a filial son, considering my adoptive father’s needs so thoroughly.
Sha Chen, anwhile, began his Alchemy. Although he had so reserves, their quantity was too small. Since Red Boy had a way to sell them, he simply decided to produce more. He brought out the special dicinal ingredients he had accumulated over more than a hundred years and, according to the listed thods in the Dan Scripture, began the Refining process. It wasn’t just Healing Pills he made—so Elixirs were also beneficial for soul injuries and could promote the Cultivation of those with special constitutions, offering nurous effects and a variety of kinds. However, Sha Chen mainly refined the more sought-after items. Finding specific custors for those Elixirs needed by special constitutions was too difficult. For this reason, he didn’t want to waste too much ti on them.
Making so quick profit is enough.
Red Boy had given him so resources, all of which he used to craft specialized Elixirs. Among them were so that could increase one’s Cultivation level and physical strength; he also refined these into specialized Immortal Pills. However, these weren’t for sale but for his own consumption.
In the past, he didn’t understand Alchemy and would simply swallow the Divine Grass and Immortal Herbs to refine them. Even though he possessed the Divine Power of voracious consumption, he ultimately couldn’t fully exploit the dicinal effects of the Immortal Herbs. Even when his body and ridians absorbed them, there would be rejection. The potency of Immortal Herbs and Immortal Elixirs was fierce, not only difficult to absorb but also quite overpowering, often causing damage to the body. Once refined into Immortal Pills, these worries disappeared. And they could even promote absorption, speeding up the Refining process.
For example, Refining a single Taiyi Golden Elixir might require dozens of kinds, hundreds of different Immortal Herbs and Immortal Elixirs. If he were to consu all these Immortal Herbs and Immortal Elixirs, first, he wouldn’t be able to fully absorb their potency. Secondly, to consu and refine all of them would require a massive amount of ti. The faster process might take several months. A slower process might take years, or even decades or centuries; it was all possible. However, swallowing and Refining a single Immortal Pill might only take about ten days to a couple of weeks to completely exhaust its effect. This was unless one’s body couldn’t withstand the imnse dicinal power and had to store it within the blood and flesh, awaiting a chance to refine it. Otherwise, the rate at which Immortal Pills were refined was many tis faster than that of Immortal Herbs and Immortal Elixirs.
This was why Sha Chen went out of his way to specifically refine Elixirs for Cultivation, not only for perfect absorption of dicinal potency but also to accelerate his Cultivation speed. Observe how Sun Wukong, after consuming so many of the Immortal Pills refined by the Old Sage, dramatically accelerated his Cultivation speed. If he were given an enormous amount of Divine Grass and Immortal Herbs to consu, he might not be able to withstand the overwhelming dicinal power. Nor might he be able to absorb and refine them so quickly.
As Sha Chen was Refining Immortal Pills, Red Boy observed from the side, filled with imnse admiration. "My adoptive father is truly remarkable, able to refine all sorts of Immortal Pills with such ease," Red Boy marveled. He stroked his chin, frowning. I wonder if he could refine so poison pills—maybe I should just poison that woman to death.
「Half a year passed.」
Sha Chen was still Refining Elixirs, and his control over the Fire Control Divine Skill had beco flawlessly exquisite. Compared to the water manipulation ability he enhanced with the Gong Gong Essence Blood, it was equally impressive. Red Boy witnessed firsthand how Sha Chen’s fire control ability rapidly improved until it was no less than his own. Moreover, he was sure that as Sha Chen continued Alchemy, his fire control would beco even stronger and eventually surpass him. Thus, during this ti, Red Boy had been diligently mastering the 72 Polymorphic Transformations and continually tempering his Samadhi True Fire.
Sha Chen assigned him to assist in Alchemy, giving him the role of a fire control servant. After all, since the lad wished to enhance his fire control ability, it was better to put it to use in Alchemy than to have him aimlessly burn barren ground.
Free labor, why not use it? Sha Chen thought.
Red Boy was hoping for exactly this. Delighted beyond asure, he even thanked Sha Chen profusely.
I’ve roped in a strong youngster, and he’s even profoundly grateful to , Sha Chen chuckled inwardly.
In the following year, the efficiency of Sha Chen’s Alchemy greatly increased. After all, with a free fire control servant, he could save a lot of ti and effort. The quality of the Immortal Pills that ca out of his furnace had also improved, and their number had increased even more. However, ti was ultimately too short; to produce even more Immortal Pills, more ti was needed. Furthermore, more materials were necessary. Sha Chen had already refined everything he had stored up, as well as what Red Boy had given him, leaving hardly any materials left to make Immortal Pills. Now, he sowhat blad himself for not having planted more Immortal Herbs that could be used for Alchemy.
Seeing Sha Chen finally taking a break, and knowing his own fire control ability was on the verge of reaching the next level but now had to stop, Red Boy beca anxious. "Adoptive father, continue Refining Elixirs! If I control fire for three more years, I can master the Samadhi True Fire to Great Accomplishnt!" Red Boy urged. Red Boy was extrely anxious. Alchemy could make his fire ability stronger, and he could hardly wait.
Sha Chen said, "I would like to, but even a skilled cook can’t cook without rice. We can’t refine Elixirs without Immortal Elixirs; we’d just be refining for nothing."
Red Boy’s eyes lit up. "Adoptive father, I still have so savings! Let’s use it all for Alchemy!" Then he took out a Qiankun Bag he had kept, turned it over, and a mountainous pile of Cultivation resources tumbled out. Various Immortal Herbs and Divine Grass, as well as nurous Magical Tools, were countless, piled up like a mountain. Clearly, what he had kept back was several tis more than the welco gift he had given Sha Chen initially.
Sha Chen rolled his eyes. Sneaky kid, hiding quite a lot.
Red Boy felt a bit embarrassed. He thought that having Sha Chen help him with Alchemy was so exhausting; he just couldn’t bear it. He said, "Adoptive father, all these materials are mine. It’s tiring for you to make Immortal Pills out of them; I can’t let you toil so much." After thinking it over, he said, "How about this: of the Immortal Pills that are refined, half will belong to adoptive father, and I will take the other half."
Sha Chen’s breathing beca heavier for a mont, his eyes lighting up. He had been eyeing these materials from the beginning, wondering how he could get Red Boy to cough up so of them. I don’t need much; if Red Boy gives up two or three-tenths, I’ll be content, he thought. To his surprise, Red Boy was so magnanimous that he offered to split half with him without any prompting. If Red Boy hadn’t already acknowledged him as his father, Sha Chen might have wanted to perform a blood oath ceremony with him right then and there.
Such loyalty! Sha Chen thought. As for the Alchemy, what’s that to ? It’s just a simple effort. Moreover, Alchemy can hone one’s Primordial Spirit and fire control abilities, which is also a form of discipline for one’s willpower. It’s also an essential part of my daily Cultivation routine; I couldn’t wish for more opportunities to practice Alchemy.
Sha Chen patted Red Boy’s shoulder and said, "Boy Sage, you know that Alchemy is tiring and greatly depletes the spirit. It’s only because it’s you; if it were anyone else, I wouldn’t agree even for eighty percent of the product."
Red Boy was imdiately filled with gratitude. "I also felt that I gave too little to adoptive father, but I also need to cultivate and take so back to honor my parents, so please forgive my selfishness."
Sha Chen laughed. "You are a filial child; I couldn’t be happier." Then he said, "Let’s continue with the Alchemy. You help control the fire, and we’ll make the Immortal Pills together. I’ll also teach you a Dao Technique, the [Duowen Formula], which will strengthen your Primordial Spirit and make your ntal power stronger, allowing you to multitask more and control the fire more perfectly."
Red Boy was profoundly shocked. "Is it the [Duowen Formula] from the Three Thousand Dao Techniques? Adoptive father, you’re really willing to teach ? Thank you, adoptive father!" He knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Sha Chen.
Sha Chen smiled and said, "I’ve already passed on the 72 Polymorphic Transformations; would I hold back on the Wide-hearing Decree?"
After all, these techniques are being distributed wholesale; one more doesn’t make a difference, one less doesn’t matter. Using them to win people’s hearts is just the thing. The more grateful Red Boy is to , the more tightly he’ll be tied to , and the less likely he’ll be swayed by Guanyin. Red Boy is my person; nobody can take him away. As for Guanyin, let her fret about it.
Afterward, Sha Chen passed on the [Duowen Formula] to Red Boy, and Alchemy was the way he practiced this Dao Technique. Although there were so hiccups, once they achieved success, the speed of pill making increased significantly. Red Boy’s combat capabilities were also improving. Although his Cultivation level hadn’t changed, his overall fighting strength had increased. This was all thanks to Sha Chen teaching him the 72 Polymorphic Transformations and the Wide-hearing Decree, and for letting him be an Alchemy apprentice, which refined his Samadhi True Fire. Red Boy was endlessly grateful to Sha Chen.
Ti passed, day by day, year by year.
「Three more years went by.」
Finally, on this day, Sha Chen finished Alchemy because, apart from the seedlings in the field, there were no more Immortal Elixirs to process. A large batch of finished Elixirs was now stored in the cellar, with more than a dozen racks full of gourds containing them. Each gourd had a label specifying the na and effects of the Elixirs. Looking at the fully stocked gourds of Immortal Pills, Sha Chen was deeply moved; these were his masterpieces.
By now, both his and Red Boy’s Samadhi True Fire Divine Power had reached Great Accomplishnt, even stronger than his water control abilities. However, Sha Chen’s overall combat abilities had risen to a new level. His spirit had been sublimated, his Primordial Spirit strengthened, and his fire control abilities had reached Great Accomplishnt. He felt that he might even take the opportunity to break through to the Daluo Golden Immortal Realm because, during the process of Alchemy, he seed to have had so insights into the Daluo Realm. That was greatly thanks to the Daluo Chapters of the Tao Te Ching he had previously obtained.
As for Red Boy, he was even more excited, hopping around with joy. His Cultivation level hadn’t changed, but his combat prowess had increased substantially, which made him even more proud.
Sha Chen said, "Boy Sage, the Immortal Pills are ready. Your share has been given to you; these are all mine. You don’t have any objections, right?"
Of course, Red Boy had no objections. He was even extrely grateful to Sha Chen, saying, "Adoptive father has taught Divine Powers and Dao Techniques, and also helped with Alchemy. I’m endlessly thankful and constantly thinking of ways to repay you."
Sha Chen smiled and replied, "Helping sell these Immortal Pills and trade them for Cultivation resources will be the best repaynt."
Red Boy cupped his fists. "Adoptive father, rest assured. If I can’t sell them, I’ll swallow them myself!"
Sha Chen grew anxious.
Red Boy quickly clarified, "I an, I’ll buy them all with my own money!"
Sha Chen then breathed a sigh of relief. You brat, must you speak so startlingly? You almost scared your father to death!
Just then, the entire cave mansion suddenly shook with tremors. From outside the Flowing Sand River, a stern voice cried out, "Great General for Folding the Curtain, co out! Release my nephew, or I will flatten your Flowing Sand River today!"
It seed to be one of Red Boy’s elder relatives.
Sha Chen was stunned. He had kept Red Boy for so many years that he had forgotten to send him back. The boy’s elder relatives had co looking for him.
Now, I’m in trouble.
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