An hour later.
Miteer Auction House, VIP room.
"Patriarch Tengshan summoned me here for the Deep Green Longevity Pill, I presume?"
In the VIP room, Gu He and Miteer Tengshan sat facing each other.
Miteer Tengshan nodded. "Indeed, Pill King. I have gathered all the necessary materials to refine the Deep Green Longevity Pill."
A trace of surprise flickered in Gu He's eyes. "The Miteer family truly lives up to its reputation as the wealthiest in the Jia Ma Empire. Even the Misty Cloud Sect would struggle to assemble the materials for refining the Deep Green Longevity Pill in such a short time."
"Your praise is too generous, Pill King. How could my humble Miteer family compare to the Misty Cloud Sect?" Miteer Tengshan replied with a hint of panic, quickly adding, "This was merely a stroke of luck. Gathering these medicinal ingredients came at a tremendous cost."
As he spoke, a pained expression flashed across his face. Clearly, the Miteer family had suffered significant losses in acquiring these materials.
"Patriarch Tengshan is too modest. Since the ingredients are ready, please present them," Gu He said calmly.
"Of course." Without hesitation, Miteer Tengshan handed Gu He a storage ring.
After taking the ring, Gu He inspected its contents briefly before nodding in satisfaction. Inside were not only the two primary materials for the Deep Green Longevity Pill but also some key ingredients for the Spirit Fusion Pill.
Tucking the ring away, Gu He stood. "Since everything is prepared, and it's still early, I might as well refine it for you now." He glanced at Miteer Tengshan. "Does the auction house have a quiet space suitable for alchemy?"
Miteer Tengshan hesitated. "Pill King, are you truly planning to refine the Deep Green Longevity Pill now?"
In his view, shouldn't Gu He make some preparations first? After all, this was a sixth-grade pill! If anything went wrong, all their efforts would be wasted.
Though Miteer Tengshan understood the rules of alchemy—if the refinement failed, the loss would be his alone—the Miteer family had invested heavily in gathering these materials. A failure would be a devastating blow.
Thus, he couldn't help but feel uneasy about Gu He's seemingly casual attitude. Yet, facing the foremost alchemist of the Jia Ma Empire, he dared not voice his dissatisfaction outright.
Instead, he cautiously suggested, "Pill King, perhaps you could take the ingredients back first and prepare thoroughly? You could begin refining in a couple of days."
"No need." Gu He waved a hand dismissively. "The Deep Green Longevity Pill is hardly worth extensive preparation."
His confidence was unwavering. In terms of difficulty, the Deep Green Longevity Pill paled in comparison to the Emperor's Pill. If he could refine the top-tier sixth-grade Emperor's Pill, this was nothing.
"Uh..." Miteer Tengshan was momentarily speechless at Gu He's assured demeanor.
Noticing his hesitation, Gu He's expression cooled slightly. "If Patriarch Tengshan doubts my skills, perhaps you should seek another alchemist."
Miteer Tengshan's heart lurched.
'Another alchemist?'
Gu He was the only sixth-grade alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire! Who else could he possibly turn to?
Suppressing his frustration, Miteer Tengshan forced a smile. "Pill King, you misunderstand. If you're confident, then we'll proceed as you see fit."
"As for a quiet space, our auction house has an alchemy chamber. If Your Excellency doesn't mind..."
Before he could finish, Gu He nodded. "Lead the way."
---
Soon, under Miteer Tengshan's guidance, Gu He arrived at the Miteer family's private alchemy chamber.
Given their status as the empire's wealthiest family, the Miteers had naturally nurtured several alchemists within their ranks, and this chamber was reserved for their use.
Gu He surveyed the room. Several high-quality cauldrons stood within, their craftsmanship rivaling even the one Liu Ling had gifted to the Little Doctor Fairy.
'The Miteer family's wealth is truly staggering,' he mused inwardly.
Shaking off the thought, he focused.
Moving to an open area, he flicked his fingers. A massive cauldron materialized midair—the Dragon Soul Cauldron—landing heavily with a resonant dragon's roar.
Closing his eyes, Gu He reviewed the refinement process for the Deep Green Longevity Pill, noting every critical detail. When his eyes snapped open moments later, violet flames flickered within their depths.
"Whoosh!"
A wisp of purple flame sprang from his fingertips, streaking into the cauldron like lightning. Instantly, the flame erupted into a blazing inferno, its searing heat permeating the chamber despite the cauldron's insulation.
Unfazed by the rising temperature, Gu He focused entirely on the cauldron. After a moment, he reached out, plucking a thorny green fruit exuding a potent fragrance—the Qingming Fruit, one of the pill's core ingredients.
He could feel the vibrant life force pulsing within it.
Holding it briefly, he flicked it into the cauldron, where it was immediately engulfed by the violet flames.
His soul power surged forth, meticulously controlling the fire's intensity and monitoring the fruit's transformation.
Under the relentless heat of the Natal Divine Flame, even the sturdiest materials yielded swiftly.
Though the Qingming Fruit resisted briefly, bolstered by its innate vitality, Gu He intensified the flames with a thought. Soon, milky-white liquid began seeping from its surface.
As the extraction continued, the liquid pooled until it formed a palm-sized orb.
After half an hour, Gu He adjusted his hand seals, easing the flames. The Qingming Fruit had completely dissolved, leaving only a dense, milky liquid brimming with vitality.
Satisfied, he intensified the fire again, reducing the liquid until it darkened into a pearl-like concentrate.
Without pause, he tossed in another herb, then another.
Time passed. One by one, the ingredients were refined, their essences purified and merged within the cauldron.
Gu He's expression grew solemn as his soul power enveloped each substance, maintaining precise temperatures for their individual requirements.
After nearly three hours of meticulous refinement, a rough pill prototype took shape. The moment it formed, a surge of vitality wafted from it. Drawing a deep breath, Gu He felt his fatigue ebb slightly.
'As expected of a life-extending pill,' he marveled.
Such pills were exceedingly rare across the Dou Qi Continent. After all, unless one reached the pinnacle of cultivation, every individual faced mortality.
A pill granting extra years could mean the difference between a breakthrough and oblivion—making it more coveted than even strength-enhancing pills.
While such enhancement pills were uncommon, lifespan-extending formulas were nearly mythical. Were it not for inheriting a ninth-grade alchemist's legacy, Gu He wouldn't have known this recipe.
As his thoughts wandered, the uneven pill gradually smoothed under the violet flames' patient roasting, its fragrance intensifying.
Finally, after another half-hour, the pill trembled violently. A powerful dou qi ripple erupted, crashing against the cauldron's walls with resonant chimes.
"Boom! Boom!"
The shockwaves reverberated, signaling the pill's completion.
…
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