In the second year, Huang Wangyou gave birth to a baby boy, carved from jade, with a loud cry.
Chen Sheng held his wife's hand. After pondering for a moment, he named the boy:
"Let's call him Yijing, hoping he will lead a smooth life, free as wandering clouds."
Huang Wangyou nodded, her face adorned with a warm smile, while Tang Xichen carried his younger brother around playfully.
Time flowed gently, and another three years passed.
One day, the regular customers of Huang's Pill Workshop began to notice that Old Master Huang was appearing less frequently, and many of the workshop's affairs were being managed by his son-in-law, Shopkeeper Tang.
According to Old Master Huang, his son-in-law's alchemy skills were exceptional, and he had advanced to become a Middle Grade Alchemist, mastering all three of the workshop's renowned products.
For a long time, the three signature pills have been refined by his son-in-law.
When the news first spread, there were discussions in the market, with some worried about a decline in the quality of the pills, but as more batches were released,
the regulars found no drop in quality. This new Shopkeeper Tang was also courteous and considerate, with praiseworthy character.
With time, the discussions faded away, and people began to praise Old Master Huang for his discerning eye in having a reliable son-in-law.
...
That afternoon, warmth filled the Alchemy Room.
"Start the fire!"
Huang Yueyang stood before the Pill Furnace, his fingertips shifting spells, seven thousand strands of fiery silk shot forth like silver threads, weaving a dense net inside the furnace.
Prepared medicinal herbs were thrown into the furnace, immediately entangled by the fiery silk like spiritual snakes, melting in the flames and turning into liquid of various colors.
Then, guided by spells,
the liquid gradually gathered, quickly spinning into a smooth pill bead.
Not far away, Chen Sheng watched his father-in-law's alchemy process with bated breath, feeling it was a sight to behold. At this moment, there was also a hint of anticipation in his eyes, and he softly muttered to himself:
"I hope this time it's successful!"
In the past two years, as Chen Sheng became more proficient in alchemy,
Huang Yueyang gradually handed over the workshop's affairs to his son-in-law, focusing his attention on another task.
——To perfect the remnant formula!
Huang Yueyang, with his legacy and expertise, considered himself on par with High Grade Alchemists but had never obtained a High Grade Pill Formula to validate his lifelong achievements.
Although High Grade Alchemists were not rare in the market, who would share their breadwinning skills?
Everyone guarded their own pill formulas closely, leaving Huang Yueyang no choice but to focus on creating or improving formulas himself.
...
Twenty years ago,
the Cyan Wood Commerce Association held a small auction, and a pill formula caught Huang Yueyang's eye— the Shang Yuan Pill!
This was a Tier Two pill formula passed down from a Secret Realm, but unfortunately, it was only a remnant.
Huang Yueyang was immediately intrigued, spent a significant sum to acquire it, and thereafter diligently studied it to perfect the formula.
Over more than a decade, with Chen Sheng's achievement in pharmacology, he also joined this task. Together, after dozens of failures,
recently, they finalized a version. Both felt there was no more room for improvement, feeling confident.
Now, it was time to test!
In the center of the Alchemy Room, the Pill Furnace continued to tremble.
Huang Yueyang incessantly cast 'Solid Pill' and 'Spirit Lock' spells, his hands deftly casting spells, sweat beading on his brow, clearly indicating the challenge of refining this pill.
"Collect!"
With the final few Pill Collection spells cast into the furnace, it immediately opened, releasing an abundance of pill fragrance as an indigo elixir slowly flew out, landing in the prepared White Jade Bottle.
Huang Yueyang slowly exhaled a breath of murky air, glanced at Chen Sheng, and smiled:
"Just barely refined, it seems the formula deduced by the both of us is fairly reasonable."
If it weren't reasonable, the elixir wouldn't have been refined.
Chen Sheng clasped his hands in congratulation:
"Congratulations to father-in-law on refining a High Grade Elixir."
With a smile of pride, Huang Yueyang felt confident that the formula must belong to the High Grade sequence, yet outwardly waved it off in a composed manner:
"It still needs to be appraised; the efficacy is undetermined. Saying anything now would only invite ridicule."
This formula, derived by the two from a Tier Two remnant, incorporated many changes. Although the elixir was refined, its effects still needed appraisal.
"The apparatus?"
Soon, Chen Sheng, smiling, brought forth the items: a White Jade Disc and two Glazed Cups.
"Rest assured, father-in-law, I had already soaked them in Spiritual Spring Water for three hours to remove any impurities from the apparatus."
Stroking his beard, Huang Yueyang nodded with satisfaction:
"Well done."
Quickly, Huang Yueyang washed his hands and burned incense, using mana to cleanse the murky air from his nose and mouth, commencing the pill appraisal.
In the Alchemy Realm, many elixirs are created yearly, with a complete 'Pill Evaluation Technique' in place.
It consists of five steps, namely — preparing the apparatus, observing shape, smelling aroma, discerning taste, and testing efficacy.
Chen Sheng was experiencing it for the first time, inevitably a bit eager, staring straight at his father-in-law's performance.
Huang Yueyang was a seasoned veteran; he calmly placed the elixir from the jade bottle in the center of the white jade disc and used mana to slowly rotate the disc.
He formed a spell with both hands, casting the 'Pill Observation Technique'. Instantly, his eyes burst with spirit light, and the elixir in his sight magnified a hundredfold, comparable to a calf.
Huang Yueyang focused his attention, observing the whole pill, not missing even the slightest detail, not even the extremely fine lines on the surface of the elixir.
After a full half-hour, he rubbed his eyes, a wide smile on his face:
"The pill is well-rounded, with uniform color, and most importantly, the spirit road is continuous, undoubtedly a high-grade elixir."
Chen Sheng quickly spoke: "Congratulations, father-in-law."
Huang Yueyang, in good spirits, invited his son-in-law over and taught him the observation techniques.
"Give it a try!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng immediately cast a spell, and suddenly, golden light appeared in his eyes, and the elixir in his vision was magnified...
After both father-in-law and son-in-law had observed the elixir thoroughly.
It was already an hour later.
Then they began the steps of aroma testing and taste differentiation, each step accompanied by respective magic techniques.
While appraising, Huang Yueyang explained the details to Chen Sheng, allowing him to try each step, and Chen Sheng found himself greatly rewarded.
After completing the first three steps, Huang Yueyang gradually understood, and spoke:
"This elixir originates from the Shang Yuan Pill, evolved to perfection, yet it retains its essence, belonging to the Enhancing Sequence."
Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng was immediately overjoyed.
What kind of elixirs are valuable?
The first category helps cultivators break through realms and bottlenecks, such as Foundation Establishment Pill and Purple Cloud Pill.
The second category directly enhances a cultivator's mana.
The third category assists in daily Qi cultivation, such as the Qi Gathering Pill.
Among Huang Clan's three signature pills, Huang Bud Pill also belongs to the third category, aiding early-stage Qi cultivators in their daily cultivation, resulting in great profits.
Huang Yueyang was also quite pleased, and said:
"Begin efficacy testing."
Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng hurriedly opened a wooden box, inside which was — a Red-tailed Mouse.
This Red-tailed Rat was quite intelligent; at this moment, it was clasping its hands together, bowing to the two.
Huang Yueyang softly laughed and said:
"Rest assured, this elixir should be harmless."
After speaking, he placed half of the elixir into a glazed cup, dissolved it with spiritual spring water, and let the mouse take two drops.
He then placed his hand on the mouse's abdomen, employing the 'Introspection Technique', sensing the changes at the mouse's dantian.
Before long, within the mouse's dantian, surging spiritual power began to arise, inflating the mouse like a balloon.
Soon, every hair on the mouse stood up, its entire body swelling up into a red ball of fur.
Huang Yueyang's eyes lit up:
"What potent effects, fortunately it was just two drops."
He quickly channeled mana, guiding it into the mouse, directing the spiritual power from its dantian to flow through its meridians, preventing the mouse from bursting.
After one stick of incense, the red-tailed mouse returned to its original form, its fur becoming more shiny, its eyes sparkling with spirit light, appearing more lively, clearly benefitting from the process.
The mouse gasped for air, squeaking, and again clasped its hands together towards the two, as if expressing gratitude.
Huang Yueyang chuckled softly:
"Quite intelligent indeed, observe it for several days."
Chen Sheng nodded:
"Yes."
Thus, after two months, the father-in-law and son-in-law attempted repeatedly before feeling assured.
Huang Yueyang personally consumed a pill, meditating with closed eyes for two hours, carefully comprehending, finally confirming the effects of the elixir.
"Refining this elixir can increase mana by twenty percent for late-stage Qi refining cultivators, saving two years of effort, equivalent to the market's enhancing elixirs."
Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng was immediately overjoyed:
"It seems our Pill Workshop has another major flagship product."
Huang Yueyang nodded with a chuckle:
"Late-stage cultivators race against time, not concerned about some pill toxins and impurities, focused on achieving Qi cultivation perfection before sixty."
"However, every kind of enhancing elixir has a limit, consuming more is useless, highlighting its rarity."
Chen Sheng nodded, speaking:
"Please name it, father-in-law."
Huang Yueyang pondered for a moment, then spoke:
"Let's call it Beneficial Technique Pill!"