Qi Zhiheng was unaware of what he was thinking. He simply needed to go away for a while and quickly find someone to help him with manual labor. Rong Gu seemed like a good candidate, so he chose him without any further thought than Rong Gu had.
Over the next few days, Qi Zhiheng delegated the task of distributing common herbs to Rong Gu, since he planned to have these disciples learn how to refine common herbs for the next month. There weren't many things he needed to explain.
The initial disciples were relatively normal, with most having some basic knowledge of pill refining. However, the situation worsened for the later disciples. A large portion had no prior experience in pill refining and therefore didn't know how to extract herbs. Several others lacked both a fire seed and a fire spiritual root. For these latter few, Qi Zhiheng had prepared supplies, including pills and Yang Yitian's talismans. Qi Zhiheng also had many fire seeds of varying strengths; for those with lower cultivation levels, he provided weaker seeds. Finally, helping them fuse their fire seeds was merely a formality.
The difficulty lies in Qi Zhiheng's ability to slowly and methodically explain to his completely inexperienced disciples how to begin this first step!
"This is really difficult," Qi Zhiheng snapped again, "How can you not understand something so simple?!"
The room fell silent...
"Yes, I'm sorry, Master. I was too stupid, boohoo..." The eight-year-old child cried.
Qi Zhiheng felt a little embarrassed, as if he were bullying someone. Heaven knows he was just telling the truth.
"Master, but what you're saying is really profound. Could you start from the very beginning of your alchemy process?" asked a child who looked about eight or nine years old.
Qi Zhiheng said, "The first step is to refine hemostatic powder. This process does not require condensing pills, so it is not difficult to refine. As long as the impurities are removed and the powder is blended, it will be fine."
“Master, but we don’t know how to start refining. Could you tell us about the process of refining medicine back then?” another disciple asked.
Qi Zhiheng recalled for a moment and then said, "At that time, I felt like I wanted to refine medicine, so I asked my grandfather for some herbs. Then I used my soul power to process them, break them down, dissolve them, and combine them with spiritual energy."
"And then?" All the children listened with great curiosity as Qi Zhiheng recounted what happened next.
They had all heard that when trying to refine medicine for the first time, it would take dozens of failures before success was possible. They were eager to hear about their master's experiences with failing medicine and how he gradually improved himself to become a skilled alchemist like he was now!
Qi Zhiheng continued, "And then? Then I chose hemostatic powder. After the hemostatic powder worked, I realized I didn't have enough bottles to hold it all! So I grabbed a teapot, filled it up, and ran to my grandfather's yard to ask him to quickly give me some medicine bottles..."
"Wait, Master, is there something you forgot to explain?" a disciple interjected.
Qi Zhiheng asked, puzzled, "Nothing is missing?"
"How could there be no shortage? Master, you haven't told us about your first failure yet. How can we learn from your experience if you don't share your lessons from that first failure?"
Qi Zhiheng disagreed with their statement: "It's just hemostatic powder! How could it fail? I succeeded on my first try, and it was even a high-quality hemostatic powder. My grandfather told me that I startled him at the time."
The disciples were speechless. "What kind of monstrous talent is this?"
Qi Zhiheng looked at the disciples in front of him and said somewhat, "As for you, how come you can't even refine a hemostatic powder? Isn't that as simple as eating and drinking?"
The disciples awkwardly took a step back. With so many people around, their master probably wouldn't say anything.
Qi Zhiheng felt that things couldn't continue like this, so he pulled Rong Gu over and said, "Rong Gu, I am now my most trusted disciple. I'm entrusting these junior brothers and sisters to you. Do you think you can teach them how to make hemostatic powder in three days?"
Rong Gu was initially puzzled when he was summoned, but when he heard Qi Zhiheng say that he would teach these junior brothers and sisters how to refine medicinal powder in three days, Rong Gu was startled: "Master! This, this is probably difficult to do, isn't it?"
Rong Gu thought to himself, "As expected, my master doesn't like me! Learning to make hemostatic powder in three days—how could anyone do that? Is my master deliberately making things difficult for me? It took me half a month to learn how to make medicinal powder myself!"
Qi Zhiheng frowned slightly: "Three days is not enough? Then let's make it five days! After you teach them, instruct them to refine common herbs, and then refine a batch of medicinal powder before you leave."
“Master, this…” Rong Gu was almost in tears; he simply couldn’t manage it in five days.
Qi Zhiheng patted his shoulder and said, "Ronggu, your master believes you can do it. I'll be leaving for a while, so you'll be in charge of things here during that time. Solve the problems you can, and leave the ones you can't until I get back. If it's an emergency, go find Peak Master Tang for help. Understand?"
"Understood." Rong Gu felt he could still struggle a bit: "Master, could you extend the time by five days? Fifteen days is really too short."
Qi Zhiheng really didn't know the going rate: "Short? Then they have to learn how to make medicinal powder before I come back. If they still can't learn it when I get back, then they won't get their reward!"
"A reward?" Rong Gu pricked up his ears.
Qi Zhiheng baited the issue, saying, "If your junior brothers and sisters can complete this within five days, not only will they receive my reward, but you will also receive one. If they really can't... then they don't deserve to be my disciples!" His expression hardened at the end. He thought to himself, "If they can't even refine the medicinal powder in five days, I'm too lazy to teach such a stupid disciple!"
"Yes, Master!" Rong Gu's forehead was sweating. He knew he shouldn't have tried to bargain with his master. Hadn't he just upset him? He smiled bitterly to himself.
Qi Zhiheng was unaware of what his eldest disciple was thinking. In fact, he was just saying it casually. With so many people, it's good to have a few who drag you down so that you can be normal.
After Qi Zhiheng returned that day, he handed over the affairs of Danfeng to Rong Gu.
Yang Yitian's inheritance has been written down, and he handed it to Qi Zhiheng. Qi Zhiheng has not yet had time to hand it over to the sect. After returning from this trip, the exchange of items can be put on the agenda.
After entrusting the three children to the Qi family for help, Qi Zhiheng went to Juxian City again with Yang Yitian.
"Master Alchemist, regarding the Zhu Ling Spirit Vein that you entrusted to us last time, we have secretly prepared some more. In total, there are three high-grade veins, sixteen mid-grade veins, and thirty-one low-grade veins." The steward has already collected all the spirit veins in Juxian City, and even went to other cities to collect some. It is likely that the spirit veins produced in recent years will soon be in his hands.
Qi Zhiheng nodded and said, "Not bad, I am very satisfied with your efficiency. I will exchange it with you for a top-grade level four pill."
The manager immediately beamed with joy and quickly handed over the spirit stones and collected spirit herbs obtained from the last auction of the Blood Jade Coral to Qi Zhiheng. Qi Zhiheng also took out some top-grade level four pills to exchange with them.
After the exchange was completed, the steward said somewhat awkwardly to Qi Zhiheng, "But sir, I must remind you that the top-grade pills you sold last time attracted some people."
Qi Zhiheng asked, "Who is it?"
"Ahem!" The steward's voice immediately became much softer. "The Divine Wood Sect is very interested in alchemists who can refine top-grade fourth-level pills and intends to recruit them..." In fact, there was protection here. People outside could not hear what they were supposed to hear, and even if he spoke softly, they could still hear what they were supposed to hear. In this way, it seemed like he was trying to cover up the truth.
Even a fourth-level alchemist from the Divine Wood Sect might not be able to guarantee the ability to refine a top-grade fourth-level pill. Even if they could refine it normally, they would keep it for their own use and would never be willing to give it to others or sell it.
The origin of the suddenly appearing top-grade level four pill is highly suspicious. There are only a handful of alchemists who can refine top-grade level four pills. It would be good if such a person could be recruited into the Divine Wood Sect. However, if he cannot be recruited and he is a rogue cultivator, his fate may not be good.
Qi Zhiheng glanced at the manager indifferently: "Please remind me more, manager." In fact, he knew in his heart that the manager might have already sold his information, but fortunately, the trading company didn't know much about him.
This trading company is now trying to curry favor with him by leaking some information. Qi Zhiheng also understands that if the Shenmu Sect were to exert pressure, this small trading company wouldn't be able to withstand it.
Qi Zhiheng didn't intend to pursue the matter too much. However, he would no longer be able to trade spirit veins outside. Now that the other party knew he was looking for spirit veins, they would pay close attention to such news, and he would likely be discovered as soon as he showed his face. Fortunately, he had already reached an agreement with the sect, and as long as he could cultivate more alchemists, he would not lack spirit veins.
After Qi Zhiheng got what he wanted, he pulled Yang Yitian and prepared to go back, fearing that there were already people from the Shenmu Sect around.
He had originally planned to browse around and buy some more things, but now he couldn't stay in Juxian City any longer. This thought made Qi Zhiheng quite annoyed!
The actions of the Shenmu Sect are rather domineering!
As Qi Zhiheng pulled Yang Yitian out of the trading company, they immediately sensed several auras locking onto them. These people were likely all at the Nascent Soul stage!
The other party is also willing to invest heavily; there are at least eight auras surrounding this area!
I never expected that the other side would send eight Nascent Soul cultivators just for a mere alchemist like him! What a grand gesture!
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