Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Iron Head’s Transformation

“Elixir Understanding.”

Yang Jing hadn’t expected that raising a Skill or Cultivation Technique’s Realm to the Peak of Perfection could actually allow one to comprehend a new Talent.

This Talent, Elixir Understanding, was clearly anything but simple. At the very least, no Alchemist below Tier Three would dare claim to have achieved it.

Yang Jing felt a headache coming on. He’d thought that getting over thirty thousand Spirit Stones from Wang Tong had made him fabulously wealthy, but if he wanted to spend his way to raising a Skill to the Peak of Perfection, it was nowhere near enough.

The knowledge instilled this time was particularly profound. Even though Iron Head was used to the Empowerment, he still shook his head for a long time before coming to his senses.

It opened its eyes and recalled the Pill Formula for the Bone Marrow Transformation Pill. Suddenly, it discovered that the formula it had once thought perfect still had many details that could be improved. By changing two of the Spirit Medicines, it could avoid a clash between their medicinal properties, allowing the Bone Marrow Transformation Pill’s efficacy to reach a new level.

This sudden idea startled Iron Head itself. ’Altering a Pill Formula is something only an Alchemy Master would even attempt. How could I possibly be qualified?’

But a strange confidence grew in Iron Head’s heart. It knew the revised Pill Formula would work.

“Do you have the confidence to refine the Transformation Pill now?”

Yang Jing asked.

Iron Head immediately nodded with confidence. Previously, there were some details in the Transformation Pill’s formula that it didn’t quite understand; it knew what to do, but not why. Now, it was as if a window had been thrown open—everything was crystal clear.

“In that case, let’s fire up the furnace and begin the alchemy.”

Yang Jing said.

As Demons, Iron Head and Yinjiao were still a taboo subject in the Chen Kingdom. If they could transform into human form, they would be able to show themselves openly and become his helpers.

The master and disciple pair went to the Fire Room, activated the One Yang Li Fire Grand Array, and began to preheat the Nine Cranes Furnace.

The One Yang Li Fire could increase the success rate and medicinal effect when refining Tier One Elixirs. When it came to Tier Two Elixirs, however, it was merely adequate, not hindering the alchemy process but not helping either.

The moment Iron Head stood before the Pill Furnace, its entire demeanor changed. It surprisingly took on the air of a Grandmaster.

The Transformation Pill’s formula was incomparably more complex than that of the Bone Marrow Transformation Pill. The timing for adding each Spirit Medicine into the Pill Furnace had to be strictly controlled. The slightest deviation would affect the final pill formation.

However, since Tier One and Tier Two Elixirs could be refined using Spiritual Fire powered by an Array, the demand on one’s Magical Power wasn’t high. One only needed enough to activate the Restrictions on the Pill Furnace.

For Tier Three Spirit Pills, a Cultivator often needed to use Spiritual Fire refined from their own Magical Power. Only then could they grasp the subtle changes in medicinal properties and refine all sorts of incredibly precious Spirit Medicines.

For this type of Spirit Pill, the process from heating the furnace to the pill’s formation could take anywhere from several days to as long as ten. Even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator’s Magical Power would be difficult to sustain.

As the furnace reached the required temperature, Iron Head began to draw the various Spirit Medicines toward it, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly, and drop them into the Pill Furnace according to the formula’s requirements.

The art of alchemy was not set in stone; the Spiritual Fire and Pill Furnace used would always affect the final pill. In the past, Iron Head had only vaguely grasped this principle. But today, with complete confidence, it slightly altered the steps in the Pill Formula, delaying the addition of the Fish Embryo Grass by two breaths.

Fish Embryo Grass was a Tier Two Spirit Grass that only grew near the lairs of Tier Three Demon Fish. Imbued with the Demon Fish’s Essence Qi, it could aid a Demon’s Transformation even when consumed raw. It was the main ingredient of the Transformation Pill.

A Tier Three Demon Fish was already a Demon King, powerful enough to rule over its own Demon Country.

Only an organization like the Profound Carp Association, which smuggled Spirit Medicine to the Demon Country, could produce Fish Embryo Grass in such large quantities.

Since most of the Spirit Medicines used were Tier Two, their impurities were also exceptionally stubborn. Unlike Tier One Spirit Medicines, whose impurities could be forced out with a simple scorching from Spiritual Fire, this was a step where many experienced old Pill Masters got stuck, unable to advance their Alchemy to Tier Two.

Iron Head formed a series of Spells with fluid grace, activating the Nine Cranes Furnace to continuously stir the Spirit Liquid within. It used the One Yang Li Fire to burn the Spirit Liquid, expelling all sorts of impurities and dregs, which turned into black smoke and were exhaled through the cranes’ beaks.

At that moment, on the Nine Cranes Furnace, six Flying Cranes were inhaling billowing Spiritual Fire while three Flying Cranes exhaled curling black smoke, creating a wondrous sight.

This scene lasted for a full hour.

Iron Head’s fur was covered in black soot, giving it a wretched appearance. Only its eyes remained bright and piercing as it pushed its Bright Qi Talent to the limit, observing the changes in Spiritual Mechanism within the Pill Furnace.

The combination of Elixir Understanding and the Bright Qi Talent allowed it to perceive the changes in the Spirit Liquid as clearly as watching a fire.

After an unknown amount of time, Iron Head formed a final Mantra. A thunderous explosion echoed from within the Pill Furnace. The Restrictions on the body of the Nine Cranes Furnace all lit up at once, signaling the completion of the Solidifying Pill step.

Amidst a long, drawn-out crane’s cry, cloud-like Pill Qi slowly billowed out from the cranes’ beaks, making the Fire Room seem like a celestial paradise.

Iron Head manipulated the Restrictions to open the furnace lid. Three perfectly round and flawless Transformation Pills lay at the bottom. The pills were a golden-purple color, and their bodies were etched with ethereal, shifting cloud-like patterns. They looked more like Treasure Pearls than Spirit Pills.

Because this was its first time refining the Transformation Pill, Iron Head had been quite conservative. It focused only on the quality of the pills, not the quantity, and all three were Upper Grade pills.

Yang Jing placed two of the Transformation Pills into a Jade Bottle and handed the last one to Iron Head.

“Iron Head, first restore your Magical Power and get your condition in order, then take this Transformation Pill.”

There was a chance of failure when using a Transformation Pill to transform. If a Demon’s Talent was truly too poor, taking the pill could result in it becoming a half-human, half-demon monster, retaining many of its demonic features.

Although with Iron Head’s aptitude, failure was almost impossible, it was still best to adjust its condition to its absolute peak.

Yang Jing sat cross-legged at the entrance of the Quiet Chamber to stand guard for Iron Head. While Transformation wasn’t a life-or-death matter like Foundation Establishment, being disturbed was still a major taboo.

Though he appeared perfectly calm on the surface, his heart was filled with apprehension. He worried about Iron Head’s situation inside the Quiet Chamber, and eventually, he just stood up and began to pace back and forth, anxiously glancing at the door from time to time.

Because the Quiet Chamber was set up with isolating Restrictions, Yang Jing couldn’t even sense the changes happening to Iron Head inside.

It wasn’t until the sky had grown completely dark and was filled with countless stars that Yang Jing sensed the door to the Quiet Chamber opening. He immediately wiped the anxiety from his face, replaced it with a solemn expression, clasped his hands behind his back, and only then did he turn to look.

A small boy with a sturdy build stood at the entrance to the Quiet Chamber, looking at Yang Jing a little timidly.

He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, with wholesome, well-proportioned features. His skin was a bit dark, and he looked to be about seven or eight years old, with chubby cheeks. Yang Jing’s Daoist Robe was draped over him, looking far too large, like a bedsheet.

“Master!”

Iron Head said, his voice a little clumsy. The Transformation Pill had dissolved his Horizontal Bone; this was the first time he had ever spoken.

Yang Jing could no longer maintain his stern expression. A smile spread across his face as he looked at him.

“Iron Head, congratulations on your transformation into a human.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep