A single Flame Spirit Ganoderma truly has the potential to refine four Origin Gathering Pills, but only if it's in an absolutely perfect state.
What exactly is a perfect state?
It's an ideal state, one that's practically impossible to achieve!
Not even a peak-level mortal alchemist, or even a spirit alchemist, could manage it.
Because during the pill refining process, issues like impurities in the pill furnace, controlling the refining flame, and processing the medicinal ingredients – even the slightest, most minuscule differences – can affect the state of the refinement.
Such an impact would prevent the medicinal ingredients from being utilized in the most perfect way.
But at this moment, Qin Ning had actually refined four Origin Gathering Pills, which meant that everything he had prepared until now had been completely unaffected by any external factors!
What did that mean? Qin Ning's alchemy technique was truly too profound!
The four Origin Gathering Pills were placed in a brocade box.
Qin Ning looked at Sheng Xinrui and said, "I need your help!"
"Huh? Me..."
Sheng Xinrui only snapped back to attention when he heard his name.
Qin Ning opened his hand and said, "Release your refining flame!"
"Ah, yes!" Although Sheng Xinrui didn't understand Qin Ning's intention, he still complied.
He had once absorbed the purple flame of the Purple Crystal Raging Fire Tiger spirit beast, which elevated his refining flame to the superior orange-grade. This had made him extremely famous in the Imperial Capital for a time.
But then he became afflicted by a poison flame, and he had to swallow that bitter fruit alone.
Seeing a refining flame rise from Sheng Xinrui's palm, Qin Ning nodded.
With a flick of his finger, his mid-grade red refining flame flared up even more at that moment, beginning to devour the superior orange-grade refining flame in Sheng Xinrui's palm.
"Brother Qin, you can't..."
Sheng Xinrui said in a hurry.
Qin Ning's refining flame was of a lower grade than his; if he stubbornly tried to absorb Sheng Xinrui's flame, it would cause Qin Ning's refining flame to become chaotic, and even damage his internal organs, leading to his cultivation being wasted.
"It's fine, I'm just borrowing a bit of your refining flame!"
After devouring a small amount of Sheng Xinrui's refining flame, Qin Ning stopped.
Then, Qin Ning's refining flame transformed into a small human figure and approached the four Origin Gathering Pills.
A crackling sound rang out as the small figure opened its mouth and spat out several fireballs, enveloping the four pills.
What was he doing?
Du Zhe and Sheng Xinrui were both stunned.
At this moment, Qin Ning's gaze was extremely focused, even more so than when he had been refining pills just now.
The refining flame in his palm gradually faded, and with a flick of his finger, spiritual energy shot straight out.
The spiritual energy and refining flame intertwined, enveloping the Origin Gathering Pills.
Du Zhe and Sheng Xinrui's pupils simultaneously widened; at this moment, both men were utterly dumbfounded.
"Pill... pill pill pill... pill patterns!"
Du Zhe even stammered when speaking, overcome by shock.
Indeed, at this very moment, pill patterns had appeared on the surface of the four Origin Gathering Pills.
Sheng Xinrui was also trembling with excitement at this moment.
Pill patterns were something he had only ever seen mentioned in ancient texts describing alchemy, but from childhood to adulthood in the Sacred Pill Pavilion, he had never seen a single pill master capable of refining pills with them!
What are pill patterns?
Pill patterns are precisely what demonstrate a pill's value.
An ordinary pill refiner, when concocting pills, is considered quite good if they can ensure the utilization of half the medicinal ingredients' efficacy.
Some more skilled pill refiners can retain sixty to seventy percent of the medicinal ingredients' efficacy.
It might seem like a difference of just one or two tenths of efficacy isn't significant, but in reality, when comparing pills of the same type, if there's even a one-tenth difference in the efficacy of the medicinal ingredients used, the resulting pill's effect will be completely different.
The most formidable pill master Sheng Xinrui had ever met was a fifth-grade spirit pill master, but even that person's most successful refinement could only utilize eighty percent of the medicinal ingredients' efficacy.
Yet, those who could achieve that were already considered grandmasters.
It was rumored that if one could fully unleash all ten tenths of the medicinal ingredients' efficacy, then pill patterns would appear on the surface of the pill!
In other words, pill patterns would appear on pills that retained the full efficacy of the medicinal ingredients used to create them.
However, to this day, Sheng Xinrui claimed to have met countless grandmasters, but he had never heard of anyone who could preserve the full efficacy of the medicinal ingredients during refinement.
He had even less heard of anyone ever refining pills with pill patterns on their surface.
Even if this was just a mortal pill, to be able to refine a mortal pill with pill patterns was enough to clearly indicate that this pill master possessed incredibly formidable alchemy techniques.
Before him, a youth who seemed only a few months older than him had accomplished something that even peak grandmasters couldn't.
The medicinal ingredients' full essence concentrated, fully utilizing all ten tenths of their efficacy – this was enough to make Sheng Xinrui and Du Zhe uncontrollably excited.
"Is it that astonishing?"
Qin Ning saw the two staring at him in horror, wide-eyed, as if they were seeing a monster, and asked, feeling puzzled.
"My pill refining flame level is too low, so I could only use your pill refining flame to complete the final step!"
Qin Ning said softly, "Alright, the pill refinement is complete. As for how much you've learned, that depends on your own fortune!"
Qin Ning waved his hand, intending to leave the small courtyard.
"Brother Qin!"
Suddenly, Sheng Xinrui knelt down, looked at Qin Ning, and said earnestly, "If Brother Qin doesn't mind, this junior is willing to acknowledge Brother Qin as his master!"
Acknowledge me as master?
Seeing Sheng Xinrui's earnest demeanor, Qin Ning stroked his chin and said.
"Last time, I gave you a few pointers because I appreciated your talent and didn't want you to die so soon. But if you want to be my disciple, you're not qualified enough yet!"
Upon hearing that, a flicker of disappointment appeared in Sheng Xinrui's eyes.
He had completely admired Qin Ning from the bottom of his heart; Qin Ning could see through his physique with just a glance, and today, witnessing his alchemy techniques, they were truly perfect, without a single flaw.
These alchemy techniques were something some high-level spirit pill masters couldn't achieve in their entire lives!
"However, you can stay by my side as a young attendant to assist with pill refining!"
A young attendant to assist with pill refining!
“Qin Ning, you’re going too far!” Du Zhe yelled then. “My young master in the Imperial Capital is a praised alchemy genius, unmatched by anyone. How dare you ask my young master to be your alchemy attendant!”
“If you don’t want to, then get out!”
Some more skilled alchemists could preserve sixty to seventy percent of the medicinal potency.
It might seem like a difference of one or two percent in potency isn’t significant, but in reality, when comparing the same type of elixir, if there’s even a one percent deviation in the potency of the medicinal ingredients used, the resulting elixir’s effectiveness will differ by as much as ten percent.
The most formidable alchemist Sheng Xinrui had ever met was a fifth-grade spirit alchemist, but even their most successful refinement could only utilize eighty percent of the medicinal potency.
Yet, anyone who could achieve that was already considered a grandmaster.
It was rumored that if one could fully unleash all one hundred percent of the medicinal potency, then elixir patterns would appear on the surface of the elixir!
In other words, elixirs that retained the full potency of their ingredients would manifest elixir patterns.
However, to this day, Sheng Xinrui, who claimed to have met countless grandmasters, had never heard of anyone being able to fully preserve all medicinal potency during alchemy.
He had certainly never heard of anyone successfully refining an elixir with elixir patterns on its surface.
Even if this was merely a mortal elixir, being able to refine a mortal elixir with elixir patterns was enough to demonstrate that this alchemist possessed incredibly formidable alchemy techniques.
Before him, a youth who seemed only a few months older than himself had accomplished something that even peak grandmasters couldn’t.
The medicinal ingredients were fully condensed, utilizing one hundred percent of their potency—this was enough to send both Sheng Xinrui and Du Zhe into an overwhelmed state of excitement.
“Is it that astonishing?”
Qin Ning saw the two staring at him in horror, as if they were looking at a monster, and asked, feeling puzzled.
“My alchemy flame level is too low, so I could only use your alchemy flame to complete the final step!”
Qin Ning said softly, “Alright, the elixir refinement is complete. As for how much you’ve learned, that depends on your own fortune!”
Qin Ning waved his hand, intending to leave the small courtyard.
“Brother Qin!”
Suddenly, Sheng Xinrui knelt down, looked at Qin Ning, and said earnestly, “If Brother Qin doesn’t mind, this junior is willing to acknowledge Brother Qin as his master!”
Take a master?
Seeing Sheng Xinrui’s earnest demeanor, Qin Ning rubbed his chin and said.
“Last time, I gave you a few pointers because I appreciated your talent and didn’t want you to die so prematurely. But if you want to be my disciple, you’re not qualified enough yet!”
Upon hearing that, a flicker of disappointment appeared in Sheng Xinrui’s eyes.
He was utterly convinced by Qin Ning from the bottom of his heart. Qin Ning had been able to discern his physique with a mere glance, and today, witnessing his alchemy techniques, they were truly flawless, beyond reproach.
Such alchemy techniques were something some high-level spirit alchemists couldn’t achieve in their entire lives!
“However, you can stay by my side as an alchemy attendant!”
An alchemy attendant!
“Qin Ning, you’re being outrageous!” Du Zhe shouted at this moment. “My young master is a praised alchemy genius in the Imperial Capital, unrivaled by anyone. How dare you ask him to be your alchemy errand boy!”
“If you don’t want to, then get out!”
“Yes, I agree!”
Sheng Xinrui knelt before Qin Ning. “Master Qin, from today onwards, I, Sheng Xinrui, will be your alchemy errand boy!”
An alchemy errand boy is merely someone who runs errands for alchemists; their status is far inferior to that of an alchemist’s disciple.
However, Qin Ning had now awakened the memories of his nine lives and nine reincarnations, and his identity in his fifth life was the Nine Yuan Pill Emperor!
How much arrogance was there in his eyes now?
Sheng Xinrui indeed possessed some potential on the path of an alchemist, but it was still not enough for Qin Ning to take him as a disciple!
As for Sheng Xinrui, from the bottom of his heart, he had been shaken by Qin Ning’s knowledge and alchemy techniques.
This single bow had cast aside all the arrogance of a genius, leaving only sincere admiration!
With a bang, just as the courtyard gate was pushed open, Qin Xinxin rushed in, exclaiming, “Brother Ning, the patriarch is calling you…”
And Qin Xinxin was utterly astonished by the scene unfolding in the courtyard.
What was this?
Qin Ning was standing there, while Sheng Xinrui was kneeling on the ground?
“Am I seeing things?” Qin Xinxin rubbed her eyes.
Meanwhile, Du Siyuan, who was outside the door, also widened his eyes in disbelief at this sight.
The statuses of these two were like heaven and earth; if Qin Ning had knelt before Sheng Xinrui, it would have been acceptable, but Sheng Xinrui kneeling before Qin Ning? What in the world was happening!