The cavern air, cool and damp, still hummed with the echoes of Tai Bing Chi's wisdom. With a newfound understanding of medicinal principles, Bai Xing had stocked up on essential cultivation supplies. Tai Bing Chi, ever the patient mentor, had then imparted the secrets of flame control, a fundamental skill for any aspiring alchemist, along with a trove of pill recipes: quasi-mortal, mortal, and even earth-grade.
Bai Xing's mind whirled with the possibilities. He had learned of the Foundation Establishment Pill, a truly miraculous concoction in a world where spirit roots were rare and sects even rarer. "Imagine," Tai Bing Chi had explained, "a twenty percent chance of achieving Foundation Establishment without a single spirit root! Even those with lesser roots—one, two, three, or four—benefit, safeguarding their precious cultivation foundation from the risk of breakthrough failure." It was a treasure beyond measure in this humble world.
Then there was the Qi Regen Pill. "Its efficacy," Tai Bing Chi had elaborated, "is tied to its grade. A mortal-grade pill is only useful for Qi Refining stage cultivators. To truly recover at higher realms, you'll need higher grades."
Bai Xing's eyes gleamed. "This is perfect!" he exclaimed, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. "I barely defeated an early Golden Core cultivator earlier, almost running dry on Qi. If I can just craft a quasi-spirit grade Qi Regen Pill, I'll be able to contend with even a late-stage Golden Core cultivator with ease!"
He eagerly requested the recipes for the Qi Regen Pill, and Tai Bing Chi, with a knowing smile, provided him with three. Bai Xing tucked them away for later perusal. He knew, deep down, that with his current rudimentary alchemy skills, even a quasi-mortal grade pill was a monumental challenge, let alone the quasi-spirit grade he so craved.
Under Tai Bing Chi's meticulous guidance, Bai Xing began to master the delicate art of flame control. He meticulously gathered his ingredients: a 100-Year-Old Spirit Soot Bloom, the Essence of Ironbark Treant, a fiery Dragon's Breath Chili, the shimmering Tears of the Azure Serpent, a grounding Qi-Stabilizing Herb, and the ethereal Soul-Forged Quartz Dust. Each item was carefully placed into the pill furnace.
With focused concentration, Bai Xing slowly refined each ingredient, coaxing out its essence. An hour passed, the air thick with the scent of herbs and minerals. The unformed pill began to take shape, its form gradually solidifying within the furnace. Just as success seemed within reach, a sudden, searing blast rocked the cavern. The pill furnace exploded, scattering ash and fragments.
"The refining failed..." Bai Xing muttered, his voice laced with disappointment. "I was so close! What did I do wrong?"
Tai Bing Chi calmly approached the wreckage. "Check your flame temperature, Bai Xing. It was at fifty-nine. It needed to be at least sixty in those final moments. You lost focus, even for a split second, and this was the result."
Bai Xing stared, incredulous. "What? All that, just for such a tiny mistake?"
"Remember this, Bai Xing," Tai Bing Chi's voice was firm, yet patient. "When refining pills, even the smallest oversight can lead to utter disaster. This was merely a quasi-mortal grade pill, with only five steps. Higher grade pills, like the quasi-spirit grade you aspire to, demand a thousand different materials and hundreds of intricate steps. Now, try again. You will keep trying until you succeed."
Bai Xing nodded, a renewed determination hardening his gaze. "Okay! I won't give up until I make an Earth-grade pill!"
For two days, Bai Xing labored, the rhythmic clanging of the furnace punctuating the silence of the cave. Finally, after seventeen attempts, a triumphant cry echoed through the cavern. "Finally! I've made a quasi-mortal grade pill!"
"Good," Tai Bing Chi acknowledged. "Now, I want you to produce ten quasi-mortal grade pills, then begin working on mortal-grade."
Days and nights blurred into a cycle of refining. After ten days, Bai Xing had not only achieved a 100% success rate with quasi-mortal grade pills, but he had also reached an impressive 27% success rate for mortal-grade! However, his supply of mortal-grade materials dwindled.
"Should I start making earth-grade pills now?" Bai Xing inquired, turning to Tai Bing Chi. "I've used up all my mortal-grade materials."
"No," Tai Bing Chi replied immediately. "You must first achieve a fifty percent success rate with mortal-grade pills. Only then will you be capable of even refining earth-grade materials."
Indeed, each grade of material demanded a higher level of alchemical mastery. To even process earth-grade materials, Bai Xing would need to become a mortal-grade late-stage alchemist.
Tai Bing Chi elaborated on the alchemist's hierarchy: "Like cultivators, alchemists are divided into quasi-mortal, mortal, earth, and quasi-spirit grades. Within each, there are four minor stages: early, middle, late, and peak. To refine earth-grade materials, you need to be a mortal-grade late-stage alchemist. These grades are determined by your success rate. To become a mortal-grade late alchemist, you'll need a consistent fifty percent chance of refining mortal-grade pills. Of course, the higher the grade, the lower the inherent success rate. Even a peak mortal-grade alchemist won't achieve one hundred percent success with mortal-grade pills; only quasi-mortal pills are that straightforward. A peak mortal-grade alchemist will have about a seventy-five percent chance. For peak earth-grade, it's fifty percent, and for quasi-spirit, it drops to a mere twenty percent."
Bai Xing understood. He would need to push his limits further.
For another fifty days, Bai Xing journeyed, gathering a diverse array of materials for his continued alchemical endeavors. He returned to the cave, and the refining began anew. This session lasted a grueling sixteen days. When it was over, Bai Xing stood, exhaustion etched on his face, but with a triumphant glint in his eyes. In his hand, rested a perfectly formed Earth-grade Qi Regen Pill.
He was an Earth-grade Early Alchemist!
"Finally!" Bai Xing exclaimed, holding up the gleaming pill. "I've succeeded in making an Earth-grade Qi Regen Pill! Now, I can even contend with a middle Golden Core cultivator! Let's breakthrough into the Golden Core realm, shall we?"