Chapter 258: Heart Flame Body Refining Pill (Part 1)
"A pill to improve the success rate of refining Heart Flame Essence?"
The gathered alchemists' faces lit up with excitement.
The idea of enhancing the effectiveness of Heart Flame Essence wasn't new. In fact, it had been proposed over a decade ago.
The Fallen Heart Flame was one of the Inner Academy's most unique and valuable resources. Each wisp of Heart Flame Essence was considered a rare treasure, capable of enabling Dou Ling practitioners to advance nearly seamlessly to the Dou Wang level.
Such an effect was even more enticing than a Breaking Zong Pill, which only provided a 10% chance for a Dou Huang practitioner to break through. In contrast, Heart Flame Essence offered nearly a 100% success rate provided the practitioner could withstand its tempering process.
However, the process was not without risk. Those unable to endure the intense refinement would not only fail but also risk losing cultivation levels.
Thus, creating a pill to increase the success rate of tempering the Heart Flame Essence was an extraordinary goal.
"Elder Yan Xiao, do you have any ideas?"
The alchemists exchanged glances, and one spoke hesitantly.
"To be honest, we've researched such a pill before, but we've never successfully created one. While the theory is sound, the cost is astronomical."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan paused briefly in thought.
Cost had never been a concern for him. As someone with access to abundant resources, he could afford to use precious ingredients liberally, even materials like seventh tier magical beast cores.
However, Jia Nan Academy's alchemists didn't have such luxury. Their proposed pills likely required materials equivalent to a sixth tier pill, making the cost prohibitive even for Dou Wang practitioners, let alone the academy's Dou Ling level students.
The academy, despite its resources, couldn't operate like a charity. Even the wealthiest institution had its limits.
"Why don't you let me take a look at your existing formula? Perhaps I can offer some suggestions," Xiao Yan said with a friendly smile.
Unlike these alchemists, Xiao Yan possessed an immense foundation of knowledge, honed through the teachings of the Xiao Clan, the Medicine Clan, the Pill Tower, and Yao Lao's personal notes.
Such profound insights were beyond the reach of the academy's alchemists, who lacked access to these incredible resources.
The alchemists, after exchanging glances, nodded under Fei Shi's direction.
Soon, one elder retrieved a jade inscribed formula from a secure chamber within the Alchemy Department. After clearing the area of non essential personnel save for Zi Yan, who stubbornly remained the remaining elders, all fifth tier alchemists or higher, gathered around Xiao Yan.
"Elder Yan Xiao, here is the formula," an elder said, holding up the jade tablet.
As Xiao Yan scanned the formula, he frowned slightly.
"With this configuration, the cost of producing one pill is nearly equivalent to a Huangji Pill," Xiao Yan remarked.
The elders chuckled awkwardly.
The cost of a Huangji Pill a treasure capable of saving a Dou Wang's life was exorbitant. Spending that much to produce a pill for Dou Ling students was clearly a losing proposition.
Still, one elder muttered discontentedly, "We spent a whole year calculating this formula. Does Elder Yan Xiao really have a better method after just one glance?"
Xiao Yan smiled faintly. "Actually, yes, I do."
Pointing to the three primary ingredients on the formula, he said, "These three main ingredients can all be replaced."
"Take the Ice Spirit Fruit, for instance. It can be substituted with Iceflame Grass. Though Iceflame Grass is an ice attribute herb, it harmonizes exceptionally well with fire based ingredients, making it ideal for such a pill."
Hearing this, the elders' eyes lit up.
"As for the Soul Calming Fruit," Xiao Yan continued, "it's undoubtedly the most expensive ingredient here, costing over a million gold coins.
"Its purpose is to protect the user's soul from the Fallen Heart Flame's soul burning effects during refinement. But the real reason Heart Flame Essence harms the soul is due to the intense pain from the body refining process, which destabilizes the user's mind.
"Why not use an additional Iceheart Pill to replace the Soul Calming Fruit? Iceheart Pills are cheap and can stabilize the mind just as effectively."
The elders were stunned.
Of course! There was no rule that only one pill could be used in the refinement process. Using an Iceheart Pill instead of the Soul Calming Fruit would reduce costs drastically from over a million gold coins to just a few thousand.
Lastly, Xiao Yan addressed the magical beast core in the formula.
"A fifth tier magical beast core is not only expensive but also too powerful, potentially disrupting the refinement process. A fourth tier core would suffice," he explained.
One elder hesitated. "But wouldn't a weaker core risk instability, causing the user to lose control?"
Xiao Yan smiled. "That's easy to fix. Replace Greenwood Grass with Vitality Grass, which offers more sustained energy flow. Then..."
Xiao Yan made a few additional adjustments, replacing three main ingredients and five supplementary ones.
By the time he finished, the elders were in awe.
The changes Xiao Yan made reduced the pill's cost by over two million gold coins while maintaining, or even improving, its effectiveness.
While the revised formula still required resources equivalent to a standard fifth tier pill, it was far more affordable and accessible for the Inner Academy's students.
The gathered elders couldn't help but raise their thumbs in admiration.
"Impressive!"
Xiao Yan's expertise in alchemy had completely won them over.
"Now that the cost has been reduced so much, shall we start experimenting?" Fei Shi asked eagerly, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
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