CH 35

“Father, I’ve finished reading all the books you gave me. Can I start learning alchemy?” Mu Chen asked as he walked through the door.

Mu Yuanfeng glanced at him helplessly, “Chen’er, you can’t take the matter of refining pills too lightly. You’ve already read all the books I gave you, just remember that the slightest error in alchemy can lead to a loss of a thousand miles, nothing should be done carelessly.” 

“Father, I’ve really finished reading them all, if you don’t believe me, you can test me!” Mu Chen said indifferently.

On Earth, Mu Chen was considered a study god, with the ability to never forget anything. After coming to this world, this learning ability had not deteriorated at all. He had only spent a day and a night reading all the books Mu Yuanfeng gave him.

Looking at his confident look, Mu Yuanfeng didn’t splash cold water on him, but said indifferently, “Purple Lingzhi!

Mu Chen interlaced his fingers and said lightly, “Purple Lingzhi, biannual or perennial basidiocarp; the cap of the purple lingzhi is mostly purplish-black or brownish-black and its flesh is uniformly brown, from dark brown to chestnut brown; the mycelium is trimorphic; the generative hypha is transparent and thin-walled; the skeletal hypha is yellowish-brown, thick-walled and almost solid; the binding hypha is colorless, thick-walled and curved, all evenly branched. Purple Lingzhi can be taken raw to increase spiritual energy, and it can be used as medicine to make the Purple Spirit Pill. Purple Lingzhi cannot be used in combination with Purple Clover…”

Mu Yuanfeng was stunned for a moment and continued, “Liquidamber Styrax”

Mu Chen calmly said, “Liquidamber Styrax, purple-red, similar to rosewood, solid, extremely fragrant, but it’s as heavy as a stone, so it’s better to burn it into ash. It can be refined into fragrance-containing pills. After a woman takes it, her body will be fragrant and she will look better than before ……”

Mu Yuanfeng asked Mu Chen a dozen questions in a row and he answered them all correctly.

Mu Yuanfeng stared at him for a long time, “Chen’er, did you really read everything?”

Mu Chen nodded, “Yes, father! Is there a problem?”

Mu Yuanfeng shook his head and smiled reluctantly, “No, there is no problem. Chen’er, you should know that to become an excellent alchemist, there are high requirements for soul power, the sensitivity of perception, and mentality. A strong memory won’t be enough.”

Mu Chen nodded, “Thank you father for your guidance, I understand.” 

Mu Yuanfeng nodded in approval at Mu Chen’s appearance of being taught. Not being proud and not being impatient were necessary conditions to become an excellent alchemist.

Mu Yuanfeng didn’t tell him that it had taken him more than half a month to familiarise himself with the complete list of spiritual herbs and pills, but even so, his teacher had praised him for his good memory.

Looking at his son, Mu Yuanfeng felt a surge of guilt in his heart. He thought, “If he had cared more about Mu Chen in the past, perhaps he might have mended his ways much earlier.

“Come with me.” Mu Yuanfeng said. 

Mu Chen followed Mu Yuanfeng into the alchemy room. The temperature inside was so high that Mu Chen felt like he was going to faint as soon as he walked in.

Mu Yuanfeng looked at him and reached out with his hand, nudging him on the forehead. Mu Chen immediately felt several points cooler.

“Alchemy requires fire. Once you become a martial spirit, a heart fire seed will form in your body and you will be able to use it to refine pills, but now, you’ll have to make do.” Mu Yuanfeng said.

Mu Chen nodded, “I know, the book says that before an alchemist advances to martial spirit, he can refine pills with the help of the earth fire, or he can collect foreign fires originating from heaven and earth and incorporate them into the body, so he can also use them to refine pills.” 

“It seems that you have put in a lot of work.” Mu Yuanfeng said.

Mu Chen smiled bashfully.

“It is every alchemist’s dream to find a foreign fire seed for his own use, but it’s almost impossible. I once spent more than eight years searching for a foreign fire, but to no avail. Fortunately, thanks to a chance meeting, we found a fire vein of earth fire.” Mu Yuanfeng said with some pride.

“Father is mighty.” Mu Chen said. 

The value of an earth fire vein is very high. With this fire vein, Mu Yuanfeng can refine pills at home, otherwise, he would have to rent an alchemy room, and the price to rent such a room is excessive.

“Your strength is still too low to withstand the fiery power of the fire vein under this alchemy room. The ice spirit energy I input into your body can only last for two hours, so you can only stay inside for a maximum of two hours a day, understand?” Mu Yuanfeng reminded.

Mu Chen nodded his head, “I understand.”

Mu Yuanfeng smiled, “In the future, as your strength improves, you will be able to stay in this alchemy room for longer and longer.” 

Mu Chen nodded and asked curiously, “Father, when you first learned how to refine pills, how did you solve the problem with the fire?”

Mu Yuanfeng rubbed his head, saying, “ Your father was not as lucky as you are. I had to rent an alchemy room to refine pills and the price wasn’t cheap. When I first started refining pills, the failure rate was high and I was always left with no money.” Back then, he had to borrow money to get by, and he had to give up several times.

Mu Chen looked at him with a complicated expression. Mu Yuanfeng knocked him on the forehead, “What are you looking at?”

“I was just thinking that it’s not easy for father.” Mu Chen said. 

Mu Yuanfeng smiled and said solemnly, “Therefore, you should cherish the good conditions given to you.”

Mu Chen nodded, “I understand.”