Immortal Cultivation: Starting from a Pharmacy Apprentice

Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Pills Completed in Succession

Smoke billowed ceaselessly from above the shop for seven straight days.

The moment the smoke stopped, the two young masters from prominent families, who were still staying in the residence behind the shop, came to visit together.

Seeing the ruddy-cheeked appearances of Young Master Wei and Young Master Wang, Wei An was quite curious.

"You two are just idling around the city. Won’t your families scold you?"

These two often came to buy Pills, so Wei An was already familiar with them.

Sometimes when he passed by the back of the shop, he could even see the two of them with their courtyard gate wide open, drinking fruit wine and eating hot pot.

They lived a carefree life.

Disappointed at not being able to see Bai Mo, Young Master Wang waved his hand and said:

"Our families just want us to live peacefully in the city. They don’t ask for much else. Besides, it’s not like we’ve been doing nothing."

"Didn’t we just take a batch of your inventory Pills back with us?"

Wei An chuckled and saw the two out.

"The Shopkeeper is currently in seclusion in the quiet room. I’m afraid it’ll be some time before he comes out."

With the shop’s Pill inventory now full and Qin Wen helping to hold down the fort, his confidence in dealing with customers had grown considerably.

As he grew accustomed to things, the initial sense of unease he felt as an outsider settling in the city had vanished.

The shop’s main customers were still the men from the Demon Hunting Teams who braved Celestial Barrier Mountain.

They were used to buying Pills from the shop, and since Bai Mo had an excellent reputation in their circles, purchasing Pills from this specific location had become the norm.

Some people, with nothing better to do, would come to the shop to browse, hoping to get acquainted with Alchemist Bai, but they never succeeded.

"As expected, how could an Alchemist be someone we can meet just because we want to?"

"Making public appearances isn’t something they’re supposed to do anymore..."

It wasn’t until Lanshan came to his door that Bai Mo finally emerged from his seclusion.

Seeing Bai Mo’s vigorous spirit and the smooth, rounded flow of his aura, Lanshan was startled.

"Shopkeeper Bai, you’ve reached the Qi Refining Sixth Layer?"

Bai Mo nodded reservedly, looking refreshed and invigorated.

"A little progress."

He had assimilated the Spirit Stabilizing Pills provided by the sect. Absorbing and refining Spiritual Qi came as easily as breathing, with almost no resistance, allowing him to finally reach his current realm.

Lanshan asked again, "How many meridians have you strengthened?"

Bai Mo replied, "Seven now."

At his current realm, there wasn’t much left to cultivate within the Qi Refining Stage.

It was now just a matter of strengthening his meridians, accumulating Spiritual Qi, and enhancing his control over its mobilization and use, all to lay the foundation for future Foundation Establishment.

Bai Mo couldn’t comprehend his Eldest Brother’s level. For now, the most stunning cultivator he had ever seen was Mo Tianshu.

The latter’s mobilization and use of Spiritual Qi was simply divine.

His ability to split and command 108,000 streams of sword light, like moonlight pouring down or water splashing on a silver plate, was a level that Loose Cultivators couldn’t even imagine, let alone touch.

Lanshan was filled with emotion.

After cultivating for so long, his luck had finally turned, and he was at last living a good life.

Through years of accumulation finally paying off and by spending a massive amount of Spirit Stones, he had reached his current cultivation of the Qi Refining Seventh Layer and refined fourteen meridians.

"I’m afraid it won’t be long before you surpass me, Shopkeeper Bai."

"In the future, we’ll be counting on you for guidance."

Bai Mo quickly shook his head.

"You’re joking, Brother Lanshan."

As he spoke, he flipped his hand over, revealing a bottle of Pills.

"This is the new little thing I told you about."

Lanshan quickly composed himself and glanced at Bai Mo.

"This is..."

"The Five Obstacles Pill."

Bai Mo’s expression was calm.

"It has the effect of eroding Spiritual Qi and impairing a person’s five senses."

"This Pill is most effective when used on Cultivators. Against Demon Beasts, its effects might be somewhat reduced."

Demon Beasts have powerful physiques, and their Spiritual Qi is volatile and chaotic. In some special cases, the potency of the Spiritual Qi within their bodies might not be any weaker than that of the Five Obstacles Pill.

Therefore, they are born with a natural resistance to the Five Obstacles Pill.

A glint appeared in Lanshan’s eyes.

"Shopkeeper Bai, you already have the ability to refine such Pills?"

Bai Mo gave a noncommittal answer, saying instead:

"The Pills sold in the shop are the types most suitable for public circulation."

"If you want something else, Brother Lanshan, you can just mention it to me, and I’ll see about refining some for you."

Those words made Lanshan’s heart skip a beat, and he stared intently at the young man before him.

"You already have the air of a Grandmaster."

"I’ve never heard any Pill Master speak with such confidence."

Bai Mo just smiled and said, "It’s because I’ve read many books."

The Five Obstacles Pill was a new type of Pill he was introducing to the market, but it would only be supplied to familiar customers.

In just a few words, the two had already agreed on a price.

"Ten Spirit Stones per Pill. That’s a fair price."

Lanshan, now wealthy and extravagant, made an on-the-spot decision and asked for a bottle of ten.

He took out a hundred Spirit Stones, and the transaction was complete.

"Brother Lanshan, your circumstances really have changed."

Bai Mo didn’t even count them, simply accepting the Spirit Stones.

"Aren’t you going to test the Pill’s effects first?"

Lanshan laughed. "You think I don’t trust you, Shopkeeper Bai?"

"Externally-used Pills are rare and quite novel. I’ll try it next time I go into the mountains."

With that, he was about to get up and leave.

Bai Mo had emerged from seclusion because of him, and it was already past mealtime, so he didn’t want to linger for too long.

But just as he made a move to stand, Bai Mo called out to him.

"What is it?"

Lanshan was surprised.

Bai Mo thought for a moment, then asked:

"The main ingredient in the Five Obstacles Pill is ore-based soil, and its effects change based on the properties of that main ingredient."

"For the ones in your hand, the main ingredient is a rare ore from a distant place, which is hard to find here in Immortal Arrival City."

Lanshan understood his meaning and sat back down.

"In Celestial Barrier Mountain, I’ve never heard of such an ore..."

Bai Mo had lived in Immortal Arrival City for a long time and had also never heard of any large ore veins being discovered.

But he already had a plan in mind.

"In the depths of the swamp, there are often places where filth accumulates. I need you to find a way to bring me back some of the deep, oily mud from there."

"That stuff can be used in Pills?"

Lanshan was shocked.

"It’s not a Pill you swallow, so what’s there to be afraid of?"

Bai Mo explained.

For Lanshan, this matter was indeed not difficult.

The area where they had been active recently was a swamp—a vast one at that.

As long as they had the right equipment, collecting the mud Bai Mo mentioned would be no problem at all.

It was just that he had only ever heard of such foul materials being used by cultivators who followed heretical paths. He never expected to hear about it today from the mouth of a proper Pill Master.

With Lanshan’s assurance, Bai Mo felt greatly relieved.

After giving a few instructions on how to use the Five Obstacles Pill, Bai Mo saw Lanshan off.

He then turned and went straight into the Alchemy Room, refining all the red sand he had obtained from the Fire Cave Dynasty into more Five Obstacles Pills.

By the time he had finished refining all the Five Obstacles Pills, Wei An, out in the front of the shop, was just receiving several imposing-looking Cultivators.

One of them was an old acquaintance of Bai Mo’s, Qi Yang.

"Junior Brother Qi, is this the place Junior Brother Bai runs?"

"It certainly looks the part."

Qi Yang smiled. "That’s what the disciples from Beast Taming Peak said. Logically, we shouldn’t have the wrong place."

While the few of them were talking and laughing amongst themselves, Wei An had already come forward to greet them. In a corner of the shop, Qin Wen also slowly rose to his feet.

Almost subconsciously, his mind became fully alert, stretched taut.

Looking at these people, Qin Wen was suddenly overcome with a deep sense of powerlessness.

Wei An naturally noticed his strange behavior and was quite surprised, though he didn’t let it show on his face.

"Welcome, gentlemen. May I ask what you are looking for?"

Qi Yang, who was at the front, smiled and said:

"I’m afraid you’re not the one in charge here. Have your shopkeeper come out. We are his fellow disciples, here as promised."

"Ah?"

Wei An was stunned for a moment, then hurried to fetch Bai Mo.

Hearing the news, Bai Mo arrived in a hurry.

"You’re a little late, Brother Qi."

As he spoke, he handed a cloth pouch to Qi Yang.