"Please hold on for a moment; let me buy some wine for you."Xiao Wei added.
With that, he entered the Mo clan wine shop, where he proceeded to spend all of his Spirit Coins. He purchased four bottles of wine, each costing 4,000 Spirit Coins, thereby depleting his entire reserve of currency.
Upon leaving the shop after completing his purchase of wine, Xiao Wei saw the middle aged man was standing there alone and all the items he was selling was gone. Xiao Wei knew he must have stored them in his Storage Ring as he decided to approach the man and presented him with the bottles of wine he had just acquired.
"Here, take this"Xiao Wei said, extending his arm toward the middle aged man, the bottles held firmly in his grasp.
The man, clearly delighted by the gesture, replied,
"Good lad, you've brought me four bottles of wine."the middle aged man said as was pleased with him.
He then proceeded to uncork one of the bottles, bringing it to his lips for a small sip, relishing the rich flavor that filled his palate.
After tasting the rich flavour of the wone, the man fixed his intense gaze on Xiao Wei. The man was looking at Xiao Wei with piercing eyes, as if he had not consumed any wine at all, he was not drunk at all in that brief moment.
"Here, take this ring, I have already stored the cauldron inside it, but you must exercise caution and do not damage the cauldron in any way. Also you must understand that I am not selling you the cauldron; I am simply renting it to you. After some time I will find you again and will take back the cauldron"the middle-aged man instructed his point with a serious tone.
"The cauldron contained within the ring is a High Grade Tier 5 Cauldron referred to as the 'Burner.' I know that you have not yet attained the status of a Tier 1 Alchemist, so I have also included several batches of materials within the ring for your practice"the middle aged man added before vanishing from view.
Xiao Wei look around but he failed to found him, suddenly, a voice appered in his mind.
"Brat, remember that my name is Mo Fan. Do not even think about escaping with the cauldron or attempting to sell it; if you do, I will ensure your die after that"the middled aged man's voice echoed clearly within Xiao Wei's mind.
Xiao Wei was momentarily stunned by the clarity and directness of the voice that resonated in his thoughts, as such a form of communication can only be done by Martial Master Realm Cultivators. Yet, it was evident that this man possessed a level of power far beyond that, having completely vanished from sight.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Xiao Wei focused intently on the ring he was holding and carefully slid it onto his finger.
Xiao Wei, having secured the Tier 5 Cauldron, decided not to return to the Xiao Clan residence immediately. Instead, he opted to venture to a nearby mountain of Mo City range known as Tiger Mountain. The origin of its name stemmed from centuries ago involving a peak Tier 4 Fire Tiger that had attempted to breakthrough to the next level, but before the Fire Tiger breakthrough to the Tier 5, it had been slain by someone.
Nowadays, the strongest creatures inhabiting Tiger Mountain were merely Tier 3 monsters, which live in the innermost regions of the mountain. These elusive monsters remained largely undisturbed, their habitats protected by the treacherous terrain.
However, the outer areas of the mountain hosted a different type of threat altogether – the Fire Bears.
In the past, during his visits to this location with his parents, Xiao Wei discovered a concealed cave situated in the remote outskirts of the mountain. This cave was so well-hidden that it remained unknown not only to the other people's but also to the monsters that resided within the mountain itself.
Without a moment's hesitation, Xiao Wei moved swiftly and silently through the dense foliage of Tiger Mountain, his steps light and measured as he navigated the uneven terrain.
As he delved deeper into the mountain's outer reaches, Xiao Wei's keen senses remained alert, in order to avoid attracting any unwanted attention.
Finally, after a series of careful maneuvers, Xiao Wei located the hidden cave entrance he had discovered during those long-ago outings.
With a deep breath, Xiao Wei slipped into the cave's shadowy maw. Once inside, he made his way straight to the deepest parts of the cave.
As Xiao Wei ventured into the depths of the cave, he retrieved the Tier 5 Cauldron 'Burner' from the Storage Ring to the cave. With the enormous cauldron out, he carefully examined the contents of the ring, assessing the materials available for crafting various medicinal pills.
Upon opening the Storage Ring's interior space, Xiao Wei marveled at its substantial 100 square meter capacity, ample for his current needs. Within the ring, he discovered an assortment of rare plants and herbs, each meticulously organized for efficient usage.
Within the Storage Ring, a total of 200 Tier 1 Spirit Plants were present, which play a vital role in the production of Spirit Power Pills. In addition to these, there were five distinct types of Tier 1 plants, with each type also consisting of 200 individual specimens, all of which are necessary for the formulation of the Spirit Power Pills. Other than that, there were also included 50 Tier 1 Spirit Roots, 50 Tier 1 Spirit Flowers and 50 Tier 1 Red Ginseng plants, each of which is indispensable for the creation of Detoxification Pills. Moreover, within the ring contained 20 Tier 2 Spirit Plants, along with seven additional varieties of Tier 2 plants, each also comprising 20 specimens, which are required for the synthesis of the Tier 2 Spirit Pill.
Upon examining the resources at his disposal, Xiao Wei realized that he could try many times to make the pills as he has total of 200 batches of Tier 1 Spirit Power Pills, 50 batches of Tier 1 Detoxification Pills, and 20 batches of Tier 2 Spirit Power Pills.
This revelation filled Xiao Wei with immense joy, as he appreciated the quantity of the materials he had obtained because a new Alchemist needed practice to become proficient in Alchemy recipes.
"That mysterious figure displayed extraordinary generosity; he even gifted me 20 batches of Tier 2 pills, even though I am presently unable to make use of them."Xiao Wei muttered to himself.
As Xiao Wei stood within the depths of the cave, he reached out with his consciousness, calling out the Shadow Bird.
"Come out, Shadow bird"Xiao Wei commanded.
Chirp!
At the sound of Xiao Wei's mental summons, the Shadow Bird emerged from his shadow, its ethereal black form materializing before him. With a soft, melodic chirp, it acknowledged its master's command.
"I want you to fly outside the cave and keep watch over our surroundings. If you detect any signs of danger or unusual activity in the vicinity, return here immediately and inform me."Xiao Wei instructed the bird, his intent clear.
Chirp! Chirp!
Upon receiving Xiao Wei's command, the Shadow Bird nodded its head slightly, as if acknowledging the instruction. With a chirping sound, it took flight, disappearing into the cave darkness, ready to soar out of the cave.
"Alright, now I am fully prepared"Xiao Wei confidently announced as he positioned himself near the cauldron and set the flames ablaze within it.
If one want to embark on the journey of an Alchemist, a significant level of Soul Power is needed. Soul Power is a vital attribute for effectively controlling the fire within the cauldron while simultaneously refining the medicinal pill. This dual skill set is of utmost importance, as it enables the Alchemist to exert meticulous control over both the temperature and the ingredients involved in the process. Such precision is essential for the successful metamorphosis of raw materials into powerful elixirs, ultimately determining the efficacy of the final product.
Soul Power can be compared to the Spiritual Energy inherent in a Cultivator. While every Cultivator has the capacity to develop their Soul Power, only a limited number of Cultivators achieve success in this pursuit, as it is considerably more difficult than simply drawing Spiritual Energy from the surrounding environment. There are numerous techniques for Cultivating Soul Power, which include absorbing and refining the soul of another person, utilizing specialized pills and various other methods.
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[Author Note - The strength of a Tier 1 Monster corresponds to that of a Martial Apprentice, while a Tier 2 Monster aligns with the capabilities of a Martial Master. Similarly, a Tier 3 Monster is equivalent to a Martial Grandmaster and so on... With a Tier 9 Monster strength is equal to Martial Sage and a Tier 10 Monster strength is equal to the level of a Martial Emperor.]