147: Chapter 146 The Complete Guide to Alchemy! The Nine-Turn Large Intestine Pill! The Golden Pagoda is stuffed again.
Lin Feng walked out of that half-collapsed small house and stood in the middle of the ruins. The wind blew past, carrying the scent of sand and withered grass.
He looked around; there was still much of this architectural complex he hadn't seen.
Halls, pavilions, terraces, and corridors of all heights and sizes stood like a dead city.
He hesitated for a moment but decided to keep walking.
Since he was already here, he might as well take those extra few steps.
He walked deeper into the architectural complex.
The path beneath his feet was paved with stone slabs, many of which were shattered. Withered grass grew from the cracks, crunching under his footsteps.
On both sides were collapsed buildings; some had only a single wall left, some only a few pillars, and some were just a pile of broken bricks.
The wind whistled through those hollow spaces, sounding like someone crying.
After walking for about ten minutes, a hall that was still relatively well-preserved appeared ahead.
Half of the roof had collapsed, but the other half remained.
Half of the walls had also collapsed, but the other half still stood.
The door was still there, hanging crookedly from the frame.
He pushed the door open and walked inside.
The hall was very dark, with only a few rays of light leaking through the broken roof.
He raised his left hand, and a soft white light lit up in his palm.
The light orb of the Illumination Spell floated above his head, lighting up the entire hall.
The hall wasn't large, much smaller than the previous ones.
Stone slabs covered the floor, many of them broken with grass growing in the cracks.
There was nothing on the walls—no murals, no carvings, just bare stone.
Deep within the hall stood a table made of wood; it was very old, with one broken leg propped up by bricks.
There were some items placed on the table.
Lin Feng walked over.
There were several porcelain bottles on the table of various sizes—some white, some green, and some blue.
The porcelain bottles were covered in dust. He picked up a white one and blew the dust off.
The porcelain bottle was very smooth, like jade, and the mouth was sealed with wax, which had already dried and cracked.
He picked off the wax, pulled out the stopper, and leaned in to sniff it.
There was no scent.
He poured one out into his palm.
The Medicinal Pill was pale yellow and round, like a soybean.
Its surface had cracks, like a dried-up riverbed.
[life-prolonging pill (Purple)]
[Quality: Purple]
[Effect: Instantly restores 50% health points upon consumption and clears most negative statuses]
[Description: A healing Medicinal Pill commonly used by Disciples of the Taixu Dojo, with significant effects. However, due to being stored for too long, most of its medicinal efficacy has dissipated.]
Lin Feng's eyes lit up as he read the description.
Restoring half his health points and clearing negative statuses—this was good stuff.
Even though most of the efficacy had dissipated, it was still usable.
He put the Medicinal Pill back into the bottle and stored it in his wanxiang ring.
He picked up a green porcelain bottle, pulled out the stopper, and poured one out.
This Medicinal Pill was pale green and slightly larger than a soybean. Its surface was glossy, as if coated in a layer of oil.
[origin-nurturing pill (Purple)]
[Quality: Purple]
[Effect: Permanently increases Physique +10 and spirit +10 upon consumption]
[Description: A cultivation Medicinal Pill daily consumed by Disciples of the Taixu Dojo, which can stabilize the Foundation and improve Aptitude. Having been stored for too long, most of its medicinal efficacy has dissipated, but it still has an effect.]
Physique plus ten, spirit plus ten, and a permanent increase at that.
Lin Feng put the Medicinal Pill back and stored it away.
He went through the porcelain bottles one by one: three bottles of life-prolonging pills, five pills per bottle.
Two bottles of origin-nurturing pills, three pills per bottle.
There was also a bottle of inedia pills, which were blue; after consumption, one wouldn't need to eat or drink for seven days.
And a bottle of detoxification pills, which were white and could neutralize a hundred poisons.
One more porcelain bottle was empty, containing nothing.
He stored all the porcelain bottles into his wanxiang ring and continued looking at the items on the table.
In the corner of the table were a few books stacked together, covered in dust.
He picked up the one on top and blew off the dust.
The cover was blue and had faded, and the characters were blurred, but he could still clearly make them out—"Essentials of Taixu Alchemy."
He flipped to the first page.
The paper had turned yellow and was very brittle; he had to be very careful when turning it.
The characters inside were written vertically from right to left, each stroke very neat and orderly.
He read a few lines but couldn't understand them.
It wasn't that he didn't recognize the characters, but that he didn't understand the meaning.
Terms like "Harmony of Water and Fire," "Convergence of Dragon and Tiger," and "Rising and Falling of Lead and Mercury" were like a foreign language to him.
He flipped through a few more pages but still couldn't understand anything.
He closed the book and stored it in his wanxiang ring.
He picked up the second one—"Insights on Medicinal Pill Compatibility."
He flipped through a few pages and still couldn't understand.
He stored it away.
The third one—"Pill Fire Control Art."
He couldn't understand it.
He stored it away.
The fourth one—"Taixu Pill Formula Collection."
He couldn't understand it.
He stored it away.
The fifth one—"Alchemy Q&A."
He couldn't understand it.
He stored it away.
He had finished collecting everything on the table.
He looked around the hall; it was empty now, with nothing left.
He turned and walked out.
The wind outside had picked up, and the sand hitting his face felt painful.
He squinted his eyes, looking at the distant architectural complex.
There was still a lot he hadn't seen, but he didn't want to look anymore.
Those buildings were all similar—either collapsed or empty, with no good items to be found.
He found a spot sheltered from the wind, sat down, and poured the books out from his wanxiang ring, stacking them in front of him.
Five books, varying in thickness and size, were stacked together like a small mountain.
He then poured out the porcelain bottles and lined them up.
Three bottles of life-prolonging pills, two bottles of origin-nurturing pills, one bottle of inedia pills, and one bottle of detoxification pills.
He threw the empty bottle aside.
Looking at the books and Medicinal Pills, an idea formed in his mind.
He would handle the books first.
He held both hands over the pile of books, palms facing down.
"Talent—Activate."