12: Chapter 12 First Time Refining Pills
"This Soul Master profession really isn't something a poor person can afford. Just like that, another few hundred thousand is gone."
Walking out of the materials store, Lin Mo looked at the shopping bag in his hand and couldn't help but sigh.
"Yeah, Brother. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't even be able to afford ordinary soul crystals, let alone awaken a Soul Skill."
Niu Dachun scratched his head. Although his family ran a small restaurant and lived a slightly better life than families relying solely on manual labor, they were far from being able to easily afford the expenses of a Soul Master.
"It's fine, I told you I'd take you to the top."
Lin Mo patted his shoulder.
...
Returning from the market to Lin Mo's small rented room.
He spread the materials out on the table: "Da Chun, sit down cross-legged. Today, Brother is going to help you awaken a badass Soul Skill."
Niu Dachun hurriedly sat down on the floor, his eyes full of anticipation.
Lin Mo lined up the materials needed for awakening the Soul Skill one by one.
Then, he carefully explained the steps and the details to pay attention to.
After settling Niu Dachun, Lin Mo also began his own alchemy experiment.
He released his Martial Soul, and that ancient Medicine Cauldron floated in front of him. As his thoughts stirred, a faint blue flame rose from the bottom of the furnace.
Lin Mo, according to the method listed by System AI, carefully controlled the temperature, then put the materials for refining the antidote pill into the furnace one by one.
The alchemy fire leaped at the bottom of the furnace, the faint blue light reflecting on Lin Mo's focused profile.
The Soul Power condensed at his fingertips was like a fine net, precisely wrapping around every medicinal herb.
Just as the Ice Spirit Grass was about to ooze juice, it was steamed by the flame into a pale green mist.
The leaves of the Seven-Star Grass curled slightly in the high heat, but under the guidance of his Soul Power, they slowly unfurled, turning into the purest essence.
All the medicinal materials gradually turned into crystalline liquid droplets. Under the scorching fire and the precise control of his Soul Power, they slowly condensed into pills...
A moment later.
With a soft "pop," the furnace lid opened automatically.
Three round, cyan pills floated up under the guidance of his Soul Power and landed steadily in Lin Mo's palm, still carrying a faint residual warmth.
"Holy crap, it actually worked?"
Lin Mo looked at the pills in his palm, excitement surging uncontrollably in his eyes.
His Martial Soul could mutate into an alchemy furnace.
This was originally a mutation scheme generated by AI Xiao Bao by combining the settings of xianxia novels from his previous life with the Martial Soul system of this world; even he himself didn't have full confidence in it.
"Since this antidote pill can be refined, does that mean body refining pills and spirit-condensing pills are also feasible?" A glimmer of excitement flashed in Lin Mo's eyes.
He acted immediately.
He took out the medicinal materials for refining the body refining pill and lit the Pill Furnace again.
The formula for this body refining pill was also generated by System AI absorbing knowledge from his previous life and combining it with the pharmacology of this world; even he wasn't sure of the final effect.
As soon as the materials for the body refining pill were put into the Pill Furnace, the faint blue flame suddenly crackled and exploded.
The fire was several times more violent than when refining the antidote pill, and the furnace walls glowed with a scorching red light.
The Soul Power at Lin Mo's fingertips suddenly tightened, and fine sweat seeped from his forehead, only then barely stabilizing the furnace temperature.
This body refining pill needed "Bone Tempering Flower" as a primer.
In this world, this thing had always been used to extract essence and configure high-level potions to improve physique.
It was as fierce as a ball of fire; if one was careless, the entire furnace of medicinal materials would turn into scorched ash.
Lin Mo held his breath and concentrated, his Soul Power flowing faster at his fingertips, not daring to relax for a moment.
Because Lin Mo's Soul Power level was still very low.
This batch took a full hour to refine.
"Bang!"
The furnace lid opened again.
Two red and one black, three pills flew into Lin Mo's hand.
"Did one of them fail?"
Lin Mo scratched his head.
System AI could only generate schemes for him; it couldn't detect how the results would turn out.
Looking at that pitch-black, charcoal-like pill, Lin Mo didn't know if it was good or bad.
"Forget it, keep it for now!"
Lin Mo couldn't bear to throw it away, so he found a bottle and put it inside.
Then he picked up a red pill and sniffed it in front of his nose.
"Hmm... it smells like chili..."
For a moment, he didn't know whether he should eat it.
"System AI, this thing won't kill me, right?"
[Theoretically, it won't.]
Theoretically again...
Lin Mo was speechless.
But who told him System AI wasn't an omnipotent system!
"Damn it, screw it, I'll risk it!"
Lin Mo didn't hesitate and threw the body refining pill into his mouth.
The pill really did melt in his mouth, just like in the novels.
However, a spicy taste spread across his taste buds.
Lin Mo picked up his phone and dialed the hospital's emergency number.
If he felt any discomfort later, he would immediately go for emergency gastric lavage.
However, after waiting for more than a minute.
There was no movement in his stomach at all.
Lin Mo was immediately confused.
"That shouldn't be right. It should at least give some reaction, right?"
As soon as the words fell.
A wave of pain suddenly came from his body.
"Holy crap, it's here!"
Ten minutes later.
Lin Mo looked at his body repeatedly, as if he had seen a ghost.
"It really works!"
Lin Mo felt that he had faintly gained some subtle muscle lines, although they weren't very obvious.
His strength had also increased.
If he could only take a hundred punches before, now he could at least take ten more.
Lin Mo's eyes shone.
If his physique improved, the level of Soul Skill he could withstand would also increase. This was great news.
"Haha! I, Lin Mo, am about to take off!"
The facts proved that his body refining pill outperformed various physical potions on the market.
And since the body refining pill was feasible, then the spirit-condensing pill was also feasible.
This meant that his total Soul Power could also be improved.
The amount of Soul Power was related to combat endurance.
This was also a form of combat power.
"Haha, Brother Mo, I've awakened a Soul Skill!"
At this moment, Niu Dachun also let out a loud laugh.
...
Noon the next day.
The students of the First High School put on blue and white combat suits and wore protective helmets.
They were walking in an orderly manner onto the bus arranged by the school.
"Students, starting today is your last sprint before the college entrance examination. I hope you will do your best to improve your strength and combat experience."
On the bus, Teacher Liao Dafu encouraged the students.
"This practical training will last for half a month. Remember, once you are bitten and infected, use the antidote potion immediately. If you encounter a beast above the second rank, do not hesitate to retreat immediately..."
Listening to Teacher Liao Dafu's serious tone, the carriage instantly quieted down.
Lin Mo sat by the window, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the glass bottle in his pocket.
Inside were a dozen antidote pills.
Since the body refining pill was feasible, the antidote pill was probably real too.
Perhaps the effect was even better than the official antidote potion.
Half an hour later.
The bus left the city gate, then drove east for another half hour.
The car finally entered a stronghold.
"Wow, is this the entrance to the Wasteland Secret Realm? How long has it been discovered? They've already built such a large stronghold?"
"You're really making a fuss over nothing. Some Soul Masters have Martial Souls that are specifically for construction. Not to mention a stronghold, even building a hundred-mile city wall in a day is a piece of cake!"
Many students were leaving the city for the first time, and it was normal to be a little shocked to see the secret realm stronghold.
Even Lin Mo was leaving the city for the first time, so it was inevitable that he would be curious about things here.