After seven days of travel, he had not encountered any trouble. There were neither Bizarre Demons nor short-sighted water demons in the river. In the Surging River, the Fathead Fish Demon was considered the tyrant among fish, unchallenged by any other fish. A Second Order, superior grade Fathead Fish Demon, as powerful as a False Core, was already a tyrant among demons. Staying in the Surging River was a bit beneath its abilities; it was better suited for a more expansive region.

After seven relentless days, it arrived at a more spacious water domain. The Surging River was only one of its tributaries, which branched off into several rivers that were not inferior to the Surging River and extended into other areas. Small tributaries were not conducive to escaping and even less suitable for hiding. He was not sure whether he would be exposed, so he made preparations for the worst-case scenario in advance. The larger the water area, the more favorable it was for hiding.

The Fathead Fish Demon swam along, moving against the current and gradually entering the waters upstream of the Surging River. The water-element Spiritual Power was more abundant, the river was wider, and the water was deeper. Compared to before, the water flow was colder, carrying an inexplicable chill. The trees on both banks became sparse, and the leaves turned black. Occasionally, carrion crows could be seen flying over, cawing incessantly. Carrion Dogs were active nearby, voraciously devouring the rotten flesh of Magical Beasts that had died for unknown reasons. An ominous aura permeated everywhere. The Fathead Fish Demon unconsciously sped up its swimming.

Several figures of Cultivators in black robes flew past in the sky. The objects they commanded were not flying swords or common Flying Artifacts but bizarre-looking Soul Banners and Skull Heads.

Demon Cultivators?

With their infamous reputation, Demon Cultivators were targets for everyone and often lived in remote, desolate, and inaccessible regions.

He wouldn't encounter a large number of Demon Cultivators, would he?

Jia Ren controlled the Fathead Fish Demon to dive deeper into the riverbed and swim slowly to ensure he didn't attract trouble. After taking all precautions, Jia Ren returned to his Water Mansion to continue his closed-door cultivation.

As the number of Solidifying Yuan Pills decreased, his understanding of them deepened. By analyzing the medicinal ingredients and formulas, he could better deduce the required Spiritual Medicines. He assessed the degree of fusion between the ingredients, conjecturing the proportions and the heating degree needed for Alchemy. It had to be said that deducing Alchemy Recipes was indeed a headache. Up until today, Jia Ren had painstakingly recorded fifteen different combination schemes for Spiritual Medicines. Fourteen different heating levels and refining methods all had to be tested, which meant going through two hundred and ten experiments. The answer he sought was among them! If he was lucky, he would obtain the desired result in a few tries; if not, he would inevitably waste a lot of precious Spiritual Medicines. Jia Ren pre-selected the schemes with the highest chance of success to prioritize for Alchemy. After taking the last Solidifying Yuan Pill, he tested its potency and optimized the plan accordingly.

While he ingested the pill for his cultivation and pondered over the Alchemy Recipe, his Insect External Incarnation transformed into a hundred Sonic-Thief Mosquito Kings. They left the water's surface and flew in all directions. If the Insect External Incarnation moved as one entity, accidents were more likely when encountering a large target or a suspected Demon Cultivator. By transforming into Sonic-Thief Mosquito Kings, they would not be wiped out in one fell swoop even if confronted by a strong enemy. A few of them split off to pursue the fleeing Demon Cultivators, while others scouted the terrain and collected intelligence. Not knowing where the water led, Jia Ren didn't want to settle in a nice spot only to become neighbors with Demon Cultivators.

That wouldn't be a good thing. They might consider him cultivation material and come knocking in the middle of the night.

Knowing more in advance would also help him avoid them in time. The Sonic-Thief Mosquito Kings could fly very fast. After being refined into parts of the Insect External Incarnation, their control range was the same as the Insect External Incarnation itself, exceeding thirty miles, making them better suited for gathering information. Three Sonic-Thief Mosquito Kings split into three directions, following the Demon Cultivators and tracking them from afar. The vast majority of the Sonic-Thief Mosquito Kings remained on alert in the vicinity.

This place was rich in Spiritual Power, with many strange flowers and plants growing. Occasionally, a few decent Spiritual Medicines could be seen. Such an opportunity was not to be missed. Not all Spiritual Medicines were beneficial to Magical Beasts. Those guarded by Magical Beasts were often extremely old and, once consumed, could bring great benefits. Most Spiritual Medicines did not possess powerful medicinal properties, and many were of no benefit if taken directly; their value was maximized only through Alchemy. Such Spiritual Medicines, even when old, did not attract the attention of Magical Beasts. Though Demon Cultivators had flown over this place, not all Cultivators had the ability to recognize Spiritual Medicines. It was not uncommon for them to overlook treasures right in front of them.

The Insect External Incarnation confirmed there were no dangers nearby and began to harvest the Spiritual Medicines, preserving them carefully. He transformed into a diligent Spiritual Medicine-gathering lad, storing away one aged Spiritual Medicine after another. Those not old enough were marked on the newly created map for a later harvest when the time was right. Despite receiving a substantial amount of Spiritual Medicines from the Liu family Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Jia Ren did not have access to a Market for trade. With only Spiritual Medicines being consumed and none coming in, there would come a day when they would all be used up. Making preparations in advance was the way to be ready for any eventuality. Spiritual Medicines suspected to be guarded by Magical Beasts were marked and not harvested. The gathering of Spiritual Medicines proceeded without trouble.

An hour later, the tracing Sonic-Thief Mosquito Kings returned; their pursuit had failed as their targets had flown beyond the thirty-mile range. The Insect External Incarnation returned with the collected Spiritual Medicines and then continued its gathering work. Operating at night did not interfere with gathering Spiritual Medicines and mapping their locations. A truly proficient worker incarnation.

Jia Ren, the capitalist, after consuming the Elixir, entered the Alchemy Room and began to concoct Elixirs. Out of over two hundred schemes, after meticulous selection, three-quarters were discarded, leaving only fifty or so. Jia Ren took out the various materials, using the smallest possible dosage of ingredients for Alchemy. This way, if the Alchemy failed, the loss of Spiritual Medicines would be minimal, allowing for numerous attempts. Jia Ren followed his self-made Alchemy Recipe, but halfway through the first attempt, he quickly discovered a problem. The fusion and compatibility of the medicinal ingredients were incorrect, and their properties could not integrate perfectly. There's a difference between theory and practice after all. Plan three is more suitable.

He cleaned out the residue from the Pill Furnace and switched to the third plan, quickly starting the Alchemy process again. Compared to the first attempt, the second one went much more smoothly. However, there were some issues with the heat control and a few fusion stages; timely remedies were futile, and it still resulted in failure. Jia Ren improved on the third plan, adjusting and optimizing the details, and began his third attempt.

Under the Flame Control Pill Technique, the Innate True Fire turned pure white, its flames concentrated and stable, with the temperature constantly changing in sync with the rate at which the ingredients melded. Jia Ren focused intensely, the Spirit Eye Technique activated, keeping a close eye on the fusion process of the ingredients inside and making continuous minute adjustments. The medicinal powers of various Spiritual Medicines fused into one. A faint, delightful fragrance emanated from the Alchemy Furnace, gradually growing richer and more invigorating.

Success!

The lid of the furnace opened, revealing a light green Elixir. Its appearance was significantly different from that of the Solidifying Yuan Pill. Since the ingredients weren't perfectly derived, the imitation wasn't the real deal. Uncertain of potential hidden risks in the Elixir, he didn't dare to consume it rashly.

"Come out!"

Jia Ren controlled the herb-gathering Insect External Incarnation to return and reshape into his own form. Although the Insect External Incarnation was different from his main body, when it consumed the Elixir, his split soul could perceive through the Incarnation whether there was a difference compared to consuming a Solidifying Yuan Pill, thus determining if the Elixir was poisonous. Beyond serving as a Spiritual Medicine picker and scout, the Insect External Incarnation now had the additional title of medicine tester.

Once the Elixir was ingested, its medicinal properties explosively activated. The medicinal properties of the Consolidating Yuan Pill (Modified) were not gentle, but rather somewhat ferocious. The Elixir itself had no issues during refinement, nor had it turned into a Poison Elixir.

Did it work?!

Jia Ren opened the Proficiency Panel. An unnamed Elixir was listed. Too lazy to think of a name, he simply called it the Consolidating Yuan Pill (Modified).

The testing concluded. Jia Ren took out the ingredients for one Elixir and began another attempt. Two hours later, the fragrance of the Elixir spread. He once again optimized the details, stabilizing the success rate of pill formation. The new Elixir was of average quality, but Jia Ren confirmed it was, without a doubt, the pill with the effects of a Solidifying Yuan Pill that he desired. Confirming that the imitated Alchemy Recipe was correct, he increased the production quantity, rapidly adding batches of Alchemy materials and swiftly concocting the Elixirs. Increasing numbers of Consolidating Yuan Pills (Modified) were produced, each batch of higher quality than the last. The Proficiency Level was also changing rapidly, showing stunning progress.

The Alchemy Recipe is complete!

Jia Ren looked at the recorded Alchemy Recipe as the Innate True Fire in his palm flared, consuming it until it turned to ash. Since reaching Foundation Establishment, his cultivation progress had been slow. He had once wavered in his decision to join a Sect because of the Alchemy Recipe...

Fortunately, he held onto his original intent. At last, he had the Foundation Establishment Stage Alchemy Recipe he wanted!

In the following time, Jia Ren devoted his energy to concocting the Consolidating Yuan Pill (Modified), accelerating the improvement of his Proficiency Level. As the quantity of Consolidating Yuan Pills (Modified) grew, he didn't consume a single one. To avoid affecting his future cultivation, he was only willing to consume high-quality Elixirs of Master Level or above. The inferior-quality Elixirs wouldn't go to waste; when encountering fellow Foundation Establishment Cultivators, low-quality Consolidating Yuan Pills (Modified) could be used to trade for treasures.

The Fathead Fish Demon, carrying the Water Mansion, moved for a month, traveling nearly ten thousand miles, yet it didn't reach the source. Unlike before, this area was scarcely populated, and the lake water diverged once again. The stream flowed along the watercourse over a cliff, forming a massive waterfall. The water from the waterfall flowed southwest, passing through tall, unnamed trees, forming marshes and miasma-laden wetlands. The Sonic-Thief Mosquito King sent information about a Magical Beast lurking within that was just as formidable as the Fathead Fish Demon. In the marsh, five-colored miasma permeated the air, and hidden within were countless mosquitoes, butterflies, and ants—a paradise for Spirit Insects.

A treasure land for Spirit Insects! A paradise for Poisons!

Jia Ren decided to leave the task of collecting Spirit Insects and Poisons to the Insect External Incarnation; he didn't plan to take the risk himself.

The Fathead Fish Demon, carrying the Water Mansion, proceeded upstream but quickly returned, a look of terror on its face. Further ahead, the powerful aura of a Magical Beast was hidden in the water. Its strength surpassed that of the Fathead Fish Demon; it was undoubtedly a Third-Order Monster Beast. As if sensing the Fathead Fish Demon's approach, the other party had sent a warning: This is my territory, get out!

He couldn't risk advancing. If a great Magical Beast on par with a Golden Core attacked, he and his servant might be trapped here forever.

Head to the marsh then?

The Fathead Fish Demon was no match for a Third-Order Monster Beast, but among Second-Order Monsters, there were truly few other Magical Beasts it feared. He could contest for territory in the marsh and, at the same time, replenish his Spirit Insects. The Insect External Incarnation at the Qi Refining Peak was still somewhat weak. Perhaps this was an opportunity to elevate its strength to be comparable to the Foundation Establishment Stage, allowing it to serve more purposes.

"You go ahead and scout the path." The Insect External Incarnation was sent out to further observe the strengths of the Magical Beasts near the marsh, to avoid being caught off guard by a hidden Third-Order Monster Beast and suffering an unexpected defeat.

The waterfall had a tremendous flow, its descent thunderous and majestic, its water stirring up thousands of waves. Through the Spirit Insects, Jia Ren's gaze settled on the waterfall's curtain, over a hundred zhang tall. His eyes lit up slightly. How about constructing a Water Curtain Cave here?

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