The First Alchemist - Chap 20

Chapter 20 - Primary Profound Pill

Chem Al quickly checked the Primary Profound Pill … and sighed with relief.

He did it! It came out with one hundred percent purity! The pill was smooth, practically sparkling, and the smell coming off of it was like a raging fire, filling the entire hut in seconds.

“Isn’t it beautiful? Chem Al stroked the pill like it was a loving pet.

“Uh, what is it?” Sheng Yi asked.

“This is a medicinal pill, the future of medicine.” Chem Al smiled as he held it up for them to see. “Specifically, I call it a Primary Profound Pill. In theory, if a cultivator were to swallow this pill, it would help increase their strength.

"How?" Chem Au was skeptical, but the smell, there was something about it that attracted him.

“Simple. But before I tell you, let me ask you a question first,” Chem Al said. “How do you cultivate?”

“How? I just absorb the surrounding profound energy into my dantian. Isn’t that how everyone else does it?”

“Precisely,” Chem Al said. “But see this pill? It contains a concentrated amount of profound energy. If you were to swallow this pill, it will release a ton of energy inside of you; at least a lot more than you would get from your surroundings. Think of what would happen if you were to absorb all of that profound energy into you dantian.” He left the rest to their imagination.

"Is...is that really true?" Chem Au asked. He wanted to believe his little brother because there was no reason for him to lie, but such a thing sounded like some kind of miracle medicine.

Chem Al held the pill out towards him. "Why don't you try it and find out?"

Chem Au looked at the pill, then at Little Al, then back at the pill again, trying to make a decision. He knew that his brother wouldn’t intentionally poison him, but accidents can happen, especially with something new and unbelievable like this.

In the end, he grabbed the pill. After looking it over and taking a few whiffs, he couldn’t find anything wrong with it. But he still hestitated. The only thing that made him even consider doing this were the promises his brother had made about this pill. Was it too good to be true? Only one way to find out.

Chem Au swallowed the pill.

The moment it entered his stomach, it started to dissolve. At first, nothing happened. He didn’t know whether he should feel disappointed or relieved. But then he felt it. Concentrated profound energy was bursting forth. His eyes widened as he stared at his little brother, unable to believe it.

"You better start cultivating or else you'll lose some of that energy." Chem Al smiled.

Chem Au gasped, and then immediately closed his eyes and sat down to cultivate, channeling the profound energy into his dantian so he wouldn't waste one bit of profound energy.

Seeing his reaction, Sheng Yi’s mind started to race. She just couldn't believe it. But there was no other explanation other than this pill was working just as her disciple said it would. She stared at Chem Al like she was looking at a monster. What he had just created could change the world! Since the dawn of profound cultivation, countless people have tried to look for ways to increase their strength at a faster rate. And now that method has been discovered by this little boy from some poor village on the outskirts of the Continent.

A miracle was happening right before her eyes. She had to know more about this pill.

It didn't look like Chem Au would stop cultivating soon, so she took the chance to ask her disciple, "How did you come up with this?"

Chem Al had prepared himself for that question. "Oh, you know, I've noticed that a lot of powerful weapons had arrays forged into them to boost their strength with profound energy. So I thought, why couldn't I do the same thing with medicine? Why couldn't I forge something that could absorb the surrounding profound energy to refine a more powerful medicine? So I thought of this." He pointed at the medicinal cauldron. That was his story and he was sticking to it. He couldn’t very well tell her that this miracle wasn’t invented by him, but by The First Alchemist, and he was merely just stealing the idea.

Sheng Yi nodded, as if his words made sense. She was about to ask another question, but then Chem Au opened his eyes. A smile spread across his face as he jumped up into the air. “I’ve broken through!” he shouted. “My cultivation has finally reached the fourteenth level!”

“Congratulations,” Chem Al said, not surprised. The journals had mentioned that Chem Au was at the peak of the thirteenth level around this time. He just needed a little push to make a breakthrough.

Chem Au was bursting with joy. He could feel a lot more energy surging from his dantian and into his profound veins. “I thought it would take me at least a month or two to reach the next level, but this pill, this incredible pill, helped me break through in just a few minutes. Little Al, you’re amazing!” He hugged Chem Al, almost crushing him to death. “How can I ever repay you?”

“First … let go,” Chem Al barely gasped out. After his brother released him, he took a few seconds to recover, and then said, “Actually, there is something you can do for me.”

“Just name it.”

Chem Al paused. “Help me take over Sorka Village.”

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