Pay Ling watched as his body moved with precision to the lab room's built-in furnace. With a deft hand-seal, the system summoned the Nether Fire from the Dao Fulu, igniting the bronze furnace with a flicker of eerie purple flame.
While the furnace heated up, the system began processing the ingredients, starting with the most volatile: the Ghost Placenta.
Pay Ling had experienced the menace of this ingredient during yesterday's lecture. Its soul-piercing wails could overwhelm even seasoned cultivators. But in the hands of the system, the Ghost Placenta's attacks were useless. The system tamed the writhing mass of flesh and blood in seconds, processing it with clinical efficiency before tossing it into the furnace.
Next came the Cold Iron Grass. True to its name, it looked like a tangled snarl of frosty iron wire, devoid of any hint of green or life. According to Lecturer Yearn Goul, the key to processing this material was slow, gentle heating with spiritual energy to melt it into a usable juice. While the process wasn't inherently difficult, it required meticulous control over the heat—something the system excelled at.
The third ingredient was the Crocodile Tiger Bone. On the surface, the task seemed simple: crush it into powder. The finer the powder, the better it would blend with the other ingredients, enhancing the pill's medicinal properties. But the system didn't take shortcuts. It pulverized the ounce of bone relentlessly, grinding it back and forth until it was reduced to an impossibly fine dust. Pay Ling felt his spiritual energy and stamina draining rapidly, leaving him winded just from watching. Yet the system didn't stop until the bone was perfectly processed.
The remaining ingredients—Red Alder Flower and Essence Blood of an Enlightenment Stage Demonic Monster—required only minimal processing before they could be added to the furnace. The system handled them with the same efficiency. Even the supplementary materials, which posed no particular challenge, were prepped with meticulous care.
Soon, all the ingredients were ready, and the system kicked off the real alchemy.
Pay Ling watched intently as the system flawlessly mirrored Yearn Goul's alchemy demonstration from the previous day. Every movement was skilled, smooth, and executed without the slightest hesitation or pause, as if the system had practiced the process thousands of times. It was a mesmerising display of precision and efficiency.
After a while, the sound of boiling liquid echoed from the alchemy furnace, and bursts of elixir fragrance wafted out, filling the room. The scent was so potent that Pay Ling, who was already drenched in sweat, suddenly felt a wave of relaxation wash over him. It was as if his muscles, bones, and skin were soaking in a hot spring, warm and comforting.
"When Yearn Goul crafted the Bone Tempering Pill yesterday, the elixir fragrance wasn't this strong," Pay Ling thought, a flicker of suspicion crossing his mind. "Is this a good sign or a bad one? Whatever the case, as long as the pills turn out fine, today's investment won't be wasted."
Moments later, the system made a subtle gesture, and the alchemy fire slowly died down. The furnace lid lifted, and the system-controlled Pay Ling reached in to retrieve twelve greyish white pills. Their color was similar to the ten "gifts" the system had taken from Zheng Kinson earlier—a pale, bone-like hue. But upon closer inspection, Pay Ling noticed these pills were clearer, purer, and more translucent, as if they contained fewer impurities.
He wanted to examine them further, but the system had already packed the pills into a bottle and ignited the second Dao Flame Fulu, starting the next round of alchemy.
"Twelve Bone Tempering Pills," Pay Ling muttered under his breath, his mind racing with calculations. "According to Chen Mave, the market price for one Bone Tempering Pill is 10 D$t. But since that's the selling price, the Tower of Hundred Treasures probably buys them for less—maybe seven or eight stones each?"
He did the math quickly. "If set the price at seven stones per pill, one round of alchemy earns me 84 D$t. Two rounds? 168 D$t. After deducting the cost of ninety-four stones, the profit is 74 D$t."
His eyes widened as he continued calculating. "It's been under two hours so far. Call it two. Twenty-four hours a day, thirty days a month, three months…"
The numbers were tight. To meet the fine, he'd have to make pills almost nonstop, with little time for food or sleep. But it wasn't impossible. It was grueling, yes, but it was doable.
"I've got hope," Pay Ling thought, a spark of determination igniting in his chest. "I can survive this time!"
Just as Pay Ling was beginning to feel a glimmer of hope, the system threw the processed supplementary materials into the furnace. But this time, the elixir liquid didn't transform smoothly as it had before. Instead, it quickly turned an ugly shade, emitting a burst of acrid black smoke.
Pay Ling's heart sank as he watched the elixir rapidly change color and then evaporate into nothingness. Before he could even process what was happening, an unpleasant, burnt smell filled the room. He glanced into the furnace and saw only a layer of charred black residue at the bottom.
~ Ding! *System Notification Chime*
The system chimed, and Pay Ling's gesture froze in midair.
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> Detected severe depletion of host's Spirit Energy.
> Alchemy Process: TERMINATED
> Host control: RESTORED
> Thank you for using the All-Smart Full-Host Cultivation System™ (AllFullOS v1.0.0)
> One-click-cultivation, worry-free-ascension!
> Feedback request:
- We value your opinion! (No, really, we do.)
- If you are satisfied with our service, please give us a five-star rating.
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Before the mechanical voice finished, Pay Ling regained control of his body. He stumbled, bracing himself against the wall to keep from collapsing. Every part of his body ached, and waves of dizziness washed over him.
"Oh fuuuuuck! My stones!" Pay Ling wanted to cry.
Just moments ago, he'd been calculating his potential profits, dreaming of a way out of his dire situation. Now, that hope had turned to ash—literally. Not only had he lost the potential profit from this round, but he'd also wasted 10 D$t on this failed attempt.
"Depletion of Spirit Energy…" Pay Ling muttered, his heart aching as he read the system's prompt. With a grimace, he tapped the feedback panel and gave the system a one-star rating. "One-click-cultivation, my ass, this is One-click-clownation."
[AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0]
> [★☆☆☆☆]
> Submitted. Thanks for your feedback.
Sighing heavily, Pay Ling forced himself to focus. He took out a porcelain bottle, carefully storing the twelve Bone Tempering Pills from the successful first round. After cleaning up the mess in the furnace, he checked out the lab room and made his way to the Tower of Hundred Treasures.
The Tower of Hundred Treasures on Alchemy Peak stood proudly to the southeast, a place of warmth and earthy charm. The tower itself was surrounded by a sprawling plain of exotic blooms and rare grasses, their vibrant colors painting the landscape in a kaleidoscope of hues. A crystal-clear blue stream meandered through the area, feeding into a beautifully carved pond shaded by lush green trees. The serene setting attracted flocks of stunning birds, their nests tucked among the branches, adding life and melody to the tranquil scene.
As Pay Ling approached, the canopy of trees overhead came alive with flashes of colorful feathers, like a flowing rainbow dancing in the dappled sunlight. The air was filled with the cheerful chirping and singing of the birds, creating a lively yet peaceful atmosphere. However, as he drew closer, countless pairs of bird eyes, hidden among the flowers and branches, turned to stare at him in unison. The eerie, synchronized gaze of so many creatures under the clear sky and broad daylight should send inexplicable chills down to any passer by.
But Pay Ling was too consumed by his own troubles and he barely glanced at them, storming through the floral path flanked by trees and hurrying into the tower.
Inside, he was greeted by a sprawling hall, meticulously organized and brimming with treasures. The space was divided by shelves laden with treasure boxes of various sizes, their contents gleaming faintly under the soft light. Artifacts of all kinds—Swords, Blade, Fulu, jade slips, and more—were displayed in countless grids, each one radiating a faint aura of spiritual energy. Potted plants and flowering trees were strategically placed throughout the hall, adding a touch of natural beauty to the opulent setting.
Dozens of emerald-feathered parrots perched on the branches of these indoor trees. Some were busy preening their feathers, while others tilted their heads curiously, their black bean-like eyes fixed on Pay Ling as he entered.
Not far away, a squat, richly dressed male cultivator stood fuming, his face flushed with indignation. His voice rising as he argued, "The pills my handyman servant bought for me were all 9 D$t each. Why's your Bone Tempering Pill charged ten? Are you deliberately jacking up the price because I look well-dressed?"
He didn't wait for a response, his tone growing more accusatory. "Don't play dumb—I know your tricks! Your tower buys Bone Tempering Pills for only five or six d-grade spirit stones at most! A single in-and-out, and you nearly double your profit! This bloody shop is robbing me blind!"
Pay Ling hadn't paid much attention at first, but his face twitched slightly as the man's words sank in.
What?
The tower only buys Bone Tempering Pills for five or six stones?
His heart plummeted. His entire debt repayment plan—built on relentless, sleepless alchemy, skipping meals, and abandoning cultivation—was based on selling each pill for 7 D$t. Not a single stone less would do.
But now, hearing that the Tower of Hundred Treasures only offered six stones per pill, his survival plan crumbled before his eyes.
What should I do now?