At the rear cliff of Qingyun Dao Sect.
Xu Luochen was extremely serious in imparting alchemical knowledge.
However, Ye Ping was listening attentively.
"Little Junior Brother, the law that all medicine and pills come with side effects strictly cannot be changed."
"However, if you want to truly refine a non-poisonous pill, do you know what the core should be?"
Xu Luochen asked.
"I don't know."
Ye Ping thought for a while, but he couldn't think of anything.
If it was a law that strictly could not be changed, it was theoretically impossible to refine a non-poisonous pill.
Although Ye Ping had never refined pills before, he had some knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine in his previous life.
There was a huge variety of herb toxins. Perhaps, a certain medicine might be excellent for nourishment, but it might replenish too much Yang energy. Hence, those who were weak could not eat things that were overly-nourishing as they might end up dying.
In order to suppress the abundance of Yang, Yin-nourishing medicine would have to be added. However, that came with drawbacks too as other herbs had to be added to reduce the toxicity.
Once several herbs were added, there would be a mixture of toxins.
Hence, it was theoretically impossible to get rid of those problems.
Besides, non-poisonous pills could also be considered all-purpose pills that could be taken universally by any existence, regardless of physical constitution and the situation.
Hence Ye Ping could not think of any solution to get rid of the toxins.
However, Xu Luochen smiled calmly and continued, "It's actually very simple. If you get rid of the herbs, there wouldn't be any pills."
Ye Ping was stunned after hearing what he said.
When he first heard it, it seemed to make sense.
However…. how could pills be refined without herbs?
'Senior Brother Luochen, I may be clueless about alchemy, but I'm not a naive fool.'
Ye Ping was suddenly silent.
He did not know what to say.
He felt that it was quite absurd and far-fetched.
Sensing the change in Ye Ping's expression, Xu Luochen did not panic and instead remained even calmer.
"Junior Brother Ye Ping, do you think I'm fooling you?"
Xu Luochen asked with a calm expression.
"I wouldn't dare to think so."
Ye Ping shook his head and denied it right away.
Although he did have some doubts, Ye Ping really didn't think that Xu Luochen was fooling him, he just felt that it was too far-fetched.
In the next moment, Xu Luochen chuckled.
He said, "It's normal for you to have doubts, but if I teach you alchemy the normal way, how can it be considered unique?"
Xu Luochen said with a confident smile.
Ye Ping immediately sank into deep thought after hearing his words.
'Well, that's true. How can something imparted by an expert be the same as that of an ordinary person?'
Before Ye Ping could say anything, Xu Luochen continued to speak.
"Little Junior Brother, it's normal for you to have such doubts because you don't understand."
"For example, if you're still a mortal in the mortal world and someone tells you that there is a peerless Sword Immortal in this world who can crush the stars with a single thrust of his sword, will you believe him?"
Xu Luochen spoke slowly.
Ye Ping was suddenly enlightened by his words.
Indeed, many things might seem impossible at first, only because one was incapable of achieving them. However, that did not mean that others in the world could not achieve them either.
Ye Ping immediately said, "Thank you for clearing my doubts, Senior Brother. I was being a little too close-minded."
He understood it completely. In fact, he even felt ashamed as he never thought that he would one day be narrow-minded.
"Don't blame yourself," Xu Luochen continued with a gentle smile.
"The trick of the so-called non-poisonous pills lies in the fact that no medicinal herbs are required. Little Junior Brother, the art of alchemy is just the three steps of collecting medicinal herbs, refining them with Spirit Flames, and finally condensing the pills with Dharmic Dao."
"But what is the root of medicinal herbs?"
Xu Luochen looked at Ye Ping and asked him that question seriously.
'What is the root of medicinal herbs?'
Ye Ping frowned as he didn't know how to answer this question.
Seeing that Ye Ping was hesitant about his answer, Xu Luochen soon spoke up again.
"The root of medicinal herbs is spiritual energy."
"All medicinal herbs grow in places with spiritual energy, so medicinal herbs are another form of condensation of spiritual energy."
"However, why do medicinal herbs contain toxins? It's because spiritual energy has no impurities and is regarded as the purest thing in the world. But once they are grown, they will be tainted by the five elements of the world and form filthy energy. That results in the condensation of toxins."
"Hence, in order to refine non-poisonous pills, you have to abolish the medicinal herbs and directly condense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and then condense supreme-grade pills with the supreme Dharmic Dao. Do you understand?"
Xu Luochen was eloquent and coherent in his speech, and his last sentence was just like a large bell that rang loudly in Ye Ping's brain.
'Directly condense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and then condense supreme-grade pills with supreme Dharmic Dao?'
This!
This!
This!
Previously, Ye Ping indeed suspected that Xu Luochen was making a fool out of him, but after hearing that theory, Ye Ping was instantly astonished.
He no longer doubted anything because the theory sounded extremely reasonable.
'What do the treasures in the world of immortal cultivation contain?'
'Spiritual energy.'
Hence, what Xu Luochen said was right.
Medicinal herbs were just another form of spiritual energy.
The reason for toxins in medicinal herbs was that they had been tainted by the energy of the Five Elements of the world.
That was the difference between connate properties and acquired postnatal properties.
For example, an unborn fetus has a connate body.
However, after being born, it immediately becomes a postnatal body.
Unless it didn't breathe, eat, drink, or get tainted by the Five Elements, it would be considered postnatal, but it was impossible not to do those things.
Xu Luochen's theory might seem very complicated, but as Ye Ping thought about it carefully, he realized that it was extremely simple.
Condensing pills with the spiritual energy of the world.
Such pills naturally did not contain poison because they were not refined with medicinal herbs but the spiritual energy of the world.
"I understand."
Ye Ping was completely convinced by Xu Luochen.
The doubts in his heart immediately disappeared too.
"Good, very good. Junior Brother Ye Ping, since you have understood, write these steps to refining non-poisonous pills in this book and comprehend it well. Once you have refined the pill, come and see me."
After saying that, Xu Luochen handed a book to Ye Ping.
"Thank you very much for your teaching, Senior Brother."
Ye Ping grabbed the pill book solemnly, his eyes filled with excitement.
'The method of refining non-poisonous pills.'
'If I master this art of alchemy, wouldn't I be able to rely on pills to level up without having to worry about side effects?'
"Little Junior Brother, do you have any more doubts? If you do, feel free to point them out."
Xu Luochen said after handing the secret manual to Ye Ping.
If there was nothing else, he would leave first.
However, Ye Ping did have a doubt.
"Senior Brother, I do have a question. Please enlighten me."
"What is it?"
"Senior Brother, can a non-cultivator consume a Qi Refinement Pill?"
Ye Ping asked, as curious as a cat.
'Can a non-cultivator consume a Qi Refinement Pill?'
Xu Luochen gave an affirmative answer without thinking at all.
"Qi Refinement Pills are excellent supplements for Qi Refinement cultivators. However, for those who do not cultivate, the pill will not result in any effects. It would at most allow one to grow spirit meridians."
What Xu Luochen said was common sense.
Qi Refinement Pills would neither be poisonous nor harm mortals who were not in the Qi Refinement realm, but the effects would barely show. It could only be used for growing spirit meridians. Only some major sects or cultivation families would do so.
After all, each Qi Refinement Pill was expensive. Who would use it for growing spirit meridians?
"I get it. Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother."
Ye Ping nodded. He had somewhat understood.
However, Xu Luochen soon continued, "If there is still something you don't understand in the future, you can go to the Sutra Pavilion to read the secret manuals and books about alchemy. Most of the answers to your questions can be found in the books."
Xu Luochen gave him a kind reminder.
Although there weren't many books in the sect's Sutra Pavilion, there were quite a lot of basic books, and many common sense answers could be found in them. That would prevent Ye Ping from dwelling on such minor issues.
Ye Ping was suddenly enlightened by his words.
During this period of time, he had been spending too much time comprehending the sword mark, so much that he had forgotten about the Sutra Pavilion.
Thinking of this, Ye Ping instantly thanked Xu Luochen once again.
"Alright, I won't disturb you anymore. Junior Brother Ye Ping, learn alchemy well. Once you refine some pills, come and see me. Don't panic if you can't. After all, there are 3,000 types of Dao."
After giving his last reminder, Xu Luochen left in high spirits.
'Look what it's like to be a teacher.'
'See what it's like to impart knowledge.'
'Look at me.'
'Look at Eldest Senior Brother.'
'Ah, he's too impatient.'
'How can he succeed the position of the Sect Leader in the future?'
'Should I vie with him for the position in the future?'
Xu Luochen was in a good mood. In fact, he had even begun thinking about whether or not he should vie with Su Changyu for the position of Sect Leader.
At this moment, Ye Ping began to look through the secret manual of non-poisonous alchemy on the cliff.