Chapter 221 - Starting to Stir-fry

Zhen Hu, the current Sect Master of the Starry Sky Elixir Gate, was a cultivator at the third level of the Heaven - Mending Realm. He was among the top twenty figures in the entire middle tier of the realm.　　Of course, he was probably at the bottom of the top twenty and couldn't rank at the front. But even so, he was still an extremely formidable figure.　　At this moment, Zhen Hu came out to welcome Chen Xia personally. In this realm where the people were simple and straightforward, this was a very high - level reception.　　This showed that Zhen Hu recognized Chen Xia's strength and treated him as an equal cultivator.　　Now, looking at Chen Xia, he was exactly as depicted in the portrait. Leaning on a walking stick, he had a refined appearance and was dressed in a plain and elegant blue robe.　　"Welcome, Master, to the Starry Sky Elixir Gate," Zhen Hu said with a smile.　　The surrounding cultivators were astonished. They never expected that Chen Xia was so powerful that the Sect Master would come out to receive him personally. This meant that Chen Xia was also a cultivator of the Heaven - Mending Realm level.　　"Brother, this is our Sect Master. His name is Zhen Hu, a great expert at the third level of the Heaven - Mending Realm," Bai Jie introduced, stretching out his hand towards Chen Xia.　　"Hello," Chen Xia nodded politely.　　"I heard that you can refine top - grade pills. The Starry Sky Elixir Gate has a very high demand for this kind of pill - refining technique. I wonder if you would agree. We can easily discuss matters such as rewards," Zhen Hu said with a gentle smile. Black and white stripes faintly appeared on his face, looking like tiger stripes or the circulation of yin and yang.　　"How much reward can you offer?" Chen Xia asked. If he was really going to refine Great Pills, he needed to get an 8 - 2 split. That is, excluding the cost of medicinal materials, he would get 80% of the remaining spirit stones from the sales.　　In fact, an 8 - 2 split was a disadvantageous price for a pill - refiner who could refine Great Pills.　　Basically, no sect would sell Great Pills. They were all used internally by cultivators above the level of Supreme Elder.　　With the cost of medicinal materials waived, the remaining 8 - 2 split meant that the sect only paid for the service of the pill - refiner to refine the Great Pills, and they only gave 80% of the money, keeping 20% for themselves.　　That being said, the sect would still pay the pill - refining master the exact amount of spirit stones according to the market price, and they might even give more to build a good relationship.　　No one wanted to offend a pill - refining master who could refine Great Pills.　　Unless you were another pill - refining master.　　Otherwise, just one word from a pill - refining master could send several Heaven - Mending Realm cultivators to hunt you down.　　This was the allure of Great Pills to Heaven - Mending Realm cultivators.　　For a pill - refining master to refine a Great Pill, it required a long period of preparation. It might take a thousand years of nurturing in the Dao of pill - refining to produce one Great Pill.　　This was a labor - intensive task for a pill - refining master. Some cultivators had calculated that on average, a pill - refining master could only refine thirteen Great Pills in their lifetime.　　And each of these thirteen Great Pills could be sold for at least three hundred thousand spirit stones.　　This was the minimum price.　　That was the price of a low - grade Great Pill.　　As for high - grade Great Pills, they couldn't be bought with spirit stones. One had to exchange them with rare items, such as peerless immortal techniques or extremely powerful immortal weapons.　　These were things that couldn't be bought with spirit stones.　　Zhen Hu slightly lifted his foot and stomped down. The scene changed rapidly, and the void distorted. Soon, it settled, and he and Chen Xia were in a closed space. He then asked,　　"Can you really refine Great Pills?"　　"I can't guarantee it. I can only try. But I have refined half a Great Pill before," Chen Xia said truthfully.　　Zhen Hu nodded. "If you can refine half a Great Pill, you're not far from refining a real low - grade Great Pill. And half a Great Pill is also an excellent item. However, it's not exactly what the Starry Sky Elixir Gate needs the most."　　"Here's what we can do," he thought for a moment and then said,　　"The Starry Sky Elixir Gate can offer you the position of Supreme Elder. For the pills you refine in the future, excluding the cost of medicinal materials, we will give you 70% of the market price directly. Whether it's a loss or a profit, it will be like this. And all the pills sold can be under your name."　　This was a good deal for Chen Xia. It could help him gain fame in the realm, and he only needed to focus on pill - refining without having to worry about other things.　　Chen Xia chuckled. "Very attractive conditions. It's good from all aspects."　　Suddenly, his expression turned serious as he said firmly,　　"But I refuse."　　"What's your opinion then?" Zhen Hu asked, furrowing his brows.　　"It must be an 8 - 2 split. This is the pride of a pill - refiner," Chen Xia said, lowering his head slightly and speaking in a deep voice.　　In fact, there was no such thing as the pride of a pill - refiner. He just wanted to earn more.　　He wasn't even sure if he could be considered a pill - refiner.　　Well, he probably was. After all, he used fire to refine things.　　Zhen Hu raised the corners of his mouth in a smile and praised, "Good. As expected of a pill - refiner who can refine half a Great Pill. You really have backbone. Then we'll do as you say."　　"Besides, there's an entrance assessment. As long as you can refine a top - grade Dao pill, you can directly become the Supreme Elder of the Starry Sky Elixir Gate. You'll not only get the money for pill - refining but also a regular stipend," Zhen Hu added.　　Chen Xia nodded. "Then let's start refining quickly. I'm in a hurry."　　"Hehe, you're really joking. You should prepare first," Zhen Hu laughed.　　"I'm not joking. Hurry up. I hope to finish and be able to go back for dinner," Chen Xia urged.　　"Are you really going to start refining now?" Zhen Hu furrowed his brows. He had really never seen such a strange pill - refiner like Chen Xia. Refining a top - grade Dao pill without any preparation?　　Wasn't this nonsense?　　"Really. If I mess it up, I'll just pay you back for the cost of the medicinal materials. Don't worry," Chen Xia said.　　At this point, Zhen Hu stopped hesitating. He wanted to see what skills Chen Xia had to be so arrogant. He nodded and said,　　"Fine."　　He stomped his foot again. The scene changed, and the void distorted.　　The two of them appeared on a spacious open ground. In the middle was a huge cauldron engraved with the symbol of the Starry Sky Elixir Gate. A blue flame was burning inside.　　Zhen Hu waved his hand towards the surroundings and said loudly,　　"Yin - Yang Separation Fire Pill!"　　Figures around started to move one after another. At the same time, the blue flame on the huge cauldron in the center of the open ground burned even more fiercely.　　Many figures appeared on the open ground, lined up in rows, looking towards the center. Conversations could be heard constantly.　　"Who's that lame man in the middle? What kind of pill is this assessment about? Why such a big commotion?"　　"I don't know. He must have quite a background. The Sect Master is personally overseeing the assessment. It should at least be a Dao pill, right?"　　The crowd watched curiously. Busy figures quickly transported medicinal materials to the cauldron in the center, allowing the onlookers to get a general idea.　　"Flower of Yin Deficiency, Grass of Yang Substance. What's the other ingredient? I can't see it clearly. It's hard to recognize."　　"Skyfire Orchid. They're going to refine the Yin - Yang Separation Fire Pill!"　　"A top - grade Dao pill!"　　As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the onlookers tightened, and their eyes all fell on Chen Xia.　　If he could really refine a top - grade Dao pill, it meant that he was at least a top - notch Dao pill - refiner. He would be an even rarer big shot than a Heaven - Mending Realm cultivator in the middle tier of the realm!　　The medicinal materials were all brought up one by one and neatly arranged.　　"Please," Zhen Hu extended his left hand, inviting Chen Xia.　　Chen Xia inserted his walking stick into the ground and limped forward. He clasped his hands together, stretched upwards, and then bent his fingers and flicked at the huge cauldron in front of him.　　Dang!　　The cauldron let out a clear sound, and the blue flame inside swayed.　　"This is a Dao - grade pill - refining cauldron. It can speed up the pill - forming process and also promote the volatilization of the medicinal properties. This blue flame is a pill - refining flame that has been tempered with a hundred kinds of Dao - level medicinal materials. It's very compatible with the medicinal ingredients," Zhen Hu introduced from the side. At the same time, he narrowed his eyes slightly, eager to see how Chen Xia would handle the medicinal materials in the first step.　　The first step in handling medicinal materials could reflect the level of a pill - refiner.　　A skilled pill - refiner could handle the medicinal materials in a very harmonious way. The combination would be seamless, and there would be no conflict among the medicinal properties due to an excessive or insufficient amount.　　All the cultivators on the scene were waiting with bated breath.　　Suddenly, Chen Xia took a step back. He swung his arm and took out a slightly rusty iron pot from his storage magic item. He placed it in front of him and mumbled,　　"Let's start stir - frying."