Can someone truly learn the craft of alchemy just by observing?
The answer to this question depended on perspective.
For individuals with exceptional talent, a simple technique or a single burst of spirit power could lead to a moment of insight or even mastery. But for the vast majority who lacked talent in alchemy, even observing ten or a hundred times might not yield any understanding.
This was especially true for those without a solid foundation in alchemy.
Luo Chen's proficiency in refining Myriad Wonders pills had already reached Perfection level, with every pill he produced being at least mid-grade quality. In other words, his mastery of Myriad Wonders pills had reached the level of a fledgling master. His techniques had long surpassed those of beginners and were fundamentally different.
Mi Li was now intently focused, her attention fixed on every flick of his wrist and every adjustment of flame. Yet, even if she managed to glean something from her observation, it would only apply to refining mid-grade Myriad Wonders pills. And therein lay the problem—could she jump straight to producing mid-grade pills based on what she saw?
The answer was no.
She would still have to start with low-grade Myriad Wonders pills. The techniques for refining low-grade Myriad Wonders pills had long been simplified by Luo Chen as his proficiency advanced.
Without those foundational techniques, Mi Li would never be able to refine mid-grade or even low-grade Myriad Wonders pills in her lifetime.
This was precisely why Luo Chen wasn't worried about his alchemy secrets being stolen.
And yet, if he could use this opportunity to his advantage—such as securing an extra bottle of qi-nourishing pills each month—why not?
Once again, he had wrung another small benefit from his growing reputation.
***
After all, Myriad Wonders Pills were tiered. Unlike fasting concoctions, which could be refined quickly, these required extended focus and a great deal of time. It took an entire morning for all three alchemy rooms to complete their batches.
Under Mi Shuhua’s watchful eyes, Luo Chen eventually dismissed the cultivators and began the solitary process of retrieving the pills.
Inside the alchemy room, Luo Chen wore a solemn expression as he cast the Traction to lift the furnace lid.
A soft hiss escaped as the furnace opened. The low-grade Purple Cloud Copper Furnace yielded ten pills—seven mid-grade, three low-grade.
Luo Chen was quite satisfied; this was a deliberately controlled outcome.
Had he been refining for his own use, all ten pills would have been mid-grade without question. But with Mi Shuhua’s spirit sense likely still monitoring the room, he saw no reason to perform beyond what was expected.
No need to act out of the ordinary. I’ll just proceed as usual.
In the next room, however, a burnt scent greeted him as soon as he lifted the lid. Luo Chen wrinkled his nose but didn’t appear upset. Even with Perfection level proficiency, failure was part of the craft. His current success rate hovered around forty percent.
That was already quite impressive.
From his past work with fasting concoctions, Luo Chen had charted the odds: ten percent at the Beginner level, twenty percent at Skilled, thirty percent at Proficient, and forty percent at Perfection. Upon reaching the Grandmaster level, the success rate could stabilize around fifty percent.
As for a one hundred percent success rate?
Luo Chen had rarely considered. There is a common saying among alchemists, the higher the tier of the pill, the lower the success rate.
Even the legendary Saint Alchemist of the Central State, who could effortlessly refine supreme-grade pills from low-tier ingredients, occasionally failed when crafting third or fourth-tier pills.
In Luo Chen's view, as long as the success rate exceeded fifty percent, the immense profit margins of alchemy would ensure staggering returns.
Outside, Mi Shuhua frowned instinctively the moment he sensed the failed batch. Five spirit stones’ worth of materials gone.
However, when Luo Chen lifted the lid of the mid-grade cauldron, releasing a wave of fragrance, Mi Shuhua's frown disappeared completely.
Carrying a large wooden tray, Luo Chen emerged from the alchemy room, his face calm.
“This time, luck was on our side,” he said nonchalantly. “Thirty pills formed. Most of them mid-grade, a few low-grade. I didn’t let you down.”
He passed the tray to Mi Li and dusted off his hands. The pale-faced girl, usually composed, now wore a subtle blush of excitement.
She was thrilled!
Out of three alchemy rooms and four batches of materials, three had succeeded—and more than half the pills were mid-grade.
What did this signify?
Luo Chen wasn’t just a first-tier alchemist—he was an elite among them. If he could consistently produce mid-grade pills and occasionally refine high-grade ones, he’d be considered a master of this pill.
Of course, the cultivation world didn’t hand out titles so easily. A master alchemist was generally someone who could refine third-tier pills or higher. No one judged alchemical prowess solely by mastery over a single pill type.
Still, seeing the light in his granddaughter’s eyes, Mi Shuhua realized Luo Chen had earned her admiration—and perhaps even her loyalty.
As for him? He was already calculating profit margins.
Thirty Myriad Wonders pills... How many spirit stones could those sell for?
“Luo Chen,” he said warmly, “you’ve done an excellent job!”
Luo Chen smirked and waved dismissively. "Today's success doesn't mean we'll always be this lucky."
"Hehe, I have every confidence in you."
“But I’m still short on manpower,” Luo Chen added, slipping the request in smoothly. “Could you send me a few more mid-tier cultivators?”
“Still not enough?” Mi Shuhua raised a brow.
Luo Chen pointed at the pills in the tray and said, "After the pills are formed, there's a period for the medicinal properties to settle. That time is critical, as external conditions could cause the medicinal effects to dissipate. A dedicated team should monitor them continuously."
Mi Li chimed in, "That's correct, Grandpa. The Treatise on Green Origin pills mentions similar issues."
Mi Shuhua frowned thoughtfully, then recalled that many pills lost quality from improper storage. “You’re right. I’ll have Gu Caiyi send more people from the Medicine Hall.”
"Alright, that's settled!"
Luo Chen yawned and said, "I've been busy all morning; I'm going to take a nap. Bring my lunch to my door later."