Chapter 220: Chapter 220: Playing with Fire is a Technique, the Importance of Process and Result

「The Pharmacist Alliance.」

Refining the First Revolution Nourishing Viscera Pill didn’t require Fire Control. One only needed to follow the changes in the Earth Fire’s intensity, increase the amount of water accordingly, and then proceed with the Alchemy.

Overall, the difficulty wasn’t high. Compared to the Lantian Jade Refining Pill, the First Revolution Nourishing Viscera Pill was considered a true Elixir within the Pharmacist Alliance, and its effects were naturally better. Thus, the first day’s Alchemy assessment was to refine the First Revolution Nourishing Viscera Pill.

At the Earth Fire station assigned to him, Yang Chan didn’t rush into Alchemy. Instead, he first observed the fluctuations in the Earth Fire’s temperature, which would have a great impact on his refining process.

In Alchemy, heat control was a crucial component. He adjusted the temperature of the Earth Fire, bringing it to the same level he was accustomed to when he usually refined Elixirs.

The device to control the Earth Fire wasn’t actually complicated. After a few tries, Yang Chan quickly mastered the various heat controls. He adjusted it repeatedly until it reached the temperature he normally used for Alchemy, which for him, offered the highest chance of success.

During this process, Yang Chan also mastered a new technique for manipulating fire.

Until one’s Alchemy ability reached a certain level, it was best not to make any changes, because changing things was just asking for trouble.

Mastering a skill like heat control wasn’t something that could be achieved overnight.

Not far away, Xu Gaocen and the others were also adjusting the temperature of their Earth Fire. This was just a warm-up. Basically, every member participating in the Pharmacist Exchange Conference knew how to refine the First Revolution Nourishing Viscera Pill; they all had at least that much ability.

However, it was unclear what their chances of success were. Although they had two attempts, failure was still a possibility.

If their luck was bad and they failed, they would get no more chances. It would be equivalent to their Pharmacist Exchange Conference ending prematurely, leaving them as mere spectators for the rest of the event.

This was about the Cultivation Resources provided by the Pharmacist Alliance. These resources, which were sent from all over the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty, were naturally coveted by many. Otherwise, so many people wouldn’t be participating in the Pharmacist Exchange Conference.

Yang Chan stood by the Earth Fire, looking at the prepared materials without rushing to begin refining. Although the heat was adjusted, preparing the ingredients was also crucial. These herbs had been prepared by others, so there would be discrepancies in their measurements.

Even if Pharmacists from the Pharmacist Alliance had prepared them, he still had to check and adjust them according to his own ratios. This was what most Pharmacists chose to do, trusting their own judgment more.

Yang Chan took out the materials for the First Revolution Nourishing Viscera Pill and inspected them one by one. Meticulousness was a hallmark of a Pharmacist; paying close attention to every detail was the key to successful Alchemy.

The same was true when treating the injured. One needed to observe carefully to find the root of the problem and provide better treatment.

Some injured people didn’t know the location of their wounds, or even had misconceptions and gave incorrect information. In such cases, only a careful person could find the real problem.

Yang Chan had personally encountered this, so he knew it all too well.

After carefully sorting through them, Yang Chan picked out a few herbs and discarded them. He then selected some replacements from a supplementary pile and added them in.

The ratios of materials for Alchemy could have slight variations. This was due to each person’s heat control, habits, and so on. But as long as one could successfully refine the Elixir in the end, it was a successful refining method.

After he finished sorting all the materials, his gaze returned to the Earth Fire. While he had been sorting, he had glanced at the Earth Fire several times and noticed its temperature remained stable. ’This temperature control is actually quite good. Using this level of heat for Alchemy will definitely increase the success rate quite a bit.’

It would help avoid the possibility of Alchemy failing due to fluctuations in the Earth Fire.

While Yang Chan and the others were refining their Elixirs, Advanced Pharmacists like Yan Jinfeng sat on a high platform, watching them refine the First Revolution Nourishing Viscera Pills. They made comments, and someone was recording notes and scores.

This scoring was an assessment of the Pharmacists’ various actions, behaviors, and habits throughout the entire Alchemy process. It was a comprehensive evaluation and a way for the Pharmacist Alliance to judge each Pharmacist’s ability. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Nothing revealed one’s skill level better than Alchemy. All sorts of issues could be seen during the refining process, and one could even analyze a person’s potential. This was naturally very important.

Of course, this didn’t affect the final result. The final outcome was determined by the refined Elixir, not the process of refining it.

These were two separate scores. The scores for the process were sent to the Pharmacist Alliance to be added to their collected information.

Those with potential would naturally be wooed, perhaps even given some Cultivation Resources as support, all in preparation for a future invitation to join the Pharmacist Alliance.

Although Sect Pharmacists couldn’t fully join the Pharmacist Alliance, becoming an Honored Guest Elder or an Honorary Elder were excellent alternatives.

In name, they would still be members of the Pharmacist Alliance.

Xu Gaocen had mentioned this point, but only in passing. Yang Chan decided to just stick to his own habits for the Alchemy.

’This evaluation from the Pharmacist Alliance isn’t that important. What’s more important is actually producing the Elixir. That’s the key.’

’No matter how perfect the process, if you can’t produce a finished Elixir, it’s all for nothing in the end.’

’Conversely, even if the refining process is full of flaws, successfully producing a finished Elixir is still a success. It means you get to do it again.’

’After successfully refining an Elixir, you can exchange it for several times the amount of Alchemy Materials. You can perform Alchemy many more times, and even refine more Advanced Elixirs.’

’But if you fail, you get nothing. To attempt Alchemy again, you’d have to make all sorts of preparations just for another try. The gap between the two outcomes is huge.’

And this was the division between the two factions within the Pharmacist Alliance: process versus results.

Of course, this had nothing to do with Yang Chan. After all, he wasn’t even a member of the Pharmacist Alliance, so he didn’t need to choose a side.

Although he had his own thoughts on the matter, he kept them to himself to avoid offending anyone.

Yang Chan understood the principle that trouble comes from a loose tongue.

He could mostly only rely on himself, so the choice he followed was very simple: results. Only results would allow him to refine again.

Back in the Cyan Yuan Sect, he had witnessed Zhao Yi’s miserable state firsthand. Zhao was always scrambling desperately to gather materials, only for the final result to be disappointing.

’If Zhao Yi were here, he could slap those who prioritize process and show them what’s really important.’

’If they wanted me to agree with them, that would be easy too. Just give me Alchemy Materials, and I’ll gladly focus on the process with them. I’m that unprincipled.’

The Pharmacist Alliance Leader, Lu Qianfan, and the Vice Alliance Leader, Xu Chuan, were both watching these young Pharmacists refine their Elixirs. To them, these were all just youngsters.

Their gazes swept across the Pharmacists one by one, sometimes nodding, sometimes shaking their heads. Only after they had observed everyone did they begin to chat sporadically, their eyes fixed on those to whom they had nodded.