Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1288 - 838: Yue Ming’s Request, Illusion God Pill

A few days passed.

Situated on Moon Mountain within the Illusion Moon Sect territory.

Yang Zhenshan prepared to receive a guest he had been expecting, Elder Yueming.

Since Yang Minghao had already apprised him of the impending visit, Yang Zhenshan had spent the last few days anticipating his arrival.

Deep inside a small courtyard, beneath the shade of a flourishing willow, Yang Zhenshan personally undertook the task of brewing and serving tea.

"Elder Yueming, please, help yourself!" Yang Zhenshan said with a warm smile as he poured a cup.

"Hehe, I certainly won't stand on ceremony!" Yueming reached for the cup and savored a careful sip.

"Hmm, this tea tastes..."

The moment the liquid touched his throat, he couldn't help but look startled.

"This is Jingyu Chun, famed for its properties in calming the mind and nourishing the divine soul," Yang Zhenshan explained with a tranquil expression.

The origin of Jingyu Chun remains a mystery; it is derived from wild tea trees found in the Spirit Source Land, and no one knows where the original seeds came from. Last year, a spirit farmer from the Spirit Plant Department stumbled upon the tree and, noting its unique qualities, successfully processed a portion that demonstrated a remarkable ability to settle the mind. Following this discovery, the Spirit Plant Department took notice, assigning skilled spirit farmers to tend to it in hopes of cultivating a larger stock. At the start of this year, Yang Mingcheng presented some of the refined leaves to Yang Zhenshan. Upon consumption, he noted the tea’s capacity to quiet the mind, nourish the soul, and soothe the spirit like a gentle rainfall, leading him to bestow upon it the name Jingyu Chun.

Yang Zhenshan estimated that Jingyu Chun had attained the rank of Second-Order Spiritual Tea, placing it a tier above the standard Spiritual Dew Tea. At present, supplies are quite limited, and Yang Zhenshan holds only a pound in his collection. However, the Spirit Plant Department is actively working to propagate more, and he expects to see a surge in yield within a few years.

"Exceptional brew!"

Yueming felt a profound sense of calm wash over him, accompanied by a vague sensation that his divine soul had slightly expanded. While the gain was minimal, any progress at all was a significant boon for him.

Martial Artists differ from Immortal Cultivators; the latter possess rapidly evolving divine souls, whereas the former improve at a sluggish pace. Furthermore, the absence of spiritual apertures leaves Martial Artists unable to practice techniques that bolster the power of their divine souls.

"Elder Yueming, is there a particular matter you wish to discuss with me?" Yang Zhenshan kept his commentary on the tea brief; given his limited stock, he feared that if Yueming requested some, he would be stuck in an awkward position where refusing would seem stingy, yet giving would deplete his own stash.

Yueming composed himself and replied, "I do indeed have a favor to ask of you, Elder Yang."

Yang Zhenshan gestured for him to continue, listening intently.

Making no attempt to hide his intentions, Yueming retrieved a Jade Scroll and handed it over, stating, "I would like to request that you refine an elixir for me."

"An elixir!"

Yang Zhenshan accepted the Jade Scroll and allowed his spiritual sense to penetrate its contents.

He knew that if Yueming was seeking his assistance, it could not be for a common medicinal pill. There were already several alchemists within the Illusion Moon Sect capable of producing elixirs for Martial Artists.

The Illusion God Pill was a Second-Order concoction. Its main component was a three-hundred-year-old Nine Nether Ghost Orchid, supplemented by ingredients such as Concentrating Fruit, Yin Moon Stone Powder, Centurial Soul Grass, and the essence blood of an Ice-Attribute mutant beast.

This pill was known for its ability to stabilize, heal, and strengthen the divine soul, as well as sharpen spiritual sense.

For an Immortal Cultivator, such a pill was beneficial, but for a Martial Artist, it was an absolutely essential necessity.

It was a well-known fact that because they lacked spiritual apertures, Martial Artists could not cultivate soul-focused arts, yet the breakthrough from the Golden Body Realm to the Divine Soul Realm depended entirely on the strength of the divine soul. If they could not find a way to augment it, they would remain stuck forever. While the Illusion God Pill was merely an accessory for Immortal Cultivators, it acted as a lifeline for those practicing the martial path.

It was clear that Yueming sought this refinement hoping to boost his chances of entering the Divine Soul Realm, also referred to as the Martial Immortal Realm.

"Tell me, Elder Yang, can you successfully refine the Illusion God Pill?"

Watching as Yang Zhenshan pulled his consciousness from the scroll, Yueming asked with palpable anxiety.

Because the Illusion God Pill was designed for Immortal Cultivators, it proved difficult for ordinary Martial Artist alchemists; thus, he had no choice but to rely on a Second-Order Immortal Cultivation Alchemist. Such individuals were rare, and within the Illusion Moon Sect, Master Jing Shui was not an alchemist, nor was anyone else particularly skilled in the craft. Seeking help from an outsider brought the risk of sabotage, and one could never consume a tampered pill without dire consequences.

After a moment of careful consideration, Yang Zhenshan spoke, "I am capable of Second-Order refinement, though my skill is only at an entry-level proficiency."

"The Illusion God Pill is quite complex. To be perfectly honest, my success rate would likely be less than one in ten."

"I probably wouldn't see consistent results until I had burned through several dozen furnaces worth of ingredients."

He was being intentionally humble. With the backing of his Golden Crow Eight Trigrams Furnace, he was certain he could achieve a 40% success rate within ten attempts. While the Illusion God Pill was difficult, it was still simpler than the Foundation Establishment Pill. He chose to undersell his abilities because he was working for someone else—he wanted to manage expectations to avoid trouble should any unforeseen issues arise.

Furthermore, the ingredients were quite precious. Though the Nine Nether Ghost Orchid was not above the Second-Order, it grew only in specific, rare habitats, making supplies incredibly hard to source.