Longevity: From Being Pushed By The Witch

"Ji Xiaozi?"

As soon as Ji Boying stepped into the pharmacy, a familiar voice rang out.

Behind the counter in the main hall, Sun, the chubby shopkeeper with a goatee, was smiling at him.

"Ji Xiaozi, why are you late today? Since you came from Jichun Hall until now, this is the first time, right?"

"I was delayed by something, so I came later."

Ji Boying casually replied, not exactly lying.

Sun nodded slightly, not intending to ask what happened. If the other party wanted to say, they would say it; if not, then forget it.

Seemingly thinking of something, he looked at Ji Boying and said:

"I don't know if it's true or not, but there have been rumors in town recently that traces of bandit cultivators have been found in Benshan Ridge. Although nothing has happened yet, it's always better to be cautious."

"You don't live in town, and it's about 20 or 30 miles from the village to here, right? In the future, it's better to travel together when you come over, with more people to take care of each other."

"Thank you for the reminder!"

Upon hearing the shopkeeper's words, Ji Boying was also secretly shocked.

Bandit cultivators!

It hasn't been long since the last incident!

Every time bandit cultivators appear, countless low-level cultivators suffer at their hands!

The last time bandit cultivators appeared, the villagers in Shiling Village and Zhushan Bay were killed; the entire village, men, women, and children, nearly a thousand people were slaughtered, not even sparing the livestock!

By the time the law enforcement team from town arrived, the bandit cultivators had long disappeared.

"Alright, it's getting late. If there's nothing else, go to the back hall and start refining medicine."

Sun, the shopkeeper, took out an account book from under the counter, playing with the abacus while smiling.

"The pharmacy recently received a big order, so you better make good use of your time to refine the medicine! When this order is completed, I, old Sun, will treat you and take you to Zuixian Tower for a good meal! Also... I'll give you an additional thirty low-grade spirit stones as a bonus!"

"Um... Shopkeeper Sun."

"What's the matter?"

Sun, the shopkeeper, smiled and looked up.

"Can I try alchemy?"

Snap...

The shopkeeper Sun's hand froze, then he looked at Ji Boying with an incredulous expression.

"What? Alchemy? Ji Xiaozi, are you joking with me, old Sun?"

"I'm serious."

Sun, the shopkeeper, opened his mouth to say something, but seeing Ji Boying's serious expression, he ultimately didn't say anything.

"If you want to try alchemy, you have to pay for the medicinal materials yourself."

"Naturally!"

Ji Boying was delighted and quickly agreed.

"What kind of pill do you want to refine?"

Sun, the shopkeeper, looked at Ji Boying and continued:

"For your first attempt at alchemy, I suggest you start with the simplest Qi-boosting pill and Blood-activating pill. These two pills not only have low production costs but are also convenient for pill fusion. Many inexperienced alchemists start with these two pills."

Ji Boying nodded. Qi-boosting pill and Blood-activating pill were the easiest pills to refine among the one-star pills. If he couldn't even refine these two pills, there was no need to mention the others.

With a rough idea in mind, Ji Boying asked Sun, the shopkeeper:

"How many spirit stones does it take to obtain the ingredients for one Blood-activating pill?"

Sun, the shopkeeper, smiled faintly and then waved two fingers:

"Two hundred low-grade spirit stones, which is... four months' worth of your salary, young man."

Two hundred low-grade spirit stones!

After hearing this number, Ji Boying couldn't help but twitch his eyelids.

Seemingly aware of Ji Boying's embarrassment, Sun, the shopkeeper, twirled his goatee and took out a set of medicinal materials from behind him, handing it over, saying:

"I know your situation. Take these medicinal materials first. As for the money, consider it on credit. When you have it, you can pay it back."

Ji Boying was stunned upon hearing this, looking at the shopkeeper with some confusion.

The shopkeeper chuckled and said:

"Don't think too much. Over the years, you have lived up to the four words 'hardworking and meritorious' at Jichun Hall. It's just a few hundred spirit stones. I, old Sun, don't want to dampen the heart of such a great contributor like you."

Ji Boying opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and then clasped his fists towards the shopkeeper:

"I won't forget your great kindness. Shopkeeper's favor, Boying will remember it!"

After saying that, he directly took the medicinal materials and walked towards the backyard of the pharmacy.

The shopkeeper Sun watched Ji Boying's figure and a meaningful smile appeared on his face.

To be honest, he didn't have high expectations for Ji Boying; after all... there are so many alchemists, and there are really only a few who can become pill refiners.

Of course, this doesn't affect him selling personal favors to Ji Boying.

After all...

In this day and age, young people like Ji Boying, who are hardworking, capable, honest, and don't ask for a raise, are rare!

When he arrived in the backyard, Ji Boying went straight to his quiet room where he usually concocted medicine.

Although Ji Boying had previously refined various medicinal materials and there were many similarities between pill refining and medicine refining, now that he was truly starting to refine pills, Ji Boying couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

After all, if he failed, those two hundred spirit stones would really go to waste.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions. He didn't rush to start refining pills, but chose to familiarize himself with the feel of refining some medicinal materials first...

The process of refining medicinal materials went more smoothly than he had imagined.

Contrary to his previous expectations, Ji Boying was able to simultaneously refine fifteen different types of medicinal materials without any disruption of spiritual energy.

If it weren't for the limited capacity of the pill furnace, Ji Boying would even want to continue adding more medicinal materials!

It can be seen how incredible the effect of these 100 soul points is!

Now Ji Boying is even more certain that his inability to form pills is due to his soul, or rather, his lack of spiritual power!

After about an hour, Ji Boying felt that he was in a good enough state, so he began to make the Blood-Activating Pill.

Although it is the easiest pill to refine among the one-star pills, this was Ji Boying's first time refining pills. Apart from being nervous, there was also a hint of hope and anticipation in his eyes.

...

In the blink of an eye, another two hours passed.

The shopkeeper Sun on the counter had already finished checking the account books.

He glanced in the direction of the backyard and couldn't help but shake his head.

Ordinary pill refiners who are just starting to learn pill refining would take at most two and a half hours.

But from the time Ji Boying entered the backyard until now, a full four hours had passed.

If nothing unexpected happened, it should be a failure.

"Being a pill refiner is not that easy, otherwise, I, Old Sun, wouldn't be just a shopkeeper at Jichun Hall!"

The shopkeeper Sun smiled self-deprecatingly, patted his belly, and then walked towards the backyard with a swaying gait.

After Ji Boying comes out later, he still needs to try to appease him as much as possible.

He can't let his Dao heart be ruined just because of one failed pill refining.

He still relies on this deal and needs Ji Boying's help!

In this way, about fifteen minutes passed...

The door of the quiet room where Ji Boying was located was finally opened, and he himself walked out at this moment.

Seeing him come out, the shopkeeper Sun patted his belly and briefly reviewed the script he had prepared earlier, then walked up quickly.

"Shopkeeper Sun!"

On the other side, after Ji Boying saw the shopkeeper Sun, he couldn't help but tremble as he spoke.

Looking at the middle-aged man with a big belly in front of him, perhaps because of the success of pill refining or for some other reason, Ji Boying was momentarily at a loss for words.

Back then, when he was down and out, it was this shopkeeper Sun who gave him a meal.

At that time, Ji Boying, although he could refine medicine with the memories left by the original owner, his efficiency was too low and his skills were not strong enough. The other medicine halls in town didn't even look at him.

Only the shopkeeper Sun saw his pitifulness and opened the door for him. He even taught him personally and showed him many books on medicine refining.

Now, in pill refining, Ji Boying was financially tight, and it was also the shopkeeper Sun who generously helped him!

It's impossible for Ji Boying not to be moved by this kindness!

At that moment, when the shopkeeper Sun saw Ji Boying's hesitant appearance, he became even more certain of what he had in mind.

However, before he could speak, he saw Ji Boying holding a jade bottle and smiling lightly, saying, "It's done!"

The shopkeeper Sun paused, and his whole person froze for a moment. Then, he saw his facial muscles twitch fiercely. The script he had prepared in his mind was stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say a coherent sentence for a long time.

After a while, the shopkeeper Sun finally calmed himself down and couldn't help but ask, "Since you've succeeded, why did it take you so long to come out?"

"I was too excited. I wanted to refine a few more bottles of medicine to calm myself down. I accidentally forgot about the time."

The corner of the shopkeeper Sun's mouth twitched.

Refine a few more bottles of medicine to calm himself down?

Is that even possible?

But before he could recover from his shock, Ji Boying continued, "Shopkeeper Sun, please prepare the medicinal materials needed for a Small Spirit Pill. I want to try... refining a medium-grade pill!"