If Zhou Hong could truly refine pills, then he, the patriarch of the Qiao family, would even be willing to call him father.
If a family could produce a pill refiner, that family would undoubtedly rise. This was because turning spiritual herbs into a spiritual pill amplified their effects tremendously, and different spiritual pills could be concocted from different spiritual herbs.
"I'm really not joking," Zhou Hong said, feeling a bit speechless. Was it that surprising that he could refine pills?
"Alright, Zhou Hong, don't joke with us old men anymore. If you can really refine pills, I'll hand over the position of patriarch to you," the patriarch said, glaring at Zhou Hong.
One of the elders chimed in, "If our family can genuinely produce a pill refiner, then our family entering the top five-tier families will be within reach. The patriarch will also have a good chance of stepping into the Martial Emperor realm, and not just the patriarch, but all of us will have a chance to reach the Martial Emperor realm."
"What are top five-tier families?" Zhou Hong asked with a hint of curiosity.
"In the capital, families are ranked from first-tier, second-tier, all the way to ninth-tier. Among them, first-tier, second-tier, third-tier, fourth-tier, and fifth-tier are collectively known as the top five-tier families. These top five-tier families are the true ancient lineages, the most powerful foundation of all of China."
"Oh, oh!" Zhou Hong nodded.
"Zhou Hong, don't joke with the patriarch and elders anymore. Apologize to them quickly," Qiao Zhenhua, standing by the side, chided him.
"I'm not joking. Believe it or not," Zhou Hong said, deciding not to say more. He had intended to reveal a little, but since they didn't believe him, there was nothing he could do. Fortunately, he hadn't revealed his bigger trump cards, or they would have been even more incredulous.
"Zhou Hong, are you sure you're not joking with us?" The patriarch, seeing Zhou Hong's serious demeanor, also felt a twinge of doubt.
"What's there to joke about? If you don't believe me, bring out some spiritual herbs, and I'll refine them for you on the spot."
"Don't trick us. What if you ruin the spiritual herbs without refining any pills?" one of the elders urged.
"If you want to see it, then hurry up. I'm busy," Zhou Hong said, his patience wearing thin.
"Alright, I'll get you some spiritual herbs right away."
A few minutes later, the patriarch produced a spiritual herb. Zhou Hong glanced at it; it was only about 100 years old. Spiritual herbs of this age, even when refined into pills, would only yield very low-grade spiritual pills. Such low-grade spiritual pills were insufficient for Zhou Hong's needs. The pills he had refined before were made from spiritual herbs of at least 500 years old.
"Do you have any liquefied petroleum gas?" Zhou Hong asked.
Everyone present was stunned into silence.
"You refine pills using liquefied petroleum gas?" The patriarch immediately snatched the spiritual herb back, fearing Zhou Hong would ruin it. He had never heard of using LPG for pill refining.
"Of course."
"Nonsense! Those master alchemists, they all use a very peculiar mineral material called Celestial Star Stone, yet you're using liquefied petroleum gas."
"Heh, I've done it before. If you don't believe me, then forget it."
One elder said, "Patriarch, why not let him try? The spiritual herb you brought out is the lowest in age anyway. Perhaps he has truly found a trick to refining pills with LPG. Who says it must be Celestial Star Stone?"
"Very well." The patriarch then handed the spiritual herb to Zhou Hong and ordered a servant to bring a bottle of LPG.
With everything prepared, Zhou Hong immediately began refining the pill using the LPG.
When Zhou Hong was on the Purple Firmament Continent, he was naturally an unparalleled master in pill refining. On the Purple Firmament Continent, people used specially made pill furnaces and extremely high-grade flames for pill refining. However, on Earth, Zhou Hong couldn't find either of these things. Moreover, with Zhou Hong's skill, he could still refine spiritual pills even with LPG, though the grade would be slightly inferior.
A few minutes later, the patriarch and the others were dumbfounded. Before their eyes, Zhou Hong, step by step, placed the spiritual herbs into the flame. They didn't know how Zhou Hong controlled the LPG flame, but the spiritual herbs in the fire were gradually transforming into a spherical shape. Anyone unfamiliar with pill refining would have only seen them turn to ash.
Thus, before their very eyes, in less than ten minutes, the spiritual herbs slowly fused into a single spiritual pill, continuously being tempered in the flame.
Soon, the process was entirely complete. Zhou Hong reached out and grasped the spiritual pill, simultaneously turning off the LPG.
"See? This is the spiritual pill I refined." Zhou Hong threw the pill to the patriarch.
"My heavens! You can actually refine pills!" The patriarch stared at the spiritual pill in his hand in disbelief. The elders were also stunned.
Zhou Hong's father, Qiao Zhenhua, wore an expression of utter disbelief. His own son could refine pills, which was even more astonishing than becoming the number one genius on the Earth Rankings.
"Heh! Refining a pill, it's not that difficult," Zhou Hong chuckled speechlessly.
"It's not difficult?" The patriarch and the others couldn't comprehend it. They felt it was as difficult as climbing to heaven just watching, yet Zhou Hong claimed it wasn't that hard.
"Zhou Hong, who taught you?" one of the elders asked.
"No one taught me. I researched it myself. Have you ever heard of anyone else refining pills with liquefied petroleum gas?"
"Indeed, in this world, apart from you, there's probably no one else who uses liquefied petroleum gas to refine pills. Zhou Hong, oh Zhou Hong, you are truly a lucky star for our Qiao family. Do you know, just now, I was thinking that if you could really refine pills, I'd call you father. I never expected you actually could. Hahaha!" The patriarch burst into laughter. Although he had only thought it then, he would certainly not be able to call him father now. However, this indicated how much he valued Zhou Hong at this moment.
Zhou Hong felt speechless, while Qiao Zhenhua was overjoyed. The fact that the patriarch would say such a thing about Zhou Hong showed how high Zhou Hong's status was in the eyes of the patriarch and all the elders.
Without exaggeration, Zhou Hong could now stand on equal footing with the patriarch and the elders, because they would undoubtedly seek his help from now on.
"Zhou Hong, for the time being, do not let anyone know that you can refine pills," the patriarch instructed.
"Why?"
"Your current strength is weak. I'm afraid that if some people become jealous, especially our rival families, they might secretly eliminate you if they find out you can refine pills."
"Oh, oh." Zhou Hong couldn't help but chuckle. Weak strength? How could the patriarch say such a thing? However, Zhou Hong was too lazy to argue with him further.
"Zhou Hong, you should go back now. From this day forward, you are the most, most important disciple of our Qiao family," the patriarch said in a cordial tone.
"Oh, then I'll be going." Zhou Hong nodded and turned to leave the great hall.
Qiao Zhenhua also trotted behind him, his heart filled with joy.
"Hahaha, hahaha!" Not long after Zhou Hong left, excited laughter erupted from the great hall. Undoubtedly, it was the patriarch and the elders, laughing uncontrollably as if a pie had fallen from the sky.
"Patriarch, our family is truly going to prosper. We actually have a pill refiner," one elder said, unable to conceal his excitement.
"Mmm, Zhou Hong, I really wish I could call him father!" the patriarch also laughed heartily, expressing his excitement.