Chapter 219

Several days later.

Inside the cave dwelling.

Fang Qing sat cross-legged, his consciousness linked with the Dao-Genesis Pearl as he checked on the situation in the Qi Ingestion world.

‘So Sangji ultimately chose not to set a trap for Sen Chen after all?’

‘Makes sense. Although Cloud Grazing Cliff is displeased with the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain's actions, they are still exercising restraint. After all, while the White Bone Dao intends to carve its way across Ancient Shu, its ultimate destination lies to the east, where it will clash with the Blissful Union Sect. Why would Sen Chen risk a life-and-death struggle with the White Bone Dao just for the sake of the Blissful Union Sect?’

‘You can already see it from the war between the Xuantu Sect and the Xuanwu Sect. If Sen Chen truly wished to stop the White Bone Dao from advancing eastward, sending a few Purple Mansion Spiritual Masters to harass them would easily delay the campaign for ten or even twenty years.’

‘Besides, the agreement between the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain and Cloud Grazing Cliff seems to carry considerable weight. Other than the White Bone Dao, the other Dharma Kings of the Esoteric Domain genuinely cannot enter Ancient Shu.’

Now that the White Luminary Heaven had opened, Sangji had sent the two Dumu, Auspicious Green and Demon-Subduing Black, inside to gather incense offerings and wait for opportunities.

After receiving Fang Qing's warning, Sangji naturally had no intention of entering the Grotto Heaven personally.

Even Peacock and Moonlight White, the other two Dumu, remained outside directing the war effort.

The most dangerous assignments naturally fell to the newcomers.

The reason they had been promoted in haste before was precisely to fill such gaps when the time came.

‘Forget it. At worst, two Dumu die. We can always promote replacements.’

After taking a look at the situation in the Qi Ingestion world, Fang Qing withdrew his attention and focused on his current affairs.

During this period, under the identity of the alchemist Du Huo, he had become quite close with Wan An and Zhan Hongxiu.

Along the way, he had accepted a generous gift from Zhan Hongxiu and reluctantly agreed to spend a few days instructing her in alchemy.

At that moment, a transmission talisman flew into the cave dwelling.

Fang Qing casually caught it and smiled.

"Fellow Daoist, please come in."

He opened the restrictions on the cave dwelling.

Not long afterward, Zhan Hongxiu entered.

She wore a green dao robe and looked somewhat exhausted. There were even traces of smoke and scorch marks on her clothing.

Fang Qing's nose twitched slightly as he smiled.

"The furnace exploded again?"

He paused briefly.

"White Profound Fruit, Red Scale Flower... Fellow Daoist, were you attempting to refine the Three Profound Pill?"

"That's right."

Zhan Hongxiu quickly presented a gift box before asking,

"In the alchemy scripture, there is a line that says, 'Turn the Dipper's Handle, add Dragon and Tiger.' What exactly does that mean?"

The old turtle residing in her sea of consciousness only understood secret techniques for using wood to generate fire and disguising oneself as an alchemist. When it came to actual alchemy, however, it knew almost nothing.

Although she possessed alchemy manuals and inheritance records, many specialized terms remained incomprehensible to her.

Fang Qing had suffered from the same problem in the past.

Fortunately, he had at least been able to attend the public lectures on Pill Island. As a loose cultivator, Zhan Hongxiu had never enjoyed such opportunities.

"Your fundamentals are truly rather weak."

After explaining a few points, Fang Qing sighed.

"Even with the assistance of divine sense, it will be very difficult to force your way into the main competition after studying for only such a short period of time."

"I have reasons why I must go."

Zhan Hongxiu's expression turned solemn.

"I ask Fellow Daoist to lend me your aid."

She harbored ambitions of forming a high-grade True Core.

She could not afford to miss this top-tier Core Formation spiritual object.

Even in the Eastern Sea cultivation world, such treasures were exceedingly rare. A Foundation Establishment cultivator without the backing of a Nascent Soul force had little chance of obtaining one through normal means.

"Very well."

Fang Qing sighed.

"Watch carefully. I'll refine it once for you."

He produced a bronze alchemy furnace.

The furnace stood on four legs with twin handles. Beast-head engravings covered its surface. It was a spirit artifact-grade furnace designed for fire-method alchemy.

"The alchemy scripture only lists the primary and supplementary ingredients."

Zhan Hongxiu smiled bitterly.

"It never clearly specifies exact ratios or quantities. Refining it is incredibly difficult."

"That is only natural."

Fang Qing nodded.

"The medicinal properties of spiritual herbs vary from region to region. Even herbs grown in the same location may differ slightly from one another. How could a single formula apply universally?"

"In the end, the alchemist must rely on their own judgment to adjust quantities and proportions. The true art lies within the heart."

He picked up a snow-white spiritual fruit.

The fruit was no larger than a thumb and was covered in delicate silver patterns.

"For example, this White Profound Fruit differs somewhat from the one beside it. Thus the alchemy scripture does not specify exact quantities. Instead, it discusses principles of yin and yang, water and fire, allowing the alchemist to judge according to the state of the pill."

Internally, he reflected:

'According to the alchemical system of the Qi Ingestion world, this fruit belongs to [Dou Wood].'

'[Dou Wood] corresponds to the position where the moon hangs over reclaimed fields, governing sowing and harvest. It also carries the image of moonlight sinking beneath bridge shadows, earning the alternate title [Bridge-Sinking Wood].'

Fang Qing circulated his Innate True Fire and casually raised a hand.

A cluster of flames appeared and began roaring within the furnace.

The Feng Seeks Huang Dao Foundation operated naturally, granting him complete mastery over the flames. In the blink of an eye, the White Profound Fruit was refined into essence.

"This fruit contains both yin and yang properties."

"The scripture says that during the month of Establishing Zi, the Dipper's Handle points north and the moon is in its new phase. Yin reaches its extreme and gives birth to yang."

"Therefore, Red Scale Flower must be added."

"But during the month of Establishing Wu, when the Dipper's Handle points south and the moon is full, yang reaches its extreme and gives birth to yin. At that time, Red Scale Flower should not be used. Instead, one should add Cold Silk Water."

As Fang Qing spoke, he manipulated the flames with effortless ease, occasionally offering pointers to Zhan Hongxiu.

The fire blazed throughout the chamber.

At some unknown moment, crimson fire snakes had appeared upon the ground, crawling, writhing, and rolling about.

Zhan Hongxiu's eyes were filled with fascination.

She had become completely immersed in the lesson.

Compared to water-method alchemy, fire-method alchemy was incomparably faster.

"Enough. Open!"

Fang Qing formed a hand seal and immediately opened the furnace.

A flash of crimson light burst forth.

Rosy radiance filled the entire room.

An intoxicating pill fragrance spread through the air as countless fire snakes surged out from within the furnace.

Some even sprouted wings, resembling flood dragons soaring through the heavens.

Fang Qing activated the pill-collecting art.

Immediately, the crimson pills fell into the jade bottle one after another, like large and small pearls cascading onto a jade plate. Before long, the bottle was filled to the brim.

“One batch, ten pills, and every single one is of proper quality?!”

Zhan Hongxiu's eyes widened in shock as she muttered to herself.

“Alas... it has been quite some time since I last refined pills. My hands are a little rusty. Otherwise, there should have been a few superior-grade pills among them.”

Fang Qing sighed.

“With Fellow Daoist's attainments in alchemy, you would surely dominate the Foundation Establishment division. Why did you not participate in this year's Pill Origin Assembly?”

Zhan Hongxiu asked curiously.

“The master who taught me alchemy once said that those who pursue the Dao of Alchemy should avoid involving themselves in such worldly affairs.”

Fang Qing wore an inscrutable expression.

Inside Zhan Hongxiu's mind, Old Turtle snorted disdainfully.

‘This brat's alchemy skills are genuinely impressive. He's probably already at the level of a quasi-third-rank alchemist. His master is certainly a third-rank high-grade, perhaps even a fourth-rank grandmaster alchemist. Such a person would definitely know about the schemes hidden behind the Profound Center Sect's convention. Why would he willingly walk into a tiger's den?’

“Then may I ask, Fellow Daoist, with my current level, do I have any hope of advancing?”

Zhan Hongxiu looked at Fang Qing expectantly.

In response, Fang Qing simply remained silent.

“All right, let's clean the pill furnace and discuss the next round.”

Fang Qing summoned spirit water and began washing the furnace.

Smiling, he said, “Improving one's alchemy skills requires time and accumulation. However, if your goal is merely to advance past the preliminary selection, it is not entirely impossible.”

“Some alchemists tamper with their pill furnaces beforehand, secretly hiding pills inside. Others conceal prepared pills within their sleeves. Those are all crooked and dishonest methods.”

A rare trace of embarrassment appeared on Zhan Hongxiu's face.

Because she had indeed been considering exactly that sort of cheating.

“The true way to advance,” Fang Qing continued, his expression suddenly turning serious, “is to predict the exam topics!”

An aura naturally emerged from him, the aura of someone who had survived countless mountains of assignments and oceans of examination papers.

“I have carefully studied the questions from every previous Pill Origin Assembly and narrowed them down to eight possible pill formulas.”

“For this year's preliminary selection, the test will almost certainly be one of these eight, at most with slight variations. But though the forms may change, the essence remains the same.”

“If you truly want to advance, then practice these eight formulas until your hands bleed!”

In reality, he could not be bothered to study past examinations.

He had simply divined the answers.

...

When Zhan Hongxiu finally emerged from the cave dwelling, her divine sense still felt somewhat dizzy and exhausted.

Although she was already a late Foundation Establishment cultivator with powerful spiritual sense, her shortcomings in alchemy forced her to devote far more concentration to observing every subtle change within the furnace.

Over time, this naturally exhausted her more quickly.

Fortunately, Old Turtle had taught her a secret technique called the Hundred Fires Tempering Spirit Art, allowing her to use furnace flames to temper her divine sense. Otherwise, she doubted she could have endured this long.

‘Whether Fellow Daoist Du's predictions are accurate or not, I still need a backup plan.’

While thinking this, she arrived at the cave dwelling she had rented.

At that moment, the restrictions on a neighboring cave dwelling opened, and Wan An walked out.

“Fellow Daoist Wan.”

She greeted him politely.

Recently, Zhan Hongxiu had been entirely occupied with pill refinement and preparing for the Pill Origin Assembly.

Wan An, meanwhile, spent every day outside purchasing pills and cultivating relationships with alchemists.

Both of them seemed to have bright futures ahead.

“Fellow Daoist Zhan.”

Wan An smiled.

“I recently contacted an alchemist known as Alchemist Luo. He has accumulated a batch of Profound Wood Pills that are quite suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Would you like me to reserve a few bottles for you?”

“No need.”

Zhan Hongxiu waved her hand dismissively.

“Feel free to keep them for yourself.”

Pills obtained from wandering rogue cultivator merchants depended entirely on luck.

The amount of pill toxin inside varied from batch to batch. Some malicious alchemists even secretly poisoned their pills or implanted vicious restrictions within them.

Zhan Hongxiu had always avoided such things.

As she watched Wan An's departing figure, her eyes lowered slightly.

‘Old Turtle... how are the preparations progressing?’

‘Almost complete.’

Old Turtle sounded confident.

‘Once the time comes, simply use the puppet secret art I taught you. You should be able to steal that Scenic Wind Pearl without anyone noticing.’

‘Most importantly, the karma will not fall upon you.’

‘Even if the pearl contains hidden traps or restrictions, they will never be traced back to your person.’

Old Turtle spoke with complete assurance.

When it came to alchemy, he might not be particularly skilled.

But in terms of experience and secret arts, he possessed countless methods at his fingertips.

...

Wan An was in an excellent mood.

He nearly felt like humming a tune as he had done back when he was still a mortal.

He had just finished meeting Alchemist Luo.

By purchasing a batch of pills at a low price and reselling them, he stood to earn several hundred spirit stones with almost no effort.

‘Recently, my luck has truly been excellent. I've met one benefactor after another.’

As he walked down the street, he suddenly noticed an old Qi Refining cultivator begging by the roadside.

The old man was horribly crippled. His limbs were damaged, one eye drooped, and his mouth hung crooked.

“Please, kind senior... show some mercy...”

Wan An glanced at him.

‘This Tianquan Island really has everything. Quite an eye-opener.’

‘Could this old fellow have offended some enemy? Perhaps his cultivation was crippled and he was forced to survive by begging?’

His mood was good, so he casually tossed a few fragments of spirit stones into the old beggar's bowl before continuing on his way.

“Thank you, benefactor! Thank you, benefactor!”

The old beggar bowed repeatedly in gratitude.

Holding his broken bowl, he limped into a dark corner of the marketplace.

Within his sea of consciousness, a strange Nascent Soul slowly opened its eyes and gazed toward Wan An's departing figure.

‘Interesting little fellow...’

‘To think he's actually carrying a nascent dharma treasure on his person?’

‘And judging by its quality... it appears to be something quite extraordinary.’