Immortal Refiner

”Alright, I’ve imparted the complete soul core method to you. Remember these two crucial points!”

”First, practicing this method is extremely dangerous and not a shortcut to success. It requires gradual refinement over time, allowing things to develop naturally.”

”Otherwise, even with secret treasures, you may not be able to protect your divine soul from harm.”

”Second, while this method can increase the success rate of core formation, it doesn’t guarantee success.”

”Ultimately, your own cultivation remains paramount. Do not waste too much time on this method at the expense of your cultivation—that would be putting the cart before the horse.”

These words of advice struck Li Qing deeply. He solemnly clasped his hands in a respectful bow and said:

”Thank you for your guidance, Senior Wu Yuan. This junior will remember your teachings.”

Li Qing’s tone was deeply respectful, and his respect was genuine.

Since he began his cultivation journey, he had encountered few elders worthy of such reverence. Old Zhou of the Liu Clan had been one, and Senior Wu Yuan was undoubtedly another.

”Very well, let me spend my final moments in solitude,” Elder Wu Yuan said with a carefree air, showing no fear of his impending demise.

Those who face death with such composure always appear truly heroic.

Li Qing clasped his hands in a final salute toward the Ice Prison before slowly backing away from the deep, bone-chillingly cold prison.

As Li Qing’s footsteps faded, the Ice Prison fell into complete silence. The demonic laughter and wailing that had once echoed through its depths never sounded again.

After leaving the prison, Li Qing cast one last deep glance behind him and murmured to himself:

”Truly a remarkable man. His Dao should have shone brilliantly. If he hadn’t rushed ahead and cultivated that soul core method, the Lingyun Sect might have gained another supreme elder.”

Had Elder Wu Yuan not gone astray in his cultivation, could he have achieved core formation in this lifetime?

Li Qing couldn’t say. No one can predict what might have been.

Yet the man was undeniably a prodigious talent. Even in his madness, he had become a living legend within the sect.

It was precisely this innate talent that drove him to reckless ambition in his youth. Overconfident and dissatisfied with his current state, he chose to cultivate a forbidden secret technique, hoping to directly advance to the core formation realm.

If Elder Wu Yuan had cultivated steadily to the pseudo-core realm and then taken the time to seek out core condensation spirit materials, the outcome might have been drastically different.

Witnessing this example, Li Qing’s conviction grew stronger: cultivation required steady progress, one step at a time, and one should never rush for quick gains.

”True progress lies in steady, grounded steps!”

With these words, Li Qing flew out of the Ice Prison and returned to his cave abode.

Several days passed. The qi refining disciples guarding the Ice Prison soon noticed something amiss.

”Hey, have you noticed the Ice Prison feels different these past few days?”

”Hmm, now that you mention it, it does seem a bit off. Something’s not quite right.”

”Wait a minute... that Mad Old Man hasn’t gone crazy lately, has he? I haven’t heard his wailing and laughter at all.”

The moment those words were spoken, all the disciples realized the truth. No wonder it had been unusually quiet these past few days.

Having grown accustomed to the demonic laughter and wailing, they now found the silence unsettling.

”Could something have happened? Should we go check?”

The disciples exchanged uneasy glances. None of them wanted to venture deep into the Ice Prison—what if that demonic laughter and wailing suddenly erupted again?

Those cries, emanating from a late foundation establishment realm cultivator, carried the power of his divine soul. Ordinary qi refining disciples like them would be severely affected.

”Maybe we should still check. If that Mad Old Man starts wailing, we can just retreat. As long as we don’t stay too long, it should be fine.”

After some deliberation, the disciples decided to draw lots, selecting one unlucky soul to investigate.

Before long, the chosen unfortunate soul burst out of the Ice Prison, his face pale with terror.

”Something terrible has happened! The Mad Old Man... he seems to have regained his sanity! He even spoke to me just now!”

”What?! Such a thing has happened?!”

”Quick! Report to the elders!”

”...”

Like a stone dropped into still water, the news of Elder Wu Yuan’s awakening sent ripples of shock through the entire Lingyun Sect.

”How is this possible? The mad elder has regained his senses?!”

”So it’s true after all? I always thought it was just one of the sect’s strange rumors, nothing to be taken seriously.”

”I heard that elder’s name is Wu Yuan. He was once a peerless genius in the sect.”

”...”

In Cloudsoaring Hall, Sect Leader Xu Yun couldn’t remain seated upon hearing the news. Without a word, he bolted out of the hall.

The usually composed Sect Leader Xu Yun now wore a look of utter panic, completely abandoning his dignified demeanor as senior brother sect leader.

Moving with lightning speed, he arrived at the Ice Prison in the blink of an eye.

The guard disciples immediately recognized the Sect Leader. Before they could even offer their greetings, Xu Yun had already charged into the Ice Prison.

”Senior Brother Wu Yuan... is that you? You’ve awakened?!” Sect Leader Xu Yun’s voice trembled slightly, his disbelief palpable.

After a long silence, a frail, aged voice drifted from behind the ice gate, forged from millennial profound ice.

”Heh, perhaps the heavens have finally taken pity on me, allowing me to regain clarity in these final days of my life.”

”Junior Brother Xu Yun, it’s been so long. You’ve grown so old too. In my memory, it feels like everything happened just yesterday.”

Elder Wu Yuan’s tone carried a hint of despair. In his three centuries of life, he had spent nearly half his days in madness.

Hearing these words, Sect Leader Xu Yun immediately burst into tears. He reached out a trembling hand and spoke, ”Senior brother, I’ll release you at once. The sect still possesses life-extending elixirs that can grant you many more years.”

But Elder Wu Yuan refused.

”Don’t waste the sect’s resources on me. I know my condition—I’m like a candle flickering in the wind, its oil nearly spent.”

”My time is short. Let me quietly pass away here. I’ve failed the sect and have no face to meet my fellow disciples again.”

”Perhaps this is the best end for me. Heh.”

Bang!

The moment those words left his lips, Sect Leader Xu Yun collapsed to the ground, his face etched with sorrow.

He recognized the unwavering resolve in Elder Wu Yuan’s voice. When a person’s will to die is so clear, even the Nine Revolutions Immortal Pill might not be enough to save them.

”It’s all over now, senior brother. Everything is over.”

”...”

Several days later, a withered, almost inhuman-looking body was carried out of the Ice Prison.

Sect Leader Xu Yun personally buried the remains in the sect’s rear mountain.

The funeral was simple, with few disciples even aware of it. Yet many of Lingyun Sect’s most important elders attended.

Among them were the mysterious grand refining elder of the refining hall, the leaders of the talisman hall and Pill Hall, and several elders who had been in seclusion for years, striving for core formation.

”Senior Brother Wu Yuan, may you find peace on your journey.”

”If your spirit still lingers, go and apologize to Junior Sister Cai Yun yourself.”

”With us watching over the sect, you can depart without worry.”

”...”

The once legendary figure of the Lingyun Sect had faded into obscurity, his end a stark contrast to the glory and worldwide acclaim he had once commanded.

Meanwhile, Li Qing, having obtained the inheritance of the soul core method, immediately began practicing it.

However, the results were far from satisfactory. He couldn’t even grasp the basics.

”This method is far too difficult,” he muttered. ”Every time I try to divide my divine soul power, I feel like my soul is on the verge of collapse.”

”No wonder Elder Wu Yuan went mad. It’s terrifying.”

Li Qing sighed and immediately retrieved the Soul Nurturing Bell to nourish his slightly damaged divine soul.

”This method likely requires a divine soul at least at the late foundation establishment realm. In my current state, forget condensing a soul core—I can barely divide my divine soul power.”

As the clear, crisp chime of the bell faded, Li Qing’s divine soul slowly recovered.

To ensure no lingering side effects, he took out one of his few remaining Millennial Heavenly Star Grass stalks from his storage pouch and consumed it directly.

There was no other choice. After witnessing Elder Wu Yuan’s fate, Li Qing had no desire to repeat his mistakes.

He refused to take even the slightest risk—this was the core principle of his cultivation!

”Forget it. I’ll attempt this technique again when I reach the mid-foundation establishment stage. Even if I condense a soul core now, it wouldn’t mean I’m ready to attempt core formation.”

”This method can wait. For now, the most crucial task is to fully comprehend the second-tier artifact refinement inheritance and refine the Heavenly Net Banner as soon as possible. That’s the only path to true progress.”

With that, Li Qing consumed the Heavenly Star Grass and began refining the medicinal power of the millennial spirit herb, nourishing his divine soul.

He absolutely refused to continue practicing this forbidden secret technique without a divine soul comparable to that of a late foundation establishment realm cultivator.

Once his divine soul had strengthened further, he retrieved the second-tier artifact refinement inheritance and began meditating on its principles.

If he could successfully refine a top-grade magical artifact, his combat prowess and self-preservation capabilities would undoubtedly increase dramatically!

(End of the Chapter)

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