Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Regarding pill medicines related to dantian magical power, the main focus is on supplementing spiritual qi, enhancing refinement, and promoting the spirit root’s affinity to heaven and earth spiritual qi. The principles are very lucid, and the cultivator’s body’s meridians and flesh are easily discerned. As long as the alchemy inheritance is comprehended thoroughly and the condensed pill fire is skillfully controlled, it’s relatively easy.

However, for medicines related to the divine soul, because the sea of consciousness of the human race cultivators is the celestial secret vault, even a true man cannot discern it directly and can only rely on experience and insight. This makes the refinement difficulty of divine soul-type pill medicines very high.

Master Jade Pill, who possesses the fake pill divine sense and has deeply studied pill medicines for a hundred years, considers that even the time he spent playing with pill medicine is older than Li Ji’an. He is skeptical about how much comprehension the fifty-year-old foundation establishment loose cultivator has on divine soul-type pill medicines.

Upon entering the alchemy room on Pill Cauldron Peak, still just the room of a sect steward pill master, Li Ji’an slightly raised an eyebrow.

Biyun Sect truly deserves to be the foremost power in Cangyun State, enjoying over ninety percent of the resources in the state. Its internal alchemy room is configured extremely well, with nearly third-tier spirit-gathering arrays, concentration arrays, gathering spirit arrays... The pill furnace is a superior second-tier, providing great support to the skills of a pill master.

With various external enhancements, he feels that if he uses the fire spirit spirit flame for refinement, even tier three pill medicines can be attempted.

Seeing Li Ji’an’s seemingly inexperienced expression, Master Jade Pill urged, ”Hurry up. If you can truly refine a mid-second tier Nine Elements Pill, this alchemy room certainly has it.”

”Thank you, Master,” Li Ji’an composed himself and handed the Nine Elements Pill formula to the Pill Child, then walked to the prepared pill furnace.

In no time, as Li Ji’an was acquainting himself with the pill furnace, the Pill Child had assembled all the ingredients for his formula.

Master Jade Pill also took a good look at each variety of ingredient.

Every pill medicine possesses more than one formula, some formulas even require slight adjustments based on the pill master’s personal circumstances.

Li Ji’an carefully inspected the ingredients.

Ensuring the ingredients were fine.

As expected, these ingredients were of near-perfect quality and age, even better than those he purchased in Immortal City.

With everything ready, Li Ji’an sat cross-legged in front of the pill furnace, slowly summoning the pill fire.

Once the pill fire was in harmony with the pill furnace, Li Ji’an meticulously began the alchemy process.

Master Jade Pill watched Li Ji’an’s every move closely.

When his pill fire condensed appropriately, Master Jade Pill slightly furrowed his brow.

The pill fire still wasn’t solid enough, not as solid as the pill masters specially trained within the sect.

However, being a loose cultivator and practicing the fire element technique from the Desert family, Master Jade Pill could understand.

Thus, it notably tested his control over the pill fire.

When Li Ji’an followed the steps smoothly and adeptly added the ingredients, Master Jade Pill’s furrowed brow slightly eased.

The heart nature was calm, the addition technique was steady and practiced.

When the essence of the ingredients was refined and began to meld, Master Jade Pill raised an eyebrow.

The pill fire control was virtually flawless, with precise and meticulous timing mastery.

Until noon of the following day, all the medicinal essences melded into one, ready for the final step of solidifying the pill, Master Jade Pill nodded.

The pill fire, divine soul sensing, spiritual pressure control, and timing mastery were all spot on. It’s no wonder he received the praise as Immortal City’s foremost pill master. Being a loose cultivator with insufficient magical power, reaching this step is already commendable, qualifying him entirely as a guest elder pill master.

Now comes the last step, which is also the most crucial.

In condensing the liquid into a pill, unlike the mana pill, this step requires divine sense as a guide. While sharply increasing spiritual pressure, the divine sense must completely penetrate the pill liquid.

At this time, due to the penetration of divine sense, it’s easy to cause the pill fire to lose control. If the pill fire is insufficient, the pill cannot be formed; if too intense, the furnace explodes.

Master Jade Pill narrowed his eyes, fully opening his divine sense to capture every detail of Li Ji’an.

”Huh?” Suddenly, Master Jade Pill looked toward the pill furnace with a perplexed expression.

”Has it failed already?”

The expected color of anticipation slightly turned to disappointment.

He clearly felt Li Ji’an’s divine soul penetration in one stage was inadequate; theoretically, he shouldn’t be able to form the pill at this level of divine sense penetration.

”Lacking in divine soul and still challenging such high difficulty?” Master Jade Pill shook his head with a smile, but he was quite satisfied with the prior details regarding his control of the pill fire.

Sufficient to prove that he wouldn’t have any problems refining a second-tier mana pill.

”Zing~” Just as Master Jade Pill was certain that Li Ji’an’s batch of Nine Elements Pill had declared failure, a sound of pill roar suddenly resonated throughout the alchemy room.

”Hmm? Pill roar? What’s going on? This…” Master Jade Pill’s eyes suddenly widened again.

With the pill furnace opening, a pill, shrouded with a layer of ebony gold radiance, slowly rose.

”Exquisite!” Master Jade Pill’s eyes narrowed, the pill flying abruptly into his hand.

After carefully examining it for a long time, he was utterly astonished.

”A mid-second tier Nine Elements Pill actually turned out to be an exquisite pill!”

”Swish!” His figure flickered, instantly appearing in front of Li Ji’an, almost within reach.

”Little... little friend, what is your secret technique? In the final step, your Divine Sense clearly didn’t invade sufficiently, yet how could a pill be refined? And it’s a premium quality one?”

Li Ji’an slowly exhaled, smiled slightly, and instead of answering the question, asked, ”True Man, I wonder if I have passed the examination?”

Master Jade Pill was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly realized.

”Indeed, this is likely your exclusive secret technique. Perhaps you live off this technique; why would you reveal it so casually?”

Outside Loose Cultivators are different from our Sect; outside, the saying goes ’teach the disciple, starve the master,’ so masters and disciples tend to hold something back.”

Though his heart was extremely eager, he still suppressed this urgency.

”Haha, little friend, I was presumptuous.”

”Passed, completely passed. Little Friend Li’s alchemy skill is outstanding and his technique skilled. To achieve such skill with a background as a Loose Cultivator is enough to prove the dedication and effort spent on the path of Alchemy Dao over these years.

Our Sect is fortunate to have a Pill Master honored guest elder like Little Friend Li. The disciples inside the Sect will be blessed in the future.

I’ll immediately send a Communication Talisman to the Imperial Household Department.” Master Jade Pill promptly declared.

”Thank you, True Man!”

In just a short while, the Imperial Household Department responded, and Master Jade Pill asked a peak Steward to lead Li Ji’an to the Imperial Household Department to establish a contract.

Seeing Li Ji’an off from Pill Cauldron Peak, Master Jade Pill immediately shed his peak master prestige, eagerly sending another Communication Talisman to the Imperial Household Department: ”Old Zhang, you have to ensure this Alchemist Li stays, discuss any requirements, seriously, don’t refuse face-to-face. I can discuss with the Sect Leader; if you drive him away, don’t even think about getting Tier Three pills from me again!”

After sending the message, Master Jade Pill paced back and forth on the peak, his mind consumed with what he had just personally witnessed.

Repeatedly reviewing the entire process of Li Ji’an’s alchemy, yet unable to fully understand.

If Li Ji’an can’t stay in the Sect, there likely won’t be another opportunity to get the true answer.

”Xiaoli, don’t withdraw at the last moment this time.”

--------

Inside the Imperial Household Department, Elder Zhang stared at the Communication Talisman, his eyebrows furrowed.

As the highest-ranking official in the Imperial Household Department, he naturally remembered the trial taker named Li Fan from the desert family.

”Voluntarily gave up the chance to become an Inner Sect Disciple, yet could still have a resurgence?”

”Old Yin truly values him so much?”

Recalling the twelve Inner Sect Disciples from the same time as Li Fan, excluding three True Disciples, six Inner Sect Disciples have died, one violated Sect rules and was expelled, one indulged in pleasure and was degraded to Outer Sect Disciple, leaving just four remaining now.

Other than Xiao Changfeng who was favored by Elder Fang to become Vice Hall Master of the External Affairs Hall, ranking mid-level, the other three Inner Sect Disciples seem inferior to him.

With Master Jade Pill’s threat resonating in his mind, Elder Zhang pondered the conditions he was about to discuss with Li Ji’an.

When Li Ji’an was brought to the Imperial Household Department, Elder Zhang came to realization.

”Alchemist Li, congratulations on passing the examination. Do you have any objections to the terms offered by our Sect?”

Li Ji’an cupped his hands, ”No objections.”

”Good, since there are no objections, let’s sign the contract now.” Elder Zhang snapped out of it, surprised that Li Ji’an didn’t take the opportunity to make demands.

Considering Master Jade Pill’s message, he could infer that Li Ji’an’s performance at Pill Cauldron Peak was undoubtedly excellent.

As someone obsessed with alchemy, Master Jade Pill probably wouldn’t hide too much. Normally, pressing matters, testing boundaries repeatedly, is a common trick by Loose Cultivators who have experienced the harshness of the Cultivation Realm.”

Yet, Li Ji’an made no demands.

He couldn’t help but hold Li Ji’an in higher regard, at least he’s not the type to take advantage and demand excessively.

Watching Li Ji’an imprint his Divine Soul and complete the Divine Soul Contract, Elder Zhang finally let out a deep breath.”

”Haha, well, this is Alchemist Li’s honored guest elder identity token. Not only within Cangyun State, but even in the entire Celestial Cyan Domain, ordinary cultivators will give you some respect.” Elder Zhang quickly engraved an identity jade token for Li Ji’an.

The two characters ’Biyun’ were engraved with the Sect’s treasure soul seal, not fake. When activated by magical power, it wields a late period Core Formation Divine Soul pressure, capable of deterring wrongdoers.

The honored guest elder and Li Ji’an’s name were temporarily engraved by Elder Zhang.

Li Ji’an received the identity token and cupped his hands in thanks.

His decision to refine the Nine Elements Pill, while not using the Fire Spirit Spirit Flame, was already predicting the outcome. As for Master Jade Pill’s attitude, he naturally observed it closely.”

He didn’t take the opportunity to make demands mainly because his request was precisely for a stable, independent Second Tier Dao Field, which Biyun Sect had already fulfilled.”

Further demands, such as residing at Pill Cauldron Peak, or condensing a Soul Lamp within the Sect, or becoming a Sect cultivator, would instead become constraints. After all, he still has Gugu, and Fire Spirit, and the Talisman-Making Skill.”

These things individually are reasonable, but concentrated on a fifty-year-old Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator, they’re too unreasonable, bound to attract unnecessary investigation.”

After leaving the Imperial Household Department, Li Ji’an specifically returned to Pill Cauldron Peak once more before heading back to the Immortal City to prepare for moving.”