The tea Tinglan served was unexpectedly good; it was far better than what Li Ximing or Daoist Master Changxi had ever brewed. Li Ximing took a sip and sensed Tinglan’s enthusiasm for the matter ran rather deep, so he asked, “So it would take that long. I had hoped Daoist Friend could lend a hand, but I did not expect it would require such great effort...”
Tinglan had been waiting for that question and replied simply, “Do not worry, Zhaojing. I too would like you to lend your hand and refine a pill for me.”
“Refine a pill?” Li Ximing frowned and asked, “Is Daoist Friend unable to refine it with your own divine ability?”
For one in the Purple Mansion Realm, a mere wave of the hand was enough to produce pills. If Tinglan was requesting his help, then the pill in question was certainly no ordinary pill.
At his question, Tinglan gave a slight nod but said nothing. Instead, she turned to the yellow-robed cultivator of Purple Smoke Gate and said, “Danying, take this young friend to tour the blessed land.”
Cui Jueyin immediately understood. Seeing Li Ximing nod, he and the yellow-robed cultivator left quickly.
When the purple smoke closed in around them, Tinglan finally spoke, “When people like us with a divine ability refine pills, we are only capable of producing those for Foundation Establishment Realm or Qi Cultivation Realm. Unlike you, we have not trained in the alchemical arts. Once Shenyang ascends into the great void, Yin and Yang achieve balance. But the moment we pour our full strength into alchemy, that power inevitably affects the Shenyang Mansion over time, upsetting that balance. I even have to ask Daoist Master Hengxing to trade me decent Essence Gathering Pills. As for pills of higher grade, they are beyond my reach.”
She produced a jade slip, casually dissolved the sealing techniques on it, and placed it on the table with a smile, “I must trouble Daoist Friend to have a look... and see whether it can be refined.”
Li Ximing had not expected such an unexpected opportunity and took it up to read.
“Heavenly Quintessence-Expelling Pill”
As expected, this was a Purple Mansion Realm pill, and a deeply complex one at that. It required the use of the exceedingly precious Purple Mansion Realm spirit item Boundless Water-Fire as its harmonizing agent. Only after refining it with a divine ability sixteen thousand two hundred times could it form a pill body using Heavenly Origin Essence.
When Li Ximing read this, he gritted his teeth inwardly, Well now, Purple Smoke Gate is truly wealthy and extravagant. Even though Tinglan isn’t of the Kan Family, she’s still so lavish... both Boundless Water-Fire and Heavenly Origin Essence? Even acquiring one of them would keep me grinning for three days straight...
The primary ingredients beyond that were not recorded, only the auxiliary ones, the general method, and notes on the pill’s refinement difficulty. Its effects were not described either, but as an alchemist, Li Ximing understood well enough after reading, This is a spirit pill that seizes quintessence and gathers origin, a Valley Water spirit pill... not exactly orthodox...
He pondered for a moment before asking, “Daoist Master, does the main ingredient include spirit items such as Veiled Yin or Radiant Essence?”
“Of course not!” When she didn’t hear an immediate refusal, Tinglan sensed there might be hope. Her tone warmed considerably as she said with a smile, “I had anticipated that question! It is precisely because of the Valley Water ingredient, which is incompatible with Hengzhu, that Daoist Friend Hengxing dared not refine this pill for me. If there were something like Veiled Yin involved... I wouldn’t dare ask Daoist Friend to attempt it either.”
Li Ximing now understood why she had not turned to Daoist Master Hengxing. He deliberated inwardly for a while, The difficulty of this pill is unlike anything I’ve seen before. Fortunately, the challenge lies in refinement. At worst, the yield will be lower and the time required longer, but it is not an insurmountable obstacle of divine ability. It is not impossible to refine.
After some thought, he asked to confirm, “Does Daoist Friend possess the Boundless Water-Fire?”
Tinglan nodded and ordered someone to bring up a large stone chest from the foot of the mountain. She opened it with a wave of her divine ability and took out a small clay vessel that was no larger than the size of a palm. Its smooth surface was etched with intricate patterns of gold and white.
The vessel was placed quietly on the table, appearing utterly ordinary to the naked eye. Yet it was as though thunder had exploded within Li Ximing’s spiritual sense. In his perception, water and fire intertwined upon the vessel’s surface; spiritual energy scattered and fled as if avoiding a calamity; and a towering peak seemed to manifest out of nothing within the great void.
Tinglan spoke with a hint of hope in her voice, “I do possess this Purple Mansion Realm spirit item. However, the Boundless Water-Fire repels spiritual energy, and driving it with one’s divine ability is extremely draining. Does Daoist Friend have confidence in handling it? If you intend to refine pills with this fire, you may need to prepare some pills that clear and strengthen spiritual sense.”
But Li Ximing cared little for any so-called Boundless Water-Fire. His spiritual sense swept out and the talisman qi within him stirred in response. So long as it was fire, it could not escape the grasp of the Valley Wind Leading Fire. He had never relied on spiritual sense to control flame, nor did he ever worry about depletion. How else could he have single-handedly sustained the Li Family’s pill production while cultivating?
He simply said, “So long as the main ingredient is not a cultivator, and the pill will not violate my family’s precepts, then I can refine it. My skill is not exceptional, though, and the yield will likely not exceed three pills.”
“Good!” The Daoist Master in the autumn-yellow robe was slightly surprised by his confidence and speculated inwardly, Bright Yang accompanied by Radiant Fire wields mastery over fire yet is not fire itself. Perhaps that is why he can command Boundless Water-Fire beyond the ordinary...
Her confidence in the man before her grew. Daoist Master Tinglan smiled, nodded, and said solemnly, “As long as Daoist Friend can refine this pill for me, and your family possesses a suitable spirit item, then the Moongaze Lake formation will be my responsibility. If... you intend to relocate the formation instead, you may entrust that to me as well. The value would differ, of course, and I will make further compensation accordingly.”
Li Ximing still had a complete Purple Mansion Realm spirit item in his possession, but he had no intention of revealing it for now. He let out a slow breath and raised his brow. “I do have a question... Daoist Master Chuting of the Xiao Family in Lixia is far superior to me in the alchemical arts. Why not seek him out? You might obtain far more pills and avoid wasting such a precious portion of Heavenly Origin Essence.”
Li Ximing had heard of Heavenly Origin Essence ever since his Qi Cultivation Realm days. It was a Purple Mansion Realm spirit water famed for refining the Immortal Foundation and reviving the dead, also known as Origin Water. Its value was surpassed only by top-tier spirit items like Supreme Yin Moonlight.
While many spirit items could save lives in a critical moment, few could truly resurrect the dead. Moreover, the ability to refine one’s Immortal Foundation could elevate an otherwise insignificant cultivator to greatness, allowing them to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Purple Mansion Realm direct descendants.
Once this pill was refined, the Boundless Water-Fire used as the harmonizing agent could still be preserved, but the Heavenly Origin Essence would be gone. If it were up to Li Ximing, the thought alone would make his heart ache unbearably...
When he raised the question, Daoist Master Tinglan shook her head and said, “I have thought about seeking that senior as well... but I would not even be able to see him. Even if I did, I could not bring myself to trust him. Then, even if I forced myself to trust him, the price of having him refine this pill would be outrageously high. That old man’s thoughts are as deep and unfathomable as an abyss. He’s far less approachable than you.”
Li Ximing nodded, though he found her explanation oddly phrased.
So in the end, I’m just the cheaper alternative. I’m easier to talk to because you need something from me...
Daoist Master Tinglan sneaked a glance at him, chuckled twice, and said, “Daoist Friend, don’t overthink it. Our Purple Smoke Gate requires many pills refined, and several of my friends also struggle with this path. If this matter succeeds, there will be many more pills to refine, and great benefit awaits both our families.”
As she continued to paint the grand prospects of their future, Li Ximing responded with a few perfunctory “yes, yes” and “very well”. Tinglan then pushed the jade slip toward him and said, “I shall first entrust this jade slip to Daoist Friend. They contain records and insights from my predecessors on pill refinement and may serve as a valuable reference for you.”
Li Ximing was indeed tempted by the Purple Mansion Realm alchemical insights within the jade slip, yet he did not reach for it. At last, he understood where that faint sense of strangeness he had felt all along was coming from, So Tinglan sought me out solely for alchemy; it likely has nothing to do with Shanji Prefecture at all... Kong Guxi, oh Kong Guxi... even if you’re willing to hand over Shanji Prefecture, they might not even want it! You may end up having to beg them to take it!