C10 The Old Taoist Was Refining Pills!

"So beautiful..." Lin Yu's eyes sparkled as he admired the extraordinary furnace before him. Though he was unfamiliar with pill refining and this was his first encounter with a furnace, he could sense its exceptional nature and couldn't help but express his admiration.

Observing Lin Yu's astonishment, the old Taoist chuckled but chose not to reveal the cauldron's history. He casually remarked, "A quality furnace not only ensures that spiritual energy remains concentrated and doesn't scatter during the refining process but also enhances efficiency. As you grow stronger, you'll come to appreciate these benefits when you refine pills."

"What does pill refining have to do with one's realm? Don't you just put everything into the furnace to refine?" Lin Yu inquired, puzzled.

The old Taoist gave Lin Yu a sidelong glance and sighed, "Refining ordinary pills is quite straightforward; simply extract their essence. But crafting a superior pill is far from easy."

After a brief pause, he produced an ancient tome and tossed it to Lin Yu, advising, "I stumbled upon this book, which offers profound insights into pill refining that have greatly benefited me. I'm entrusting it to you now. Remember, do not attempt to refine fifth-level panaceas until you've reached the Golden Core state. I must now focus and prepare myself to refine pills in optimal conditions. Study this book and refrain from disturbing me."

"Oh!" Lin Yu acknowledged, wondering to himself, "What exactly is a fifth-level panacea?" He didn't pose the question to the old Taoist, instead committing it to memory, accepting the book, and heading outside.

Driven by the curiosity sparked by the old Taoist's words, Lin Yu hastened to a side chamber and settled onto a meditation cushion to examine the book, titled 'Alchemical Book.' The author's identity was unspecified, the pages slightly yellowed with age, suggesting considerable antiquity. The material felt like some kind of leather, still retaining a trace of warmth.

The book was divided into three sections: the first cataloged a multitude of spiritual things, leaving Lin Yu's head spinning; the second discussed the self-discipline involved in alchemy; and the third compiled various alchemical recipes and their effects. Flipping through the pages, Lin Yu was profoundly impressed. Panaceas were categorized by grade, with higher grades requiring more potent spiritual things and presenting greater refining challenges. The process of crafting a panacea was intricate and demanding, with stringent requirements.

First and foremost, one must be intimately familiar with the function of each spiritual thing, combining and maximizing their properties. Secondly, one must control every detail of the pill refining process. Upon reaching the Soul Refining Realm, one can employ their spiritual sense to feel the heat within the furnace and use their spiritual energy to precisely control the temperature, extracting the essence to its fullest potential. Otherwise, a moment's inattention could ruin the spiritual thing. The third step is the most challenging and dangerous. Spiritual things are governed by the five elements, which can either generate or destroy one another. Generation requires suppression, while destruction necessitates support. Each spiritual thing embodies the five elements differently, making them increasingly difficult to control with greater quantity and quality—minor mistakes could ruin the pill, while major ones could backfire disastrously.

In light of these challenges, the unique effects of these mystical panaceas have countless cultivators longing for them, dreaming of their acquisition, yet finding them out of reach. Crafting a new panacea is an even more formidable task, making the alchemical book a highly coveted item among those who pursue the path of cultivation.

Lin Yu had merely skimmed through the book, finding it increasingly incomprehensible the further he read. Recognizing that his current abilities fell short of unlocking its secrets, he decided not to dwell on it. Instead, he planned to occasionally study the medicinal properties and characteristics of various spiritual things, laying the groundwork for future endeavors. With that in mind, he stored the book in his bag of holding and resumed his cultivation practice.

...

The cave was a haven of tranquility. The old Taoist had been in deep meditation for two days, alternating between furrowed brows in contemplation and a serene expression.

For Lin Yu, witnessing the old Taoist's meticulousness was a first. Not wanting to interrupt, he dedicated himself to cultivation over the past two days, delving into the Spiritgrass and spiritual things described in the book during his leisure time. The vivid descriptions sparked his imagination, making his study both enjoyable and far from lonely.

Upon awakening from his meditation, the old Taoist produced an alchemical book, his gaze lingering on the depicted steps and notes. He mused with a frown, "Had I obtained this alchemical book years earlier, I could have devoted more time to its study. But now, time is of the essence, and I must make an attempt." With that, he tucked away the alchemical book, a trace of resolve flickering in his eyes.

Upon noticing his master's movements, Lin Yu placed the book into his bag of holding and swiftly made his way over. Observing the old Taoist's demeanor, he refrained from interrupting and stood silently to the side.

The old Taoist paced around the furnace several times before settling down in front of it without further delay. He let out a sigh and gestured to Lin Yu, causing the bag of holding in Lin Yu's possession to fly into his hand.

With a flick of his finger, the old Taoist revealed the contents of the bag of holding, scattering the materials with a casual stir. After tossing the bag back to Lin Yu, he flipped his hand, and several ornate boxes materialized next to the materials.

Lin Yu was unsure of the contents within the boxes but was certain they were no ordinary items. Unable to deduce the grade of the pill that was to be refined, he felt a surge of nervousness and retreated to a corner to sit down, careful not to cause any disturbance.

"You may watch and learn from here, but remember, absolute silence is crucial. Any slight error in the pill refining process can ruin everything," the old Taoist instructed, sensing Lin Yu's cautious movements. Despite the need for quiet, he trusted Lin Yu's presence and recognized the educational value of observing the process, so he allowed him to stay.

"Yes, Master, I understand," Lin Yu responded with gravity.

Lin Yu, seated to the side, furrowed his brow in contemplation. "I've never seen my teacher so indecisive. He must place great importance on this particular pill refining session," he mused.

With Lin Yu's acknowledgment, the old Taoist wasted no more time. His hand seals danced, and his robe billowed as if caught in an unfelt breeze. He bellowed the command, "Quick!" and a fiery red flame spiraled from his palm, snapping into the furnace with a flick of his finger.

"Cool! That's just too cool!" Lin Yu was awestruck, witnessing something unlike anything he'd seen before. Previously, he had only seen the elemental attributes, not the actual flames. These flames were bewitchingly red, a stark contrast to ordinary fire. Lin Yu's eyes sparkled with excitement as he watched the old man, whose demeanor had transformed from carefree to impressively majestic.

The old Taoist's brow creased slightly, his expression calm as he continued his hand seals. The furnace responded to the flames' embrace, its color shifting from its original dark green to a more vibrant, translucent green. The flame totems etched on its walls seemed to dance to life, creating a dazzling display.

The seasoned Taoist adeptly formed a seal with one hand while the other moved swiftly, tossing a small heap of herbs into the furnace. As the herbs met the flames, his eyes narrowed, fingers subtly shifting their positions, causing the fiery glow within to pulsate, now bright, now dim.

"Rise!" In due course, at the Taoist's soft command, the furnace lid lifted slightly, releasing a stream of white powder that settled into the prepared medicinal dish. Without pause, he introduced another batch of herbs to the furnace.

Witnessing the pill refinement for the first time, Lin Yu was captivated by the Taoist's fluid motions and the fluctuating heat emanating from the furnace. The urge to try his hand at the process was overwhelming. Drawing a deep breath to calm his excitement, he focused intently on each movement the Taoist made.