Daoist Competition

Zhang Yan held a Transformation Technique in hand, acquired from Zhou Chongju, originally a secret technique transmitted within the Zhou Clan of the Yuxiao Sect.

Initially, the White Moon Ying Fruit was scarce, and he followed the technique without noticing any issues.

But later during the refining process, he gradually discovered that the Essence Qi refined from a single White Moon Ying Fruit was far from his absorption limit.

Perhaps this technique was excellent for those forming second-grade elixirs, but for him, it was somewhat lacking.

Those who form first-grade elixirs, besides needing much more external materials than their peers, can also absorb spiritual mechanisms far beyond ordinary people. It is like comparing an ocean that can embrace all rivers to a lake that overflows when full,

thus repeating the technique is imperative. Fortunately, with the foundation of the Zhou Clan’s technique, he need not reinvent from scratch, just use it as a reference for further derivation, which was much easier than his initial derivation of the Five Elements Profound Technique.

However, there was no rush at the moment. After refining the White Moon Ying Fruit, he could proceed with other matters.

So he set the matter aside for now, flicked a finger, and a spell fell into the furnace. With a loud rumble, the fire was set, gradually enveloping him in mist, obscuring his figure.

He stayed in the alchemy room for over a month, and soon the day came to open the furnace and take out the medicine. Inside, gurgling sounds echoed like toads croaking, causing the alchemy room to tremble slightly as if submerged in a vast ocean.

This time, due to the large amount of spiritual medicine being refined, the forces of water and fire were more intense than ever before. Even before opening the furnace, the abundant spiritual mechanism inside could barely be contained, eager to burst forth.

Zhang Yan, having refined the White Moon Ying Fruit many times, was accustomed to this situation. His expression remained calm as he continuously used his profound mana to soothe the tumultuous force.

After another half a day, the surge in medicinal power began to subside, but then suddenly scattered in all directions with a great noise, dividing into hundreds of streams of spiritual energy, chaotically rushing inside the furnace, hitting the walls with a resounding clang, like a bell tolling, even causing the furnace itself to sway uncontrollably.

Zhang Yan was at first stunned, but then a hint of joy appeared in his eyes, for this was clearly a sign that the medicinal power was permeating within and without, forming a spiritual nature, a vital and animated omen.

Alchemy also depends on opportunity. Unless one is a grandmaster like Zhou Chongju, immersed for centuries, with undistracted focus, to elevate every furnace to its highest potential and generate spiritual mechanisms, for Zhang Yan since his Enlightenment, such a fortunate event had never occurred.

At this point, it was necessary to stoke the fire briefly and fiercely a few times to dispel the fierce qi, but not too much; otherwise, it would damage the medicinal qualities.

However, suppressing spiritual mechanisms while directing fire requires profound mana for maintenance, posing a significant challenge for an alchemist.

An ordinary Pill Master, without proper instruction, might find themselves at a loss and make mistakes when faced with such a situation.

Fortunately, Zhou Chongju transmitted the Dharma technique to him without reservation, and Zhang Yan’s cultivation was deep, allowing him to manage with composure, unflustered, following the Alchemy Scripture closely, focusing his spirit to patiently subdue dozens of the fiercest spiritual mechanisms, taking over an hour to tame and harmonize the remaining ones.

He followed the procedure without error, and after another day, all the spiritual mechanisms gradually merged into one, indistinguishable from each other, circling around like a dragon searching under water for a way out within the furnace.

As the spiritual mechanisms turned inward, he nodded slightly, knowing that the elixir pills in this furnace had been successfully formed. He then withdrew his mana.

The spiritual mechanisms within the furnace were suddenly unrestrained, instantly separating into clear and turbid, with most surging upward. With a cracking sound, the furnace opened, spewing out a torrent of fierce spiritual energy with over three hundred spirit lights flickering within.

Zhang Yan was slightly surprised, expecting this batch of elixir pills to yield a little over two hundred at least, and close to three hundred at most. Yet, whether due to the purity of the spiritual medicine or fortunate coincidence, the spiritual mechanisms were nurtured, resulting in dozens more than anticipated.

Happily, with a gesture, a gang wind arose, collecting these White Moon Ying Fruits into his pouch.

He shook his sleeve; now that the matter was concluded, it was time to begin deriving the spell. But given the unknown duration of this seclusion, he needed to first settle affairs within the mansion.

He rose and exited the alchemy room, seated himself on a couch in the outer chamber, and sent out a spell. Shortly after, Jing You entered the Cave Mansion, bowed, and asked, "What orders does the master have?"

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