I Tame Beasts by Feeding

"It’s nothing, really. Just remember to give our shop some business in the future," Shopkeeper Xi chuckled.

He was well aware of Yu Changsheng’s potential. While it might have seemed like he was taking a loss this time, Shopkeeper Xi viewed it as a successful long-term investment.

Just as he’d said, it was all about making a friend.

Of course, Yu Changsheng was aware of his intentions. Since it was mutually beneficial and held no downsides for him, he simply accepted the gesture.

"I will. I’ll remember what you’ve done for me today. I’ll be taking my leave now." Yu Changsheng nodded, carefully putting away the Pill Formula.

Shopkeeper Xi, seeing his good deed through to the end, was remarkably generous. He even gifted Yu Changsheng another set of herbs, containing almost everything needed for the Foundation Establishment Pill.

This time, however, Yu Changsheng insisted on paying for them. After a brief refusal, the shopkeeper relented and accepted the payment.

Shopkeeper Xi understood. An investment was one thing, but being overly solicitous could be counterproductive and put undue pressure on the recipient.

After chatting a little longer, Yu Changsheng decided it was time to go and cupped his fists in farewell.

"Alright. I wish you success in advance, Fellow Daoist."

With a broad smile, Shopkeeper Xi saw Yu Changsheng out. He watched his retreating figure for a long time before slowly exhaling.

’He’s really something.’

He shook his head, then turned back to his business, his amiable smile returning.

After leaving First-Grade Medicine Hall, Yu Changsheng went straight back to Beast Taming Peak.

’Just a portion of the herbs was so expensive. If I hadn’t earned a good number of Spirit Stones recently, I’d have nothing left after all this running around.’ Yu Changsheng grumbled, feeling the sting of spending so much.

’No wonder Foundation Establishment Pills are priceless and rarely seen for sale,’ he thought with a sigh. ’Money just flows away like water!’

As he was lamenting, Beast Taming Peak came into view. He decided to stop by Elder Wei’s place first, but Elder Wei was nowhere to be found.

After finishing his daily feeding duties, he headed for the Alchemy Hall. When Gongsun Yang saw him arrive, a rare smile creased his old face.

"So, you’ve come. I haven’t seen you practicing your Alchemy lately. Don’t let your skills get rusty."

Yu Changsheng gave a sheepish smile and cupped his fists. "You’re right, Master. I wouldn’t say I’m rusty, but things have been busy lately. I’ve only just managed to find some free time to come and ask for your guidance."

Gongsun Yang stroked his beard. Sensing Yu Changsheng’s aura, he was slightly taken aback. "Your Cultivation has progressed a great deal. Not bad. You’ve come today to continue learning about the third flame, the Void Fire, I presume?"

"Nothing gets past you, Master," Yu Changsheng said with a nod. "I’ve also gathered all the ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill, so I’ll have to trouble you with that as well."

"Preparing for Foundation Establishment, are we..." Gongsun Yang murmured, his expression momentarily complex. But the feeling was quickly replaced by delight, and he let out a happy chuckle.

"Excellent. Once your Cultivation stabilizes a bit more and you’ve truly reached the Qi Refining Peak, I will refine the Foundation Establishment Pill for you. A freshly-forged pill has the most potent effects. As a Pill Master, one’s own Cultivation is also crucial. Only with a strong Cultivation as a foundation can one reach greater heights in the Alchemy Dao."

As he said this, Gongsun Yang’s eyes dimmed for a moment, and he let out a low sigh.

He himself had suffered due to his own lack of Cultivation. At his age, his mediocre talent for Cultivation meant he was still only at the Foundation Establishment First Layer. Despite his best efforts, his Alchemy had only just scraped by to reach the Tier Three level.

This was why, despite his low Cultivation, he was highly respected within the sect. His only regret remained his own Cultivation. If he could reach the late-stage Foundation Establishment or higher, becoming a Tier Four Alchemist wouldn’t be an impossible dream.

In his eyes, Yu Changsheng’s current Cultivation speed was nothing short of extraordinary. A wave of complex emotions washed over him, but pride was the strongest among them.

’Perhaps I, Gongsun Yang, might actually be able to personally train a Tier Four Alchemist?’ The thought flashed through his mind, and his gaze upon Yu Changsheng grew even more fervent, a broad smile spreading across his face.

"Thank you, Master!" Yu Changsheng said joyfully, handing the Storage Pouch containing the ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill to Gongsun Yang.

As for the Foundation Establishment Pill, given his current Alchemy skill, it was far safer to entrust its refinement to Gongsun Yang. After all, his master had refined many such pills for the sect over the years and possessed both the experience and the technique.

"Very well. I will now teach you the third flame of the Three-coin Fire Refining Technique: the Void Fire. It is also the most difficult of the three."

Gongsun Yang straightened his posture and sat cross-legged on the floor.

Yu Changsheng leaned forward, his expression earnest, ready to listen.

"The Void Fire is different from the first two. The ’Void’ in its name implies something ethereal and illusory, something drawn-out and continuous, seemingly without end."

"This flame has high demands on one’s Magical Power. If your reserves aren’t deep enough, you won’t be able to sustain it for long. During the final stage, when the pill is forming, the Void Fire helps to condense and round it out perfectly..."

Gongsun Yang’s instruction was meticulous, his explanations vivid and engaging. When necessary, he would even perform a hands-on demonstration for Yu Changsheng, repeating it as many times as needed.

He also reviewed some of the finer points of how the first two flames worked in concert, leading to several moments of sudden insight for Yu Changsheng. The lesson was as pleasant and refreshing as a spring breeze.

An hour slowly ticked by. Seeing Yu Changsheng meditating with his eyes closed, Gongsun Yang nodded in satisfaction, his throat a bit dry from all the talking.

’Comprehend it well,’ he thought. ’Back then, it took me a full month just to grasp the basics of this Void Fire.’

Gongsun Yang sighed inwardly, feeling a pang of nostalgia as he reminisced about his own early days of learning Alchemy.

’Because of my Cultivation, I’ll probably never break through to the next level of the Alchemy Dao in this lifetime without some great stroke of luck. But thankfully, I’ve taken on a disciple like him. He can inherit my legacy, so at least the brilliance of this Technique won’t be tarnished in my hands...’

His gaze unfocused as his mind wandered through a jumble of thoughts, and for a moment, he was lost in a daze.

’Void Fire... to be void, yet spirited. Illusory, yet not. Moving as the heart desires... guiding the flame...’

In a trance-like state, somewhere between waking and dreaming, Yu Changsheng seemed to enter a profound state of being. His thoughts spun, feeling weightless and ethereal. Everything he had learned about the Void Fire coalesced in his mind, breaking down into countless points of light that gradually became crystal clear.

’So that’s how it is!’

After an unknown amount of time, Yu Changsheng reached an epiphany. His eyes snapped open, a sharp glint flashing within them.

’Ethereal... guide the flame... draw upon the Power of Heaven and Earth, seize the endless Void! It’s like a flame, but not a flame! The key is... containment?!’

With this sudden clarity, his Divine Sense stirred. The Magical Power throughout his body mobilized on its own, beginning to circulate in strange, looping patterns. At the same time, his Divine Sense began to guide the void between heaven and earth. Gradually, threads of light converged, and a pale, yellowish, almost translucent flame slowly materialized in front of Yu Changsheng, bobbing gently as it burned...

The flame was weak, and it was tiny, but it gave off an ethereal, almost illusory feeling, a sense of natural harmony. It looked as if a single puff of wind could extinguish it, yet it also felt as if it had existed for all time, ready to be born at any moment. It was truly bizarre.

Yu Changsheng watched the flame, his eyes filled with a dazed fascination. A slow smile spread across his face.

While his rank as an Alchemist wouldn’t take a sudden leap just from this, mastering this flame would undoubtedly be of immense importance to his future Alchemy.