Translator: AnubisTL
The refining of the Dragon Transformation Pill began in Li Qing's cave abode, with no observers present except Li Qing himself.
The sky above was calm, clouds drifting lazily across the horizon. Everything seemed ordinary, no different from any other day.
Boom!
Suddenly, a scorching heatwave erupted from Li Qing's cave abode, the terrifying flames searing the air and distorting the very space around it.
Dao Lord Bai Ling's phantom borrowed the heavenly spirit fire from within Li Qing's body. This time, he didn't allow Li Qing to control the flames; to ensure absolute success, he personally took charge of the fire control.
The pitch-black Spirit Devouring Demon Flame surged forth, swirling and rising within the Black Furnace.
Like most pill refiners, Dao Lord Bai Ling's first step in Pill Refinement was to warm the cauldron.
After a long while, once the Spirit Devouring Demon Flame had thoroughly heated the Black Furnace, the spirit herbs Li Qing had prepared levitated into the air simultaneously.
Dao Lord Bai Ling then boldly tossed all the spirit herbs into the Black Furnace in one swift motion, without the slightest hesitation.
What a daring technique!
Li Qing, standing nearby, felt his heart skip a beat in shock. Though he knew little of Pill Refinement, he trusted Dao Lord Bai Ling implicitly and silently continued channeling heavenly spirit fire.
Waves of scorching heat radiated outward, melting every spirit herb within the Black Furnace.
Faint dragon roars echoed intermittently.
This was the mystical property of the Millennial Dragon Blood Vine. The spirit herb seemed to genuinely possess a trace of a true dragon's essence, appearing as if a true dragon were coiling and surging within the Black Furnace.
Surrounding the Millennial Dragon Blood Vine, the other spirit herbs floated in the swirling heat.
As time ticked by, a burst of yin-yang qi suddenly erupted.
Dao Lord Bai Ling's expression remained unchanged. With a wave of his hand, he used a secret technique to restrain the yin-yang qi, forcibly confining it within the Black Furnace.
It was clear why he had once been a fifth-tier alchemist. Even now, as a mere lingering will, his Pill Refinement techniques far surpassed those of most pill refiners in the world.
Confined within the Black Furnace, the yin-yang qi began nourishing the other spirit herbs.
The spirit herbs, originally refined to perfection by the spirit fire, suddenly became tinged with black and white hues.
Yin and yang, perfectly embodying the fundamental principles of the Dao.
This revealed the extraordinary nature of the medicinal pill being refined.
As time passed, the Dragon Blood Vine within the Black Furnace had completely transformed from its vine-like form into a vibrant crimson pool of dragon blood.
Guided by Dao Lord Bai Ling's will, the spirit liquids derived from the auxiliary herbs slowly converged toward the pool of dragon blood.
This step was crucial, directly influencing the success or failure of the pill refinement. Dao Lord Bai Ling's expression grew increasingly focused.
Li Qing held his breath, afraid to disturb Dao Lord Bai Ling's refining process.
Meanwhile, outside Li Qing's cave abode, at the foot of Azure Cloud Peak:
True Monarch Tianbao raised his head, squinting toward the location of Li Qing's cave abode.
"So, the refinement has already begun? He's certainly moving quickly."
With that, True Monarch Tianbao withdrew his gaze and resumed his meditative posture, quietly awaiting the results of the pill refinement.
This batch of spirit pills was extraordinary, even for a high-ranking member of the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild like himself.
After all, it involved a Dragon Transformation Pill, a priceless spirit pill that would drive every core formation realm cultivator in the world to fight tooth and nail for it.
Unlike previous Pill Refinement sessions, this one lasted an exceptionally long time—a full three days—before the fusion process was barely completed.
Inside the Black Furnace, the medicinal liquids extracted from all the spirit herbs had fused into a dark crimson liquid.
Sensing the astonishing energy fluctuations emanating from this crimson liquid, Li Qing's heart nearly leaped into his throat.
It was only then that he noticed Dao Lord Bai Ling's figure seemed to have become somewhat more ethereal.
"Fourth-Rank Spirit Pills are manageable," Dao Lord Bai Ling said, "but if this were a Fifth-Rank Spirit Pill, I fear I would be truly powerless in my current state."
"Refining such pills can even trigger celestial phenomena. Some special pills require incorporating these phenomena directly into the final product."
With the fusion complete, Dao Lord Bai Ling's expression relaxed, and he even found time to exchange a few words with Li Qing.
The subsequent steps were clearly well-rehearsed; Dao Lord Bai Ling seemed to have every detail planned out.
Li Qing couldn't quite grasp why Dao Lord Bai Ling was suddenly sharing such secrets, but he silently committed them to memory. Such high-level knowledge was rarely accessible.
He had never heard that refining a Fifth-Rank Spirit Pill would trigger celestial phenomena. But since Dao Lord Bai Ling said so, it must be true.
In the next moment, Dao Lord Bai Ling flicked his fingers toward the Black Furnace, sealing it instantly. The faint aroma of spirit herbs and the residual heat radiating from within were now completely contained.
With that done, Dao Lord Bai Ling began dividing the elixir.
A large mass of dark red medicinal liquid gradually separated into smaller droplets. When counted, this batch of Dragon Transformation Pills had yielded seven portions—a remarkably high number.
If all went well, they should be able to harvest four or five Dragon Transformation Pills.
Given that it was a Fourth-Rank Spirit Pill, Li Qing dared not expect a flawless batch. Even ending up with three or four usable pills would be considered a success.
The final stage had arrived. The nascent Dragon Transformation Pills would now undergo nourishing within the Black Furnace until they fully matured.
"Do you remember the method for reforging the Annihilation Furnace that I mentioned to you in the Myriad Beasts Secret Realm?"
"I've imprinted that method onto the Immortal Spirit Green Gold on your body. You can access it later with your divine sense, but only after you've collected all the Flame Gold Marks necessary for the reforging."
The Flame Gold Marks Dao Lord Bai Ling referred to were naturally the imprints on the inner walls of the Black Furnace.
Over the years, Li Qing had traveled extensively, yet he had only managed to collect eleven Flame Gold Marks, a testament to the extreme difficulty of acquiring these marks.
Li Qing instinctively clasped his hands in a fist salute, expressing his gratitude. "Thank you for your generosity, Senior."
But soon, he couldn't shake the feeling that these words sounded like a final farewell.
Li Qing abruptly looked up at Dao Lord Bai Ling's increasingly ethereal figure, his voice slightly hoarse as he asked, "Senior Bai Ling, are you..."
Dao Lord Bai Ling chuckled softly, unconcerned.
"As I've said before, I'm merely a lingering obsession left behind from my mortal life."
"Now that I've found a successor to inherit my legacy, that boy Cao Xiu. Though his innate talent is somewhat lacking, his comprehension of various techniques is quite remarkable. He's worthy of inheriting my mantle."
"With my final wish fulfilled, this lingering obsession should naturally dissipate."
"If not for my desire to refine one last great pill for you, I would have vanished long ago."
Hearing these words, Li Qing's heart grew heavy.
Though he had long known Dao Lord Bai Ling would eventually fade away, he hadn't expected the day to arrive so suddenly.
The fact that Dao Lord Bai Ling, on the very brink of his final moment, still remembered to refine this pill for him filled Li Qing with such gratitude that his eyes began to sting.
Dao Lord Bai Ling chuckled teasingly.
"What's this? You're going to miss this old man?"
"The Dao is immutable. As a cultivator, you should understand this better. Until one achieves immortality, death is inevitable. There's no escaping it."
As he spoke, Dao Lord Bai Ling's voice suddenly became wistful, as if he were recalling his own magnificent and extraordinary life.
Images flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern, and a carefree smile curved his lips.
This life of mine has truly been worth living.
His former enemies and old friends had long since passed away, leaving only his lingering obsession to persist in the world.
"In the end, this era, this heaven and earth, no longer belong to me."
Dao Lord Bai Ling accepted this with detachment, showing no trace of regret.
To him, dissolving into the fabric of existence seemed as natural as eating or drinking.
Li Qing, however, couldn't share Senior Bai Ling's detachment.
This senior had always been by his side like a reliable elder, consistently providing crucial assistance at critical moments.
Though their time together had been relatively short, Li Qing couldn't help but feel a deep sense of reluctance at their impending parting.
Having clawed his way up from the mortal world to his current cultivation realm, Li Qing had rarely experienced such care and guidance.
The only time he had felt similar support was when he first joined the Lingyun Sect and received guidance from some of the sect patriarchs.
Inside the cave abode, the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. Dao Lord Bai Ling continued casually, "I've been pondering the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation Diagram you want to refine. I've come up with some new insights, which I've inscribed on the fragments of Immortal Spirit Green Gold."
"You can use them as references later. I've also recorded some knowledge and experience related to formations."
"To combine formations with artifact refinement, you can't remain completely ignorant of formations, can you? You should study these thoroughly later."
As he spoke, the Black Furnace began to tremble faintly, as if boundless spiritual energy was about to erupt from within.
Under Dao Lord Bai Ling's control, not a single wisp of this energy escaped. Instead, it was completely contained within the furnace, ultimately merging into each spirit pill.
The moment the Black Furnace returned to stillness, the batch of pills could be considered refined.
Gazing at the final batch of pills he would ever refine, Dao Lord Bai Ling nodded with deep satisfaction, his voice tinged with pride.
"Not bad at all. Even in my prime, I couldn't have done better. At least these precious spirit herbs weren't wasted."
As he spoke, Dao Lord Bai Ling's form grew increasingly ethereal, like a morning mist on the verge of dissipating.
He turned to look at Li Qing and burst into hearty laughter.
"Ha ha ha ha! Why are you acting so glum, kid?"
"I'm already a dead man. This lingering obsession was bound to fade eventually, you know that."
"On the verge of parting, you're going to act like a mute? You should at least say something!"
The Dao Lord, about to vanish from the world, spoke more now than he ever had during his time with Li Qing.
Finally, Li Qing couldn't hold back any longer. His eyes slightly wet, he knelt down.
"Junior Li Qing respectfully bids farewell to Senior Bai Ling!"
Hearing this heartfelt expression of respect, Dao Lord Bai Ling nodded with even greater satisfaction.
"From here on, you must walk this path alone, young man. The Heavenly Dao is merciless—who isn't striving to cross the river of fate?"
"Farewell. Do not dwell on the past."
With these supremely elegant words, Dao Lord Bai Ling's figure completely vanished. His final lingering obsession in this world had finally dissipated.
The cave abode was now utterly empty, as if everything that had transpired had been nothing more than an illusion.
Li Qing opened his mouth to speak, but a tear unconsciously traced a path down his cheek.
It was already late at night. Had anyone looked up, they would have noticed a star shining with extraordinary brilliance, rivaling even the Bright Moon in the night sky.
Li Qing instinctively touched the bronze fragment he carried in his robes. Dao Lord Bai Ling, who had resided within the Immortal Spirit Green Gold, had departed.
"Senior Bai Ling, may you journey well!"
Only then did Li Qing turn his gaze to the Black Furnace before him.
The sealing technique Dao Lord Bai Ling had cast remained intact, and the furnace body still radiated intense heat.
When Li Qing saw the seven perfectly preserved spirit pills inside, his heart trembled anew.
Seven Dragon Transformation Pills—not a single one ruined, and each retaining its full potency. It was nothing short of a miracle!
As he dispelled the sealing technique, a heart-stirring medicinal fragrance filled the air. Merely inhaling the aroma seemed to loosen the bottleneck that had been hindering Li Qing's cultivation progress.
Li Qing carefully stored six of the Dragon Transformation Pills and descended the mountain with the remaining pill, where True Monarch Tianbao had been waiting for some time.
Although the spiritual contract stipulated that Li Qing could continue searching for the Yin-Yang Spirit Mushroom for over a decade, and if unsuccessful, provide another Dragon Transformation Pill as compensation, there was no longer any need for that. With seven pills now refined, he was willing to fulfill the contract immediately and conclude the transaction completely.
"Did you succeed in refining it?" True Monarch Tianbao asked eagerly as soon as he saw Li Qing's figure.
Li Qing nodded and handed over the dark crimson pill. "This is the Dragon Transformation Pill, Fellow Daoist Tianbao. Please examine it."
True Monarch Tianbao accepted the dark crimson spirit pill without hesitation and employed various methods to verify its authenticity. After confirming that the still-warm pill was indeed a Dragon Transformation Pill with its medicinal power perfectly intact, he carefully stored it away while smiling.
"Excellent," he said. "It seems the refining process went smoothly. May I inquire about the pill refiner's identity? Could you introduce me?"
"The Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild greatly values such talents. Would they be interested in becoming a guest elder for our guild?"
Li Qing naturally declined the offer on behalf of the alchemist. He subconsciously glanced up at the night sky, noticing a star shining with extraordinary brilliance.
A slight smile curved Li Qing's lips as he replied, "Heh, that senior is accustomed to a life of wandering and seclusion—a true Enlightened Master. He departed immediately after refining the spirit pill for me."
True Monarch Tianbao showed little disappointment at this news. After all, the primary objective of his visit had already been achieved.
"Then I won't linger any longer. I presume Fellow Daoist plans to advance to the nascent soul realm next?"
"Allow me to offer my advance congratulations for your success!"
With these words, True Monarch Tianbao slowly floated upward.
Li Qing returned the gesture with a clasped-fist salute. "Thank you for your auspicious words, Fellow Daoist Tianbao. Safe travels!"
As his voice faded, Li Qing opened a gap in the formation, allowing True Monarch Tianbao to depart Lingyun Sect smoothly.
After watching True Monarch Tianbao disappear into the distance, Li Qing gradually withdrew his gaze.
"Time to meditate and prepare for nascent soul formation," he murmured.
With a flicker, Li Qing's figure vanished into the night sky, swiftly returning to his cave abode.
This Pill Refinement session had been prolonged, lasting a full seven days before the furnace of Dragon Transformation Pills was finally completed.
Throughout this period, Li Qing had continuously supplied spirit fire, which had taken a considerable toll on his reserves.
Adding to this, the passing of Dao Lord Bai Ling had stirred up turbulent emotions within him.
To attempt nascent soul formation in such a state would be reckless, a move entirely out of character for Li Qing.
Upon returning to his cave abode, Li Qing meditated for three consecutive days, finally restoring himself to peak condition.
His fleshly body pulsed with vital energy, rivaling that of a late third-tier ferocious beast.
His divine soul was refined and brimming with power, capable of contending with cultivators in the nascent soul realm.
His dantian overflowed with true essence—a state of unprecedented vitality.
He slowly withdrew a crimson spirit pill, his mind replaying the journey of his life: the paths he had walked, the trials he had endured, and the people he had encountered.
His life had indeed been a legend.
As these memories flickered through his mind, Li Qing conducted a simple yet profound review of his life.
It could be said that he had lived without regrets.
If that were the case, what was there left to hesitate about?
In this unprecedented state of readiness, Li Qing calmly swallowed the Dragon Transformation Pill.
He had begun his assault on the nascent soul realm!
TL/N: Hey everyone, I hope you are enjoying the story so far, please show your support by giving powerstones, leave some reviews and comment frequently so that it gets recommended more. You can simply comment "TFTC" or leave a "👍", I am always grateful for your support. Thank You!
(End of the Chapter)
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