Chapter 382: Laws Of Heaven And Earth (II)

While Lin Zheyu was reviewing his cultivation just now, the door outside the courtyard was suddenly knocked on. Lin Zheyu rose and opened it. Standing outside was an inner sect disciple who looked somewhat familiar, yet whose name he could not immediately recall. The main sect had about twice as many disciples as Azure Tide Pavilion, and Lin Zheyu had not bothered to memorize them, so he could not name most of them. After thinking carefully, he finally found the man's name in his memory.

"Xie Biao, what is it?" Lin Zheyu asked.

"Martial Uncle, the herbs you need have already been delivered to the pill hall. Elder Xi will begin refining pills in an hour, so this disciple came to inform you," Xie Biao said respectfully. When he looked at Lin Zheyu, there was a trace of fervor and awe in his eyes.

Like Lin Zheyu, Xie Biao also came from humble roots. Lin Zheyu, who had risen from a grassroots background and been exceptionally recruited by the Wuji Sect midway before soaring upward in one leap, naturally became the person Xie Biao admired.

"Alright. Many thanks, Martial Nephew. If you have any confusion in cultivation, and I can help, feel free to come find me," Lin Zheyu said with a smile.

Lin Zheyu had only mentioned it casually last time, yet Xie Biao had taken it to heart and even came specifically to remind him. He was a disciple with good judgment who knew how to get things done.

"Martial Uncle, you are too polite. Being able to help you is my good fortune," Xie Biao said with a smile, holding back his excitement.

"You are quite good. For the next few days, I will be cultivating here. If you have any doubts in cultivation, just come directly and find me," Lin Zheyu said with a smile as he patted Xie Biao on the shoulder.

Xie Biao had only recently become an inner sect disciple, and inner sect disciples did not have many chances to meet sect seniors and receive their guidance—only a few times each month. Hearing Lin Zheyu's promise, Xie Biao was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly.

Lin Zheyu waved his hand, closed the courtyard gate, and headed for the pill hall. The medicinal pills of the Wuji Sect were all supplied by the main sect. Azure Tide Pavilion had no pill masters of its own, and all pill masters were based in the main sect. Upon arriving at the pill hall, Lin Zheyu entered without issue. Having a big name was indeed convenient; even the pill hall that was not open to ordinary disciples could now be entered freely by Lin Zheyu.

"Greetings, Third Elder and Fifth Elder," Lin Zheyu said as he entered the pill hall and clasped his fists to the elderly men inside.

Lin Zheyu had met the third elder several times before, and he had even exchanged a few words with him at the last banquet. It was precisely with the third elder's permission that Lin Zheyu had gained the right to enter the pill hall. As for the fifth elder, Lin Zheyu was seeing him for the first time. The fifth elder was a well-known pill master of the Wuji Sect. Though not the strongest, he was the most prolific, a true pill-refining fanatic. His only hobby was refining pills. Even his martial training was pursued so he could refine better medicinal pills.

"You really came. Are you truly planning to become a pill master?" the third elder said with a laugh.

The fifth elder lifted his head, glanced at Lin Zheyu, then lowered his head again and continued studying the texts. Lin Zheyu glanced over as well. What was recorded there was precisely the method for refining the Primordial Pill. The fifth elder seemed to be cramming right before the battle.

"This disciple is merely curious about pill refining," Lin Zheyu said.

"It is best that it stays that way. After cultivating the Primordial Wuji True Technique, you will have a total of ten true intents. Before advancing to the Grandmaster realm, it is not suitable for you to condense any other true intents," the third elder reminded him.

How could he fail to see Lin Zheyu's curiosity about pill refining? However, to become a pill master, one needed to cultivate a true technique that contained Fire true intent and condense a distinctive true strength.

"Yes, this disciple understands. I am merely curious about the true strength of pill masters. Yaos, demons, demon puppets, and even Baleful Yin force all become far less active after dawn. Clearly, yaos and demons belong to Yin and fear Yang. I am curious whether the true strength cultivated by pill masters, which burns like fire, might have a stronger suppressive effect on demon essence," Lin Zheyu explained.

Becoming a pill master held no appeal for Lin Zheyu. With Origin Force at his disposal, herbs did not need to be boiled into decoctions for use, and medicinal pills were no different. As long as the herbs used to refine pills were gathered together, the mysterious energy produced by Origin Force would naturally absorb the useful energies and elements within them.

He did not need to painstakingly refine pills at all. To become a pill master, one needed to cultivate at least one fire-related true intent. To become the best, one had to cultivate only fire-related true intent, producing the purest and fiercest true strength for pill refinement. The pill masters of the Wuji Sect were all Force Transformation realm martial artists who cultivated only fire-related true intent. Lin Zheyu was curious how far such true strength could reach in terms of extreme Yang potency and how effective it would be against demons.

"Then you may be disappointed. The true strength of pill masters does have some suppressive effect on yaos and demons, but it is far from ideal," the third elder said with a smile as he shook his head.

He explained patiently, "All things in the world generate and restrain one another. Water nourishes wood, yet excessive wood weakens water. Strong water needs wood to release its force. Water restrains fire, yet excessive fire dries water. Everything is relative. A martial artist's true strength contains too little of the laws of heaven and earth to have a significant effect. Its suppression of demon essence mainly comes from the mutual cancellation between two different forms of energy. The most important factor is the strength of true strength itself. The special attributes contained within true strength play only a minor supplementary role."

The third elder explained in great detail. He reiterated that true intent was formed when a martial artist comprehended heaven and earth and integrated its laws into their spirit, condensing a special meaning. His explanation was somewhat complex, rooted purely in martial cultivation understanding. Lin Zheyu, however, interpreted it more simply by combining it with knowledge from his past life.

Lin Zheyu did not reveal this and listened attentively. The third elder spoke with great care, as if wishing to pass all his insights on true intent directly to Lin Zheyu. He held high expectations for this newly risen genius disciple, which was why he had specially allowed him into the pill hall.

"Thank you for the guidance, Elder. May this disciple observe the pill refinement from the side?" Lin Zheyu asked.

He was still somewhat unwilling to accept it. If that were the case, the martial path he had set for himself, to cultivate true strength of extreme Yang, would not be so simple. To turn true strength into energy of extreme Yang, true intent alone was insufficient. The third elder meant that deeper comprehension was required to grasp the laws behind true intent and integrate them into true strength.

"Of course. But stand at a distance. Even if you have questions during the process, do not interrupt. Wait until the refinement is complete, and I will answer you," the third elder said with a chuckle.

"This disciple understands," Lin Zheyu nodded.

Soon, the pill refinement began. He stood quietly to the side, watching as the third elder and fifth elder prepared and processed the herbs, invoked the earth fire, and began refining. The Primordial Pill was one of the most precious and difficult pills to refine in the Wuji Sect. Even the preparation and handling of the herbs alone was extremely complex. Lin Zheyu silently memorized the herbs and their proportions. The process itself did not concern him, since he did not need to refine the pills personally.

There are a few rare herbs that cannot be purchased in regular shops and will require a visit to the black market,

Lin Zheyu thought to himself.

If he used Origin Force to cultivate the Primordial Wuji True Technique, his progress would be astonishingly rapid. The herbs required for cultivation would be consumed like a flood. If all the herbs were drawn from the sect, it would surely alarm many people. Such rapid consumption of cultivation resources, hundreds of times that of ordinary martial artists, would be abnormal to anyone with sense.

Bang!

The fifth elder slightly adjusted the position of the pill furnace, producing a dull vibration that drew Lin Zheyu's attention. It had taken nearly an hour to finish preparing all the herbs. Next came the actual refinement stage. The third elder and fifth elder sat opposite each other by the furnace, pressing their hands against the four spout-like openings. Crimson true strength energy flowed from their bodies and entered the opening beneath the furnace.

Soon, guided by the crimson true strength energy, blue flames as hot as molten lava burst forth from the opening beneath the furnace. The temperature of the entire pill hall soared instantly. The immense true strength energy flowing from the two elders guided the searing flames into the furnace, refining the herbs. As true strength merged with the blue flames, Lin Zheyu had the illusion that their true strength itself burned like fire.

Such powerful control over flame. Using true strength to manipulate earth fire to refine herbs and create medicinal pills requires extraordinary control. A single mistake could ruin all the herbs.

It's no wonder pill masters are rarely seen outside. To become one, a martial artist must first reach the Force Transformation realm and condense true strength containing Fire true intent. This alone stops nearly all independent martial artists. In addition, one needs vast knowledge, pill formulas, structured training, and extensive practice to master flame control. Without a top-tier sect, pill masters simply cannot be cultivated.

After observing the entire refinement process, Lin Zheyu finally understood how difficult it was to become a pill master. This was why medicinal pills were both expensive and hard to obtain on the market.

After returning, I will roast that demon puppet in the storeroom with earth fire and see what happens. I need to test what temperature is required to cause real damage. If that does not work, I will find a way to draw down lightning and test its effect.

Lin Zheyu pondered his next steps. Once he determined the temperature capable of damaging a demon puppet, he would find ways to raise the temperature of his true strength to that level. If that failed, he would test the suppressive effect of lightning and integrate Thunder true intent. With Origin Force as his support, he was confident he could eventually develop a form of true strength capable of countering demon essence.