Chapter 1278: Dispelling Doubts (I)

Li Ximing probed for a moment to ensure Tinglan had already departed, then activated the Treasure-Elephant Furnace to begin refining pills. The Boundless Water-Fire rolled across the bottom of the furnace and the many spirit herbs flew in one after another, each melting away in turn.

The Boundless Water-Fire had to refine the ingredients eighteen thousand six hundred times for the Heavenly Quintessence-Expelling Pill. This fire was not only the flame for pill refining but also counted as an ingredient itself. He drew out another strand of interwoven blue and cyan spiritual flame and cast it into the furnace.

It was originally grueling work. Boundless Water-Fire was never meant for pill refining and behaved like Merging Fire, refusing to stop until it burned materials bare. Yet the recipe insisted on including a portion of it inside the furnace as well. It was like dropping burning charcoal into cotton.

Li Ximing estimated that if he relied solely on himself, he could refine the materials only once or twice per hour. It would take two to four years to finish at that rate, given the massive workload. This was with him being accustomed since childhood to heavy, repetitive pill techniques. Others might take even longer.

However, with the Valley Wind Leading Fire, he could refine his true origin and was skilled at controlling flames. One attempt proved it was easy for him. He even had spare attention to check the true fire in the other furnace.

When the spiritual liquid inside had been refined eighteen thousand six hundred times and every bit of flame in the furnace had been kneaded into it, a hazy grey layer appeared at the bottom, showing signs of forming Valley Water.

Li Ximing nurtured it with Boundless Water-Fire until it stabilized. When he counted the days, he realized it had taken less than half a year.

"Pill techniques of the Heavenly Quintessence-Expelling type are actually quite suitable for me."

On the other side, the Furnace In The River had already turned red hot, with waves of pill fragrance drifting out. It was clearly nearing completion, so Li Ximing freed a hand and released Radiant Light.

Buzz!

A delicate heavenly gate leapt from his palm. It hung within the cave dwelling with dragon banners and phoenix carriages engraved in intricate patterns and burst forth with light. It was the true form of his divine ability, the Heaven Venerating Gate.

Once the Heaven Venerating Gate emerged, its multicolored radiance surged like a waterfall, cascading down and climbing across the walls of the cave dwelling, sealing off all sound and scent.

Li Ximing knew this pill was no ordinary matter and needed to be handled with utmost care. He pushed his divine ability to its limit to suppress everything, checked the great void to ensure no one was watching, and confirmed Tinglan had not returned. Only then did he look toward the furnace, his other hand still pressed atop the Treasure-Elephant Furnace.

After all, the Profound Fire of the Three Phases' Guard could obediently nurture pills for him. The Boundless Water-Fire did not have the same patience and could not be left unattended to refine the pill on its own.

Crack!

The Furnace In The River was already covered in countless cracks, spiderwebbing up the walls of the pill furnace. Li Ximing pressed down with his divine ability and sent a surge of Bright Yang mana to stabilize the furnace, when a sharp explosive sound rang out.

Boom!

The cave dwelling seemed struck by thunder. Silver-white radiance washed the floor after the deafening blast. Several points of light slipped out from the furnace and darted quietly through the glow, yet how could they possibly evade the probing of a divine ability?

Joy rose on Li Ximing's face as he flipped a jade box from his sleeve and said, "Come!"

The silver white radiance surged toward him like flowing water, rushing into the padded interior of the jade box. All fragrance and color vanished, leaving behind only three pills the size of longan fruits.

The pills were a pure milky white, adorned with silver osmanthus patterns beneath a clear moon. Wisps of silver light flowed around them, flickering like three tiny stars in the dim cave dwelling, captivating at first glance.

Li Ximing did not dare touch them with his hands nor pinch them with mana or divine ability. He used spirit wind to lift them instead, examining them with the utmost care.

Breakthrough aid, calming effect, nourishes the dharma body with the pure qi of the cold moon, extends lifespan, and holding it in the mouth grants a strand of Supreme Yin qi protection...

Li Ximing did not refine according to a fixed pill formula. Unlike ordinary pills whose effects were known beforehand, this one had come about by chance. He could only judge its effects through its fragrance and the insights he experienced while refining it.

Its breakthrough effect is merely average for someone of the Bright Yang Dao. Still, it is indeed a Purple Mansion Realm spirit pill. As for nourishing the dharma body with the cold moon's pure qi... that part is useless to my Bright Yang dharma body.

The lifespan increase is rare and has a flavor of fate based pill formation. This is the first time I have ever seen such a pill. As for that final protective effect, it is harder to discern. Regardless, it surpasses every pill I have refined in my life. Once the Heavenly Quintessence-Expelling Pill is complete, it might compare to this one. Everything else would be vulgar powder in comparison.

He admired it intently. The breakthrough aid and lifespan extension alone were enough to make him treasure it dearly, and he began to smile inwardly.

If those Xii Family[1] cultivators who cultivate pure Supreme Yin knew I had this spirit pill, their eyes would surely pop out. I imagine they would be moved to tears by the effects of the cold moon's pure qi nourishing the dharma body and a strand of Supreme Yin qi in the mouth.

"With such a Supreme Yin holy medicine on hand, I must find a way to contact Chunyi Dao Gate."

Li Ximing possessed an almost inexhaustible supply of Supreme Yin Moonlight, and refining Supreme Yin attributed spirit pills was effortless for him. He closed the jade box and the cold radiance vanished at once. The cave dwelling grew dim again, with only the shifting hues of the Boundless Water-Fire dancing on the walls.

He swept a composed gaze across the cave dwelling, considering cautiously,

Since I have refined such a holy medicine of the Supreme Yin, there should normally be celestial signs affecting the local spiritual aura. Even though I suppressed everything with my divine ability, spiritual aura does not vanish just because it is suppressed. Once I release my divine ability, heaven forbid that osmanthus flowers bloom over the sea surface outside. I would have no way to explain it.

Even alone in the desolate outer-sea, Li Ximing remained wary of being watched. He rummaged through his storage pouch and took out a bright white flower. This flower had been a congratulatory gift from when he had achieved the Purple Mansion Realm. It was the Tai Kui Blossom, a Supreme Yang spirit item. Not valuable, but rare. Li Ximing's brows flashed as Radiant Light burst forth, and purple flames rose. The Supreme Yang spirit item dissolved into pure radiance.

"This should make it far less conspicuous."

He released his divine ability. Outside, the moon and a few stars shone faintly, but no other anomalous phenomena appeared.

He sealed the area again with his divine ability, glanced at the cracked Furnace In The River with a tinge of heartache, and muttered, "I won't need this thing anymore. Its commemorative meaning outweighs its use now. Fixing it would mean reforging it entirely, which would spoil the sentiment."

He stored it away, controlled the fire with one hand, and took out the Scripture of the Body Guarding Tiger Pass to read with the other. Three months passed before he heard faint sounds outside the cave dwelling. A closer look revealed that Tinglan had arrived and was waiting outside so as not to disturb him.

1. Xii Family (郗家) is not the same as Xi Family (席家). ☜