The [Profound Vault Golden-Winged Bat] is not only as heavy as a mountain, it is also harder than many spirit items, metals and stones...

The half-finished pill had only just calmed down, but the [Profound Owl Crossing Scene Furnace] refused to let it rest. The runes across the furnace lit up together, casting a gentle black glow onto the pill.

The black light forced the already subdued pill to grow even more compliant. Any lingering movement vanished completely, and the stubborn medicinal liquid that had resisted refinement was gradually absorbed into the pill and refined.

Li Ximing understood inwardly, The [Profound Owl Crossing Scene Furnace] must possess special effects of its own. Unfortunately, I am not its master. I am only borrowing it, so it only reveals a fraction of its power when stimulated.

Li Ximing added another measure of True Fire and scorched the iron-like pill for over a month until he finally refined all the golden liquid into it. Altogether, the process had taken about half a year.

One had to remember that beneath the furnace burned the Purple Mansion Realm spiritual flame, the [Profound Fire of the Three Phases' Guard]. With Li Ximing pouring in divine ability mana, its strength had risen even further. Anything of metal or stone should have melted under such heat, yet it had only barely sufficed to fuse the liquid into the pill. This was the greatest expenditure of energy that Li Ximing had ever experienced in alchemy.

After nurturing the pill for a short while, wisps of golden cloud rose from the furnace mouth and transformed into tiny golden bats, each about the size of a thumb. They fluttered through the air, clinging to nearby surfaces. Some hung upside down from the beams, others between the pillars, and a few even crowded around the furnace mouth, hanging from its small protrusions.

Qingyan, now restored to his original form, watched the golden bats and said, "[Auspicious Essence] is the principle of [Soft Advance]. It accumulates blessings through steady progression rather than reckless leaps that invite calamity. It favors clinging and hanging upside down, gathering beneath authority and spirit treasures... This is a sign of good fortune. The pill is complete!"

His expression turned distant as he continued quietly, "Achieving success through fate itself is like climbing while hanging upside down. Though a pill of [Auspicious Essence] lacks intelligence, it is influenced by this tendency and prefers to cling. It should attach itself to the furnace lid instead of exiting through the mouth, attempting to deceive the alchemist in order to endure longer..."

Li Ximing smiled and nodded, exhaling softly. The recovery ability of Purple Mansion Realm divine ability mana was remarkable. With just that breath, his slightly pale face regained its color. He struck the furnace wall, causing the lid to open.

Using his divine ability, he lifted the round lid of the [Profound Owl Crossing Scene Furnace]. The inside of the furnace was pitch-black and empty. Turning the lid over, he saw a plump, thumb-nail-sized golden bat hanging upside down from it, its wings wrapped tightly around itself to form a round ball.

[Aspiration Ascension Profound Pill]!

Li Ximing praised, "What a fine auspicious pill!"

The golden bat opened its eyes. They were bright white and round, without pupils, scanning the surroundings.

Fearing any unforeseen change, Li Ximing wasted no time. He took out a jade bottle, collected the [Aspiration Ascension Profound Pill], and sealed the lid tightly. Still not fully reassured, he formed a seal and used a Bright Yang technique to secure it further.

Finally, Li Ximing chuckled, "Many thanks to Fellow Daoist Qingyan for your help!"

But the demon king before him simply shook his head, "This counts for little, merely a blessing. It is your alchemy and control over fire that are astonishing. I have never seen their like in my life!"

Li Ximing responded modestly, then swept out with his spiritual sense and found that [Eastern Fate Flowing Water] still shone brightly within his Juque Court, circling his spiritual orifice with a radiant glow.

The [Aspiration Ascension Profound Pill] had been notoriously difficult to refine. Ordinary cultivators would need three to five years at minimum, but Li Ximing possessed True Fire, and exceptional control over it. With the demon king's blessing, the time had immediately been reduced to under two years. Unexpectedly, the [Profound Owl Crossing Scene Furnace] had proven even more effective than he expected, shortening what was expected to take over a year to less than one.

Qingyan, however, had prepared his ingredients based on a three-to-five-year timeline. As a result, even though the pill was complete, much of the [Eastern Fate Flowing Water] remained within Li Ximing's Juque Court.

Li Ximing hesitated slightly before asking, and the demon king quickly understood. "So the [Eastern Fate Flowing Water] has not been fully consumed!

"Do not worry. This substance has no other effects. A single use of divine ability will disperse it completely. However, as it has been imbued with blessing, if you continue refining pills in the near future, it will still provide some assistance even if I am not present."

Li Ximing said with delight, "Is that true? How long can it last?"

Qingyan replied with some seriousness, "It cannot last indefinitely. If left undisturbed, it can remain for over two months. But once you refine any pill or use any technique within your Juque Court, it will not last more than a few days. Your True Fire resides in your Juque Court, does it not? To avoid unnecessary mental strain, you should relocate it."

"Very well!" Li Ximing remained pleased. With talisman qi within him, he had no fear of mental strain. He smiled and said, "Your divine ability is truly remarkable. I have learned a lot."

With the pill complete, Li Ximing immediately saw its benefits. If this pill could be enhanced through an Azure Manifestation blessing, then others could as well. Should he need to refine major pills in the future, this demon might prove useful again!

With that in mind, he sought to build a good relationship and asked, "May I ask where your mountain gate is located? If I encounter difficulties in alchemy in the future, I may need to ask for your assistance!"

Qingyan smiled and replied, "It lies near the Western Sea, within the foreign lands. If you wish to visit in person, simply seek out Dashi[1]. The distance is great, however. If you wish to send for me, dispatch someone to Fuxun and have him inform me."

Li Ximing agreed with great delight. "Understood!"

The two left the hall together and saw auspicious golden clouds gathering in the sky. In the mountains, the cold receded, snow melted, and flowers bloomed in abundance. Life flourished everywhere.

"A great pill indeed brings forth phenomena!"

Just as he stepped out, Houfu arrived through the air, cupped his hands toward them, and offered his congratulations, "Congratulations to you both!"

Li Ximing had only just responded when the man in black hurried forward. Before he could speak, a streak of purple light shot in and transformed into a fine-browed woman before them. "Fellow Daoist Zhaojing!"

"Fellow Daoist Tinglan..."

Li Ximing recognized her at a glance. The woman in purple looked quite anxious as she said in a low voice, "Zhugong's injuries are worsening... I do not know how long she can last. I searched all the way here, but when I saw you refining an important pill, I did not dare disturb you. I have waited for quite a while. Please come with me!"

Houfu nodded repeatedly. He had long wanted to befriend Qingyan, so he seized the opportunity at once. "Since Zhaojing is going, leave Fellow Daoist Qingyan to me... I have been wanting to speak with him."

Li Ximing's heart stirred as he glanced back at Qingyan. The demon king exhaled lightly and nodded before taking his leave and stepping into the great void.

Li Ximing then turned to Tinglan and asked, "How are her injuries?"

Since the war between north and south, Tinglan had worn her favored autumn-yellow robes less often, switching instead to the more modest purple robes of the Purple Smoke Gate. Her brows were tightly furrowed as she said, "I should not have come to you for this matter. I first sought out Daoist Master Shanbai from the north. He has already examined her and given his diagnosis. Over the past half month, I have come looking for you several times. Only now have I finally found the chance to meet you...

"Her most serious injury is to her dharma body. It had not fully healed from when she was surrounded by several Merciful Ones. Fortunately, my spirit treasures supported her at Mount Xiaoshi, so it was not too bad. After Mount Xiaoshi fell, I received a distress signal. We pretended to retreat south, but in truth went north to assist Kuiqi...

"It was during that time that things went wrong. The situation was chaotic, and I could not keep watch over everything. She encountered the northern devil cultivator Zhukui. That man is vicious. Seeing her dharma body was injured, he still used underhanded methods against her."

Tinglan paused briefly, then added in a low voice, "After all, Wenqing[2] was watching over the river..."

1. Dashi (大食) is a historical Chinese term, often referring broadly to the Arab-Islamic world, especially the Abbasid Caliphate in medieval texts. ☜

2. Daoist Master Wenqing, also known as Kan Ziyu. ☜