The Wheel-Turning Master.

Chapter 108: The Debate on Alchemy and the Method of Body Refining

The cave was filled with green, reflecting on everyone's face.

There are a total of six living people and two corpses here.

Lin Bai and Zhu Jianyang approached the cave entrance. Both of them pretended to be relaxed, but they were actually very tense.

Tie Huasheng sat cross-legged on the stone platform, Huang Ruhua stood beside him, gnashing his teeth at Lin Bai. The other Qigong practitioner also remained silent, his eyes blank.

Neither side showed any intention to fight.

"You don't know the wood demon at all. The person who was doomed is definitely not your mother, nor is he your mentor."

Tie Huasheng's voice was dry, and although it looked old and worn, his experience gained from living for hundreds of years was still there.

"Brother, there is no point in talking about the past. I just want to take them away now." Zhu Jianyang stepped forward and bowed slightly, neither humble nor arrogant, "Brother, please give me some face."

Tie Huasheng shook his head slightly and said, "I have no intention of harming anyone." He pointed to the relics on the stone table and said, "There is an illusion array here, which was left by the golden elixir. I am not greedy for those things, but my disciple has feelings and is obsessed with them, so I am lingering here."

"What do you mean, brother?" Zhu Jianyang frowned slightly.

"Come with me to break this formation." Tie Huasheng sighed, "I have relieved my disciple of his worries."

"Master." Huang Ruhua wiped away her tears.

"Your father died because of me, so I have to do something for you." Tie Huasheng's tone became much kinder, completely different from his previous expression.

After he finished speaking, he raised his one arm and pointed at the unconscious Zhu Yumao.

"Your child is a little foolish, and he is not particularly outstanding in the art of formation." Tie Huasheng looked at Zhu Jianyang sinisterly.

Zhu Jianyang asked, "What happens after the formation is broken?"

"We'll divide the proceeds equally and go our separate ways." Tie Huasheng said.

"Okay, I will accompany you to get this golden elixir relic!" Zhu Jianyang pondered for a long time and finally nodded.

Zhu Yumao had slowly woken up by now. He sat up, rubbed his head, and murmured, "It's Rusty Sword, it's Rusty Sword Tie Huasheng..." He was still in a daze, and when he saw Tie Huasheng, he shuddered and stepped back in fear. When he saw Zhu Jianyang and Lin Bai again, he shouted, "Why are you here? Go! He is Rusty Sword Tie Huasheng!"

Zhu Yumao stood up and wanted to say something else, but copper rust surged out of his throat, covering half of his face, and he was unable to speak.

"The magic of the formation lies in using the small to achieve the great, and in turning decay into magic."

Tie Huasheng smiled, looked at Zhu Yumao, and said, "You have been calculating for more than a month, and now is the time to use you!"

The rust on Zhu Yumao's face faded slightly, and he looked at Zhu Jianyang with hesitation.

Zhu Jianyang nodded slightly to show his agreement.

Zhu Yumao paused for a long time and said, "The Jindan Relic Formation is very important. I can't figure it out..." He paused again and continued, "But after all, it has been too long, and the power of the formation is less than 30% of what it used to be. The formation's core and formation plate are even in a state of decay, so it should be possible to break the formation."

The more he spoke, the more confident he became. He spoke eloquently about the arrangement of the core and eye of the formation, as well as the method by which the formation absorbed the spiritual energy of the place.

This kind of maze is different from the protective array. The latter can only be broken from the outside, while the former can be broken from the inside, but it requires a clear mind, so naturally no one dares to enter the golden elixir maze to try.

If it is to be broken from the outside, one needs to find the foundation of the formation, and either cut off its spiritual energy or destroy the center of the formation and the formation plate to ruin its core.

Zhu Yumao spoke for a long time, and everyone in the cave was getting impatient.

"You just need to tell us what to do." Tie Huasheng interrupted with a headache.

Zhu Yumao quickly stopped talking and talked about how to break the formation.

According to Zhu Yumao, Tie Huasheng and Zhu Jianyang should focus on building the foundation, and the other four should be able to break the maze by practicing Qi as a supplement.

It was not difficult to find four Qigong practitioners. Apart from Zhu Yumao, there were three of them in the field. The other one was guarding the gate outside. When Zhu Jianyang entered the cave, he knocked the man unconscious.

Huang Ruhua went outside the cave again to wake up the man, so that the four Qi-cultivating monks could be gathered together.

Zhu Yumao took the square position, Tie Huasheng and Zhu Jianyang were separated into two places, suppressing the spiritual energy entering the formation. Lin Bai and the other four Qi training people occupied four nodes to guide the formation to operate.

According to Zhu Yumao's calculations, this formation had been set up for a long time and was already old and dilapidated, so he only needed to let the formation run at full power, and no one should enter, so that the middle area could be depleted and rendered ineffective from outside.

The crowd had no other choice but to trust him. They each controlled their spiritual power to activate the formation.

After enduring like this for seven days, the two who were building their foundation had no problems, but practicing Qi became increasingly difficult for the fourth, and they could only rely on pills to hold on.

Lin Bai was actually fine, but he was the most sociable person. Seeing that Huang Ruhua and the other two looked pale, he followed suit.

They endured this for another ten days, then heard a slight noise, followed by a loud crash, and the bones of the cave owner in the formation shattered and collapsed.

"It's done!" Zhu Yumao's face was covered with rust, but he couldn't hide his excitement. "This man actually used his own golden elixir bone as an eye, he is really ruthless!"

Tie Huasheng and Zhu Jianyang withdrew their hands at the same time, closed their eyes and adjusted their breathing.

Lin Bai and the other four Qigong practitioners quickly stuffed pills into their mouths and sat cross-legged to recover.

After a quarter of an hour, Tie Huasheng opened his eyes, stood up and walked towards the dry bones.

He walked very slowly, step by step to the stone table, sat cross-legged next to the broken bones, and looked at the things on the stone table.

Zhu Jianyang also recovered. He stood up, walked forward and sat opposite Tie Huasheng.

"Fellow Daoist Zhu, you really have been planning this carefully. You haven't used your full strength yet. Are you afraid that I will counterattack?" Tie Huasheng looked at Zhu Jianyang sinisterly.

"Brother Taoist's reputation is too great, we have to be on guard against him." Zhu Jianyang smiled calmly.

Lin Bai had recovered. When he opened his eyes, he saw Zhu Yumao looking at him.

"Brother, why are you here?" Half of Zhu Yumao's face was covered with rust.

During the days of breaking the formation, Lin Bai had no chance to talk to Zhu Yumao.

Lin Bai smiled and said, "Last time you wrote to me, you said you wanted to take me out to socialize. But you didn't show up and instead went on a long journey, so I naturally had to catch up and take a look."

Although Zhu Yumao was honest and straightforward, he was not a fool. He immediately understood what he meant and said ashamedly, "This time, you are in danger."

"Why are you saying such polite things?" Lin Bai stood up, pulled him towards the stone table, and said, "Let's go, let him unlock your magical powers."

Zhu Yumao sighed, lowered his head and followed.

Lin Bai took a few steps and saw Huang Ruhua had also opened her eyes and was glaring at him.

"Friend Huang, this time I helped you break the formation, and we owe each other nothing. Why are you still so hostile to me?" Lin Bai was puzzled.

"I truly treat you as a friend, but you don't have any sincerity at all." Huang Ruhua said hatefully.

"Friend Huang, sincerity can only be exchanged for sincerity." Lin Bai smiled and said, "You have invited me many times, and you have hidden your thoughts. You did it for your master, and I did it for my friends. We both have no intention of harming others. Now that you and I are meeting each other sincerely, we will be close friends in the future."

"You——" Huang Ruhua looked bewildered, as if she was confused. She continued, "You and my master have a grudge. From now on, we will be enemies, not friends."

"I have no grudge against your master. On the contrary, we are old friends." Lin Bai said patiently, "So, if we meet on the road in the future, we can still be good friends."

Huang Ruhua was stunned for a moment, then sneered and said, "The girl from the Jiang family said that you are the best at bewitching people, and asked me to have less contact with you. She was right!" After she finished speaking, she went to find Tie Huasheng.

"..." Lin Bai was very angry and planned to teach that girl a lesson when he returned.

Lin Bai and Zhu Yumao looked at each other, then walked up and stood behind Zhu Jianyang.

Everyone gathered around the stone table, carefully examining the items on it.

The use of a pearl that is not stained by dust is unknown.

A dull long sword with seven stars on it. It has a faint sense of desolation, but due to the long years, it has lost most of its spirituality.

There is also a jade slip with the words "Secret of Blooming Flowers" inscribed on it.

Huang Ruhua stared at the jade slip intently, excitement in her eyes.

There was also a piece of worn animal skin with ant-sized words on it.

Tie Huasheng waved his hand and picked up a storage bag from the broken bones.

However, after taking out ten top-grade spirit stones, there was nothing else.

Tie Huasheng threw the storage bag to Zhu Jianyang and asked him to check it.

Zhu Jianyang stroked it gently and then nodded.

"My disciple felt beforehand that the technique was suitable for her life, so this jade slip belongs to her." Tie Huasheng picked up the jade slip of Shenghua Miao Jue and threw it to Huang Ruhua. He also reminded her: "Remember, when you go out in the future, don't show your emotions."

"Yes!" Huang Ruhua took it excitedly, knelt on the ground, and sniffed.

Tie Huasheng shook his head slightly, seeming helpless towards Huang Ruhua.

Lin Bai stared at the bead, his eyes fixed on it. But his heart was already in turmoil, and he was eager for the piece of animal skin.

Tie Huasheng looked at the stone table again, expressionless and said: "The pearl should be some kind of magic weapon, and it should be compatible with this Seven Star Sword. As for this piece of animal skin..." He picked it up and took a look, then shook his head and said: "It is a method of body refining, but it is too complicated, time-consuming and useless. However..."

He held the animal skin in his hand, stroking it carefully, frowning and saying, "I can't tell what kind of monster it was taken from, but its tenacity is something I have never seen before in my life."

After Tie Huasheng finished speaking, he looked at the three people opposite the stone table. He saw that Zhu Jianyang was calm and composed; Zhu Yumao was invaded by green rust and was enduring the pain from time to time; and Lin Bai was staring at the bead intently, as if he had a lot of thoughts in mind.

"Please come in, fellow Taoist." Tie Huasheng smiled and stretched out his one arm, indicating that it was Zhu Jianyang's turn to take the treasure.

Zhu Jianyang shook his head slightly and said, "Brother, please withdraw your magical powers first. My stupid nephew can't hold on any longer."

A green light flashed in Tie Huasheng's eyes. He stretched out his one arm, clenched his palm into a fist, and a green light fell into his palm.

The green rust on Zhu Yumao's face faded, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.

Lin Bai immediately fed him Qi-nourishing pills and blood-replenishing pills.

"In that case, it's my turn again?" Tie Huasheng said with a smile.

Zhu Jianyang nodded slightly.

"Golden elixir relic, haha. Even the golden elixir will fall one day."

Tie Huasheng did not take the treasure, but changed the subject and asked, "Fellow Daoist Zhu, you come from a golden elixir family, what do you think of your destiny?"

"Brother Daoist, you have been building the foundation for a hundred years and your knowledge is greater than mine. Why do you need to ask again?" Zhu Jianyang stroked his beard and smiled.

"You can also be a teacher if you practice Qigong." Tie Huasheng looked expectant, "Please tell me." "There are thousands of destiny, each one is different."

Zhu Jianyang pondered for a moment, then continued, "Even if they have similar innate powers, they will develop different innate magical powers due to their own experiences, understanding, temperament, and even other reasons."

"The destiny is different, and the theory of alchemy is different. This is why everyone has different faces." Tie Huasheng interjected.

"That's right." Zhu Jianyang seemed to be in the mood to talk. "Just like your original destiny, it is a rusty copper sword with green rust. Your magical power is the green rust, which can defeat all kinds of objects. But I have heard that there is a person whose original destiny is a rusty iron sword, which is similar to yours, but the magical power he produced is completely different."

"Most people in your sect say the same thing." Tie Huasheng smiled, "They always talk about the influence of character and experience on one's destiny, but they don't mention that one's destiny can also affect one's temperament, and then influence what one sees and experiences."

When Zhu Jianyang saw that Tie Huasheng did not agree with what he said, he stopped talking.

"Fellow Daoist, do you know why I am being pursued by the Yunxia Sect?" Tie Huasheng asked with a smile.

"I've heard a little bit." Zhu Jianyang was relaxed, stroking his beard and said with a smile: "Although Daoist brother has acted a bit fiercely, he has rarely offended major sects in the past. I heard that this time Daoist brother killed several cultivators of Yunxia Sect and also killed a beloved disciple of Jindan."

"That's right, I went to Golden Turtle Island, took the Silver Flower Algae, and accidentally killed Qu Chengjia's beloved disciple who was hit by the Dead Wood Cicada's magic." Tie Huasheng's eyes flashed green and he looked at Lin Bai. A smile appeared on his face, "The Dead Wood Cicada is really amazing, I envy it."

"It is better to retreat and weave a net than to envy the fish by the abyss." Lin Bai took two steps back and said with a smile, "If you can get the golden elixir into your stomach, how can you be sure that your magical powers are not as good as those of a cicada on a dead tree?"

Seeing that Lin Bai was both timid and bold, Tie Huasheng smiled bitterly and said, "How difficult is it to make a golden elixir? Do you think everyone can be as relaxed and comfortable as the person who faced the calamity that day?"

"No." Lin Bai smiled and said, "Senior only sees the glory in front of others, but never sees the suffering behind them. It is not easy for her to form a pill, and she has suffered a lot."

Lin Bai did not lie. Sister Zhen tried hard to get the elixir but failed. She waited in vain in such a desolate place like the Guling Islands, and was finally defeated by me. Didn't she suffer a lot?

Zhu Jianyang and Zhu Yumao both looked at Lin Bai curiously, thinking that this boy was indeed not simple, as he had actually seen a cultivator respond to the alchemy tribulation.

Huang Ruhua held the jade slip in her hand and glanced at Lin Bai with a complicated look.

"Is that person trapped by the theory of elixir?" Tie Huasheng is really an old hand. After a little thought, he grasped the clues from Lin Bai's few words.

Lin Bai smiled but said nothing. This was not difficult to guess. With the ability shown by Sister Zhen, the reason why she could not get the golden elixir could only be the elixir theory.

"What kind of theory does she have?" Tie Huasheng asked.

"Senior, why are you confused?" Lin Bai smiled and immediately understood that Tie Huasheng was also troubled by the theory of alchemy.

"Oh, I'm really confused. How can I tell others about the theory of alchemy?"

Tie Huasheng sighed, looked at Zhu Jianyang, and asked, "Fellow Daoist Zhu, what do you think of the theory of alchemy?"

Zhu Jianyang also smiled bitterly, spread his hands, and said: "Brother Dao has reached the state of perfection, and the calamity will come in three to five years. But I am far behind. Now I haven't even thought seriously about my alchemy theory, how can I have any insights?"

There was also some sadness in his eyes, and he continued: "Brother Dao is trapped by the theory of alchemy, but I don't even have the qualifications to think about the theory of alchemy."

Obviously, Zhu Jianyang also noticed Tie Huasheng's problem.

For a moment, no one spoke in the cave, and it was quiet and peaceful.

"You just said that Gao Yuanyuan was building a foundation at a young age. In fact, I am also like this."

After a long time, Tie Huasheng sighed and talked about the past. "I had obtained my innate magical power before I established my foundation. Although I am a casual cultivator, I believe that I am not inferior to the disciples of your sects. After I established my foundation, I relied on the green rust magical power and was even more difficult to be defeated."

"I've heard a little bit about it." Zhu Jianyang stroked his beard and sighed, "Among the casual cultivators, you can indeed be called a genius."

"I opened the Six Spiritual Acupoints and established my foundation at the age of 18. I can indeed be called a genius. At that time, many sects tried to recruit me, and the Tianchi Sect was also interested. But I only wanted to join the Qiaoshan Sect, but they looked down on me."

Tie Huasheng sighed, "He established his foundation at the age of 18, but he still hasn't formed his elixir at the age of 152. Is there such a genius in the world?"

"Master..." Huang Ruhua's eyes were red as she grabbed Tie Huasheng's empty left arm sleeve.

"Anyone who has not yet formed an elixir after the age of eighty cannot be called a genius." Zhu Jianyang was very objective.

“Fellow Daoist, please tell me, I have good aptitude and strong magical powers, why did I become like this?” Tie Huasheng spoke with a lot of resentment, “People say that each level of foundation building is a hurdle, but I also made rapid progress after foundation building. After reaching the sixth level of foundation building, my cultivation was like climbing a mountain with a heavy load, extremely difficult. It took me more than a hundred years to reach my current level.”

"Brother Dao, you must have tried various methods and consulted many fellow Daoists." Zhu Jianyang shook his head. "Now you come to ask me, a person who has not yet mastered the Dao, isn't that like asking a blind man for advice?"

Tie Huasheng remained silent.

"Senior, is it because of your obsession with the theory of alchemy that your cultivation has stagnated?" Lin Bai asked.

"That's right! The disciples of your sects and clans only start to study the theory of alchemy after three to five years of building their foundation, but I only started to study the theory of alchemy when I reached the middle stage of building my foundation."

Tie Huasheng's old face showed a bit of dejection, "For this elixir theory, I went to the north and experienced life and death several times; I also entered the mortal world and became a poor farmer; I also went deep into the barren land and was almost killed by monsters!" When he said this, he seemed to recall the past and smiled, "I have seen humble gentlemen like you, I have seen vicious villains like me, and I have also seen fools like my disciple."

His hair and beard stood up, his face showed dissatisfaction, and he gritted his teeth and said, "But my alchemy theory has never been successful. I have tried it several times, but it hurts my Tao heart."

Zhu Jianyang pondered for a long time and said, "Although there are different levels of alchemy theory, as long as it fits your own experience and your own destiny, even if you do it simply, you can still touch the golden elixir." He stared at Tie Huasheng curiously and asked, "Isn't the alchemy theory you asked for too high?"

"That's not the case."

Tie Huasheng shook his head and said, "My original destiny is a rusty copper sword. When I was practicing Qi, I realized the magical power of the rusty sword. That's why I wrote the theory of alchemy, taking the copper rust of the sword and the filth of people. It fits my destiny, my experience, and my temperament. But because of this, I am like rusted, and my cultivation has stagnated."

"I understand." Zhu Jianyang nodded slightly, "You actually already have a very suitable alchemy theory, but this alchemy theory has influenced your character and cultivation. However, the alchemy theory is related to the formation of the elixir and the path of the great way, so you are conflicted and confused, and don't know what to do."

"Fellow Daoist, you know me." Tie Huasheng nodded.

"Why not change it?" Zhu Jianyang stroked his beard, looking very interested. He said, "The bronze sword also has a sense of antiquity and vastness, so the achievement in the future may not be lower."

"All my supernatural powers come from copper rust, and all I have gained in my life is due to the green rust magic. How can I turn back?" Tie Huasheng said.

"Just now, fellow Daoist, you didn't agree with my view that personality and experience have an impact on one's destiny. Now it seems that you agree with me, fellow Daoist, don't you?"

Zhu Jianyang stroked his beard and smiled, "This is my natal rusty copper sword. The outside is covered with dirty copper rust, but the inside is an ancient copper sword. Daoist friend, you gave it up and took the sword instead. You are inferior."

“What does it matter if I’m superior or inferior? I just want to form the elixir!” Tie Huasheng slammed his one arm on the stone table and said fiercely: “Can’t you attain the Tao if you are filthy? I don’t know how many people have been killed or injured by my magical powers!”

"Brother Taoist, there are butchers in the mortal world who kill countless pigs and sheep. But do you think the butcher would think that his butcher knife is stronger than the sword in your hand and mine?" Zhu Jianyang persuaded.

Tie Huasheng remained silent.

Everyone was silent.

Lin Bai savored the conversation between Tie Huasheng and Zhu Jianyang carefully, and thought back to the theory of alchemy that Song Qing formulated before his death. He felt that he had understood something, yet also felt confused.

The main reason is that his realm is not high enough, and he is unable to experience the wonders of alchemy theory as he could in the foundation-building stage.

"Senior Zhu, Senior Tie, excuse me for asking, is this theory of 'dirty' elixir high or low?" Lin Bai was very curious.

"Self-cultivators are often limited by their vision and experience, and have no advice from seniors, so their theories on alchemy are usually simple." Zhu Jianyang did not say it directly.

Tie Huasheng actually nodded, agreeing with Zhu Jianyang's statement.

However, he immediately looked at Lin Bai, a strange smile appeared on his face, and said: "I guess your cheap mother must have made a very good theory of alchemy, right?"

"I really don't know." Lin Bai quickly took two steps back. "Senior also knows that the theory of alchemy is a secret of one's own. But..."

"But what?" Tie Huasheng became interested.

"Senior, do you still remember the person who was hit by the Dead Wood Cicada's magic?" Lin Bai asked.

"Of course I remember." Tie Huasheng's eyes flashed green, revealing a bit of desire, "He attained enlightenment before he died?"

Lin Bai nodded but said nothing.

"You were staring at this pearl just now." Tie Huasheng sneered, "What if I give it to you?"

"This..." Lin Bai looked at Tie Huasheng, then at Zhu Jianyang, then shook his head and said, "Senior, carrying a large amount of money in a busy city is not a way to survive." Lin Bai bowed and continued, "I am a casual cultivator and an alchemist. Can you let me copy a copy of the body-refining method on the animal skin? In the future, I will be able to withstand more beatings when I walk in the world."

Tie Huasheng said nothing, just sneered.

Lin Bai knew that people were waiting for his words.

"Senior, I'm sure you know that. That person is Qu Chengjia's favorite disciple." Lin Bai's eyes were filled with nostalgia. "He was also a young man who had built his foundation and was very successful. But he was hit by the dead wood cicada's magic, and his magical powers were all lost. His cultivation was gone, and he was like an octogenarian, now in his twilight years."

He paused here, and then continued, "After that, I suffered a series of hardships and was seriously injured. The path to the great Dao was cut off. When I was as hopeless as death, I encountered the golden elixir thunder tribulation, and I realized something in my heart."

Everybody was listening attentively. This kind of debate on the theory of elixir was what people who had not yet formed the elixir liked to listen to the most.

"Time flies by, and when he encounters a great disaster, he is like a cicada in a willow tree. I believe that what the Taoist friend has realized is the way of mind and nature." Zhu Jianyang sighed.

Tie Huasheng remained silent, only feeling that Qu Chengjia's beloved disciple was quite similar to himself.

“I don’t know what the way of the mind is.”

Lin Bai sighed, "Before he died, he talked about the theory of understanding the best elixir. He compared the suffering and difficulty of life to the ups and downs of a river. He also compared the suffering of human beings to the suffering of the world."

"What a magnificent theory of alchemy, it has both compassion and momentum!" Zhu Jianyang clapped his hands and exclaimed, "If it is refined a little more, it will definitely be an excellent theory of alchemy!"

"I remember now." Tie Huasheng said calmly, "I was there at that time, but I ridiculed him and didn't take his words to heart."

After he said that, he laughed bitterly twice, waved his hand, and the animal skin flew into Lin Bai's arms.

Lin Bai quickly put it into his storage ring and bowed to Tie Huasheng.

"Life is full of suffering. We are born naked, but as the years go by, we become more polluted and rusty. The water in the river... is polluted by humans..." Tie Huasheng murmured, still thinking about the dying realization of the person who died because of him.

Life is truly wonderful. When Song Qing attained enlightenment, Tie Huasheng was also there. However, it was only after he encountered a great disaster and lost an arm that he finally remembered Song Qing's dying words.

"It's getting late, so we won't disturb you from gaining enlightenment." Zhu Jianyang stood up.

Tie Huasheng stretched out his one arm and said, "Although I am a commoner, I know how to be trustworthy and righteous. Please take the treasure."

Zhu Jianyang didn't say anything more. He just flicked his sleeves, collected the ten top-grade spirit stones on the stone table, and then threw two to Lin Bai.

Lin Bai took it in a hurry. He knew that now was not the time to be polite, so he quickly put it into his storage ring.

"Fellow Daoist Zhu, these beads and sword are the most valuable items, why don't you take them?" Tie Huasheng suddenly spoke.

"Brother Taoist, you are busy outside and need these things more than I do." Zhu Jianyang was very humble.

Tie Huasheng nodded, "No matter what happens in the future, my master and I will never embarrass you, Zhu."

Zhu Jianyang bowed, picked up Lin Bai and Zhu Yumao, and left in a hurry.

It’s difficult to divide the book into chapters, so I just combined them into one.

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(End of this chapter)