The Wheel-Turning Master.

Chapter 94 Favor
After preparing clean water and dry food, Lin Bai went into seclusion to make the elixir.

The second furnace produced seven pills, which was acceptable.

Lin Bai was not in a hurry to refine the third furnace. Instead, he sat on the stone plate and reflected.

After summarizing the gains and losses, he practiced on the stone plate a hundred times before starting to refine the third furnace.

The mind is free of distractions, and does not care about gain or loss. Spiritual power controls fire, and spiritual consciousness extends.

The main ingredient of Gujing Pills is Guhuncao, which is yin in nature, so you need to pay more attention to the fire. If it is a little bigger, something will go wrong.

The third furnace produced twelve pills, of average quality.

Lin Bai observed carefully for a while, then cleaned the furnace and returned to the stone plate to reflect and summarize.

This went on until the seventh furnace when he finally succeeded and produced twenty pills.

After that, although the success rate of the pills was not high at times, it was generally stable at twenty pills, and the quality was slightly improved.

All the spiritual materials have been used up, but Lin Bai still does not go out and concentrates on practicing.

Alchemy is only auxiliary, and the realm of cultivation is the foundation.

Now that he has reached the fifth level of Qi training, Lin Bai has clearly noticed that his progress has slowed down a lot. His aptitude for the three spiritual orifices is indeed a bit lacking, and the sixth level is still a hurdle.

During the Qi training period, the fourth, sixth, and seventh levels are usually referred to as checkpoints, and it is difficult to break through.

Of course, nothing is absolute, some people may not even feel the existence of the barrier, but some people are stuck at the third level of Qi training their entire lives and can never break through the fourth level.

Just like fellow Daoist Huang Ruhua who went out to risk her life a few days ago, she was stuck at the third level of Qi training and couldn't advance to the fourth level, so she went out to try her luck.

The Gujing Pills made by Lin Bai were used when passing levels. They worked wonders on some people, but not so well on others.

To put it bluntly, pills are just auxiliary after all, and the main thing depends on the person.

Half a month passed in a blink of an eye. Lin Bai opened his eyes on the stone plate and felt a headache.

The progress of cultivation was getting slower and slower, the Qi Sea was basically stable, and the spiritual power contained was also growing slowly.

"Have I also reached a bottleneck?" Lin Bai frowned and thought carefully.

When I was at the third level of Qi training, I didn’t feel the existence of any barrier, and I reached the fourth level naturally.

Moreover, since entering the Dao, his cultivation has not improved by leaps and bounds, but at least it has been like a galloping horse. But now he has reached the fifth level of Qi training, and as he practices for a longer time, he feels more stagnant, like a donkey walking, and his progress is slow.

"Does this mean that I have to rely on sperm-retention pills to survive in the future?"

But this is not a big deal. Even if it is slow, I can just endure it as long as I have the stone plate.

Lin Bai pondered for a while and decided to go to Fengming Pavilion to seek advice from Senior Zhu Jianyang.

Just as I was about to leave the stone plate, I saw moon-white spots appearing on the mist outside the stone plate, which looked slightly moist.

"Xiu Xiu, this girl..."

These days, Lin Bai discovered that Xiuxiu would make a deduction every one or two days.

At least once, at most two or three times, it happens very frequently.

"Find a chance to go to Yunxia Sect to see her?"

"Forget it. If I expose myself rashly, it will not be good for her. I'd better wait until I have the capital to talk to Qu Chengjia before going."

After opening his eyes and calming his breathing a little, Lin Bai opened the cave door and walked out.

I didn't meet the girl from the Jiang family, and I didn't know where she was. Anyway, since she turned her face away last time, Lin Bai has been in seclusion and has not talked to her. She has also not come to find Lin Bai.

On the way, he met several fellow Qigong practitioners who had lived with him in the same residence, Lin Bai greeted them one by one, trying not to offend anyone. He also cried poorly, saying that he had borrowed money from others so that he could enter the Earth Fire Cave to make pills.

Entering the main street of the market, we arrived at the Fengming Pavilion of the Zhu family.

"Sister Yuling." Lin Bai spoke sweetly.

Zhu Yuling smiled and nodded, waved for someone to guard the counter, and she went upstairs with Lin Bai.

It was still the same place, Zhu Jianyang was painting with a brush.

Lin Bai bowed, then moved forward to take a look, only to find that the writing was not very good, not very good, and not acceptable.

"Maybe it's because my realm is too low." Lin Bai thought secretly.

"I still can't copy it. The shape is not similar, and the spirit is even less similar. It's like drawing a tiger but looking like a dog." Zhu Jianyang shook his head at the calligraphy, sighed, and burned it.

So it’s really not good to write it?

"Whose calligraphy is Senior Zhu copying?" Lin Bai asked curiously.

"I'm not afraid of you laughing at me when I say this," Zhu Jianyang sat down, stroked his beard and smiled, "What I copied was the calligraphy that Senior Yu from the Qiaoshan School copied from someone else. He said that there was a magnificent sword spirit in it."

There is still a gap? Since he is called Senior Yu, he should be at the Jindan realm. Jindan still has to copy other people's calligraphy, Yuanying cultivator?
Lin Bai did not ask any more questions, as the level was too high and he could not reach it.

"Did you gain anything from the Sperm-Securing Pills?" Zhu Jianyang did not want to talk much about calligraphy and only wanted to talk about business.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, senior." Lin Bai took out the pill bottle from his storage ring and presented it with both hands. "Twenty spiritual materials, but only fifteen pills."

Zhu Yuling seemed a little surprised when she heard this. She glanced at Lin Bai sideways, and then looked at Zhu Jianyang expectantly.

Zhu Jianyang took it, poured out the Gujing Pill, took a look at it, nodded, and said: "You are a first-time refiner of this pill, which is pretty good. And the quality of the pill is good, you have a bright future." He stroked his beard and looked at Lin Bai, encouraging: "In fact, in the art of alchemy and talisman making, talent is important, but it is still cultivated bit by bit. The more you practice, the faster you will improve." After speaking, he threw the pill bottle to Zhu Yuling.

"Brother Yun is already a very talented person!" Zhu Yuling took the pill bottle with a look of delight on her face.

"Sister, if you don't mind me being stupid, it's fine as long as I'm wasting spiritual materials." Lin Bai smiled.

After the three of them chatted for a while, Lin Bai took the opportunity to ask questions about cultivation.

"Senior Zhu, I am now at the fifth level of Qi training, but in recent days, I feel that my cultivation has stagnated, as if I have reached a bottleneck. What should I do? Please help me solve this confusion." Lin Bai bowed.

"There is no definitive answer to the concept of a checkpoint. However, most Qigong practitioners will encounter obstacles when they advance to the fourth, sixth, or seventh levels, which naturally leads to the concept of a checkpoint."

Zhu Jianyang stroked his beard and smiled, then continued, "The semen-retention pills you refined have the effect of breaking through barriers, which is related to the Great Dao, so the price is quite high."

"Brother Yun, why don't you try the Sperm-Securing Pills?" Zhu Yuling said with a smile.

"Sister Yuling, the pills are external objects after all. I would like to try other methods first. Besides, I haven't reached that stage yet." Lin Bai smiled bitterly.

"It's rare for you to have such an understanding." Zhu Jianyang praised and continued, "In fact, it is precisely because most cultivators will encounter this problem that there are many ways to break through the barriers."

"Please teach me, senior." Lin Bai was extremely expectant.

"It sounds very mysterious, but it is also very simple. You can make pills, talismans, or tools. When everything goes as you wish, there may be no more stagnation." Zhu Jianyang stroked his beard and smiled, "Of course, you can also go out for a walk."

Needless to say, Lin Bai has been practicing alchemy recently, and there has been some improvement in his state of mind, but not in his cultivation.

As for going out for a walk...

"Senior, I have studied the method of alchemy hard because I don't want to go out and risk my life." Lin Bai said.

"I'm not asking you to go out and risk your life." Zhu Jianyang laughed and shook his head, "I'm saying go see the beautiful mountains and rivers to broaden your mind; or meet friends and relatives to make you feel relaxed." At this point, he added, "Although it's easiest to gain something when risking your life, that's the last resort."

Lin Bai seemed to understand something, and finally nodded and bowed.

Zhu Jianyang asked Zhu Yuling to prepare another twenty portions of spiritual materials for the Sperm-Securing Pills and gave her some encouragement.

Lin Bai didn't say much to thank him, he just kept it in his heart.

After chatting for a few more words, Lin Bai said goodbye and Zhu Yuling went downstairs to see him off.

Arriving at the store door, Zhu Yuling took out a letter.

"Yumao has received the letter you wrote to him. He is very happy to know your recent situation. This letter is his reply." Zhu Yuling said with a smile.

"How is Brother Yumao doing?" Lin Bai took the letter and asked with a smile.

"Everything is fine with him at home." Zhu Yuling smiled.

The two chatted for a few more words, then Lin Bai left and Zhu Yuling returned to the second floor of Fengming Pavilion.

First, she poured tea for Zhu Jianyang, then Zhu Yuling walked behind him and rubbed his shoulders.

"Uncle," Zhu Yuling kept her hands busy but looked a little unhappy, "Why didn't you sign a long-term contract with him just now? At least you should get his word."

"What do you mean?" Zhu Jianyang asked with a smile.

"With his talent, he will definitely achieve something in the Dao of Alchemy in the future." Zhu Yuling was a little anxious. "If he can only practice Qi, it's fine. If he can build a foundation, won't he have a bright future?"

"You're right." Zhu Jianyang nodded.

Zhu Yuling showed a happy expression on her face, and said, "He has hit a bottleneck now, and his cultivation is stagnant and slow. He is at a loss. We just need to speak to him. He is an easy-going person, and his ability to refine pills was cultivated by us bit by bit. How can he not agree?"

Zhu Jianyang said nothing, just nodded slightly.

"There's more!" Zhu Yuling had a lot of ideas. "After signing a long-term contract, he will be bound to our family. Wouldn't he be a help in the future? If we give him a few concubines and give birth to offspring, he will be one of our Zhu family members! He will enjoy more benefits, and he is not a son-in-law. I didn't offend him. Isn't this the best of both worlds?"

"In fact, you underestimated him a little." Zhu Jianyang smiled, "He has an even higher talent in alchemy, and he was hiding his talent before. If I hadn't been doing business for nearly a hundred years and met countless people, I really wouldn't have been able to tell."

Zhu Yuling didn't get angry when she heard this, but laughed instead, saying, "He was born as a casual cultivator, so he is a little cautious. But with such talent, shouldn't he be brought into our family?"

Zhu Jianyang sighed and said, "As a cultivator, can I still be trapped by a long-term contract with a foundation-building family?"

When Zhu Yuling heard the words "foundation-building family", she immediately wilted.

"Actually, what you said is not wrong, but it still underestimated a little. Yumao has a friendship of introduction with him, and I also have a friendship of cultivation with him. This is a great favor. With this favor, he will definitely not be able to refuse your proposal."

Zhu Jianyang took a sip of tea and continued, "But favors are something that, if you don't use them, they will always be there as long as the person is alive. If you use them, they are really gone, even if the person is still alive."

Zhu Yuling frowned, seemingly not understanding.

"You are just too greedy. You want to have everything." Zhu Jianyang smiled. "You need to know that even if he succeeds in refining pills, he is raised by us. If he still has friendship with us in the future, he will definitely let us sell the pills he refines. You know how much profit pills make. It won't be long before we get back what we paid. This is just a normal business transaction. We will never lower his price. We still have a favor!"

Zhu Jianyang stroked his beard and smiled, "As long as we don't use this favor, no matter whether he practices Qi, builds a foundation, or even higher in the future, whenever he hears someone with the surname Zhu, he will always think of the good things about our family. If you and Yumao's descendants meet him in the future, he will still be able to drive you away, right? Do you think he is the kind of person who turns his face and is ruthless?"

Zhu Yuling pondered for a long time and said, "People's hearts are always different. Even if he won't turn against us, what if we raise him with great effort and he just walks away in the future? Or if he joins another family, and our ancestor is gone, can we still come to him to ask for his return?"

"If that's the case, then we should just pretend we don't know him." Zhu Jianyang said earnestly, "But in my opinion, he treats me as his senior. He just needs to think of me well, there's no need to use favors to pressure him, otherwise it won't make up for the gain."

"Then..." Zhu Yuling sighed and said, "Then how should we treat him in the future?"

"Just be the same as before." Zhu Jianyang smiled, patted Zhu Yuling's hand gently, and said warmly: "Silly child, don't forget what we thought when we first met him. We just wanted to establish a good relationship. Why are you thinking more and more about it now?"

(End of this chapter)