Shushan Earthly Immortal

Chapter 420 The Furnace Produces a Great Medicine, and It Indeed Has Miracles (5K words presented, please support with monthly tickets~)

Feixia Mountain, Rain Color Peak.

For at least the next year, Cheng Xinzhan would be working on Feixia Mountain to remove the poison from the lion and to refine elixirs, so Dong Shouren specially found him a place in the mountain as a temporary residence.

Yuse Peak is located on the eastern foot of Feixia Mountain, with the Beijiang River at its foot. It offers a wide view and pleasant scenery.

There is an elegant courtyard on the mountain called "Conglong Villa" where Cheng Xinzhan now lives.

The lion was still unconscious, but his breathing had stabilized. Cheng Xinzhan settled him in the main hall. Afterwards, he chatted for a long time with Fang Weimin, who had brought him there.

Fang Weimin had a very high starting point. He was the biological son of the master of Ziyan Mountain and a Golden Core cultivator. He was highly talented from a young age, born with the ability to absorb Qi, and repeatedly ranked on the Southern Dipper Ranking within the sect. Because of his talent and his connection with Ziyan Mountain, he was taken in as a closed-door disciple by the deputy master of Danxia Mountain when he was very young, who devoted all his efforts to him.

Of course, he did not waste his talent and family background. He worked hard and diligently, cultivating both internal and external alchemy. Now, he has completed the second stage of internal alchemy and his external alchemy skills are far superior to his peers. He has been arranged by the sect to cultivate under the guidance of Master Dong and is regarded as a candidate for the next master of Danxia Mountain.

The two talked all night and didn't stop until they took photos together the next morning.

After the purple bath, both of them felt refreshed. Cheng Xinzhan boiled water and brewed tea for Fang Weimin, making her a cup of Pu'er tea that he had brought back from Yunnan. Then, they began their formal studies.
"Please teach me the 'Monkey Trying to Catch the Moon' trick that Master Dong mentioned."

Yesterday, after Dong Shouren administered acupuncture to the lion, he only briefly touched upon Cheng Xinzhan's request for the true form of the elixir. He stopped talking about "the monkey scooping the moon" and did not personally teach him alchemy. Instead, he let Fang Weimin, who was guarding outside, come in, take Cheng Xinzhan to find a place to rest, and have Fang Weimin teach Cheng Xinzhan.

"It was just a friendly exchange; I wouldn't dare call myself a teacher or grand-uncle."

Fang Weimin said.

Cheng Xinzhan waved his hand.
"There is a sequence to learning, and each profession has its own expertise; this has nothing to do with seniority. Please enlighten me."

So Fang Weimin began to explain to Cheng Xinzhan.
"Elixirs that soothe the soul, calm the mind, replenish the spirit, and enlighten the mind, when their quality reaches a certain level, will produce the extraordinary phenomenon of 'a monkey trying to catch the moon' when the furnace is opened. At that time, the elixir smoke transforms into a calm lake, and the elixir transforms into a monkey, frolicking in the lake as if trying to catch the moon, hence the name."

Cheng Xinzhan poured tea for Fang Weimin and said with a smile,
"Then surely Danxia Mountain has such a miraculous elixir formula?"

Fang Weimin replied with a smile.
"There are many, but I don't know which one Grandmaster Uncle wants to learn."

Cheng Xinzhan thought for a moment, realizing it was quite a coincidence. Soon, his primordial spirit would undergo a series of tribulations, followed by the formation of his divine embryo. This would be a perfect opportunity to refine some elixirs to replenish his primordial spirit, just in case. Elixirs are like poison; if used improperly, they can be incredibly effective. For example, the "Spiritual Flight Minor Rejuvenation Pill" given to him by Master Ren had played a crucial role in replenishing his essence during his period of seminal regeneration. Thinking of this, he replied…
"Then please teach me the method of refining elixirs that nourish the primordial spirit."

Fang Weimin nodded, thought for a moment, and then said,
"The 'Three Elements Nourishing Spirit Pill' may be what my grandmaster uncle needs."

Please explain in detail.

"The Three Elements are the essence of Heaven, the essence of Earth, and the essence of Humanity..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The year 474 of the Ming Dynasty, the White Dew solar term.

Two months after arriving at Feixia Mountain, the summer heat gradually faded and the autumn chill began to appear, which also meant that the summer flood season of this year was coming to an end.

This summer, the fighting on the two rivers remained intense, with the West River's invasion of the North River continuing unabated. However, the situation in Yuyang has changed significantly this year. The North River defense line is now focused on defense rather than offense. Furthermore, the North River has undergone extensive construction in recent years, with numerous Zhenjiang Towers built along its banks, Zhenjiao Bridges erected across the river, and flood control devices scattered along its riverbed. This three-pronged approach has made defense relatively easy, even during the summer flood season.

In addition, the Four Realms Vine Dragon and Rain Lord patrolled the area, offering assistance in times of danger and deterring the demonic dragon, greatly relieving the defensive pressure on Beijiang. Therefore, under these circumstances, when Cheng Xinzhan, who was temporarily residing on Feixia Mountain, proposed to go to the front lines to slay the demon, Dong Shouren refused without hesitation, saying that he only needed to refine elixirs in the mountains.

On the battlefield of Humen, the situation is very favorable. Since Mr. Guangfa recaptured Yunti Mountain at the beginning of last year and brought with him a fourth-ranked general, Zuofeizi, the Haoran Alliance now has an important stronghold and four-ranked fighting force on the west bank of the Lingdingyang. Together with the four lines of defense of Hengmen, Hongqimen, Jiaomen, and Humen, they have launched a joint attack and not only captured Modaomen, but also, taking advantage of the rapid summer floods, have begun to clear out the small islands around Kowloon Island.

Strangely enough, the demons and evil spirits of the Four Realms, who only appeared once, were defeated by Mr. Guangfa and never reappeared.

As for the Five Mountains Battlefield, it was also noteworthy. The biggest variable was that Xu Shiren, the vice leader of Luofu Mountain, had entered the fourth realm. On the very day he emerged from seclusion, divine troops descended and recaptured Yangtai Mountain.

Yangtai Mountain is located between Xiling Mountain and Kowloon Island. On the mountain is Shiyang Palace, which was originally a branch of the Southern School of Daoist alchemy, and regarded Luofu Mountain as its ancestral temple. Twenty years ago, when the two villains of the South China Sea occupied Kowloon Island, they took the opportunity to sweep through the coastal mountains on the east coast of Lingdingyang. Shiyang Palace was not spared. The entire sect was wiped out, the ancestral temple was destroyed, and the ancestral hall became a playground for demons.

Xu Shiren was born in Shiyang Palace, Yangtai Mountain.

This person gained fame at a young age, and the Stone Sheep Palace devoted all its efforts to him. When they could no longer teach him, they sent him to the Luofu Ancestral Court for cultivation. Now, this person has achieved success in his cultivation and has become a great cultivator of the fourth realm. His first act is to return to Yangtai Mountain, exterminate the demons, and restore the Ancestral Hall.

At that time, Cheng Xinzhan was still in seclusion in the Lotus Cave of Mount Luofu, observing the lotus, so he did not hear Xu Shiren's announcements throughout the four regions. He only learned later that when Xu Shiren took him out of the Lotus Cave, he had already resigned from his position as the deputy leader of Mount Luofu. At that time, he was already the leader of the Stone Sheep Palace and was rebuilding the Stone Sheep Palace with Yangtai Mountain as his Taoist center.

The reconstruction of Shiyang Palace marked a new beginning, signifying that the Five Mountains defense line was no longer just about local defense, but was beginning to shift towards a counter-offensive.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In such a favorable period, Cheng Xinzhan was collecting medicinal herbs in Feixia Mountain.

The White Dew season brings cool autumn air, making it the perfect time to collect rootless dew.

The practice of collecting autumn dew for medicinal purposes has existed since ancient times, with autumn dew being considered the finest, and white dew being the most prized. The Pharmacopoeia states: "When autumn dew is abundant, collect it in a dish, boil it until it becomes like syrup, and it will clear the head and prolong life." Or it says: "Collect the autumn dew on the tops of all kinds of herbs before it dries, and it will cure all diseases, stop confusion, make one feel light and calm, and brighten the eyes."

White Dew has the medicinal effect of clearing the eyes and nourishing the mind, and it is also the essence of Heaven in the "Three Elements Nourishing Spirit Pill".

To refine such an elixir, the required dew must be special. It must be the dew condensed on the tips of the nine-jointed, nine-leafed calamus leaves growing on river rocks. During the entire condensation process, it must not be contaminated with any earthy air. Then, it must be collected at dawn and placed in a jade plate for it to be effective.

Fortunately, Feixia Mountain, as a sacred site of the Yuyang Danzong sect, is adjacent to the Beijiang River and has no shortage of various spiritual herbs and plants. Cheng Xinzhan's Yuse Peak stands on the banks of the Beijiang River, and at the foot of the mountain are many huge rocks in the river, covered with thick moss and calamus.

Although nine-jointed, nine-leaved calamus is hard to find, it only takes some time and you can still find it.

As dawn broke, Cheng Xinzhan strolled on the river, holding a jade plate in one hand and golden chopsticks in the other. With a gentle tap of the golden chopsticks on the tip of a leaf, a crystal-clear dewdrop was knocked off and dripped into the jade plate.

This is also a trick. Many people know to use a jade plate to catch the dew, but they are quite casual when collecting it, often just flicking it off with their fingertips. Little do they know that using golden chopsticks to drop it is the least likely to attract human attention, which aligns with the meaning of "gold gives birth to beautiful water" and preserves the purity of the celestial source.

In addition, Danxia Mountain has a closely guarded secret: after collecting dew, mix it with a type of river pearl powder called "White Butterfly Clam," stir thoroughly, and let it stand in a jade plate. This will allow impurities in the dew to separate out, and the clear liquid on top can be used to make elixirs for the best results. After doing this for more than ten days, before the Autumn Equinox and within the White Dew solar term, Cheng Xinzhan harvested six ounces of rootless white dew liquid, enough to refine three elixirs.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Cheng Xinzhan began to collect the second portion of the Heavenly Essence—Yin Hua.

This mainly depends on the timing; it must be the Yin hour (3-5 AM) of the Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth of August. The actual collection is simple. A crystal cup is placed atop a high mountain, and an array is set up to draw the moonlight down, causing it to condense in the crystal cup. The only difficulty is obtaining pure moonlight, ensuring it is free of star dew. However, this is not difficult for Cheng Xinzhan; he possesses the Star Qi, which he can directly use to remove the star dew.

Yin Hua collected about half an ounce within an hour, which is four times the usual amount.

The essence of the earth element consists of five ingredients: one and a half ounces of Poria cocos, one ounce of ginseng, five zhu of cinnabar, two ounces of amber, and two ounces of mica.

Among these, Poria cocos must have a pine root at its center, and the pine root must be at least 1,000 years old. Ginseng must have all four limbs and facial features, and must be at least 1,000 years old. Cinnabar must be as bright as cinnabar, and when placed in a secluded room, it should emit a red glow like a flame. Amber must contain a less than half-inch-long green centipede encased in pine resin. Mica must not sink in water, be translucent without casting shadows, and produce a metallic sound when struck.

These five are all well-known medicines for calming the mind, stabilizing the spirit, and soothing the nerves; they are not uncommon. However, when the above conditions are added, they become rare and precious spiritual items.

However, the essence of Sanqing Mountain is unique; the Heavenly Essence is highly dependent on the timing of the day and cannot be stored for long, so Cheng Xinzhan needs to collect it immediately. The Earthly Essence, on the other hand, doesn't require this; Fang Weimin directly gave Cheng Xinzhan three times the amount of spiritual material.

There is only one kind of human essence, which is the true saliva of a cultivator, also known as "golden fluid and jade liquid". Moreover, it is required that the true saliva of a cultivator must have formed a "celestial bud" and his essence and energy must be restored to the innate state to be counted.

There's no need to seek this from outside. Cheng Xinzhan has already reached this level himself, and he has cultivated the "Jade Liquid Refining Form" divine power. Within the four realms, the quality of his "Golden Jade Liquid" should be the best.

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Cheng Xinzhan had prepared all the materials to refine the "Three Elements Nourishing Spirit Pill" and returned to the "Conglong Villa".

He released the bamboo stem to guard the lion so that the needle could be removed and the poison expelled in time. The main deity, meanwhile, went to the quiet room to process the spiritual materials in preparation for alchemy.

The processing of spiritual materials directly affects the success and quality of the elixir, and is a closely guarded secret of each school and sect. Generally speaking, refining a batch of elixirs involves multiple steps, including gathering herbs, processing, setting up the furnace, adding the herbs, heating, removing the talisman, warming, and opening the furnace. Each step requires careful timing and the right tools. To prevent loss of secrecy, these steps are usually kept separate and not written down. The so-called elixir formula only specifies the quantity of herbs, and is merely a small part of the herb gathering process. To successfully refine a batch of elixirs, the formula alone is far from sufficient; the details of each step are crucial.

For example, the "Three Elements Nourishing Spirit Pill" that Cheng Xinzhan wanted to refine. Gathering all the herbs was only the beginning; the processing was where the real work was done.
Cinnabar must first be ground, then spun with ice spring water to obtain a fine powder that is difficult to see with the naked eye. Part of the fine powder is put into the furnace, and the rest is used to process Poria cocos. Poria cocos is first chopped, and then ground together with a small amount of fine cinnabar powder using the "cinnabar dyeing Poria cocos" method, until the center of the Poria cocos particles shows a slight red color. Only in this way can the effect of "the spirit having something to rely on, and the heart fire being nourished" be achieved.

Ginseng must be steamed and dried nine times, then soaked in earth's milk. After the dried ginseng has fully absorbed the essence of the earth's milk, it is placed in a jade mortar and finely pounded into a paste with a jade pestle until it can be pulled into continuous threads. Amber must be boiled with rush pith using the "boiling with rush pith" method to remove its dryness and enhance its spiritual and calming effects. Mica must be carefully peeled into thin slices and then buried in a pile of burning licorice to calcine until it becomes brittle and absorbs the sweet and soothing properties of licorice before being finely ground into powder.

These details were only figured out and summarized by our family's alchemists after countless trials and experiments over millions of years. How could outsiders possibly know them?
In addition, the process of preparing spiritual materials is also a process of calming the mind and nourishing the spirit.

On September 16th, which was the Jiawu day of the Jiaxu month of the Jiawu year, a day when three Jia elements coincided, the Yang energy was abundant and the spiritual atmosphere was clear, making it suitable for starting the stove. At this time, he had also prepared all the spiritual materials for the stove.

At midnight, he came to the alchemy room and chose a spot to set up the furnace.

The furnace was naturally still the sword furnace, placed in the Kan position. After checking it again to make sure there were no dregs from the previous batch, he poured in the essence of heavenly origin, which was the rootless white dew and the essence of the moon. This was called "placed in the North Sea," indicating that this elixir took water as its mother, the five elements originated from water, and the two polarities arose from yin.

At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), add the prepared Poria cocos and ginseng, which are the essence of the earth element. These two are the foundation of the elixir, representing the virtue of earth, and are used to nourish the original qi and strengthen the foundation. At this time, simmer over a low flame.

The fire he uses is the male and female Bing-Ding fire, which is a combination of Bing and Ding, making it very convenient to switch between Yin and Yang and to regulate both civil and military elements.

The essence of Heaven is simmered over a low flame, transforming it into pure water vapor, which then merges with the essence of Earth. This is the union of Heaven and Earth, and the harmony of water and soil.

At the beginning of the morning, the yang energy between heaven and earth gradually increases, and the furnace is filled with mist. At this time, the fire is turned to a strong fire to boil the mist into elixir. This is called advancing the yang fire and refining the yin essence.

At Chen Shi (7-9 AM), mica is added to enhance its ascending nature, aiding the upward movement of the medicinal energy and adding metal element. At Si Shi (9-11 AM), cinnabar is added; this is the Red Dragon, belonging to the Li Fire element, adding fire element. At the same time, the furnace fire reaches its peak intensity. The great fire continues until Wu Shi (11 AM-1 PM), when amber is added to add wood element and fuel the fire. The amber instantly bursts into bloom, and at the height of Yang energy, it imbues the elixir with spiritual properties.

After noon, the heat was turned down to a simmer, and the medicine was cooked slowly until sunset at dusk, when the liquid in the stove had become a thick paste.

At this moment, Cheng Xinzhan took out a small jade pot and poured out the crystal-clear, softly glowing golden liquid within. This was the true essence he had expelled at midnight that day through internal energy cultivation. He poured the essence of his human nature into the furnace and immediately sealed the lid. This step is called "releasing the white tiger, injecting true lead, and capturing it back indoors."

At this point, Yin and Yang are in harmony, the three elements are united, and the five elements are complete.

At this point, there were no explosions, unusual noises, or burnt smells, so the batch of pills was most likely successful. Cheng Xinzhan wasn't surprised. This batch of pills was much simpler to refine than the Lesser Corpse Dissolution Pill. The ingredients were all natural materials, and since it hadn't yet reached the levels of [Intent] and [Method], it was basically a matter of following the steps. The only difficulty was controlling the timing, the timing, and the heat; adding the ingredients and changing the heat had to be done properly. If one had to add another point, it would be the need for meticulousness during the gathering and processing of the ingredients. But fortunately, he possessed all these abilities and qualities.

However, we cannot let our guard down; it is not over yet.

At the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), he used his mind as a knife to divide the elixir into three portions, each the size of a peach. At the same time, he reduced the heat to an extremely low level, maintaining only a slight warmth at the bottom of the furnace, as the saying goes, "If a single fire remains in the furnace, the fetus will naturally develop." This tiny fire will continue for a full eighty-one days, allowing the medicinal properties of the three essential ingredients to be fully released. During this process, the elixir will gradually solidify and become perfectly round, locking the medicinal properties within the outer layer, preventing it from decaying, rotting, or spoiling.

Cheng Xinzhan gently closed his eyes, regulating his breathing and calming his mind. External and internal alchemy are inseparable, and he had gained a lot from this alchemy process. While warming the pills, he also wanted to organize his findings. In his meditation, he held a feather whisk, gently fanning the flames and controlling the fire. The wind and fire swayed in the furnace, causing the three lumps of elixir to slowly rotate and gradually take shape.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Eighty-one days later, on the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, at dawn.

Cheng Xinzhan stopped the engine and turned off the ventilation on time, then opened his eyes.

He waved his feather fan upwards, and the furnace lid flew open with a deafening roar that shook the earth. A faint, pale blue wisp of cinnabar smoke, as ethereal as moonlight, rose from the furnace. Reaching the summit of Rain Color Peak, the smoke swirled and transformed, becoming a thin, paper-cut-like full moon. Then, the moon flipped, transforming into a still lake suspended in the sky.

"Squeak-"

"Squeak-"

Several clear, melodious cries rang out, sounding like playful little monkeys. Three beams of white light shot out from the alchemy furnace, soaring into the sky and leaping onto the Danyan Lake.

The three beams of white light, like fledgling swallows that had just learned to fly and colts that had just learned to run, leaped and soared through the air without stopping, and cried out loudly, causing the monkeys and mountain monsters in Feixia Mountain to roar and howl in response, making the mountains boil with excitement.

Cheng Xinzhan didn't stop them, nor was he in a hurry to collect the pills. Since he didn't move, none of the cultivators in the mountains dared to move either. The three white lights absorbed the essence of heaven and earth and the purple aura of the sunrise on their own, playing around for about a quarter of an hour before stopping. Then they rolled onto the Danyan Lake and transformed into three adorable little monkeys.

The little monkey was fluffy and had bright, lively eyes. It looked around and seemed to realize that many people were looking up at it. Feeling shy, it buried its face in the lake and refused to lift it up.

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