Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 528 The Pill Gathering Successfully Wins Over Luan Xiu
"The Kang family is very prosperous. In my opinion, their current state is comparable to that of the wealthy families in the capital."

Compared to before, Luan Gongfeng no longer displayed much arrogance when facing Kang Dabao. After all, he himself had not yet formed his core, yet he had already witnessed the late Master Kang surpassing him; his attitude could not remain the same.

In fact, after Pei Yi's death, Luan Gongfeng's attitude towards Chongming Sect plummeted. Although his cultivation level was almost negligible compared to his alchemy skills, Luan Gongfeng was quite prestigious among the local Fei family's retainers.

His sudden change in attitude caused most of the alchemists and other artisans in the Fei family in Shannan Road to become estranged from Chongming Sect.

There is a reason for this. Luan Gongfeng had put in a lot of effort and resources to save Pei Yi's path, but the former had not even crossed the threshold of Foundation Establishment.

Even after his death, the so-called "disciple of the Southern King" that Kang Dabao used to always talk about never appeared, which greatly angered Luan Gongfeng, who had gained nothing.

In other words, they were also concerned that Fei Tianqin and Fei Nanying had a great fondness for Sect Leader Kang. Otherwise, as a third-level alchemist, Luan Gongfeng's connections would probably be no less than those of ordinary wealthy family heads, and he could certainly cause some trouble for Chongming Sect.

Fortunately, he didn't harbor any malicious intent at the time, and he was also mindful of his family's relationship with the Fei family, so he didn't take any action. Otherwise, the current situation between the two sides would be incredibly awkward.

Thanks to this, Sect Leader Kang was able to personally offer a considerable sum of money to invite Luan Gongfeng to serve as the president of the Chongming Sect's alchemy conference, which helped to ease tensions between the two sides.

After all, the latter is a third-level alchemist, a rare connection for the Chongming Sect, and there's no reason to further strain the relationship.

Even though Kang Dabao had achieved the rank of middle-grade pill master in public, he couldn't expect this third-level pill master to show him any flattery in person. This was because Luan Gongfeng held a transcendent position in the Fei family, far surpassing that of ordinary retainers.

Furthermore, Kang Dabao had also heard that the Fei family's ancestor Ye Ling had already agreed to Luan Gongfeng's request. After the latter's half-life of waiting in Yunjiao Prefecture was completed, he would invite top Taoist masters to give a proper lecture to see if they could dispel the bad luck that Luan Gongfeng had suffered from failing to succeed after taking the elixir three times.

Master Kang had long understood the nature of this Luan Gongfeng, so he did not put on any airs of a high-ranking cultivator. He simply replied to the latter in a very friendly manner, "Not at all. All the alchemists here have come specifically to seek your guidance after hearing that you are here."

"Master Kang, you flatter me, you flatter me."

As a seasoned alchemist who associated with highly skilled cultivators, Luan Gongfeng would not be so easily pleased by Kang Dabao's kind words.

However, being praised so highly by a Golden Core cultivator still made him feel a little proud. Before coming, Sect Leader Kang and the other people had explained the rules of the conference in advance. After Luan was in a good mood, he did not put on airs and walked to the high platform in the center of the venue to take his seat.

The Chongming disciples who were maintaining order in the arena struck the golden gongs, and the alchemists who had entered immediately stopped what they were doing and returned to the low tables next to their assigned alchemy furnaces.

Luan Gongfeng was a rogue cultivator who was only two hundred years old. His achievements in alchemy were quite remarkable.

He simply glanced at the cultivators below the stage and got a general idea of ​​their situation.

After ascending the platform, Luan Gongfeng remained silent, simply sitting cross-legged before the jade table on the platform, picking up a knife and pen and continuously carving seals.

When one reaches the level of Luan Gongfeng, a natural quality arises in him when he is focused on his work, which makes onlookers feel calm and at peace.

The vast alchemy examination hall suddenly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Only the occasional sound of a cluster of earth fire churning and the sound of Luan Gongfeng carving words blended together, and then there was no other noise.

As Luan Gongfeng finished his final stroke and laid the jade slip flat on the table, thick black seal characters gradually appeared on the low tables of the alchemists below the stage. The slips read:
"Earth Virtue Qi-Nourishing Pill: Black-skinned Solomon's Seal, Almond-shaped Poria Cocos, Pheasant Shell, Rootless Water"

"Is it a prescription?"

The murmurs of the alchemists gradually rose in the room. Strangely enough, even though there were more than a hundred alchemists present, not one of them had ever heard of the origin of this formula before, let alone the ingredients, medicinal properties, and effects.

Fortunately, Luan Gongfeng didn't let the cultivators speculate for too long, and then spoke up to explain:
"I came to this pill formula by chance yesterday during a short rest. If one can fully understand the principles of pharmacology, one can refine a spiritual pill to aid Qi cultivation according to this formula. Today, I will use this as the topic."

You have only half a day to refine the pills. I will see whether they are successful and what their effects are by this evening. The rankings in this pill-refining competition will also be determined entirely by the grade and effects of the pills produced.”

Upon hearing this, the cultivators present realized that the Grand Master of Chongming Sect Kang had once again taken an unconventional approach.

Not only were standardized alchemy cauldrons uniformly distributed, but the types of medicinal herbs were also specified. Even the alchemy formulas had been prepared by inviting the local alchemy masters long ago.

Therefore, those who can excel in this competition are unlikely to be mere mediocre individuals.

However, this means that many well-off families have to make a lot of hard work preparing for their children.

Whether it's the newly purchased cauldron, the acquired spiritual materials, or the several alchemical formulas that have long been mastered, they are all useless now, truly a case of trying to fill a basket with water in vain.

However, the reactions of the alchemists below the stage did not concern Grand Master Kang and Elder Luan. The former gestured, and one after another, gray geese from the Beast Garden, carrying medicine baskets, flew into the arena.

First, baskets of spiritual herbs were placed one after another around the alchemists. Then, at each of the four corners of the arena, a group of Chongming disciples, each holding a formation flag, suddenly began to strike the ground incessantly.

Gradually, golden light emanated from beside each cauldron, shielding the alchemists inside from prying eyes and disturbances.

The sect leader had high expectations for the cultivators who were diligently refining pills in these golden, quiet chambers.

After all, the questions for this examination were put together by him and Luan Gongfeng, in order to select some good talents from among the many alchemists of varying quality, eliminating the influence of family background and resources, so as to cultivate some outstanding individuals.

This was because Luan Gongfeng had once told Headmaster Kang that the path of alchemy cannot be judged by temporary skill, but by one's inherent comprehension, in order to know whether one has a future in this field.

"Being good at listening to advice" is one of Kang Dabao's few virtues. After Luan Gongfeng explained the advantages and disadvantages of the matter, Kang Dabao readily agreed to the advice of the third-level alchemist.

Sect Leader Kang had excellent eyesight, and the participating alchemists were not particularly wary. So, with just a few slight movements of his eyes, Kang Dabao was able to clearly see the scene in the golden light room, and his gaze gradually became much more serious.

He was an amateur when it came to alchemy, and after many years, he had only made slight progress compared to when he was preparing the Transcendent Elixir for his disciples.

However, he could also see clearly that Qi Ke and the other Chongming disciples were not slow in their actions and did not show any difficulty like most of the others. He knew that his years of cultivation had been somewhat effective.

Luan, standing to the side, shared the same view as Sect Leader Kang. Under Kang Dabao's earnest instructions, Luan was paying considerable attention to the rank-one alchemists within the Chongming Sect. In his own opinion, even if these disciples of the Chongming Sect lacked any truly outstanding talents due to their individual limitations, many were still worthy of cultivation, demonstrating that the Chongming Sect had successors in alchemy and had not gone astray.

Compared to Luan Gongfeng's past experiences, this is quite rare for a newly emerging Golden Core sect.

Half a day passed quickly, and the golden light that had enveloped the alchemy furnace gradually faded, while the spiritual energy in the area was pushed back by the earth fire and flames.

The examinees, some beaming with joy, others filled with regret, could only halt their work, tossing the refined pills into jade bottles on a low table. They then placed the bottles atop talismans bearing names, origins, and backgrounds, sending them on the wind to the high platform.

After more than a hundred pills were placed on the jade table, Luan Gongfeng raised his eyelids and glanced at them briefly, and immediately understood.

He formed a mysterious hand seal with one hand and tapped the jade table with the other.

Immediately, most of the jade bottles on the table shattered with the sound, and the pills inside turned into wisps of turbid gas that dispersed into the air. The earth fire beside the corresponding alchemist below the platform was instantly extinguished, and his face turned ashen as he lowered his head and remained silent.

This group consists of the alchemists whom Luan Gongfeng values ​​least and who have slightly lower comprehension. Perhaps some of them are already quite skilled, just one step away from becoming second-tier alchemists, but Luan Gongfeng feels that these people lack a certain spark, and that they might not be able to take that final step until their death. Even if they are willing to put in some effort, they are not the kind of people that Chongming Sect should cultivate with twice the effort and half the result.

Two or three out of ten of the fires in the arena were extinguished in an instant. At this point, the alchemists who had been cleared out could leave the arena, rush to the Chongming Sect's archway, and collect a decent souvenir before leaving.

However, most of them harbored some resentment. Those who could enter the alchemist profession had a certain pride and were unwilling to leave in such a dejected manner. They wanted to see what kind of person could win the favor of a third-level alchemist.

Ignoring the burning gazes below, Luan Gongfeng changed his hand gestures, and a wisp of golden wind brushed over the remaining thirty pills one by one. After the golden wind brushed his face, he understood, and then picked up his pen and knife to carve jade slips.

With each stroke of his brush, the remaining fire in the arena would extinguish in one place. After only a few breaths, only three places remained where flames were still emanating.

Qi Ke, a true disciple of He Wanying of Chongming Sect, is one of them;

One of the illegitimate branches of the Anshan Gun family is under the foot of Gun Fangmu.

Then there was Chen Zihang, an unremarkable-looking rogue alchemist who was somewhat famous in Yunjiao Prefecture.

The eliminated alchemists remained silent, and the three standing in the center of the arena suddenly became the target of everyone's criticism. Luan, also an alchemist, understood the thoughts of the cultivators below, but he said little, only holding the three refined elixirs in his hands and explaining them one by one:

"Although the method used by Chongming Zong Qi Ke in refining the pills is somewhat naive and flawed, he knows to steam the Poria cocos nine times over a high flame before refining it into powder. This removes the bitterness and enhances the medicinal properties. This is something I didn't even think of when I was working on the pill formula yesterday. How could I not record it?"

"Don't underestimate Chen Zihang just because he comes from a humble background; he is well-versed in pharmacology. I have determined the processing methods for these six medicinal ingredients, and among more than a hundred people, only he has mastered them perfectly. Can any of you compare?"

“Anshan Gunjia is meticulous and has thoroughly mastered this pill formula. The quantities of all the ingredients are exactly as I calculated at the time. Can you find even the slightest error?”

The cultivators below the stage were unwilling, but how could they have the ability or qualifications to argue with a third-level alchemist? With all the facts laid out before them, how could they possibly be dissatisfied?

Luan Gongfeng showed no courtesy or consideration in front of these low-level alchemists, and bluntly pointed out several common mistakes, scolding the cultivators until they were red in the face. Only then did Headmaster Kang step onto the stage to try and smooth things over.

Although these alchemists had a shallow connection with Chongming Sect, they were still figures of some standing, so Chongming Sect did not treat them with any disrespect.

A banquet has already been prepared outside, so that the alchemists who were not selected will not have come for nothing.

In addition, the Earth Virtue Qi-Nourishing Pill formula, which was personally explained by Luan Gongfeng, was actually a treasure to these alchemists. Putting aside the value of the formula itself, the opportunity to be personally taught and explained by a third-level alchemist was something that ordinary people rarely had the chance to experience.

To be honest, these unsuccessful alchemists should not resent Headmaster Kang; on the contrary, they should owe Mingzong a favor after they leave.

Regardless of whether Kang Dabao's reputation will rise even higher after this, Luan Gongfeng has received benefits and respect. Today, he has been very attentive, not only calling the three selected individuals to his presence for a detailed instruction, but also giving each of them a copy of a handbook. This is quite generous.

The sect leader, Kang, asked the three to thank him one by one. Then he summoned Duan Anle, who had just been assigned the task of eliminating evil cultivators and was currently working in the sect, and took him away to make proper arrangements.

Qi Ke was already a disciple of the sect, so he didn't need to worry about anything. Chen and Gun, however, were new faces, and both their hospitality and vigilance could not be taken lightly. It was only reassuring to entrust them to a disciple like Duan Anle.

Having accomplished this much, Luan Gongfeng considered the matter perfectly settled, so he prepared his resignation. However, just as the words were about to come to his lips, Luan Gongfeng saw Grand Master Kang take out something.

"The True Explanation of the Daoist Alchemy of the Three Pillars?"

Even though Luan had been practicing Buddhism for many years, this was the first time he had ever seen this book. He couldn't guess Kang Dabao's intentions, and a look of suspicion appeared in his eyes again.

"To be honest, this alchemical classic I acquired by chance is quite obscure. No one in my Chongming Sect can understand it yet, so I thought I would offer it to you for your study. I have no other request than that you can impart all the knowledge you gain from it to the three alchemists we just met."

"That's probably a bit much."

Luan Gongfeng had only spoken halfway through his speech when, upon seeing the preface to "The True Explanation of the Daoist Alchemy of Zhu San Dao Ren," all the difficulty on his face vanished, and his heart was filled with ecstatic joy:

"These alchemical classics have fallen into the hands of the Chongming Sect. Isn't that like casting pearls before swine?! How could I possibly refuse?!"

At this moment, any lingering misunderstanding between Luan Gongfeng and Sect Leader Kang had completely melted away. He forced a smile and composed himself: "Sect Leader Kang's sincerity is something I have no reason to refuse."

Kang Dabao was overjoyed and presented Luan Gong with a token, granting him the title of guest elder of the Chongming Sect. Only then was the matter considered settled.

Having just obtained the treasure, Luan Gongfeng was so eager to acquire it that he couldn't wait to return to his place of practice. He borrowed a quiet room from Chongmingzong and began to study it.

Despite bringing this matter to fruition, Master Kang did not get any rest. He did not need to handle the affairs of the new disciples' entry into the sect, and Yuan Jin and Jiang Qing also came forward to entertain Gun Shilu, who was visiting for the first time with his disciples.

Kang Dabao frowned slightly as he looked at the newly acquired token, and then walked alone into the council hall.

(End of this chapter)