Immortality and Cultivation: I Have Too Many Talents

Chapter 583 Re-entering the Underworld (Seeking Subscriptions)

Immortal Changsheng is the only alchemist in the Qingyun Sect who can refine Golden Elixir.

This is of paramount importance for the Foundation Establishment disciples of the Qingyun Sect who are attempting to break through to the Core Formation stage.

Even Shen Xuan now.

The sect's status is higher than that of the Longevity Immortal.

Before the Golden Elixir was refined.

The status of the Immortal Changsheng within his sect is as stable as Mount Tai.

In the rankings of the outer peaks of the Qingyun Sect, he is second only to Lingxiao Zhenren.

Shen Xuan couldn't afford to have a direct confrontation with him.

A third-tier alchemist capable of refining Golden Elixir is an important cornerstone of a sect.

No sect could bear such a loss.

As for sneak attacks and assassinations, these are a major taboo in sects.

Shen Xuan disdained to do it.

"No rush. One day, the Immortal of Immortality will pay the price."

"First, improve the technique of refining the Golden Elixir, and marginalize the Immortal of Longevity."

Shen Xuan planned his revenge.

Repay kindness with kindness and revenge with hatred.

Only by settling scores and seeking revenge can one's thoughts become clear.

The Immortal of Longevity colluded with Xiao Jingsong, intending to take his life.

He couldn't pretend this never happened.

The reason for holding back is that the time is not yet ripe.

After he achieves mastery of alchemy and seizes the position of head of the Alchemy Hall.

Once the immortal is marginalized, his weaknesses will naturally be revealed.

On the surface, the management of a sect is fair and just.

In reality, it still comes down to weighing the gains and losses, with interests taking precedence.

Disciples personally taught by a master receive far more attention and support than ordinary disciples.

In this respect, there is not much difference between the cultivation world and the mortal world.

That day, Li Ying'an came to visit.

“Fellow Daoist Xuanbing, Sect Leader Tongyuan has just returned to the sect. He was delighted to hear that you were here and ordered me to take you to see him immediately.”

……

Tongyuan Peak is a blessed land.

"Fellow Daoist Xuanbing, it is a rare privilege to have the time to visit my Hundred Herbs Sect. I apologize for any shortcomings in our hospitality."

Master Tongyuan had a dignified appearance and sharp, sword-like eyes.

His aura was like a deep pool or an ancient well, unfathomable, clearly indicating that he was in the late stage of the Golden Core realm.

Shen Xuan clasped his hands in a salute: "Xuanbing greets Daoist Tongyuan. Master Li should have already informed Daoist Tongyuan of Xuanbing's purpose in coming."

"I am willing to serve as a guest elder of the Hundred Herbs Sect and dedicate myself to refining the Golden Elixir for your sect for three years."

Master Tongyuan smiled.

"Fellow Daoist Xuanbing, you are quite a character; you certainly know how to speak!"

"Borrowing resources from my Hundred Herbs Sect to refine the Golden Elixir. You reap the benefits, but how am I supposed to explain this to my fellow disciples?"

Shen Xuan calmly said, "Brother Tongyuan, please feel free to state your conditions."

"Three years is too short, at least seven years."

"No."

Shen Xuan refused outright.

"I have other important matters to attend to, and I can only afford three years. There is no room for negotiation on this."

Master Tongyuan shook his head and said with some helplessness, "The Hundred Herbs Sect has something to do. Please, Fellow Daoist Xuanbing, lend your full strength this time."

Shen Xuan asked, "I am only at the early stage of the Golden Core realm. Your sect is full of talented people, why bother with this?"

Master Tongyuan stroked his beard and laughed, “Fellow Daoist Xuanbing underestimates himself. Among the new generation of geniuses in the Song Kingdom, Fellow Daoist Xuanbing ranks among the top, and his path to enlightenment is limitless. My actions are merely to establish a good relationship for the Hundred Herbs Sect.”

Shen Xuan nodded: "If it does not violate the Qingyun Sect's rules, I can help your sect once within my capabilities."

“Excellent! I have discussed it with Junior Brother Li. Junior Brother Li is willing to pass on his Golden Transformation Pill inheritance without reservation. Fellow Daoist Xuanbing, if you wish to study the Golden Transformation Pill, you may bring two water-based alchemists from my sect as apprentices to serve you.”

"can."

Shen Xuan didn't think much of it and immediately agreed.

"When Fellow Daoist Xuanbing left, he imprinted a copy of the Water-based Golden Elixir Transformation Inheritance and gifted it to the Hundred Herbs Sect."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xuan understood.

This is the kind of exchange of benefits that Master Tongyuan wanted.

Shen Xuan studied the Golden Elixir through the Hundred Herbs Sect, and Li Ying'an passed on his knowledge to him.

When Shen Xuan's cultivation is complete, he will leave his Water Technique Golden Elixir inheritance to the Hundred Herbs Sect.

After Shen Xuan left, the Hundred Herbs Sect was able to cultivate its own alchemists who could transform water into golden elixir.

"Brother Tongyuan, you have a brilliant plan!"

Shen Xuan couldn't help but say sarcastically.

"Fellow Daoist Xuanbing, why get angry? It's difficult for everyone!"

Master Tongyuan didn't take it to heart and continued to smile.

It involves the vital interests of both parties, and neither is willing to give it up.

Shen Xuan pondered for a while.

"In that case, the previous condition that I would help your sect once is null and void."

Master Tongyuan pondered for a moment.

"Can!"

Master Tongyuan's expression was solemn as he slowly nodded.

"Old fox!"

Shen Xuan cursed inwardly.

It seems that Master Tongyuan doesn't care that he helped the Hundred Herbs Sect.

What a new generation of prodigies, their potential is limitless.

It's just commercial hype.

In the face of real benefits, it's not worth mentioning.

"Three years. I will open the furnace once every two months, for a total of eighteen times. Your sect must guarantee the best materials for the Golden Elixir."

"The two attending alchemists must obey my decree and are not allowed to leave the alchemy room without permission."

"Of course, I will carefully teach them the method of transforming water into golden elixir. How much they can learn depends on their abilities."

"After the three-year term is up, I will leave behind the Water Method Golden Elixir inheritance and depart on my own. Your sect shall not obstruct me."

As for Li Ying'an's inheritance of the Golden Elixir, Shen Xuan did not mention it.

Reaching a cooperation agreement is merely icing on the cake.

If things go smoothly, Shen Xuan will give back to the Hundred Herbs Sect.

The remaining water-based method for transforming into golden elixir is slightly more refined.

Otherwise, the content is obscure, and alchemists of the Hundred Herbs School will have to take many detours.

"Fellow Daoist Xuanbing, rest assured. Our Hundred Herbs Sect has a renowned reputation and will definitely not treat you unfairly."

Master Tongyuan, having achieved his goal, said with a smile.

Li Ying'an took out the Spirit Contract of the Hundred Herbs Sect Guest Elder, made hand seals and cast a spell to imprint the corresponding terms on it.

After confirming that everything was correct, Shen Xuan and Master Tongyuan each signed their names and infused their spiritual power into their names.

From then on, Shen Xuan adopted the pseudonym Shen Lang, a rogue alchemist, and became a guest elder of the Hundred Herbs Sect's True Pill Cultivation Clan.

The cave dwelling was located next to Li Ying'an's.

The two could also exchange ideas on alchemy.

……

Spring goes and spring comes again.

In the blink of an eye, three years have passed.

Shen Xuan spent three years at the Hundred Herbs Sect diligently refining the Golden Elixir. Inside the alchemy room...

Two cultivators who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage in water magic stood respectfully by his side.

"Congeal!"

A stream of pure ice spiritual energy shot towards the alchemy furnace, merging into the medicinal liquid.

Even before the furnace was opened, a rich aroma of medicine filled the entire alchemy room.

Shen Xuan reached out and beckoned.

The furnace was opened, and two golden elixirs flew over and floated in front of Shen Xuan.

The surface has eight red lines, and it has a pleasant medicinal aroma; all of these indicate it is a qualified product.

Shen Xuan sighed.

"The Dao of Alchemy is profound and mysterious. Even after three years, this is all I can achieve."

Beside him, the two attendant alchemists from the Hundred Herbs Sect both had their eyes shining.

Both of them have reached the Foundation Establishment stage and are about to attempt to break through to the Core Formation stage.

They were all water-based alchemists who had been carefully nurtured and supported by the Hundred Herbs Sect since childhood.

This time, by a stroke of luck, he was chosen to be by Shen Xuan's side to assist him in refining the Golden Elixir using water magic.

Three years.

They witnessed firsthand Shen Xuan's process from the furnace exploding to producing pills steadily, and then to producing two pills from one furnace.

His alchemy skills improved by leaps and bounds, becoming comparable to those of the sect's veteran alchemist, Li Ying'an.

This speed broke the previous record of the Hundred Herbs Sect.

Even so, Master Shen seemed somewhat dissatisfied.

This filled the two of them with envy and longing.

In fact, Shen Xuan was genuinely dissatisfied.

On the mysterious jade talisman.

[Golden Elixir Transformation: Proficient (18/400)]

【Daoyun: 1612818】

Over three years, he refined twenty-four portions of ingredients for the Golden Elixir, consuming a million units of Dao essence.

His skill in transforming elixirs had just reached the proficient stage.

As Shen Xuan's skill in transforming elixirs improved, Li Ying'an's attitude towards him became increasingly respectful.

Shen Xuan digested and absorbed his Golden Elixir inheritance in just one month, integrating it into his own alchemy.

The fifth batch of medicinal herbs produced a qualified elixir.

The twelfth batch of medicinal herbs begins, yielding two pills per batch.

Li Ying'an's progress in alchemy was so rapid that he began to doubt himself.

He had never seen a water-based alchemist like Shen Xuan before.

Logically speaking, water-based alchemy is more complex and takes longer than fire-based alchemy.

But for Shen Xuan, it was completely overturned.

The four most time-consuming intermediate steps in water-based alchemy—"boiling," "simmering," "nurturing," and "brewing"—were accelerated by Shen Xuan using his refined ice spiritual power.

In this way, Shen Xuan's water-based alchemy technique is faster than his fire-based one.

Each batch only takes about twenty days, which is only half the time required for fire-based alchemy.

The medicinal materials provided by the Hundred Herbs Sect for the Golden Elixir also exceeded the eighteen portions stipulated in the contract.

Shen Xuan calculated the time.

Three years have almost passed.

Twenty-four medicinal herbs were used to refine thirty-three Golden Elixirs.

Baicaozong made a slight profit.

He imprinted the method of transforming water into elixir into a blank jade slip.

After handing it over to Li Ying'an, he drifted away.

The water-based elixir-making technique he left behind is genuine.

It wasn't written in a deliberately obscure or difficult-to-understand way.

However, others cultivated according to the tradition and refined the Golden Elixir.

The prerequisite is possessing his refined and profound ice spiritual power.

It's estimated that you can't find one like that in the entire Hundred Herbs Sect.

"So, it wasn't me who plotted against the Hundred Herbs Sect. It was the Hundred Herbs Sect cultivators who were incompetent."

Shen Xuan thought to himself.

……

After leaving the Hundred Herbs Sect, Shen Xuan went to the Liang Kingdom.

Concealing their presence, they flew westward until they reached the western border of the Liang Kingdom.

We stopped deep in a desolate, black Gobi desert.

This is the Netherworld space he entered last time with Li Ruyi and Demon Lord Wanmeng.

Shen Xuan found the sinkhole, which was thousands of feet deep, and flew to the bottom of it.

A flash of crimson light appeared in his eyes.

"Luckily, the Netherworld Space is still there."

Three years ago, when Shen Xuan left the island, Li Ruyi asked him to collect some spirit beads and spirit objects.

Shen Xuan immediately thought of this Netherworld space within the territory of Liang Kingdom.

Now, his strength has increased dramatically, and he is completely unafraid of the remnant soul of the Bone Nether Demon Ancestor inside.

Shen Xuan formed a hand seal and pointed his fingers like a sword, shooting out a beam of icy divine light that revealed a hidden spatial portal to the floating, twisted universe.

Then, in a flash, he disappeared inside.

The Netherworld remained the same as before, with a dim yellow sky filled with dense Netherworld energy that corroded life.

Shen Xuan flew to the tributary of the Styx River and released the aura of his golden core.

"Ancestor Bone Nether, come out and see me!"

The sound resounded throughout the underworld.

Countless spirits fled in panic.

In the tributaries of the River Styx, the resentment of the living souls all sank to the bottom.

"Shen Xuan! What are you trying to do now!"

The remnant soul of the Bone Demon Ancestor transformed into an old cultivator and emerged from a tributary of the River Styx.

"Oh. I was passing by and remembered you, my old friend, so I came to see you."

Shen Xuan smiled and said, "Ancestor, you look quite well."

"Shen Xuan, stop your insolence! This is my sacred ground."

"So what? We haven't settled the score from last time!"

Shen Xuan suddenly changed his attitude.

"Believe it or not, I'll blow up this lousy space of yours!"

The Bone Nether Demon Ancestor glared at Shen Xuan, his white hair flying wildly and his underworld robes billowing and rustling in anger.

After a long while, he managed to suppress his anger and force a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, why bother? We have no grudges against each other. What happened last time was my fault, and I apologize to you."

"You make it sound so easy! You think you can just brush this off with your words?"

"What do you want! Shen Xuan, don't push your luck!"

Shen Xuan was too lazy to argue with him.

He directly unleashed the Ice Soul Divine Sword, pointing it at the Bone Nether Demon Ancestor.

"Fine, I'm afraid of you! Shen Xuan, just say what you want."

"You said you'd apologize. First, compensate me with a dozen or so Tier 3 Nether Pearls."

The Bone Demon Ancestor rolled his eyes: "Don't try to make an exorbitant demand. I don't have more than a dozen third-tier Nether Pearls! Second-tier ones are more like it!"

"No, I only want a third-tier Nether Pearl!"

(End of this chapter)