Retirement begins with summoning Yuan Tiangang

The next morning, Lin Feng was woken up by the urge to urinate.

He opened his eyes groggily; it was just dawn, and a thin mist still shrouded the woods.

The fire had gone out, leaving only a pile of grayish-white embers, with an occasional spark popping out and then disappearing with a hiss.

He yawned, rubbed his eyes, and sat up. Then, suddenly remembering something, he turned to look to the side.

The area around the stones was empty.

The woman has disappeared.

Lin Feng's heart tightened, and he quickly got up. He looked around; the stream was flowing gurglingly, the forest was quiet, and birds were chirping in the branches, but he couldn't see a single person.

"Gone?"

He was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when he suddenly noticed something reflecting light on the ground next to the stone.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a jade pendant.

The jade pendant is small, about half the size of a palm, and is entirely emerald green, carved into the shape of a leaf.

The leaves have clear textures and distinct veins, gleaming with a warm light in the morning sun.

A piece of paper folded into a square was placed under the jade pendant.

Lin Feng picked up the jade pendant; it was cool to the touch. He then picked up the paper and unfolded it.

The paper contained a few lines of neat, small handwriting:

"Lin Feng, Yan Ruyu will always remember your life-saving grace last night."

This jade pendant is a token of my Heavenly Dao Sect. If you bring this jade pendant to the Heavenly Dao Sect in Lanyue Prefecture, you can find me.

If you ever encounter difficulties in the future, I will do my utmost to help you with this jade pendant.

Mountains may be high and rivers may be long, but we'll meet again someday.

Yan Ruyu left behind

The handwriting was beautiful, each stroke exuding a cool and aloof air, just like the feeling the woman gave off.

Lin Feng stared at the paper for a while, then looked at the jade pendant in his hand.

He recalled what the woman had said last night: "I, Yan Ruyu, never owe anyone a favor."

It's not just talk.

He put the jade pendant into his storage ring, and also folded the paper and put it inside.

Then he walked to the stream and scooped up some water to wash his face. The water was icy cold, which completely sobered him up.

"Kid, they've gone far."

The voice of Master Yu Yuan echoed in my mind, tinged with a hint of mockery.

Lin Feng blushed: "Master, please don't talk nonsense."

"What nonsense did I spout?"

Master Yu Yuan chuckled.

"How long did your eyes look blank just now? Three breaths? Five breaths? Tsk tsk, young man in love, huh?"

"I didn't!" Lin Feng interrupted him, his voice rising eight octaves.

"Okay, okay, no, no."

The smile in Master Yu Yuan's voice deepened.

"But to be honest, that girl was really pretty. It's just that she was a bit cold, like a block of ice."

"Wait a minute, a handsome guy should repay a life-saving debt with his body, while an ugly guy should be reborn as a slave in the next life. You should fall into the latter category, right?"

Lin Feng didn't respond to that.

He took out his dry rations and ate his breakfast with the stream water.

The biscuit was still so hard that it took a long time to chew it.

After finishing breakfast, he packed his things, carrying an empty cloth belt on his back—just for show; his main belongings were in his storage ring.

Then continue north along the stream.

After walking for a while, he suddenly remembered something.

"Master," he asked in his heart.

"Do you know about the Heavenly Dao Sect?"

"Tiandao Sect?"

Master Yu Yuan paused for a moment,

"I know. The sects in Lanyue Prefecture are... above average in strength. The sect leader is apparently at the fifth level of the Celestial Realm, so he's quite a figure in Lanyue Prefecture."

"Fifth level of Celestial Being..."

Raymond Lam smacked his lips.

Uncle-Master Mo Wen once said that the Celestial Realm can mobilize the power of heaven and earth. How powerful must the fifth level of the Celestial Realm be?

"What, you want to go and seek refuge with them?" Master Yu Yuan teased.

"No," Lin Feng shook his head.

"Just asking."

He continued walking forward.

The mountain path gradually became steeper, and the trees on both sides became denser. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled light spots on the ground.

Occasionally, a squirrel would dart down from the tree, clutching a pine cone, its dark eyes fixed curiously on the traveler.

"Oh, right, Master," Lin Feng suddenly remembered something else.

"Didn't you say yesterday that you would teach me alchemy?"

"Oh, you still remember?"

Master Yu Yuan became more energetic.

"Alright, let's start today. We'll teach as we go, since we're on the road anyway, and we're just killing time."

For the rest of the day, Master Yu Yuan gave a lecture in Lin Feng's mind.

It starts with identifying medicinal herbs.

"See that clump of grass with small white flowers by the roadside? Yes, that's it. That's called Starflower Grass, a first-tier medicinal herb. It's warm in nature and mainly used to harmonize the properties of other herbs. It's not very effective on its own, but when combined with other herbs, it can reduce conflicts between their effects."

Lin Feng squatted down and examined the clump of grass closely.

The leaves are slender with serrated edges, and the small white flowers have five petals with a touch of yellow in the center.

He reached out and picked a leaf, put it in his mouth and chewed it. It was a little astringent, but also had a faint sweetness.

"Don't put everything in your mouth!"

Master Yu Yuan cursed,

"Some herbs are poisonous!"

Lin Feng quickly spat it out: "Oh."

"Remember, there are three things you shouldn't do when collecting herbs: don't pick unripe ones, don't pick overripe ones, and don't pick poisonous ones unless you're making poison pills. There are four things you should do when collecting herbs: leave the roots, divide the plant, pick gently, and process promptly..."

The old man kept rambling on, and Lin Feng listened attentively.

As he walked, he looked around and asked about all the herbs he recognized and didn't recognize along the way.

Master Yu Yuan was quite patient and answered all my questions one by one.

Around noon, they emerged from the woods, where a small hill stood before them.

There was a clearing on the slope, perfect for resting.

Lin Feng found a clean rock to sit on and took out some dry food and water from his storage ring. Just as he was eating, Master Yu Yuan spoke again:

"Talk is cheap. This afternoon, let's refine a batch of pills."

Lin Feng's eyes lit up: "Really? What are you refining?"

"The most basic one is the Qi-Nourishing Pill," said Master Yu Yuan.

"This is a type of pill commonly used by cultivators in the Acquired Realm. It can nourish the blood and qi, and aid in cultivation. Although it's only a first-tier pill, if refined properly, it will benefit your current cultivation level."

"But..." Lin Feng looked around.

"We don't have an alchemy furnace."

"What need is there for a pill furnace?" Jade Origin Immortal scoffed.

"Back in my day, when I was refining elixirs, every blade of grass and every tree could serve as a furnace. Go find a few stones of suitable size, the kind that are dense and heat-resistant. Also, gather some dry firewood."

Lin Feng did as instructed.

He wandered around the hillside and found several dark green stones, about the size of a palm, with smooth surfaces.

I picked up another pile of dry branches.

Arrange the stones in a circle, leaving the center empty.

Master Yu Yuan directed,

"Yes, that's it. Then start a fire, make sure it's strong, but not too fast."

Raymond Lam started a fire.

Flames leaped up, licking the stone. After burning for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the stone was scorching hot, its surface turning red.

"Now, add the medicinal herbs."

Master Yu Yuan said,

"First, put in three pieces of Star Grass, yes, the kind you identified this morning. Then put in a small piece of Red Beard Root, you should have some in your storage ring, in the medicine bag the Azure Dragon gave you."

Lin Feng rummaged through the medicine packet and found several pieces of red rootlets. He put them in as his master had instructed.

"Next are two white jade flowers... a small section of iron vine... and finally, add a drop of water, just one drop."

Lin Feng hurriedly did as instructed.

When the medicinal herbs are placed in the stone ring and heated by the high temperature, they immediately sizzle and emit a mixed medicinal aroma, which is a little bitter, a little sweet, and has an indescribable fragrance.

"Yes, that's it," Master Yu Yuan encouraged. "Don't rush, take your time. The worst thing in alchemy is to be impatient and agitated."

Time passed little by little.

Lin Feng could sense that the medicinal herbs inside the stone circle were changing. Under the influence of the high temperature, they slowly melted, mixed, and then... began to condense.

A strange feeling welled up inside him, as if he were "shaping" something.

Using high temperatures as a fire, the essence of those medicinal herbs is gradually kneaded together.

It's amazing.

There's a complicated process in the middle.

After an unknown amount of time, Master Yu Yuan's voice rang out:

"Okay, stop now!"

After saying that, he unleashed a burst of true energy.

Lin Feng looked into the stone circle.

The original medicinal herbs were gone, replaced by three round pills, each the size of a soybean.

The pill was pale gold in color, with a smooth surface and a faint shimmering glow.