I'm already a Great Luo Golden Immortal, how come you're only Martial Saints?

Ning Chen understood this and couldn't help but smile faintly.

He stood up, put his hands behind his back, and stood in the courtyard, watching the last rays of light sink into the mountains.

The moonlight rose, its clear radiance like water, bathing him in its pure white glow.

He paused for a moment, then suddenly began to recite.

"The cultivation of the Great Medicine has its ease and difficulty, and it depends on both myself and Heaven. If one does not accumulate good deeds and cultivate hidden virtues, one will inevitably encounter demons who create karmic entanglements!"

Ning Chen's voice was not loud, but each word was clear and resonant, carrying far into the night.

Ge Xuan was kneeling behind him. Upon hearing this, he trembled and suddenly looked up.

What was the deeper meaning behind Master's sudden recitation of this poem?

Ning Chen did not turn around, but said calmly.

"You only say that your time is coming, that it is fate, but the Taiqing Inner Alchemy Scripture that I passed on to you also says, 'Once a golden elixir is swallowed, my fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens!'"

"You have cultivated for decades, your magical power is sufficient, and your enlightenment has been awakened. You are only missing the final step of drawing the medicinal power to break through the barrier. Now that you have the 'Taiqing Neidan Jing' that I passed on to you back then, why not take advantage of this time before your death to open your own furnace and overcome this tribulation between heaven and man!"

Upon hearing Ning Chen's words, Ge Xuan's eyes grew brighter. Over the years, he had not neglected his alchemy practice, but at this critical moment, he had no mind to start refining pills again.

Judging from his master's words, he actually wanted him to break through the barrier between the celestial and human realms through alchemy?

Seeing that he understood, Ning Chen smiled and nodded.

"The universe is so vast, how can we know which golden elixir, once swallowed, will not transform the words 'great limit' into 'the Great Dao'?"

Ge Xuan stood there stunned. After a long while, he suddenly knelt down and kowtowed, his voice trembling slightly.

"Disciple...disciple thanks Master for the guidance, but...but regarding alchemy, although disciple knows a little bit, has never personally refined an elixir of immortality. With the night of my death approaching, is it too late to start the furnace in time?"

Ning Chen turned around, the moonlight shining on his face, a faint smile on his face.

"There's still time. Just keep practicing. Even if the Black and White Impermanence come, they'll have to give their master some face!"

With Ning Chen's guidance, Ge Xuan's inner light shone even brighter.

Without a doubt, he immediately bowed respectfully to Ning Chen and then turned and went back to his quiet room.

He rummaged through his belongings, taking out all the medicinal herbs he had accumulated over the years: placenta, red ochre, cinnabar, realgar, mica, azurite—all the herbs listed in the Taiqing Neidan Jing that could be used together were laid out on his desk.

Then he brought over a small three-legged cauldron, carefully wiped it clean, and began to prepare the medicine according to the prescription.

The young Taoist priest peeked from behind the door, his eyelids practically floating to the sky.

He muttered to himself.

This wild Taoist priest, who I don't know where he came from, looks so young, not much older than me, how dare he claim to be my grandmaster?

They even said that if the Black and White Impermanence came, they would have to give them some face. What a boastful claim!

My master has cultivated for decades and still wouldn't dare to utter such arrogant words, yet you speak with such arrogance.

The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed. He pursed his lips and went back to his room to rest.

Ning Chen stood in the courtyard, how could he not know that the boy was rolling his eyes and gossiping behind his back?

He just couldn't be bothered to argue.

He was only going to ferry Ge Xuan across this journey. That boy was blind to the great man's worth, and he would have his own destiny in the future. Why should he get angry with a naughty child?

The moonlight shone on him, casting a long shadow. He closed his eyes, focused his mind, and waited quietly.

At midnight that night, a wisp of dark cloud suddenly drifted in from the horizon, and the moonlight dimmed.

The mountain wind suddenly turned cold, carrying an indescribable chill, sweeping across the courtyard and making the copper bells on the eaves jingle.

Ning Chen opened his eyes and saw two dark figures approaching from afar outside the temple gate, gradually solidifying into figures. They wore tall hats and long robes; one was as pale as paper, and the other as black as charcoal. They were none other than the Black and White Impermanence from the Netherworld, who were specifically responsible for taking souls and claiming lives.

Just as the two were about to step into the temple gate, they suddenly caught sight of the figure in the green robe in the courtyard.

White Impermanence paused, and Black Impermanence also subconsciously took a half step back.

The two ghosts exchanged a glance, both showing signs of distress.

How could they not recognize this person?

This man, back then he was just a mortal soul, yet he managed to get the Supreme Saint of Taiqing to intervene and extort an exorbitant debt from King Qin Guang, which he still hasn't repaid.

Having become an immortal in just over a hundred years, he has already risen to the rank of Fourth-Rank Northern Envoy and is a favorite of the Jade Emperor. Not to mention the lowly underworld officials like himself, even the Ten Kings of Hell would have to address him respectfully as Ning Beishi.

After a brief standoff, Bai Wuchang had no choice but to bite the bullet and take two steps forward, bowing and forcing a smile.

"This humble servant greets Envoy Ningbei. May I ask what official business Your Excellency has brought to this place at night? It is truly our good fortune to have encountered you here. However, if Your Excellency has no urgent business, we will proceed with our duties..."

He spoke politely, but inwardly he was groaning.

Judging from Ning Chen's attitude, it seems that the two of them won't be able to handle things smoothly today.

Ning Chen found the two of them looking rather amusing.

He stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly.

"Greetings, two spirits of the underworld. The person you wish to capture is named Ge Xuan, the one I replaced in place of the old..."

As Ning Chen was speaking, a thunderclap suddenly rang out from nowhere in the sky.

He had a premonition that Laozi was unwilling to reveal this relationship, so he coughed and changed his words.

"This Ge Xuan inside is someone I know. I've waited here today to ask you two for a favor, to make an exception for me."

After a long while, Black Impermanence gritted his teeth and said.

"It's not that I'm unwilling to give the Northern Envoy face, but Ge Xuan's time has come. The Book of Life and Death clearly records that tonight at midnight is the time for his soul to return to the underworld. If we are late, we cannot bear the consequences of our superiors' wrath... If the Northern Envoy only wishes to say a few farewell words to him, that's fine. But if you want us to let him pass now and allow him to escape the time of his soul's departure, this, this..."

Bai Wuchang chimed in.

"Your Excellency Northern Envoy, you are high above and may not know the difficulties we lower-ranking officials face. If we report back to King Yama, whether we suffer misfortune or are punished, there will always be someone above to make the decision. But if we disrupt the order of heaven and earth because of our unauthorized leniency, we could not atone for that crime even if we served for another ten thousand years! Please, Your Excellency Northern Envoy, show mercy and do not make things difficult for this humble immortal."

Seeing that the two spoke earnestly, Ning Chen was not annoyed, but simply smiled and said...

"What you two are worried about is nothing more than the duties you are responsible for. Since that's the case, you don't need to show favoritism. Just report to King Qin Guang that I, Ning, have something to do here and really don't want Ge Xuan's soul to leave his body at this time. If King Yama asks, I will take full responsibility."

Seeing Ning Chen speak so confidently, Black and White Impermanence knew that continuing the argument would be pointless.

How dare they actually take action and forcibly capture Ning Chen's soul in front of him?

The lesson I learned back then still makes my heart tremble when I think about it.

The two underworld messengers exchanged another glance, then bowed and took their leave, returning to the underworld.

In the depths of the netherworld, in the magnificent palace of the underworld, oil lamps flicker and will-o'-the-wisps glow.

King Qin Guang was reviewing official documents at his desk when he heard the report from the Black and White Impermanence, and his vermilion pen paused slightly.

"Is it Ning Chen again?"