I'll make you the furnace and the cauldron, so you can refine Yin and Yang and prove the Great

Back in the cave, the stone door closed, and the sound of the spirit spring water was exceptionally clear in the quiet space.

Li Hanshan did not rush to start refining pills. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the stone bed and circulated his spiritual energy through three major cycles. Only after confirming that his meridians were unobstructed and his nascent soul was in a full state did he take out the stone pot he had brought from the Northern Wilderness from his storage ring.

Without a furnace, he could only continue refining the alchemy in a stone pot.

Fortunately, he had become accustomed to this crude refining method in the Northern Wilderness over the years. Although it was not as efficient as a pill furnace, it was more controllable. Pure Yang fire itself was the best fire source, and the stone pot was thick and not easy to crack. As long as the fire was properly controlled, the success rate of pills was not low.

He took out the Dragon Transformation Grass and the Mind-Concentrating Fruit from the jade box, and then took out several auxiliary spiritual medicines, placing them one by one in front of him.

The Dragon Transformation Grass is entirely crimson, with leaves layered like dragon scales, exuding a strong medicinal fragrance with a hint of heat; the Mind-Concentrating Fruit is pale golden, about the size of a thumb, with a peel as thin as a cicada's wing, and a glistening juice seeps out with a gentle touch, emitting a refreshing herbal scent.

The prescription given by Ye Shuanghua was detailed and precise. He had repeatedly reviewed in his mind the processing method, the order of addition, and the control of the heat for each medicinal material.

He placed the stone pot on a stone platform in the center of the cave and heated the bottom of the pot with the pure yang fire in his palm.

Flames leaped, and the spiritual spring water in the pot gradually heated up, producing fine bubbles.

Following the order of the prescription, Li Hanshan first put the Hualongcao (a type of medicinal herb) into the pot and simmered it over medium heat until all the red essence in the leaves was dissolved in the water. Then he added the Ningshenguo (another medicinal herb), turned the heat to low, and allowed the medicinal effects to slowly blend together.

This process required immense patience. He stared intently at the changes in the medicinal liquid in the stone pot. Under his precise control, the temperature of the pure yang fire fluctuated wildly, and the loss of spiritual energy increased at a visible rate.

The temperature inside the cave gradually rose, and the air was filled with the fragrance of medicine. Even the light from the few luminous pearls on the stone wall seemed to soften in the medicinal mist.

Three days and three nights passed. The medicinal liquid in the stone pot changed from crimson to pale gold, then from pale gold to clear and transparent, finally concentrating into a viscous liquid the size of a pigeon egg, slowly flowing at the bottom of the pot, radiating a warm luster. Li Hanshan guided the liquid with his divine sense, dividing it into several portions, and slowly drying and shaping it over a low flame.

The moment the first pill took shape at the bottom of the pot, he felt an extremely pure spiritual energy fluctuation emanating from it. Although the fluctuation was weak, it carried an aura of perfection and self-consistency, unlike any pill he had refined before—it had already touched the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage, carrying a faint trace of the Dao of Heaven.

He was overjoyed, but dared not be distracted, carefully controlling the heat until the last pill was formed, cooled, and stored in the jade bottle. He exhaled a long breath, only then realizing that his back was soaked with sweat.

There were five Nascent Soul Pills in total. Although they were all low-grade, they were of good quality, full of medicinal power, and without any impurities. He took one out and placed it in his palm. The pill was a warm, milky white color, with a very faint golden halo flowing on its surface. The medicinal fragrance it emitted was refreshing and invigorating. Just smelling it made him feel a slight warmth in his meridians.

"It's done." He carefully put away the five pills and stood up to stretch his limbs. He hadn't slept for three days and three nights, which had left him somewhat exhausted, but the joy of his achievement invigorated him.

He left the cave and arrived at Shen Ruoxi's courtyard. It was already dark when he reached her. Shen Ruoxi was sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, using the moonlight to peruse a jade slip containing cultivation techniques borrowed from the main sect. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, her gaze falling on Li Hanshan's face, her deep eyes brightening slightly.

"You've succeeded?" Her voice carried an barely suppressed anticipation.

Li Hanshan sat down opposite her, took out a jade bottle from his sleeve, placed it on the stone table, and gently pushed it in front of her: "Three Nascent Soul Pills, that should be enough for you."

Shen Ruoxi looked at the jade bottle, reached out and picked it up, uncorking it. A clear, mellow medicinal fragrance wafted out, invigorating her entire being. She remained silent for a moment, then clutched the jade bottle in her palm and looked up at Li Hanshan: "Thank you."

Li Hanshan waved his hand: "Strike while the iron is hot. You're currently at a critical point; the longer you drag this out, the easier it will be for your mind to wander."

Shen Ruoxi did not refuse. She stood up, went inside, sat cross-legged on the futon, and swallowed a Nascent Soul Pill. Li Hanshan, on the other hand, sat on the stone bench in the courtyard, spreading his Nascent Soul level divine sense to envelop the entire courtyard, isolating it from all external interference.

The night breeze rustled through the bamboo. Moonlight spilled onto the bluestone floor like a thin layer of mercury. Inside, the sounds of steady, long breathing drifted in, occasionally punctuated by subtle fluctuations of spiritual energy—the tremors of Shen Ruoxi as she attempted to break through the bottleneck of the Nascent Soul stage. Li Hanshan remained motionless, silently guarding the area like a silent statue.

Meanwhile, in the inner disciple area on the other side of the main peak, Chang Sheng's cave was brightly lit. Five or six people were sitting in the hall, all of whom were among the top figures in the inner disciples. The weakest among them was at least in the late Nascent Soul stage. At the head of the group were Chang Sheng himself and Wu Qingfeng—Wu Qingfeng was at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. He had a delicate face and was currently leaning back in his chair, holding a cup of spiritual tea, waiting for Chang Sheng to speak.

Chang Sheng sat in the main seat, tapped his fingers twice on the table, and glanced at the people present before speaking, "Fellow disciples, I've called you here today to discuss something. You've all surely heard of that old man from the Northern Wilderness branch, haven't you?"

A burly disciple put down his teacup and replied in a deep voice, "I've heard about it. The one Senior Sister Ye took on as a disciple on behalf of her master? Tsk, an old man at the third level of the Nascent Soul stage, does he even deserve to join the sect leader's lineage? Senior Sister Ye is probably just grasping at straws."

Another tall, thin man scoffed, his tone tinged with contempt: "I passed through the Southern Foothills a couple of days ago and saw him from afar. That old man's face was weathered, he looked even older than our Grand Elder. I wonder how many years he spent in the branch sect before finally reaching the Nascent Soul stage. If he came to the main sect, he probably wouldn't even be able to stand firm in the outer sect. Is someone like that even worth Senior Brother Chang calling us here to discuss?"

"That's right, that's right. What kind of trouble can an old man from the Northern Wilderness cause? Senior Brother Chang was just caught off guard last time, which is why he got the upper hand. If it really came down to it, he wouldn't last three moves against any junior brother in the late Nascent Soul stage."

Chang Sheng raised his hand to quiet the murmurs, but a hint of displeasure lingered on his face. He said coldly, "Do you think I called you here because he blocked my palm last time? What's that little bit of embarrassment? What I really care about is the sect leader's side. Ye Shuanghua's taking on disciples on behalf of her master is clearly an attempt to expand her manpower before the sect competition, and to sow discord between us. If we don't do something, won't we become a laughingstock for the elders' council?"

Wu Qingfeng put down his teacup, a shrewd glint in his eyes: "Senior Brother Chang is right. Although the sect leader's lineage is suppressed in every way within the sect, if they were to actually make a name for themselves in the competition, it would be a disgrace to us disciples if word got back to the elders. Besides—"

He lowered his voice and glanced at everyone's faces. "Elder Ninth has been looking for promising disciples lately. If we can 'clean up' a few troublemakers for the sect leader's lineage during the competition, we might catch Elder Ninth's eye and be accepted into his sect. That would be far beyond what a mere inner disciple can achieve."

"Senior Brother Wu is right!"

"Those few cats and dogs in the sect leader's lineage really need to be taught a lesson."

"That old man is a sitting duck; if we don't shoot him, who else should we shoot?"

Everyone echoed, their voices growing more enthusiastic than the last, as if they could already envision being accepted into the elders' fold after the competition.

After everyone quieted down, Chang Sheng spoke again: "That old man will definitely sign up for the sect competition. He's been in charge of the sect for over a year, and it's time for him to show off. Ye Shuanghua will also let him participate for the sake of face. So—"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Before the competition, we need to prepare a few people who can go to the arena. At least late-stage Nascent Soul, preferably peak Nascent Soul. As long as we encounter him on the arena, we'll teach him a 'lesson' according to the rules. As long as the injuries on the arena aren't fatal on the spot, no one can say anything."

The tall, thin man chimed in, "Don't worry, Senior Brother Chang. I'm already at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. When I draw his lot, I guarantee I'll make sure he gets off the stage 'dignifiedly'."

The burly disciple patted his chest and declared, "Count me in! I'm in the late Nascent Soul stage; dealing with an old man at the third level of Nascent Soul is more than enough for me."

Chang Sheng nodded and gave a few more instructions on the details—such as how to manipulate the lottery after the official registration, how to ensure that Li Hanshan encountered their people, and how to deal with any unexpected situations. Everyone agreed, and the atmosphere was enthusiastic, as if they could already see the dawn of victory.

After the meeting, Chang Sheng kept Wu Qingfeng behind and whispered, "I'll go and say hello to Senior Brother Chen. If we handle this well, Elder Jiu will also know about our contribution."

Wu Qingfeng nodded knowingly: "Don't worry, Senior Brother Chang. With Senior Brother Chen looking after him up there, that old man won't be able to escape."

Chang Sheng didn't say anything more. After seeing Wu Qingfeng off, he flew towards the top of the main peak and landed in front of a cave hidden by purple bamboo. He stopped outside the cave, straightened his robes, and then respectfully knocked on the stone door.

The stone door slowly opened, and a golden figure stood inside with his hands behind his back. It was Chen Jie.

"Senior Brother Chen." Chang Sheng quickly clasped his hands in a salute, his voice tinged with flattery, "Junior Brother has just contacted several junior brothers in the inner sect who are at least at the late Nascent Soul stage. As long as that old bastard dares to sign up for the competition, our people will find an opportunity to cripple him on the arena. At that time, the sect leader's lineage will lose face, and Senior Brother Chen will have a better explanation in front of the Ninth Elder."

Chen Jie glanced at him, his tone calm but with a hint of satisfaction: "Well done. You'll get your share of the rewards for handling this."

He paused, a cold glint in his eyes. "Ye Shuanghua can protect that old man for a while, but not forever. Once he steps onto the stage, it's his own fault."

Chang Sheng was overjoyed and repeatedly agreed, expressing his loyalty before bowing and taking his leave. As he walked out of the Purple Bamboo Forest, he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips, as if he could already see the scene after the sect competition, where he would step on that old man's head and be accepted into the Ninth Elder's sect.

Inside the cave, Li Hanshan sat cross-legged on the stone bed, completely unaware of everything, still protecting Shen Ruoxi and waiting for her to cross the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage.