Ancient Gods - V1C9

 

Cultivation Dual Cultivation

Prologue: Farewell, Fourth Elder 1: A remaining mark 2: The Star Emperor Tower 3: Lingxu's Hostage 4: A Bunch of Hypocrites 5: Su Fei 6: The Duel 7: Dao of Divine Pills 8: Beauty Pill 9: Mastering Alchemy 10: Xu Xin and Su Fei Are Denied 11: No Meat, No Soup, No Cooking 12: The Extraordinary Tianxuan Realm 13: A Salted Fish Turns over 14: Those Elders Have No Shame 15: The Yangchun Pill

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Chapter 9

Mastering Alchemy

After Mo Yang returned to Wood Peak, he immediately entered the stone tower to meditate and focus on regulating his breathing. He then began experimenting with refining various ordinary Medicinal Pills using the remaining ingredients.

"My Alchemy skills are still in their early stages. I need to learn how to create basic Medicinal Pills rapidly; otherwise, I won't be able to utilize any exceptional Spirit Medicine due to a shortage of rare ingredients," he mused.

As he worked tirelessly in the stone tower, he lost track of time. By the time he emerged, darkness had already fallen outside. He opened the door and stepped into the small courtyard. The moon shone brightly, and the stars twinkled softly; the silvery moonlight cast a glow over everything. It was then that he noticed someone sitting on the stone bench. Her white dress was adorned with silver threads that glittered in the moonlight, and a jade hairpin tilted in her black hair caught the light.

Mo Yang furrowed his brow as he recognized it was Su Fei. He instinctively glanced back at the door, finding it intact without any signs of disturbance in the courtyard.

Still, he felt a bit suspicious. Given Su Fei's temperament, after waiting so long, even if she hadn’t vandalized the courtyard, she should have at least kicked the door in or expressed her frustration somehow.

After pondering for a moment, he approached her and discovered Su Fei had fallen asleep against the stone bench. In the tranquil courtyard, her steady breathing resonated clearly. Under the moonlight, her peaceful face didn’t seem as bothersome as usual.

Is she actually softening today, or is the Beauty Pill I made truly that effective? She’s showing patience by waiting here. If only she could tone down her usual domineering attitude a bit, she wouldn’t be so intolerable, Mo Yang muttered.



Deliberately, he coughed a few times. Startled awake, Su Fei opened her eyes, saw Mo Yang standing in front of her, and shouted angrily, “Mo Yang, you pervert! What are you trying to do?!”

“Uh…,” Mo Yang was taken aback, then let out a sigh of relief.

At least she was back to her normal self. However, before he could respond, Su Fei seemed fully awake. She quickly stood up, smoothed her long dress, and fixed her hair before saying softly, “When did you come back? Here, I brought the Spirit Medicine you wanted!”

As she spoke, she retrieved a storage ring from her embrace and handed it to Mo Yang.

Mo Yang was momentarily stunned. He touched his forehead and pinched his own face, realizing this was no illusion. Just a moment ago, she was angry, and now, she was acting completely differently.

"Is there... anything else you need? If not, I’ll be on my way," she said, her somewhat flustered behavior leaving him utterly confused. It felt as though she had two distinct personalities, and it shifted in an instant.

After a brief daze, Mo Yang came to his senses and replied, “Nothing else, you can go back now!”

Even after watching Su Fei leave the small courtyard and with the Spirit Medicine in hand, he focused on refining them instead.

▪──── ⚔ ────▪

For the next two weeks, Mo Yang secluded himself on the second floor of the stone pagoda, dedicated to crafting Medicinal Pills. Several times, when he emerged, he could barely recognize his reflection in the bronze mirror—disheveled and looking like a beggar.

However, he had made significant progress during this period. With each attempt, his Alchemy skills improved steadily. Only an occasional mistake would result in a failed Medicinal Pill. All the Spirit Medicine he had collected turned into bottles of completed Medicinal Pills.

He managed to refine dozens of bottles of Marrow Cleansing Pills, Beauty Pills, Spirit Origin Pills, and Bone Mending Pills.

Spirit Origin Pills and Bone Mending Pills were among the simpler types of Medicinal Pills to create. Spirit Origin Pills, filled with spiritual energy, were typically used to aid in cultivation. When True Qi ran low, taking one could quickly replenish it. On the other hand, the Bone Mending Pill was the most frequently recorded healing Medicinal Pill in the ancient scroll of Divine Pill Dao.

At this moment, Mo Yang was primarily focused on the outcome of his refining efforts. He personally consumed each Medicinal Pill he produced, and they had indeed shown good results. To Mo Yang, this was a sign of success.

Alongside his growing expertise in Alchemy, Mo Yang's cultivation was also steadily advancing. He had progressed from the Middle-Level, Late-Rank to the Peak-Level, Late-Rank of the Earth Profound Realm, one step from the Heaven Profound Realm. His True Qi in the Dantian was frequently depleted during the Alchemy process, only to be restored with his pills, making it not only stronger but also more refined and condensed.

Moreover, the mysterious, blurred imprint in his Dantian, which had appeared when he began practicing the Star Emperor Sutra, had become much more distinct, now resembling a locked gate.

While in isolation, he discovered that he consistently had cooked meals available in his courtyard, accompanied by wine, rice, vegetables, and spices, to stock his modest kitchen and ensure his hunger was always satisfied.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and cast a warm glow across the sky, Mo Yang left Wood Peak with two jars of wine and several small dishes he had prepared himself. He proceeded straight to the back mountain of the Lingxu Sect, where a graveyard was situated.

In the rear section of the graveyard, a newly erected cenotaph stood, already covered with weeds. The evening breeze rustled the vegetation, creating a sad atmosphere throughout the graveyard.

Mo Yang approached the cenotaph, carefully placing the wine and dishes in front of it. He kowtowed three times before sitting on his knees in front of the memorial.

"Master... I’ve come to pay my respects!"

"Don’t hold it against me for not visiting you in the past few weeks. I’ve been occupied with my cultivation, aiming to grow stronger quickly so that I can avenge you soon!"

"My cultivation is no longer weak; I’m now stronger than any disciple in the Sect. Look, I’ve reached the Peak-Level of Earth Profound Realm!"

"Master, I’ve also started learning Alchemy, and I’m gradually becoming skilled at it. I can already refine several types of Medicinal Pills..."

As the setting sun disappeared, Mo Yang sat alone in front of the Fourth Elder's cenotaph, speaking in a low voice.

But as he spoke, his voice gradually choked up.

Sometimes he would laugh foolishly like a child, chattering endlessly to the grave, from the Star Emperor Sutra to the Creation Furnace, even taking out Medicinal Pills to show them off at the grave. Then he spoke of everything from cultivation to trivial daily life matters...

Night gradually enveloped the land, and it wasn't until the sky was full of stars that Mo Yang wiped away the tears from his eyes and left the back mountain.

▪──── ⚔ ────▪

As Mo Yang returned to Wood Peak and stepped through the courtyard gate, he noticed two figures in the small courtyard. One of them was unmistakably the Grand Elder, who seemed to be awaiting his return. Next to him stood Su Fei. A sense of foreboding washed over Mo Yang, hinting at a situation that might force him into a difficult predicament. Nevertheless, he walked straight into the courtyard without hesitation.

“Hmph, you unscrupulous wretch! Where have you been?” the Grand Elder scoffed coldly upon seeing Mo Yang, immediately questioning him.

Mo Yang frowned, glanced at Su Fei, and replied to the Grand Elder, “If you have something to say, say it quickly. If not, then leave me be; I need to focus on my cultivation!”

“Hmph, cultivation? I’m interested to see how much you’ve actually cultivated after allowing Fei’er to use so many ingredients from the treasure vault!” The Grand Elder's voice dripped with disdain as he raised his hand and unleashed a 'Hegemonic Fist.'

Under the night sky, the courtyard was illuminated by brilliant True Qi. As the fist was unleashed, it generated a sonic boom, and Mo Yang recognized it as the fifth level of the Hegemonic Fist. Hearing the mention of the 'treasure vault' made him realize he was in deeper trouble than he thought; it was clear that the situation had been uncovered, and the Grand Elder’s fury was justified.

Without time to respond, Mo Yang quickly gathered the True Qi from his Dantian, activated the Hegemonic Fist, and struck back. Golden True Qi enveloped his fist, appearing almost solid.

Boom...

In an instant, their fists collided, creating a metallic sound that reverberated throughout the courtyard. Mo Yang stumbled back a few steps, surprised by the Grand Elder's profound cultivation. Although the old man had only struck casually, his strength was astonishing.

What shocked Mo Yang even more, however, was the Grand Elder’s reaction after the punch. “Boy, you’ve also mastered the fifth layer!” he exclaimed.

“No, it’s more than just that; your cultivation…” The Grand Elder moved swiftly, grabbing one of Mo Yang’s hands to assess his power, his expression turning incredulous. “Pier-Level, late-level? You…”

He had suspected Mo Yang’s cultivation had improved, but was unprepared for the revelation that Mo Yang had already reached the Pier-Level, late-rank of the Earth Profound Realm. The sheer strength radiating from him made the Grand Elder’s arm tingle; it felt more akin to that of a powerhouse from the Heaven Profound Realm than an Earth Profound Realm third-tier cultivator.

Su Fei, standing close by, was equally taken aback, her mouth open in shock. The Grand Elder, confused, recalled clearly that Mo Yang had begun his journey at the initial level of the Spirit Communication Realm. By the time he faced Qi Heng, he had already advanced to the initial level of the Earth Profound Realm. Now, astonishingly, he had reached the peak level. He had never seen or heard of anyone advancing two realms, six levels, and seventeen ranks in less than two months, and he was already on the brink of the Heaven Profound Realm. It was hard to believe that this could be attributed solely to luck; Mo Yang was truly an anomaly!

“Old man, the Lingxu Sect has such a vast Treasure Vault; I only took a tiny bit of ingredients. Is it really necessary for you to be so stingy?” Mo Yang retorted, shaking off the Grand Elder's grasp and stepping aside.

The Grand Elder's frustration erupted, his face darkening in anger. He scoffed coldly, "Bratt, some ordinary Medicinal Pills? The few Spirit ingredients in the treasure vault are already gone, and more than half of the others have vanished. You dare to call that 'a tiny bit?"

"Do you have any idea how many years it took to accumulate all those Medicinal Pills and Spirit ingredients?'' The Grand Elder glared at Fei'er, ready to scold her, but then hesitated.

"Old man, just be clear. I did use some ordinary Spirit ingredients, but not many. As for those Medicinal Pills, this young Master hasn't used a single one."

The Spirit ingredients that Mo Yang had asked Su Fei to retrieve earlier were all common, and the Medicinal Pills he had refined did not require any Medicinal Pills, only ingredients. The Grand Elder directed a fierce glare at Mo Yang before tossing a storage ring at him. "Brat, with both human testimony and material evidence, you still want to argue? Take a good look at what this is!"

Mo Yang hesitantly took the storage ring. He hadn’t even had the chance to ask Su Fei for new Spirit ingredients yet. What could this storage ring be?

After investigating it for a bit, he became even more confused and looked up at Su Fei.

"Hmph, why are you quiet now?" the Grand Elder sneered.

"Uh, this..." Mo Yang was at a loss for words.

The storage ring was packed with various Spirit Medicines, a substantial amount indeed, and there were also over a dozen jade boxes. He glanced at them; those were definitely Spirit Medicines, rarely seen in normal circumstances.

At this point, he grasped the situation. It must have been Su Fei who ventured into the treasure vault herself, stuffing more than thirty types of ordinary Spirit Medicines and even some rarer ones inside. The critical point was that she seemed to have been caught red-handed by the Grand Elder.

Mo Yang felt a sense of despair; no amount of jumping into the Yellow River would clear his name now. However, Su Fei didn't seem to be trying to frame him intentionally.

"Uh, old man, this... look, the Spirit Medicines are in the ring. Can we return them?" Mo Yang coughed awkwardly.

"Hmph, boy, I don’t even care why you took those Spirit Medicines. I’m generously giving you these today, but remember, this is half of the Sect’s assets. You need to do a few things for me quickly!"

"Uh, what things?" Mo Yang was confused.

"Brat, don’t think I’m unaware of your little schemes. Half a month ago, I personally saw Fei'er leaving your courtyard in the middle of the night. And after all this, you still want to deny it?" The Grand Elder snapped.

Mo Yang stared blankly at the Grand Elder, lines crawling across his forehead... he was utterly speechless, realizing that this old man had been secretly spying on him all along.

At the same time, he was also startled, because at that moment he hadn't detected any abnormality at all; if the other party had been an enemy, the consequences for him would have been unimaginable.

“Old fox, are you secretly spying on me?” Mo Yang looked at the Grand Elder with cold eyes.

“Brat, you tricked Fei'er to Wood Peak in the middle of the night, can’t this old man come and take a look?” The Grand Elder immediately glared.

He then snorted coldly, “You scoundrel, don’t think that just because you pretend to be harmless on the surface, you can fool this old man’s eyes. Every time you finish eating and wipe your mouth, you deny it. If this old man doesn’t pay more attention, she won’t even know when you’ve sold her off!”

Su Fei, standing nearby, shot a glance at the Grand Elder with an expression full of shame and anger, then directly turned and rushed out of the small courtyard.

Watching Su Fei leave, the Grand Elder’s expression instantly changed.

He lowered his voice and said, “Brat, did you see that? If it were before, she would have torn off half of this old man’s beard before stopping, but look at her now. Have you ever seen her so shy? Fei'er must have fallen for you.”

“Although Fei'er’s temper is a bit spoiled, her heart is kind and pure.”

“Kid, you’re just a blockhead! There’s no reason not to eat fatty meat when it’s delivered right to your mouth!”

“Aiyo. Old man, you’re a ruthless person!” Mo Yang didn’t know what else to say.

He now realized that this old fellow was so improper, so bizarre.

“Brat, this old man is doing this for your own good. Once you pass this village, you won’t find the same meat quality!”

The Grand Elder coughed a few times, but his face remained unblushing and his heart untroubled.

Mo Yang just watched silently, knowing very well what this old scoundrel of a Grand Elder was trying to do.

Regardless of the old man's actions, his ultimate aim was to ensure that Mo Yang felt at ease staying in the Lingxu Sect.

“You think you can lure me in with beautiful women? Do you really believe that's the kind of person I am?”

“Kid, come on, don't you have even a slight desire to eat?”

Noticing Mo Yang's detached demeanor, the old man shifted gears and got straight to the point, astonished.

“Not at all!” Mo Yang replied emphatically, shaking his head.

“You… you clueless brat, you're truly infuriating this old man!” The Grand Elder ground his teeth in frustration, turned, and stepped out of the small courtyard.

After giving it some thought, Mo Yang remarked, “Old man, trying to force me to stay is futile. The Lingxu Sect is merely a tiny dot on the vast expanse of the Xuantian Continent. I will eventually leave; I can't remain here forever!”

“However, I want you to know that I, Mo Yang, am not ungrateful. My Master taught me to be appreciative and hold gratitude in my heart; that is how I truly feel!”

The Grand Elder paused at the courtyard entrance, not looking back, a slight smile gracing his lips, yet he still appeared very displeased. With a cold snort, he walked away from the courtyard.

▪──── ⚔ ────▪

Mo Yang, filled with eagerness, started to examine the storage ring in his hand, nearly bursting with excitement.



Among the various ingredients used to refine different Medicinal Pills, the most valuable were the few Spirit ingredients.

“Tsk tsk, this girl is impressive. She knows her brother has run low on Spirit ingredients and even prepared them in advance… She's quite the learner… If I don’t repay her adequately, my conscience won't allow it…”

Mo Yang smacked his lips and mused to himself, overflowing with excitement. He concluded that in the future, he must craft more small Medicinal Pills for this girl.

In the days that followed, Mo Yang began refining Medicinal Pills while also delving into the understanding of ancient runes.