This sudden discovery filled Lu Ming with pleasant surprise.
Thus, he no longer actively suppressed the golden fire energy, instead allowing it to run rampant within his body. Then, he activated Life's Flame, using its warmth to release vital energy and quickly heal his injuries.
Through this repeated cycle of burning and healing, Lu Ming finally confirmed that this Upper Divine Ability called the “Golden Sun Flame Banner” truly possessed the power to temper the physical body. It was a bona fide physical divine ability!
But why hadn't Zhou Xuan told him this before?
Filled with wonder, Lu Ming gradually brought this cultivation session to an end.
“Let's stop here for today. The solar fire energy of the Golden Sun Flame Banner will cause harm to your body, so you must exercise restraint in your cultivation before mastering the basics,” Zhou Xuan reminded him upon seeing Lu Ming open his eyes.
Lu Ming obviously could not say that there was absolutely nothing wrong with his body and that he could even go for a few more rounds. His eyes flickered slightly as he asked, “Ward Master, does this solar fire energy have a body-tempering effect? Why does my body feel warm and comfortable after the intense pain?”
“The solar fire energy burning the body is indeed beneficial to the physical form, but this fire energy is extremely overbearing. If it remains in the body for too long, it will cause severe damage. Therefore, you must never try to use this fire energy to temper your body, or else even your foundation will be burned away,” Zhou Xuan nodded, offering a solemn warning at the same time.
Lu Ming nodded repeatedly, but an irrepressible ecstasy welled up in his heart.
This meant the Golden Sun Flame Banner indeed had the effect of a physical divine ability. It was just that not everyone could endure this solar fire energy—yet, he happened to be an exception.
With the healing effect of Life's Flame, he could completely ignore the burning of the solar fire energy. Furthermore, Life's Flame possessed a vigorous vitality; pairing it with the solar fire energy to temper his body was a match made in heaven.
Wasn't this essentially getting an Upper Divine Ability-rank physical divine ability for free?!
Previously, Lu Ming had felt that since the Golden Sun Flame Banner only had the refining method and no activation method, cultivating it would yield no benefits and only waste his time. But looking at it now... this was clearly a treasure!
“Put your clothes back on. Since you have already begun cultivating the Golden Sun Flame Banner and have officially become a Grand Divine Ability Practitioner, it is time for me to fulfill my promise and teach you the true Dao of Alchemy.” Zhou Xuan wiped the golden liquid from his hands and sat down nearby.
Hearing this, Lu Ming also turned solemn, anticipation rising in his eyes. Having followed Zhou Fuling for the past month, he had learned a lot of basic alchemy, but none of it had touched upon actual pill refinement.
“Do you know what the most important thing in pill refinement is?”
Lu Ming shook his head.
“It is an alchemy divine ability. This is the signature skill of every alchemist.”
“The path of alchemy requires using the bone as the furnace, energy as the fire, and sense as the guide; this is the underlying principle. The so-called 'bone' refers to one's own Divine Ability Bone; 'energy' refers to primordial energy; and 'sense' refers to spiritual sense. This spiritual sense requires tempering one's own consciousness. Once the consciousness is condensed, a sliver of spiritual sense can be born.”
“The alchemy divine ability I practice is called the 'True Explanation of the Six Refinements of Clear Qi.' Once cultivated to the Six Refinements, one can refine high-grade pills and be called an Alchemy Master.”
Zhou Xuan extended his palm, and a vast amount of Clear Qi surged from it. The Clear Qi was wondrous, seemingly transformed from primordial energy, yet slightly different. At this moment, the Clear Qi gradually condensed, transforming into a Clear Qi pill furnace. The furnace was uniquely shaped, resembling a lotus leaf.
“This pill furnace is transformed from the alchemy divine ability I cultivate. The shape of the furnace can change according to the cultivator's will and varies from person to person.”
“When refining pills, you must throw the herbs into it, use fire energy to refine and break down the medicinal properties, and then withdraw the pill furnace back into your Divine Ability Bone to nurture it. At the same time, use your spiritual sense to merge the medicinal properties and maintain the heat. Then, use a breath of Clear Qi refined from the 'True Explanation of the Six Refinements of Clear Qi' to perform the final refinement, ultimately forming the pill.”
As Zhou Xuan spoke, he casually took out some medicinal herbs, identified their properties, and tossed them into the lotus-leaf Clear Qi pill furnace. Eventually, fire energy rose, completely burning the herbs, while strands of medicinal force were bound within it.
Then, Zhou Xuan clenched his hand, and the pill furnace rapidly shrank, turning back into Clear Qi and returning into his body, presumably settling onto his Divine Ability Bone.
Some medicinal powder residue was spilled out, scattering with the wind.
After waiting for about one shichen, Zhou Xuan suddenly let out a soft breath, which actually contained a faint pill fragrance. He extended his palm, and Clear Qi surged out, once again transforming into the pill furnace.
But this time, several round pills appeared inside the furnace.
Zhou Xuan took them out and casually tossed them to Lu Ming.
Lu Ming caught the freshly refined pills in surprise and found that they were actually Bone Refining Pills.
“I refined them rather crudely, so the grade is quite low, only Low-grade. If I spent some time nurturing them and refined them seriously, High-grade wouldn't be difficult,” Zhou Xuan said casually.
Lu Ming's heart skipped a beat. He finally understood why alchemists were so highly sought after. Although these Low-grade Bone Refining Pills were no different from waste pills in Zhou Xuan's eyes, if they were given to the disciples of the Thunderfire Hall, they would be regarded as treasures.
However, Lu Ming also understood that although Zhou Xuan's refinement of these Bone Refining Pills looked incredibly simple, it was only possible because his attainment in the Dao of Alchemy had reached an astonishing level.
“Your pill refinement is truly fluid and natural, Ward Master, possessing the demeanor of a grandmaster. I wonder when I will be able to reach such a level,” Lu Ming flattered happily.
Beside them, Zhou Fuling teased, “You haven't even crossed the threshold yet, and you're already thinking of becoming an Alchemy Master? I've been studying the Dao of Alchemy with Fourth Uncle for two years, and even now, I've barely cultivated the 'True Explanation of the Six Refinements of Clear Qi' to the Double Refinement, only capable of reluctantly refining some low-grade pills.”
Low-grade pills, such as Bone Refining Pills, were pills required by divine ability practitioners.
“I will first impart the 'True Explanation of the Six Refinements of Clear Qi' to you.”
Zhou Xuan reached out and plucked a palm-sized leaf of Clear Qi from the lotus-leaf pill furnace. Then, he had Lu Ming extend a finger, pricked a drop of fresh blood from his fingertip, and let it drip into the leaf to merge with it.
Only then did he hand the leaf to Lu Ming.
“The 'True Explanation of the Six Refinements of Clear Qi' is recorded inside. This leaf will exist for seven days, and only you can sense the alchemy divine ability within it. After seven days, the leaf will dissipate. If you can condense a sliver of spiritual sense from your consciousness, refine your first wisp of Clear Qi, and catalyze the pill furnace, then you will have mastered the basics.”
Lu Ming hastily caught the leaf. It felt cool to the touch and did not seem like a physical object, which was quite mystical.
“Thank you, Ward Master.” Lu Ming showed his gratitude. This senior was actually quite generous, directly teaching him this invaluable alchemy divine ability without stringing him along at all. Truly magnanimous.
“From now on, you must come over every day at noon. I will draw the golden runes for you to cultivate the Golden Sun Flame Banner until you master the basics,” Zhou Xuan said.
Lu Ming naturally agreed.
Having done all this, Zhou Xuan intended to take his leave, but Lu Ming took the opportunity to speak up: “Ward Master, I have one more matter. I wonder if I might trouble you with a question?”
“What is it?”
Lu Ming then recounted the incident of the Thunderfire Hall's medicinal garden being ransacked by the Peach Mountain Bandits.
“The Peach Mountain Bandits? Has that cancer crawled out to do evil again?” Zhou Xuan's brow furrowed slightly upon hearing this. Clearly, he was also aware of this notorious group of bandit cultivators entrenched in the Qingyuan Ward area.
“Ward Master, the Peach Mountain Bandits are truly detestable. You have only recently taken office, yet they already dare to commit crimes. This is a clear sign of disrespect toward you, an attempt to undermine your authority. I believe this trend must not be allowed to grow. We must deter them with thunderous methods, lest other bandit cultivators think the Qingyuan Ward Office is weak, leading to even greater plundering,” Lu Ming said solemnly.
Zhou Xuan was amused, staring at Lu Ming with a half-smile. “Are you sure this is directed at me, and not at your Thunderfire Hall?”
“As the esteemed Baili Lord, Ward Master, the Peach Mountain Bandits causing trouble on your territory is undoubtedly a slap to your face as well,” Lu Ming argued plausibly.
“If you wish to eradicate this evil, Ward Master, our Thunderfire Hall is willing to lend our strength to help you rid us of this pest!”
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