Chapter 135: An Earnest Initiation into Elixir Refining

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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On the flying vessel heading to the Southern Province.

Jin So-myeong, who began cultivating in earnest, first recalled the fortuitous opportunity he had experienced in the middle of the desert.

“Since my Dao has filled the world, this is called One Dao Illuminating the Heavens.”

He still could not forget the single strike the Soul Formation stage sword cultivator had shown.

First of all, it was fast.

Since there was a difference in realms, it was only natural, but there was almost nothing visible to Jin So-myeong’s eyes.

The One Dao Illuminating the Heavens was an incredibly swift sword strike.

And furthermore.

It cut down both the giant meteor made of thousands of mountains merged together and the imugi simultaneously.

‘It means the lethality range is incredibly wide…’

This was the part he understood the least.

‘Just how on earth did he do it?’

With a single swing of the sword, everything in sight was sliced away. Had the target been something shoddy, he might have accepted it, but the opponent was also a mighty imugi.

Doesn’t it become brightly lit up all at once when you turn on a light in a dark room?

The One Dao Illuminating the Heavens was exactly like this. It felt as though the slash spread like light and dyed the world.

‘Doesn’t Sword Qi become stronger the more it is compressed? Why did he spread it widely?’

Since a collision between the meteor and the ground would cause tremendous casualties, did he turn it into powder altogether?

Jin So-myeong, who was silently lost in thought, drew his sword and aimed it forward.

*Whoosh!*

A haze rose along the straightly extended blade.

Sword Qi. A sharp energy that could slice even steel like tofu.

That energy, which resembled the heat shimmering on asphalt heated by the sun, became increasingly vivid using his concentration as fuel.

After being compressed again and again, it finally took physical shape and became a translucent blade like glass.

‘This is the limit.’

Beyond this point, too much concentration was consumed. It could not be used in real combat.

Staring at the glass-like film covering the surface of the sword and the vivid Sword Qi, he raised his concentration even further.

He honed his spiritual power sharply to convert it into sharp energy, pushing it into the sword blade while simultaneously compressing it.

*Hummmm!*

The Rank 3 dharma treasure, the Heavenly Heavy Darkrock Sword, vibrated as if it would break. The endlessly thickening Sword Qi began to vomit a goosebump-inducing, intense sharp energy.

Was it because of the sharp energy carried to the extreme?

The formation installed on the cabin wall cracked with a *creak* sound. Even though the Sword Qi had not actually touched it, it could not withstand the sharp energy emitted through the tip of the sword.

Just then.

“Senior. Are you alright? It seems a problem has occurred with the formation.”

Hearing the sound of bustling movement outside the cabin, the voice of a young girl echoed.

Jin So-myeong, who dispersed his Sword Qi, gently pressed between his throbbing eyebrows and replied.

“It is because of my cultivation, so you do not need to worry.”

“Ah! I am sorry for disturbing you.”

“Since this kind of thing will happen occasionally in the future, do not pay it any mind.”

“Yes.”

How long had passed since the serving maid Yeon Cho-ah withdrew? The formation protecting the cabin was restored.

‘Certainly, Sword Qi becomes sharper the more it is compressed.’

After taking a brief rest,

Jin So-myeong, who recovered his concentration, compressed his Sword Qi once more into a glass-film-like form.

*Huuuuum!*

The moment the sword body began to tremble violently.

He drew an image in his head. As if blowing wind into a balloon, he spread the Sword Qi as widely as possible. Taking the tip of the sword as the center point, he expanded it uniformly.

The gradually swelling Sword Qi barrier eventually touched the cabin wall.

*Ssssh…*

When the Sword Qi collided with the formation, a faint vibration was felt.

However, it only trembled and did not collapse. This was because the destructive power of the Sword Qi did not exceed that of the formation.

‘What on earth should I do from here to grow the power of the Sword Qi?’

Jin So-myeong, who had contemplated for quite a long time, closed his eyes.

Up until now, he had fought numerous formidable enemies putting his life on the line.

How many times had he been placed at the crossroads of life and death, where it would not have been strange for anyone to die? He recalled the moments he clashed with enemies while putting his life on the blade one by one…

Before he knew it, all noise ceased.

The intense emotions and momentum he had felt back then was vividly revived. He wished to contain in the Sword Qi the split-second spark that had flared as life and death crossed.

His endlessly elevated mind touched something,

And the Sword Qi he had thought was at its limit took a step forward.

*Boom!*

The formation shattered and collapsed completely.

Along with the sense of accomplishment of having done something, a throbbing headache arrived.

A feeling of depleted mental strength. Jin So-myeong, who sat blankly for a moment, tilted his head.

‘Is this right?’

Should he simply grow the power of the Sword Qi to make it emit strong sharp energy even without being compressed?

It seemed correct in a way, yet not in another.

‘…Should I try cultivating in this direction for now?’

Since there was nothing to lose by the Sword Qi growing stronger anyway.

He sat cross-legged and closed his eyes.

He retraced that split-second moment, wondering why his Sword Qi had suddenly grown stronger. To use it in real combat, he had to be able to reproduce that moment at will.

Just as he was exploring the Sword Qi while recovering his fatigued mind with the Supreme Great Ability.

“What is this clamor!”

A Golden Core cultivator belonging to the Myriad Treasures Tower flew over in a hurry and shouted,

“Ah… the guest told me that this kind of thing will happen occasionally when he is cultivating, so not to pay it any mind.”

“What, that is not a formation that would be destroyed so easily…?”

Through his Divine Sense, he could feel the serving maid Yeon Cho-ah, who was pacing back and forth in front of the cabin, explaining while sweating profusely.

Looking at the girl in trouble, he sent a Voice Transmission.

-It is true that it happened due to my cultivation.

The startled Golden Core cultivator of the Myriad Treasures Tower smiled awkwardly and bowed slightly toward the cabin.

“Ahem, so that was the case. I am sorry for interrupting your cultivation.”

Since it looked like he was tightly holding back something he wanted to say, Jin So-myeong, who contemplated for a moment, sent a storage pouch containing a thousand high-grade spirit stones flying out of the cabin.

-If you happen to need formation repair fees, please use this to add to it.

The corner of the mouth of the Golden Core merchant who caught the storage pouch in confusion twitched.

“Aigoo! You really did not have to give this, as we will maintain the formation on our own, so please cultivate comfortably! Hahaha! Cho-ah! Since the Senior is extremely generous, serve him with all your heart!”

“Uh… yes, yes!”

The girl, who blinked her eyes as if flustered, nodded her head so vigorously that a *swoosh* sound was made.

The Golden Core merchant of the Myriad Treasures Tower vanished as quickly as he had come, and the Qi Condensation girl, who swallowed her saliva, also bowed and withdrew.

Once the noisy area outside the cabin fell quiet, Jin So-myeong sat cross-legged and sank into meditation.

This time, he made efforts to recall the momentum and sharpness he had vaguely felt at the moment the Soul Formation stage sword cultivator displayed the One Dao Illuminating the Heavens.

Strangely, after doing this kind of meditation, although he had not obtained any particular enlightenment, his Sword Qi became sharper.

River and Cloud Sword Art (Mastery 2.77 million / 3 million)

Before he knew it, his proficiency had risen by about 10,000. Thinking it was the right direction, he continued his cultivation.

*

Only when his concentration was depleted to the point of his mind becoming dazed did he stop his sword art training.

After taking a brief rest.

He moved on to elixir refining, which he had recently begun learning in earnest.

To reflect on his goal of learning elixir refining, he pulled out the jade slip containing the recipe for the Nascent Condensation Pill.

[Although the main ingredient of the Nascent Condensation Pill is the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb, it can also be substituted with the Beautiful Sky Grass-Leaf Herb. However, when using the Beautiful Sky Grass-Leaf Herb as the main ingredient, the disadvantage of the Nascent Condensation Pill’s quality lowering…]

This jade slip was obtained from Im So-un’s storage pouch, and the treasures he had obtained from the fellow were many besides the Nascent Condensation Pill recipe.

The moment Jin So-myeong flicked his finger.

The purple cauldron that was in his sub-space popped out.

‘To think that my first obtained Rank 4 dharma treasure… no, Spiritual Treasure, is an elixir furnace.’

When a dharma treasure reaches Rank 4, it is called a Spiritual Treasure.

Purple Sovereign Immortal Elixir Cauldron .

Looking intently at the three-legged purple cauldron, he smacked his lips.

‘Regrettable.’

While it was good to have obtained a Rank 4 elixir furnace, he could not use it directly.

This was because too much spiritual power was consumed, and because the Spiritual Treasure itself possessed a faint spiritual nature, it rejected Jin So-myeong.

To refine elixirs with the Purple Sovereign Immortal Elixir Cauldron, it seemed he would have to raise his realm further and spend a long time completely suppressing the Spiritual Treasure.

‘How arrogant for a mere cauldron.’

*Ting!*

Feeling futilely regretful, he sent flying some Sword Qi to hit it a few times. As expected of a Rank 4 Spiritual Treasure, it was so hard that not even a scratch was made.

Putting the Purple Sovereign Immortal Elixir Cauldron back into his sub-space, he pulled out a Rank 3 highest-grade elixir furnace.

‘Blue Flame Heavenly Cauldron .’

In fact, this cauldron was also a quite good dharma treasure. It was to the extent of being undeserved for a novice elixir refiner like Jin So-myeong to use.

Controlling the flames, preserving the medicinal properties inside the cauldron, and so on. Because it was loaded with useful auxiliary functions when making pills, the success rate of refining increased, and the quality of the pills upon success also improved.

Jin So-myeong, who was satisfied while looking at the Rank 3 highest-grade elixir furnace, concentrated on the Nascent Condensation Pill recipe once more.

He went through the things needed to make the Nascent Condensation Pill one by one.

‘Since I have both the main ingredients, the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb and the Beautiful Sky Grass-Leaf Herb, that’s done…’

He had no worries about the auxiliary ingredients either. Although there were some relatively precious spiritual herbs, because he had so many spirit stones that they were practically rotting, he could buy them all.

‘Is the problem raising my realm of elixir refining and obtaining Rank 4 flames?’

While the realm of elixir refining would be resolved as time passed, the Rank 4 flames were the problem.

Where should he obtain a Nascent Soul-grade flame? It was a headache.

‘I heard that the Glazed Celestial Fire is somewhere in the Dead Soul Wilderness.’

The Glazed Celestial Fire was one of the Rank 4 flames, a mysterious flame that burned eternally without any fuel.

A flame that existed completely on its own like this was called a Sourceless Fire, and if perfectly absorbed, one could handle it at will just like wielding an innate divine ability.

‘It would be convenient when refining elixirs if I had at least one Sourceless Fire.’

However, to find the Glazed Celestial Fire, he had to search through the Dead Soul Wilderness without any proper promise. If he was unlucky, it might take several decades.

Jin So-myeong, who tapped his scabbard like a habit, folded his thoughts about the Sourceless Fire.

‘Let us resolve it later, and first build up my skills in elixir refining.’

If he went forward step by step, a path would be visible. Deciding not to act hastily, he resolved to take things one step at a time starting from what he could do.

*

One month later.

While engrossed in elixir refining, Jin So-myeong suddenly felt the acute need for an assistant.

It was something he realized while making pills: there were many simple, repetitive tasks like preparing ingredients in elixir refining. Having an assistant could save a lot of time.

‘This was the reason why elixir refiners went out of their way to gather and even form sects.’

Having thought of it, he hired an assistant right away. He utilized the Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art to create a new clone.

“Your name is Baek Dan-il.”

“Understood.”

“…Let’s change your appearance a bit. If there are too many clones, it will be confusing later.”

Baek Dan-il cast the Thousand Transformations Art and became a man in his mid-thirties. His straight eyebrows and tightly closed mouth gave the impression of a stubborn scholar.

“Good. Now watch closely and learn. Because your main task in the future will be elixir refining.”

Jin So-myeong, who recalled the recipe for the Qi Condensing Pill, which was a Rank 1 cultivation-use pill, in his head, reached out his hand.

“To make pills, you must first prepare the ingredients. This is the basics.”

He picked up the Three-Color Herb, which was the ingredient for the Qi Condensing Pill, and plucked off the petals one by one. That was while being careful that the petals, which were thinner than oil paper, did not tear.

Afterward, wrapping Sword Qi around his fingertips, he shaved off the bark of the stem. Because there was a weak poison in the bark, it had to be removed meticulously.

The roots had to be dried under the sun for half a month to completely remove moisture, but Jin So-myeong was a Golden Core cultivator. With a single flick of his finger, he could evaporate all moisture.

“Once the ingredient preparation is finished, you must extract the essence contained within and blend them in the appropriate ratio.”

As he raised his spiritual power, the well-dried root became powder, and the petals turned like water, floating in the empty air.

The moment Jin So-myeong made a hand gesture.

All ingredients were sucked into the Rank 3 highest-grade elixir furnace.

*Whoosh!*

As the blue flame rising from his dantian…the Rank 3 flame called Elixir Fire…heated the cauldron, the Qi Condensation-grade ingredients melted in an instant.

‘Oops.’

The ingredients had almost burned entirely. A process that would have taken quite a long time if it were a Rank 1 flame finished in an instant.

“Once you apply external pressure like flame or cold to the essence mixed in the appropriate ratio to amplify the medicinal properties, it’s almost done.”

All that remained was to clump the medicinal properties round and seal it in the form of a pill. Because the medicinal effect would leak out quickly if he neglected the final process, he had to be careful.

After finishing all the processes.

When he opened the lid of the Rank 3 highest-grade elixir furnace, a clear fragrance spread along with thick steam.

A total of six Qi Condensing Pills were visible. Jin So-myeong, who popped one of them into his mouth, raised his senses.

‘There are no side effects… it is well made.’

Calmly observing the medicinal effect flowing along his meridians, he nodded his head.

‘I should be able to make Rank 1 pills easily now.’

Perhaps because he used ingredients generously and possessed Nascent Soul-grade Divine Sense, even elixir refining, which was famous for being difficult, felt manageable.

It seemed fine to slowly move on to the Foundation Establishment level.

‘Hmm, but where do I use this?’

Including the Qi Condensing Pill just completed, Rank 1 pills made for practice over a month had already piled up by the hundreds.

Although they were of no particular use to him, who had already reached the Golden Core stage, perhaps because they were made with care, it felt like a waste to discard them.

Jin So-myeong, who was contemplating, spoke to his assistant, Baek Dan-il, who was standing blankly beside him.

“I heard there is a market on the flying vessel, so go and sell them. With that, buy some Qi Condensing Pill ingredients for you to practice with.”

“Understood.”

With a blunt reply, Baek Dan-il left the cabin.

‘…It should be fine.’

Perhaps because he was the junior of Baek Gwang-il, who had fainted while mining spirit stones, Jin So-myeong was slightly worried, but thinking nothing would happen, he concentrated on cultivation.

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