Li Ximing raised his brows slightly. The place was immensely grand, with feathers scattered everywhere. At the center stood a throne as large as a small hill, covered in golden True Fire patterns. In the middle was a perfect hexagon, while the golden light of the formation circulated above, reflecting off everything in dazzling harmony.
Having witnessed the wonders of the Realm of Sun and Moon Radiance, this place, though grand, lacked some profundity for Li Ximing. The only thing that truly drew his attention was the large words on the pillars to either side. Their strokes moved like dragons, glowing crimson. They seemed casually written, yet perfectly natural, making it impossible to look away.
True Fire bends the pillar, yet invites the Radiant path. With four methods to question one's nature, how can one speak of reaching the ultimate!
Li Ximing glanced over it, committing it to memory, then turned toward the formation and said with a smile, "I wonder about the feathers in this hall..."
The woman showed a trace of melancholy and replied, "They were left behind by my father, shed before his breakthrough..."
Li Ximing nodded inwardly and asked, "May I borrow some of them?"
Huoyang smiled. "Use them as you wish. Our kind has large true forms. Each time we shed feathers, countless spirit feathers fall... but after seven days, they lose most of their spiritual energy."
Li Ximing did not mind much and turned his attention to the fire vein.
The alchemy method he used, the [Heaven's Will Single-Intent Method], formed pills through intent. Though these feathers were not especially precious, they were shed by a Purple Mansion Realm great demonic beast before its breakthrough, and their inherent rank was far from ordinary.
The fire vein here is indeed pure True Fire and extremely refined... truly a rarity in this world. Who knows how many generations of demonic creatures cultivated it. Zhijing Mountain cannot compare, and even in Jiangnan such a thing is seldom seen...
His mind settled at once.
"With the fire vein of True Fire as the parents, supported by the flames of True Fire, and Radiant Fire as the pill, the middle daughter, the alchemy is complete."
This principle was easy to find, but the balance was exceedingly difficult to control. He took Huoyang's feathers and a drop of her blood essence before having the three stand guard outside. Then, he brought out the Treasure-Elephant Furnace. Using the intent of parent and child to correspond with the leaf and flower aspects of the [Surging Radiant Treasure Leaf] and the [Scarlet Shearwater Heart-Linked Flower], he ignited the furnace and began refining.
The three-phase fires surged, and the sky shifted in color. The two demonic creatures and one man chatted outside. After more than half a month, a faint golden mist drifted from the hall, refreshing to the senses, accompanied by the chirping of birds. Even the attendants nearby could not help but slow their steps and take deeper breaths. Huoyang turned her head silently, her thoughts drifting with quiet anticipation.
She did possess spiritual flames, but the inheritance left by her elders had long been taken away by her brother. The few treasures she had were already spent. It had been who knew how long since she had used a high-quality spirit pill...
Another half month passed before the man in white golden robes flew out from the hall, smiling. "Fellow Daoists!"
.bg-ssp-10081{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} Huoyang shot to her feet. In his hands was a jade box, and upon its golden silk lining lay eight spirit pills. Each spirit pill was encircled by birds and adorned with radiant feather patterns. Every fine strand of down was clearly defined, emitting a soft glow. If one listened closely, faint chirping could even be heard.
All three were filled with astonishment. Fuxun and Huoyang each rejoiced in their own way, while even Liu Changdie stroked his beard and sighed inwardly, Even in my previous life, I knew his alchemy was extraordinary. But after reaching the Purple Mansion Realm, he has risen to another level. Eight pills in a single furnace... calling him the best in Jiangnan may be an exaggeration, but he leaves all others far behind!
Li Ximing smiled and said, "This pill is called the [Feather-Embracing Heart-Joining Pill]. It is a Radiant Fire pill born from True Fire. It perfectly suits your Dao. It can awaken your bloodline, enhance your innate abilities, and harmonize your Dao lineage. It is tailored specifically for you. Others would gain far less from it!"
Huoyang was overjoyed. She examined the pills closely. Both their quality and quantity far exceeded her expectations, not to mention their unique craftsmanship and perfect compatibility with her. With just a single breath, she knew they would greatly benefit her divine ability and shorten her years of cultivation.
With this, the trade became even more advantageous. She said happily, "Even the skills of Yanque[1] in his time would have to be compared to yours through exchange to determine superiority, Fellow Daoist!"
She carefully put away the box, then raised her sleeves, which resembled feathered wings, and lifted them lightly.
"Go!"
An apricot-red flame flew out from her sleeve, transforming midair into a palm-sized apricot-red spirit sparrow. Its eyes were black and bright, full of vitality. It perched on her fingertip, lifting its beak to look at the others.
Though she knew she had to part with it, spiritual flames were precious. She could not help but stroke the little sparrow's head, saying softly, "This is the Purple Mansion Realm Radiant Fire, the [Red Pheasant Surging Radiant Flame]. It transforms baleful forces and harmonizes qi, balances and stirs the profound, embodies the grand qi of the Orthodox Position, dispels calamities, refines metals, and above all nourishes the spirit and stirs the heart. This flame has been with me for over eighty-one years. Today... I gift it to you!"
1. The Daoist Master of Hengzhu Dao Gate around 200 years ago. Check Chapter 1065 and 1072 for more information. ☜
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