https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-900-Self-Created-Dan-Technique-Xuan-Yan/13111302/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-902-Fire-Marrow-Reappears-Yin-Yang-Dan-Formation/13111361/
Chapter 901: Returning to the Past, Back to Dust
Chapter 901: Returning to the Past, Back to Dust
The trial at the Pill Sage Hall seemed to have caused no stir within the Abyss Sect.
After all, there were barely any spectators on the Pill Sage Mountain.
But this was merely a superficial phenomenon.
Since Zhu Yan was not a figure suitable for public mention within the Abyss Sect, how could they openly show their eagerness for her legacy? In reality, countless entities were secretly monitoring the situation.
Whoever obtained the Dan Sheng inheritance would undoubtedly inherit the position of the Pill Sage Hall Master, leading all Dan Dao affairs within the Abyss Sect.
Perhaps even hundreds of years later, they would become a transcendent Dan Dao master like Zhu Yan!
Who would dare to truly ignore such a potential grandmaster?
Lu Chun's elimination was somewhat swift, but the overall result did not surprise anyone.
After all, he was not a direct disciple of Dan Sheng, and the Dan Dao scriptures he possessed were merely a fraction of what the Zhu family had, not to mention his restless mind. The title of a small grandmaster was more of a flattery bestowed upon him by others.
Which grandmaster could only refine two or three types of fourth-grade Dan Yao?
As for Xinyan Sheng, it was common knowledge that his foundation was shallow. The fact that he lasted longer than Lu Chun was already an exceptional display of his Dan Dao talent.
The remaining three were the ones who held the most promise.
However, everything changed when Xuan Yan appeared and entered the Pill Sage Hall without any obstruction.
"Didn't he say he wouldn't interfere with the Dan Sheng inheritance anymore?"
"At such an old age, he could fly away on a crane at any moment. If he doesn't get the inheritance, it's fine, but if he does, it will only harm our Abyss Sect."
"We can't let him take Zhu Yan's inheritance to the grave!"
"The Patriarch is confused!"
"It's hard to say about this matter. Isn't there another direct disciple of Xuan Yan who went to the Million Great Mountains to gather herbs? It's said that he doesn't show off, but he has indeed reached the small grandmaster realm. If he obtains the inheritance and passes it on to his disciples, we won't be left empty-handed."
"Er... What's your relationship with the cultivators from Xuan Yan Peak?"
"We can mend the relationship afterward!"
These secret discussions among the cultivators, to some extent, also represented the shared thoughts of the three patriarchs of the Abyss Sect.
The Dan Sheng inheritance was there for the taking, and whoever got it would have it. After all, the meat was already in the pot.
The prerequisite was to take it out! If a promising junior obtained it, that would be ideal.
Even if the aged Xuan Yan got it, as long as the inheritance could be passed on, it wouldn't be a big deal.
...
Unaware of the outside world's gossip, the four individuals in the Pill Sage Hall were fully immersed in the challenging second trial.
"Dong!"
A dull sound suddenly reverberated through the empty room.
Zhu Yu opened the furnace lid with a heavy heart.
As expected, the inside was pitch-black, devoid of any signs of clarity and purity.
She lifted her hand and stared blankly at her own jade-like white hands.
"Is it still not working?"
The ancestor had left many things for the Zhu family, including Dan Dao scriptures, pill formulas, pill refining tools, and even three Wu Yuan Fires, which were the most crucial for pill refinement. Most of these treasures were taken by the sect, leaving only some pill refining insights for the Zhu family to transcribe.
Zhu Yu relied on these pill refining insights to gradually explore and achieve the grandmaster realm at the age of less than four hundred.
But the most significant gain was not these!
After failing the trial at the Pill Sage Hall the last time, she went back and meticulously studied the pill refining insights left by her ancestor. From them, she vaguely discovered a hidden pill technique.
It was a seemingly ordinary technique but, in reality, a composite technique composed of dozens of basic pill techniques! After initially acquiring it, Zhu Yan spent some effort cultivating it. Only after entering the realm did she realize that this technique was not meant for pill refinement but for decomposing materials.
She didn't understand the purpose of such a technique at first.
However, after passing the first trial this time, she finally understood its significance.
There were countless heavenly treasures in the world, all of which could be used as medicinal ingredients by pill refiners.
The saying, "Refining heaven, earth, and man," was not an empty boast!
Yet, there was only one heaven, one earth, and one man.
Many of these heavenly treasures with immense power were unique in the world.
Once they were used for pill refinement and failed, pill refiners often had to wait for hundreds or even thousands of years, or even their entire lives, for a second chance to obtain another suitable heavenly treasure.
They could only lament their missed opportunity, like a skilled cook unable to prepare a meal without rice.
In such a situation, the pill technique left by the ancestor Zhu Yan became incredibly important.
By decomposing the required primary materials from failed pills through reverse refinement techniques, they could have a second or even a third chance.
Moreover, for some lost pill formulas, they could also reverse-refine existing pills to decompose and identify the original materials, thereby deducing the original formula.
This was the significance of the pill technique named "Returning to the Past."
It was a pity that Zhu Yu only fully understood its importance at this moment.
"If I master this technique and then participate in the trial, the second trial will be a walk in the park for me!"
"I'm just upset that Luo Chen's arrival caused the trial to start early..."
This resentment was fleeting.
Chu Yu couldn't deceive herself; she hadn't paid much attention to that Dan technique earlier.
Her Dan Dao realm was still in the stage of continuous advancement, so how could she be enthusiastic about a Dan technique that reverted to its original form?
Moreover, even if she had devoted her energy to learning that technique, she would have struggled to pass the first gate.
"I wonder how Luo Chen is doing over there?"
"It would be funny if you were stopped at the second gate after the Dan Temple opened early for you."
Although there was no resentment, there was still some lingering grudge.
Chu Yu shook her head, waved her hand, and scattered the pile of medicinal dregs in the pill furnace.
She had failed and couldn't continue any further.
She had no choice but to return the way she came.
In the hall, a gentle surge of spiritual power enveloped her and pulled her outside.
She didn't resist, so there was no chance of injury.
But as she crossed the first trial, she was surprised to see a large amount of dense white light flying in the same direction.
The two passed each other, and a ruddy-faced elder nodded at her amicably.
It was Xuan Yan! Chu Yan was astonished, but she instinctively offered her respects, "May your Dan Dao flourish!"
"Haha, the future is yours. May your Dan Dao flourish!"
Xuan Yan laughed and took a step into the second gate.
At this moment, only a few days had passed since he entered the hall.
...
"Being a step ahead is only temporary; reaching the finish line first is what makes a hero."
"Luo Chen, your foundation is just too weak!"
In a grand hall filled with scorching heat, Chen Mozzi's exhausted expression was filled with delight.
He had reached the third gate! The first gate took him a year.
The second gate, however, had kept him trapped for two whole years!
But for him, this was an extraordinarily fast pace.
If not for his previous trial's failure, which allowed him to prepare in advance, he might not have been able to cross this second gate even by the end of the trial.
Chen Mozzi's gaze swept across the hall, and he wasn't surprised.
This was because the arrangement of the hall was a common sight for pill refiners.
The earth fire pit, bellows, and human-shaped puppets...
This was the standard setup for a high-level pill refiner's personal refining room in the Abyss Sect.
The only difference was that the space was larger, allowing multiple pill refiners to refine pills together.
"What's the challenge for the third gate?"
Chen Mozzi was extremely curious because he had never reached the third gate himself.
In the entire Abyss Sect, only Xuan Yan had ever been there.
Just as his curiosity peaked, the earth fire in the hall rose, forming a pill formula in the void that only he could see.
"Refine a new pill?"
"Fourth-grade?"
"It's a bit troublesome, but it's manageable. It's not difficult for me."
Chen Mozzi felt a huge burden lifted, as if he had already seen himself passing this gate.
But just as he was about to start, he suddenly froze.
"Are the conditions this harsh?"
...
Second Gate, in an empty room.
The white-robed Daoist sat cross-legged, surrounded by medicinal dregs.
The neatly combed hair, which had been meticulously styled by Hui Niang, was now disheveled and messy.
His golden pupils shone brightly, but his sclera was filled with blood vessels.
These blood vessels were not caused by the activation of Yuan Li but were a sign of mental exhaustion and overthinking.
At this moment, the white-robed Daoist stared blankly at the medicinal dregs in front of him, muttering to himself.
Not a single mistake, not a single hair out of place, not a single change in appearance, not a single word in the book...
"So close, so close, yet still so close."
"Where did I go wrong?"
Suddenly, his nostrils twitched, and he sniffed the void.
Amidst the chaotic scents, he detected a familiar fragrance.
Luo Chen was startled and waved his hand.
Instantly, a clump of failed reverse-refined medicinal dregs fell in front of him.
Looking down, Luo Chen instantly understood.
This was a third-grade Dan Yao called Bai Zhi Gao, specifically used to remove cold energy. It had excellent therapeutic effects for patients suffering from extreme cold energy.
The main ingredient of this Bai Zhi Gao was a group of special water-attributed medicinal materials, including Xi Bai Zhi, Qi Lian, and Luan Liu Ping.
He remembered that his reverse refinement had failed.
But why could he still smell a hint of Qi Lian's fragrance?
"Qi Lian has the characteristic of remaining pure even in muddy waters. How could there still be a Qi Lian fragrance after failure?"
Luo Chen curiously fiddled with the medicinal dregs, using his unformed Dan technique to remove the remaining impurities, eventually obtaining a clump of charred liquid.
Staring at this liquid, Luo Chen fell into deep thought.
After a while, Luo Chen had an epiphany, as if he had been enlightened.
His face lit up with joy.
"That's it!"
"That's it!"
"The previous me only focused on the form, not the intent, and was too deliberate in pursuing the original appearance of the medicinal ingredients."
"But in reality, we pill refiners often refine pills for specific substances within the medicinal ingredients.
"The essence of selecting medicinal ingredients lies in recognizing their true nature, regardless of their form."
"Just as cultivators absorb and expel heavenly spirit energy to cultivate formidable power, but upon their demise, their Nascent Soul scatters, and that immense power returns to its essence, becoming stray spirit energy in the heavens."
"When dust returns to dust and earth to earth, even the most glorious splendor eventually becomes a handful of fine sand."
"What I seek is not the pearls that make up the crown, but merely the purest grains of sand!"
"Therefore, this technique shouldn't be like this; it should be..."
In his moment of ecstasy, Luo Chen's hand seals suddenly changed, and he gently wiped the charred liquid.
This wipe was like a groom lifting the veil to see his beautiful bride, as if the wind blew away dark clouds to reveal a bright moon. Luo Chen finally saw the essence of the scent.
A faint white color appeared and disappeared.
There was a faint fragrance of Qi Lian floating in the air!
As spiritual power was infused, a lotus flower slowly emerged.
At this moment, on the attribute panel that had been silent for a long time, a line of words slowly appeared.
[Unknown Dan Technique Entry 1/100]
Luo Chen felt as if all his strength had been drained, and he slumped to the ground, staring at the white lotus with a wide grin.
"Let's call it the Gui Chen Technique!"
When dust returns to dust and earth to earth, by using this technique, one can perceive the essence hidden beneath the splendor.
From now on, the majority of pills in the world would no longer hold any mystery for him, even those he had never seen before!
And next...
Luo Chen's gaze swept over the remaining two dozen pills, his eyes filled with anticipation.
These pills were at least third-grade, and most of them were even fourth-grade.
If he remembered correctly, these pills were refined using various medicinal ingredients, enough to cover the ones from the previous failed attempts.
The Dan Sheng Hall Trial could continue!
...
Half a year later, in the brightly lit main hall, a cloud of smoke suddenly appeared.
Chen Mozzi, seated on the ground with a worried expression, looked up and saw a man in a white robe appear.
His black hair, casually draped over his shoulders, showed signs of fatigue, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.
At this moment, he was curiously examining the hall.
In his eyes, which had a faint golden glow, it seemed as if there were no secrets in the world.
It was indeed Luo Chen!
Chen Mozzi opened his mouth, filled with bitterness.
He couldn't believe that Luo Chen had passed the second trial! Initially, he had underestimated Luo Chen, thinking that passing the first trial was already a genius given Luo Chen's foundation.
But now, it seemed that passing the first two trials on the first attempt was far beyond genius! "You truly live up to the name of the Pill Sect!" he said softly.
Hearing this, Luo Chen turned his gaze towards Chen Mozzi and nodded slightly.
"My friend, you flatter me. You are ahead of me."
Chen Mozzi shook his head, not wanting to explain how much preparation he had done for the second trial.
Luo Chen asked curiously, "What is the third trial about?"
This time, Chen Mozzi didn't hold back and replied casually, "Pill refinement!"
Luo Chen was taken aback, and then he smiled.
Pill refinement!
For him, it was as simple as it could be.
As long as he had the materials...
As the fire rose, characters formed.
Luo Chen looked up, raising his eyebrows, but the more he watched, the more serious his expression became.
When the fire curtain dissipated, Luo Chen turned to Chen Mozzi again.
No wonder Chen Mozzi had arrived at this pill refinement hall early but hesitated and didn't take action.
He never expected the third trial to be so demanding!
"Take the original materials from the previous reverse refinement and refine a fourth-grade pill."
"The specific pill doesn't matter, but you only get one chance!"
It was common knowledge that controlling the success rate of pill refinement was extremely difficult.
To refine a pill with a success rate was already considered impressive.
Achieving a success rate of two to three out of ten would be worthy of the title of Pill Master.
For masters like Chen Mozzi and Zhu Yu, the success rate could be stabilized at around fifty percent, and that was for relatively lower-grade pills that they were more familiar with.
How difficult was it to succeed in one attempt?
Even for Luo Chen, who was known for refining a hundred pills with precision, he had never dared to claim that he could refine a fourth-grade pill on the first try.
When refining pills for others, he often requested a large quantity of raw materials.
And this time, he had to create the pill formula himself!
"With such a trial, even with my attribute panel's help, there's still a ninety percent chance of failure!"
Luo Chen found himself in a difficult situation.
Creating the pill formula was one challenge, and ensuring success on the first try was another. Who in the world could solve these problems? In his life, the number of times he had succeeded in refining an unfamiliar pill formula on the first attempt could be counted on one hand.
The third trial seemed like an open-book test, simple and familiar to every pill refinement master, yet no one could guarantee success.
Just as the two of them were deep in thought, a hearty laughter of an old man echoed into the hall.
"My friends, why hesitate? Don't you have faith in yourselves?"
(End of Chapter)
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