Chapter 507: Li Yun Dan

The Silver Fox brought Qin Ming to the unconscious woman in palace robes; she gently drew near, sensed her vitality, and let out a breath of relief.

She turned to Qin Ming and pleaded, "She is my mother. I beg you, Elder, to save her."

Qin Ming immediately activated the Yin-Yang Mystery Mirror technique, scanning the woman's body on the cold bed; her dantian and qi sea pulsed with lush emerald vitality, still holding at least two thousand years of lifespan.

Yet her meridians were in chaos—she had forcibly used a forbidden technique, causing qi deviation, her demonic power spiraling out of control, damaging her meridians, and blocking several key acupoints; if not swiftly unblocked and treated, she would die within days.

Such severe injuries would leave any other cultivator helpless.

But Qin Ming still had confidence.

"Luckily you met me—your mother can still be saved," Qin Ming said to the Silver Fox, easing her fears.

The Silver Fox burst into tears of joy, bowing repeatedly to Qin Ming: "Your humble servant thanks you for your great mercy! If you save my mother, I will serve you as beast or slave!"

"No need," Qin Ming said coolly. "Just remember our agreed deal."

Then Qin Ming leapt to an empty patch of ground nearby, took out his alchemy furnace, and began refining the elixir.

He spat out a stream of third-rank top-grade Soul-Devouring Poison Flame, which took the form of a blue phoenix, illuminating the entire cave.

This dazzling spectacle left the Silver Fox stunned, further convinced that this human cultivator could save her mother.

Such a technique was clearly beyond the reach of an ordinary cultivator.

Qin Ming waved his hand, retrieving dozens of third-rank spirit materials from his storage pouch, and began refining the life-saving elixir on the spot.

The elixir he was crafting now was a third-rank superior elixir specifically for treating qi deviation—Li Yun Dan.

The formula had been obtained from Su Yuqing.

This elixir required a third-rank Hua Ling demon fruit as its main ingredient, supplemented by other rare treasures; luckily, Qin Ming already had them in his storage pouch.

Moreover, across the Great Jin, save for a few ancient monsters, only he—a Grand Alchemist of the Elixir Path—could refine it.

Next,

Qin Ming controlled the Soul-Devouring Poison Flame with calm precision, beginning the refinement process.

During this time, he also began absorbing the insights from Su Yuqing's Source Dao Elixir Scripture.

Qin Ming could clearly feel that this scripture had granted his alchemy skills a qualitative leap.

"Brother Su truly deserves the title of alchemy prodigy—only he could comprehend the Elixir Path to a level unseen before and unmatched after."

Time passed slowly.

The Silver Fox waited silently, daring not to breathe, afraid of disturbing Qin Ming's refinement.

Seeing this, the Soul-Devouring Rat walked over and gently patted the Silver Fox's shoulder, soothing her: "Don't worry—my master said he can save her, and he will."

"He's a Grand Alchemist among humans—just one step away from becoming a fourth-rank Elixir King. Even in the Great Jin, there are few like him."

The Silver Fox nodded gratefully.

An entire day passed.

*Ding! A clear chime rang from the alchemy furnace, followed by a burst of five-colored aurora.

Qin Ming's gaze blazed; he raised his hand and summoned two emerald-green elixirs into his palm, their potent aroma radiating, each marked with seven Dao lines.

"Li Yun Dan—completed."

Qin Ming gazed at the two elixirs in his hand, his heart stirred with emotion.

"I never expected to succeed on my first attempt—thanks to the insights from the Source Dao Elixir Scripture."

"Otherwise, I'd have failed several times before succeeding."

The Silver Fox and the Soul-Devouring Rat hurried over, eyes filled with anticipation as they stared at the life-saving elixir in Qin Ming's hand.

"Li Yun Dan—literally, 'Elixir That Restores the Fallen'—its greatest power is to repair your mother's shattered meridians, dissolve the blocked demonic power, dispel her inner demons, and restore normal flow to her dantian."

Qin Ming handed one of the Li Yun Dan to the Silver Fox. "Give it to your mother."

"Once she regains vitality, I'll proceed with further healing."

The Silver Fox wept with joy, bowing deeply: "Your humble servant thanks you for saving her life!"

She swiftly took the elixir, leapt onto the white jade cold bed, gently lifted the woman's head, and slipped the elixir into her mouth.

The Li Yun Dan dissolved instantly; its pure essence spread rapidly through the Silver Moon Sky Fox's limbs and organs.

Moments later, a crimson aura flared across the woman's body.

Her previously shattered meridians were instantly repaired by the elixir's overwhelming power.

The blocked meridians from her qi deviation were cleared, and her demonic power began flowing normally again.

The emerald vitality in her dantian began glowing brightly. Half an hour passed.

The woman's long eyelashes trembled slightly; her nostrils began breathing evenly.

"Mmm~"

With a soft sigh, she opened her starlit eyes and slowly awakened.

Seeing her mother awake, the Silver Fox burst into joy, crying out: "Mother! You're awake! Thank heavens!"

"Cough… Yue'er…" The woman in palace robes gazed at her daughter with tender concern, forcing herself upright on the white jade bed.

The Silver Fox immediately rushed into her arms, weeping softly.

Then the woman's gaze fell upon the strangerly human cultivator nearby, and weakly thanked him: "Thank you, Daoist, for saving my life!"

Though unconscious, she had retained faint awareness—she knew exactly what had transpired.

At the same time, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity toward this human cultivator.

Yet after studying him for a long while, she could discern nothing about him.

Qin Ming smiled faintly. "No need for thanks. I made a prior agreement with your daughter—we simply exchanged what we needed."

The Silver Fox stopped crying and explained the full story to her mother.

"So that's it. Compared to saving my life, a fourth-rank spirit fruit means little. Once I've regained my strength, I'll take you to retrieve it," the woman said weakly.

Qin Ming replied, "Though you've taken my elixir and regained some strength, you're far from fully healed."

"Further treatment is required."

The woman nodded, then suddenly asked, "I possess a unique technique that allows me to sense those I've met before. Daoist, have you concealed your true appearance?"

"Might I see your real face?"

Qin Ming froze, then felt deep surprise—he was certain this was their first meeting.

Yet why was she so certain she had seen him before? After a moment's thought, he dispelled his True Demon Illusion, revealing his ordinary, unremarkable face.

Yet—

The moment the woman in palace robes saw Qin Ming, her eyes filled with utter shock.

"It's you!!"

Qin Ming frowned. "Have we met before? I have no memory of you."

The woman hesitated for several breaths, then explained: "On the day you slew the Green-Faced Poisonous Cobra near the Beast Roar Mountains in Liang State… I was present, speaking with it."

"But our paths diverged—I chose to leave, and it deserved its fate."

"I've long heard of your name in the Southern Wastes, Daoist Qin."

Qin Ming finally recalled—he had assumed his use of the Jade Pendant's Golden Light had made the killing undetectable.

He hadn't realized the Silver Moon Sky Fox had witnessed it.

His eyes flickered; thoughts raced through his mind.

The woman seemed to sense his unease and quickly added: "Daoist Qin, don't misunderstand—I won't speak of this. Had I intended to act, I would have done so that day, not waited until now to tell you."

"Besides, you saved my life, and my daughter's fate rests in your hands."

"Daoist Qin, you needn't worry."

Qin Ming considered her words and found them reasonable.

He shifted the topic: "May I ask your name?"

"I am Yue Lingyan of the Silver Moon Sky Fox clan. Call me Lingyan, Daoist Qin."

Qin Ming nodded. "Lingyan Daoist, then let's proceed with the next stage of treatment."

"I have little interest in your demonic affairs unless they involve me—I only wish to complete our deal swiftly."

"After this, we owe each other nothing. We part ways."

Yue Lingyan hadn't expected Qin Ming to be so direct; she nodded, forcing a faint smile. "Then I am in your hands, Daoist Qin."

Qin Ming landed beside her, expressionless, voice calm as still water: "Lingyan Daoist, please remove your clothing. I must use a technique to restore your injuries."

At these words,

Not only Yue Lingyan, but the Silver Fox and the Soul-Devouring Rat too were stunned into silence.

…

(End of Chapter)