Chapter 233

The waterfall was like a slender white silk ribbon, hanging down between the mountains, as if falling from the Nine Heavens. At this moment, several figures were walking below, admiring it.

One side was the local yaoguai king, pretending to be respectful to the virtuous, while the others were Daoists and martial artists who had come from afar, also engaging in false pleasantries. Only one fox, pure of heart, stood below the waterfall searching for the source of the water.

"In ancient times, the Spirit Origin Pill was also called the Silver Spirit Pill. It is a top-grade immortal elixir that can assist in cultivation. My King may not know this, but in the art of alchemy, cinnabar, lead, mercury, gold, silver, jade, and stone are all common materials. And this Spirit Origin Pill is a type of elixir that requires a large amount of silver."

Long Wang listened and nodded secretly.

He had long heard from his military advisor that alchemy required cinnabar, lead, mercury, gold, silver, jade, and stone, and he had also heard from General Rat that the Spirit Origin Pill required a large amount of silver.

"However, although silver is already precious enough, among the materials for the Spirit Origin Pill, it is only the most inconspicuous carrier. It requires countless rare alchemy materials and must be refined by someone with high attainments in the Dao of alchemy. Therefore, although I know the formula for the Spirit Origin Pill and understand its refining method, I am troubled by the difficulty of finding the materials, so I have refined very few."

"For the honored guest to take such a precious elixir and give it to me as a birthday gift, I truly feel deeply honored."

Long Wang thought for a moment before saying:

"However, I also know that such immortal elixirs are destined to be encountered by chance but not sought. My face is not thick enough to ask the honored guest for more. This time, I wish to ask the honored guest for help."

"Oh?"

"Previously, my military advisor also loved alchemy and left behind an excellent alchemy furnace. I will provide the materials; how about the Daoist refines another furnace for me? I can give the Daoist a generous reward; gold, silver, and treasures are yours to choose."

Long Wang observed him while speaking.

But he saw that there was no hint of fear or anxiety on the Daoist's face; he only said: "We are practitioners of the Dao; gold, silver, and treasures are only used for refining elixirs, so what use are they to us?"

It seems he really knows how to refine the Spirit Origin Pill.

Long Wang thought to himself, then changed his tune: "Or if the elixir is produced, the Daoist can take a cut from it."

"Hmm?"

Lin Jue seemed moved.

Luo Seng, standing behind, remained silent.

The junior sister also dared not say a word; she knew that such a stage was beyond her personal capabilities, fearing that if she said one wrong word, it would arouse Long Wang's suspicion.

She could only listen silently in the back as her senior brother and Long Wang conversed.

But until this moment, her senior brother had not said a single lie.

"What does the Daoist think?"

Long Wang asked, striking while the iron was hot.

"This elixir is hard to refine. When I refine a furnace of elixir, it takes several days of hard work, and I can only produce four," Lin Jue said, revealing a look of difficulty.

"How about the Daoist takes one?"

"Hmm..."

Lin Jue's look of difficulty grew, and finally, he turned back to look at his junior sister, as if consulting her.

The junior sister had a blank expression.

Lin Jue seemed thoughtful and nodded, as if he had made a decision:

"Very well, very well. Taking one is too little, but taking two is too much. I do not have such a thick face.

"Fortunately, I have received the King's courtesy. Even though I once had a feud with the King's general, the King can distinguish right from wrong and does not make things difficult for us; this can be considered a favor. We are not people who do not know etiquette. For the sake of this favor, if the King can truly gather all the materials, what harm is there in spending a few days refining a furnace for the King?"

The junior sister nodded silently behind him.

Long Wang was overjoyed: "I wonder what materials are needed?"

"Each pill requires ten taels of silver. A furnace produces four pills. Including the loss, fifty taels are needed," Lin Jue said truthfully.

"That is no problem," Long Wang said boldly. "Although I have not deliberately collected human wealth, I am not lacking in gold and silver."

"Ten types of top-grade heavenly treasures are needed, belonging to different yin/yang and five elements categories," Lin Jue still said truthfully. "Only then will the Spirit Origin Pill have enough spiritual energy to increase cultivation."

"That should also be no problem."

Long Wang frowned slightly and then said: "My birthday is every ten years. The yaoguai officials and yaoguai people within my territory come to offer tribute and gifts. Most of what they give are various heavenly treasures; I have gathered at least two or three hundred types."

"The King's wealth is indeed substantial."

"That settles it, then?"

"If that is the case, it is not hard to find."

"What else is needed?"

"We also need people skilled in the method of gathering, who can painstakingly collect the spiritual aura of mountains and rivers, the essence of the sun and moon, and even human energy; only then will it increase cultivation," Lin Jue said.

"This..."

Long Wang frowned deeply at this:

"What is the method of gathering? How to collect the spiritual aura of mountains and rivers, the essence of the sun and moon? And how to collect human energy? Is yaoguai energy acceptable?"

"Human energy is acceptable, and yaoguai energy is also acceptable, but it is best to combine the two," Lin Jue said. "If you do not want to go to the trouble, human energy can be replaced by the fresh fingernails and hair of living people, and yaoguai energy can be replaced by the life essence blood nurtured by yaoguai. As for the spiritual aura of mountains and rivers and the essence of the sun and moon, if you do not want to collect them slowly, you can set up an array to obtain them, but the array often changes and requires manpower."

The junior sister could not help but glance at Lin Jue.

Long Wang listened, understanding only half, and tried to comprehend it seriously.

"I do have some living people here, but they are intended to be eaten at tomorrow's grand banquet. I wonder when the Daoist will need them for alchemy? And how many?"

"A fair amount is needed. Why doesn't the King keep them, so as not to be caught unprepared when the time comes and have to go catch more?"

"This..."

"The essence blood must also be fresh; the higher the quality, the better. If you eat it yourself, your own is the best," Lin Jue left it to him to decide. "Eh, come to think of it, the King does not seem to be lacking in any of these things."

"That is true..."

"Then there is only the last thing."

"What is it?"

"Gold essence," Lin Jue observed him. "Also, the higher the quality, the better."

"Need to use gold essence?"

"Yes..."

Lin Jue observed Long Wang's expression; it was not hard to see that he indeed had gold essence in his possession, and it should be top-grade gold essence.

However, seeing Long Wang clearly hesitating, he was not in a hurry and calmly changed his tune:

"But it is not used as an alchemy material; it is only used to suppress the energy."

"How so?"

"The Spirit Origin Pill is also known as the Silver Spirit Pill. This type of top-grade elixir is full of spirituality and easily dissipates. Even after it is formed, it must be consumed as soon as possible, otherwise, the spiritual aura will dissipate very quickly. Before it is formed, it is even more necessary to suppress the spiritual energy within the pill," Lin Jue said. "When I was in my sect, the alchemy room had a great array that could naturally suppress the spiritual energy. Now that there is no great array, I have to use gold to suppress the silver."

"Use gold to suppress silver?"

Long Wang listened, stunned.

The junior sister was the same.

"It means placing the gold essence on top of the alchemy furnace; the silver spirit energy within the pill will feel fear and naturally will not dare to escape."

"Makes sense, makes sense," Long Wang breathed a sigh of relief. "To tell the Daoist the truth, I really do have a piece of gold essence here, weighing two liang in the hand, but weighing several hundred jin when released."

"Really?"

"Naturally."

"I really underestimated the King," Lin Jue said. "I thought that even if the King could gather the materials, it would take some time."

"Heh..."

Long Wang laughed.

During the conversation, Long Wang had already led them through the cave and into another stone cave.

This stone cave was also extremely wide and tall, with yin/yang patterns carved on the floor, an alchemy furnace placed in the middle, some wooden shelves placed far away against the walls, and heavenly light spilling down from the ceiling.

"This is my military advisor's former alchemy room. This alchemy furnace was obtained by me by chance and gifted to him. It can be large or small; large, it can be a zhang wide, and small, it can be held in the arms. I wonder what the Daoist thinks?"

"Can be large or small?"

Lin Jue walked casually to the center of the room.

This was a golden, big-bellied alchemy furnace, a common style, entirely golden as if cast from copper, with three legs and two ears, the whole body covered in auspicious cloud carvings.

If it really could be large or small, it would be convenient to carry.

"Exactly!"

Long Wang said as such.

"That is truly a treasure," Lin Jue withdrew his gaze and continued to observe the surroundings. "This place is also wide enough to use giant stones to set up an array."

"I will follow the Daoist's arrangements entirely."

"Hmm."

"When can the Daoist refine the elixir?"

Long Wang turned his head again, his vertical pupils looking at Lin Jue.

"Since everything is prepared, why delay?" Lin Jue was very frank. "A day is not as good as the present. The King should quickly go and fetch the materials, dig up eight square stones a zhang and three wide, invite a soldier or a strong yaoguai to come and set up the array, and invite a general skilled in fire techniques to come and light the fire. I will begin now, so that the King can see my skills and repay the King's favor."

"Oh?"

"Is there any inconvenience?"

Lin Jue asked him in return.

"No inconvenience, no inconvenience," Long Wang's last bit of suspicion vanished. As he spoke, he walked out. "I will go and arrange it now."

Just after walking a few steps, he stopped and turned back.

In fact, just now when he asked Lin Jue for advice on the Spirit Origin Pill and heard Lin Jue talk about the materials, seeing him speak with such authority, and seeing his general eat a Spirit Origin Pill and increase his cultivation, he no longer had any doubts about Lin Jue. Seeing Lin Jue really about to refine the elixir, he naturally had no more doubts.

At this moment, he really could not help but say to Lin Jue in advance:

"Since the Daoist also loves alchemy and has the skills for it, and I happen to be the master of all yaoguai and ghosts here, why doesn't the Daoist stay here to cultivate? You and I can refine elixirs together; why worry about not becoming an immortal?"

Luo Seng stood to the side, holding his sword.

The junior sister secretly glanced at Lin Jue.

Lin Jue, however, shook his head and politely declined: "We appreciate the King's kindness, but we have always been of a free and easy nature, fond of traveling through mountains and waters, seeing the wonders and strange sights of the world, and truly do not want to restrain ourselves."

The junior sister scratched her head.

"What a pity," a gleam of light flashed in Long Wang's eyes; clearly, he would not let them go, but he did not reveal it at this moment, only continuing to persuade them, "The Daoist can have whatever he wants."

This gleam of light was just seen by the junior sister.

Lin Jue, however, still shook his head: "King, please do not make things difficult for us."

"Is there no other room for negotiation?"

"Other negotiation..."

"Hmm?"

Long Wang sensed Lin Jue's hesitation and also had the intention to emulate those enlightened masters in human history who were respected for being respectful to the virtuous, so he immediately asked: "What does the Daoist want?"

"To tell the King the truth, that General Rat under the King's command has a feud with me, and we are already at odds. If the King can eliminate him for me, I would be willing to stay here and refine elixirs for the King for three years," Lin Jue finally relented and said.

"Three years?"

"Three years!"

Long Wang revealed a look of difficulty: "That General Rat also came from afar to join me; how can I do such a thing?"

"Does the King really not suspect him?"

"Oh?"

"Then forget it," Lin Jue pointed out, then said no more, only adding, "But why doesn't the King think about it? That General Rat and we have an irreconcilable blood feud. The King wants us to stay, but whether it is I or that General Rat, how can we work together?"

"This..."

"Furthermore, the Spirit Origin Pill is a rare immortal elixir in the world that can be consumed repeatedly to increase cultivation. It is no small matter. That General Rat already knows about this; is the King really not afraid that he will leak the news again?"

"..."

Long Wang immediately fell silent.

After a long time, he said: "Let me think about it."

"The King should consider it carefully. We will finish refining this furnace of elixir for the King first, which can be considered repaying the King's favor," Lin Jue said. "No matter what the King decides, at worst, we will just leave when the time comes. Perhaps one day in the future we will meet elsewhere, and we can still be considered old acquaintances."

"Five years!"

"Agreed!"

Long Wang walked away quickly.

The three of them remained there, looking at each other, and then sat down cross-legged.

Not long after, Long Wang sent small yaoguai to bring many heavenly treasures for them to choose from, and also sent a pile of silver, which dazzled them.

Eight square stones a zhang and a half wide were used to set up the array; it is said that Long Wang did it himself, spending a lot of energy to open them from the great mountain, and then had General Rhino push them in one by one. To move them in, Long Wang used his supernatural powers to widen the cave passage quite a bit.

The captured mortals were also left behind.

The gold essence was also sent over.

Immortal Chicken was sent to tend the fire for them.

Refining this elixir is indeed a waste of people and effort.