[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dao-dust-pearl":3,"chapter-the-dao-dust-pearl-the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-40":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Dao Dust Pearl",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2359541,4614,"Chapter 40: Chapter Forty: The Supreme Scripture of Elixirs, Artifacts, Talismans, and Arrays","the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-40",40,"\u003Cp>The Supreme Dao’s secret alchemical transmission, known as the Ninefold Elixir Scripture, was the true alchemical lineage of the Supreme Dao Ancestor. Logically, only the Dōulǜ Palace’s foundational method—the Ninefold Golden Elixir Scripture—contained any record of it; none of the other true transmissions in the Central Lands, such as the Supreme Pure Sect or the Tower View Dao, had received the true transmission, though the Wenshi Dao Zun and the Xuan Du Dao Zun certainly knew of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, apart from the three true transmissions, the Central Lands still possessed three sacred relics left behind by the Supreme Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supreme Dao’s Eight Trigrams Furnace and the Supreme Dao’s Yin-Yang Fan were both alchemical spiritual treasures, each containing traces of the Supreme Dao’s Elixir Scripture, yet for some reason, the Supreme Dao’s Dust Pearl could also be meditated upon to discern the Supreme Dao’s Elixir Scripture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps the Supreme Dao Ancestor truly loved alchemy deeply, and in all three sacred relics of his lineage, he left behind his own alchemical insights—each time he lit the furnace, he would jot down a few notes on the furnace, or record some observations on the bellows, and even while turning the prayer beads, he could not help muttering a few phrases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over time, these spiritual treasures had developed their own bodily memories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to this, Qian Chen knew a portion of the Supreme Dao’s Elixir Scripture, even a fraction of the secrets behind the Ninefold Golden Elixir. The Dōulǜ Palace’s true transmission differed from the start: while others refined a single breath to transform their bodies and establish the Dao body, they ingested external elixirs, gathered internal medicines, and during Foundation Establishment, cultivated a single internal elixir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This resembled the realm of Core Formation for cultivators, except it was moved to the very beginning of cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This internal elixir’s quality, of course, could not compare to the hard-won internal elixir of a cultivator—it was at best a low-grade elixir, and initially, ninth rank was normal; if it could be raised to seventh rank, it was already a rare genius. The Dōulǜ Palace’s subsequent cultivation involved continuously using the cultivated internal elixir as the elixir seed, gathering external and internal medicines, refining them with the Reversion Elixir technique; with each transformation, the elixir’s mystery and rank would greatly improve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Often, after three transformations, one could achieve a first-rank Core Formation, possessing cultivation comparable to a Daoist of first-rank Core Formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting from the sixth transformation, one could swallow the golden elixir into the abdomen and use the Yang Spirit to refine it, attaining the Primordial Spirit. If one waited until the ninth transformation to swallow it, the Yang Spirit would instantly achieve Dao Lord status upon refining the golden elixir… Combined with the Dōulǜ Palace’s secret gourd of the Ninefold Golden Elixir, internal and external energies harmonized, over millions of years, the Dōulǜ Palace had produced no fewer than a dozen Dao Lords—all thanks to this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the Dōulǜ Palace did not favor Qi Refining, but replaced it with Golden Core Dao, unlike the Supreme Pure Sect and the Tower View Dao, who emphasized both Qi Refining and Golden Core Dao in parallel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Primordial Dao’s One Dragon-Tiger Mystic Altar practiced Qi Refining and Talisman Dao in parallel; the Jade Void Palace practiced Qi Refining and Golden Core Dao in parallel; the Kunlun Sect devoted itself solely to ancient Qi Refining Dao; the Lingbao Dao’s Shangqing Palace cultivated both Qi Refining and Golden Core Dao; and the Shaoclear Sword Sect’s sword cultivators practiced Qi Refining alongside sword arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At advanced levels, sword cultivators divided into two paths: One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Methods, and Sword Array Generates Ten Thousand Methods. The first is the Qi Refining Sword Path, emphasizing one breath, one sword; the second is the Sword Array Path, emphasizing the inclusion of all things within the sword—but this distinction only emerged after achieving the Primordial Spirit…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maoshan was originally a Lingbao true transmission, cultivating the Yin Spirit and Yang Spirit, practicing spirit refinement alongside Qi Refining, aiming to cross the Three Tribulations and achieve the Primordial Spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, its lineage was absorbed into the heterodox, deliberately done by the Lingbao Dao to expand the Daoist influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of all heterodox and heretical paths, eight or nine out of ten benefited from Maoshan’s ancient vow; after heterodox True Persons achieved the Primordial Spirit, they either entered Buddhism, Daoism, or Demonhood. Most chose Daoism—not only because Daoism offered freedom and fewer constraints, but because most heterodox techniques were influenced by Maoshan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, though Maoshan had dispersed, its disciples spread throughout the heterodox paths of the world, flourishing even more in the Heavenly Realms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heterodox Primordial Spirit True Persons who were willing to cross the Three Tribulations could enter the true Daoist transmissions and be treated equally with Daoists in the Heavenly Realms. Recently, the Buddhist sects, taking advantage of Daoism’s aloofness, have aggressively poached several heterodox Primordial Spirit True Persons, spreading Buddhist great teachings into the heterodox paths—learning from Maoshan’s old strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But mostly, this is because the current Daoist rulers, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable’s lineage, look down upon heterodox paths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hence, the Lingbao Dao, offended, withdrew and took root overseas… This was also due to differing philosophies among the three Dao Ancestors: the Supreme Dao Ancestor practiced non-action, entrusting Daoist governance to the Primordial and Lingbao Dao Ancestors, having long since merged with the Dao to govern the universe; his lineage was mostly quiet and non-interfering, and sects like the Tower View Dao had even declined due to excessive passivity. The Supreme Pure Sect fared somewhat better, because they bore the responsibility of managing Daoist destiny and overseeing whether Daoist practices strayed from the orthodox path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, they often intervened to exterminate Daoist lineages that had fallen into demonic heresies, serving as the Daoist enforcers of justice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dōulǜ Palace disciples, who traveled the world collecting external alchemical ingredients, naturally could not remain quiet…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lingbao Dao Ancestor’s philosophy was to teach without discrimination, seeking to bring all cultivation paths under Daoism, absorbing demons, Buddhas, witches, and monsters, making all cultivators simply cultivators, and Daoism synonymous with cultivation—possessing the grandeur to assimilate three thousand heterodox paths into itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Primordial Dao Ancestor, however, emphasized clear distinctions between inner and outer, despising demonic and heterodox paths, believing Daoism should select only elites, not indiscriminately absorb all. Those with poor character or unstable minds should be expelled. Under him, Daoist disciples could lack talent, but their moral character must be high—they must at least be upright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supreme Dao, due to its quiet non-action and aversion to stirring trouble, chose to support the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and the Lingbao Dao during the ancient Daoist doctrinal debates. Maoshan dissolved its lineage into the heterodox, while Shaoclear and Shangqing departed overseas: Shaoclear Sword Sect took root in the Eastern Sea, and Shangqing Palace moved to the Northern Pole’s Great Wilderness Continent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to the matter, the Dōulǜ Palace’s development of the Supreme Dao’s alchemy included the Qi Elixir Path, which synthesized insights from both internal and external elixirs. The internal elixir path itself originated from external alchemy; after countless years of development, under the promotion of Daoist true transmissions, heterodox cultivators, and even Buddhist and demonic sects, it had long transcended the constraints of external alchemy, developing its own profound mysteries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, later, the Dōulǜ Palace leveraged the internal elixir technique’s mystery of refining Qi into an elixir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They developed an external Qi Elixir, similar to an internal golden elixir: like a cultivator refining Qi, they gathered various external medicines and primordial energies, imitating the process of condensing a Core Formation, and refined a single external Qi Elixir through Daoist methods. In essence, it was using alchemy to forge a cultivator’s golden elixir—this kind of “external elixir,” like a cultivator’s internal elixir, enhanced cultivation base and cultivated magic power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was called the External Golden Elixir… its applications were boundless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cultivating one external Qi Elixir was equivalent to possessing the magic power of Core Formation, and allowed easy transformation of one’s foundation, even granting glimpses of the secrets of Core Formation, offering valuable reference for future Core Formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it still could not compare to the Supreme Dao’s practice, where each alchemical session simulated the process of Core Formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the worst method of refining external elixirs was using spiritual herbs, for plants wither easily; once refined into an external elixir, they were not only too brittle but also prone to leaking primordial energy and degrading. Next came mineral elixirs: metal’s nature is imperishable, so refining external Qi Elixirs like forging magic treasures prevented degradation, yet metal’s essence differed from the human body; though indestructible, it could not easily merge with the body, at best functioning as a magic treasure that enhanced magic power and cultivation base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This concept of mineral external elixirs was later borrowed by the Primordial Dao and incorporated into many magic treasure restrictions, giving rise to the Artifact Cultivation lineage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second-best was demon or beast elixirs—these were internal elixirs of cultivators, ancient divine beasts and spiritual creatures; though these internal elixirs were more mysterious and could even cultivate the creature’s innate divine abilities, known as external incarnations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the process was too injurious to heaven’s harmony; the Primordial Dao despised beast bodies, the Supreme Dao valued life and preservation, and the Lingbao Dao already had many non-human great beings and loved to subdue spiritual beasts as mounts—they would never waste such a fine mount. Thus, these elixirs were least common in Daoist and Buddhist circles, but extremely popular among heterodox paths and demonic sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The finest was refining this elixir from primordial cosmic energies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as cultivators gather Qi to refine elixirs, the most suitable external elixir for a cultivator was naturally formed from primordial cosmic energies—but Qi has no fixed form, making such external elixirs difficult to shape, and thus the most difficult of the four methods. The materials were also the rarest, for cultivators found gathering Qi difficult; even daily Qi Refining required arduous effort. Why not spend that time gathering essence and refining one’s own internal elixir to become a Core Formation cultivator?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a cultivator like Qian Chen, who aimed for a top-grade golden elixir, meticulously polished his foundation, yet had to enhance his magic power and guard against tribulations, would consider refining such an external elixir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the true reason Qian Chen conceived this idea was because he possessed suitable alchemical materials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heavenly and earthly gang-sha energies were ideal materials for refining external qi elixirs; the celestial meteorite he held retained a trace of Pure Heavenly Qi, though far too scarce to practice the Primordial One Qi Great Grasp or gather qi for Core Formation, it was just enough to combine with the weak earth yin vein beneath the abandoned mansion, merging gang and sha to refine an external qi elixir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Qian Chen hesitated precisely because these gang-sha energies were too scarce; even if their essence was excellent and pure, they could never produce a top-grade external qi elixir—the quantity was simply too little; even if he later gathered more qi and refined it to deepen its essence and raise its rank, it would take immense time—again, the old saying: why not simply cultivate his own Core Formation during that time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was meant only as an emergency measure…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Qian Chen refined this elixir, he could at best achieve eighth rank, insufficient to confront Miao Kong, hence his hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after several days of deliberation, Qian Chen resolved to refine this elixir: first, such an external elixir could indeed increase magic power and temporarily elevate cultivation base; with one external elixir in hand, Qian Chen would truly be equivalent to an eighth-rank Core Formation cultivator, useful for refining magic treasures, gathering Qi, cultivating, and protecting himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, refining such an external elixir would greatly aid Qian Chen’s future understanding of Core Formation’s key secrets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third, Qian Chen needed to refine an external elixir as practice; later, relying on this elixir, he could venture into sacred mountains and perilous lands, perhaps finding a suitable earth yin vein to match his Ice Soul Cold Light gang and refine an Ice Soul external elixir. Though his Ice Soul Cold Light gang was less refined than Pure Heavenly Qi, he had ample quantity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He already possessed the gang energy and understood the alchemical method; he only lacked one suitable sha energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among all methods to rival Miao Kong within the year, this was the most feasible and carried the least long-term risk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Chen made his decision and began preparing to extract the earth yin vein beneath the abandoned mansion…\u003C\u002Fp>",2113,"2026-06-21T05:39:58.326Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","398f572a53db3eea78c0c2ee5bf887c5d457fa6ff8ec02c9f38fc8c74a30c6ac","the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-41","the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-39",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dao-dust-pearl-cover.jpg"]