Chapter 42: True Person Yu Ning, Refining Elixirs

He Pingsheng followed the Zhao senior sister as they walked backward.

First, they passed beyond the Grand Master’s hall.

Then they walked along the eastern side of Master Yu Xuan’s cultivation ground.

When they reached Master Yu De’s cultivation ground, the Zhao senior sister suddenly said: “He junior brother, don’t come here when you have nothing to do—his disciples keep a spiritual beast, wild and unpredictable; it once killed someone!”

“Oh!”

He Pingsheng nodded cautiously.

Beyond Master Yu De’s cultivation ground lay the residence of True Person Yu Ning.

It was also a palace, though not large, it had a main hall and side halls.

“Come, I’ll take you to meet your Master—your fellow disciples are all here!” Zhao Linger led He Pingsheng into a courtyard, then arrived at the palace entrance.

He Pingsheng looked up and saw three large characters carved above the palace lintel: Yu Ning Palace.

“Master, I’ve brought him!”

Zhao Linger bowed respectfully before the palace entrance.

“Hmm…” A calm female voice came from within the hall: “Both of you, come in!”

Then He Pingsheng and Zhao Linger entered the palace.

The hall was very spacious; though no daylight entered from outside, several luminous pearls were embedded in the ceiling, illuminating the entire hall brightly.

The floor was spotless.

At the front sat a Daoist nun, seemingly around fifty, clad in a green Daoist robe, her expression solemn.

Before her sat about a dozen disciples.

All seated on their mats turned their heads and bodies curiously to look at He Pingsheng, each with different expressions.

Some of them He Pingsheng had seen two years ago, yet they could not possibly recognize him now.

On one hand, He Pingsheng had been extremely lowly back then, ignored by everyone; on the other, over the past two or three years, his body, appearance, and aura had undergone a complete transformation.

“Kneel down and kowtow to your Master!” Zhao Linger reminded He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng dared not delay; he knelt respectfully and kowtowed three times before his Master above.

The Daoist nun above nodded and smiled: “Good… rise now.”

He Pingsheng stood up cautiously and stood respectfully in the center of the hall.

The Daoist nun said: “My Dao name is Yu Ning; from today, you are my true disciple. You will rank ninth in order.”

“These are your senior brothers and sisters—greet them all.”

He Pingsheng glanced at the others before bowing respectfully: “Junior brother greets all senior sisters and brothers!”

Everyone chuckled.

True Person Yu Ning asked: “You are currently at Qi Refining fifth layer—what cultivation method do you practice?”

He Pingsheng had prepared this in advance; he pulled out a hand-copied copy of the [Basic Breathing and Qi Absorption Method] and presented it respectfully before Yu Ning: “Respectfully reporting, Master, this is what I cultivate—though I primarily use my Fire Spirit Root.”

The Basic Breathing and Qi Absorption Method has no elemental affinity.

It is low-tier, merely teaching how to guide spiritual energy into the body and refine it; whichever energy you refine determines your primary spirit root.

“Hmm!” Yu Ning nodded, flipped through the method a few times, and said: “You’ve done well—achieving this level with a basic method! As Linger said, you must be skilled in elixir refining!”

“This…” He Pingsheng hurriedly said: “I dare not claim skill—I merely occasionally succeed in refining!”

“I have here a fire-elemental cultivation technique that suits your practice!” Yu Ning pulled out a book and tossed it through the air to He Pingsheng’s feet: “Take it back, study it well—it’s my gift to you.”

“Also, here are twenty spirit stones for your immediate use; from now on, you may receive the inner disciple benefits monthly—ten spirit stones each month.”

He Pingsheng was overjoyed, accepted the items, and thanked her repeatedly.

Indeed, inner disciples had it good—just after becoming a disciple, he already had everything.

Cultivation method, techniques, spirit stones—all provided.

“To the left of my palace is a courtyard—you may choose one; all your fellow disciples have identical quarters.”

“Also, sixteen sets of seasonal Daoist robes.”

“Go now—select your courtyard, change into your robes, then return to me.”

“Yes!” He Pingsheng, together with Zhao Linger, chose a relatively secluded courtyard, received sixteen sets of seasonal Daoist robes, and obtained his inner disciple token, among other items.

Finally, dressed in his new robes, he returned to Yu Ning Palace.

“Good!” True Person Yu Ning nodded: “You said you are skilled in elixir refining—very well, I shall test your skill.”

“Here are ten sets of materials for [Qi Gathering Elixir]—try them.”

As she spoke, True Person Yu Ning tossed out a jade box.

The jade box landed before He Pingsheng.

“Hou Muxian!” True Person Yu Ning said: “Go out and bring several bundles of firewood needed for refining [Qi Gathering Elixir].”

“Yes!” A tall male disciple in a pale white Daoist robe rose and left Yu Ning Palace.

After about half a stick of incense, Hou Muxian returned with several laborers.

“Come,” Yu Ning said: “Go outside and watch.”

The firewood had been brought, but refining could not be done inside Yu Ning Palace—it would be done in True Person Yu Ning’s courtyard.

“Open…” True Person Yu Ning waved her hand and produced a dantian furnace!

The furnace, palm-sized, spun in midair, then instantly expanded to a foot in diameter and landed before He Pingsheng.

“He Pingsheng!” Yu Ning said: “According to cultivation world custom, I give you ten attempts—if you succeed in refining [Qi Gathering Elixir] within ten tries, you pass my test; if you lie to me, don’t blame me for being merciless!”

A cold expression appeared on her face.

Honestly, Qi Refining fifth layer meant nothing to Yu Ning.

She had no need for such disciples.

What she valued was He Pingsheng’s elixir refining skill.

If He Pingsheng dared deceive her, his fate would be dire.

“Yes!” He Pingsheng took a deep breath.

Normally, his refining success rate was one in three.

Now with ten sets—if he failed to produce even one elixir, he might as well give up.

“Master!” He Pingsheng bowed: “I have a request.”

Yu Ning said: “Speak.”

He Pingsheng said: “I have my own dantian furnace—I’m accustomed to using it and cannot switch at the last moment. Please allow me to use my own furnace.”

Yu Ning nodded: “Very well…”

She waved her hand and recalled her own furnace.

In truth, True Person Yu Ning’s furnace was superior in rank to He Pingsheng’s.

He Pingsheng’s furnace was a top-grade [magic treasure] with four seals.

True Person Yu Ning’s furnace was a mid-grade [spirit artifact] with six seals.

Yu Ning added: “These two laborers are mine—they’ve handled fire control for my own refining; they know their job well—you may trust them fully.”

“Begin now.”