Chapter 399: Lao Jun Invites

Yu Lin originally planned to go traveling today, even skimmed the guide, but the plan was temporarily set aside.

As he just stepped out of the Civil Affairs Bureau building, about to plan his itinerary, a boy and a girl, two children, appeared silently before him as if prearranged.

The two looked about eleven or twelve, delicate as carved jade, dressed in ancient‑style immortal child attire, their brows and eyes lively.

They bowed properly toward Yu Lin, grinned, and in unison said:

"Big brother Yu, the Lord has sent us to invite you to the Heavenly Court."

Yu Lin looked closely; hmm, the Golden Boy and Yu Nv he saw years ago riding a Qing Ox around the Douluo Palace still had the same sprightly, quirky look.

He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Lao Jun wants me? What for? Is it another shortage of people to test new pills?"

Lao Jun now has refined some new pills and keeps thinking of sending him over to try them, or delivering them directly for him to taste.

The Golden Boy glanced left and right, shuffled forward two steps like a thief, and said, "Um… we're not really sure either."

"But a few days ago, Tathagata Buddha personally visited the Douluo Palace, talked with the Lord in the Quiet Chamber for a long time. Perhaps… it's related?"

The Yu Nv nodded repeatedly, adding, "Yes, yes! But I see the Lord is in a good mood today, and even went to ask the Jade Emperor for some rare Immortal Materials!"

"Maybe he just wants to have a meal with you."

Saying that, she couldn't help sucking in a little saliva, her big eyes full of anticipation.

As "insiders" of the Douluo Palace, if the Lord sets a feast, they can at least share the honor and taste the fresh dishes.

After hearing the lively child duo's explanation, Yu Lin understood.

Lao Jun's summons likely has business, but probably not something bad, otherwise he wouldn't have prepared "ingredients" in advance.

"Alright," he nodded, "Leave now?"

"Hmm!" Hearing his agreement, the Golden Boy and Yu Nv broke into delighted smiles, and each made a "please" gesture with a hand:

"Brother Yu, this way! The Heavenly Gate has opened a convenient passage for you."

The three figures swayed slightly and vanished from the Civil Affairs Bureau entrance.

Only Diao Chan, who had arrived later hoping to invite Yu Lin for a stroll, was left empty‑handed; she stared at the vacant doorway, stomped her foot helplessly.

Heavenly Court, before the Douluo Palace.

Outside the smoky Dan Furnace, Tai Shang Lao Jun was squatting before an ancient‑looking, yet emanating mysterious Dao Rhythm Dan Furnace.

He gathered his wide sleeves with one hand, pinched his snow‑white long beard with the other, brows slightly furrowed, fully focused on the leaping flames inside the furnace and the faint, slowly rotating phantom pills within.

That concentrated posture, combined with his squatting, looked to bewildered celestial eyes not like a venerable Daoist patriarch, but rather like a village elder tending a mud stove in the fields, adjusting the fire.

Until Yu Lin, led by the Golden Boy and Yu Nv, arrived at his side, curiosity prompting him to ask:

"Lao Jun, what new strange pill are you refining now? The furnace's aura feels different from before."

Lao Jun slowly rose, brushed dust‑free cuffs of his robe, a faint smile of scholarly interest appearing, as if saying a trivial matter: "Ah, this."

"Lately, with idle time, a sudden whim led me to try embedding a nascent 'small thousand‑world' prototype into a pill."

"If successful, I'll refine three thousand of them, then see if I can fuse their Dao Rhythm into one, directly forming a stable 'great thousand‑world' embryo… just a pastime."

He spoke as lightly as if discussing what to eat for dinner.

Yu Lin: "…………"

Embedding an entire world into a pill, planning to refine three thousand into a larger world… this "pastime" is truly beyond ordinary mortals.

"Enough of that," Lao Jun, seemingly satisfied with the experiment's preliminary result, waved his hand, his smile turning warm:

"Come, come, come, I've recently used a few new Immortal Materials to refine pills of different flavors; you're here now, have a taste."

Saying so, he ignored the "world embryo" pill in the furnace, turned toward the fragrant hall inside the Douluo Palace.

Yu Lin glanced at the still‑quietly burning Dan Furnace, shook his head, and stepped forward.

From behind came a voice: "Where did the ox go?"

"Eh, maybe somewhere, let's go, let's go, today we'll run to the Heavenly River."

".......... Moo~"

Inside the Douluo Palace.

Today's scene differed slightly from usual.

The Dan Furnace often used as a hot‑pot was absent, replaced by a plainly fashioned rack.

Hmm, it looked like a barbecue grill.

Beside the rack, a white‑jade tray held several pills of varying colors, each emitting an alluring sheen.

Lao Jun picked up the tray and naturally handed it to the newly entered Yu Lin:

"Here, try the new flavor."

Yu Lin didn't hesitate, took the tray, casually plucked a few different pills and popped them into his mouth, chewing as if tasting snacks.

The pills melted instantly, spreading pure, gentle medicinal energy through his limbs and bones, while a unique taste blossomed on his tongue.

"Hmm…" Yu Lin savored, commenting as he felt the effects:

"This golden one is an orange‑flavored Qing Xin pill, the furnace heat is mellow, and its clearing‑heart effect lasts longer than before; this milky‑white one… is a milk‑flavored Muscle‑Strengthening pill…"

Each time he named one, Lao Jun, holding a blank Jade Bottle and a carving knife, smiled and nodded, then lifted the "knife" and etched Yu Lin's appraisal onto the Jade Bottle with Dao patterns.

After Yu Lin sampled all the new pills on the tray and finished his commentary, Lao Jun also completed the final bottle, satisfied, and stored the Jade Bottles away.

Seeing this, Yu Lin asked with a hint of amusement:

"Lao Jun, why don't you try them yourself? Tasting them yourself would let you better gauge the fire and flavor, wouldn't it?"

Lao Jun heard this, his face showing a helpless "you don't know" expression, stroked his beard and sighed:

"Alas, I've refined these pills for countless furnaces over the ages."

"Others treat them as treasures, but to me they're… a bit tiresome to eat."

He pointed toward the faint mooing of the Qing Ox outside the door and the children's playful shouts:

"Not to mention me, even the hungry Qing Ox outside and the two mischievous kids, now that they see my new pills, unless forced, they'd rather hide and run away."

He paused, his tone now carrying a hint of self‑righteous arrogance:

"As for the other immortal deities and Buddhas… this Immortal Pill of mine isn't something just anyone can taste at will."

Yu Lin listened, nodded and laughed, "Then I truly must thank Lao Jun for his generous favor."

That's no mere courtesy.

Since we first met, Lao Jun's "pill‑testing" task, though seemingly trivial, has in fact been a colossal favor.

Countless top‑grade Immortal Pills that others coveted were handed to Yu Lin by him as if they were candy.

Over years and months, Yu Lin's cultivation foundation was unknowingly forged into an exceptionally solid and deep base, and his strength advanced at a speed unimaginable to ordinary people.

Now, even without relying on Miracle, Indestructible, Crimson Sky Sword Qi and other special abilities, merely with his own magical cultivation and Daoist realm physique, the number of immortal beings in the Heavenly Court who can directly contend with him is countable.

Of course, compared with Lao Jun, the Jade Emperor and other beings already beyond worldly concerns and unfathomable, there is still a distance to go…

"Alright, let's not talk about that."

Lao Jun seemed unwilling to let Yu Lin's thoughts drift too far, cheerfully interrupting them, and pulling him to sit directly on the straw mat before the grill.

He watched the Daoist patriarch deftly take the prepared meat pieces of some unknown celestial bird or beast, skewer them with Jade Pins, and place them steadily on the grill.

A slight thought, and fire ignited in the furnace.

Lao Jun somehow produced a few Jade Bowls filled with seasonings, grabbed a small brush, and began to oil, sprinkle, and flip the meat with practiced grace—movements fluid as clouds, bearing a hint of a street‑grill master's flair.

Soon, an enticing sizzle sounded, and the rich meat aroma mingled with exotic seasoning scents, making mouths water just from the smell.

"Come, taste how my handiwork turns out."