Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 962 The Elixir is Completed, and He Returns to the Human Realm!
Su Yuanqing left Zhou Xun's cave.

Throughout the journey, her mind was in turmoil, filled with anxiety and unable to find any peace.

Returning to his private cave dwelling in the backyard of Tianbao Pavilion,
As soon as the restriction was activated, a figure rushed forward eagerly.

This was a female cultivator dressed in a pale yellow dress, whose appearance was five or six parts similar to Su Yuanqing's, only slightly immature. Her cultivation was at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, and she was her younger sister, Su Yuanfang.

"Sister, how did it go? Senior Zhou... did he agree?" Su Yuanfang grabbed her sister's arm and asked nervously, her eyes full of anticipation.

Su Yuanqing looked at her younger sister, forced a smile, and nodded:

"Yes, Senior Zhou agreed. He said he would start the furnace to refine it for me."

"That's great!"

Upon hearing this, Su Yuanfang jumped for joy at first, but soon the joy faded, turning into a trace of worry and uncertainty.

She glanced cautiously at her sister's expression, and hesitated before speaking:
"But... Sister, I heard that Senior Zhou... he has only recently become a fifth-level alchemist, and it seems... he is only a low-grade fifth-level alchemist?"

"Refining a spiritual pill like the 'Nine-Bend Divine Transformation Pill' is said to be no easy task even for a mid-grade fifth-level alchemist... Can he... can he really succeed?"

Su Yuanqing walked to the table and sat down, pouring himself a cup of spiritual tea that had long since gone cold, but he didn't drink it.

She sighed, her voice filled with deep weariness and helplessness:

“I know you’re worried, Fang’er. Senior Zhou did only recently advance to the fifth rank, so his rank isn’t high, but… do we have any other options?”

"Beishan City is not comparable to a large immortal city."

"There are only a dozen or so Nascent Soul cultivators left in the city, and even the original fifth-tier alchemist, Master Qinghu, has left North Mountain City,"

"The rest are all only at the fourth rank!"

“Senior Zhou… at least he’s willing to help, and the fees he charges are relatively reasonable. He’s currently the only fifth-tier alchemist we can find and the only one we can persuade to join.”

Su Yuanfang walked to her sister's side, took her slightly cool hand, and whispered:
“I know, sister. It’s just… these materials have almost exhausted your savings of hundreds of years and most of Tianbao Pavilion’s working capital,”

"It even involved favors from the City Lord's Mansion... I... I'm just afraid..."

I fear that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment, and that in the end it will all be for nothing.

"Don't think about it too much. Since things have come to this, we can only choose to trust Senior Zhou."

"After all... he's a fifth-tier alchemist, which gives him a much better chance than those fourth-tier alchemists, doesn't it?"

Even so, the two sisters looked at each other and saw undisguised anxiety and insecurity in each other's eyes.

The atmosphere inside the cave became somewhat somber for a moment.

Meanwhile, inside Zhou Xun's cave.

After seeing Su Yuanqing off, Zhou Xun's gentle smile faded slightly.

He sat down in the pavilion, and Sun Yuanxuan brewed him a pot of spiritual tea.
Zhou Xun took out the jade slip containing the recipe for the "Nine-Bend Divine Transformation Pill."

Holding the spirit tea in one hand and the jade slip in the other, he began to read it carefully.

This was also the first time he had refined this pill. Although he was confident in his alchemy skills, he never went into battle unprepared.

He knew how difficult it was for Su Yuanqing to gather these materials, and this alchemy could only succeed; failure was not an option.

The prescriptions are extremely complex, involving eighty-one auxiliary ingredients and nine main ingredients.

There are extremely strict requirements for the processing temperature, order of addition, and timing of blending of each medicinal material.

It requires the use of three different alchemy techniques, demanding extremely high levels of control over spiritual sense and magical power.

Two full hours passed before Zhou Xun slowly opened his eyes, a hint of understanding and appreciation flashing in them.

"Indeed, it's quite remarkable."

He whispered to himself,
"Although it can't compare to the 'Nine Origin Star Dew' that I refined back then, it can still help Nascent Soul cultivators break through the bottleneck of Deity Transformation, so it can be considered a top-grade spiritual pill."

For the rest of the time, Zhou Xun stayed at home and devoted all his energy to studying the formula.

He continuously simulated and deduced each step in his mind, repeatedly pondering those meticulous requirements.
Until the entire alchemy process is thoroughly memorized and there are no more obstacles.

Half a month later, Zhou Xun was in peak condition, his eyes calm and serene.

He stood up and activated all the protective formations in the cave.
Meanwhile, Xiao Jia was assigned to guard the room outside the training room, and no one was allowed to enter.
After doing all this, Zhou Xun stepped into the alchemy room. The heavy stone door slowly closed, completely isolating the inside from the outside.

Inside the alchemy room, Zhou Xun did not immediately begin his work.

He sat cross-legged on the central prayer mat, closed his eyes, and once again held his breath and concentrated.

After a stick of incense had burned, his breathing became long and even, his spirit and energy were perfectly unified, and he reached a flawless peak state.

The next moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

With a wave of his hand, an ancient and imposing three-legged alchemy furnace appeared out of thin air and landed steadily on the fire pit in the center of the room.

Next, all the medicinal herbs provided by Su Yuanqing were taken out one by one, sorted and categorized, and floated in the air, emitting various colors of spiritual light and medicinal fragrance.

"rise!"

Zhou Xun let out a low shout, his fingertips forming a hand seal, igniting the earth fire.

With a loud boom, scorching flames surged into the furnace, beginning to evenly heat the furnace walls.

He was completely focused, controlling the heat and carefully nurturing the alchemy furnace.

Once the alchemy furnace reached its optimal state, his hands moved with lightning speed as he began processing the first main ingredient, the Nine-Element Spirit Ginseng.

Removing impurities, extracting the essence, refining the medicinal liquid… his movements were fluid and precise, without a single mistake.
Every medicinal herb was perfectly processed in his hands, transformed into the purest medicinal liquid or powder.

Zhou Xun took a deep breath, divided his divine sense into several streams, and precisely controlled each medicinal liquid, putting it into the alchemy furnace in the order and timing described in the prescription.

"Sizzle...!"

Finally, all the medicinal liquids were completely mixed together.

"point!"

He let out a low shout, and with his divine sense as sharp as a knife, he precisely cleaved the liquid in two.

"Congeal!"

Immediately afterwards, he formed complex hand seals, and streams of spiritual light entered the two clumps of liquid.

The liquid began to swirl and contract violently, and rays of light shone brightly inside the furnace, while the fragrant aroma of the elixir gradually intensified.

When Zhou Xun cast the final pill-collecting incantation, the pill furnace trembled violently, and the lid flew into the sky!

"Om-"

Two streaks of light shot out from inside the furnace, attempting to escape.

Zhou Xun was prepared. With a wave of his hand, an invisible force restrained the two streams of light and brought them back into the jade bottle that had been prepared beforehand.

Dan Cheng!

Zhou Xun let out a long sigh, a hint of fatigue on his face, but mostly relief.

He picked up the jade bottle and poured out two pills, each the size of a longan, with cloud patterns encircling their surface and radiating a powerful spiritual aura.

"Two genuine pills have been successfully made!" The stone door of the alchemy room slowly opened, and Zhou Xun, though looking tired, walked out with clear eyes.

He sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard, silently regulated his breathing for a moment, and only spoke when his breathing was completely steady:
"Xiao Jia, go and invite Pavilion Master Su over here."

"Yes, Master!" Xiao Jia accepted the order and quickly left.

Before long, Su Yuanqing appeared at the entrance of the cave.

Her steps were slightly hurried, her face showing barely concealed tension and anticipation; she didn't even dare to look Zhou Xun in the eye. These past two weeks had felt like an eternity to her.

Seeing her like this, Zhou Xun naturally understood the heavy pressure she was under, and couldn't help but smile faintly, saying in a calm tone:
"Sect Leader Su, there's no need to be so nervous. The elixir has been successfully refined. I have successfully completed my mission."

Su Yuanqing suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing with unbelievable, ecstatic joy, her voice trembling:
"Senior...you...you mean..."

"Hmm," Zhou Xun nodded slightly.
"Two 'Nine-Bend Divine Transformation Pills' have been successfully made, both of them being genuine."

As he spoke, he flipped his hand, and a jade bottle appeared in his palm.

The bottle was tilted slightly, and a pill the size of a longan, with swirling red patterns and radiant spiritual light, rolled out, instantly filling the entire courtyard with its rich fragrance.

Its aroma refreshes the mind and invigorates the spirit.

"It really is the 'Nine-Bend Divine Transformation Pill'!"

Looking at the two long-awaited elixirs, Su Yuanqing trembled with excitement, and her eyes instantly reddened.

She suddenly bowed down, her voice choked with emotion:

"Thank you so much, senior! Thank you so much for your kindness! I, Yuan Qing, will never forget your great favor!" At this point, a look of shame returned to her face.

"This junior...this junior actually had doubts before, I am truly...I am truly ashamed before you!"

Zhou Xun offered a slight helping hand:
"Please rise, Pavilion Master Su. Alchemy is inherently risky, so it's normal for you to have doubts."

He flicked his finger, and one of the "Nine-Bend Divine Transformation Pills" floated lightly towards Su Yuanqing.

"Keep this pill safe. Find a safe time to go into seclusion and break through to the Nascent Soul stage."

"As for the other one, consider it my reward. Do you have any objections?"

Su Yuanqing hurriedly took the pill, holding it carefully in her palm as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.

Then he said:
"Senior is too kind. How could a single pill possibly be enough to repay this debt?"

"Senior, you have devoted a great deal of effort to refining this pill for me. I am deeply grateful. There are a few other treasures in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. Although they may not meet your standards, they are still a token of my appreciation. Please accept them!"

She knew what a fifth-level alchemist who could refine the "Nine-Bend Divine Transformation Pill" meant, and only wanted to make his acquaintance as much as possible.

Zhou Xun waved his hand and put away the remaining pill:
"No need. One pill will suffice as payment. Nothing else is of any use to me. Pavilion Master Su, please don't stand on ceremony. You should go back and prepare for your breakthrough."

Seeing Zhou Xun's resolute attitude, Su Yuanqing dared not press the matter further and could only bow deeply once more:
"I will forever remember your kindness, senior! In the future, if there is any need for your assistance, the entire Tianbao Pavilion will be ready to help without hesitation!"

After briefly explaining a few points about the precautions for taking elixirs and breaking through to higher levels, Zhou Xun served tea and saw the guest off.

Su Yuanqing thanked him profusely and left, her steps light and quick, a stark contrast to her arrival.

After seeing Su Yuanqing off, Zhou Xun had a major matter on his mind.

He turned his gaze to the inner courtyard, where he would now make arrangements for Sun Yuanxuan.

"Yuan Xuan".

Sun Yuanxuan quickly arrived in the courtyard and gave a graceful bow: "Young Master."

Zhou Xun looked at her and said:

"I have some matters to attend to and need to leave Beishan City for a period of time. My return date is uncertain. You will remain in Beishan City to cultivate from now on."

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of reluctance and disappointment flashed in Sun Yuanxuan's eyes, but knowing full well that her cultivation was too low to follow, she could only obediently nod.

"Yes, Yuanxuan understands."

Zhou Xun took out a specially made token and handed it to her:
"Keep this token safe. If there's any emergency, you can take this token to Tianbao Pavilion to find Pavilion Master Su."

"Or go directly to the City Lord's Mansion to request an audience with the Blood Spear Heavenly Lord."

"They will all look after you out of respect for me. With their protection, your safety in Beishan City is assured."

Sun Yuanxuan took the token, feeling its smooth, warm texture, knowing it was extremely heavy. Moved, she whispered:

"Thank you for the arrangement, Master. Yuanxuan will definitely cultivate diligently and live up to your expectations."

With Sun Yuanxuan settled, Zhou Xun had no more worries.

He didn't linger, but went straight out of the cave, transforming into an inconspicuous streak of light and quietly leaving Beishan City.

After leaving the city, Zhou Xun determined his direction, increased his speed to the maximum, and sped towards the area where he first arrived in the Immortal Realm, just as he remembered.

Below lies an endless expanse of primeval forest, with ancient trees reaching for the sky, and a pervasive miasma. From time to time, the chilling roars of monstrous beasts echo, shaking the forest.

As he flew away, Zhou Xun looked down at this vast and dangerous land, and couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.

When they were forced to leave the human realm and come to this unfamiliar immortal realm, their primary purpose was to seek opportunities.

The original plan was to spend a hundred years improving their strength in order to deal with the Ghost Emperor Tiyu, their greatest threat.

Now, only thirty years have passed.
He not only successfully advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, but also reached the mid-stage, refining his Natal Thunder Pool, resulting in a dramatic change in his strength.

What seemed like an insurmountable enemy at the time now appears to be nothing to fear.

"Once I return this time, I will completely eliminate that Ghost Emperor Tiyu and prevent future troubles! At that time, the human world will be truly at peace, and I will be able to roam the immortal world with peace of mind."

Thinking of this, several figures came to mind.

"And then there's Brother Tianci, Xueying, Yiqing, and the others... Once we've dealt with Tiyu, we'll find an opportunity to bring them to the Immortal Realm."

“In this realm, the difficulty of breaking through bottlenecks is more than ten times less than in the human realm, and their path of cultivation can go much further.”

With these thoughts in mind, Zhou Xun flew all the way, and half a month later, he finally arrived at that familiar area again.

He activated his escape technique and landed in what appeared to be an ordinary valley.

The surrounding environment hadn't changed much since he left, except that the vegetation was a bit more lush.

After carefully surveying the surroundings and confirming that there were no signs of other cultivators or powerful demonic beasts, Zhou Xun had a thought.

With a thought, Xiao Qing, a small creature with mysterious patterns flowing in her hair, appeared.

"Xiao Qing, it's up to you now," Zhou Xun said.

"Don't worry, Master!"

It has a special connection with that True Immortal-level Soul-Eating Beast, and can locate it.
Xiaoqing nodded, a glint of light flashing in her dark golden pupils.

It raised its little paw and gently swiped it towards the empty space in front of it.

At the same time, a beam of spiritual light shot out from the body of the True Immortal-level Soul-Eating Beast hidden in another dimension.
Suddenly connected to Xiaoqing here,
The space ahead rippled like water, and a deep, dark passage, barely wide enough for one person to pass through, with its edges constantly twisting and flashing with gray light, suddenly appeared!
Without the slightest hesitation, Zhou Xun took a step forward, and with Xiao Qing in tow, their figures instantly disappeared into the spatial passage.

After he entered, the passage quickly twisted and contracted, eventually disappearing completely, and the valley returned to its calm as if nothing had ever happened.

(End of this chapter)