I forge immortality with spiritual treasures.

Chapter 19 Xuan Ying Returns
That night.

After practicing the breath-absorbing method for one hour, the day's lesson is considered complete.

Just as he was about to rest, he suddenly heard a slight noise coming from outside. He opened the window and looked out, and sure enough, he saw a familiar figure enter the courtyard.

It was Li Xuanying.

"Xuanying."

Having not seen each other for many days, he should have been overjoyed, but when he stepped out the door to greet her, his gaze suddenly sharpened: "You're injured?"

"Senior Brother Ying."

Li Xuanying's face was a little pale, but he still smiled slightly: "I suffered some minor injuries, but I'm fine now."

"You went to the mountains to gather herbs, how did you get injured?" Ying Chan frowned and asked, "You didn't return for more than ten days, was it to heal your wounds?"

"it's not true."

Seeing that he was still worried, Li Xuanying thought for a moment and then explained, "So that my senior brother can know."

“At the beginning of this year, my younger brother found a century-old red fruit tree in the mountains. At that time, it had already borne fruit, but it did not show any signs of ripening, so I did not rush to pick it.”

"It just so happens that a friend, a mountain spirit ape, was with me when we found the Vermilion Fruit. We made a pact to take turns guarding the spirit plant and share it after it ripened."

"I came to the mountains this time because the vermilion fruit is about to ripen."

"So, Junior Brother, you've been gone for so long because you were waiting for the spiritual plant to mature?" Ying Chan asked. "And how did you get injured?"

"When the Vermilion Fruit ripens, it emits a unique fragrance, which attracts the covetous eyes of a powerful demon."

Li Xuanying said, "The spirits in the mountains are naturally born and nurtured by nature, and we have no intention of monopolizing them."

"But that monster, relying on its strength, is unwilling to share with us, and we will not back down either."

"During the fight, my younger brother was hit by the monster's breath and suffered some minor injuries... Fortunately, we managed to defeat it in the end, and after a few days of recuperation, it's fine now."

Ying Chan listened with a furrowed brow.

Although Li Xuanying only mentioned it briefly, the danger involved was still evident.

Fortunately, the result wasn't too bad. He shook his head and said, "I see that you are pale and your breathing is weak. You must not be fully recovered yet."

"Go and rest now."

"I am truly unharmed," Li Xuanying replied. "I will simply rest and recuperate later."

"Oh right, I haven't given this to my senior brother yet."

He suddenly pulled something out of his pocket. Ying Chan looked closely and saw that it was three bright red fruits, which looked a bit like some kind of berry, but much more crystal clear.

"Could this be the Vermilion Fruit?"

“Exactly.” Li Xuanying said, and was about to stuff it into Ying Chan’s hand.

Ying Chan refused to accept it, saying, "This is something you worked hard for, so you should keep it."

Li Xuanying shook his head and said, "Every time the Vermilion Fruit ripens, it produces many fruits."

"I have gained a lot this time, so I specially set aside some to give not only to my senior brother, but also to other friends."

He also took out a wooden box and showed it to Ying Chan, inside which lay more than ten vermilion fruits.

"Although this fruit is beneficial for spiritual practice, consuming too much will diminish its effectiveness. This much is sufficient for me."

"Perfect timing." Li Xuanying added, "I haven't been in the courtyard for the past ten days or so, so I haven't had a chance to congratulate you on your successful cultivation of magical power, Senior Brother."

"Consider these three Vermilion Fruits as a celebration for Senior Brother."

Ying Chan chuckled upon hearing this: "The initial success in Qi Refining is nothing to celebrate."

Even so, he carefully accepted the vermilion fruit.

Under the moonlight, the two sat down in the pavilion in the courtyard and chatted.

"I didn't expect that my senior brother would master the skills so quickly. I missed it after only being away for a little over ten days."

Li Xuanying asked, "I wonder what cultivation technique you chose, Senior Brother?"

Ying Chan had no problem answering, but Li Xuanying was quite surprised: "The 'One Yuan Refining Qi Scripture'?" Upon seeing this, Ying Chan asked, "Junior Brother, do you know this scripture?"

“Of course I know,” Li Xuanying said. “Among the thousands of cultivation techniques collected in the Yunji Pavilion, the Yiyuan Refining Qi Scripture is considered one of the top orthodox methods.”

"Oh?"

Ying Chan never hesitated to ask questions about things he didn't understand: "What do you mean by that?"

Li Xuanying said, "It is said that the 'One Yuan Qi Refining Scripture' is a technique created by our Xuandu School based on many profound methods and even true Daoist teachings within the school."

"The original intention was to enable the disciples of the Dao Academy to cultivate the Profound Light through this method, so that after joining our sect, they could more easily learn the sect's Daoist techniques."

"It's just that this technique is still a bit difficult, which is why it hasn't become widely known."

"If you can achieve something in cultivating this scripture, it will definitely be of great benefit to your future cultivation."

"I see……"

As we chatted idly, the moon rose above the treetops.

After practicing Qi cultivation, the need for sleep decreases somewhat, but unless absolutely necessary, one should still rest for one or two hours each day, or substitute it with meditation to nourish Qi, in order to maintain full energy and spirit.

So he glanced at the sky and said, "It's getting late, I should go and rest. Junior brother, you should rest too."

"Although the injury is no longer a problem, it still needs proper care."

Seeing this, Li Xuanying naturally agreed.

However, before returning to the house, he suddenly said, "Since you have already begun cultivating Qi, why don't you come with me to the summit tomorrow morning to gather Qi?"

"Go to the summit to gather qi?" Ying Chan's eyes lit up.

Now that he has entered the path of cultivation, he understands why Li Xuanying has always maintained this habit.

It turns out that at the moment the sun rises, a unique spiritual energy arises between heaven and earth.

This is the meaning of "purple aura coming from the east".

For most cultivators, this 'purple energy' is a spiritual energy that can be absorbed and refined, and it is very beneficial to cultivation.

He readily agreed: "When do we depart?"

Li Xuanying said, "Don't forget, Senior Brother, at the third quarter of the hour of Yin."

Ying Chan nodded: "I understand."

The two agreed on a time and then returned to their respective houses to rest. In the blink of an eye, the bright moon had already set behind the western mountains.

Ying Chan opened the door again and saw Li Xuanying already in the courtyard.

It hadn't been long since their late-night conversation, so there was no sense of time passing.

After washing up, they all left the courtyard together.

Instead of heading towards Yunzhong Causeway or passing Xiaqi Lake, we drove straight out of the courtyard...

At this time, Ying Chan was seeing the Taoist temple for the first time, and it was indeed quiet and serene.

But occasionally, one can still see a few pedestrians, who seem to be heading in the same direction as the two.

Soon, they ventured deeper into the mountains, the path ascending higher and becoming increasingly steep, requiring them to climb rocks from time to time.

Li Xuanying was obviously familiar with the route, and Ying Chan followed suit, so he didn't find the journey particularly rugged until he looked back and realized that the mountains and distant scenery had been swallowed up by the night.

It turned out that the two had already reached the foot of the mountain.

There was no road ahead; the only way to reach the summit was through a sheer cliff.

Li Xuanying made a hand seal and then asked Ying Chan, "Senior Brother, do you need any help?"

He was prepared, so he took out two paper horses from his sleeve.

Seeing this, Li Xuanying said no more, leaped onto the cliff, and then nimbly leaped back and forth, reaching a height of more than ten zhang in the blink of an eye.

Ying Chan was naturally unwilling to fall behind.

(End of this chapter)