I'll make you the furnace and the cauldron, so you can refine Yin and Yang and prove the Great

Li Hanshan was unaware of the situation on the Elders' Council's side.

He has already followed the sect leader to the core spiritual vein.

As the third stone door opened, Li Hanshan felt a warm, water-like spiritual energy surging out from behind it, enveloping his entire body. The concentration of that spiritual energy far surpassed any secret realm he had ever visited before; it was so pure it was almost entirely free of impurities. Every breath felt like drinking repeatedly purified spiritual liquid, and the spiritual energy in his meridians, slightly fatigued from the continuous battles, spontaneously accelerated its flow. Standing on the stone steps before the door, gazing at the space shrouded in pale golden spiritual mist, he was momentarily speechless.

It was an underground cavern roughly a hundred feet square, with a dome about ten feet high, inlaid with countless luminous pearls, their light refracting into a soft halo in the spiritual mist. In the center of the cavern lay a naturally formed spiritual spring, its water milky white, its surface steaming with fine spiritual mist, like boiling milk slowly bubbling in the dim light. Around the spring, several unknown spiritual herbs grew on the ground, their leaves possessing a translucent, jade-like luster, quietly unfurling in the spiritual mist, their roots deeply embedded in the earth's spiritual veins.

"This spiritual spring is one of the core nodes of the Dragon Spine Spiritual Vein," the sect leader's voice came from behind. "The concentration of spiritual energy here is a hundred times higher than outside, and it's extremely gentle, so it won't harm your meridians. One month of cultivation here is equivalent to at least several years of arduous training outside."

Li Hanshan sat cross-legged at the edge of the spiritual spring. As soon as his pure Yang energy began to circulate, the warm and moist spiritual energy spontaneously surged into his meridians like an attracted tide. The feeling was completely different from ordinary cultivation—ordinary cultivation required actively guiding spiritual energy into the body, like scooping water from a river with a bamboo tube; but this spiritual energy was like a living thing, actively drilling into his meridians and flowing along the trajectory of the pure Yang energy, saving him most of the effort of guiding it. He could feel his pure Yang primordial spirit absorbing this pure spiritual energy at an unprecedented speed, and the golden light deep within his sea of ​​consciousness grew brighter and brighter.

The sect leader sat down opposite him, the hem of her white dress brushing against the stone surface at the edge of the spiritual spring. She didn't rush to speak, but quietly observed him for a moment, her gaze falling on the golden aura that faintly shimmered around him due to the accelerated flow of spiritual energy. After a moment, she nodded slightly: "Your primordial spirit is indeed more solid than that of ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators, and your foundation is also very firm. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, it would be hard to imagine that you broke through to the Nascent Soul stage only a little over a month ago." She took out a dark blue jade slip from her sleeve and handed it to him, "This is my early cultivation experience during the Nascent Soul stage. Cultivation after the Nascent Soul stage is completely different from that of the Nascent Soul stage. If you don't have the right method, even with abundant spiritual energy, you will achieve half the results with twice the effort."

Li Hanshan accepted the jade slip, thanked it solemnly, and unfolded it, probing it with his divine sense. The contents of the jade slip were extremely detailed, from the methods of tempering spiritual power during the Nascent Soul stage to the methods of nurturing the primordial spirit, and to the key hurdles that needed to be paid attention to in advance when breaking through to the Void Refinement stage. Every link was marked with great care, clearly indicating that a great deal of effort had been put into compiling it. He flipped through the pages one by one, finding it increasingly beneficial. Many things that he had vaguely sensed but could not clearly explain during his previous cultivation were now clearly explained in this jade slip.

In the days that followed, the sect leader would spend several hours each day instructing him on the details of his cultivation. When Li Hanshan's spiritual energy circulation went astray, she would lightly touch his back acupoints with her fingertips, guiding the deviated pure Yang energy back onto the right track; when his pure Yang primordial spirit showed subtle fluctuations, she would envelop the edge of his sea of ​​consciousness with milky-white spiritual light, helping him stabilize the expanding boundary of his divine soul; occasionally, after their cultivation ended at night, she would sit beside him by the spiritual spring, chatting about things unrelated to cultivation, such as the origins of the various peaks of the Hehuan Sect, or the strange and wondrous things she had encountered during her travels in the Central Continent. Li Hanshan could sense that the sect leader's patient and meticulous guidance was completely different from her decisive and sharp demeanor when facing the Ninth Elder in the plaza, like two sides of the same sword at different times.

"Your Pure Yang Fire has a very interesting characteristic," the sect leader said, the milky-white spiritual light at his fingertips receding from the acupoints on his back that night. "When it circulates, it automatically removes impurities from the meridians. Ordinary cultivators need to expend a lot of energy to cleanse the spiritual residue accumulated in their meridians, but your Pure Yang Fire completes this step simultaneously with every circulation, which is equivalent to doing one more thing than others with each cultivation session. This is one of the reasons why your breakthrough speed far exceeds that of ordinary people."

Li Hanshan sat cross-legged at the edge of the spiritual spring, taking those words to heart. A month passed quickly in cultivation, and when he felt his pure Yang primordial spirit had become nearly twice as solid as before entering seclusion, the agreed-upon deadline had arrived. He stood up, solemnly bowed to the sect leader, and said sincerely, "Disciple thanks Master."

He gained a great deal this month.

Dual cultivation is a shortcut that can allow Li Hanshan to quickly improve his cultivation level. However, this month, Li Hanshan did not engage in any dual cultivation. Instead, he meticulously reviewed his cultivation path, much like a cultivator seeking the palm.

The sect leader stood up, her white dress fluttering gently in the spiritual mist. Her gaze lingered for a moment on the slowly receding spiritual mist above the spiritual spring, then turned to Li Hanshan, her voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable force: "I will now continue my seclusion to attempt to break through to the Dao Integration stage. This could take several years, or even decades or centuries. During this time, you must act cautiously. Although the Ninth Elder is holding back for now, he won't remain inactive forever. If you encounter any problems you can't solve, go to the Fifth Elder, or consult your Senior Sister Ye. Keep that communication talisman; if your life is in danger, crush it, and I will sense it."

Li Hanshan's heart tightened slightly: "Master, are you confident about your seclusion this time?" He asked the question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time.

The sect leader didn't answer immediately. Her gaze passed over his shoulder, landing on the slowly closing stone door at the end of the cave. After a moment of silence, she spoke: "Fifty percent. No one dares to claim absolute certainty when it comes to reaching the Dao Integration stage. But we must try; without trying, we'll never have a chance." She turned to look at him, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips. "Cultivate diligently. If you can break through to the Void Refinement stage before I emerge from seclusion, that will be the best answer you can give me."

Without another word, she turned and walked towards the closing stone gate. The hem of her white dress fluttered in the spiritual mist, her figure gradually blurring at the boundary between twilight and milky white light. Li Hanshan stood at the edge of the spiritual spring, watching her figure disappear behind the stone gate. He could feel that the pure Yang primordial spirit in his dantian was much more solid than it had been a month ago, and the golden light deep within his sea of ​​consciousness was like a lamp that had been calibrated, its light stable and gentle.

"I will definitely do it," he murmured to himself, his voice so soft that only he could hear it.

After leaving the core spiritual vein area, Li Hanshan didn't rush back to his southern cave dwelling. He first went to Ye Shuanghua's residence. When he pushed open the stone door, Ye Shuanghua was sitting cross-legged on a stone bed, meditating. The wound on her left arm, which had mostly healed, showed a faint pinkish hue under the bandage. Seeing Li Hanshan enter, she opened her eyes, her gaze lingering for a moment on the aura flowing around him, and she raised an eyebrow slightly: "A month of cultivation in the core spiritual vein area has indeed yielded excellent results. Your primordial spirit is much more solid than before you left."

Li Hanshan sat down on the futon opposite her, looked at the wound on her left arm that hadn't fully healed, and after a moment of silence, said, "Senior Sister's injury isn't completely healed yet. Let me heal you."

Ye Shuanghua's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, as if trying to discern the sincerity and ulterior motives behind his words. After a instant, she looked away, her voice clear and cool, yet with a hint of unease that she herself might not have noticed: "I know my own injuries well, they're mostly healed, there's no need—" She didn't finish her sentence because Li Hanshan had already stood up and gently embraced her.

Ye Shuanghua paused, a hint of helplessness appearing on her pretty face, and could only let Li Hanshan break in.

At the moment the connection was established, Ye Shuanghua's body tensed slightly. She could feel that the pure yang energy was repairing the tiny cracks in her meridians that had not yet fully healed in an extremely gentle way, at a speed several times faster than when she regulated her breathing on her own.

"Don't move." Li Hanshan's voice was very low. "For the past month in the Spirit Vein District, I've been thinking about how you stood in front of me in the square that day. Senior Sister, it's my turn."

Ye Shuanghua didn't speak, but the taut tension slowly relaxed under his spiritual energy, like a string that had been stretched for too long finally getting a moment's rest. She could feel the tiny cracks that had lingered in her meridians for so long being repaired layer by layer, and the flow of spiritual energy became as smooth as before. That feeling made her involuntarily relax her shoulders and back slightly, and even her breathing became a few degrees longer than before.

Li Hanshan sensed the state of her meridians, and after confirming that the wound on her left arm had completely healed, he began to move around as if enjoying himself. "Senior Sister, let your junior brother relax you a bit."

Ye Shuanghua's pretty face flushed slightly, and she said softly, "You certainly know how to pick your timing."

Li Hanshan leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Senior Sister took that blow for me the other day, so I have to repay you." Ye Shuanghua's eyes met his briefly, and a hint of softness flashed in her cold eyes, which she tried hard to suppress but still revealed. Then she looked away without refusing.

The door closed softly from the inside. Li Hanshan gently pressed Ye Shuanghua onto the stone bed, his fingertips loosening the sash of her outer robe, his movements more tender than she could remember. Ye Shuanghua closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly in the glow of the luminous pearl. She could feel the subtle damage remaining in her meridians being repaired layer by layer by his pure yang energy. Her fingers unconsciously clenched the fabric of his robe at his shoulder, then slowly loosened, like a door repeatedly pushed open and closed.

About an incense stick later, the stone door was pushed open a crack, and Zhang Qingxuan's voice came from the doorway: "Am I coming at a bad time?" Her tone was teasing, but she didn't really intend to leave.

A faint blush rose to Ye Shuanghua's ears, but she didn't speak to shoo her away. Zhang Qingxuan then walked in and sat down on the edge of the stone bed. Her light blue robes shimmered softly in the glow of the luminous pearl, and her gaze, filled with gentle concern, looked at Ye Shuanghua. "I just came to check on your injury. But since he's here, it saves me a lot of trouble."

Li Hanshan looked up at Zhang Qingxuan, then put his arm around Ye Shuanghua's waist. Zhang Qingxuan leaned closer, gently taking Ye Shuanghua's hand that was resting on her knee, and asked softly if her left arm still hurt. Ye Shuanghua shook her head and said softly that it was mostly healed, but there were still some minor cracks in her meridians, requiring further care.

Zhang Qingxuan nodded, then turned her gaze to Li Hanshan: "Your pure Yang energy is indeed remarkably effective in repairing meridian damage. After a month of cultivation, your spiritual power is much purer than before, making it much more efficient to heal Junior Sister Ye."

Li Hanshan sensed the state of her spiritual energy and, after confirming that Ye Shuanghua's left arm wound had completely healed, slowly withdrew his hand from her waist and placed it on her knee. He glanced at Zhang Qingxuan, his gaze carrying a question that needed no words to be understood. Zhang Qingxuan remained silent for a moment, neither directly answering his gaze nor getting up to leave. She simply sat quietly on the edge of the stone bed, as silent and steadfast as the clump of purple bamboo beside it in the night breeze.

Ye Shuanghua closed her eyes, her breathing steady, seemingly having fallen into a very light rest. Zhang Qingxuan hesitated for a moment before finally taking the initiative to approach. The hem of her light blue dress overlapped with the brocade rug at the edge of the stone bed. She gently placed her hand on the back of Li Hanshan's hand, without saying a word, but the gesture itself said it all.

The following scene was bathed in a warm glow from the luminous pearl. First, Zhang Qingxuan's robes slipped off the edge of the stone bed, and her hair, when it was spread out, resembled shattered ink, spreading out in gentle arcs in the warm light. After an unknown amount of time, the silence in the room was finally broken by footsteps coming from outside the courtyard.

Shen Ruoxi's voice came from outside the courtyard gate: "Junior Brother Li, are you there? There's something I want to discuss with you." Her tone was unreadable, but Li Hanshan could discern a restrained seriousness hidden beneath her calm exterior. Ye Shuanghua was the first to sit up on the stone bed, her silver-white robes quickly straightened, the light of the luminous pearl falling on her slightly reddened ears before moving away. Zhang Qingxuan also calmly straightened her robes, her movements even more swift than Ye Shuanghua's, as if she were already used to this interrupted rhythm. Li Hanshan got up and walked to the courtyard gate, seeing Shen Ruoxi standing on the stone steps in the twilight, the hem of her black dress fluttering slightly in the wind.

"Come in." He stepped aside to let her into the courtyard. As Shen Ruoxi entered, her gaze lingered briefly on Ye Shuanghua and Zhang Qingxuan, but she didn't ask any further questions. She sat down at the stone table, poured herself a cup of cool tea, took a sip, and then put it down before speaking: "I heard you've been cultivating in the core spiritual vein area for a month, and your complexion is indeed much better than before." She paused for a moment, "I came this time to ask about your plans for the future. After the sect leader went into seclusion, although the Ninth Elder won't be making any open moves for the time being, there will probably be no shortage of underhanded actions. Do you have any plans to deal with that?"

Li Hanshan sat down opposite her, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke. His voice was neither loud nor soft: "I plan to break through to the Void Refinement stage within a hundred years."

These words, like a pebble thrown into still water, created silent ripples around the stone table. Ye Shuanghua's hand, holding the teacup, paused slightly in mid-air; the silvery-white tea swayed briefly before returning to stillness. Zhang Qingxuan's gaze lifted from the rim of the teacup, a genuine surprise flashing in her watery eyes. Shen Ruoxi's reaction was the most direct; she set down her teacup with a soft clinking sound: "A hundred years? From the first level of the Nascent Soul stage to the Void Refinement stage, even the most outstanding geniuses cultivate for millennia. Although demonic cultivators cultivate faster than righteous cultivators, even the most extreme method of 'replenishing essence' still takes at least a thousand years to go from the Nascent Soul stage to the Void Refinement stage."

Ye Shuanghua put down her teacup, her gaze also falling on Li Hanshan's face: "Ruoxi is right. The fastest breakthrough to the Void Refinement stage in the history of the Hehuan Sect was over eight hundred years ago, when the spiritual energy was much denser. In this world today, the spiritual energy is thin, and there are many restrictions. Being able to break through to the Void Refinement stage within a thousand years is already quite remarkable. To achieve this within a hundred years is not something that can be accomplished by talent alone."

Zhang Qingxuan didn't speak, but her silence was also a statement. She could sense the steady breathing and unwavering gaze in Li Hanshan's eyes when he said those words; it wasn't just empty talk, but rather a conclusion reached after careful calculation.

Li Hanshan took in their responses, then took out the emerald green jade pot from his sleeve and placed it on the stone table. The pot gleamed with a warm, gentle light. He raised his hand and channeled some spiritual energy, causing a soft emerald green light to illuminate the spout. A rich, almost tangible medicinal fragrance wafted out, enveloping the entire courtyard in a refreshing and invigorating aura. The fragrance was mellow and lingering, carrying the weight of thousands of years; each inhale brought a slight warmth to the meridians. Ye Shuanghua's gaze froze the moment she saw the fragrance. She stood up and took a step closer, her eyes falling on the slowly flowing emerald green light at the spout—within that light was a field of growing spiritual herbs, where thousands-year-old plants quietly unfurled their leaves, each radiating a medicinal power powerful enough to make a Nascent Soul cultivator's heart race.

"This is..." Her voice was clearly filled with shock, "You obtained it from the Yaoguang Ruins?"

Li Hanshan nodded: "Most of the spiritual herbs in that herb garden are thousands of years old. I transplanted them into this jade pot, preserving their vitality. These herbs alone are enough to support my attempt to break through to the Void Refinement stage." He retrieved the jade pot, putting it back into his sleeve, and glanced at the three women. "With your cooperation and these spiritual herbs, alternating between alchemy and dual cultivation, breaking through to the Void Refinement stage is not a pipe dream."

Ye Shuanghua looked at him, the initial shock in her eyes gradually settling into a serious scrutiny. She sat down again, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and her voice returned to its cool tone: "If you can truly refine these spiritual herbs into suitable pills, and then combine that with dual cultivation to accelerate the refining of their medicinal power, perhaps there really is a chance. But the prerequisite is—you must first find a pill formula and refining method that can refine these aged spiritual herbs. Ordinary alchemists simply cannot handle spiritual herbs of this age; the slightest mistake will cause the furnace to explode, and a single wasted batch represents a loss of thousands of years."

"I have the pill formulas," Li Hanshan said confidently. Among the ancient pill-making techniques Luo Li taught him were several high-level formulas suitable for Nascent Soul stage cultivators, but he hadn't been able to gather all the main ingredients before. Now that he had the herb garden, those formulas could finally be put to use. "Give me some time. I'll refine a batch of Foundation Establishment and Qi Cultivation pills to test their effects. You two will take turns cultivating with me to completely refine the medicinal power. As long as we coordinate properly, we'll definitely be able to break through to the Void Refinement stage within a hundred years."

Ye Shuanghua and Zhang Qingxuan exchanged a glance. Ye Shuanghua spoke first: "If it's truly possible, then I'll try with you." Zhang Qingxuan nodded immediately, her light blue robes fluttering gently in the night breeze, her voice warm and resolute: "I'll go with you too."

Shen Ruoxi stood at the edge of the stone table, gazing at the mountain silhouettes shrouded in twilight outside the courtyard. After a moment of silence, she turned around. Her voice was neither loud nor soft: "If you can truly break through to the Void Refinement stage within a hundred years, then I will accompany you on this journey."

The three women's gazes met in the twilight, settling on Li Hanshan. Their silence wasn't hesitation, but rather a consensus reached after careful consideration. Li Hanshan stood up, tucked the emerald green jade pot into his sleeve, and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute to the three women: "Thank you, all three."

Ye Shuanghua waved her hand, her silver-white robes fluttering in the night breeze. "No need for thanks. If you can break through to the Void Refinement stage, it will be a good thing for us. With a Void Refinement cultivator in charge of the sect leader's lineage, the Ninth Elder will have to think twice before trying to harm you again." As she spoke, her eyes flickered slightly in the night. "However, you just mentioned wanting to refine pills—what medicinal herbs do you need? I'll go to the pill refining room tomorrow to get some spare auxiliary materials for you."

Zhang Qingxuan picked up the conversation: "The medicinal herbs are too old; an ordinary alchemy furnace probably couldn't withstand the impact of their potency. I have a fourth-grade alchemy furnace that I salvaged from an ancient ruin years ago; it should be usable. I'll move it to your cave tomorrow."

Shen Ruoxi stood in the night, her gaze fixed on Li Hanshan, her voice clear yet solemn: "I will protect you while you refine your pills."

"good!"

Li Hanshan naturally wouldn't refuse.