51. Alchemy

“I didn’t expect you to have such treasures on you, little brother. Thank you.” Whether it was helping him dispel the evil aura or giving him the spiritual spring, Chen Fengyun’s actions had thoroughly won over Uncle Thirteen.

Of course, Uncle Thirteen was not one for empty words. After expressing his gratitude, he drank the spiritual spring, then slowly began to refine its spiritual energy. He estimated it would take two days to fully absorb, after which his cultivation would recover to the second level of Qi Refinement.

“You all go outside for a while. There’s something else I need to discuss with your grandmaster.” Afterward, Uncle Thirteen sent the others away from the courtyard, took out a storage pouch, and began extracting several items from within.

“Little brother, over the decades I’ve excavated quite a few things related to Qi Refiners from ancient tombs. Most of them are here. Take a look—if there’s anything you find useful, you’re welcome to it.”

To Chen Fengyun’s surprise, Uncle Thirteen took out more than a dozen items used by cultivators, offering him the chance to pick anything he wanted. This gesture moved him deeply.

Yet his attention was immediately drawn to the objects on the table: jade bottles, a bronze pagoda, a black cauldron, a compass, prayer flags, a tattered banner, an iron sword, and an ancient painting, among others.

“You have so many wonderful things, elder brother,” Chen Fengyun sighed, picking up each item to examine them. Yet, though these were tools of cultivators, most held no special energy and couldn’t increase his attribute points.

“This little cauldron I dug up from an ancient tomb at Qixia Mountain. Clues suggest it belonged to a Qi Refiner from the Danxia Sect, but I studied it for years without uncovering its secrets.

At that time, I also obtained a great number of medicinal pills, which helped me reach the fifth stage of Qi Refinement. There’s one pill left here, though the records say it’s a failed pill, possibly highly poisonous, so I never dared to take it.”

Seeing Chen Fengyun’s interest in the black cauldron, Uncle Thirteen explained its origin and picked up a jade bottle nearby. Opening it, he poured out a pill, half black and half white.

Chen Fengyun studied it carefully. The pill was about the size of a longan fruit. The white half exuded waves of spiritual energy, while the black half gave off an acrid stench.

As soon as he received the pill, the Cultivation System within him vibrated—it could directly absorb the pill’s energy, filling him with delight.

“Elder brother, I have use for this pill. May I have it?”

“Take it, by all means. I have no use for it. But if you plan to consume it, exercise caution—the poisonous half could be dangerous.” Uncle Thirteen placed the pill back in the jade bottle and handed it to Chen Fengyun.

“I won’t take it directly, but will use it for something else,” Chen Fengyun nodded.

He then picked up the black cauldron. After a moment’s thought, he sent his spiritual sense into it and quickly discovered an imprint array inside. The original owner’s mark had long faded, so he easily left his own spiritual mark.

The reason Uncle Thirteen had never uncovered the cauldron’s secret was that he lacked spiritual sense and could not imprint his spirit, thus never achieving recognition as its master.

“Elder brother, I found a pill-refining technique within it,” Chen Fengyun announced after bonding with the cauldron, as it immediately transmitted a pill-refining method to him.

“Heh, this is your good fortune,” Uncle Thirteen replied with a simple smile.

“I can pass this pill-refining method to you, if you like,” Chen Fengyun offered, somewhat embarrassed.

“No need. I don’t have many years left, and no time to study alchemy. You’re young, with a long road ahead—another skill can only help your future cultivation.” Uncle Thirteen refused.

“Thank you, elder brother.” This time, Chen Fengyun’s harvest was immense—not only had he helped Uncle Thirteen dispel the evil aura and gained six attribute points, but also acquired the Six Yang Universe Technique, a pill that could be converted into attribute points, and the art of alchemy.

Over the next few days, Chen Fengyun stayed in the small courtyard, discussing cultivation with Uncle Thirteen, especially seeking his guidance on the Six Yang Universe Technique and studying pill-refining.

After secretly absorbing the pill’s energy, he gained five more attribute points, which delighted him. By now, the Cultivation System panel showed dramatic changes:

Spiritual Root: Yellow Grade Peak
Spirit: Yellow Grade Initial
Cultivation: Eighth Level Qi Refinement
Techniques: Heaven and Earth Universe Technique (Mortal Grade Tenth Tier), Golden Bell Shield (Mortal Grade Seventh Tier)

Skills: Arrays (Mortal Grade Seventh Tier), Medicine (Mortal Grade Third Tier), Artifact Refining (Mortal Grade Seventh Tier), Pill Refining (Mortal Grade Second Tier)
Artifacts: Flying Sword (Mortal Grade Seventh Tier), Spirit Gathering Array Banner (Mortal Grade Seventh Tier), Profound Yin Mirror (Mortal Grade Seventh Tier), Pill Cauldron (Yellow Grade Peak)
Special Items: Miniature Cave Heaven
Attribute Points: 10

Indeed, after assimilating the Six Yang Universe Technique, he obtained the Heaven and Earth Universe Technique, raising his cultivation art to Mortal Grade Tenth Tier, allowing him to reach the pinnacle of the Qi Refinement stage. He also spent nine attribute points to boost his cultivation to the eighth level of Qi Refinement.

Furthermore, his study of pill-refining had raised his Pill Refining skill to Mortal Grade Second Tier. The cauldron, however, was a true treasure—Yellow Grade Peak—which could be used to refine Foundation Establishment pills in the future.

During these days, he also listened to Uncle Thirteen recount many of his personal experiences: encountering evil spirits in Japan, shamans in Africa, sorcerers in Thailand, voodoo practitioners in the southwest, and descendants of both Celestial Master Zhang and the Exorcist Dragon Clan.

Every two days, Uncle Thirteen drank a cup of spiritual spring, gradually recovering to the fourth level of Qi Refinement. Yet, his age and depleted lifespan, coupled with years of harm from evil energies, meant that even with the spiritual spring’s aid, this was his limit—he would progress no further.

“As for the underground palace beneath Leifeng Pagoda, yes, I did participate in its excavation back then, but there was nothing inside. However, in a corner of the palace leading toward the bottom of West Lake, there was a massive cavern reaching deep underground—I never ventured down to investigate.

Also, the original site of Golden Mountain Temple isn’t where it stands today, but in a valley behind the mountain. That place is now in ruins, and after the evil aura was discovered, the surroundings were sealed off.”

During this time, when Chen Fengyun inquired about the underground palace beneath Leifeng Pagoda, Uncle Thirteen held nothing back. The palace had yielded only some ancient relics, nothing related to Qi Refiners, nor any trace of the White Snake.

“Elder brother, what do you think is the source of the evil aura from that valley behind Golden Mountain Temple? If it lingers, won’t it eventually affect the people nearby?” Chen Fengyun could not help but ask.