Chapter Thirty-Six: Zhu Lin'er

Seven days later, in the alchemy chamber.

Ying Chen emerged from his meditation, a contemplative light in his eyes.

Refining and consuming elixirs is the orthodox path; as long as one takes them properly and does not neglect diligent cultivation, one's foundation will not become unstable.

Thus, he encountered no real obstacles in consolidating his cultivation. Yet, after several days, he discovered a not-insignificant issue—

He could no longer sustain such remarkable progress in his cultivation.

After his recent breakthrough, using the Three-Spirit Moonlight Powder had become almost ineffectual. The Purple Ganoderma Pill was still miraculous, but he only received one each month, hardly enough to help him make further progress within a year.

If even spiritual medicines were thus, relying solely on arduous self-cultivation was all the more futile.

Though he had just crossed a 'difficult threshold,' Ying Chen's initial joy had already faded.

He knew the reasons well enough: first, after reaching the seventh level of Qi Refinement, further advancement became drastically harder.

Take the disciples at Crimson Water Cliff as an example—many, after five or even ten years of cultivation, were still grinding away at the seventh or eighth level.

Some had even hit bottlenecks and could make no progress at all. By comparison, the fact that he could continue advancing steadily was already considered fortunate.

Secondly, cultivation cannot be forced endlessly. Having just broken through with a single burst of effort, it was perhaps natural to experience a period of stagnation.

Moreover, his smooth progress through the sixth level of Qi Refinement might have been thanks to refining the Sacred Essence...

Additionally, the spiritual energy at Ink Bamboo Dojo—or rather, within his current alchemy chamber—might have become insufficient for his needs...

He understood all these factors, yet for some reason, he couldn't quite convince himself to be content.

True, there were plenty of mediocre disciples at Crimson Water Cliff, but there was no shortage of the gifted either.

They could maintain swift progress, untroubled by obstacles that would leave others struggling for years, crossing hardships with ease while the less fortunate lagged behind.

Ying Chen felt no jealousy, only an unwillingness to accept being left so far behind, having done nothing to deserve it.

"Perhaps... it's time to consider preparing to practice the Sacred Arts?"

He brooded for a long while, then finally let out a deep sigh, rose, and left the alchemy chamber.

Outside, a gentle rain fell in fine strands. In the perpetually overcast lands of Crimson Water Cliff, the rain lent a rare touch of serene charm.

Ying Chen stood by the window for a while, his mood settling, before gathering his things and heading out.

He went straight to the pill chamber, where he found Daoist Disciple Fang and asked, "Brother Fang, is Brother Zhu in the hall today?"

When Ying Chen arrived, Fang was leafing through a medicinal text, his mind clearly elsewhere. Startled by Ying Chen's voice, he blinked in confusion before replying, "Brother Zhu is here..."

"Brother Ying?" Regaining his composure, he said, "Brother Zhu is indeed in the hall. Do you wish to see him?"

"Indeed," Ying Chen replied. "But I wonder if Brother Zhu is available at the moment?"

"That's simple enough. I'll inform him for you," Fang said with a smile. "Please wait a moment."

He didn't even stand, merely produced a bone charm, whispered a few words to it, and, after a brief pause, looked up and said, "Come with me, please."

Ying Chen nodded and followed, soon arriving at a familiar quiet chamber.

Daoist Zhu had not yet arrived, but Fang immediately busied himself in the chamber, producing a delicate little jar.

"Brother Ying, you are in luck today." Fang opened the jar, revealing crimson tea leaves with a sweet, metallic scent.

He took some leaves to brew while explaining, "This 'Vermilion Rain' is a rare tea at Crimson Water Cliff these days. If Brother Zhu hadn't requested a pot, I wouldn't dare take it out casually..."

"Oh?" Ying Chen seated himself by the tea table and asked, "May I ask where this 'Vermilion Rain' comes from?"

"Vermilion Rain is a specialty tea from the Inner Sect," Fang replied as he prepared the tea with evident pride. "This tea greatly strengthens the blood and vitality—its effects are extraordinary! It can nurture one's vitality like a furnace and restore the essence lost to spellcasting... That's why it's so highly prized among our sect's disciples."

Ying Chen recalled Daoist Zhu's practice of corpse refinement and nodded thoughtfully.

"In the past, disciples who performed well in the monthly assessments would receive Vermilion Rain as part of their allowance," Fang continued, pouring tea for Ying Chen. "But, alas..."

Ying Chen raised an eyebrow. "Alas, what?"

"Alas, in recent years, Crimson Water Cliff's results in training disciples have sunk to the bottom among the six lower branches," Fang said in a hushed tone. "So the sect's support has gradually diminished, and fine things like Vermilion Rain are no longer provided..."

Just then, Ying Chen coughed lightly, startling Fang into silence. Looking up, he saw Daoist Zhu entering the chamber and immediately stood to salute him.

Ying Chen also rose and offered a polite bow. Daoist Zhu motioned for them to be seated, saying, "No need for such formality."

Today, the beautiful corpse attendant was absent, so Fang personally poured the tea.

Having listened to Fang's boasts, Ying Chen had not yet tasted the tea; only after Daoist Zhu drank did he bring the cup to his lips.

The Vermilion Rain tea was bright red and sweetly metallic, reminiscent of the taste of blood rust. Yet, after the initial sip, a lingering sweetness emerged, and with familiarity, one might come to appreciate its unique flavor.

Shortly after swallowing, he felt a gentle warmth spreading through his blood and body—the tea's effects were certainly not exaggerated.

"Excellent tea," Ying Chen praised. "Today I am indebted to you, Brother, for the chance to sample such a fine brew."

Daoist Zhu smiled faintly. "If you were a bit more diligent with your alchemy, a little tea like this would be easily within your means."

"The role of an alchemist in the pill chamber is a lucrative one. You must take it more seriously."

Ying Chen paused, realizing Daoist Zhu was expressing dissatisfaction with his efficiency.

After a moment's thought, he replied, "Your guidance is well taken, Brother. I only shifted my focus because I reached a critical juncture in my cultivation."

"Oh?" Daoist Zhu seemed to notice something then, studying Ying Chen closely, a flicker of surprise in his gaze.

"The other day, wasn't it Disciple Yu who mentioned..." He lightly rubbed his teacup. "Ying Chen advanced from the fourth to the sixth level of Qi Refinement in less than two months at most?"

"And now, you've crossed the threshold into the seventh level?"

As this thought crossed Daoist Zhu's mind, his demeanor brightened and he said cheerfully, "So you've made another breakthrough in your cultivation—truly commendable!"

Fang, who had been listening quietly, couldn't help but look up, a trace of envy in his eyes.

To have reached the seventh level of Qi Refinement before the Grand Examination—there was genuine hope now of entering the Inner Sect.

Ying Chen seemed unaware of the change in Daoist Zhu's attitude. He smiled, bowed, and said, "Thank you for your congratulations, Brother."

Daoist Zhu nodded with a smile, set down his cup, and asked warmly, "Did you come to see me today for some particular question?"

Ying Chen saw no need for pretense. "I wish to learn new medicinal formulas, but I don't know how to proceed."

"New formulas?" Daoist Zhu understood at once. "So that's it—after your breakthrough, the Three-Spirit Moonlight Powder is no longer sufficient for you, is it?"

"However..." He shook his head. "This, I'm afraid, is beyond my ability to help."