Translator: CinderTL
"I'm preparing to refine the Void Union Primordial Breakthrough Pill. Come with me to Ice Ling Island," Ye Bing said.
Song Wen's eyes lit up instantly, and a fervent smile spread across his face, like a madam welcoming a guest.
"How could I refuse an invitation from an Immortal Maiden? When shall we depart?"
"We can leave immediately. But shouldn't you pack first? This journey will likely take two or three years," Ye Bing replied.
"I should indeed prepare. Immortal Maiden, please wait a moment," Song Wen said.
With that, he plunged into the sewage, burrowing through the thick sludge to reach the cultivation cave he had previously carved out on Wu Yuan Island.
Without the support of a formation, the cave had long since been filled with mud.
After circling the cave once, he turned and resurfaced.
Ye Bing watched Song Wen's swift return, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"What did you just do?"
Her divine sense had been focused on Song Wen the entire time, yet she hadn't seen him do anything.
"Just retrieving a few small items," Song Wen replied vaguely.
He had actually gone to retrieve the Shadow King Gu.
The Shadow King Gu possessed exceptional stealth abilities, further concealed by the putrid stench deep within the swamp's sludge.
As long as it remained motionless, even a Divine Transformation Stage cultivator would struggle to detect it.
Unwilling to reveal the Gu's existence to Ye Bing, Song Wen had personally retrieved it.
Ye Bing pursed her lips. "Gou Jun, I wonder what you've endured in the past to make you so guarded."
With that, she moved, soaring toward Ice Ling Island.
Song Wen hurriedly followed.
Ice Ling Island.
"From today onward, Gou Jun and I will be entering secluded cultivation for some time," Ye Bing instructed the dozen female cultivators under her command. "You must tend to the spirit herbs in the island's Spirit Fields with utmost care. If you lack any materials for cultivating the spirit grass, Ning Qiao and Zhong Fei will go out to purchase them."
In the past, Ye Bing had strictly forbidden her subordinates from leaving the island. She personally procured all necessary resources, including cultivation supplies for her followers.
A year ago, upon returning to the island and finding it well-maintained, Ye Bing, needing to enter secluded cultivation herself, finally permitted two golden core stage cultivators to occasionally venture out.
A small market lay just 100,000 li north of Ice Ling Island, where common spiritual objects could be obtained. Ye Bing's subordinates no longer needed to travel millions of li to Cloudveil City for supplies.
After arranging matters with her subordinates, Ye Bing led Song Wen into a stone-carved alchemy chamber.
The chamber, roughly half a kilometer wide, was divided into inner and outer rooms.
Standing at the entrance to the inner chamber, Ye Bing said, "Gou Jun, I ask you to guard the outer chamber while I refine pills. Do not allow any disturbances during this time. The Withered Desolation Marsh teems with demon beasts, and some foolish creatures occasionally charge the island's formation. Fellow Daoist, I trust you will handle them."
"Immortal Maiden, rest assured," Song Wen said. "I'll handle all these minor matters. As long as no sixth-tier demonic beasts approach, nothing will disturb you."
Ye Bing nodded and stepped into the inner chamber.
Bang!
The stone door of the inner chamber slammed shut.
Simultaneously, intricate formation patterns lit up on the stone door and the chamber walls, sealing the inner chamber off from the outside world.
Song Wen walked to the center of the outer chamber, retrieved a meditation cushion, sat cross-legged, and began circulating his cultivation method to refine his cultivation base.
Time flowed slowly, and five months passed in the blink of an eye.
Despite sitting in meditation for so long, Song Wen showed no signs of impatience.
The longer Ye Bing remained in the Alchemy Chamber, the clearer it became that the pill refinement process was progressing smoothly.
Of course, refining the Void Union Primordial Breakthrough Pill shouldn't actually take five months. According to the pill formula, the entire process should take around three months.
Ye Bing couldn't have started refining the pill immediately upon entering the inner chamber; she would have needed time to prepare thoroughly.
One day, a faint tremor suddenly shook the ground, instantly alerting Song Wen. He opened his eyes and stared at the stone door of the inner chamber.
The tremor had originated from within the inner chamber.
Under Song Wen's watchful gaze, the stone door slowly creaked open, and Ye Bing emerged through a wisp of dark smoke.
Noticing Song Wen's gaze, her expression darkened slightly, and she shook her head.
"The first batch failed."
"Pill Refinement is no easy task," Song Wen said. "Success and failure are common occurrences. Immortal Maiden, there's no need to dwell on it. May I ask at which stage you encountered difficulties?"
"I failed during the final Pill Condensation stage," Ye Bing replied, a hint of regret in her voice.
Song Wen's eyebrows lifted, and a flicker of delight flashed in his eyes.
"You managed to advance smoothly to the Pill Condensation stage on your first attempt?"
Ye Bing nodded. "Yes, but ultimately, it was all for naught."
Song Wen smiled gently, his tone warm and encouraging.
"Pill Refinement is an exceedingly delicate art, especially when crafting high-grade medicinal pills. The slightest misstep can lead to failure. For you to reach the Pill Condensation stage on your first attempt is already a testament to your extraordinary talent, worthy of admiration. If you don't mind, would you share the details of your failure during Pill Condensation? I'd be honored to discuss it with you and perhaps offer some assistance."
Over the next half-month, the two engaged in deep discussions.
Ye Bing began by meticulously explaining the entire Pill Refinement process. At crucial junctures, she even retrieved her alchemy furnace to demonstrate key techniques for Song Wen.
Subsequently, they systematically analyzed the potential causes of failure during Pill Condensation, identifying areas for improvement one by one.
"Gou Jun, thank you," Ye Bing said. "Without your help, I might have spent much more time trying to understand the root cause of my failure."
"Immortal Maiden, you flatter me," Song Wen replied. "My knowledge of pill crafting techniques is shallow compared to yours. Discussing this with you has been immensely enlightening for me."
His words weren't entirely flattery. Ye Bing's Pill Refinement skills genuinely surpassed his own by a considerable margin.
"Now that we've identified the crux of the problem, Immortal Maiden, why not try again?" Song Wen suggested.
A confident smile bloomed on Ye Bing's face.
"Precisely my intention! Gou Jun, you'd better wish me good luck," she said, her crimson lips parting slightly.
With that, she rose gracefully and glided toward the inner chamber, her movements as light and fluid as a blue lotus swaying in the breeze.
Watching her slender figure recede, Song Wen called out in a clear voice, "Immortal Maiden, your beauty rivals that of nations, and your talents in cultivation, Pill Refinement, and talisman crafting are unparalleled. Truly, you are the favored child of the heavens, destined for profound blessings and the fulfillment of your heart's desires!"
Ye Bing had already reached the stone door of the inner chamber when she suddenly turned back, a teasing smile curving her lips.
"Gou Jun, I'm beginning to think your sweet words aren't entirely useless. At least for now, they've eased my mind, dispelled the gloom of the first furnace's failure, and banished the anxiety of opening the next. All this daily praise of my beauty... could it be you've harbored ulterior motives all along? If this furnace successfully condenses the pill, I might consider granting your... little wish."
As she spoke, she winked at Song Wen, her eyes sparkling like distant stars.
Then, she stepped into the inner chamber, her figure gradually obscured by the closing stone door.
Song Wen's heart skipped a beat, and a tender, passionate scene flashed through his mind.
It was no wonder. Ye Bing was simply too beautiful. Her usual aloof demeanor kept people at arm's length, but today, she suddenly revealed such captivating allure, leaving him utterly defenseless.
Song Wen took a deep breath, desperately trying to calm his racing heart.
Ye Bing's words were merely a casual remark, a way to ease her mind under immense pressure. She couldn't possibly have meant to suggest anything intimate.
Yet, with that deep breath, he inhaled a faint, ethereal fragrance—Ye Bing's unique scent.
Cool and crisp with a hint of sweetness, it was like a winter plum blossom blooming silently in the snow, both refreshing and deeply stirring.
(End of the Chapter)
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