Translator: CinderTL
Time flowed onward.
In the blink of an eye, another three months had passed.
On this day, the stone gate that had remained tightly sealed for so long suddenly swung open.
A lithe figure, as light as a breeze, swept before Song Wen.
"Gou Jun, it's done!" Ye Bing's voice trembled with barely suppressed excitement, though her face remained composed, a faint smile gracing her lips.
She held a jade bottle and extended it toward Song Wen.
Song Wen paused, then accepted the bottle and peered inside.
At the bottom lay a thumb-sized medicinal pill, rolling gently along the edge as the bottle shifted.
The pill was perfectly round and full, its surface radiating a faint, misty spiritual light. Its color was strikingly unique—a deep azure, reminiscent of the ocean's depths—matching the description of the Void Union Primordial Breakthrough Pill in the Pill Formula exactly.
"Immortal Maiden, your innate talent is truly remarkable," Song Wen said sincerely. "To successfully condense the pill on only your second attempt is astonishing!"
"Fellow Daoist, you flatter me," Ye Bing replied calmly, though a hint of pride flickered in her eyes. "Your contributions were essential to the pill's successful refinement."
Song Wen examined the jade bottle in his hand and murmured,
"Immortal Maiden, when do you plan to fire up the furnace again to refine pills?" Ye Bing asked.
"I've fired up the furnace twice consecutively, and my spiritual power is severely depleted," Ye Bing replied. "I plan to meditate and recover my spiritual power while reflecting on the successes and failures of this refinement. Perhaps... I won't refine pills again for another half a year?"
"Half a year?" Song Wen murmured to himself. Then he added, "The Immortal Maiden speaks wisely. Pill refinement cannot be rushed; it requires a steady and methodical approach. I will wait here for half a year to continue guarding the Immortal Maiden."
With that, Song Wen returned the jade bottle to Ye Bing.
Ye Bing shook her head. "This Void Union Primordial Breakthrough Pill now belongs to Fellow Daoist. Consider it fulfillment of the heavenly dao oath I swore years ago."
"To me?" Song Wen was slightly surprised.
Although Ye Bing still had three portions of Spirit Herbs, the pill refinement process was fraught with variables. No one could guarantee she would successfully refine another Void Union Primordial Breakthrough Pill.
"Then I shall accept it without further ado," Song Wen said, flipping his hand to store the jade bottle.
"Gou Jun, let's go sit in the pavilion outside," Ye Bing suggested. "This sealed chamber is getting stuffy."
Song Wen gestured toward the door. "Immortal Maiden, please lead the way."
A pavilion.
Song Wen and Ye Bing sat facing each other.
Ye Bing retrieved a bronze kettle and placed it on the stone table between them. She extended a slender finger, its tip shimmering with spiritual light, and traced a dazzling arc in the air.
Instantly, a ball of clear water materialized mid-air, poised to pour into the kettle.
"Immortal Maiden, wait!" Song Wen suddenly called out, stopping Ye Bing.
Ye Bing looked up, her expression puzzled.
Song Wen smiled. "I have excellent Spirit Spring water and Spirit Tea here, which would greatly aid you in restoring your spiritual power."
With a wave of his hand across the table, a gourd the size of a washbasin and a palm-sized jade box materialized.
Song Wen picked up the gourd, removed its stopper, and tilted it slightly.
A stream of clear water, brimming with potent Spiritual Qi, flowed steadily into the bronze kettle below.
When the kettle was about eighty percent full, Song Wen set down the gourd and placed his right hand on its side.
As he subtly channeled his spiritual power, a scorching heat radiated from his palm.
The area where his hand touched the kettle gradually turned red.
The water inside began to simmer gently, wisps of steam rising into the air.
Next, Song Wen opened the jade box.
A dozen jade-green leaves, shimmering with a faint azure glow, lay within, catching both their eyes.
The leaves were about the size of three fingers, their color a vibrant, jade-like green, and they emitted a faint, refreshing fragrance.
Two leaves floated up automatically and fell into the copper kettle, swirling around in the boiling water.
Immediately, a refreshing aroma that invigorated the spirit wafted from the kettle.
"Azure Jade Spirit Tea, Azure Water Spirit Spring! This is said to be the most expensive Spirit Tea in the Qicang Domain," Ye Bing remarked, her expression shifting slightly with surprise. "Gou Jun, you're quite extravagant, enjoying such costly Spirit Spring and Tea. Even this small amount in your hand must be worth over a thousand high-grade spirit stones!"
Song Wen replied, "I obtained this by chance and rarely drink it. Today is a rare opportunity to share a drink with the Immortal Maiden, so let's savor the taste of this Spirit Tea together."
The Spirit Tea and Spring were not purchased by Song Wen but were obtained after slaying Chi Pei.
As he spoke, Song Wen lifted the copper kettle and poured tea into the cup before Ye Bing.
Ye Bing picked up the cup and, without regard for the scalding temperature, drained it in one gulp.
"Truly excellent tea. Rich in Spiritual Qi, with a lingering fragrance on the lips and a long-lasting aftertaste."
"I'm glad the Immortal Maiden approves," Song Wen said with a smile.
He refilled Ye Bing's cup before pouring one for himself.
Song Wen raised his teacup, took a delicate sip, and asked, "Immortal Maiden, besides the Void Union Primordial Breakthrough Pill, are there any other spiritual objects that can increase the chances of advancing to the Void Refinement Stage?"
Ye Bing's lips curved into an amused smile. "I knew this Spirit Tea was too good to be true. You clearly have an ulterior motive."
She paused, as if carefully choosing her words, then continued slowly, "The key to advancing to the Divine Transformation Realm lies in sublimating and transforming the soul into a primordial spirit. Cultivation at the Divine Transformation Stage centers on continuously refining and strengthening this primordial spirit. Spiritual power flows through the meridians, nourishing the primordial spirit; as spiritual power grows, the primordial spirit gradually strengthens. The denser the spiritual power, the more solid the primordial spirit becomes; conversely, the stronger the primordial spirit, the more refined one's control over spiritual power. The two complement and support each other. You must have experienced this in your daily cultivation."
Song Wen's expression turned somewhat blank. He hadn't truly felt any of this.
Since his Ascension eighty years ago, his cultivation had skyrocketed from the early stage of Divine Transformation to its peak, but this progress hadn't come from his own diligent practice.
Moreover, after devouring Xu Zhi's cultivation, although he had advanced to the peak of the Divine Transformation Stage, his primordial spirit realm remained stuck at the late Divine Transformation Stage.
Ye Bing, unaware of Song Wen's thoughts, continued explaining.
"Cultivators at the Void Refinement Stage can detach their primordial spirit from their physical body, allowing it to roam freely through the heavens and earth. Theoretically, as long as one's primordial spirit is sufficiently strong, advancing to the Void Refinement Stage becomes a natural progression. In other words, any spiritual object that strengthens the primordial spirit can help break through the bottleneck at the peak of the Divine Transformation Stage, assisting one in reaching the Void Refinement realm. However, spiritual objects that strengthen the primordial spirit are extremely rare and difficult to find."
The souls of low-tier cultivators and the primordial spirits of Divine Transformation Stage cultivators, once separated from their bodies, will automatically dissipate over time unless they can immediately seize another body or are nurtured by a special treasure. Otherwise, their souls and primordial spirits will vanish into an unknown realm, destined for reincarnation.
In contrast, the primordial spirits of Void Refinement Stage cultivators can detach from their physical bodies and exist independently without external support.
They can even roam the heavens and earth with their primordial spirits, reaching any corner of existence. However, such ventures are fraught with peril, as the primordial spirit is vulnerable to accidents that could lead to soul scattering and spirit vanishing.
(End of the Chapter)
Translator's Corner
Hey guys, so as I tried to login into my ScribbleHub account to today and found that it was banned.😭 All the stories have also been taken off of the site. I don't what has happened, I will try to contact them and figure out what's going on. Please contact me if you know what could be happening and have any potential solutions.
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