Dao heart~

Inside the Alchemy Furnace statue in the Pill Pavilion Secret Realm.

Unlike the towering and imposing statues outside, the interior is a rather spacious hall.

The hall is octagonal, with a nebula-like stream of light falling from the ceiling, illuminating the entire space.

The most striking feature is the wall surrounding the hall.

The wall is densely covered with countless tiny characters.

Su Bai stared intently, a slight tremor running through him.

Those words were clearly Pill Formula!

Many of the Pill Formula also have brief annotations, either pointing out the key points or recording the lessons learned from the success or failure of the refining process. The handwriting is different, clearly indicating that they were written by different people.

This place is clearly the Star Luo Pill Pavilion, or rather, the treasure trove of Dao of Alchemy knowledge accumulated over countless years by the lineage of True Man He!

Just standing here, you can feel the profound atmosphere that has been accumulated over time.

"Lu Jiu, come here."

True Man He's voice rang out in the hall.

He was already standing next to a slightly raised platform in the center of the hall.

Su Bai withdrew his gaze from surveying his surroundings, strode forward, and came to True Man He's side.

On the platform, an extremely complex and exquisite Yin-Yang Twin Fish Pattern Magic Array was engraved, deeply embedded in the jade.

Pisces swam slowly, from which wisps of pure black and white Spiritual Qi rose and evolved into various mysterious images.

At the core of the Magic Array, there was a halo that constantly changed its seven-colored luster, existing between reality and illusion, radiating a powerful fluctuation that was perfectly integrated with the entire Secret Realm.

"This is where I usually cultivate in seclusion, and it is also the Central Court location where I control this Pill Pavilion Secret Realm."

True Man He pointed to the Yin-Yang Magic Array beneath his feet and explained in a calm tone.

Su Bai focused his mind and sensed that, even with his Foundation Establishment Early Stage Divine Sense, he could clearly feel the intricate connections between this Magic Array and the Secret Realm realm.

It is like the heart of the entire Secret Realm, maintaining and regulating the operation of this small world.

True Man He turned around and looked at Su Bai.

He didn't beat around the bush, but went straight to the point. "Lu Jiu, now that I've accepted you as my disciple, there are some things I need to say to you frankly."

Su Bai's heart skipped a beat, and he lowered his head to listen respectfully. "Master, please speak."

"I don't care where you come from, what your past Karma."

True Man He's voice carried a detached understanding of the world. "Now that you have joined my sect, as long as you do not violate the principles of my Star Luo Pill Pavilion or the ironclad rules of the Heavenly Star Alliance, I can forgive and forgive you for your past transgressions."

"What I value most about you is your exceptional Alchemy Talent, and... that resolute determination to face challenges head-on in the Alchemy Street and defend your own principles."

"These two things are the fundamental reasons why I accepted you as my disciple."

He paused, then his tone became solemn. "Since you are my disciple, I will do my utmost to impart all the knowledge I have gained in my life, paving a smooth Dao of Alchemy for you on the path of alchemy."

"I hope you will be diligent and persistent in your pursuit of the Way, and that one day your achievements will surpass those of your teacher."

"My greatest hope is that one day you will be able to personally refine the legendary Nascent Soul Realm Breakthrough Pill and become the first Nascent Soul Realm Alchemy Grandmaster in the history of our Demon Star Sea!"

Nascent Soul Realm Breakthrough Pill!

Su Bai was startled.

He naturally knew the name of this pill; it was a treasure that could drive countless Peak Golden Core Cultivator to madness and could cause bloodshed!

Refining this elixir requires not only unparalleled mastery of Dao of Alchemy, but also extremely high levels of cultivation, Divine Sense, and even an understanding of the Heavenly Dao Lightning Tribulation.

The True Man He set this as his goal demonstrates the weight of his expectations.

Su Bai took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and solemnly bowed, saying, "Master has high hopes for me! This Disciple will certainly devote my life to studying Dao of Alchemy and live up to Master's kindness in nurturing me!"

"The Nascent Soul Breakthrough Pill is the peak that this Disciple must climb on his path to advancement!"

"Good!" A hint of satisfaction flashed in True Man He's eyes. He knew how difficult this goal was, but Su Bai's ambition was commendable.

He changed the subject, with a hint of emotion in his tone. "The Nascent Soul Stage Breakthrough Pill is so difficult."

"The difficulty of this elixir lies not only in its refining process, but also in... the Alchemist himself is often confined to the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage."

Seeing Su Bai's puzzled expression, True Man He explained, "Alchemist spend years immersed in the aroma of medicine in their Pill Furnace, their minds consumed by controlling the fire and identifying the ingredients. In life-or-death battles and worldly trials, they are often inferior to those Combat Cultivator lick blood from their blades every day and struggle for survival."

"Therefore, in terms of a firm and clear Dao Heart, we Alchemist are inherently at a disadvantage."

"The Dao Heart?" Su Bai seemed to be deep in thought.

"Not bad, Dao Heart."

True Man He nodded, "This thing is extremely mysterious, formless and intangible, and its appearance is difficult to discern in daily cultivation."

"Only when faced with crucial choices, Heart Demon, and especially... when undergoing the Heavenly Tribulation, can one truly feel its existence and strength."

His voice deepened. " From Foundation Establishment to Golden Core, there are also Breakthrough Pill that can greatly increase the success rate."

"However, to break through from the Golden Core Nascent Soul to the Nascent Soul stage, besides needing the equally precious Nascent Soul Realm Breakthrough Pill, one must also personally confront the terrifying Heavenly Tribulation!"

"The Heavenly Tribulation is not only terrifying because of the power of Thunder, but also accompanied by Outer Realm Heavenly Demon that wait for their chance to strike, invading the minds of those Tribulation Crossing through the gaps in the Void torn by the Heavenly Tribulation, targeting the weak points of their Dao Heart, creating numerous illusions and endless temptations."

"If Dao Heart is not firm and steadfast enough, at best one will fail to Tribulation Crossing and lose all cultivation; at worst... one's soul will be annihilated and one's true spirit will dissipate!"

True Man He's words carried a weight he himself was unaware of. "Without Nascent Soul Realm Breakthrough Pill to solidify the foundation and resist some of the Heavenly Tribulation and Heart Demon, the chances of Alchemist, relying solely on the Dao Heart tempered in a peaceful environment for many years, successfully condensing a Nascent Soul after passing the Three-Nine Heavenly Tribulation are extremely slim."

He glanced at Su Bai and said meaningfully, "But you are different."

"You claim to be Overseas Rogue Cultivator, yet upon arriving in Heavenly Star City, you dared to confront Wei Chun and his group's exclusion and suppression head-on with your Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation, even going so far as to stand up to them and defend your Pill Shop."

"This resilience—the ability to advance under pressure and remain calm and focused amidst chaos—is precisely the rudimentary form of the Dao Heart forged through 'real combat' that Alchemist so desperately lack."

"This is also why I value you."

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "To be honest, I've been stuck at the Late Golden Core for nearly a hundred years. My cultivation has long since reached its peak, yet I haven't dared to trigger the Heavenly Tribulation to break through to the Peak Golden Core."

"This is because once one reaches the Peak Golden Core, the qualitative change in Spiritual Power and divine soul will naturally trigger a response from heaven and earth, and the Three-Nine Heavenly Tribulation will follow like a shadow, passively descending upon them."

"Unless I am fully prepared, and especially before I have refined or found Nascent Soul Realm Breakthrough Pill, I can only deliberately suppress my cultivation and prolong my life."

Su Bai remained silent.

It turns out that even the lofty and unapproachable Pill Sect Grandmasters face such difficult predicaments. The weight of Dao Heart is indeed related to life and death on the Dao Path.

True Man He seemed unwilling to dwell on such emotions any longer. He composed himself and pointed back to the core of the Yin-Yang Magic Array in front of him. "Enough, this is too early for you. Look here instead."

With a flick of his fingertip, the ever-changing seven-colored halo at the core of the Magic Array rippled slightly, and a strange, transparent sphere, about the size of a fist, slowly emerged from the halo and hovered in front of the two.

The sphere exudes a pure, primal aura, breathing and pulsating in unison with the entire Secret Realm.

"This object is a partial manifestation of the core essence of this Pill Pavilion Secret Realm, or rather, the ' Illusory Fire Secret Realm '."

True Man He said solemnly, "Today, I will present you with your first great gift since you became my disciple."

Before he finished speaking, he gently waved his right hand, making a vague gesture towards the transparent sphere.

Inside the sphere, a wisp of transparent energy, as thin as a hair yet condensed and pure to the extreme, was slowly drawn out, writhing slightly in the air like a living serpent.

With a flick of his wrist, True Man He sent out a wisp of transparent energy that shot out like lightning and went straight into Su Bai's brow!

"Buzz--"

Su Bai felt a cool sensation between his brows, as if a drop of icy spring water had fallen into his Sea of Consciousness. Immediately afterward, a strange and grand feeling surged throughout his body.

He felt a vague yet profound connection with the earth beneath his feet, with the air around him, and with the incomplete Fire Law that permeated this Secret Realm.

It felt as if I was no longer an outsider, but had become a part of this Secret Realm.

Deep within the space between the eyebrows, a constant, warm coolness exists. With the slightest thought, one can clearly perceive that it is a faint, elusive portal leading to a certain stable "coordinate".

"I have used a spell to temporarily connect a wisp of your aura with the origin of this Secret Realm realm."

True Man He withdrew his hand and explained, "This technique is called the Origin Imprint."

"From this day forward, as long as you remain within the Demon Star Sea, regardless of your location, if you encounter mortal danger, you can activate this mark to consume the power of the Secret Realm Origin and instantly teleport you back to the Central Court of this Pill Pavilion Secret Realm."

He added solemnly, "This technique activates extremely quickly. Unless one is a master of Spatial Confinement, or a powerful being whose cultivation far surpasses mine, reaching the Nascent Soul Late Stage stage or even the Spirit Transformation stage, and can instantly seal off Fang Yuan thousand miles with absolute power, it is difficult to interrupt."

"This is equivalent to giving you an extremely valuable life-saving talisman."

"However," True Man He changed the subject, reminding him, "Each time ' Origin Recall ' is used, it consumes a great deal of the Secret Realm Origin. This Secret Realm Origin is hard to accumulate and cannot withstand many such abuses."

"Therefore, this technique should never be used lightly except in life-or-death situations, and it should never be treated as child's play or tested casually."

Su Bai felt the coolness between his brows and the strange connection, and his heart was deeply shaken.

This apprenticeship gift is far too generous!

This was not just a life-saving charm, but also represented True Man He He's complete trust in him.

With this mark, his safety in the Demon Star Sea will be greatly enhanced, and many plans that originally required extreme caution may be able to be made more daring.

He immediately took a step back, straightened his robes, and bowed deeply to True Man He, his tone utterly sincere. "Master, you have shown me such great kindness by bestowing upon me such a precious treasure for protection. This Disciple... is deeply grateful! I will certainly obey your orders, diligently cultivate the Dao of Alchemy, and live up to the trust placed in this mark!"

"Yes, get up."

True Man He accepted the bow with a gentle smile, offering a slight gesture of support. "Since you are my disciple, it is only natural for your master to consider your needs thoroughly."

"The Dao of Alchemy is long and arduous; only with life can one have everything."

He paused, his expression returning to calm, and began to inquire about the important matter, "Now that the generous gift has been presented, it's time to discuss your cultivation."

"I observe that you possess exceptional Talent in alchemy, yet your foundation appears weak and superficial. Many of your techniques seem effective, but their roots are unstable. If this continues, it may become a hindrance."

"Tell me in detail how you have cultivated yourself since you embarked on the path of alchemy."

Su Bai knew that his Master was going to examine him and formulate a cultivation plan.

Having no need to hide anything, he laid out his prepared explanation.

The story begins with his arrival in Heavenly Star City, where he accidentally discovered his keen perception of medicinal properties and began attempting to refine the most basic Essence Replenishing Pill.

How to set up a stall to sell items and accumulate a small amount of Spirit Stone.

Not content with the profits from the Essence Replenishing Pill, some gritted their teeth and used all their savings to risk trying the more complex and profitable Yellow Dragon Pill.

After several failures and nearly exhausting his savings, he finally succeeded by chance, establishing himself on the Alchemy Street with the Yellow Dragon Pill and opening the Number Nine Pill Shop.

Later, his ambition rekindled, and he set his sights on the Golden Marrow Pill. He recklessly purchased materials regardless of cost, and through repeated furnace explosions and failures, he relied on burning Spirit Stone and his indomitable spirit to finally master the refining of the Golden Marrow Pill and make the reputation of the Number Nine Pill Shop famous.

As for his later joining of the Star Luo Pill Pavilion and his participation in alchemy competitions, True Man He already knew about it.

Su Bai's account was straightforward and did not exaggerate. He emphasized his self-taught background and how he relied entirely on his Talent, intuition, and the brute force of Spirit Stone. This perfectly explained why he could refine high-quality Pill despite his weak foundation.

True Man He listened quietly, stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "Your experience is truly extraordinary."

"By consuming a massive amount of Spirit Stone, you forcibly opened the door to Dao of Alchemy. This method is extremely dangerous and extravagant; ordinary people simply cannot Copy, and no one dares to attempt it lightly. Your success demonstrates your exceptional Talent and extraordinary fortune."

He then changed the subject. "However, this 'nouveau riche' approach to alchemy has both advantages and disadvantages."

"The benefit, of course, is that it allows you, this hidden gem, to shine brightly sooner and be discovered by your master, haha!"

He rarely made a joke, but then said seriously, "But the drawback is equally obvious, namely your current state—your foundation in alchemy is as fragile as a castle built on sand."

"Refining a high-quality first-tier pill like the Golden Marrow Pill can be barely managed with Talent and experience gained through 'burning money'."

"However, once you get to the real Second-tier Spirit Pill, the Pill Formula become more complex, the conflicts between medicinal properties are more varied, and the control of the heat is more precise, requiring an extremely high level of basic skills and systematic knowledge from the Alchemist."

"By then, if you still want to try and succeed by throwing Spirit Stone at others, the cost will be unimaginably high, and the success rate will plummet."

"As for Third Tier- and Fourth Tier Spirit Pills, without a solid foundation, they are nothing but a mirage, absolutely impossible."

True Man He's analysis was incisive, pointing directly to Su Bai's biggest weakness.

"Therefore, the first step in your cultivation strategy, as your teacher, is to intensively study the basics!"

True Man He said decisively, "You shall remain in the Secret Realm and cultivate in seclusion for some time."

I will carefully select some first-tier Spirit Pills that can quickly boost your basic experience and refine them for you.

"Once your basic skills reach a certain level, I will teach you how to refine Second-tier Spirit Pill. As for the spirit medicine, I will provide them for you." In a short time, True Man He devised a plan specifically for Su Bai.

The foundation must be strengthened, unless Su Bai only wants to pull off one big heist and run away, and has no intention of refining high-level Spirit Pills or even Nascent Soul Realm Breakthrough Pill.

Su Bai pondered for a moment, then said, "Master, I naturally have no objection to your arrangements."

"However, I still have some matters to attend to in Disciple Alchemy Street, which will take about two months. After Disciple have dealt with these matters, I will come to the Secret Realm to cultivate with you, would that be alright?"

It's highly likely that the son of the Dragon Daoist has Mysterious Tier Lightning Attribute Spell Talent that has been set up for so long, so it must be Copy over.

It's currently the end of August, and [Immortal Talent Reflection] will be refreshed on November 5th.

That is, a waiting period of two months and five days.

True Man He nodded slightly. "Handle it well. As for the Pill Shop, if there isn't a suitable candidate, it will temporarily close for a while."

"Remember, for us Alchemist, Spirit Stone are the most useless things. We must not get too attached to them. The true path to alchemy is to refine a batch of fine pills for ourselves and achieve immortality!"

Su Bai nodded in agreement.