Small Matters Along the Dao

The Golden Elixir states. "If the five grains can sustain life, people will live if they obtain them and die if they are deprived of them, how much more so the superior divine medicines, whose benefits to people are ten thousand times greater than those of the five grains?"

In other words, humans can use external objects to strengthen their physical form, and the human body can achieve immortality by absorbing supernatural properties from the outside world, such as elixirs, through certain means.

Therefore, within Daoism, there are two paths: internal alchemy and Outer Elixir.

Internal alchemy is the result of cultivating both nature and life, and is generated through one's own cultivation. As the saying goes, "The Dragon and Tiger Treasure Cauldron is the body and mind; the body is the furnace, the mind is the spiritual chamber, and the essence is the Jade Pool."

If a cultivator lacks the talent to form an inner elixir on their own, they must rely on external forces. Through the convergence of the energies of Heaven and Earth Qi, Outer Elixir is formed, which, when ingested, helps the cultivator to form their own elixir.

Some used ordinary Pill Cauldron, while others used other people's bodies as furnaces; the variations were endless.

The practice of internal alchemy requires strict self-discipline, focusing solely on oneself, with moderate requirements for resources but extremely high requirements for one's character.

The practice of Outer Elixir requires constant exploration and experimentation to find what external objects are useful for one's own alchemy. It demands a high level of resources and also requires a high level of mental discipline.

Both are initially unranked, but for practitioners of internal alchemy to achieve a rank, they need to cultivate slowly and diligently until their primordial Primordial Spirit is perfected, thus achieving a rank.

Those who wish to advance in the ranks of Outer Elixir practitioners must design their own Pill Formula, conduct repeated experiments, and ultimately adjust them to create Outer Elixir that are effective for them. Once ingested, they can advance to the next rank.

Ultimately, Daoist cultivation cannot escape the saying that "the essence of the sun and moon, the Heaven and Earth Qi, the mind and intention, the desire to form elixir, the physical exertion, the desire for transcendence, and the intake of more than the output."

The difference is that internal alchemy involves incorporating these resources into the body, using the body as Pill Furnace for slow cultivation.

Alternatively, Outer Elixir can prepare these resources in an external Pill Furnace, and then consume them to obtain them directly.

Both are Golden Elixir, and there is no difference in their superiority or inferiority; it only depends on the path taken.

For Shen Shuibi, she originally practiced internal alchemy, but now that her body is shattered like this, internal alchemy is no longer an option because her body can no longer serve as Pill Furnace. So she will have to pursue Outer Elixir instead.

The pill she refined was called the "Evil Cleansing and Righteousness Returning Pill".

This elixir is an orthodox Outer Elixir refined according to the Golden Core Method; consuming it can lead to the formation of a Golden Elixir.

Refining this stuff was a piece of cake for her; the difficulty lay only in the initial preparation stage.

Yang Ning's collection had already replenished her supplies. After refining them these past few days, she prepared herself and began taking them.

He swallowed a golden pill.

However, it was observed that righteous energy suddenly arose in various places on her body, such as the Crimson Palace, Guanyuan, Qihai, Hai Di, Mingtang, and Tianqiao Qihai. The energy was calm and tranquil, yet vast and boundless. She used the spirit of her primordial life to control her own energy, combining it with the energy of the void. Water and fire were in harmony, and dragon and tiger were in perfect balance, causing her power to surge dramatically.

By following the two energies to the ecliptic, gathering the three natures in the primordial palace, assembling the five elements, harmonizing the Four Symbols, with the dragon roaring and the tiger howling, the jade cauldron boiling and the golden furnace blazing, the mysterious pearl finally takes shape.

In an instant, strange phenomena appeared around Shen Shuibi, numerous Daoist rhymes resounded, purple qi wafted, blessings descended, and a Taiyin illusion descended, with the essence of the moon leaping!

However, all the strange phenomena were within three feet of her, yet the outside world did not sense them at all.

The ninth grade is achieved.

There were no bottlenecks or unexpected events; for her, it was simply a natural progression.

However, at the same time, the governor of White Snake Prefecture, who was in the carriage, suddenly opened his eyes.

Then, he shrank the distance to an inch, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived at Shen Shuibi's side.

I happened to see that unusual phenomenon of a bright, round moon.

The shimmering light of the cold dew falls gently, and a celestial melody chills the bones.

The wind and dew glisten like sparkling crystals, the cicadas sing among the Chanjuan.

What a beautiful waning moon.

Solitary and beautiful, shining brightly in the heavens, it has been admired and revered by humankind for countless millennia.

The prefect's face turned pale instantly, and he quickly bowed to Shen Shuibi, saying, "I was unaware that you were here, senior. I have disturbed you greatly... no, I mean I treated you poorly earlier. I hope you will not take offense."

Such Daoist charm must be at the fifth rank!

A fifth-rank official, is she that young master's maid?

Oh My God!

Who exactly is this person?

"I didn't disturb you at all. It's me who disturbed you, isn't it? I didn't expect this commotion. I already had some restraints, but you've already reached the sixth rank, so you still noticed." Shen Shuibi was very polite, without any arrogance, and even seemed a little embarrassed.

After all, we disturbed their peace.

That's really troublesome.

"No... no disturbance. May I ask if you are the young master's protector? Was it inappropriate for me to arrange this trip to the outer realms for the young master without my permission?" The prefect asked Shen Shuibi, his body covered in cold sweat.

He was a little worried.

What if I accidentally get into trouble...

This is a fifth-rank official position.

A fifth-rank expert, at full power, could cause a region of outer space to collapse and annihilate billions of living beings in the blink of an eye.

The higher you climb, the more you realize how vast the differences are between each grade.

However... the aura of this fifth-rank cultivator is far too weak?

He couldn't help but look up and confirm the Daoist aura.

It is indeed a fifth-rank official.

Perhaps it was intentional to hide it, so that the young master wouldn't know of the existence of this protector.

It's just a little strange.

Why is it that the young master is a direct descendant of Wushen Mountain, yet his protectors are from the Daoist sect?

Forget it, those things are not my business. Asking too many questions will only kill me.

"Huh? Beyond the realm? Whatever makes you happy. Anyway, his teacher said to let him make his own way, so I didn't care too much. You came to me just to ask about this?" Shen Shuibi tilted her head.

"Indeed, if you feel there's nothing wrong, then I can Anxin," the governor of White Snake Prefecture said, bowing.

He certainly couldn't say that he came to check out the situation because he sensed the presence of a high-ranking being; that would make him seem incredibly inconsiderate.

"I see." Shen Shuibi tilted her head.

"Then this junior dares not disturb you any longer, senior, and will take his leave now." The governor of White Snake Prefecture immediately slipped away and returned to his carriage.

Before leaving, he couldn't help but glance at Li Qi in the carriage on the other side.

His eyes were full of envy.

I'm so envious of these privileged individuals.

Not only do they have elders protecting them all the way, but they are also born with the ability to directly enter the top rank of magic, and all resources and fortuitous encounters are plentiful.

Moreover, judging from the aura emanating from that young master, he seems to possess a trace of Innate Dao Rhyme.

That means he has been superior to others since birth, which is probably why he was accepted as a disciple by the Great Shaman.

Even until the very end, one can rightfully stand at the highest point.

After a while, Shen Shuibi skipped over to Li Qi's side.

Li Qi was reading the book "Zhu" when he saw Shen Shuibi arrive, and he stopped reading and looked at her.

This sight was quite startling.

Shen Shuibi was enveloped in a dense Taiyin Qi that had not yet dissipated.

"Li Qi! I've reached the ninth rank!" Shen Shuibi exclaimed happily.

Is this already the ninth rank?

Li Qi was startled.

Wow, these prodigies, getting into a high-ranking position is really no big deal for them.

Oh, no, that's not right.

Shen Shuibi was already a fifth-rank official, so a ninth-rank official should have been a piece of cake for her.

"Congratulations, Miss Shen, on returning to the ninth rank," Li Qi said politely.

"Hmm~, by the way, I also made you a little gift." Shen Shuibi looked very happy, her hands hidden behind her back, her face full of smiles.

"A gift?" Li Qi asked curiously.

"This is it!" Shen Shuibi stretched out her hand and took out a golden pill, about the size of her little finger.

"What is this?" Li Qi tilted his head, not quite understanding.

"I made this for you while I was refining pills, and I also made this for you while I was refining Outer Elixir!" Shen Shuibi said with a self-satisfied expression.

"Outer Elixir?" Li Qi frowned.

According to his superficial understanding, Outer Elixir should be things with great side effects, like using the inner core of a demon Demon Beast to refine Outer Elixir, which would ruin one's future once used.

"Yes, Outer Elixir, what's wrong?" Shen Shuibi saw Li Qi's expression and wondered why he looked so serious.

"Can Outer Elixir also be used?" Li Qi asked.

"Ah? Oh, I understand what you mean." Shen Shuibi immediately understood what Li Qi was worried about when she heard him ask this question.

So the rabbit began to explain.

"What is Outer Elixir?"

"In the past, the High Primordial Lord transmitted the Dao to the human world, explaining the principles of the rise and fall of heaven and earth, and the proper cycles of the sun and moon. Since then, the alchemical scriptures have filled the world, and people have heard of the Great Dao. Mercury is extracted from sand, and silver from lead. Mercury is like the Yang Dragon, and silver is like the Yin Tiger. The fire of the moon is used to draw upon the Qi of the eight directions, in accordance with the seasons. Sulfur is used as medicine, combined with spiritual sand, and the Outer Elixir is perfected. One can also ascend freely, like a strong man spreading his arms, traveling thousands of miles. Although one cannot return to Penglai, one will not die in the great calamities of the human world. How can such a thing not be used?"

"As for those rumors you've heard, aren't they just spread by ignorant liars?"

"People are fond of minor techniques but do not understand the depth of the Dao. External medicine is not unusable. In fact, I must use Outer Elixir because my injuries are too severe."

While fiddling with the pills in her hand, Shen Shuibi said, "There are two places in the body: the root of qi and the source of fluid. If the root of qi is not deep, the leaves will not flourish; if the source of fluid is not clear, the flow will not be long. The so-called 'root' comes from here. If the body is not good, the root will not be very strong, and it will be difficult to form an inner elixir. Therefore, if you want to cultivate, you can only rely on Outer Elixir."

"With just the help of five metals and eight stones, and by working day and night, one can refine the ninth-grade Dragon Tiger Pill. After consuming it, one can absorb its True Qi, refine one's form and live in the world, becoming light and agile, and easily enter the ninth grade."

Shen Shuibi spoke lightly, but Li Qi was terrified when he heard it.

"Then, this is Outer Elixir? If I eat it, I can directly enter the ninth rank of the Daoist sect?" Li Qi was stunned.

According to Shen Shuibi, wouldn't eating just one pill grant you a ninth-grade cultivation level? Holy crap, who would even bother cultivating then?

Upon hearing this, Shen Shuibi rolled her eyes. "What are you thinking? Outer Elixir must be refined by yourself."

"In the end, Outer Elixir is just an option that your personal microcosm is useless. And the personal microcosm, although it looks simple, is still a 'world' after all. How could outsiders possibly investigate it clearly? Even I cannot investigate every detail of another person's body."

"Many things can only be seen clearly by oneself, so Outer Elixir can only be refined by oneself according to one's own situation, and cannot be entrusted to outsiders."

"Otherwise, if the Outer Elixir pill is not compatible with the microcosm of the human body, not only will it have no effect, but you will also be killed by the chaotic metal and mercury energy. Even if you have reached the ninth rank of martial arts, have a strong body and strong kidney metabolism, you will still feel bad after eating an Outer Elixir. You may have to lie in bed for three to five months."

Upon hearing this, Li Qi stroked his chin and asked, "Then, aren't Outer Elixir highly poisonous? What if we take two and use them to ambush someone?"

"Outer Elixir are so expensive... If you want poison, aren't other poisons more effective? They might even be better... Besides, once you reach the eighth rank or above, your inner world is stable, so taking Outer Elixir won't have any effect, but there's no benefit to it anyway." Shen Shuibi was even more speechless.

If you want to poison someone, there are plenty of poisons available. Why use Outer Elixir? This thing can instantly elevate a person to the ninth rank if they consume it; its value is self-evident. To use it as poison is truly ingenious.

More potent poisons are also much cheaper than Outer Elixir.

At this point, Shen Shuibi stopped the conversation. "Alright, enough of that, let's look at mine!"

"So, what is this?" Li Qi also stopped the topic of Outer Elixir.

If Shen Shuibi says this isn't Outer Elixir, then what is it?

"This thing is called the Phthisis Bug Exterminator. It is a pill recorded in the Shangqing Ziting Immortal Formula. It can strengthen Qi and Blood and blood, nourish the five internal organs, and subdue the consumption qi in the body. You were previously possessed by the Evil Qi of those two sixth-grade demons, and I was very worried about whether it would leave any sequelae. So I made it for you when I was refining pills!" Shen Shuibi handed the pill to Li Qi and said with a smile. Her expression was very gentle, and her eyes were full of laughter, as if there were stars in them.

Looking at that smiling face, Li Qi was somewhat moved.

She has me in her heart.

"Thank you, Miss Shen," Li Qi said.

"It's alright, I'm just glad you're okay. If it weren't for you, Her Your Highness would have really been in danger. I should thank you. Now, take your medicine, I'll be going now." Shen Shuibi said, getting up to leave.

Li Qi had no doubts and, after watching the other person leave, took the medicine directly.

Then, he could clearly feel that after taking it, a flow of energy rose from his coccyx along the Du meridian.

This energy flow is warm. When it reaches a place, the Qi and Blood there will boil, the muscles will tense up and become hard, and the blood flow will speed up.

Then, the heat flows through the Jiaji point to the Niwan and Baihui points, and then descends along the Ren meridian to the perineum.

Wait, perineum?

Li Qi suddenly broke out in a sweat.

Such a massive Qi and Blood and heat instantly made his muscles involuntarily harden, naturally...

Hello.

This stuff is incredibly effective at strengthening Qi and Blood.

Just then, Shen Shuibi suddenly opened the door and poked her head in from outside. "Oh right, Li Qi, there's something I forgot to mention. Remember to prepare some ice water before you take it, otherwise your Qi and Blood will be boiling. There aren't any side effects, but it will make you feel a little uncomfortable."

After saying that, she turned her head away, closed the door, and skipped away. She probably had something else to do, because she didn't look back even once, and it's unclear whether she saw anything or not.

Li Qi was inside, hunched over, his face flushed, and staring in disbelief.

Damn it, that dead rabbit!

(Just asking for votes, do you guys think there's a chance of getting 1,000 monthly votes this month?)