Laozi remained completely unruffled as he said, "Of the three thousand Great Dao, which one didn't have to hack its way through thorns and brambles?"
Yuanshi teased, "Yes, yes, of course. But how many times has this happened now? I hardly ever see you cultivate normally, but you've never once slacked off when it comes to alchemy."
Tongtian also laughed. "Isn't it because Big Brother has so many pill formulas? I estimate that kid Luo Xuan hasn't even learned half of them yet."
"But Big Brother, if your Taiqing Palace explodes a few more times, it'll probably collapse, won't it?"
Laozi still wore an indifferent expression as he said, "Third Brother, you've guessed wrong. Luo Xuan learned most of my pill formulas long ago."
"Already?" Yuanshi and Tongtian exchanged bewildered looks.
Yuanshi's eyes shifted as he chuckled. "Fortunately, high-grade five-revolution pills require a year or two. Otherwise, Kunlun Mountain would never have any peace."
"But if this happens every few days, we won't be able to cultivate properly either."
Laozi narrowed his eyes and pondered. "That is indeed a problem."
Yuanshi declared righteously, "Big Brother, have Luo Xuan come to my Yuqing Palace. I'll teach him about seniority and proper respect."
Damn, what is Second Brother trying to do? No way!
Seeing this, Tongtian could no longer sit still. "Big Brother, my Shangqing Palace is sturdy. Have Luo Xuan come to mine!"
Their intentions were laid bare, and Laozi said irritably, "It's better to let Luo Xuan stay properly in Taiqing Palace."
"Let me be honest. The pills Luo Xuan is refining now are six-revolution pills. I estimate he'll be able to refine one successfully before long."
Yuanshi and Tongtian exchanged a glance and drew a deep breath.
"He really is a monster!"
Since their birth, they had never seen a creature among the myriad races of the Primordial World with aptitude like Luo Xuan's.
Taiqing Palace.
Billowing black smoke poured out through the doors and windows.
"Cough... cough, cough..."
Outside the main gate of Taiqing Palace, Luo Xuan coughed repeatedly, with mucus and tears swirling across his face.
Luo Xuan looked disheveled, his hair a complete mess.
His face and clothes were covered in gray-black stains.
Only after the smoke dispersed did Luo Xuan return to Taiqing Palace.
Ever since Luo Xuan had broken through to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, the Primordial Pill Body had finally revealed its extraordinary properties.
First were the spiritual roots around Taiqing Palace.
Even though Luo Xuan had no intention of cultivating them, the spiritual roots around Taiqing Palace grew rapidly under the nourishment of the Primordial Pill Body.
Their effects were even far superior to those of ordinary spiritual roots.
The Immortal Power in his body, which resembled Elixir Qi, could also assist with alchemy.
Pills refined through the Elixir Qi in his body would invariably emanate a special charm.
Although their grades did not change, these pills were often superior to other pills.
Moreover, the system's terminology had changed as well.
The original "upper," "middle," and "lower" grades had become "high-grade," "mid-grade," and "low-grade."
There was even a supreme grade that had not existed before.
He did not know whether it was because Luo Xuan could refine six-revolution pills and had met the requirements.
Some supreme-grade pills had even developed effects they had never possessed before.
Even Laozi sighed with emotion after learning of this, saying that Luo Xuan had been born to refine pills.
However, Luo Xuan encountered an obstacle when he began refining six-revolution pills.
By now, Luo Xuan had been refining six-revolution pills for several hundred years.
He had failed a total of ninety-four times.
No matter how Luo Xuan refined them, they always fell just a little short.
"Where exactly did the problem lie?"
"Could it be the influence of the Elixir Qi?"
Luo Xuan muttered to himself, then shook his head.
There was no doubt that the Elixir Qi could make the quality of pills purer.
If it had side effects, they would have appeared earlier. Why would they wait until now?
Luo Xuan held his head in both hands, his eyes fixed intently on the Alchemy Furnace.
After examining it for a long while, Luo Xuan still could not find anything wrong with the Alchemy Furnace.
Then Luo Xuan poured out the dregs from inside the Alchemy Furnace.
Amid the pile of dregs, one could vaguely see the pitted shape of a pill embryo, giving off a faint fragrance.
"Where exactly is the problem...?"
Luo Xuan kept sifting through the medicinal dregs with his fingers, muttering under his breath.
He did not notice Laozi and the others entering Taiqing Palace at all.
Laozi examined the pile of dregs for a while before saying thoughtfully, "There's too much Zhihuo Grass in this batch of pills."
"And your technique was wrong when refining the Jadeheart Vine. The heat was a little too high..."
Luo Xuan looked troubled. "But those details barely differed from the pill formula."
Laozi smiled faintly. "All things possess a spirit, and pills are no exception."
"Once a pill reaches the six-revolution level, no matter how faint its spirit is, it possesses a nature of its own. Sense its emotions, then control it."
"Pills possess a spirit... Pills possess a spirit..."
Luo Xuan paused slightly, continuing to repeat the words under his breath.
In the end, his eyes lit up once more, shining as brilliantly as the stars.
Only then did Luo Xuan react. He hurriedly turned around and said, "Thank you, Master!"
Laozi nodded slightly, not angered by Luo Xuan's attitude just now.
Instead, he felt gratified by Luo Xuan's total immersion.
Luo Xuan was just about to begin refining another pill when he suddenly seemed to remember something.
"By the way, Master, how are things at Shouyang Mountain? How is the Ancestor?"
Laozi was stunned when he heard this, then chuckled. "I've been on Kunlun Mountain the whole time and haven't paid much attention to the human race. How would I know?"
Luo Xuan asked in surprise, "Master, you haven't gone to preach to the human race?"
According to the timeline, the Renjiao Sect should be established soon.
Could it be that he was so absorbed in alchemy that he forgot the passage of time?
"Preach?" Laozi froze.
Seeing his expression, Luo Xuan smiled and said, "Then never mind."
Luo Xuan turned around and began refining pills.
Laozi, however, remained motionless where he stood.
It seemed that a spark of inspiration had flashed through his mind.
Luo Xuan's words echoed in his ears again and again.
He felt himself drawing closer and closer to that spark of inspiration.
"Indeed, preaching!" A sharp glint suddenly flashed through Laozi's eyes.
He looked at Luo Xuan and seemed eager to hug him and plant a kiss on his cheek. "Luo Xuan, stay in Taiqing Palace for the next few days. Don't come out unless necessary."
"We'll talk again once you've refined a six-revolution pill. I probably won't be in Kunlun during this period."
"You may read any of the classics in Taiqing Palace."
Looking at the excited Laozi, Luo Xuan vaguely guessed what was happening. "Master, are you going to the human race?"
"Indeed."
Laozi gave a sincere smile before transforming into a breeze and vanishing from the main hall.
"My Dao is accomplished!"
Laozi's voice rang across Kunlun Mountain before gradually fading into the distance.
Someone Offers a Pillow to One Who Has Just Dozed Off
As Laozi's voice faded into the distance,
Yuanshi and Tongtian flew out of the Three Pure Ones Hall, their faces blank with confusion.
Tongtian scratched his head. "Second Brother, what is Big Brother going to do?"
Yuanshi shook his head. "I don't know."
Tongtian continued asking, "What did Big Brother mean by that just now?"
Yuanshi still shook his head. "I don't know."
Those words—"My Dao is accomplished"—seemed to express the pent-up frustration Laozi had carried in his heart for many years.
After reaching the Quasi-Sage realm, the next step in their path was sainthood.
Yet they had failed to find an opportunity for so many years. How had he suddenly gained enlightenment?
Yuanshi lowered his head and looked toward Taiqing Palace.
At that moment, Luo Xuan stepped out of the gate and watched Laozi depart in the direction of the human race.
His expression fell, and he no longer had the mood to refine pills.
Before you continue