Biyou Palace Road Guide, A Village Hidden Beyond the Hills

After being shut out at Jade Void Palace, Lin Xuan felt a bit stifled, but he wasn't too discouraged. He was no longer the youth who had entered the Primordial Era in a state of constant anxiety. Having been tempered at Buzhou Mountain and baptized by the Witch Tribe, his Dao heart had become resilient. The Chan Sect valued lineage and background; their paths diverged, and they could not conspire together. Forcing it would be pointless.

He strolled down the white jade steps, leaving the solemn yet rigidly hierarchical square in front of Jade Void Palace. Kunlun Mountain was vast and boundless, with countless immortal peaks. He didn't rush down the mountain but casually chose a secluded path, walking aimlessly. It was both to calm his mind and to appreciate the remaining scenery of the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Mountains.

Unlike the orderly and majestic area near Jade Void Palace, the deeper he walked into the mountain range, the more peculiar and natural the scenery became. Strange rocks jutted out, ancient trees towered into the sky, and flowing springs and cascading waterfalls were hidden in deep ravines. Occasionally, immortal birds and exotic beasts would flit by. Though their auras were strong, they possessed less rigidity and more wildness and freedom. The Dao resonance permeating the air also subtly shifted, losing a measure of absolute order and gaining a vibrancy of variables and agility.

It seems the atmosphere within Kunlun Mountain isn't monolithic after all, Lin Xuan mused, sensing this subtle change. The lingering gloom from being rejected gradually dissipated, replaced by a hint of curiosity.

He reached a deep, secluded valley where clouds and mist swirled, and the sound of roaring water could be faintly heard. Following the sound, he saw a massive waterfall, like a silver river pouring from the sky, cascading down a thousand-zhang cliff and crashing into a deep pool below, stirring up a mist that reflected a rainbow in the sunlight. By the edge of the pool grew a patch of rare purple bamboo, its stalks crystalline and emitting a faint, ethereal glow.

Lin Xuan found the scene serene and was about to stop and admire it when he suddenly heard the sound of metal striking metal from within the purple bamboo forest, accompanied by a suppressed groan.

His heart stirred. He concealed his aura and quietly approached. Peeking through the gaps in the bamboo shadows, he saw a clearing in the forest. A young Daoist, dressed in a green Daoist robe and wearing a fish-tail crown, with a slightly immature face but a stubbornness in his brows, was frowning at a seemingly ordinary bronze alchemy furnace before him. The earth fire below the furnace blazed, yet the furnace itself vibrated violently, the runes on its surface flickering in and out of existence. A smell of scorching and chaotic spiritual energy escaped from the gaps in the furnace lid.

Another failure... the young Daoist exclaimed, slapping his thigh in frustration. He circled the furnace, muttering, "The earth fire control is flawless, the medicinal ingredients are according to the ancient formula, and the condensation technique is also perfect. Why is it always the 'water and fire complementing each other' stage that causes spiritual energy conflict and leads to ruin? Could this ancient formula for the Condensing Jade Pill itself be flawed?"

Lin Xuan observed from the side. With his Insight Technique and the medicinal knowledge he had learned from Witch Doctors, he perceived the problem with a slight sensing. Within the furnace, the spiritual energy of the water-attribute spirit grass, Cold Pond Secluded Orchid, and the fire-attribute demonic beast core, Crimson Flame Rhinoceros Horn, were fiercely clashing, failing to fuse perfectly. Moreover, the simple spirit gathering array set up by the Daoist could only gather spiritual energy but could not harmonize the clashing attributes.

Seeing the young Daoist scratching his head, utterly perplexed, Lin Xuan's heart stirred. This person's aura was pure, clearly from a reputable Daoist lineage. However, his demeanor was not as rigid as that of the Chan Sect disciples; instead, he exuded a focused dedication to his craft and a candidness when encountering difficulties. Perhaps this was an opportunity.

After a moment's thought, he slowly emerged from behind the purple bamboo, cupped his hands, and said, "Greetings, fellow Daoist. I am Xuanyuanzi. I was passing by and saw you seemed troubled by alchemy, so I took the liberty to intrude."

The young Daoist was startled. Seeing Lin Xuan's calm aura and clear eyes, realizing he was not malicious, he breathed a sigh of relief and returned the greeting, "I am Huo Ling. Greetings, fellow Daoist Xuanyuanzi. Alas, I am indeed troubled by this pill, and you have seen my embarrassment."

Lin Xuan walked to the furnace and carefully sensed the aura within. He then said, "Fellow Daoist Huo Ling, in my humble opinion, the problem may not lie in the ancient formula, but in the word 'harmony'."

"Oh? Please enlighten me, fellow Daoist!" Huo Ling's eyes lit up, and he asked eagerly.

Lin Xuan pointed to the furnace. "The Cold Pond Secluded Orchid is inherently cold, while the Crimson Flame Rhinoceros Horn is inherently fierce. Their medicinal energies are like water and fire. Forcing them to merge will naturally lead to conflict. The 'water and fire complementing each other' recorded in the ancient formula is not simple suppression or mixing, but requires a 'medium' or 'environment' to achieve a dynamic balance amidst the conflict, like the flow of Yin and Yang, where they complement and counteract each other."

He paused and continued, "Fellow Daoist could try adding a little Thick Earth Crystal Powder to the spirit gathering array. Earth can overcome water and also generate metal, and metal can conduct fire. Using earth as a bridge might guide the water and fire energies, transforming their conflict into a complementary state. At the same time, outside the earth fire array, set up a small circle of a 'water condensing array.' This is not to enhance the water's power, but to restrain the water vapor, preventing it from becoming too cold. This will create a subtle pressure difference between the inside and the external earth fire, promoting fusion."

These words, explaining the principles of alchemy in terms of physical and chemical equilibrium, left Huo Ling Daoist dumbfounded. However, upon careful consideration, he felt a sudden enlightenment! He had always followed procedures rigidly; when had he ever thought of approaching alchemy from the perspective of energy balance and mutual interaction?

"Brilliant! Brilliant! Using earth as a medium to regulate water and fire! Internal and external pressure to promote fusion! Fellow Daoist, you have truly awakened me from a dream!" Huo Ling exclaimed, his face flushed with excitement. He looked at Lin Xuan with immense admiration. "Fellow Daoist, your understanding of alchemy is so profound! Huo Ling is truly impressed!"

Lin Xuan smiled humbly. "These are merely some unconventional ideas. I hope Fellow Daoist does not find them too shallow."

Huo Ling repeatedly waved his hands. "Fellow Daoist, you are too modest! Such insights are truly brilliant! Far better than those who cling to ancient formulas!" His personality was clearly quite straightforward, and he had developed a strong liking for Lin Xuan as they spoke.

Impatiently, he began adjusting the array and adding ingredients according to Lin Xuan's suggestions, while chatting with him. "You look new, fellow Daoist. Are you not a permanent resident cultivator of Kunlun? Are you visiting friends or..."

Lin Xuan replied frankly, "I am a rogue cultivator, traveling here. I heard of Kunlun's great reputation and came to admire it. I had just visited Jade Void Palace to seek an audience with the Primal Heavenly Lord, but alas, our karma was shallow, and I was unable to enter."

Upon hearing this, Huo Ling's hands paused. He pouted and snorted, "Jade Void Palace? Hmph, those people have their eyes in the sky. They are obsessed with lineage and background, with a mountain of tedious rules! You needn't mind, fellow Daoist, it's better not to go there!"

His tone clearly showed disdain for the Chan Sect. He then enthusiastically said, "Since fellow Daoist has such insight, why bother with Jade Void Palace? Our Sect Master, the Sovereign of the Heavens, is most magnanimous, teaching all who are destined, regardless of background! If fellow Daoist is interested, why not come with me to Biyou Palace?"

"Biyou Palace?" Lin Xuan's heart stirred, and he appropriately showed a look of confusion and curiosity.

"Precisely!" Huo Ling's enthusiasm grew as he saw Lin Xuan's interest. "I am a disciple of the Jie Sect. Our Sect Master's Daoist dojo is Biyou Palace on Jin'ao Island in the East Sea! Although we don't reside in Kunlun permanently, we have a subsidiary dojo on Kunlun Mountain, managed by my senior brother, Duobao Daoist. If fellow Daoist doesn't mind, I can introduce you! My senior brother would surely welcome talent like yours!"

As he spoke, he took out a green token from his robe, neither gold nor jade, with wave-like edges. It bore the ancient seal character for "Jie" and had wave patterns engraved on the back. He handed it to Lin Xuan. "This is our Jie Sect's token, the Biyou Token. With this token, you can freely enter and exit our Jie Sect's subsidiary dojo on Kunlun Mountain, and it can also serve as an introduction to Jin'ao Island in the East Sea!"

This was truly a case of "mountains and rivers exhausted, doubt there is another village, yet the shade of willows and bright flowers reveals another village!"

Lin Xuan suppressed his excitement and took the token with both hands. It felt warm and smooth, containing a spiritual energy of endless vitality and encompassing all things. He bowed solemnly. "Thank you, fellow Daoist Huo Ling, for your kindness! Xuanyuanzi will remember this favor and affection!"

"Haha, you are too kind, fellow Daoist! We hit it off, no need for thanks!" Huo Ling laughed heartily, appearing very pleased. "Once I finish refining this pill, I will take you to see Senior Brother Duobao!"

Before long, the vibrations of the alchemy furnace gradually subsided, and a fresh pill fragrance wafted out. Upon opening the furnace, three round, translucent, and shimmering green pills lay quietly at the bottom. They had been successfully made!

Huo Ling was overjoyed and felt even more grateful and impressed with Lin Xuan.

Holding the Biyou Token, Lin Xuan gazed eastward, his heart suddenly enlightened. The door that Primal Heavenly Lord's Jade Void Palace had closed to him had, unintentionally, been pushed open slightly by the enthusiastic welcome of Sovereign of the Heavens' Jie Sect.