Though Lin Xuan had been turned away at the Jade Void Palace, he felt only a little dispirited, not truly discouraged. He was no longer the young man who had first entered the primordial world, trembling with fear at every turn. After being tempered at Buzhou Mountain and tested by the Wu Clan, his Dao Heart had grown steadfast. The Chan Sect valued one's roots and background. Their paths differed, and there was no point forcing a connection.
He strolled down the white jade steps and left the plaza before the solemn Jade Void Palace, where every detail spoke of strict hierarchy. Kunlun Mountain was vast, its peaks rising one after another. He wasn't in a hurry to leave, so he chose a secluded path at random and wandered without direction, both to settle his mind and to take in more of the scenery of this ancestral mountain.
Unlike the orderly, imposing surroundings near the Jade Void Palace, the deeper he ventured into the mountains, the stranger and more natural the scenery became. Jagged rocks and towering ancient trees lined the way, while streams and waterfalls hid in deep ravines. Strange birds and beasts occasionally darted past. Their auras were powerful, yet they seemed less rigid and more untamed and free. The Dao Charm in the air had also subtly changed: there was less absolute order, and more vibrant, lively variation.
It seems even Kunlun Mountain isn't of one mind throughout, Lin Xuan mused, sensing the subtle change. The gloom he'd felt at being turned away gradually faded, replaced by a touch of curiosity.
He came to a deep gorge shrouded in mist, where he could faintly hear the roar of rushing water. Following the sound, he saw a massive waterfall plunging like an inverted river of stars from a thousand-zhang cliff into a pool below. It sent mist billowing into the air, where sunlight turned it into a rainbow. Beside the pool grew a rare Purple Bamboo Forest, its crystalline stalks giving off a faint glow.
Lin Xuan thought the scene serene and was about to stop and admire it when he heard the clang of metal striking stone from within the bamboo forest, followed by a muffled groan.
His interest piqued, he concealed his aura and quietly approached. Through a gap in the bamboo, he saw a young Daoist standing in a clearing. He wore a Green Daoist Robe and a fish-tail crown. Though his face looked a little youthful, his brows bore a stubborn set. He was fretting over an ordinary-looking bronze pill furnace. Flames roared beneath it, yet the furnace shook violently, its surface runes flickering in and out. A scorched smell and chaotic spiritual energy seeped through the gap in its lid.
"Failed again..." the young Daoist muttered in frustration, slapping his thigh and circling the furnace. "I've got the ground fire under control, the ingredients are combined according to the ancient recipe, and the pill-forming incantation is flawless. So why does the spiritual energy always clash at the 'water and fire in harmony' stage, ruining everything at the last moment? Could the ancient recipe for this Condensing Jade Pill be flawed?"
Watching from the side, Lin Xuan quickly identified the problem with the help of his Insight Technique and the medicinal knowledge he'd learned from the Wu doctors. Inside the furnace, the medicinal properties of the water-aligned Cold Pond Secluded Orchid and the fire-aligned Crimson Flame Rhinoceros Horn were clashing violently, failing to blend perfectly. The simple Spirit Gathering Array the Daoist had set up could gather spiritual energy, but it couldn't harmonize the conflicting properties.
Seeing the young Daoist scratch his head in bafflement, Lin Xuan was intrigued. The man's aura was pure, clearly that of an orthodox Daoist, but his manner didn't resemble the Chan Sect's rigidity. Instead, he showed the focus of someone immersed in technical study and the candor of a person facing a difficult problem. Perhaps this was an opportunity.
After a brief moment's thought, Lin Xuan stepped out from behind the bamboo and cupped his hands. "Greetings, fellow Daoist. I am Xuanyuanzi. I was passing by and saw you struggling with alchemy, so I hope you'll forgive the interruption."
The young Daoist jumped in alarm. Seeing that Lin Xuan's aura was calm and his eyes clear, with no hint of ill intent, he relaxed and returned the greeting. "I am Daoist Huo Ling. Greetings, fellow Daoist Xuanyuanzi. Ah, yes, this pill has been giving me trouble. I hope you'll forgive the spectacle."
Lin Xuan walked up to the furnace and carefully sensed the energy within it. "Daoist Huo Ling, in my humble opinion, the problem may not lie in the ancient recipe, but in the matter of 'harmonizing' the ingredients."
"Oh? Please enlighten me!" Huo Ling asked eagerly, his eyes lighting up.
Lin Xuan pointed at the furnace. "The Cold Pond Secluded Orchid is cold in nature, while the Crimson Flame Rhinoceros Horn is fierce. Their medicinal properties are like water and fire. If you force them together, they'll naturally clash. The 'water and fire in harmony' mentioned in the ancient recipe doesn't mean simply suppressing or mixing them. They need a 'medium' or 'environment' that can bring them into a dynamic balance amid their conflict, like the circulation of yin and yang, where opposing forces both overcome and generate one another."
He paused before continuing, "Try adding a little Thick Earth Crystal Powder to the Spirit Gathering Array. Earth can restrain water and give rise to metal, and metal can guide fire. Using earth as a bridge may help guide the forces of water and fire, turning their clash into harmony. At the same time, set up a small Water-Condensing Array around the ground-fire formation. It isn't meant to increase the water's force, but to contain its energy so it doesn't become too cold. That will create a subtle pressure difference between the inside and outside, helping the ingredients blend."
Huo Ling stared at him, dumbfounded by this explanation of alchemy in terms of a near-physical balance of forces. But the more he considered it, the more inspired he felt. He'd always followed instructions to the letter. It had never occurred to him to approach alchemy from the perspective of balancing energy and interactions.
"Brilliant! Brilliant! Use earth as a medium to regulate water and fire! The pressure from inside and out will help them blend! You've opened my eyes with just a few words!" Huo Ling flushed with excitement. He looked at Lin Xuan with deep admiration. "Your understanding of alchemy is truly profound. I'm impressed!"
Lin Xuan smiled modestly. "It's only an unorthodox idea or two. I'm glad you don't find it too shallow."
Huo Ling waved his hands repeatedly. "You're too modest! This is genuine insight, far better than those people who only cling to the old ways!" He was clearly a forthright man, and he'd already taken a strong liking to Lin Xuan.
As he eagerly adjusted the formation and added ingredients according to Lin Xuan's advice, he struck up a conversation. "You look unfamiliar. You're not one of the cultivators who live on Kunlun, are you? Did you come to visit a friend, or...?"
Lin Xuan answered candidly, "I'm a wandering cultivator, traveling through the area. I'd heard of Kunlun's renown and came to pay my respects. I went to the Jade Void Palace earlier, hoping to pay a visit to the Primal Heavenly Lord, but our fates didn't align, and I wasn't allowed in."
Huo Ling paused, then curled his lip and snorted. "The Jade Void Palace? Hmph! Those people have their noses in the air. They care so much about roots and background, and bury everything under a mountain of rules! Don't take it to heart. You're better off not going there!"
His tone showed clear disdain for the Chan Sect. He turned to Lin Xuan and spoke warmly. "Since you have such insight, why bother with the Jade Void Palace? Our Sovereign of the Heavens, Saint Tongtian, is open-minded. He believes in teaching without discrimination and cares only about one's nature and affinity, not one's origins or roots. If you're interested, why not come with me to see Biyou Palace?"
"Biyou Palace?" Lin Xuan was intrigued, and let a fitting note of curiosity show on his face.
"Exactly!" Seeing Lin Xuan's interest, Huo Ling grew even more enthusiastic. "I'm a disciple of the Interception Sect. Our master's main sanctuary is Biyou Palace on Jin'ao Island in the East Sea! I don't live on Kunlun, but we have another residence here, managed by my Senior Disciple Brother, Daoist Duobao. If you don't mind, I can introduce you! Someone as talented as you would surely be welcomed by my Senior Disciple Brother!"
As he spoke, he took a blue token from his robes. It was neither gold nor jade, with wavy edges and the ancient character for "Interception" inscribed on the front and wave patterns carved on the back. He handed it to Lin Xuan. "This is our sect's token, the Biyou Token. It lets you enter and leave our residence on Kunlun freely, and it can also serve as a token of introduction when you go to Jin'ao Island in the East Sea!"
Just when all seemed lost, a new path had opened up!
Lin Xuan suppressed his excitement and accepted the token with both hands. It felt warm to the touch and contained a ceaseless, all-embracing spiritual energy. He bowed solemnly. "Thank you for your kindness, Daoist Huo Ling! I'll remember this favor."
"Haha, there's no need to thank me! We hit it off, so why stand on ceremony?" Huo Ling laughed heartily. "Once I've refined this pill, I'll take you to meet Senior Brother Duobao!"
Before long, the furnace stopped shaking, and a fresh medicinal fragrance drifted out. When they opened it, three smooth, translucent pills with a lustrous jade-green glow lay at the bottom. He'd done it!
Huo Ling was overjoyed, and his gratitude and admiration for Lin Xuan only grew.
Holding the Biyou Token, Lin Xuan gazed eastward, his heart suddenly clear. The door to the Primal Heavenly Lord's Jade Void Palace had been closed to him, but by chance, the Interception Sect of Sovereign of the Heavens had warmly opened another door.
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