Whether it was because Third Senior Sister was escorting him or because Wang Muyuan had been scared out of his wits, the two encountered no trouble along the way and returned safely to Swallowtail Peak.
As they parted, Du Siwen said breezily, "Little Junior Brother, next time something this good comes along, make sure you bring your senior sister!" Clearly, she was extremely interested in Xu Qingtong's elixirs. Escorting him twice had given her a taste of the rewards.
How could Xu Qingtong not know what she was thinking? He chuckled and said, "I'll certainly have to trouble you again, Senior Sister. Sorry in advance."
After returning to his cave abode, Xu Qingtong did not rush into refining pills. The task he had accepted this time was to refine two hundred and fifty Purple Sun Pills. Although he had never refined Purple Sun Pills before, he had simulated the process many times in his Niwang Palace. Thus, two hundred and fifty Purple Sun Pills should not pose much difficulty for him.
Sitting in his cultivation room, Xu Qingtong took out the jade slip containing the Fire-Control Art again and began preparing to practice it.
The Fire-Control Art was a method created by an extraordinary person in ancient times, inspired by watching mortals perform the fire-crossing mountain ritual.
The fire-crossing mountain ritual was a ceremony performed by working people in ancient times to pray for blessings. Xu Qingtong had read in ancient books that before the performers stepped out, they would smear a layer of "divine water" on the soles of their feet.
This so-called "divine water" was actually a mixture of cinnabar, borax, and water. When feet coated in "divine water" stepped onto burning coals, the borax would absorb heat, dissolve, and vaporize, forming a protective film beneath the feet