Refining the Sword

Han Li, standing nearby, had been unable to contain himself ever since Lin Yun uttered the words "Cosmic Light True Water." As soon as Lin Yun finished, he hurriedly asked, "Senior Brother Lin, what exactly are Cosmic Light True Water and Three Lights Divine Water?"

Lin Yun set down the jade bottle and thought for a moment before telling Han Li, "Cosmic Light True Water is one of the seven primordial true waters of heaven and earth. It embodies the power of time. A single drop carries the passage of hundreds or thousands of years."

Han Li's heart jolted at those words. When he used the green liquid to ripen medicinal herbs, wasn't that precisely the passage of decades or centuries?

"Then what is Three Lights Divine Water?" Han Li asked again, unable to wait.

"Three Lights Divine Water is formed by combining sunlight divine water, moonlight divine water, and starlight divine water. Those three divine waters are refined from sunlight, moonlight, and starlight through special methods. Though they aren't among the seven primordial true waters, their power and uses are no less impressive. Sunlight divine water can wear away blood, essence, bone, and flesh; moonlight divine water can corrode the primordial spirit and soul; and starlight divine water can devour and dissolve true spirit consciousness. Yet once combined, they become a supreme healing medicine, capable of curing all poisons, healing injuries and illnesses, and even resurrecting the dead. Three Lights Divine Water is also exceptionally good at nurturing spiritual plants. It can even revive a withered primordial spiritual root," Lin Yun explained.

Lin Yun paused, seemingly struck by a thought. A strange glint flashed through his eyes as he said meaningfully, "But look at the divine water in your bottle... heh! So Three Lights Divine Water and Cosmic Light True Water have been mixed together! Because of the power of Cosmic Light True Water, this mixed divine water actually won't keep for very long."

"Moreover, this mixed divine water has lost its healing properties. Instead, it possesses the powers of the three individual waters that make up Three Lights Divine Water. Junior Brother Han, this immortal liquid of yours..."

Han Li froze at those words, his gaze turning uncertain. He could not help sighing inwardly. In the end, I still couldn't hide it from the knowledgeable Senior Brother Lin.

Based on Lin Yun's descriptions of the two immortal liquids and his own experiments with the green liquid over the years, Han Li could now all but confirm that the green liquid was a mixture of Cosmic Light True Water and Three Lights Divine Water.

Unless Senior Brother Lin had already known he possessed the green liquid-and known its effects as well-he could not have invented such an explanation to deceive him.

But after thinking it over carefully, Han Li felt that was simply impossible. No one besides him knew about the Little Green Bottle or the effects of the green liquid.

Only after gathering his thoughts did Han Li slowly force out the words, "Senior Brother Lin, I wasn't deliberately hiding it..."

Before Han Li could finish, Lin Yun immediately interrupted him. "You needn't say any more, Junior Brother Han."

Han Li revealing the green liquid so openly before him had truly caught him by surprise.

Lin Yun's expression grew solemn. "Junior Brother Han, never mention this substance to anyone again, nor the treasure you use to condense this divine water. Not everyone will recognize these divine waters, but their effects are far too powerful. You must understand that killing people for their treasures is commonplace in the cultivation world!"

He had no intention of obtaining Han Li's Little Green Bottle. At most, he merely wanted to milk Han Li for some spiritual herbs.

Under heaven's laws of cause and effect, everyone had their own destined opportunities. Were the Daoist book and heavenly book in his own mind not his destined opportunities as well? Why entangle himself in someone else's fate?

Han Li was momentarily stunned. A trace of gratitude welled up in his heart at Lin Yun's warning, and he hurriedly said, "Thank you for the warning, Senior Brother."

Then he rubbed his nose and smiled wryly. "I never intended to let anyone know. It was just that, after seeing you refine pills with dew earlier, I had an idea. I wanted to try refining pills with this immortal liquid too, but I wasn't confident I could handle it properly, so I came to ask your advice. Who would have thought you would see through its nature at a glance?"

Lin Yun first burst out laughing, but then his expression turned serious again. "It's a good thing you didn't use this divine liquid to refine pills. Otherwise, you wouldn't even know how you died! Do you think Cosmic Light True Water is so simple?"

"Even if you succeeded in making a pill, and that pill could grant you hundreds or thousands of years of cultivation, a single drop of Cosmic Light True Water would make hundreds or thousands of years pass in an instant. How long is your lifespan now? Could a mere Qi Refining cultivator like you withstand it? Before the pill even took effect, your lifespan would likely be exhausted, and you would turn to ash in the blink of an eye."

"Besides, under the influence of Cosmic Light True Water, Three Lights Divine Water also becomes lethally poisonous to the living. Unless someone has a powerful body, profound cultivation, and a long lifespan to endure it, they'll perish very quickly!"

Lin Yun finally concluded, "The best way to use this divine liquid is to ripen plants and spiritual herbs, or to refine magical treasures. Spiritual herbs are manifestations of spiritual energy to begin with, and naturally grow over long periods. Magical treasures are lifeless objects. With the power of time, you might be able to nurture a powerful magical treasure very quickly..."

At this point, something suddenly stirred in Lin Yun's mind. Refine magical treasures?

After hearing Lin Yun's explanation, Han Li felt a lingering chill of fear. Learning a little alchemy from Lin Yun had gone to his head, and he had actually wanted to try refining pills with the green liquid. Fortunately, he had not immediately put it into practice, but had come to Lin Yun first to inquire.

Although Lin Yun had learned part of the Little Green Bottle's secret, Han Li did not feel it was such a terrible thing.

On the contrary, he had gained a great deal. Not only had he learned the green liquid's true effects, but he had also forged a deeper connection with Senior Brother Lin, that unfathomable master of alchemy.

After thinking for a moment, Han Li's eyes suddenly lit up, and he could not help asking, "Senior Brother Lin, could you separate out the Three Lights Divine Water?"

The ability of Three Lights Divine Water to cure all poisons, heal injuries and illnesses, and even resurrect the dead was simply too tempting for Han Li. Wouldn't possessing it be equivalent to having an extra life?

Separating Three Lights Divine Water from Cosmic Light True Water did not require much magical power, but it did require the caster to be sufficiently sensitive to the primordial qi of heaven and earth.

Lin Yun therefore shook his head first.

Then, under Han Li's disappointed gaze, he said, "Not yet. I'll need to reach Foundation Establishment first."

Han Li was instantly delighted and could not help asking, "Then when will you reach Foundation Establishment, Senior Brother?"

Lin Yun smiled. "In seven months, probably. Once I return from the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land, I'll reach Foundation Establishment."

"You're going to the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land?" Startled, Han Li blurted out, "Doesn't your Foundation Establishment Pill guarantee success? Why do you still need to go to the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land?"

"The cultivation method I practice has rather demanding environmental requirements. I can only truly master it in an environment like the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land," Lin Yun explained calmly.

After a pause, Lin Yun pointed at the jade bottle on the table. "Junior Brother Han, I have a presumptuous request. I hope you can give me this divine liquid."

Han Li hurriedly replied, "I don't mind giving it to you, Senior Brother, but this bottle is about to lose its potency. Why don't I bring you a fresh bottle in a few days?"

Lin Yun shook his head. "That doesn't matter. This bottle will be enough."

With that, under Han Li's puzzled gaze, Lin Yun opened his mouth and exhaled.

A brilliant strand of sword qi appeared out of thin air. At its center, an object the size of an embroidery needle was faintly visible.

This was the Invisible Sword Lin Yun had refined. Now, only a tiny point of tangible substance remained at its center. One more step would bring it to a state without form or substance. Until now, he had kept it within his lungs to nurture it.

"What is that?" Han Li could not help asking.

"This sword is called the Clearvoid Invisible Sword. It's a magical treasure I refined," Lin Yun explained.

Han Li was startled once more, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. "A magical treasure! But isn't it said that only Core Formation cultivators can refine magical treasures? Senior Brother, you..."

What he wanted to say was, Senior Brother, you really aren't some old monster who possessed someone's body, are you?

One look at Han Li's eyes told Lin Yun what he wanted to say, but he did not explain his origins.

He merely said, "That is naturally because the Artifact Refining Methods are different. Actually, this Clearvoid Invisible Sword of mine doesn't quite qualify as a magical treasure yet. It can only be considered half of one."

With that, Lin Yun picked up the jade bottle, poured its contents over the Clearvoid Invisible Sword before him, and immediately began refining it.

Under the cleansing refinement of Cosmic Light True Water and Three Lights Divine Water, the last trace of the Clearvoid Invisible Sword's tangible substance was refined away in an instant. The entire sword transformed completely into a brilliant strand of sword qi.

But it did not end there. The formless, insubstantial sword qi of the Clearvoid Invisible Sword soon began changing again. Bit by bit, it regained form and substance, becoming a plain, ancient-looking flying sword over three feet long.

With that, the Clearvoid Invisible Sword had completed its first cycle of refining form and substance, and could now be considered a true Daoist Orthodox Flying Sword.

Han Li looked closely and suddenly noticed that the flying sword seemed to have undergone some subtle change out of nowhere. Yet he could not put his finger on it. He only felt that it seemed a little more lively.

Then, under Han Li's astonished gaze, the ancient-looking flying sword changed once more, undergoing another cleansing refinement into a gentle, lustrous strand of sword qi.

Afterward, under the cleansing refinement of that little bit of Cosmic Light True Water and Three Lights Divine Water, the sword qi gathered form and substance again, transforming into a three-foot-long sword.

Seeing that the flying sword was about to undergo another round of refinement, Lin Yun hurriedly formed a hand seal to stop it. He also pulled a strand of sword qi from the blade, transforming it into a white talisman bearing the faint image of the Clearvoid Invisible Sword.

Lin Yun had still underestimated the power of Cosmic Light True Water and Three Lights Divine Water. A single bottle of diluted liquid had allowed the Clearvoid Invisible Sword to undergo two cycles of refining substance and form in a mere instant.

Had he not used the Talisman Treasure method to transform a strand of the Clearvoid Invisible Sword's sword qi into a Talisman Treasure, interrupting the cleansing refinement, the sword would likely have undergone a third cycle of refining substance and form.

But with the Clearvoid Invisible Sword's current reserves and foundation, it could withstand no more than two cycles of refining substance and form. Moreover, that trace of spirituality within the sword had been rapidly produced by Cosmic Light True Water, and would still need several years of nurturing to stabilize.

If he allowed Cosmic Light True Water to continue refining it, this Clearvoid Invisible Sword would likely be reduced to a lump of scrap iron in an instant.