"Patron Jing, you came quite early today."
Reverend Jueming walked slowly into the pavilion, briefly pressed his palms together toward Chen Shi'an, and sat down opposite him.
Chen Shi'an cupped his hands in return. "Coming so early in the morning and disturbing your quiet cultivation was most inconsiderate of me, Master. Please forgive me."
Reverend Jueming waved a hand. "No need to stand on ceremony, Patron Jing. What brings you here today?"
Chen Shi'an stopped beating around the bush. "Master, you are the only Mind Master in our Desolate Suppression City. I have some questions about cultivating Mind Power and would like to ask your guidance."
Jueming wore a faint smile. "You have donated so much incense money lately, Patron Jing. I take it this was why?"
Chen Shi'an made no attempt to hide it. "If we Alchemists could possess Mind Power, we would achieve twice the results with half the effort when refining pills."
Jueming's smile remained. "You are quite right, Patron Jing, and no small number of people share your thoughts. From your Earth Pill Sect alone, I have dealt with no fewer than six Alchemists.
"Both pill refinement and cultivating Mind Power require an innately powerful soul. They have something in common.
"However, human effort has its limits. You have already chosen pill refinement, Patron Jing. If you also devote your energy to cultivating Mind Power,
"you will very likely end up accomplishing nothing in the Alchemy Dao, with no hope of success in mind cultivation either."
Chen Shi'an raised his eyelids slightly. "I haven't even tried yet. Why would you make such a categorical judgment, Master?"
Jueming shook his head. "You are an Alchemist. Surely you know that accomplishing anything in pill refinement requires pouring vast amounts of time and painstaking effort into it, toiling away