Chen Shuangbai began considering what he ought to choose.
In the end, however, he found himself unable to decide.
Because he seemed...
To be quite interested in both, and quite talented in both as well.
Chen Shuangbai seemed to have absorbed almost everything Yi Chongyue and Jiang Tinglan had taught in their classes.
He also remembered the Jade Spring Introduction to Spirit Medicine and the Complete Guide to Basic Talismans they had handed out in considerable detail. Although he had yet to fully master talisman making, he could already run through an entire cycle of it in his mind.
After turning it over again and again, Chen Shuangbai decided to pursue both.
When Fu Qianlan and He Qi learned of his decision, they agreed with each other for once.
"A-Bai, whether it's pill refining or talisman making, both demand a great deal of effort. On top of that, you still need to cultivate and work to raise your realm. You won't have enough time."
That was Fu Qianlan's advice.
For once, He Qi also put aside his carefree, irreverent manner and looked at Chen Shuangbai seriously. "Old Chen, bite off more than you can chew, and you won't be able to swallow it. I think you know that."
Seeing how serious his two friends were, Chen Shuangbai thought of his own realm and couldn't help being a little stunned.
He seemed... to have been somewhat conceited.
My current cultivation is at the middle stage of the Third Layer of Qi Refinement. With another month of patient effort to consolidate it, I might break through to the late stage... That's a fairly good pace among the new disciples, but it can't be called the best.
Cultivation, cultivation-the most important thing is still to cultivate.
Chen Shuangbai closed his eyes and looked at the Dao Fruit, a bright moon wreathed in mysterious light, floating in his sea of consciousness. For the first time, he faced his own heart.
After a long while.
Chen Shuangbai bowed to his two friends. "Thank you for waking me up."
Fu Qianlan and He Qi both couldn't help laughing.
In the end, Chen Shuangbai decided to take up pill refining alongside his cultivation first. Later, if he raised his cultivation and had ample time, he would try taking up talisman making as well.
He chose pill refining because he seemed to have forgotten something.
When it came to pill refining, Chen Shuangbai currently had two powerful tools.
The first was the Moon Soul True Water transformed from Lotus Marsh, the scene that accompanied his Dao Fruit, which could improve the quality of pills. The other was a Secret Method called Fair Hands Divide the Stars, which Chen Shuangbai had previously obtained from the Book of Tending Medicines.
I got it from the Book of Tending Medicines distributed by the Jade Dew Hall. Presumably, it should be a pill-refining Secret Method?
The thought flickered through Chen Shuangbai's mind. He looked at Fu Qianlan and asked, "Qianlan, you know a lot of senior brothers and sisters. Do you know anything about the Jade Dew Hall?"
Fu Qianlan nodded and told him what she knew about the Jade Dew Hall. During the conversation, Chen Shuangbai shifted the subject to why the Jade Dew Hall's pill-refining skills surpassed those of the other major sects and were on par with the Spirit-Seeking Sect, which specialized in pill refining.
Fu Qianlan seemed to recall something. "That's naturally because of the Jade Dew Hall's Three Supreme Arts."
The Three Supreme Arts were three secret pill-refining techniques recorded in the Pill Heart Medicine Canon, which had been passed down within the Jade Dew Hall.
Anyone who mastered the Three Supreme Arts was undoubtedly a core member of the Jade Dew Hall.
At that point, Chen Shuangbai had a general idea of what was going on.
The Secret Method Fair Hands Divide the Stars, which he had comprehended from the Book of Tending Medicines, had most likely been placed there by an Alchemist senior of the Jade Dew Hall specifically to select disciples with a talent for pill refining.
Having made up his mind, Chen Shuangbai took his leave of the two and returned to his cave abode on Lesser Yang Peak.
He placed the Jade Spring Introduction to Spirit Medicine and the Book of Tending Medicines on his desk and began studying them diligently.
Over the next half year.
Chen Shuangbai devoted most of his efforts to cultivation and pill refining.
He spent half of each day studying the pill-refining knowledge Yi Chongyue taught, and the rest of his time cultivating and practicing Law Techniques.
The seasons turned in the mountains, and wave after wave of wildflowers bloomed outside his cave abode.
One day.
Chen Shuangbai emerged from the mountains, the presence around him considerably stronger than before.
He had successfully advanced from the middle stage of the Third Layer of Qi Refinement to the late stage.
His progress wasn't limited to Qi Refining, either. The three Law Techniques Chen Shuangbai had mastered had also improved considerably.
It was also on this day that Chen Shuangbai planned to formally begin refining pills.
That month, at the pill arts class in True Water Cave.
The original twelve students had dwindled sharply to five.
The five, including Chen Shuangbai, had all passed a round of selection. Yi Chongyue considered them talented in the art of pill refining.
As for why around half of them had stayed, that was naturally because the Jade Spring Sect followed an elite approach to recruiting disciples.
For the most part, anyone the Jade Spring Sect selected to come up the mountain would not have poor aptitude.
Yi Chongyue sat on the raised platform and swept a wide sleeve. Dharma Contracts, each shimmering with spiritual light, landed in front of them.
"If you have thought it through and wish to go far on the path of pill refining, sign the Dharma Contract. Afterward, I can teach you the Jade Spring Alchemy Technique."
Without hesitation, Chen Shuangbai signed his name on the Dharma Contract and pressed a drop of blood over it.
He only felt his mind and spirit tighten for some inexplicable reason, and then felt nothing else.
Seeing that all five were so decisive, Yi Chongyue was quite pleased. He then lightly flicked his fingers, sending five rays of spiritual light into their foreheads.
A unique pill-refining technique called the Jade Spring Water Method Pill Refining Technique appeared in Chen Shuangbai's mind.
"All right, today I shall tell you about our sect's unique pill-refining technique..."
Yi Chongyue then began explaining the basic principles of the unique technique and other knowledge of pill refining...
No one dared let their attention wander in the slightest.
That evening.
Chen Shuangbai left Cultivated Water Peak, but instead of returning straight to his cave abode, he went to the Expenditure Hall and collected ten portions of spirit medicine.
As for why he collected them rather than bought them, that was naturally because they were a sect benefit.
But he couldn't keep collecting them forever.
These first ten portions of spirit medicine were for practice. Afterward, he would have to buy the medicinal ingredients for practice at the normal market price.
Of course, the sect offered some support to disciples who aspired to pursue pill refining. For example, they could buy spirit medicine at a slightly lower price.
This was the fundamental reason Chen Shuangbai was gradually growing fonder of the Jade Spring Sect.
Because the Jade Spring Sect was a good sect.
After collecting the spirit medicine and registering his name, Chen Shuangbai returned to his cave abode. He activated the formation and went to the room where he kept the bird egg. He replenished the Spirit Stones on the formation plate, which had been completely depleted, then took out three pieces of cold jade and placed them in the nest.
"Feiguang, oh Feiguang, why is your incubation period so long?"
Half a year had passed, and the bird egg still hadn't hatched. Fortunately, the life force within it had grown stronger and stronger, putting Chen Shuangbai's mind at ease.
Feiguang was, of course, the name Chen Shuangbai had given the little life inside the egg.
It was just...
"If you still don't hatch, I really won't be able to afford to keep you much longer."