Chapter Seven, the Supplementing Yuan Pill and the Transforming Spirit Formula

The subsequent foundation building is also a similar painstaking effort; once the dantian is formed and the vital energy overflows, one can establish the foundation

Yushan Wuhao stood beside him, raised his hand and gently slashed, then whispered, "Elder brother, those old men from the Golden Body Hall are merely mortals who practice body refinement. A casual disciple in the Refining Essence stage could easily wipe them out. Why go through such great lengths?"

The annual salary of the Internal Affairs Hall is already considerable, but what is more enticing are the conveniences that come with holding a position of real power. For instance, there are losses in medicinal materials, damages to magical tools, and even the humble dining hall can occasionally procure the blood and flesh of demon beasts for nourishment. All of these factors make it highly attractive for disciples in the Refining Essence realm.

Hiss... Wu Hao from Yushan gasped, as if recalling something terrifying, his complexion changed.

That evening, the roster for the assessment was finalized, and as expected, the Golden Body Hall was placed last. This time, the new disciples recruited by the Floating Jade Sect numbered over 15,000. Calculating the days, it seems that even a month would be far from sufficient

At the halfway point of the mountain where the Neiwutang is located, there is a large area of vermilion-colored villas, which serve as the residence for the disciples of the Refining Essence realm within the hall

It is rather strange that during the evaluation period of about ten days, Wu Xie from Yushan has not appeared even once. Liu Gu has checked the roster and knows that in two days it will be the evaluation day for Yushan Hall. After that day, Yushan Hall will no longer have the opportunity to enroll new disciples, and this greatest threat will thus disappear

In the past half month, Xiang Yang has been living comfortably. Although the effects of the nutritious foods consumed are not as potent as the two pills given by Wu Xie from Yushan, his cultivation has progressed rapidly. He can see the growth of his dantian and vital energy, which brings him genuine joy

As for why Xiang Xian, who possesses a one-inch celestial seedling, cultivates so slowly, it should be noted that after Xiang Yang successfully guided his qi to open his dantian, that jade slip Liu Gu also had been used by him

However, after reaching the refinement stage, the next step in cultivation is similar to that before the foundation establishment, which involves filling the dantian. The difference lies in the use of vital energy in one case and primordial liquid in the other. Although it is merely a difference of one character, the distinction is vast, as one hundred times the vital energy is required to transform into a single drop of primordial liquid

However, it is unfortunate that although the vitality contained in the elixir is abundant, only about one in ten can truly be utilized by the cultivator after absorption. Moreover, consuming too much of a single elixir can lead to resistance; if you take one hundred pills, the effects of the subsequent ninety are often outweighed by the first ten.

Hearing Liu Gu mention that some disciples of certain branches consume this restorative pill as if it were food, Xiang Yang naturally understood that consuming it in excess would not be harmful. That very night, he took the remaining pill as well

In response to this situation, the great talents among the cultivators have devised something called the Transformation of Spirit Formula.

Yushan Wu Xie looked at him; his younger brother had always been a reckless person since childhood, and his intellect was probably not much greater than that of pine nuts. He couldn't understand how he had managed to reach the Refining Essence stage. With a helpless sigh, he shook his head and said: "What do you know? The Golden Body Hall was founded by the ancestral master, and there are quite a few nostalgic old fellows in the sect who secretly watch over it. Not to mention that several hundred years ago, they produced a great talent. Although he later joined the Golden Spear Hall, there is still some connection with them. If their lineage were to be severed, and we took over the Dragon Saliva Gorge, others would have nothing to say. But if they really came at us hard, it would be like asking for a quick death!" Not to mention that several hundred years ago, they produced a great talent. Although he later joined the Golden Spear Hall, there is still some connection with them. If their lineage were to be severed, and we took over the Dragon Saliva Gorge, others would have nothing to say. But if they really came at us hard, it would be like asking for a quick death!

However, he did not harbor any arrogant thoughts. Under the guidance of Master Gu Zhen, he was somewhat aware of certain common knowledge regarding cultivation. His own celestial seed had only grown half an inch, yet he had progressed so rapidly. Those geniuses whose growth reached several inches or even over a foot must be even more terrifying

Alright, you first take care of your own matters. As long as you follow the rules, what can he do to us?

It is quite strange that the pebble in the chest has once again fallen silent, resulting in the effect of this complete elixir being inferior to that of the previous one, which was missing nearly half of its content

Subsequently, transitioning from foundation establishment to essence refining is indeed a significant hurdle

What use is an apology? Liu Gu, in a state of helplessness, squatted at the entrance of the Internal Affairs Hall for an entire day. He encountered a few familiar faces, but upon seeing him, not a single one acknowledged him.

... ...

Knowing that Wu Xie from Yushan had come last time, he has now made up his mind that until the day of the evaluation and registration, he will absolutely not leave these two children, lest some scoundrels take advantage of the situation

Yushan Wu Xie said with a bitter smile: "Isn't it him? If it weren't for him, we would have occupied Longxian Gorge sixty years ago!"

The initial vital energy during the entry phase is essentially the manifestation of the primordial energy that exists in all things but is elusive, through spiritual perception. Refining essence involves the sublimation of the primordial energy within the dantian into liquid form. This transformation not only requires substantial support from primordial energy but also necessitates a powerful spiritual perception and deep understanding. The vast majority of cultivators find themselves blocked at this threshold.

Although theoretically, a person can sustain themselves in the world through every breath and daily meals, gaining vitality as long as they practice diligently every day, the key factor lies in time

Now, Xiang Yang has become enamored with the feeling of this cultivation. After spending two hours digesting the medicinal power, he did not sleep but continued to meditate. By the next day, his body did not feel fatigued, but his spirit was somewhat languid. After inquiring with Liu Gu, he learned that the type of consciousness used during cultivation is referred to as spiritual awareness in the terminology of the immortals, and like the vital energy within the body, it is also a consumable resource. However, running out of it is not a major issue; a good sleep will suffice to restore it.

Generally, the dantian of a normal cultivator is about the size of an egg. According to the records that Gu Zhen has seen, the most talented master in the history of the Floating Jade Sect was the eighth generation sect master, whose dantian was as large as a fist at the time of foundation establishment, making him invincible among peers after his foundation was established

... ...

For this reason, within the Internal Affairs Hall, apart from those disciples who have just begun to cultivate their Qi and open their Dantian, the majority are at the Refining Essence stage. Those at the Foundation Establishment stage are busy transforming their vital energy into liquid, while those at the Spirit Transformation stage are preparing for the matter of forming their Dan. Very few individuals take on official duties.

Fortunately, Yunqin felt a sense of obligation and specifically informed the dining room to ensure that the meals delivered to the three of them each day were more than sufficient, and they were all nourishing and high-quality items that could not be found in the Golden Body Hall. With food and drink available, life was not too difficult to endure, and Liu Gu waited with the two children in this manner.

Wu Xie from Yushan pointed at the jade slip with a grave expression and said: "This time, Yaoguang Hall has recruited a disciple with a three-inch celestial seed, who has been lured away by Qingqiu Hall. The same goes for several other branches. Fortunately, most of our disciples in Yushan Hall are blood relatives, so we are not afraid. However, the location of our hall has thin vitality, making cultivation difficult, and this cannot continue for long."

A sharp light flashed in Wu Xie's eyes as he said, "I have my own methods!"

Therefore, upon reaching the Refining Essence stage, the vast majority of cultivators no longer toil in arduous training but instead seek various means to earn talismans to gather the resources required for the Transformation into Spirit. Within the Floating Jade Sect, the Internal Affairs Hall is the best place to do so

The monk beside him was of a similar age, considerably taller than him, yet quite slender. Compared to Yu Shan's Wu Xie, his gaze appeared somewhat murky. He was dressed in a slightly oversized white robe, which was embroidered with two golden borders.

On the long path of immortality, although it is difficult to open the dantian through the induction of qi, as long as one possesses the seed of immortality, even the hardest work, akin to water dripping through stone, will eventually lead to the day when the clouds part and the mist clears. The only difference lies in the size of the dantian once it has fully formed in the future

This means that starting from the Refinement Stage, the amount of vital energy required by cultivators will increase a hundredfold

After a while, he finally set down the jade slip and said to a cultivator beside him, "Wu Hao, has everything been arranged?"

Xiang Yang had never considered this issue; in his mind, this kind of slug was an existence that was directly ignored. However, in recent days, this fellow has been much more stable and no longer wears a stern face all day like he did in the first few days. Even his sleep talking at night has decreased.

As for the sect, don't be ridiculous. If you still think of relying on others after embarking on the path of cultivation, then you will eventually descend the mountain. With a few spells, you can at least manage to live a comfortable old age.

Yesterday, Yunqin indeed took Liu Gu to find that senior brother, but the person initially just casually agreed to it. Later, upon hearing that the master of the Golden Body Hall had come, he didn't even want to meet them, which left Yunqin feeling quite embarrassed, repeatedly apologizing to Liu Gu.

At this moment, Wu Xie from Yushan was sitting in a separate courtyard, holding a jade slip and gazing at it, his fingers gently tapping on the jade round table in front of him, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he were deep in thought

It was only after entering the refining stage that the significance of elixirs and certain special natural treasures truly became apparent

He stood up, looked up, and sighed: "It is simply a waste of heaven's treasures for the Golden Body Hall to occupy a place like Longxian Gorge. After waiting for decades, it was finally about to come to fruition, yet they managed to take in two disciples. Alas... Is this not fate? In such a small area, they could still find two children with celestial potential..."

Xiang Yang is very curious about where his limits will be

According to the different sect inheritances, there are many types of transformation formulas, each composed of various elixirs, with a wide variety of categories. The least of them consists of dozens of types, while those used by exceptionally talented individuals with large dantians may require even hundreds of elixirs. As long as one reaches the refinement stage and follows the prescribed regimen, transformation can be anticipated

In the realm of cultivation, the value of elixirs is exceedingly high, and the cost to gather the most ordinary formula for the Transformation Stage is an astronomical figure, far beyond what an average person can bear

Although cultivators are said to go against the heavens, their lifespan does not increase in the slightest until they reach the Core Formation stage. For mortals, living to seventy or eighty is already considered a long life, and even for cultivators who take good care of themselves, living just over a hundred is the absolute limit. If one relies solely on arduous training to accumulate even the slightest bit, it is likely that their bones would decay before they even see the threshold of the Spirit Transformation stage, let alone reach Core Formation.

Yushan Wu Hao nodded in agreement, then asked with some concern: "What about that kid? Big brother, you said that kid doesn't look like a good person, and told me not to alert the snake in the grass. I haven't had any contact with him..."

Yushan Wu Hao replied in surprise: "A few hundred years ago? The hall master wouldn't be referring to that person, would he?"

Yushan Hall is not considered a major force within the Floating Jade Sect. Wu Hao from Yushan is one of the few disciples who has been assigned to the Internal Affairs Hall. Although he is merely the deputy manager of the dining room, he holds the highest position among the Yushan Sect disciples in the Internal Affairs Hall. His position is not due to his own abilities, but rather because of his elder brother, who is the hall master. Upon hearing this, he quickly nodded and said: "During this time, that old man with the surname Liu has been staying in the room, inseparable from those two children. However, how can such a rough man, who practices body refinement, defend against our celestial arts? Rest assured, elder brother."

Of course, there are indeed truly powerful individuals willing to invest such resources in cultivating disciples, provided that the disciple is exceptionally talented or is a direct blood relative of theirs

Currently, Xiang Yang's dantian has grown to the size of a small walnut, and that faint flow of energy has also strengthened considerably. According to Gu Zhen, if the energy can fill the dantian, one can begin to establish a foundation. Of course, due to individual differences in aptitude, the size of the dantian varies from person to person. The higher the talent, the larger the dantian can expand, allowing for a greater capacity to accommodate energy.