Chapter Eighty-One: Earthfire Alchemy

“Master—”

Gu Weiyu walked to the wooden couch and called softly.

Immortal Yuling, half-reclining on the couch, raised her head and looked at her. “Sit down.”

As soon as Gu Weiyu settled cross-legged on the cushion, a jade slip floated before her.

“This jade slip contains the Twelve Styles of the Thunder Sword, suitable for cultivation by those with the Thunder Spirit Root. You may try practicing them,” Immortal Yuling said languidly. “If you have any questions, you may come to me at any time.”

Gu Weiyu carefully took the jade slip with both hands. “Thank you, Master!”

Just yesterday, her master had said she wasn’t particularly skilled in sword techniques, yet today she produced sword styles tailored for the Thunder Spirit Root. This jade slip must have required much thought and effort from her master!

Though they had only known each other for two short days, Gu Weiyu had already acknowledged Immortal Yuling as her master in her heart.

“By the way, since you have free time these days, study the jade slips on alchemy. Make sure to practice diligently, and don’t become complacent,” Immortal Yuling spoke again, her divine sense—vast as befitting a cultivator at the Core Formation stage—had naturally observed Gu Weiyu’s actions today.

Gu Weiyu’s cheeks flushed; she knew her master had discovered her splitting bamboo.

Thinking of the heavenly thunder fire within her body, she hesitated for a moment, then took out a bottle of the Rejuvenation Pill she had refined. “Master, I already know how to make pills. Look, this is one I made.”

Immortal Yuling took the bottle, opened it, and lightly sniffed. A flicker of surprise appeared in her eyes. “Did you truly refine these yourself?”

Gu Weiyu nodded. “Absolutely!”

“Come with me,” Immortal Yuling stood up, her previous laziness gone, and strode seriously toward the alchemy room.

“Refine another batch of the Rejuvenation Pill for me to see,” she said, pointing to the pill furnace inside.

“Master, I’ve run out of spiritual herbs,” Gu Weiyu replied helplessly.

“That’s easy. I’ll have someone bring some over right away,” Immortal Yuling sent a message to the Herb Hall in front of her.

Less than a quarter of an hour later, a respectful voice sounded outside the residence. “Disciple Guo Hui from the Herb Hall, here to deliver spiritual herbs to the Immortal.”

“Red Robe, go fetch the herbs,” Immortal Yuling instructed.

“Yes!” Gu Weiyu accepted, stepping out of the alchemy room. “Senior Brother, just hand me the herbs.”

Guo Hui stared at Gu Weiyu, stunned for a moment before realizing this young girl must be Immortal Yuling’s new disciple.

“Master is waiting for me. Thank you for your trouble,” Gu Weiyu took the storage pouch from Guo Hui and turned back inside.

Watching her figure disappear, Guo Hui finally realized:

No wonder Immortal Yuling suddenly requested first-tier herbs for the Qi Refining stage—it was to teach her disciple alchemy!

But wasn’t it rumored that Immortal Yuling’s disciple’s face...

Gu Weiyu returned to the alchemy room, where Immortal Yuling pointed to the furnace, “Begin now! There’s earth fire beneath the furnace.”

Earth fire?

Gu Weiyu sat in front of the furnace, recalling she had seen earth fire alchemy methods in the jade slip her master gave yesterday, and suddenly felt a bit nervous.

“Um—Master, I don’t know how to use earth fire for pill refining yet,” she admitted, bracing herself.

“You haven’t developed pill fire yet. Without earth fire, how would you refine pills?” Immortal Yuling mused, then suddenly thought of something. “Red Robe, do you have a different kind of fire within you?”

A different kind of fire—the dream of every alchemist. With it, one didn’t need to wait until Core Formation to generate pill fire, nor rely on earth fire. Pills refined with such fire were of higher quality and more likely to be exceptional.

Gu Weiyu nodded. Immortal Yuling gazed thoughtfully at her disciple. What was this girl’s background, to possess even a rare fire?

Recalling their first meeting yesterday, the human-skin mask on Gu Weiyu’s face, and her hesitant words about her past, Immortal Yuling couldn’t help but sigh inwardly:

This girl must truly trust her as a master, or she wouldn’t reveal her possession of the rare fire.

Her efforts had not been in vain, and Immortal Yuling felt a warm satisfaction, unable to resist reminding her, “Listen, child, never let word of your rare fire spread!”

“The earth fire method may be cumbersome, but it still has merits. Study it carefully when you return,” she added, then left the alchemy room.

Gu Weiyu was surprised her master departed so decisively. “Master…”

“Silly child, I have no wish to know what kind of fire you possess. Do not tell me. All I hope is that you diligently learn the art of alchemy,” Immortal Yuling replied with clarity. Rare fires tempt the heart; she preferred not to know, rather than risk inner turmoil.

“All right, go back and cultivate first,” Immortal Yuling said, reclining on the couch and closing her eyes.

Truly, she had found a kind master! Gu Weiyu’s heart warmed; in her master, she saw echoes of her ancestor.

“Disciple takes her leave.” Gu Weiyu bowed to Immortal Yuling and returned to her own room, settling on the cushion to begin her cultivation.

After eight cycles of cultivation, Gu Weiyu opened her eyes.

She marveled inwardly at the abundance of spiritual energy on Misty Peak, surpassing even Sword City—it was indeed worthy of being one of the Four Great Sects of the Void Realm.

Cultivating in such a blessed land, her meridians filled with spiritual energy in an instant, making everything twice as effective.

Yet their Void Realm was but a small world; who knew what the upper realm, spoken of by her ancestors, might be like?

A sense of longing rose in her heart. If she ever had the chance, she would surely go see it!

Remembering her master’s words today, Gu Weiyu took out the jade slip and studied it thoroughly.

“These sword styles are exquisite—once wielded, they’ll surely be formidable!”

Gu Weiyu’s gratitude toward Immortal Yuling deepened. The Twelve Styles of the Thunder Sword were no ordinary techniques, but her current cultivation barely allowed her to attempt the first style.

She put the jade slip away, planning to start practicing the Thunder Sword at dawn. For now, she wished to study the earth fire alchemy method.

“So earth fire alchemy relies on the coordination of divine sense and hand seals—this is indeed easier than refining pills with the Ninefold Heavenly Thunder,” she reflected after finishing the beginner earth fire pill method her master provided.

“Tomorrow, after sword practice, I’ll borrow Master’s alchemy room to try earth fire alchemy,” Gu Weiyu thought to herself. Her schedule was becoming tight; besides cultivation, she must also balance alchemy and sword practice.

“Master, it’s time to train your divine sense!” came the prompt from the little green book in her sea of consciousness.

“Alright, I’ll begin now,” Gu Weiyu replied, and her divine sense began circulating according to the Ninefold Spirit Training Method.

For cultivators, divine sense was essential, and even without the book’s reminder, she would have trained it!

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