Alchemy

“Let me ask you all, have you ever studied alchemy before?” The Second Elder’s voice carried an air of authority.

Zhao Feiling answered firmly, “Yes.”

Ning Jin, Cai Jie, and San Sheng nodded in unison. Jin Ming pondered briefly before expressing his agreement.

The elder raised his head, gazing into the air ahead. “No, that is not so. The Dao of alchemy is about knowing without doing; how can it be called learning? Tell me, if you spend your whole life poring over books without practicing alchemy, how can you claim to have studied it?”

“Enough. Why should I argue with you children over such trivialities?”

Yet the elder’s eyes burned with intensity.

“Zhao Jinming, come forward and recite the first passage of the Alchemy Scripture.”

Without hesitation, Zhao Jinming began:

“The Dao is one; two create Heaven and Earth; the Supreme Ultimate hangs above, dividing into Eight Trigrams. Four symbols give birth; alchemical formations and talismans arise; the Five Elements emerge; the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches; beasts, demons, and humans appear.”

“Hmm… The southern longitude of Heaven, the northern pole of Earth; the eastern Yang of Heaven, the western Yin of Earth…”

The elder raised a hand to interrupt Zhao Jinming. “Read the rest on your own.”

“The Alchemy Scripture,” he continued, “is the foremost law of the world, said to be authored by the divine. First came the Four Symbols, then Heaven and Earth nurtured the Dao of alchemy, formations, and talismans. Later appeared beasts, demons, and humans. The Dao of alchemy is the way of Heaven and Earth—not a human law. Even the most gifted alchemists cannot surpass Heaven and Earth.”

“Yet Heaven and Earth have their own transformations, and humans have theirs. Humans are born from Heaven and Earth, like spirit herbs and spirit trees. They can harness the momentum of Heaven and Earth to sustain themselves and borrow their power to strengthen themselves.”

“The Dao of alchemy for humans is to borrow the human path to redirect the forces of Heaven and Earth—commonly called ‘stealing Heaven.’ Even ordinary alchemy and spiritual pills do not show much effect; refining sixth-grade alchemical pills already causes a subtle loss of lifespan.”

“This explanation makes sense!” Zhao Jinshang’s tone shifted slightly, tinged with sorrow.

He had refined over a hundred thousand pills of various grades, suffering considerable loss of vitality.

Pouring his life into a passion, now facing old age, it was inevitable to feel that his journey would halt, unable to reach the highest realm of alchemy.

Jinming and the others did not understand.

San Sheng agreed, “This is reasonable.”

Ning Jin and Feiling looked at him strangely.

Seeing this, Jinshang couldn’t help but soften his tone. “You children must learn alchemy well from me. The Zhao family’s alchemical path must not be left without successors.”

He pointed toward the alchemy furnace.

“Come closer,” the elder commanded. “What is an alchemy furnace? In truth, the furnace cover has a hole reaching to Heaven; the base has three legs touching Earth. The alchemist is the link between Heaven, Earth, and man.”

“Watch as I demonstrate.” With that, he infused spiritual energy, and a blue flame rose within the furnace.

The Second Elder possessed dual fire and wood spiritual roots, said to have the “seven-inch fire and seven-inch wood,” able to contain the blue lotus flame in his golden core for nurturing. The spiritual flame could also remove impurities from his golden core.

Spiritual roots determine cultivation before the spirit transformation stage; after that, they transform into energy integrated within the divine consciousness.

The elder gently cupped the furnace. With a thought, he summoned herbs from his storage ring: Wood Spirit Fruit, Purple Crystal Flower, Heavenly Branch Dew, and a spiritual crystal.

He formed hand seals, condensing the energy into a spirit method.

The three herbs spun inside the furnace, slowly drawing together. The elder used a magical instrument to divide the spiritual crystal into four parts, placing them around the herbs. The milky white crystal marrow melted in.

After some time, a dark liquid remained, purified of impurities. Jinshang split it into six parts.

Two hours passed. The elder retrieved six bluish-white pills with two stripes, floating above his palm. He extended his hand to the disciples; Zhao Feiling and the others each took one.

The Second Elder pinched a pill between his fingers. “These are fourth-grade Wood Spirit Pills. Examine them carefully.”

He took four steps to the left, then three to the right.

Speaking slowly, “You know, people have talent and appearance; pills have grade and markings. Pills without markings are low grade; one stripe means middle grade; two stripes, high grade; three stripes, supreme grade. Wood Spirit Pills are relatively easier among the fourth-grade pills.”

He paused, then gestured for Jinming and the others to consume them.

These Wood Spirit Pills aid in spiritual root development. Those without wood roots can grow a two-inch wood root; under five inches, growth of one inch; under eight inches, growth of half an inch.

Jinming’s nine-inch wood spiritual root improved slightly to nine and one-tenth inches. Though slight, such a difference is invaluable on the path of cultivation.

With their roots growing, Zhao San Sheng advanced from three to four spiritual roots, feeling somewhat overwhelmed but still trusting his grandfather. Although he once read that the Heavenly Spiritual Root was best, and multiple roots were considered mixed…

The others were delighted. Zhao Cai Jie, although at the sixth layer of Qi Refinement, felt as if a bottleneck had loosened.

The elder then guided the children in controlling the fire to try refining basic pills.

Later, he provided them with basic materials, alchemical texts, and furnaces. Considering Zhao Jinming’s Foundation Establishment stage, he gave him a Foundation Establishment grade furnace to prevent damage.

He instructed them to self-study, mentioning he had to leave the city for about a month, then glanced at Zhao Jinming.

Afterward, the group was sent out of the room.

Exiting the Spirit Plant Garden,

Zhao Ningjin hurriedly said goodbye, intending to return to alchemy. Zhao Cai Jie exchanged a few words, saying he planned to break through. Zhao Feiling handed him a Pill to Break Barriers.

Cai Jie was a distant relative, and the brothers often supported each other.

Today they could collect their spirit stone stipends and some pocket change.

The three walked together to the Moon Stipend Hall.

Feiling was two years older than Jinming, cultivated to the tenth layer of Qi Refinement, and felt no shame. Having a genius junior cousin was a source of pride. The world was full of outstanding talents; there was no need for petty jealousy.

On two days in the middle of each month, disciples collected spirit stones. Now they could see the sunset; many clansmen had already received their wages.

They entered the inner hall.

The spirit stones were distributed by Zhao Anyi, steward and second son of one of the four main branches, Jinming’s uncle.

“Uncle, I’ve come to collect my spirit stones.”

Zhao Anyi examined him, noting the solid energy aura.

“Jinming, you’ve reached Foundation Establishment. Early Foundation Establishment gets twenty spirit stones; as a direct descendant, double that; with elder’s true transmission, another doubling—sixty spirit stones in total. Keep it safe. Good boy, you’re almost as good as your uncle now. Spend wisely.”

Jinming took the spirit stones, thanked his uncle, and after San Sheng and Feiling collected theirs, they left together.

Later, San Sheng, Jinming, and Feiling parted ways.

“Jinming, when do you think I’ll get sixty spirit stones too?”

“Ha, that’s still a long way off.”

“More spirit stones are better.”

“Ask Second Grandfather for some precious pills. Maybe one day you’ll ascend to immortality directly.”

They laughed as they returned home.

After dinner, Jinming sat in his pavilion, meditating and studying alchemical methods from his books.

An hour later, he finished reading and drew out his sword, Feiqing, practicing swordsmanship, though still awkward.

It was the Tomb Dance taught by Fan Yifeng yesterday.

The Tomb Dance: the sword moves silently within the dance, but each step conceals a sword breath. When unleashed, the damage is overwhelming.

Dancing, it resembled the harmonious melody of a zither.

After a long while,

Jinming recalled how the pills in Second Grandfather’s furnace moved rhythmically. Was the dance a Dao? Or a formation? Or was he like those pills?

Then, what truly is the Dao of alchemy?

Is it refining with Heaven and Earth? Or using the sword Feiqing as material?

He shook his head and decided not to ponder further. Returning to his room, he swallowed a Heart-Nourishing Pill.

Exhausted, the young boy soon fell into a deep sleep during his meditation.