Under Li Mu's command, the Puppet Spider's eight legs moved agilely around the two individuals. The next moment, the Puppet Spider's figure flickered, suddenly vanishing and leaving behind a faint trace of spatial distortion. Immediately after, it seemed to merge into space, instantly appearing several hundred feet away. With another flicker, it appeared in a different location, its speed so dazzling that it was difficult for the naked eye to track.
"How formidable! Master, the miniature space-time shuttle array embedded within this Puppet Spider is so exquisite! Coupled with the Puppet Spider's speed, it's impossible to guard against!" Bright Moon exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Indeed, this Puppet Spider's speed and stealth are quite good, but its rank is a bit low. It's still slightly insufficient to pose a threat to a Refining Void cultivator, or even higher-ranked Cultivators!" Li Mu smiled, expressing slight dissatisfaction.
"Does Master have a new idea?" Bright Moon was exceptionally intelligent and immediately sensed the deeper meaning in Li Mu's words.
"That's right!" Li Mu's gaze was profound as he looked at Bright Moon and nodded, "I need you to cooperate with me to refine another batch of these Puppet Spiders and improve them based on this. Also, set up some stealth arrays to enhance their concealment. Secondly, try to incorporate some defensive arrays; even if they can't directly contend with strong enemies, they should be able to protect themselves at critical moments. And add some explosive power..."
"This sounds like a huge challenge, but Bright Moon is willing to give it a try!" A hint of excitement flashed in Bright Moon's eyes. For a Puppet Spirit, nothing was more thrilling than creating a powerful Puppet.
Thus, the two began to divide their work. Li Mu was responsible for designing new arrays and structural improvements for the Puppet Spider, while Bright Moon was responsible for refining the Puppet bodies, refining them according to Li Mu's design blueprints. Li Mu's designs were perfectly transformed into reality.
As time passed, batches of improved Puppet Spiders gradually took shape. They not only retained their original space-time shuttle ability but also achieved a qualitative leap in stealth, defense, and explosive power.
Several months later, just as Li Mu and Bright Moon were immersed in the refinement of the Puppet army, a long bell sound rang out from above the Painting World Treasure Mansion, breaking the tranquility within the mansion.
Bright Moon stopped her refining work, looked at Li Mu, and a hint of inquiry flashed in her eyes.
"A guest has arrived; you continue to be busy!" Li Mu smiled slightly. He had been in seclusion within the Treasure Mansion for a long time, rarely paying attention to outside matters, but Qingyang Zi's arrival was clearly an exception.
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Mu's figure flickered and disappeared within the Treasure Mansion.
Not long after, Li Mu appeared outside the courtyard. As the grand array opened, he saw a figure in a green robe standing with his hands behind his back. It was Qingyang Zi, who wore a faint smile, his eyes revealing a hint of scrutiny.
"Sect Master, you've been well! You're living in seclusion here, quite carefree!" Qingyang Zi looked at Li Mu and laughed heartily, his tone carrying a hint of teasing.
"Senior, please come in!" Li Mu smiled slightly, roughly understanding Qingyang Zi's purpose.
"Good!" Qingyang Zi nodded, moved his figure, and followed Li Mu into the courtyard.
The two sat by a stone table. Li Mu personally brewed a pot of Spirit Tea. The tea's aroma wafted, and the atmosphere was quiet and harmonious.
"Sect Master, recently the Wanbao Pavilion sent someone to look for me. In addition, the Xuantian Sword Sect also sent someone to look for me." Qingyang Zi took a sip of tea and looked at Li Mu, asking with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Li Mu's face showed an expression of 'as expected,' then a hint of apology appeared on his face.
"Senior, this is my fault!" Li Mu quickly admitted, apologetically saying, "I sold a batch of Dao Pills that I personally refined, but they asked about the origin of the Dao Pills. Under duress, Li could only give your name. Originally, I should have informed you immediately, but I got busy and forgot when I returned recently."
Hearing this, Qingyang Zi was slightly stunned at first, then chuckled, waving his hand, "No worries, no worries. Sect Master had no choice. Besides, my humble reputation is out there, and occasionally borrowing it causes no harm. It's just that the Dao Pills they want, this old man cannot refine!"
Qingyang Zi paused, took a light sip of tea, and looked at Li Mu with profound eyes, curiously asking, "Sect Master, are there any remaining Dao Pills that you refined? Could you let me examine them?"
"Naturally, no problem." Li Mu nodded cheerfully, waved his hand, and took out four bottles of Spirit Pills from his tianxuan ring.
"Returning Void Pill, Thousand Longevity Pill, Myriad Spirit Pill, Heavenly Star Pill. Among these four types of Dao Pills, only the Returning Void Pill was refined using the method Senior taught, while the other three Dao Pills were refined using a new method!" Li Mu smiled slightly, introducing them to Qingyang Zi.
Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise and delight flashed in Qingyang Zi's eyes. He quickly stood up, took the four bottles of Spirit Pills Li Mu handed him, opened one of the bottle caps, poured out a Spirit Pill, and carefully examined its quality.
A perfectly round Returning Void Pill lay in Qingyang Zi's palm. Its surface was imbued with a rich medicinal aura, emitting a golden luster. The Dan Texture were clearly visible, like a naturally sculpted work of art, exuding a mysterious and ethereal aura.
"Returning Void Pill, an excellent Medicinal Pill for assisting in the condensation of the Void Refining Domain Bottleneck. The one you refined has a mellow medicinal property and excellent Dan Texture quality, almost reaching perfection. It shows that you have a deep understanding and mastery of the Alchemy method for the Returning Void Pill." Qingyang Zi praised endlessly, his eyes filled with satisfaction as he looked at Li Mu.
Next, Qingyang Zi turned his attention to another Pill Bottle. As he poured out the Spirit Pill from the bottle, his spirit suddenly lifted. He gently picked it up with his hand. The surface of this Medicinal Pill was covered with a rich layer of green mist. Its medicinal properties contained endless vitality and vigor. The Dan Texture were delicate and intricate, like the Context of nature, exuding an extraordinary aura.
"This, how can this Dao Pill be like this?" Qingyang Zi was stunned, his eyes shining brightly. He stared intently at the Pill body, his Divine Sense sweeping over it again and again, trying to glimpse the Pill Formula and Alchemy technique.
"Sect Master, was this Pill refined? How can its structure be so strange and unique?" Qingyang Zi asked with a hint of urgency and disbelief in his tone.
Li Mu smiled slightly, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes, and slowly said, "Senior, don't rush. This Pill was indeed refined by me. It is the result of a new Alchemy method I recently attempted. Its core lies in extensively extracting the single Spirit Medicine, Six-Rank Yan Yuan Spirit Grass, maximizing the refinement and Fusion of the medicinal properties and vitality within each Spiritual Plant."
"How is this possible? How can a single Spirit Medicine be refined into a Pill, and a Seven-Rank Dao Pill at that? This is impossible!" Qingyang Zi shook his head in disbelief, his gaze fixed on the Thousand Longevity Pill in his hand, as if he wanted to see through it.
Seeing this, Li Mu smiled slightly and explained, "Senior, you may not know, but I've recently had a Breakthrough in Alchemy. Combining Artifact Refining techniques, I've attempted a new Alchemy method called 'Dan Texture Fusion.' This method precisely divides the medicinal properties within the Spirit Medicine into the form of condensed Dan Texture, allowing them to fuse with each other in the Pill Furnace according to specific rules, thereby stimulating unprecedented medicinal effects."
"Dan Texture Fusion?" Qingyang Zi murmured, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Yes, Senior." Li Mu nodded and continued, "When refining this Medicinal Pill, I extracted thousands of Six-Rank Yan Yuan Spirit Grasses and used the Dan Texture Fusion technique to refine the medicinal properties and vitality of each Spiritual Plant to the extreme. Then, following a special array pattern, I fused these medicinal properties one by one, finally forming this unique Medicinal Pill."
Upon hearing this, a hint of admiration flashed in Qingyang Zi's eyes.
"What are the medicinal effects of this Pill?" Qingyang Zi asked curiously.
Li Mu smiled confidently and said, "Senior, this Pill is called 'Thousand Longevity Pill.' Its medicinal effects far surpass ordinary Seven-Rank Dao Pills. Taking this Pill can not only extend one's Lifespan by a thousand years but also nourish Origin Qi, enhance cultivation, and even provide considerable help in breaking through Bottlenecks."
Upon hearing this, a fervent gleam flashed in Qingyang Zi's eyes. He knew well what Lifespan meant to Cultivators in the cultivation world. A Medicinal Pill that could extend one's Lifespan by a thousand years was undoubtedly a rare treasure.
"Sect Master, your Alchemy is truly astonishing." Qingyang Zi praised sincerely, his gaze towards Li Mu filled with admiration and expectation.
Li Mu smiled humbly and said, "Senior, you flatter me. My Alchemy is still only at the initial stage; there's still a long way to go in the future."
Qingyang Zi nodded, his eyes flickering with contemplation. After a moment, he slowly spoke, "Sect Master, I wonder if you would allow me to witness your 'Dan Texture Fusion' Alchemy method firsthand? This old man also has considerable research into the Dao of Alchemy, and perhaps I can gain some inspiration from it."
"This, of course!" Li Mu smiled slightly and nodded cheerfully.
"Senior, please follow me. Li will now demonstrate it for you."
Saying that, Li Mu led Qingyang Zi to the Pill Refining Room next to the small courtyard.
Inside the Pill Refining Room, the furnace fire blazed. Li Mu began to get busy, summoning a batch of Six-Rank Spiritual Plants—Mou Xing Spirit Grass—nearly a thousand of them, from his tianxuan ring. He formed hand seals, condensing a ball of Five Elements Spiritual Fire...
Qingyang Zi stood quietly by the side, his gaze closely following Li Mu's movements. He was slightly stunned when he saw the Six-Rank Spiritual Plant—Mou Xing Spirit Grass—that Li Mu summoned.
Based on thousands of years of Alchemy experience, he could confirm that the Mou Xing Spirit Grass Li Mu used to refine the Dao Pill had quality issues. Although they were already mature, their medicinal properties were incomplete. Such Spiritual Plants, if used to refine high-grade Medicinal Pills, would have an extremely low success rate, let alone refining them into Dao Pills of Seven-Rank or higher. However, the quantity of Spiritual Plants consumed for refining this Pill was also too much.
However, Qingyang Zi saw that Li Mu's expression was calm, without the slightest hint of worry. He couldn't help but become more curious, wanting to see what kind of methods Li Mu possessed to turn decay into wonder.
Li Mu's movements were skillful. He placed each Mou Xing Spirit Grass one by one over the Five Elements Spiritual Fire. Their medicinal properties were extracted and refined. Before long, drops of Spirit Medicine essence appeared. Soon after, Li Mu formed hand seals, and streams of spiritual power were injected, condensing spiritual patterns within the Spirit Medicine essence.
The next moment, a vast amount of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy surged from all directions into the Pill Furnace. The spiritual patterns inside the Spirit Medicine essence seemed to be activated, beginning to glow with dazzling light, creating a wondrous resonance and linkage among themselves. Under Li Mu's careful control, they slowly intertwined and fused, forming a complex and exquisite pattern, like the most delicate tapestry in the world.
Qingyang Zi watched, dumbfounded. He had never seen such a miraculous scene.
Those refined Mou Xing Spirit Grass essences, in Li Mu's hands, were actually imbued with such extraordinary vitality, as if they contained a world. And now, these worlds were being skillfully woven together, jointly nurturing a peerless Medicinal Pill.
As the spiritual patterns of the Spirit Medicine essence fused, the atmosphere within the Pill Furnace became increasingly tense and sacred. The speed at which Heaven and Earth spiritual energy gathered became faster and faster, almost forming a visible vortex that tightly enveloped the Pill Furnace.
Li Mu quickly formed hand seals, muttering incantations. Streams of Chaos Power surged from his body, directly acting upon the Pill Furnace. He was performing the Alchemy Divine Ability—'Pill Fusion Dao Transformation'—to refine the Pill.
The essence of nearly a thousand Six-Rank Mou Xing Spirit Grasses underwent a transformation under the scorching and refining of the Chaos Spiritual Fire. The powerful medicinal properties contained within the Spiritual Plants were now extracted one by one, continuously converging and shrinking, forming a swirling vortex of medicinal liquid.
Li Mu concentrated fully on controlling the spiritual fire within the furnace, his hand seals constantly changing, continuously injecting Chaos Power into it.
Ordinary Alchemy requires numerous steps such as refining Spirit Medicine, fusing medicinal properties, nurturing Pill Spirit, condensing Dan Texture, transforming Pill power, and forming Pill shape to achieve perfection, in order to refine high-quality Medicinal Pills.
Following Li Mu's incantations, the Spirit Medicine essence within the Pill Furnace mixed together, and the spiritual patterns began to tremble violently, transforming into a small black hole that frantically absorbed Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, gradually taking shape...
The next moment, Li Mu's Divine Thought was fully activated. With his heart as the guide and spirit as the medium, he slowly integrated the Dao of Transformation into the medicinal liquid vortex. As the Dao was integrated, the medicinal liquid vortex began to undergo drastic changes...
Inside the Pill Furnace, the spiritual fire gradually extinguished. A Dragon-eye sized Spirit Pill, emitting a rich silver starlight, slowly rotated in the center of the air. Dan Texture continuously formed on the surface of the Pill body, emitting a rich medicinal power. For a moment, the sky and earth changed color, and massive amounts of spiritual power gathered.
Suddenly, Li Mu let out a fierce shout, simultaneously slamming his hands onto the lid of the Pill Furnace. Accompanied by a deafening roar, the lid was flung open by a powerful force. A rich medicinal fragrance instantly permeated the entire Pill Refining Room, invigorating anyone who smelled it.
Under the cover of the medicinal fragrance, a round and full Medicinal Pill, radiating a rich starlight, slowly rose from the Pill Furnace and hovered in mid-air.
Upon this Medicinal Pill, the Dan Texture were complex and mysterious, as if containing the ultimate truths of heaven and earth. The next moment, a strong pressure emanated from the sky. The will of heaven and earth seemed to awaken at this moment. Thick clouds rapidly gathered above the Pill Refining Room. Dark clouds rolled, lightning flashed, and a heart-palpitating pressure descended from the sky, enveloping the entire small courtyard.
"Dan Tribulation?" Qingyang Zi exclaimed in surprise. Only the refinement of a Seven-Rank Dao Pill that surpassed the norm would attract the test of Heaven and Earth's will—the Dan Tribulation.
"This, this has become a Pill!" Qingyang Zi took a deep breath, unable to believe the scene before him. However, the facts were right in front of him; he had no choice but to believe.
"It's done!" Li Mu let out a long sigh of relief, a satisfied smile appearing on his face. With a casual wave of his hand, he activated the concealing array set up in the small courtyard, dispelling the Dan Tribulation's descent. The Medicinal Pill then steadily landed in his palm, emitting a soft glow, warm and peaceful.
Qingyang Zi watched this scene, his pupils constricting. He turned to look at Li Mu, his gaze filled with shock and awe. (End of this chapter)
