Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 86: The Secret Brew of the Stars, the Sword Leads the Heroes
Zhao Wuji wandered around the library for a while, glancing at some of the books, and finally selected "A Study of Millennium Elixir" and a fragment of "Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold".

The "Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold" was written by Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty. Unexpectedly, the library of the Linglang Cave has an ancient book in its collection. Although it is not the original, the handwriting is simple and elegant, and the ink is still fresh. It is obviously a precious copy made with great care.

In this world, Sun Simiao turned alchemy towards medicine, proposing the theory that "elixirs are for saving people, not for seeking immortality."

Zhao Wuji felt that it was worth taking a look at, as it might improve his alchemy and medical skills, and even lead to the discovery of new Earthly Fiend Techniques.

He carried the book to the entrance of the Sutra Repository and drew the True Inheritance Badge on the formation.

"Shh!"

In a flash of inspiration, two hundred minor merits were deducted, and the restrictions on the ancient book dissipated.

Deacon Hu stroked his beard and chuckled: "I heard you were a royal physician in the mortal realm? No wonder you always pick these kinds of classic texts."

"Alchemy and medicine can also benefit one's spiritual practice."

Zhao Wuji said politely, but at that moment his nose twitched as he smelled something.

A faint, mellow aroma of wine drifted by.

"A whiff of fine wine seems to have just wafted from here."

His senses were sharp, far exceeding those of ordinary people; though the aroma of the wine was faint, it could not escape his nose.

"Good lad!" Deacon Hu sniffed, surprised. "Your sense of smell is even better than mine, which has been steeped in the world of wine for decades."

He had just taken a sip of Drunken Immortal's Wine, and a quarter of an hour had passed. The aroma of the wine had dissipated by ninety percent, yet this kid still managed to smell it.

Zhao Wuji bowed and smiled, "Senior, may I have a cup of your fine wine?"

He knew the nature of a wine lover well, and that directly discussing buying and selling would be abrupt, so he inquired as if they were kindred spirits.

"Heh, you're quite the connoisseur," Steward Hu chuckled, shaking his head. "It's a pity my wine is too precious to share. If you have a better wine than this imperial wine, I'd be happy to exchange it and try it."

Zhao Wuji's mind raced, and he cupped his hands in a smile, saying, "Senior, your sense of wine is truly remarkable. I'll come back to learn from you again once I've found some fine wine."

He didn't say much, took the book and left.

There were still two catties of Golden Goblet Wine left unfinished in his cave.

The Golden Goblet Wine was clearly better than the Imperial Wine, but he was reluctant to trade it.

Next time, have a drink first, and when you smell a little alcohol on yourself, try fishing again.

If he could find a new and better source of spirit wine, or even a winemaking recipe, from this Deacon Hu, then the sobering stone in his hand would be of great use in the future.

On the way back to his cave, Zhao Wuji began to look through "A Study of Millennium Elixir" and the fragments of "Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold".

The book revealed that most of the so-called "millennial elixirs" recorded in it had become extinct, while a small number of them were noted as possibly remaining in regions beyond the southern borders of the country.

For example, near Suihe City, there is a treasure trove called Ginkgo Valley, which contains ginkgo trees that are hundreds or thousands of years old.

There are even trees that are nearly three thousand years old. These trees have experienced a period of flourishing spiritual energy, and the ginkgo fruits they bear are considered to be miraculous medicines.

"From a purely medicinal standpoint, the thousand-year-old ginkgo fruit is quite ordinary, but it is, after all, a thousand-year-old medicine."

Zhao Wuji seemed to be deep in thought, and then flipped through the fragments of "Qianjin Fang" again.

The text contains a description of improved formulas for Wushi San (五石散), such as removing lead and mercury, adding quartz and amethyst, and reducing toxicity.

There is also the essential herbal combination of Artemisia annua for treating malaria.

Although these were all mundane messages, they still triggered a reaction in his two Yin Beads, causing them to light up with some tadpole-like characters.

"Could it trigger new spells?"

Zhao Wuji was both expectant and worried. After all, this Thousand Gold Prescription was only an incomplete piece. If it failed to trigger the spell and he got stuck there, it would be very difficult.

At this moment, he was almost at Cold Moon Peak, but he saw a group of disciples in green robes and blue gowns gathered at the foot of the peak. The jade pendants at their waists shimmered in the sunset, which puzzled him.

As he approached, a group of people dressed in green and blue robes gathered around him. Upon seeing him appear, they all bowed in unison, and it was the disciple in green who spoke first.

"Senior Brother Zhao, you're finally back! We heard you weren't in your cave, so we waited for you at the foot of the mountain."

The one speaking, dressed in green, was none other than Li Shiyu. Her crimson veil fluttered gently, and her smile was as radiant as a peach blossom in March. She turned and gestured to the blue-robed cultivator behind her, "This is Senior Brother Yan Boyuan. He has reached the third level of Qi Refining in ten years and has become a true disciple. He is a disciple of Elder Qi of the Purple Cloud Palace."

The young man in blue robes with a short beard smiled and bowed to the astonished Zhao Wuji. "Junior Brother Zhao, your swordplay yesterday, with its frost-like edge, defeated three people with a single strike. It was truly magnificent and astonishing. Today, I, Yan, have come to pay you a visit! I apologize for disturbing you."

Li Shiyu then smiled and introduced another person in blue robes, "This is Senior Sister Mao Zizhen. Senior Sister Mao is a disciple of Elder He of the Spiritual Materials Hall, and she is also at the third level of Qi Refining."

"Junior Brother Zhao, I've heard that besides your swordsmanship, you're also exceptionally skilled in medicine. Perhaps we could discuss it?"

The female cultivator in blue robes stepped forward and bowed, clearly a straightforward person, getting straight to the point.

Zhao Wuji flicked his wide sleeves and smiled back at everyone.

Li Shiyu then introduced two other disciples in blue robes who looked on with admiration and excitement.

These two people in green robes are both hardworking and determined. Although they are only at the Azure Cloud Spirit level, they both broke through to the second level of Qi Refining in just a few years and were able to wear green robes. They also have some influence and background in the mortal world.

With such a mindset, one day he may very well achieve great things.

Zhao Wuji was not arrogant or haughty; he politely returned the greetings with a bow.

He glanced at the charming and smiling Li Shiyu out of the corner of his eye, and secretly admired her:
This woman is quite adept at social interaction, possesses a clever mind, and is skilled in sociability.

The connections you have today—the pill formulas of Ziyun Palace and the spiritual materials of Lingcai Palace—will be a great help in your future cultivation.

During his time in the cave, he lived a secluded life of cultivation, rarely making friends with other disciples.

Li Shiyu invited him here today to get to know him, so that they could share connections.

He immediately laughed heartily and extended a warm invitation.

"If fellow disciples do not mind, you are welcome to come to my humble abode to enjoy tea and discuss the Dao."

The group immediately went up the mountain to the cave.

A disciple in blue robes, Junior Brother Xing, noticed the ancient medical books in Zhao Wuji's hands and, intending to curry favor, said with a smile, "Knowing that Senior Brother Zhao enjoys reading ancient medical texts, I would not have come empty-handed. I happen to have a complete copy of 'Ben Cao Yan Yi' at home, and I will send someone to deliver it to the peak another day." "Junior Brother Xing, you are too kind and hospitable. I have nothing of value to offer," Zhao Wuji said, as Xiao Yue poured him tea.

"Junior Brother Zhao, what are you saying? The sword control techniques you just casually pointed out have already benefited us greatly."

Senior Sister Mao deftly flipped through her sleeve, effortlessly producing an ancient-looking alchemical formula. She said, "This wine recipe comes from an ancient tomb in the Southern Wilderness, but I'm struggling to understand three of the ingredients. I've heard that Junior Brother Zhao also enjoys drinking, so I would appreciate your guidance."

"Wow!" Zhao Wuji was moved. The other party really put his heart into it. He quickly took the wine and examined it.

The cave was filled with the fragrance of spiritual tea, and everyone was chatting and laughing happily. Those who could befriend Consort Li were all talented and capable people.

Zhao Wuji knew that half of these people were there for his future prospects and wanted to build a good relationship with him in advance, while the other half were attracted by his amazing swordsmanship and hoped to receive guidance.

After all, the strength of the second or third level of Qi Refining is just the beginning stage of learning sword control and weapon manipulation. Having an expert to impart experience can save one from many detours.

Therefore, during the conversation, he would occasionally share his insights on sword control techniques, which made everyone listen attentively and benefit greatly.

Zhao Wuji also heard many interesting stories about the grotto-heavens and rumors about the cultivation world of other countries from these fellow disciples, which can be considered as complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses.

At the end of the farewell, Zhao Wuji used the Dream Marriage Technique to lock onto a trace of Li Shiyu's aura, preparing to turn back and use the Dream Marriage Technique to dispel the spell on her mind, as a way of expressing his gratitude.

"This trip has been quite fruitful," Zhao Wuji said, looking at the wine recipe left by Senior Sister Mao in his hand—"Starry Night Wine Recipe".

This wine recipe is quite peculiar, requiring the use of spiritual herbs and materials from different beasts or spirits to brew the wine.

Then, when burying the jars, it is necessary to secretly match the positions of the stars in the sky and arrange them in an array. Over the years, the wine absorbs the power of the stars and becomes a star spirit wine, such as Azure Dragon Wine and White Tiger Wine, which have different magical effects.

This isn't brewing wine; it's clearly the Star Refining Array!

However, this recipe is only a fragment, recording only the brewing method for Dou Su wine from the Twenty-Eight Mansions. It is unknown what the effect would be after brewing.

"Li Bai, the swordsman of the Tang Dynasty, could compose a hundred poems after drinking a jug of wine. Did he sleep soundly in a tavern in Chang'an, perhaps drinking a jug of wine from the previous night, or just a whole jug of wine?"

Zhao Wuji put away the wine recipe; these brewing ingredients still needed to be collected slowly.

However, he had already collected all the ingredients for the Dragon Tiger Pill and planned to try refining a batch of Dragon Tiger Pills in the coming days to test its effects.

With such cultivation, drinking, and alchemy, and with playful companions like medicine boys in their spare time, the life of cultivating immortality in the cave was full of fun and not at all lonely.

Time flies, and half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

Six days ago, Hua Qingshuang, along with Hou Baichang, the peak master of Guyun Peak, and other high-ranking officials, set off for a place on the border between the Qian and Xuan kingdoms to meet the challenge of fighting at Yunfeng Cave.

The war drums on the border between Xuan and Qian were temporarily silenced, and a moment of peace was gained as they awaited the outcome of the battle.

Only the thin mist in the mountains still swirls and billows.

Meanwhile, in the cold mountains outside the Xuan Kingdom's imperial city, in front of the former fox den.

The withered leaves move on their own even without wind.

Her delicate, jade-like fingers brushed aside the spiderweb, and the gilded hairpin reflected the dim light inside the cave.

A tall figure entered the cave.

Even in casual clothes, she could not hide her noble and majestic aura. Her red lips seemed to be stained with blood, her phoenix eyes were filled with murderous intent, and her fingers were stained with red nail polish. She was none other than Empress Yu of Xuan Kingdom, who had been keeping a low profile for a while.

Before long, she arrived at the spiritual spring pool inside the cave. Sensing the faint spiritual energy within, she was moved and said in a slightly languid tone.

"How did you dogs and lackeys discover this place?"

A eunuch leader following behind touched his forehead to the ground and reported in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty the Empress, some time ago, the evil cultivators of the White Bone Sect caused trouble, and eunuchs from the eunuch camp also followed and investigated."

Gui Gonggong, from the Jiazi Barracks, tracked down this place and discovered that it was unusual. He immediately reported it to his servant.

"This servant observed that this place is located in Cold Mountain, very close to the area where that old fox demon used to roam. Sensing something amiss, I suppressed my report and immediately informed Your Majesty."

"very good!"

The Empress's phoenix eyes suddenly flashed with a spiritual light, and her five fingers, like hooks, grabbed at the air.

"Wow!"

A white skull emerged from the bottom of the spring with a splash, but the moment it touched Dan Kou, it cracked into dust with a "crack".

"This is indeed the place where that slut and that old fox consummate their affair!"

The Empress's eyes flashed with murderous intent. She waved her sleeve, her fingertips tracing a pinch of iron powder, and said calmly.

"Have you found out where these iron filings came from?"

The head eunuch knelt and reported, "Your Majesty, we have made some progress. This is refined iron, handled by seven blacksmith shops within the city and the Blackwater Workshop outside the city, totaling 432 people."

The Empress suddenly crushed the iron powder in her palm and said sternly, "Investigate thoroughly! Even if you have to search every inch of Xuan Kingdom, you must dig out this rat hole for me!"

The stalagmites in the cave trembled slightly in the sharp echo.

Empress Yu lightly stroked the moss on the cave wall with her rosy nails, then suddenly sneered: "Issue my imperial decree to set up an ambush here and see if any more foxes will take the bait."

One more chapter is being written and will be released at 12:30. There will also be an extra chapter tonight. I recommend a friend's book, "Jiang Zhu," where the protagonist transmigrates to a vast world of immortals and heroes, becoming a solitary lamp.

When the lamp absorbs enough sunlight and moonlight, it can open its eyes and see the world.

Emperors sought immortality, immortal masters pursued the Dao, and mountain spirits and wild monsters feasted on incense offerings—a wondrous and dreamlike existence.

He tried his best to participate in this dreamlike world, but he couldn't do anything about it.

All beauties, chivalrous heroes, immortal masters, and emperors throughout history are subject to the relentless passage of time.

The flickering candlelight seemed to recount past glories, yet also to speak of the desolation of seeking immortality.

The candlelight illuminates the dim light, an eternal truth.

I trim a sliver of candlelight, to recount a past memory, but I search everywhere for the face of my old friend, only to find it nowhere...



(End of this chapter)