I forge immortality with spiritual treasures.

Chapter 39: The inner elixir of Taoshu
"Yin and Yang are the harmony of Heaven and Earth, forming myriad different forms, containing Qi to transform things, and thus creating categories."

"When strength and gentleness complement each other, all things take shape."

"Therefore, by harmonizing the yin and yang energies, one can regulate the sun and moon, harmonize the four seasons, understand the flow of things, avoid taboos, and follow the natural order..."

"..."

"That's all for today. Disciples, please study and ponder this day and night."

Upon hearing this, all the disciples stood up and bowed in unison, saying, "We humbly accept the teachings of our academy master."

On the pulpit, the abbot nodded slightly.

The lecture is now concluded, and the disciples may depart at their own discretion.

This lesson was about the Yin-Yang Classic. Ying Chan and Li Xuanying came to listen to the lecture together, and at this moment they also went down the mountain with the flow of people.

Once they reached the foot of the mountain, and the disciples dispersed in various directions, Li Xuanying finally spoke up, "Senior Brother, are you heading to the weapon workshop?"

Ying Chan replied, "That's right."

"In that case, I will not keep you company any longer."

Ying Chan nodded, and the two chatted casually for a few minutes before going their separate ways.

The journey to the workshop is quite long.

However, Ying Chan was not in a hurry. He simply walked along, sorting out what he had learned from the lecture that day.

The pace in the Taoist temple is always so leisurely.

So much so that he had been back at the Taoist temple for more than ten days before he remembered to go to the equipment workshop.

This time was different from before. Last time, Ying Chan went to the Capital Affairs Office to put his learning into practice and took on a job at the Instrument Workshop.

This time, I just wanted to ask someone a few questions.

He entered the workshop with familiarity, intending to find Ding Zhi, but before he even reached the familiar fire room, a towering figure came towards him.

Ying Chan slowly stopped and bowed, saying, "Senior Brother Lei."

"Ok?"

Lei Xiuyuan's eyebrows twitched: "Ying Chan?"

"Exactly."

Lei Xiuyuan stopped in his tracks, slightly surprised: "Did you come here today because you received an order from the Ministry of State Affairs?"

"I haven't come with any tasks today," Ying Chan said. "I just have some questions I'd like to ask Senior Brother Ding."

"I already told you that last time."

"The art of weapon crafting is too shallow to be understood from books alone," Lei Xiuyuan said earnestly. "I heard from Ding Zhi that you have a great talent for weapon crafting; you understand and master it very quickly."

"In that case, we should come to the workshop more often to learn and apply our knowledge."

“I know that,” Ying Chan said. “It’s just that my studies have been very demanding lately, and I haven’t had any free time.”

"Hmm... indeed, cultivation should be the priority."

Upon hearing this, Lei Xiuyuan didn't say anything more, but changed the subject and said, "Ding Zhi hasn't returned to the workshop these past few days either."

"What do you want to ask him? If it's about weapon crafting, you can ask me. I happen to be free."

Ying Chan's eyes lit up, and he bowed and said, "In that case, I will trouble you, Senior Brother."

Lei Xiuyuan waved his hand, "Come with me."

Then he led Ying Chan to a quiet room.

This quiet room must be where Lei Xiuyuan usually rests. It is furnished with a table and chairs, as well as tea sets. What surprised Ying Chan even more was that there was a wall filled with books.

"These are all my books."

Lei Xiuyuan said, "Most of them are related to the Dao of Weapons. If you find one you like, feel free to borrow it."

"Is what you say true, Senior Brother?"

"Of course it is true," Lei Xiuyuan said casually. "Just remember to return it."

Ying Chan was overjoyed and quickly found a copy of "The Complete Collection of the Purple Jade Records" on the bookshelf.

Lei Xiuyuan said, "Judging from your appearance, Junior Brother, you seem to be more interested in the Dao of Divine Runes?"

It should be clarified that his interest in divine runes is indeed much stronger than that in restrictions.

There's no other reason than that, with his abilities, even with the help of spiritual treasures and Dao seeds, he couldn't comprehend the restrictions of those supreme treasures. However, even if he couldn't understand the divine patterns on them, he might still be able to reproduce some of their essence.

But this was not something he could tell outsiders, so he simply nodded slightly and replied, "Indeed." "Divine runes are also the Great Dao."

Lei Xiuyuan said, "Legend has it that some immortal weapons and magical treasures possess boundless power simply from their divine runes..."

He paused, as if realizing he had gone off on a tangent, and shook his head with a smile.

"Junior brother, if you have any questions, ask them quickly."

Ying Chan didn't stand on ceremony, but as Lei Xiuyuan sat down at the table, he didn't rush to ask any questions. Instead, he took something out of his pocket.

It was the bead obtained from refining the human-faced beast that day.

"Does Senior Brother recognize this item?"

"Ok?"

Lei Xiuyuan let out a soft exclamation, took the bead from Ying Chan's hand, examined it carefully, and instead of answering, asked, "Where did you get this?"

Ying Chan felt that this matter was not worth hiding, so he replied, "This item was obtained by me and a fellow disciple when we killed a ferocious beast."

"It is what is left over after being refined by the fire of the fire element."

"A ferocious beast? What does it look like?"

"Its appearance resembles a tiger, and it also bears some resemblance to a wolf."

Ying Chan said, "It has a slender body, sharp claws and teeth, and markings on its face that resemble human features. It also has a long, tough tail that is four or five zhang long..."

"A ferocious beast with a human face..."

Lei Xiuyuan stroked his bushy beard, his eyes thoughtful: "What does its roar sound like?"

“Hmm.” Ying Chan pondered, “Its sound is like a tiger’s roar.”

"A tiger's roar?" Lei Xiuyuan said thoughtfully, "It's not the horse's belly."

"Horse belly?"

Ying Chan paused, as if remembering something.

Lei Xiuyuan said, "It is also a ferocious beast with a human face and a tiger's body, whose voice is like that of an infant."

Ying Chan also recalled that he had seen this name in the Book of Strange Beasts, and shook his head: "Its voice is not high-pitched, but muffled like rolling thunder."

"If that's the case, then it's definitely not from the horse's belly."

Lei Xiuyuan nodded slightly: "If such ferocious beasts have thin bloodlines, their appearance may be quite different."

"But these characteristics should not change."

"Describe the characteristics of that ferocious beast in more detail."

"Its malevolent and evil aura is extremely strong. When it exhales, it can erode away mountain rocks, and its blood seeps into the soil, instantly causing the green grass to wither and die..."

Ying Chan thought about it carefully, then suddenly paused: "That's it."

"It may be able to sense malice, or even foresee future events."

"What?" Lei Xiuyuan was taken aback. "Are you sure?"

Ying Chan was not in a position to make a judgment, but he still explained his arguments to Lei Xiuyuan one by one.

Lei Xiuyuan frowned deeply upon hearing this, then suddenly stood up and began rummaging through the bookshelf.

After a moment, he took down several books from his collection, looked at them over and over again, and then closed them one by one, his face showing deep thought.

Ying Chan asked, "Senior brother, have you found a clue?"

Lei Xiuyuan looked up at him, pondered for a long time, and then said, "If I am not mistaken, that ferocious beast is most likely 'Taowu'."

"Taowu?" Ying Chan was startled.

"good."

"Even if such a ferocious beast is a cub, it is definitely not something that a Qi Refining cultivator can deal with."

"But its bloodline must be extremely thin..."

Lei Xiuyuan picked up the bead again, hesitated, and said, "This thing might be its inner core."

"Of course, it is not the demon core formed by a great demon, but rather the one nurtured by its ferocious beast bloodline, carrying innate magic, or some kind of divine object."

"Taotie Inner Core..."

(End of this chapter)