Dao Qi Wu Zang Guan Guan: I became a Daoist Master in the 1990s

Chapter 83 The Mysteries of the Alchemy Furnace, The Boy's Whereabouts

“It’s here!” Qi Yun knew in his heart. This was the first time he had “witnessed” the process of time travel and return while he was in a conscious state.

He was calm and composed, no longer feeling the initial fear; his heart was clear and serene, like the moon reflected in an ancient well.

Concentrate and feel this unimaginable mystery.

My body felt as if it had lost its weight, or as if it had been pushed by an invisible tide, and was forcibly "extracted" from this vivid painting called "Da Qian".

The process was extremely fast, yet it felt as if it were being stretched out infinitely.

In the blink of an eye, the faded, distorted scene before my eyes, as if viewed through a layer of shimmering water, crumbled and vanished completely with a "crash," like glass struck by a heavy blow!
Suddenly, my vision went dark.

The familiar, chilly air, carrying the scent of decaying dust, rushed into my nostrils.

The ground beneath our feet was uneven, covered with rubble and broken stones.

Qi Yun stood firmly on the ruins of the Five Organs Temple.

The surroundings were perpetually dark, with only the broken pillars and toppled beams outlining a desolate silhouette.

"Tsk, what a waste of those few excellent old medicines in the Jiujiang Prefecture Inn."

Qi Yun let out a soft sigh, a hint of regret, but it was like water flowing over stone, leaving no trace in an instant.

With a slight shift in his mind, a cluster of crimson flames rose from the tip of his right finger with a soft "poof".

The firelight instantly tore through the thick darkness several feet around him, casting his tall figure onto the jagged, broken walls, swaying with the flames.

He did not rush down the mountain. With his left hand holding his sword, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground, he began to cautiously patrol the core area of ​​the ruins, stepping on rubble and rotten wood.

The crimson flames, as if alive, swept across every shadow.

The wood was rotten and fluffy, the bricks were broken and jagged, and the withered grass grew wildly in the dead silence.

After confirming that there was no immediate danger, he slowly walked toward the dark, colossal object that had stood firm in the center of the ruins.

That enormous alchemical furnace, weathered by time.

The furnace body is dark black, covered with mottled corrosion marks etched by time, and feels cold and hard to the touch, exuding the weight of bronze and cold iron.

Qi Yun stretched out his right hand, the cluster of dark red flames at his fingertips like a tentative snake's tongue, gently licking the cold furnace wall.

The furnace walls remained silent, and the chill was biting.

A glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Deep within his dantian, the floating Crimson Hunting Pill trembled violently!
It then exploded with a bang!

The tiny flame at his fingertips suddenly flared up!

In an instant, it condensed into the size of a fist, with flames dancing wildly and fiercely licking the cold furnace body.

This time, something unexpected happened!

Under the continuous scorching of the Crimson Hunting Fire, somewhere on the dark furnace wall, a tiny, yet pure, golden spot of light, as faint as starlight, was forcibly awakened, suddenly piercing the darkness!

Next, the second point! The third point!
Countless tiny golden specks of light rushed out and broke free from their restraints!
They spread, connected, and penetrated rapidly along the mysterious patterns on the furnace wall that were originally hidden and almost integrated with the furnace body, like flowing molten gold!
In just a few breaths!

An extremely complex, mysterious, and ancient golden rune, like a living ancient totem, clearly appeared on the side wall of the alchemy furnace!

Golden light flowed, and the runes seemed to come alive, flickering and breathing slowly in rhythm with the flames!
A warm aura, faintly resonating with the Crimson Hunting Fire, spread out, causing even the surrounding light to distort slightly!

"Just as I thought!" Qi Yun was overjoyed, his eyes gleaming. "It's not that the alchemy furnace lacks power, it's just that my Crimson Hunting Fire was too weak to awaken it!"

He activated the Crimson Hunting Fire with all his might, causing the fireball's temperature to rise further, attempting to illuminate the second rune whose outline was faintly visible beside it.

However, no matter how he urged it, the Crimson Hunting Fire had reached its limit. The first rune on the furnace wall shone with golden light, but no new light spots were ignited.

The second rune remained dormant within the dark furnace wall.

After a long while, Qi Yun's forehead was covered in fine sweat, and the rotation of the Crimson Hunt Pill became slightly sluggish.

He finally sighed helplessly and slowly withdrew his hand.

As the fireball in his palm extinguished, the brilliant golden rune on the furnace wall also quickly dimmed, eventually disappearing back into the darkness as if it had never existed.

"This furnace shares the same origin as the Crimson Hunt Fire and the Jade Slip, so it must be no ordinary object. And the vessel used to nurture the Jade Slip is certainly not common."

Qi Yun stroked the still-warm furnace wall, his gaze deep, "The mystery is clear, the key still lies in the Crimson Hunting Fire!"
"Once this fire is further refined in the future, it will surely unlock all the secrets of the alchemy furnace!"

While it's regrettable that we couldn't see the whole picture, clarifying the direction is already a great achievement.

Putting aside his curiosity about the alchemy furnace, Qi Yun picked up his sword and walked towards the edge of the ruins once more.

His gaze swept over the path leading down the mountain, hidden among the weeds. He didn't immediately descend the mountain, but instead turned to the edge of the platform, his sharp eyes fixed on the familiar sloping earth below.

The pit where the stone boy once lived.

The whereabouts of that strange stone figure remained a thorn in his side.

He leaped and landed lightly on the sloping earthen slope.

The light of the Crimson Hunt Fire carefully swept around the pit.

The pit was empty, but on the soft soil around the edge, there was a series of clear and deep footprints!

The footprints were oddly shaped, with sharp angles.

The footprints stretched out, pointing to the edge of the sloping earthen slope, and then... disappeared.

Qi Yun felt a chill run down his spine. He rushed to the edge of the earthen slope and scanned the path down the mountain below with lightning speed.

The path was covered with fallen leaves and dust, yet... it was spotless!

Below the edge of the sloping earthen slope, there was not a single similar footprint!

It was as if the stone boy had vanished into thin air upon reaching this spot, or... directly stepped into the void?

"Could it be... that it came back to life and came down the mountain on its own?"

Qi Yun frowned, squatted down, and ran his fingers over the last deep footprint on the edge of the earthen slope.

A chill crept up my spine.

This stone boy is a legendary figure from the Five Viscera Observation System. He later turned into a stone statue and remained dormant for countless years. Now, he has inexplicably revived and quietly departed. Is this a blessing or a curse?

Which world is it heading to?
Is it the present day of 95 years ago, or the Great Qian Dynasty?
"Never mind." He stood up, suppressing his doubts for the time being.

The clues we have at the moment are like scattered sand, insufficient to support any deductions.

This exploration has yielded a glimpse into the secrets of the alchemy furnace, revealing that the method of awakening depends on the strength of the Crimson Hunting Fire, which is already an unexpected delight.

He didn't linger, turned around and walked down the rugged mountain path hidden among the weeds and broken trees.

The pebbles underfoot scraped against the soles of my shoes, making a monotonous sound that was particularly clear in the deathly silence of the ruins.

As I walked, thoughts arose like sediment.

In the present world and in the Great Qian Dynasty, time flows in sync.

It was dark when I left the dormitory of the 749th Bureau headquarters.

Now, nearly two months have passed in this Great Qian World!

Qi Yun's steps unconsciously became heavier, each step seeming to weigh heavily on his heart.

"Two whole months! A person, in the most secure core dormitory at the 749 Bureau headquarters, vanished into thin air! This is no small matter!"

He could almost see the tumultuous events that would inevitably unfold: the dormitory would be completely sealed off, evidence would be collected, every frame of the surveillance footage would be scrutinized and analyzed by countless eyes, and even more covert investigative methods would inevitably be activated.

This will shake the entire top management of Bureau 749, and the internal investigation will likely be more rigorous than ever before.

If someone who has been missing suddenly reappears unharmed, how can one explain their whereabouts over the past two months?
We can't just tell the truth, can we?

Anxiety is like a vine, wrapping around the walls of my heart, tightening ever more.

The unexplained consequences loomed like a dark cloud.

His brows were furrowed, and his breathing became somewhat labored.

In that moment of distracting thoughts and restlessness.

"Buzz!"

A sharp, bone-chilling pain suddenly shot through my brow!
It felt as if a red-hot steel needle had pierced through it!

"Ugh!" Qi Yun groaned, caught off guard, and stumbled, nearly tumbling down the steep mountain path!
He hurriedly reached out to brace himself against the nearby rock to steady himself.

The excruciating pain came quickly and went quickly.

At the center of his brow, the profound and mysterious black edict rune flashed by, leaving only a scorching aftertaste and a warning that penetrated deep into his soul.

Qi Yun's back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

"Break through delusion and be free from fear!"

A chill ran down his spine, and he instantly realized, "The Black Law Decree... it doesn't even allow these worries and delusions to arise?! The stinging pain just now... was it punishment?"

He immediately held his breath and focused his mind, clearing away all his chaotic thoughts.

He then quickly looked inward to perceive the flow of Qi and blood, the vitality of his internal organs, and the circulation of true Qi. Fortunately, apart from the lingering burning sensation between his eyebrows, he felt no other discomfort, and it seemed that his lifespan had not been cut off.

"Phew!" Qi Yun let out a long sigh of relief.

"What an overbearing law! It even controls our thoughts... This warning is too lenient."

He shook his head with a wry smile, a self-deprecating curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.

After this "stab," the anxiety in my heart was replaced by a cold and resolute determination.

"It seems we have no other choice."

He gazed at the endless darkness below the mountain, his eyes sharpening. "Instrument 749... is destined never to return to 'cooperate' again."

If they try to 'invite' me again like last time, humph!

Qi Yun no longer hesitated, completely clearing his mind of distractions, and his steps became steady and powerful again as he quickly descended the winding mountain road.

The mountain road was rugged and long, and only the flickering light of the crimson hunting fire at my fingertips tore a small patch of dim red light through the thick darkness.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, a dim, yellowish halo suddenly appeared in the depths of darkness ahead.

The halo hung there all alone, like a drop of murky oil spreading in ink, emitting a greasy, dim yellow hue.

He quickened his pace and headed straight for the dim light source.

When one of his feet was fully inside the greasy light.

There was no sound, no vibration.

It was as if a thin curtain had been gently lifted.

The surrounding scenery changed instantly!
The ground beneath my feet was no longer a rugged mountain path covered in gravel, but a cold, hard cement floor covered in slippery moss.

The stale, decaying forest air was abruptly replaced by a strong, pungent odor, a mixture of rotten garbage, cheap cooking fumes, and urban dust.

Qi Yun found himself standing deep in a narrow, dirty alley.

Behind me was a dark corner piled with discarded building materials and garbage bags, and in front of me was a similarly dilapidated brick wall with peeling paint.

The alley is lined with tall, cramped old residential buildings, most of which have dark windows with only a few sparse ones letting out a faint, dim light that reflects the rainwater stains and mottled mold spots that meander along the walls.

Above, a lone streetlamp emitted a greasy, dim yellow light, barely illuminating a few meters around me, while the alleyway further away was hidden in the deeper shadows of the city.

A damp, cold wind swept along the ground, rustling the scraps of paper and plastic bags on the ground.

Qi Yun stood under the dim streetlights, the crimson flame at his fingertips long since extinguished.

"It seems the location is different each time we descend the mountain, which saves us from a lot of trouble!"

He then picked up a newspaper from the ground, wrapped it around the longsword in his hand, and strode toward the alley entrance.

"Let's figure out where we are first!"

(End of this chapter)