Mysterious mirror hanging high

[Year 1160 of the Changsheng calendar]

East China Sea, Fugui Island, Xuanjing Immortal Gate

On this day, spiritual clouds gathered at the top of Fugui Mountain. Many disciples of Xuanjing Immortal Sect put down their work and stared intently at the Jindan spiritual clouds in the sky.

Two foundation-building disciples, a man and a woman, stood solemnly at the martial arts training ground on the mountainside. The female disciple asked, "Brother, do you think the acting sect leader can form a golden elixir?"

The male disciple replied, "After all, the Acting Sect Leader is the direct disciple of the Sect Leader's ancestor. He has no shortage of spiritual resources and secret techniques. Although his immortal talent is mediocre, I think it shouldn't be difficult for him to form a golden elixir."

The female disciple exclaimed in astonishment, "I remember the Acting Sect Leader is already 280 years old? Even with mediocre talent, he shouldn't be so slow... He's actually reaching the Dan Formation stage right before his lifespan expires. If a hidden injury shortens his lifespan, he might die suddenly."

"After all, the natural lifespan of a Foundation Establishment cultivator is three hundred years, but there are also Foundation Establishment cultivators who die at the age of two hundred and seventy or eighty."

The male disciple pondered, "Ever since Elder Yun retired and passed the position of headmaster to Grandmaster Ye Jinyuan, several decades have passed..."

"Back then, the sect was quite critical of a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator taking over the position of Acting Sect Master. However, ever since taking the position, the Acting Sect Master has shown remarkable skill and managed all sect affairs in perfect order, bringing prosperity to the entire Xuanjing Immortal Sect. He's even managed it better than when Elder Yun was in office, and that's how he gradually won over the hearts of the people."

"But perhaps because he's been busy with mundane affairs, the Acting Sect Master hasn't yet achieved a Core Formation. This means he's been delayed by sect affairs. How can we gossip about him behind his back..."

In a cave on the top of Fugui Mountain, spiritual mist surged like a tide.

Ye Jinyuan sat cross-legged in the center of the Spirit Gathering Formation, veins bulging on his forehead, his robes already drenched with sweat. This cultivator, who had reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, felt his dantian boiling, and the hexagonal crystal that represented the foundation of the immortal path was cracking inch by inch.

"Nearly three hundred years of hard training, all depends on today..."

His aptitude as a low-grade spiritual root was not outstanding even among the outer disciples of the sect, but he relied on the [Turtle Breathing Method to Avoid Disasters] to hone his magic power day and night, and managed to compress the spiritual liquid in his dantian to be three times denser than that of cultivators of the same level.

At this moment, the magical golden liquid that overflowed after the crystal shattered actually stirred up a clanging sound like metal collision in the dantian.

As for the secret method of forming an elixir, Ye Jinyuan has even perfected the three top-level secret methods representing [essence], [qi], and [spirit], and his foundation in the way of immortality has reached the point where there is no room for improvement.

As for handling the sect's affairs? This wouldn't take up much of Ye Jinyuan's time at all. It was just a little fun after the extremely boring practice. It couldn't be said to delay his path at all.

"Congeal!"

With a low shout, Ye Jinyuan formed seals with his palms.

Suddenly, a tearing sound echoed from within his dantian. In the center of the golden liquid vortex, a gray-brown pill with a few traces of golden veins slowly took shape. Blood trickled from the corners of Ye Jinyuan's mouth, but a hint of a smile appeared.

This barely formed low-grade golden elixir is the dream destination of countless casual cultivators.

But Ye Jinyuan's pupils suddenly ignited with golden flames. The solid foundation he had cultivated for three hundred years finally showed its power. From the depths of his seemingly dry meridians, golden liquid suddenly surged out, pouring into the golden elixir like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea...

Three days later, Ye Jinyuan suddenly opened his eyes.

The red gold pill in the dantian has solidified into a solid substance, with several mysterious lines flowing on its surface - it is the ultimate quality among the top-grade golden pills.

"Top-grade golden elixir..."

Ye Jinyuan muttered to himself, he was not ready to stop forming the pill.

In fact, although Ye Jinyuan had mediocre talent, he had the fate of "late bloomer" and was fully supplied with spiritual resources. He had already completed his foundation when he was about two hundred years old. Theoretically, he could have started to form a pill at that time.

But the reason he kept delaying until the end of his life was to take a step further...

The elixir turns golden and purple!

At this time, above the sky at the top of Fugui Peak, the Jindan Spiritual Clouds had already spread to the horizon. The disciples looked up at the sky, and suddenly one of them shouted, pointing to the sky:

"Look! The purple energy from heaven is coming to congratulate you!"

The disciples looked in the direction of the sound and saw purple air in the sky like dragons and snakes moving around, which transformed into thousands of auspicious beasts and birds circling over Fugui Mountain.

The red gold pill in Ye Jinyuan's dantian has reached perfection. The golden lines on its surface are faintly purple, but it is still missing that last bit of heat.

"Still not working?"

He suddenly remembered the record he had read when he was reading his master's notes on elixir formation in the Sutra Library. His master had said that for the elixir to become golden and purple, the right time, right place, and right people were required. Although he had made all the necessary preparations, he ultimately lacked that mysterious opportunity to resonate with heaven and earth.

Rumble... After half an hour, the purple air in the sky suddenly stagnated, and the auspicious beasts transformed from the purple air of heaven retreated and disappeared.

"Ugh……"

The disciples who were watching the ceremony sighed one after another. Ye Jinyuan had made great achievements in the past few decades as the acting headmaster and enjoyed great prestige among the disciples. Therefore, the fact that he was just one step away from achieving golden and purple elixir made countless disciples feel regretful.

On the contrary, Ye Jinyuan, who was sitting cross-legged in the cave, was in a relatively calm state of mind. He slowly finished his practice, carefully comprehended the various wonders after forming the elixir, and breathed in and out for a while. Because his foundation in the immortal way was so solid, he completely consolidated his cultivation in the golden elixir realm in just a few moments.

He thought to himself, "It's truly difficult to achieve a golden and purple elixir. No wonder many Divine Transformation sects take hundreds of years to produce a single one... It truly isn't something that can be achieved simply by having spiritual resources."

"However, I have polished my foundation to perfection. I am still a step away from the Purple Qi Golden Elixir. I have done my best and left the rest to fate. I have no regrets."

Over the years, he has not only practiced Qi training, but also physical training. Now he no longer looks like a white-haired man, but instead looks like a middle-aged man in his forties, looking elegant, refined and solemn.

Ye Jinyuan straightened his robe and walked out of the retreat cave. As soon as he came out of the cave, he saw a young man in a gray robe standing in front of the door, looking at him with a smile.

Ye Jinyuan was startled, and quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Master!"

Jing Yu looked at Ye Jinyuan, whose aura was solemn, and nodded with satisfaction. "Jinyuan, not bad! I didn't expect you to be able to form the highest quality of the top-grade golden elixir. There's already a hint of purple in the red gold..."

Ye Jinyuan said ashamedly: "I have failed Master's expectations...I haven't achieved the golden and purple elixir yet."

Jing Yu shook his head and laughed, "The Purple Qi Golden Elixir is something you can only encounter by chance, but it's hard to find. How many geniuses have been blocked by this threshold? A top-grade Golden Elixir is already quite good... Among the ascended cultivators of all generations, there are also many who have achieved top-grade elixirs."

"You are also a top-tier Red Gold Pill. If you continue to work steadily, you might be able to form a Nascent Soul with five or six orifices... If you operate properly, you might even have a chance of enlightenment!"

Ye Jinyuan smiled and said, "If an ordinary cultivator can make a top-grade pill, he can certainly brag about it, but if he is a disciple of Master, then it is not so impressive."