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Su Lingxiu looked at the Rejuvenation Pill in her palm and exhaled. She had succeeded on her first attempt, and the quality was excellent.

As she delved deeper into the Dan Medicine Martial Arts Canon, her skill in bare-handed alchemy became increasingly refined. Using a cauldron as an aid in alchemy made the process even smoother.

Her alchemy skills had seen a significant improvement.

"Senior Brother, this is the Rejuvenation Pill!"

Su Lingxiu placed the pill in a small jade bottle and handed it to Xu Yan.

"Thank you, Junior Sister!"

Xu Yan was delighted.

"Alchemy is not tiring."

Su Lingxiu smiled happily.

Then, she continued to use the cauldron to refine the pills that Xu Yan needed.

Xu Yan poured out a Rejuvenation Pill. It was jade-like and lustrous, clearly extraordinary at a glance.

Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan came over, marveling at the pill's wonder.

"This Rejuvenation Pill, if placed in the Inner Region, would probably cause countless martial artists to fight over it!" Hu Shan remarked.

"Miss Lingxiu, if I ask you to refine pills for me, what would the conditions be?"

Hu Shan rubbed his hands together, eagerly asking.

"You just need to provide the spiritual herbs."

Su Lingxiu replied.

"Then I'll provide double the spiritual herbs. I can't let you refine pills for free, even though we are well acquainted. Since I don't understand much about pills, I'll need you to explain them to me."

Hu Shan said excitedly.

"No problem, I can make any kind of pill."

Su Lingxiu agreed readily.

"Junior Sister, won't it be too exhausting for you to refine pills alone? If we move to the Inner Region, and you have to supply pills, it would be impossible for you to make that many by yourself."

Xu Yan raised the issue.

Moving to the Inner Region was inevitable. Su Lingxiu's enemies were all there.

"Senior Brother, Master has already advised me, and I have a solution. But I need to forge cauldrons and find people to learn the alchemy steps. The most important thing is, I haven't prepared the equipment for assembly line alchemy yet."

Su Lingxiu spoke as she completed one batch of pills and began the next.

"Lingxiu, if you don't mind, you can leave it to me. I can forge any cauldron you need with top-grade materials."

Xie Lingfeng offered.

The pills would undoubtedly become popular in the Inner Region. He wanted to help and strengthen his relationship with Su Lingxiu. This would benefit Sword Sovereign Cliff in obtaining pills at a discount in the future.

"That's wonderful! I'll give you the blueprints later. The materials don't need to be too high-end, something like the quality of my current cauldron will do. Too expensive would be unnecessary."

Su Lingxiu was thrilled.

"This cauldron is just made of ordinary treasure materials. I'll have one made with top-grade materials for you as a gift."

Xie Lingfeng looked at Su Lingxiu's cauldron, noting its common quality.

If the cauldron were made of higher-grade materials, the alchemy process would be faster, easier, and the quality would improve, right?

"Thank you very much!"

Su Lingxiu didn't refuse.

"Does the cauldron need any special requirements or confidentiality? I can ensure it remains secret."

Xie Lingfeng asked seriously.

Sword Sovereign Cliff had its own smiths, and maintaining secrecy wouldn't be an issue.

"No need, the cauldron isn't crucial. Without knowledge of alchemy, even having a cauldron wouldn't help."

Su Lingxiu shook her head.

After finishing the alchemy, Xu Yan prepared to return home, bringing a jar of Cloud Mist Spiritual Tea with him.

Su Lingxiu handed the assembly line alchemy blueprints and the cauldron blueprints to Hu Shan.

She had made some optimizations to the new cauldron.

The original cauldron was made according to her entry-level needs. Now that her alchemy skills had deepened, she knew what kind of cauldron would best suit her alchemy.

Since she was changing cauldrons, it made sense to forge one more suited to her needs.

"Miss Su, don't worry, I'll handle everything."

Hu Shan patted his chest confidently.

He tucked the blueprints into his clothes and prepared to head back to the Inner Region.

Xie Lingfeng saw him off, "Hu Shan, when you go, remember to visit the Tianbao Pavilion and get some of our Sword Sovereign Cliff's treasures."

"Understood, Young Master!"

Hu Shan nodded.

After Hu Shan left, Su Lingxiu continued her alchemy, Meng Chong continued nurturing his golden body acupoints, and Shi Er and Zhou Ying continued honing their martial arts.

The red cat lay outside the manor, its eyes sometimes appearing understanding, sometimes confused.

Xu Yan had already returned home.

It seemed that only Xie Lingfeng remained idle.

"Senior, I am confused and don't know how to continue my cultivation. Please guide me!" Xie Lingfeng said respectfully.

Li Xuan sat in a chair, sipping Yunwu Spirit Tea, relaxed and at ease.

Xie Lingfeng's confusion was simply between the True Martial Path and the False Martial Path. After refining true energy, his strength had indeed improved.

How to proceed with cultivation was simple: continue practicing according to the Inner Region's martial arts. He was already a Grandmaster martial artist, with his martial foundation more or less set. Switching paths completely wasn't feasible. Moreover, he was barely considered to be at the Innate Realm.

Since Xie Lingfeng hadn't connected the Heaven-Earth Bridge, he couldn't fully practice Li Xuan's martial arts. Beyond the Innate Realm, he would naturally follow the path of Transcendence.

He needed to refine his true energy into true essence. His martial arts framework was still based on the Inner Region's martial arts, but its core gradually aligned with Li Xuan's martial arts.

If Xie Lingfeng could break away from the Inner Region's martial framework above Transcendence, he would truly be practicing the "True Martial Path," even without connecting the Heaven-Earth Bridge.

Li Xuan pondered another issue: if he were to take on a fourth or fifth disciple who already had martial strength, how could they transition to his martial arts?

Would they need to abandon their current martial path and start over? This would mean rising from a lower realm again, and what feedback would this provide?

"Therefore, the fourth martial path must allow for a transition even with existing martial skills," Li Xuan mused. "Only then will the new disciples not start from a low level. But how can this transition be made easier?"

Currently, Li Xuan had no good solution.

"It's not yet time to take new disciples. The fourth martial path isn't finalized. When I break through the fourth realm of martial arts, I might be able to see the golden finger. Perhaps I can use it to develop a suitable martial path."

He planned to wait until he could use the golden finger to devise a new martial path.

If his guess was correct, he would see the golden finger and understand how to use it beyond Transcendence.

After finishing a cup of tea, he looked at Xie Lingfeng and said, "You are too fixated. Why cling to the distinction between true and false in martial arts? Since you have refined true energy, continue with your current methods. It's simply refining your internal energy into true energy.

"As for what lies beyond the Innate Realm, it's still far off for you. Focus on solid, step-by-step cultivation. The more you think, the more confused and uncertain you become.

"You are a prodigy and should have confidence in yourself. Martial arts are boundless; don't fixate on true or false. Move forward with the belief in your heart."

Xie Lingfeng was shaken. "The senior acknowledges my talent, saying I am also a prodigy. Have I been too fixated?

"Xu Yan's strength is beyond imagination, making me feel weak. But am I really weak? There are few who can be stronger than me."

In that moment, Xie Lingfeng felt enlightened.

His spirit lifted, and the path of cultivation became clearer.

He would follow a solid path, breaking through Grandmaster and then Great Grandmaster, and continue refining according to the True Martial Path.

Above Great Grandmaster, perhaps the opportunity to switch paths would come.

"Thank you for the guidance, Senior. I have understood!" Xie Lingfeng bowed respectfully.

Li Xuan nodded. Xie Lingfeng was indeed a prodigy, although not as outstanding as Xu Yan, he was recognized as the greatest prodigy of Sword Sovereign Cliff in a thousand years.

His confidence had been shaken, leading to confusion.

Li Xuan merely gave him the recognition he needed to boost his confidence.

"Martial paths may differ, but they will intersect. Don't cling too much; explore and understand. A true martial artist must ultimately walk their own path."

Li Xuan offered more guidance.

He didn't say all paths lead to the same end because, if they didn't, it would be awkward.

However, intersections were possible since he occasionally referenced the Inner Region's martial arts when developing his own. Thus, intersections were likely.

"Thank you, Senior!"

Xie Lingfeng was shaken. To walk one's own path is to be a true martial artist?

The senior was indeed profound. Martial artists who haven't walked their own path were not true martial artists in his eyes!

With his confusion gone, Xie Lingfeng began to cultivate diligently, aiming to break through to mid-level Grandmaster as soon as possible. He couldn't afford to fall too far behind.

Xu Yan returned home to reunite with his parents and then went to the capital of Qi State to visit his grandfather and deliver some pills.

After being busy for nearly half a month, Xu Yan returned.

On that day, Su Lingxiu broke through to the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm.

"Your disciple Su Lingxiu has reached the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm. Your Dan Medicine Martial Path is complete (Innate Realm)."

Li Xuan was not surprised.

However, after breaking through the Qi and Blood Realm, Su Lingxiu didn't continue to break through to the Innate Realm, even though the cultivation and breakthrough of the Dan Medicine Martial Path were similar to orthodox martial arts.

She had already understood the method of breaking through to the Innate Realm.

However, her foundation was still lacking and required more accumulation.

For instance, she hadn't yet comprehended the movement technique from Bagua.

Moreover, the subtleties of the Innate Realm needed to be explained to her by Xu Yan.

"A senior brother's responsibility includes teaching junior brothers and sisters..."

Li Xuan smiled.

In the future, even though his disciples might follow different martial arts systems, Xu Yan would be able to help them comprehend their paths. With his pure martial insight, Xu Yan's understanding of martial arts was extraordinarily profound.

Li Xuan hoped that Xu Yan, by coming into contact with all martial arts systems, could ultimately integrate them into one, creating a truly pure martial path unique to himself. This was how highly he regarded his first disciple, Xu Yan, believing only he had the potential to achieve such a feat.

After Xu Yan returned, he began assisting Su Lingxiu in comprehending the Bagua (Eight Trigrams). As a young, agile, and intelligent girl, the body technique she wished to cultivate naturally didn't suit something like Thunder Flash or Thunder Rage.

Moreover, her Dan Medicine Martial Path had its unique characteristics.

Under Xu Yan's guidance, Su Lingxiu had already gained some insights. She wasn't far from comprehending a movement technique or even developing a complete set of martial techniques and skills.

At this moment, Hu Shan returned.

Carrying a large bundle like a small mountain, it appeared quite heavy. However, for a grandmaster like him, this weight was nothing.

"Miss Su, here is the alchemy furnace!" Hu Shan said, handing over an alchemy furnace to Su Lingxiu.

This alchemy furnace was made from top-tier materials, classified as a top-level treasure, and was of considerable value.

"Thank you! The first batch of pills from this furnace will be a set of Qi-nourishing pills for you," Su Lingxiu said excitedly as she took the furnace.

"Thank you, Miss Su!" Hu Shan was overjoyed.

He opened the large bundle and took out item after item, all equipment for Su Lingxiu's alchemy production line, including the alchemy furnace.

Since it was a production line, with each person responsible for a single step, the furnaces were designed to be more manageable for easier control and pill production.

Su Lingxiu was thrilled and began assembling the alchemy production line.

Li Xuan watched curiously and couldn't help but be impressed by Su Lingxiu's ingenuity. With just an inspiration from him, she had managed to develop a whole system.

Once the alchemy production line was assembled, it took up almost half of the courtyard. Each step could be handled by several people simultaneously, and if the next step wasn't ready, semi-finished products would accumulate and be slowly consumed.

Moreover, it was designed to be sealed to prevent any loss of medicinal potency from the semi-finished pills.

"Junior sister, this alchemy production line looks impressive. I wonder how much it will boost efficiency!" Xu Yan marveled as he circled the production line.

"Training people in alchemy might not be easy," Meng Chong pondered, scratching his head.

"It's not a big issue. Learning a single step is much easier, and practice makes perfect. The hardest part is the final step," Su Lingxiu said excitedly.

The Evergreen Pavilion could be put to good use.

"Shi Er, inform Kou Ruzhi to bring some people and prepare to build the alchemy production line room outside the manor. Also, I need to select a group of people to train in alchemy techniques. Tell him to prepare more medicinal materials and Divine Fire Stones," Su Lingxiu instructed Shi Er.

"No problem!" Shi Er promptly set off to handle the tasks.

Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan were also very interested in seeing how this alchemy production line would work.

"I want to test the new alchemy furnace!" Su Lingxiu said excitedly, preparing to start making Qi-nourishing pills.

"Miss Su, here are my medicinal herbs!" Hu Shan said, handing over a bag of herbs.

"For this batch, I won't charge you. Just tell me what pills you need," Su Lingxiu replied, accepting the herbs.

Hu Shan thought for a moment and looked at Xie Lingfeng, "Young Master, what kind of pills should we ask for?"

After pondering, Xie Lingfeng said, "Pills to enhance cultivation speed, healing, and recovery, and to strengthen the body. These three types."

These were his current cultivation needs and focus.

He envied Meng Chong's formidable physique.

No, Xu Yan's physique was also incredibly strong. So, he decided to strengthen his own body as well.

(End of this chapter)