Yellow Court Daoist-Chapter 230 - 216 Decline

Joined Xuanyuan Sect.

Lu Qingfeng was initially taken by Gu Bu Yan to familiarize himself with the Combined Pill Hall.

Afterward, he met the Sect Leader True Man and paid homage to the past Ancestor Masters, then he was truly considered as initiated.

Each hall is different from each peak.

The True Inheritors of the peaks are eligible to compete for the position of the chief of the peaks and even the Sect Leader.

The True Inheritors of the halls at most hold the title of Hall Master.

Therefore, becoming a True Inheritor of the Combined Pill Hall is far more relaxed than becoming a True Inheritor of any peak—

Jiying Hall's Hall Master Civil Zhong nodded in agreement.

The Combined Pill Hall's Hall Master Gu Bu Yan single-handedly supported him.

Without any ripples.

Without any twists and turns.

Lu Qingfeng thus became a True Disciple of Xuanyuan Sect, ranked among the three hundred True Disciples, known within and outside the Sect.

...

Hall of the Hall Master.

Lu Qingfeng cast the last Dan Jue, extinguishing the furnace flames. With a wave of his hand, a burst of brilliance immediately rushed out of the Pill Furnace.

The brilliance radiated.

There were twelve beams in total.

Lu Qingfeng, holding a Jade Bottle, collected the Spirit Pills and approached Gu Bu Yan, "Five Elements Pill has formed, please Master evaluate it."

[Elixir Pills: Five Elements Pill]

[Grade: Third-rank]

[Derivation Technique: Five times enhancement]

[Explanation: Contains the essence of the Five Elements Spiritual Energy, suitable for Spirit Void Stage Cultivators to enhance their cultivation.]

"Not bad, not bad."

"Skilled in technique, rich in experience."

Gu Bu Yan watched from beginning to end, nodding continuously.

This fourth apprentice is indeed a rare genius.

Skilled in Alchemy techniques, highly experienced in handling various nuances, every time he refined a furnace of Spirit Pills, there would always be operations that were eye-catching.

Receiving the Jade Bottle, Gu Bu Yan poured out a Spirit Pill to observe.

A moment later, a hint of astonishment appeared on his face. He then poured out the other eleven Elixir Pills, checking them one by one.

"Almost fully tapped into all the medicinal power, this furnace of Five Elements Pills is nearly of Fourth Rank!"

"How did you do it?"

The look Gu Bu Yan gave Lu Qingfeng suddenly changed.

Lu Qingfeng said respectfully, "Disciple enjoys Alchemy and often muses over it. I have delved into various medicinal theories and Alchemy techniques. When refining pills, it naturally just turns out this way. Disciple also does not know the specific reasons."

Of course, it was because the Elixir Recipe of the Five Elements Pill was enhanced through the Derivation Technique.

But Gu Bu Yan would never expect that this newly accepted disciple had a Cultivation Technique like the Yellow Court Scripture, and he certainly didn't expect him to be able to directly enhance the Elixir Recipe, making the combination of medicinal herbs within the Elixir Recipe more rational.

Only then.

Could one completely tap into the medicinal power of various Spiritual Medicines, bringing the potency of Third-rank Spirit Pills nearly up to Fourth Rank standards.

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Bu Yan immediately thought of conducting a test.

As the Hall Master of the Combined Pill Hall and a Jiedan True Man, Gu Bu Yan has been immersed in the path of Alchemy for more than a thousand years. Although he has only reached Fifth-Order in his lifetime, he is very proficient in medicinal theories, various Alchemy techniques, and numerous theories.

When examining.

Even newly promoted Fifth-Order Alchemists may not be able to respond smoothly.

But Lu Qingfeng is different.

Whether it is medicinal theory, Alchemy techniques, or aspects such as Fire Control, Combined Pill, Qi Dan, etc., he is so solid that it is startling. His breadth of theoretical knowledge and depth of research, even Gu Bu Yan finds it hard to keep up with.

After two full hours.

Gu Bu Yan finally stopped.

Initially, he still had the intent to test him, but later, it simply became a mutual discussion between the two, with no distinction of superior or inferior.

"Genius!"

"Indeed a genius!"

Gu Bu Yan didn't ask where Lu Qingfeng learned all this theory, merely praising and suddenly bursting into laughter, "Initially I thought you came from a mediocre background, with an unsteady foundation, and planned to keep you close to instruct and solidify your basics. Now, it seems utterly unnecessary."

"Disciple still has much to learn from Master."

Lu Qingfeng said.

"Why be modest in front of your Master!"

Gu Bu Yan waved his hand, unconcerned, "I am not skilled in teaching disciples or passing on skills. Since your foundation is so solid, there's no need to continue studying under me. Just go to the Pill Pavilion and browse."

Gu Bu Yan was initially worried about how to instruct Lu Qingfeng and guide his Alchemy foundations.

After seeing him today, Lu Qingfeng's solid basis in Alchemy and extensive theoretical knowledge meant that there was no need for his guidance.

He actually breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes, Master."

Lu Qingfeng responded.

In the game, he had cultivated Alchemy for over a thousand years. Although he might not have more years than Gu Bu Yan, due to refining Elixir Pills with enhanced Elixir Recipes through the Derivation Technique, the profits were enormous.

Thus forming a virtuous cycle—

Earn more, refine more!

Refine more, and earn even more!

Over those thousand years, Lu Qingfeng couldn't count how many Entry-level pills he had refined, nor how many First, Second, Third, and Fourth Rank Spirit Pills.

Not to mention other things.

At least in the refinement of Elixir Pills below Fifth-Order, Lu Qingfeng is definitely the one with the richest Alchemy experience.

Even if Gu Bu Yan is the master of a hall, he is definitely no match for Lu Qingfeng.

Rich in refining experience.

Solid in theoretical knowledge.

Lu Qingfeng following Gu Bu Yan indeed has nothing to learn.

Gu Bu Yan looked at Lu Qingfeng with eyes full of admiration, saying, "While the Combined Pill Hall has declined under my leadership, it surely must rise again in my hands."

"In the Combined Pill Hall, any Third-rank Alchemists must instruct the disciples of the Combined Pill Hall on my behalf. You are now a True Inheritor of the Combined Pill Hall, a Third-rank Alchemist, so go to the east and find an island; I will assign you two Second Rank Alchemists, five First-rank Alchemists, and two hundred Alchemy Apprentices to guide well."

"However, do not neglect your own cultivation. On the first day of each month, along with your fellow senior brothers and sisters, come to the Dismal Peak, I will test your progress."

The Pill Pavilion was declining.

Gu Bu Yan felt guilty in his heart.

Thus, he sought various methods to rejuvenate the Pill Pavilion.

One of them was to spread a wide net, allowing the few Third-rank Alchemists in the Pill Pavilion to take charge of their own islands, mentoring First and Second Rank Alchemists along with numerous Alchemy Apprentices.

Gu Bu Yan originally thought that Lu Qingfeng, coming from a humble background, lacked a solid foundation and wanted to mentor him closely by his side. He planned to let him go after firming up his foundation.

Today's examination revealed Lu Qingfeng's skills were not in need of such treatment.

So he was sent out directly.

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...

Seven days later.

"Grasping at straws in desperation."

Standing on Feiyun Island, Lu Qingfeng watched as ships continuously transported various alchemy equipment and a myriad of herbs and Spiritual Medicines, and he inwardly shook his head.

Seven days earlier.

Lu Qingfeng had been assessed by Gu Bu Yan and then sent away.

To the east of Canshang Peak, islands, both large and small, were scattered about, all belonging to the properties of the Pill Pavilion. Some bore the dwellings of Alchemists; others were Medicine Gardens developed by the Pill Pavilion.

Lu Qingfeng went around and chose an island of moderate size as his base in the Xuanyuan Sect, and also as the location to teach and mentor the Alchemists of the Pill Pavilion.

That was Feiyun Island.

Watching everyone bustling about, Lu Qingfeng reflected on Gu Bu Yan's approach, which he found unpromising.

Firstly, Alchemists were never something that could be 'mass-produced.'

To nurture an Alchemist,

Firstly, talent was needed.

Without talent, no matter how hard one works later in life, the effort will always be inefficient.

Secondly, a great mentor was needed.

The Pill Pavilion had no shortage of Alchemy Books, but to become a qualified Alchemist solely through these texts was nonsense. Books are only the foundation; the key is to have guidance from a great mentor.

Alchemists are hard to come by, and great mentors even more so.

Like Gu Bu Yan, whose proficiency in alchemy was not low, but whose teaching ability was poor, leading to the gradual decline of the Pill Pavilion.

A disciple has a problem that can be precisely addressed, even guiding the disciple to think and find a solution on their own, that is a great mentor.

Otherwise, it's a mediocre master.

Gu Bu Yan allowing Lu Qingfeng and other Third-rank Alchemists to open islands to teach lower-ranked Alchemists and Alchemy Apprentices, aside from hoping to cultivate more lower-ranked Alchemists and by chance discovering alchemy geniuses, was also to prevent them from ending up like himself in the future—

Even with notable Alchemy Accomplishment, they would remain clueless on how to mentor disciples.

Otherwise, it would be a superficial solution, and the Pill Pavilion might continue to decline.

Besides talent and a great mentor, the last and most critical point is—

Practice.

An cultivator, no matter how talented, no matter under what mentor's guidance, if they can't engage in actual alchemy to harness their talent and thoroughly understand the mentor's teachings, it's all in vain.

Lu Qingfeng was praised by Gu Bu Yan as a genius.

But his alchemy talent was truly mediocre.

Fortunately, Lu Qingfeng had the conditions to repeatedly reflect on and improve through substantial alchemy practice.

As the saying goes, reading a book a hundred times will endow one with inherent knowledge.

The same goes for alchemy.

But the vast majority of Alchemists, like Lu Qingfeng, are unable to spend vast amounts of time on alchemy. Even fewer can earn a large number of Spirit Stones through the refining of Elixir Pills to support their alchemy practice.

Alchemy!

It burns money!

They are actually the same.

Especially in the initial stages of studying alchemy - failure after failure, resulting in the needless waste of countless herbal ingredients and copious amounts of energy.

Those with good talent may quickly see results and thereby persist.

Those with lesser talent, through repeated setbacks and losses, may gradually doubt themselves and abandon the path of alchemy altogether.

Even those with natural talent, in the early stages, may only succeed in producing Elixir Pills from one out of several or even a dozen batches.

Still, it is hard to achieve a balance of income and expenditure.

Most Loose Cultivators who are fond of alchemy even have to supplement their livelihood in other ways to support the expenses of alchemy.

Those who cannot support themselves, even with talent, ultimately give up on alchemy.

This is the biggest reason why Alchemists are scarce among Loose Cultivators.

Even within the Xuanyuan Sect and within the Pill Pavilion, there would never be an endless supply of herbal ingredients to squander.

If results are not seen in the short term, restrictions will still be imposed.

This was Lu Qingfeng's main reason for being pessimistic about the Pill Pavilion's future.

"The reason for the existence of the Pill Pavilion is that it can turn the herbs and Spiritual Medicines obtained from the various peaks and Luo Zhen Hall into Elixir Pills."

"Being self-sufficient and not reliant on outsiders is one reason."

"Eliminating the middlemen to avoid markup is another."

"But with the Pill Pavilion in decline, most high-level Elixir Pills have become reliant on the sole production of master. Now that they are so eager to train disciples, their budget has long been unbalanced. For ten, twenty years it's manageable, given the foundation of the Pill Pavilion, and considering master's seniority and prestige in Xuanyuan Sect, nobody would question it."

"But after thirty, forty years, the foundation of the Pill Pavilion will eventually be depleted. The various peaks and halls of Xuanyuan Sect would also not allow the Pill Pavilion to continue draining in such a manner."

"If a balance between the expenses of training disciples and the profit from produced Elixir Pills isn't achieved before then,"

"The Pill Pavilion is in peril."

Lu Qingfeng, having just joined the Pill Pavilion and observing from the outside, was able to see its flaws.

Even more so,

People like Gaiyun Mountain, Civil Zhong, and Kou Xuan could see them as well.

Only Gu Bu Yan. He was single-mindedly intent on restoring the Pill Pavilion to its former glory, quite desperate, blinding himself and unable to see the situation clearly.

Or rather, even if he could see clearly, he had no other choice.

"Such a vast Pill Pavilion can't be said to be in decline just because of master alone."

"It's just that—"

Lu Qingfeng did not know what secrets lay within.

But to claim that the entire Pill Pavilion was in decline solely due to Gu Bu Yan's poor mentorship seems far-fetched.

The causes behind it were something Lu Qingfeng could not probe at the moment.

"With master supporting the Pill Pavilion, there shouldn't be any immediate issues."

"As long as the income and expenses are balanced, aggressively cultivating disciples is not an issue."

Lu Qingfeng contemplated.

...