huǒ yàn shān wèi yú yōu zhōu yǐ běi ， mián yán shù qiān lǐ ， shì zhěng gè zhào guó běi bù zuì dà de shān mài ， rén yān xī shǎo ， tiān qì yán rè ， biàn shì měng shòu fēi niǎo yě děng xián yě nán yǐ jiàn dào 。
火焰山位于幽州以北，绵延数千里，是整个赵国北部最大的山脉，人烟稀少，天气炎热，便是猛兽飞鸟也等闲也难以见到。
Flame Mountain was located north of Youzhou, stretching for thousands of miles. It was the largest mountain range in northern Zhao Country, sparsely populated with a scorching climate that even fierce beasts and birds found difficult to endure.
huán jìng è liè wú bǐ ， rán ér zài xiū zhēn jiè què yǒu zhe hěn dà de míng qì ， líng yào shān de zōng mén jiù zuò luò yú zhè lǐ 。
环境恶劣无比，然而在修真界却有着很大的名气，灵药山的宗门就坐落于这里。
The environment was harsh, yet it had gained significant fame within the cultivation world due to its abundant underground fire resources, perfect for alchemy.
yīn wèi cǐ dì yǒu zhe yōu zhōu zuì wèi fēng hòu de dì huǒ zī yuán ， zhèng hǎo kě yǐ yòng lái liàn dān 。
因为此地有着幽州最为丰厚的地火资源，正好可以用来炼丹。
Three days later, Lin Xuan arrived at Flame Mountain. As soon as his遁光 landed, he felt a wave of heat hit him. He frowned; the temperature here exceeded fifty degrees Celsius. If not for his cultivation, his body having been tempered through countless trials, an ordinary person would surely be unable to withstand it.
sān rì hòu ， lín xuān lái dào le huǒ yàn shān 。
三日后，林轩来到了火焰山。
With a slight thought, a faint blue light enveloped his body, instantly making him feel cool. This was a water attribute shield, perfect for withstanding high temperatures.
gāng gāng là xià dùn guāng ， jiù gǎn jué rè làng pū miàn ér lái ， lín xuān zhòu le zhòu méi ， zhè lǐ de qì wēn zhì shǎo chāo guò le wǔ shí dù ， ruò fēi zì jǐ shēn wèi xiū xiān zhě ， shēn tǐ jīng guò qiān chuí bǎi liàn ， huàn yí gè pǔ tōng rén ， jué duì dǐ shòu bú zhù 。
刚刚落下遁光，就感觉热浪扑面而来，林轩皱了皱眉，这里的气温至少超过了五十度，若非自己身为修仙者，身体经过千锤百炼，换一个普通人，绝对抵受不住。
Lin Xuan identified the direction and then began entering the mountain using the Wind Control Technique.
xīn niàn wēi dòng ， yī céng méng méng de lán guāng chū xiàn zài le tā de shēn tǐ zhōu wéi ， dùn shí bèi gǎn liáng shuǎng ， zhè shì shuǐ shǔ xìng de hù zhào ， yòng lái dǐ yù gāo wēn zuì hǎo 。
心念微动，一层蒙蒙的蓝光出现在了他的身体周围，顿时倍感凉爽，这是水属性的护罩，用来抵御高温最好。
Unlike other sects that would set up numerous restrictions around their main halls to deter outsiders, Lingyun Sect had only a few illusions arrays to prevent ordinary people from approaching. Flame Mountain was its core location but was accessible by a few such barriers.
lín xuān biàn shí le yī xià fāng xiàng ， rán hòu jiù shī zhǎn yù fēng zhī shù kāi shǐ jìn shān 。
林轩辨识了一下方向，然后就施展御风之术开始进山。
Lin Xuan easily arrived at what was rumored to be the "Mountain within the Mountain." This name came from the terrain; it was originally an enormous ring-shaped volcano, with a vast crater inside where a small mountain resembling a cauldron stood in the belly of the mountain.
ruò shì yì bān de mén pài ， zài zǒng tán zhōu wéi dū huì shè xià céng céng jìn zhì ， zǔ zhǐ wài lái zhě * jìn ， rán ér líng yào shān bù tóng ， qí dì wèi chāo rán ， yòu cháng cháng yǒu bié pài de xiū shì lái qǐng tā men liàn dān ， huǒ yàn shān suī shì qí gēn běn suǒ zài ， què jǐn yǒu jǐ gè zǔ zhǐ fán rén * jìn de huàn zhèn ér yǐ 。
若是一般的门派，在总坛周围都会设下层层禁制，阻止外来者*近，然而灵药山不同，其地位超然，又常常有别派的修士来请他们炼丹，火焰山虽是其根本所在，却仅有几个阻止凡人*近的幻阵而已。
The environment was so unique that it could only be described as ingenious. It was perfect for alchemy. Legend had it that a thousand years ago, various cultivation sects from Youzhou had fought fiercely over this precious land but eventually abandoned their efforts due to one individual.
lín xuān qīng yì jiù lái dào le chuán wén zhōng de “ shān zhōng zhī shān ”， suǒ wèi de shān zhōng zhī shān ， shì yóu dì xíng dé míng ， tā yuán běn shì yī zuò jù dà de huán xíng huǒ shān ， rán ér huǒ shān kǒu què kuān dà wú bǐ ， zài shān fù de lǐ miàn ， yòu yǒu yī zuò xíng rú dǐng lú de xiǎo shān 。
林轩轻易就来到了传闻中的“山中之山”，所谓的山中之山，是由地形得名，它原本是一座巨大的环形火山，然而火山口却宽大无比，在山腹的里面，又有一座形如鼎炉的小山。
A wandering cultivator had shown such remarkable skills that the leaders of each sect were left speechless. Even if they managed to secure this place, did they have sufficient alchemical techniques?
qí miào de huán jìng ， kě yǐ yòng qiǎo duó tiān gōng lái xíng róng ， zuì shì hé liàn dān ， chuán shuō qiān nián yǐ qián ， yōu zhōu de gè xiū zhēn mén pài yě céng wèi zhēng duó zhè kuài bǎo dì 。 dà dǎ chū shǒu ， rán ér zuì hòu què xuǎn zé le fàng qì 。
奇妙的环境，可以用巧夺天工来形容，最适合炼丹，传说千年以前，幽州的各修真门派也曾为争夺这块宝地。大打出手，然而最后却选择了放弃。
That cultivator demonstrated his prowess by opening a furnace and successfully refining base foundation pills in front of all the leaders. Base foundation pills were essential for middle-stage cultivators, with only one-fifth success rate.
yīn wèi yí gè sàn xiū de huà ， ràng gè mén pài de zhǎng mén chēng mù jié shé ， wú yán yǐ duì ， jiù suàn qiǎng dào le zhè lǐ ， nǐ men shì fǒu yǒu zú gòu dì liàn dān jì yì ？
因为一个散修的话，让各门派的掌门瞠目结舌，无言以对，就算抢到了这里，你们是否有足够地炼丹技艺？
However, he increased the success rate to an astonishing fifty percent, meaning that out of two batches, one would succeed. The sects accepted his offer, ceding this Mountain within the Mountain to him on the condition that he assist them in alchemy.
hòu lái nà xiū shì zhǎn xiàn le yī fān shén jì ， dāng zhe gè dà zhǎng mén de miàn ， kāi lú liàn dān 。
后来那修士展现了一番神技，当着各大掌门的面，开炉炼丹。
This individual was the founder of Lingyun Sect, whose alchemical skills were unparalleled. Lin Xuan hoped to join such a sect; not only would it ensure access to high-quality medicinal materials but also secure the title of an official alchemist, providing a golden ticket for survival.
zhù jī dān ， gè dà mén pài zuò wèi zhōng jiān lì liàng xiū shì de bì bèi dān yào ， tōng cháng de chéng gōng lǜ zhǐ yǒu wǔ fēn zhī yī 。 xiān jiè de dān yào shì yuè wǎng hòu yuè nán liàn zhì 。
筑基丹，各大门派做为中间力量修士的必备丹药，通常的成功率只有五分之一。仙界的丹药是越往后越难炼制。
As noon approached, a beam of light appeared before them.
kě nà xiū shì què jiāng chéng gōng lǜ tí gāo dào le jīng rén de bǎi fēn zhī wǔ shí ， yě jiù shì shuō tā liàn zhì liǎng lú zhù jī dān jiù kě yǐ chéng gōng yī cì ， gè pài xīn fú kǒu fú ， jiāng zhè shān zhōng zhī shān gǒng shǒu ràng yǔ le nà xiū shì ， dāng rán ， yǒu yí gè tiáo jiàn ， tā yào bāng zhù gè pài liàn dān 。
可那修士却将成功率提高到了惊人的百分之五十，也就是说他炼制两炉筑基丹就可以成功一次，各派心服口服，将这山中之山拱手让与了那修士，当然，有一个条件，他要帮助各派炼丹。
A young man in his twenties emerged from the light and looked at the waiting cultivators. "Please follow me, sages."
cǐ rén jiù shì líng yào shān de kāi shān zǔ shī ！
此人就是灵药山的开山祖师！
Lin Xuan was surprised; this youth was merely a commoner, not an outer sect disciple of Lingyun Sect?
hòu lái yī xiē bù xǐ huān xiū liàn ， què rè zhōng yú liàn dān de xiū zhēn zhě jiā rù jìn lái ， jiàn jiàn jiù yǒu le jīn tiān de líng yào shān 。
后来一些不喜欢修炼，却热衷于炼丹的修真者加入进来，渐渐就有了今天的灵药山。
The cultivators had been waiting for so long that they showed no signs of impatience as they followed the young man into the Mountain within the Mountain.
chú le lín xuān ， zài shān zhōng zhī shān de qián miàn 。 hái zhàn yǒu jǐ gè xiū zhēn zhě ， kàn fú shì ， yǒu fù jìn zōng pài dì xiū shì ， yě yǒu yī xiē mù míng ér lái de sàn xiū ， jīn tiān shì líng yào shān jiē dài wài kè de rì zi 。
除了林轩，在山中之山的前面。还站有几个修真者，看服饰，有附近宗派地修士，也有一些慕名而来的散修，今天是灵药山接待外客的日子。
This place used to be Youzhou's largest active volcano. Over generations, the founding patriarchs transformed it using divine techniques, creating numerous large rooms in the mountain's belly where underground fire was channeled, forming natural alchemy chambers. The most precious part was a small mountain resembling a cauldron at the crater’s center, perfectly aligned with the underground fire and reportedly a naturally formed cauldron for refining medicinal pills.
zhè xiē rén kàn jiàn lín xuān ， zhǐ shì lüè lüè dǎ liàng le yī yǎn ， jiù zhuǎn guò le tóu qù ， bì jìng lái líng yào shān de xiū shì ， dà duō dōu zhǐ yǒu yí gè mù dì 。
这些人看见林轩，只是略略打量了一眼，就转过了头去，毕竟来灵药山的修士，大多都只有一个目的。
Only the founder of Lingyun Sect had managed to use this small mountain as an alchemy furnace. Although the young man was just a commoner, he was smart and quickly asked about the medicinal pills these cultivators wished to refine, leading them to suitable alchemy chambers. The rest would be their negotiation with the alchemists over the required crystal stones.
jiàn le zhè zhǒng qíng xíng ， lín xuān róu le róu bí zi 。 yě zhǐ hǎo zhàn zài yī biān ， yǔ tā men yì qǐ děng dài 。
见了这种情形，林轩揉了揉鼻子。也只好站在一边，与他们一起等待。
"Please tell me what medicinal pill you need refined."
zhè yī děng jiù shì shù gè shí chén 。 rán ér zài chǎng de xiū shì què méi yǒu rén lù chū bù nài huò zhě bù mǎn de biǎo qíng ， yuán yīn wú tā ， líng yào shān de dōu shì yī qún guài rén a ， jù shuō céng jīng yǒu yī wèi níng dān qī de qián bèi qǐng tā men liàn zhì dān yào ， yīn wèi yán yǔ wú lǐ ， rě nù le líng yào shān de liàn dān shī ， jié guǒ nà rén gù yì hú luàn liàn zhì 。
这一等就是数个时辰。然而在场的修士却没有人露出不耐或者不满的表情，原因无他，灵药山的都是一群怪人啊，据说曾经有一位凝丹期的前辈请他们炼制丹药，因为言语无礼，惹怒了灵药山的炼丹师，结果那人故意胡乱炼制。
The young man looked at Lin Xuan with a respectful expression and a hint of envy. He knew that this sage was a base foundation stage cultivator before coming here, but as an outer sect disciple, he dared not be so bold.
yī lián shí lú zhēn guì dì dān yào ， quán bù shī bài ， běn lái liàn dān yǒu shī shǒu ， shì hěn zhèng cháng de 。 kě yǐ líng yào shān shǒu xí liàn dān shī de shuǐ zhǔn ， què jiē èr lián sān de liàn chū fèi dān ， míng xiǎn shì gù yì zhǎo chá er 。
一连十炉珍贵地丹药，全部失败，本来炼丹有失手，是很正常的。可以灵药山首席炼丹师的水准，却接二连三的炼出废丹，明显是故意找茬儿。
However, Lin Xuan was more approachable than expected. "Thank you for your trouble, but I'm not here to refine medicinal pills."
yǎn kàn hǎo bù róng yì shōu jí lái de zhēn guì yào cái quán bù biàn chéng liǎo wú yòng de fèi dān ， nà wèi gāo shǒu de fèn nù shì kě xiǎng ér zhī de ， dāng chǎng jiù yào fā biāo ， kě zuì hòu hái shì bèi hǎo yǒu qiáng xíng lā zǒu 。
眼看好不容易收集来的珍贵药材全部变成了无用的废丹，那位高手的愤怒是可想而知的，当场就要发飙，可最后还是被好友强行拉走。
"Why not?" the young man was taken aback; why would one come to Lingyun Sect if not to refine medicinal pills?
huàn yí gè dì fāng ， níng dān qī jué duì hěn liǎo bù qǐ 。 rán ér zài líng yào shān 。 què méi yǒu rén huì fàng zài yǎn lǐ ， bìng bú shì yīn wèi zhè ge mén pài hěn qiáng 。 tā men de zhǎng mén yě bù guò zhù jī zhōng qī ， ér shì líng yào shān dì wèi chāo rán ， dà jiā hái zhǐ wàng zhe tā men liàn dān 。
换一个地方，凝丹期绝对很了不起。然而在灵药山。却没有人会放在眼里，并不是因为这个门派很强。他们的掌门也不过筑基中期，而是灵药山地位超然，大家还指望着他们炼丹。
"I wish to join your sect," Lin Xuan replied.
zài yōu zhōu de xiū xiān jiè ， yǒu yī tiáo bù chéng wén dì guī jǔ ， shuí yě bù néng duì líng yào shān de liàn dān shī dòng shǒu ， yī lái jīng shàn liàn dān shù dì xiū shì běn lái jiù shǎo ， èr lái líng yào shān shuǐ píng yòu gāo ， nǐ jiāng tā men shā le ， shuí lái bāng wǒ men liàn yào 。
在幽州的修仙界，有一条不成文地规矩，谁也不能对灵药山的炼丹师动手，一来精擅炼丹术地修士本来就少，二来灵药山水平又高，你将他们杀了，谁来帮我们炼药。
The young man's reaction mirrored that of Wu Tian, but he obediently said nothing more. "If so, please follow me."
suǒ yǐ xìng hǎo nà wèi gāo shǒu méi yǒu fā biāo ， fǒu zé chī kuī de shì tā zì jǐ ， huì chéng wéi zhěng gè yōu zhōu xiū xiān jiè de zhòng shǐ zhī dì 。
所以幸好那位高手没有发飚，否则吃亏的是他自己，会成为整个幽州修仙界的众矢之的。
"Another failure!"
lián níng dān qī de gāo shǒu dōu chī le yǎ ba kuī ， qí tā xiū zhēn zhě dāng rán bù gǎn zài duān jià zi ， suī rán xīn zhōng yǐ jīng děng dé hěn bù nài fán le ， kě liǎn shàng yī rán shì yī fù dàn rán de biǎo qíng 。
连凝丹期的高手都吃了哑巴亏，其他修真者当然不敢再端架子，虽然心中已经等得很不耐烦了，可脸上依然是一副淡然的表情。
In a spacious alchemy chamber, a heart-wrenching sigh echoed. At the center of the room, a purple-red fireball hovered. Below it was an iron-cast beast’s head, with flames continuously erupting to replenish the fireball.
jiàn le zhè zhǒng qíng xíng ， lín xuān de xīn sī què yòu huó fàn qǐ lái ， rú guǒ néng chéng gōng jiā rù líng yào shān ， bù jǐn rì hòu de dān yào yǒu le bǎo zhàng ， ér qiě néng gòu hùn yí gè zhèng shì liàn dān shī de tóu xián ， yě jiù děng yú duō le yī zhāng bǎo mìng de jīn fú ， bié kàn líng yào shān zhǐ shì shí lì bù qǐ yǎn dì mén pài ， kě jiā rù tā ， què hǎo chù duō duō 。
见了这种情形，林轩的心思却又活泛起来，如果能成功加入灵药山，不仅日后的丹药有了保障，而且能够混一个正式炼丹师的头衔，也就等于多了一张保命的金符，别看灵药山只是实力不起眼地门派，可加入它，却好处多多。
An old Taoist, his hair and beard all white, held a cauldron in his arms; its lid had been opened. However, instead of the usual aroma of medicinal pills, there was a burnt smell emanating from it.
yǎn kàn shí jiān dào le zhèng wǔ ， zhōng yú yī dào bái guāng zài yǎn qián liàng le qǐ lái 。
眼看时间到了正午，终于一道白光在眼前亮了起来。
"This high-grade pill is indeed difficult to refine. Even the simplest wash-spirit pill has failed me after wasting twenty batches of materials,"
guāng máng zhōng ， yí gè èr shí duō suì de shào nián zǒu le chū lái ， kàn le děng dài de zhòng xiū zhēn zhě yī yǎn ：“ gè wèi xiān shī qǐng suí wǒ lái 。”
光芒中，一个二十多岁的少年走了出来，看了等待的众修真者一眼：“各位仙师请随我来。”
The old Taoist’s white brows furrowed; despite his unkempt appearance, he was no ordinary figure. Grandmaster Tongyu was the sect leader and one of Youzhou's best alchemists with a base foundation stage cultivation level.
lín xuān liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī yì wài zhī sè ， zhè ge shào nián jū rán zhǐ shì yí gè pǔ tōng de fán rén ér yǐ ， líng yào shān de wài mén dì zǐ ？
林轩脸上露出一丝意外之色，这个少年居然只是一个普通的凡人而已，灵药山的外门弟子？
Different grades of medicinal pills had vastly different effects. With Tongyu's alchemy skills, refining middle-grade pills already wasn't easy, but now he was struggling to refine high-grade ones. Could it be true that only luck could determine the success rate for high-grade pills?
xiū zhēn zhě men zǎo yǐ děng dé bù nài ， lián máng gēn zhe nà shào nián jìn le shān zhōng zhī shān 。
修真者们早已等得不耐，连忙跟着那少年进了山中之山。
Just as Tongyu pondered this, a transmission scroll flew before him. He pointed his finger at it, and a respectful voice entered his ears: "Report to the sect leader, there is a base foundation stage cultivator who wishes to join our sect."
zhè ér běn shì yōu zhōu zuì dà de yī zuò huó huǒ shān ， zì cóng líng yào shān zài zhè lǐ kāi zōng lì pài ， lì dài de zǔ shī huā le dà lì qì jiāng zhè ér zhěng lǐ chū lái ， yòng xiān fǎ zuò wèi yǐn dǎo ， zài shān fù zhōng kāi pì chū le yí gè yòu yí gè dà fáng jiān ， yǐn rù dì mài zhī huǒ ， jiù chéng le tiān rán dì liàn dān fáng ， bù guò zuì zhēn guì dì hái shì huǒ shān kǒu chù nà xíng rú dǐng lú de xiǎo shān ， bù jǐn yǔ dì mài zhī huǒ wán quán pèi hé ， ér qiě jù kāi shān zǔ shī shuō ， cǐ shān jiù shì yī tiān shēng dǐng lú ， yòng yú liàn dān ， bǐ shén me xī yǒu dì dǐng lú dōu gèng jiā shén qí 。
这儿本是幽州最大的一座活火山，自从灵药山在这里开宗立派，历代的祖师花了大力气将这儿整理出来，用仙法做为引导，在山腹中开辟出了一个又一个大房间，引入地脉之火，就成了天然地炼丹房，不过最珍贵地还是火山口处那形如鼎炉的小山，不仅与地脉之火完全配合，而且据开山祖师说，此山就是一天生鼎炉，用于炼丹，比什么稀有地鼎炉都更加神奇。
"Oh?" Tongyu stood up; few high-stage cultivators were interested in alchemy, let alone middle-stage ones. Despite Lingyun Sect's fame, they faced a dire situation with no new disciples joining for decades.
zhǐ bù guò chú le chuàng lì líng yào shān de nà wèi xiū shì ， hái méi yǒu shéi de liàn dān shù rú cǐ shén qí ， néng gòu yòng nà xiǎo shān zuò wèi dǐng lú liàn dān 。 nà jiē yǐn de shào nián suī rán zhǐ shì fán rén ， què cōng míng líng lì ， hěn kuài jiù wèn qīng chǔ le mù míng ér lái de xiū shì xiǎng yào liàn zhì de dān yào ， bìng jiāng tā men dài dào hé shì de liàn dān fáng ， shèng xià de ， jiù shì tā men zì jǐ yǔ liàn dān shī tán pàn suǒ xū de jīng shí 。
只不过除了创立灵药山的那位修士，还没有谁的炼丹术如此神奇，能够用那小山做为鼎炉炼丹。那接引的少年虽然只是凡人，却聪明伶俐，很快就问清楚了慕名而来的修士想要炼制的丹药，并将他们带到合适的炼丹房，剩下的，就是他们自己与炼丹师谈判所需的晶石。
The inner sect’s alchemists mostly had灵动期 cultivation levels, but their lifespans weren't much longer than ordinary people. After just a century or so, their souls would return to the underworld.
“ xiān shī ， qǐng wèn nín xū yào liàn shén me dān yào ？”
“仙师，请问您需要炼什么丹药？”
Many alchemists within the sect had passed away recently, and there were none to replace them. If this continued, the sect might struggle to continue its lineage...
fù zé jiē yǐn de shào nián kàn le yī yǎn lín xuān ， biǎo qíng gōng jìng ， yǎn shén zhōng ， hái dài zhe yì diǎn xiàn mù ， tā suī rán zhǐ shì fán rén ， kě lái zhī qián ， jiù yǐ jīng bèi gào zhī yǎn qián zhè wèi xiān shī nǎi shì zhù jī qī de xiū shì 。
负责接引的少年看了一眼林轩，表情恭敬，眼神中，还带着一点羡慕，他虽然只是凡人，可来之前，就已经被告知眼前这位仙师乃是筑基期的修士。
As the sect leader, Tongyu had been worrying about this for some time but couldn't find a solution. If Lingyun Sect truly declined, how could he face his predecessors in the afterlife?
mén nèi de liàn dān shī kě yǐ duì gāo jiē xiū shì wú lǐ ， dàn tā yí gè wài mén dì zǐ nǎ yǒu zhè yàng de dǎn zi 。
门内的炼丹师可以对高阶修士无礼，但他一个外门弟子哪有这样的胆子。
Hearing that a base foundation stage cultivator wanted to join, Tongyu was overjoyed and decided to personally receive him. However, while he wished to bring new disciples into the sect, he wouldn’t violate their strict rule of only accepting officially talented alchemists.
Flame Mountain was located north of Youzhou, stretching for thousands of miles. It was the largest mountain range in northern Zhao Country, sparsely populated with a scorching climate that even fierce beasts and birds found difficult to endure.
The environment was harsh, yet it had gained significant fame within the cultivation world due to its abundant underground fire resources, perfect for alchemy.
Three days later, Lin Xuan arrived at Flame Mountain. As soon as his遁光 landed, he felt a wave of heat hit him. He frowned; the temperature here exceeded fifty degrees Celsius. If not for his cultivation, his body having been tempered through countless trials, an ordinary person would surely be unable to withstand it.
With a slight thought, a faint blue light enveloped his body, instantly making him feel cool. This was a water attribute shield, perfect for withstanding high temperatures.
Lin Xuan identified the direction and then began entering the mountain using the Wind Control Technique.
Unlike other sects that would set up numerous restrictions around their main halls to deter outsiders, Lingyun Sect had only a few illusions arrays to prevent ordinary people from approaching. Flame Mountain was its core location but was accessible by a few such barriers.
Lin Xuan easily arrived at what was rumored to be the "Mountain within the Mountain." This name came from the terrain; it was originally an enormous ring-shaped volcano, with a vast crater inside where a small mountain resembling a cauldron stood in the belly of the mountain.
The environment was so unique that it could only be described as ingenious. It was perfect for alchemy. Legend had it that a thousand years ago, various cultivation sects from Youzhou had fought fiercely over this precious land but eventually abandoned their efforts due to one individual.
A wandering cultivator had shown such remarkable skills that the leaders of each sect were left speechless. Even if they managed to secure this place, did they have sufficient alchemical techniques?
That cultivator demonstrated his prowess by opening a furnace and successfully refining base foundation pills in front of all the leaders. Base foundation pills were essential for middle-stage cultivators, with only one-fifth success rate.
However, he increased the success rate to an astonishing fifty percent, meaning that out of two batches, one would succeed. The sects accepted his offer, ceding this Mountain within the Mountain to him on the condition that he assist them in alchemy.
This individual was the founder of Lingyun Sect, whose alchemical skills were unparalleled. Lin Xuan hoped to join such a sect; not only would it ensure access to high-quality medicinal materials but also secure the title of an official alchemist, providing a golden ticket for survival.
As noon approached, a beam of light appeared before them.
A young man in his twenties emerged from the light and looked at the waiting cultivators. "Please follow me, sages."
Lin Xuan was surprised; this youth was merely a commoner, not an outer sect disciple of Lingyun Sect?
The cultivators had been waiting for so long that they showed no signs of impatience as they followed the young man into the Mountain within the Mountain.
This place used to be Youzhou's largest active volcano. Over generations, the founding patriarchs transformed it using divine techniques, creating numerous large rooms in the mountain's belly where underground fire was channeled, forming natural alchemy chambers. The most precious part was a small mountain resembling a cauldron at the crater’s center, perfectly aligned with the underground fire and reportedly a naturally formed cauldron for refining medicinal pills.
Only the founder of Lingyun Sect had managed to use this small mountain as an alchemy furnace. Although the young man was just a commoner, he was smart and quickly asked about the medicinal pills these cultivators wished to refine, leading them to suitable alchemy chambers. The rest would be their negotiation with the alchemists over the required crystal stones.
"Please tell me what medicinal pill you need refined."
The young man looked at Lin Xuan with a respectful expression and a hint of envy. He knew that this sage was a base foundation stage cultivator before coming here, but as an outer sect disciple, he dared not be so bold.
However, Lin Xuan was more approachable than expected. "Thank you for your trouble, but I'm not here to refine medicinal pills."
"Why not?" the young man was taken aback; why would one come to Lingyun Sect if not to refine medicinal pills?
"I wish to join your sect," Lin Xuan replied.
The young man's reaction mirrored that of Wu Tian, but he obediently said nothing more. "If so, please follow me."
"Another failure!"
In a spacious alchemy chamber, a heart-wrenching sigh echoed. At the center of the room, a purple-red fireball hovered. Below it was an iron-cast beast’s head, with flames continuously erupting to replenish the fireball.
An old Taoist, his hair and beard all white, held a cauldron in his arms; its lid had been opened. However, instead of the usual aroma of medicinal pills, there was a burnt smell emanating from it.
"This high-grade pill is indeed difficult to refine. Even the simplest wash-spirit pill has failed me after wasting twenty batches of materials,"
The old Taoist’s white brows furrowed; despite his unkempt appearance, he was no ordinary figure. Grandmaster Tongyu was the sect leader and one of Youzhou's best alchemists with a base foundation stage cultivation level.
Different grades of medicinal pills had vastly different effects. With Tongyu's alchemy skills, refining middle-grade pills already wasn't easy, but now he was struggling to refine high-grade ones. Could it be true that only luck could determine the success rate for high-grade pills?
Just as Tongyu pondered this, a transmission scroll flew before him. He pointed his finger at it, and a respectful voice entered his ears: "Report to the sect leader, there is a base foundation stage cultivator who wishes to join our sect."
"Oh?" Tongyu stood up; few high-stage cultivators were interested in alchemy, let alone middle-stage ones. Despite Lingyun Sect's fame, they faced a dire situation with no new disciples joining for decades.
The inner sect’s alchemists mostly had灵动期 cultivation levels, but their lifespans weren't much longer than ordinary people. After just a century or so, their souls would return to the underworld.
Many alchemists within the sect had passed away recently, and there were none to replace them. If this continued, the sect might struggle to continue its lineage...
As the sect leader, Tongyu had been worrying about this for some time but couldn't find a solution. If Lingyun Sect truly declined, how could he face his predecessors in the afterlife?
Hearing that a base foundation stage cultivator wanted to join, Tongyu was overjoyed and decided to personally receive him. However, while he wished to bring new disciples into the sect, he wouldn’t violate their strict rule of only accepting officially talented alchemists.