The First Immortal of Destiny

Of course, Shen Mo had his own strengths.

He had managed to elevate numerous elixirs to the Elite level. This achievement, along with the insights and experience it implied, left Zhao Lingyin astounded with admiration.

When drinking with a true friend, a thousand cups are still too few!

For two individuals so proficient in the Alchemy Path, able to corroborate each other's findings, such an opportunity to meet might not come for years, or even decades.

Therefore, as their discussions deepened, their conversation grew increasingly enthusiastic.

Since Shen Mo began studying the Path of Alchemy, he had often relied on the Destiny Panel, painstakingly studying and researching by himself.

Now, there was someone who clearly understood his attainments in the Alchemy Path.

There was no need to be secretive with her.

And from her, he could receive feedback in the form of remarkably profound alchemical knowledge.

This made Shen Mo feel exceptionally refreshed and exhilarated!

At moments, he even forgot the frustration Zhao Lingyin had sometimes caused him.

As for Zhao Lingyin, it went without saying; she felt her long period of seeking had been entirely worthwhile.

When discussing the Alchemy Path, her usual elegant demeanor changed entirely.

Her every word and action exuded a unique vibrancy!

"Senior Sister Lingyin, true knowledge comes from practice. Let me refine a few furnaces of elixirs while you observe."

"If there is anything amiss, or if you have different perspectives..."

"We can debate them further."

As he spoke, Shen Mo had already brought out the Fire Chi Cauldron, Nether Fire, and numerous kinds of spiritual medicines.

"Begin!"

The pale flame was injected into the cauldron, and the phantom of the Fire Chi began to roam within.

Unconsciously, one day and night had already passed.

Refining one furnace of Grade II Elixirs required two Shichen.

This amount of time was only enough for Shen Mo to refine six furnaces of Grade II Elixirs.

However, during the process, Zhao Lingyin occasionally shared her thoughts, asking about certain techniques, commenting on a specific spiritual medicine, or providing her thoughts on the shaping step.

What was originally a tedious alchemy process, Shen Mo surprisingly didn't find dull at all. Instead, he found great pleasure in it.

Another day passed. Shen Mo had refined almost all the elixirs for which his proficiency was maxed out.

Even Shen Mo felt a trace of weariness.

But Zhao Lingyin showed no signs of fatigue on her face; instead, her eyes grew increasingly bright. "Junior Brother Shen, every furnace of elixirs you refine is absolutely stunning!"

"Take the refinement of this Qi Coalescing Pill, for instance; even my Master is perhaps slightly inferior to you."

As she spoke, her slender, jade-like fingers picked up a Qi Coalescing Pill, and she began to examine it with full concentration.

"Junior Brother Shen, this is the Nine-Yuan Marrow Nourishing Pill elixir recipe. Please keep it."

When they were parting, Zhao Lingyin handed Shen Mo a Grade III elixir recipe.

The Nine-Yuan Marrow Nourishing Pill was similar in nature to the Earth Yuan Pill; both were spiritual medicines for strengthening and condensing Qi and blood.

Shen Mo couldn't find the Earth Yuan Pill's elixir recipe, so he had simply sent a voice transmission to Zhao Lingyin beforehand to mention it.

Then, he received this reward from Zhao Lingyin for "dispelling her confusion."

Zhao Lingyin seemed somewhat reluctant to part, hesitating for a moment before her crimson lips slightly parted, "Watching Junior Brother refine elixirs today, I've had some epiphanies. I should be able to advance to the ranks of Grade III Alchemists within a few days."

"When that time comes, could I invite Junior Brother to discuss the Dao of Alchemy again?"

Shen Mo thought for a moment and agreed.

He had also gained quite a bit from this interaction with Zhao Lingyin.

[You conversed with Zhao Lingyin and discussed the elixir inheritance system. You were inspired and gained many insights. Your understanding of the Alchemy Path has deepened. Alchemy Experience +26.]

[You conversed with Zhao Lingyin and discussed the techniques, skills, steps, and procedures in the alchemy process. You were inspired and gained many insights. Your understanding of the Alchemy Path has deepened. Alchemy Experience +20.]

Besides improving his attainments in the Alchemy Path, he could also obtain elixir recipes. Why not?

Furthermore, putting aside these utilitarian considerations, Shen Mo felt that being with Zhao Lingyin was a rare occasion where he could completely relax his mind and body.

Originally, he held a somewhat negative impression of this Senior Sister Lingyin.

After all, her actions—posting a task at the Deacon Hall to investigate him, offering a reward for his true identity, and having people watch the Alchemy Tower—had truly made it impossible for him to develop any favorable impression of her.

However, after the "coincidental encounter" a few days ago, his perception of her had improved with each interaction.

Especially since Zhao Lingyin clearly knew he was Mo Shen.

This was tantamount to her knowing some of his secrets!

In this situation, Shen Mo rationally should have been more guarded and wary of Zhao Lingyin.

Yet the more they interacted, the more he could sense Zhao Lingyin's "guileless nature"; she was truly as she said, harboring no malice.

She didn't even seem to care, nor did she intend to investigate, how Shen Mo had advanced from a layman to a Grade III Alchemist in such a short time, or whether he had encountered a great fortuitous opportunity or obtained some precious treasure.

She was purely absorbed in the Alchemy Path!

Her previous numerous offensive actions were merely to find Shen Mo, wanting to converse and discuss the Dao with him.

Therefore, Shen Mo's wariness and defensiveness towards her also melted away.

His interactions with Zhao Lingyin also became more natural and at ease!

Once Shen Mo returned to his cave mansion, he began preparing for the refinement of the Nine-Yuan Marrow Nourishing Pill.

This Grade III Elixir required nine primary spiritual medicines.

None of them were exceptionally precious or rare items; compared to the primary ingredients of other Grade III elixirs like the Exorcism Origin Pill or the Ganoderma Marrow Pill, these were easier to obtain.

It was a rather ingenious design, essentially using quantity to compensate for the quality of individual ingredients.

Of course, refining this elixir also placed high demands on the alchemist's skill.

Otherwise, it would be fundamentally impossible to perfectly harmonize the medicinal properties of the nine primary ingredients.

This was not an issue for Shen Mo. After spoiling only two furnaces of spiritual medicines, he successfully refined a medium-quality Nine-Yuan Marrow Nourishing Pill in the third furnace.

When refining elixirs, by adjusting the portions of spiritual medicines, he could decide whether to refine over ten elixirs or just a single one in a furnace.

Relatively speaking, for a newly acquired elixir recipe, refining a single elixir was somewhat simpler than refining over ten.

Moreover, even if the refinement failed, the amount of wasted spiritual medicines would be more than ten times less.

Before his proficiency level was sufficiently raised, Shen Mo would mostly choose to refine only a single elixir.

Once he reached the "Entering the Hall" standard or above, he could then refine multiple elixirs per furnace!

Without much effort, Shen Mo raised his proficiency with the Nine-Yuan Marrow Nourishing Pill to the same level as his other Grade III Elixirs.

He didn't stop there, however, and continued to refine this elixir.

Time passed day by day in this manner.

Aside from alchemy and talisman crafting, his cultivation also didn't stop.

However, unlike elixirs, which were practically hard currency comparable to Spirit Stones, a lack of talismans didn't seem to pose a major problem for cultivators.

Therefore, the Spirit Stones earned from talismans were far fewer compared to those from elixirs.

As for the Forging Path, its progress was even slower, almost the slowest among his three auxiliary professions.

The Special Destiny [Martial Performance] consumed one hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones daily.

Shen Mo's current assets, and the speed at which he earned Spirit Stones, were enough to sustain such frantic consumption.

Besides alchemy, talisman crafting, and diligent cultivation, Shen Mo would, every so often, go to the Cuizhu Elixir Room to meet with Zhao Lingyin.

The gains were substantial!

Originally, Shen Mo couldn't understand why, in the cultivation world, some cultivators were so indifferent even to their own bloodline descendants.

Yet, when a close fellow daoist faced calamity, they would risk their own lives to save them.

But now, he faintly understood.

Bloodline descendants might not necessarily aid one's Dao path; they might even become a burden. But on the long path to immortality, to encounter one or two like-minded fellow daoists and journey together... that was truly priceless!