29: Chapter 29 All things in heaven and earth can be incorporated into the elixir.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Qin Muchuan finally let out a long breath, his body relaxing, his forehead already covered in cold sweat.

He turned around and looked at the two of them with a wry smile.

"What formidable Sword Intent."

Lu Jinghan stepped forward and patted his shoulder.

"Being able to withstand the first wave of Sword Intent shows that your will is quite resilient. Next, we will Cultivate here, enduring the baptism of Sword Intent every day; just hold on for as long as you can."

"This will be of great help for when we enter the Purple Bamboo Forest later."

Qin Muchuan nodded, a fighting spirit igniting in his eyes.

Su Fuguang also walked up, took a deep breath, and voluntarily stepped into the area shrouded by Sword Intent.

Lu Jinghan watched their retreating backs, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

In his past life, he had honed himself in Zangjian Valley for three years before raising his Dao of the sword to a new height.

In this life, having Xiao Chuan and Xiao Guang with him, he did not feel lonely at all.

Seven days later, at the Zhou Martial Imperial Palace, in the Taihe Hall.

Jiang Changge reclined on a lounge chair, pinching a spiritual fruit in his hand, nibbling on it absentmindedly.

Lin Yanzhou sat cross-legged in the hall, eyes closed as he Cultivated, his small face full of seriousness.

Zhou Tianchen stood to the side, holding an ancient book, completely absorbed in it.

The hall was quiet, with only the sound of turning pages and faint chewing sounds intertwined.

Jiang Changge finished the last bite of the spiritual fruit, casually tossed the core into the jade plate beside him, and silently chanted in his heart.

"System, when will the Purple Bamboo Forest open?"

[Ding, the Purple Bamboo Forest is expected to open in twenty days.]

Jiang Changge nodded slightly, calculating the time in his mind.

The Purple Bamboo Forest is one of the top Secret Realms in the Southern Wilderness, opening once every hundred years, with countless Opportunities inside.

Not only will the major forces of the Southern Wilderness send people in, but Prodigies from the Central Continent, East Sea, Western Regions, and Northern Border will also come.

For him, the most important thing about the Purple Bamboo Forest is not the Opportunity, but the sign-in.

The hundredfold critical hit sign-in reward is what he truly wants.

He had previously signed in at the Cave of Years and obtained the Immortal Spring and Immortal Stone, which gave him a taste of the benefits.

As a top Secret Realm in the Southern Wilderness, the sign-in reward for this Purple Bamboo Forest should not be worse than that of the Cave of Years.

"Revered Master." Zhou Tianchen spoke respectfully.

"This Disciple has something he does not understand and wishes to ask for Revered Master's guidance."

For the past few days, Zhou Tianchen had been digesting the Dao of Alchemy, and only today did he come to ask Jiang Changge for clarification.

Jiang Changge lifted his eyelids: "Speak."

Zhou Tianchen deliberated on his wording and slowly said: "Revered Master previously said that Alchemy is like Cultivating the Dao, using the Physical Body as a furnace, the Dantian as a cauldron, refining essence into Qi to serve as medicine, and guiding the heart fire to refine Qi into a Medicinal Pill."

"This Disciple has pondered it repeatedly and always feels there is a deeper meaning, but I cannot figure it out no matter what."

Jiang Changge chuckled inwardly.

It was right that he couldn't figure it out; those words were just cobbled together on the spot, it would be a miracle if he could understand them.

However, as his Revered Master, he naturally could not show weakness.

He sat up straight, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked out of the hall with a distant gaze.

"The Dao of Alchemy emphasizes the word 'timing' above all else. If the timing is insufficient, the Medicinal Pill will not form; if the timing is excessive, the Medicinal Pill will be completely destroyed."

"Cultivating the Dao is the same. Those who Cultivate the Dao emphasize the word 'Opportunity' above all else. If the Opportunity has not arrived, you cannot force it; if the Opportunity has passed, you will regret it too late."

He turned around, his gaze falling on Zhou Tianchen.

"The reason you cannot figure it out now is because the Opportunity has not arrived. There is no need to force it; just let nature take its course."

Zhou Tianchen nodded thoughtfully.

Zhou Tianchen pondered for a moment and continued to ask.

"Revered Master, this Disciple dares to ask—what grade of Medicinal Pill can Revered Master currently refine?"

His eyes carried a bit of anticipation and reverence.

In his mind, given Revered Master's profound understanding of the Dao of Alchemy, the Medicinal Pill he refined should at least be Heaven Rank Advanced.

Hearing this, Jiang Changge's expression did not change, and he only calmly spat out two words.

"No grade."

Zhou Tianchen was stunned, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes.

No grade?

The grades of Medicinal Pills are divided into Heaven, Earth, Xuan, and Huang, which is an immutable conclusion in the Xuanhuang World.

No grade, what kind of grade is that?

But he thought about it again and suddenly shook all over, an expression of disbelief appearing in his eyes.

Could it be a Medicinal Pill that surpasses Heaven Rank Advanced?

Above Heaven Rank is the Immortal grade.

Could the 'no grade' that Revered Master spoke of be the legendary Immortal Pill?

Because it does not belong to the mortal world, it cannot be measured by mortal grades, so it is called 'no grade'?

The more Zhou Tianchen thought about it, the more reasonable it felt, and his reverence deepened even more.

Jiang Changge watched the changes in his expression and secretly found it funny.

How could he refine any pills?

He couldn't even understand the most basic Pill Formula, let alone refine pills himself.

As for the two words 'no grade', it was just the truth.

His level of Alchemy was indeed—no grade.

However, as his Revered Master, he naturally could not show weakness.

Jiang Changge stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze distant, his tone calm with a touch of unfathomable mystery.

"At this stage of mine, the grade of a Medicinal Pill has no meaning whatsoever."

Hearing this, Zhou Tianchen was even more certain of his guess.

Sure enough, what Revered Master refined was no longer a mortal Medicinal Pill, but an Immortal Pill.

The Immortal Pill has no grade, because the grading division of the mortal world is simply insufficient to measure the profoundness of an Immortal Pill.

"Revered Master's insight is profound, this Disciple has learned much."

Zhou Tianchen bowed deeply, his reverence for Jiang Changge deepening further.

Jiang Changge nodded slightly, his expression unchanged.

Zhou Tianchen straightened up, was silent for a moment, and then asked again.

"Revered Master, this Disciple has one more question."

"Speak."

"What is the true essence of Alchemy?"

He looked at Jiang Changge with burning eyes; this question had troubled him for many years.

He had read countless books on the Dao of Alchemy and visited almost all the famous Alchemists in the Southern Wilderness, but he had never received an answer that satisfied him.

Everyone had different opinions, and there was no consensus.

Jiang Changge did not answer immediately.

He turned around, stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the sky outside the hall, and remained silent for a long time.

The hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Lin Yanzhou did not know when he had opened his eyes, curiously watching Revered Master's back.

Zhou Tianchen held his breath, not daring to make a sound to disturb him.

Finally, Jiang Changge spoke slowly.

His voice was not loud, but it clearly entered the ears of everyone present, carrying a distant and profound rhythm.

"For heaven and earth are the furnace, creation is the craftsman; Yin and Yang are the charcoal, and all things are the bronze."

These four short lines were like a thunderclap, exploding in Zhou Tianchen's heart.

He froze in place, his mind a blank, with only those four lines echoing repeatedly.

Heaven and earth are the furnace, creation is the craftsman.

Yin and Yang are the charcoal, all things are the bronze.

This... what kind of spirit is this?

What kind of breadth of mind?

The Dao of Alchemy he understood before was nothing more than selecting materials, combining them, timing, and forming pills; at most, going higher, it was using the Physical Body as a furnace and the Dantian as a cauldron.

But Revered Master's words directly elevated the Dao of Alchemy to a height he had never imagined.

The entire heaven and earth is a Pill Furnace!

All things in the world are medicinal materials in the Pill Furnace, waiting to be refined, waiting to be sublimated!

This is—All things in heaven and earth can be refined into pills!