Chapter Twenty-Two: Purifying the Poison of the Elixir

“It seems this misunderstanding cannot be cleared up…”
Under the gaze of Ye Qian’s bright eyes, Ye Yun felt his face burning hot. He swept his eyes over the gathered elders of the Ye clan, inwardly grumbling.
“These old scoundrels!”
If not for these lecherous elders acting so shamelessly, how could Ye Qian’s misunderstanding of him have deepened?
“Ye Yun, what brings you to see me today?” Elder Ye Min shifted the topic, smiling kindly at Ye Yun, his demeanor warm and welcoming.
Perhaps others were unaware, but all the elders of the Ye clan knew well in their hearts: this young man before them was the disciple of the Grand Ancestor. In terms of seniority, they themselves should respectfully address him as Grandmaster!
However, regarding the Grand Ancestor’s acceptance of a disciple, the head of the household, Ye Haiyi, had issued a strict order of silence. Even Ye Yun himself did not know what status his master, who had guided him in cultivation for so many years, held within the Ye clan.
“My master sent me to learn the art of alchemy from you, Elder,” Ye Yun replied, coming to his senses and setting aside the matter of Ye Qian for now.
“You wish to study the art of alchemy?” Elder Ye Min was momentarily stunned.
Not only he, but the other elders were also taken aback. In their eyes, the Grand Ancestor was capable of anything; why would he not teach Ye Yun himself, but instead entrust him to Ye Min?
“Yes, my master instructed me to come,” Ye Yun nodded, noticing Elder Ye Min’s astonished expression and feeling a pang of nervousness, worried the elder might refuse him.
Though his master assured him Elder Ye Min would teach him, Ye Yun did not understand the meaning behind those words, nor why his master was so confident.
“In that case, you may follow me and study the art of alchemy,” Elder Ye Min agreed at once.
Ye Qian, standing nearby, was curious as to why her master Ye Min had agreed so easily. From what she knew, countless disciples in the Ye clan eagerly sought to learn alchemy under Ye Min, but he had never accepted them.
She was the first personal disciple of Elder Ye Min—not because her aptitude was exceptional, but because she had possessed a remarkable talent for alchemy since childhood.
Though the red-lipped, white-toothed little boy also addressed Ye Min as master, he was merely a young apprentice, with average talent and unlikely to inherit Ye Min’s true alchemical teachings.
Even when the clan master Ye Haiyi wanted his disciple Ye Peng to learn alchemy under Elder Ye Min, he was refused.
“So what’s the background of this rascal?” Ye Qian couldn’t help but grow curious.
In the days that followed, Ye Yun took up residence in Elder Ye Min’s courtyard, returning home every few days to visit his parents.
The way of alchemy is vast and profound, much like martial arts and cultivation—it must be approached step by step. The very first stage is the identification of medicinal herbs!
To refine pills, one must first learn to recognize all kinds of spiritual herbs, immortal grasses, rare fruits, and other extraordinary treasures.
In Elder Ye Min’s study, there were more than ten bookshelves filled with tomes detailing the world’s rarest herbs and plants, all neatly arranged, and many jade slips containing even more extensive records.
 
“The art of alchemy requires extraordinary talent. Before you begin your studies, you must first determine whether you possess such aptitude!”
Elder Ye Min brought Ye Yun to the study, pointing at the myriad books and jade slips. “You have two years. Do your utmost to commit the records of rare fruits, immortal medicines, and spiritual herbs to memory. How much you retain will reveal your talent.”
Looking at the room full of books and jade slips, Ye Yun felt a headache coming on and asked helplessly, “How much must I remember to be considered talented enough to study alchemy?”
“At least half. When she was your age, Ye Qian memorized eighty percent in two years,” Elder Ye Min stroked his beard, clearly pleased and proud of his disciple Ye Qian.
Elder Ye Min soon left, and Ye Yun, without further hesitation, buried himself in the study of books and jade slips.
Time flew by. Half a year later, Ye Yun had grown taller and stronger, his cultivation progressing smoothly, naturally advancing from late-stage Qi Refinement to the peak of Qi Refinement.
He had thought it would take ages to memorize everything in the room, and that two years would not suffice, but the outcome astonished even himself.
In only half a year, he had memorized it all, able to recite backwards. Ask him about any spiritual herb, immortal grass, or rare fruit, and he could describe its characteristics, the types of pills it could be used to refine, and its effects.
This was the advantage of his innate perfect soul—his spirit was naturally strong, and his memory unparalleled!
And this was but a minor benefit of the perfect soul.
“Judging by Elder Ye Min’s words, Ye Qian’s achievement of memorizing eighty percent in two years was already remarkable. If I let it be known I memorized it all in half a year, would that be flaunting myself too much?”
Ye Yun pondered. Since childhood, his father Ye Zili had always taught him to be modest.
After thinking for a while, Ye Yun decided not to reveal his accomplishment for now. He would wait until Elder Ye Min came to test him in two years, and then perform about as well as Ye Qian had.
From then on, Ye Yun continued to visit the study daily but no longer consulted the books or jade slips, instead devoting himself entirely to his own cultivation.
As a direct disciple of the Ye clan, once Qi Refinement was achieved, one could collect three Essence Pills and one Marrow-Cleansing Pill from the accounts office each year.
Previously, Master Ye Yu had forbidden him from using pills in cultivation, wanting his foundation to be solid and stable. Though pills could accelerate progress, true strength came from diligent practice.
Grand Ancestor Ye Yu valued the cultivation of foundation and temperament. After five years of tempering, Ye Yun had met his requirements, and had been told that upon reaching the peak of Qi Refinement, he could begin using pills.
Because to break through from the peak of Qi Refinement to the Foundation Establishment stage required constant tempering and accumulation of vast internal energy, which, without pills, would take much time.
Pills could shorten this process.
As for foundation, five years had made it strong and unshakeable.
Outer sect disciples received pills of sixty percent quality; inner sect disciples, seventy percent; while core disciples occasionally received pills of eighty percent quality—the finest.
The Ye clan had more than one alchemist, but only Elder Ye Min could refine pills of eighty percent quality, earning him the title of the foremost alchemist of the Ye clan.
However, Elder Ye Min’s success rate in refining top-quality pills was not high. His skill lay between that of an alchemist and an alchemy master; achieving the rank of true master had always been his lifelong goal.
 
Within Essence Pills lies immense vital energy, equivalent to two years of arduous cultivation. Marrow-Cleansing Pills can fundamentally transform the body, eliminating hidden injuries from martial practice, strengthening the physique, and offering many benefits.
Yet all pills carry poison; even seventy percent quality pills contain thirty percent pill poison. If pill poison accumulates within the body, it can undermine a cultivator’s foundation. Thus, while pills can greatly speed cultivation, they must not be overused.
The wonders of heaven and earth have produced some peerless treasures that can be refined into pills wholly free of poison and capable of dissolving pill poison, but such pills are exceedingly rare—worth more than the entire fortune of the Ye clan.
One jade slip in the study recorded such a pill: the Heaven-Defying Creation Pill, a fifth-grade spiritual pill.
Ye Yun had already collected his annual allotment of pills from the accounts office. Upon entering the study, he did not consult the books or jade slips, but instead took out an Essence Pill, pinched it between his fingers, and placed it in his mouth.
The fragrance of medicine filled his nose, melting instantly on his tongue. Ye Yun immediately felt streams of heat surging through his limbs, bones, and meridians.
He sat cross-legged, circulating the Red Flame Devil Art to absorb the pill’s energy.
The medicinal power radiated heat, turning his skin bright red—his body a furnace, steam rising. With each bit of energy refined, he felt his Red Flame internal energy grow, ultimately gathering in his lower abdomen dantian.
“So this is the effect of the Essence Pill.”
Half an hour later, Ye Yun opened his eyes, muttering in puzzlement. After refining the pill, some residual poison lingered within him, causing discomfort.
According to the pill’s description, its energy equaled two years of cultivation, but Ye Yun’s experience showed it barely matched half a month of his own effort.
He puzzled over this, recalling a phrase from a jade slip in the study, and suddenly understood.
The higher the grade of cultivation method, the faster and more effective the progress. For ordinary methods, the Essence Pill equaled two years’ work, but for the Red Flame Devil Art, its effect was far less pronounced.
Take Ye Qian, for example: she had used pills for cultivation since early Qi Refinement, and even now remained at the peak of Qi Refinement.
Ye Yun, who had never used pills until now, likewise reached the peak—proof of the Red Flame Devil Art’s extraordinary power.
“Though it only equals half a month’s work, it’s better than nothing. Besides, the Red Flame can purify anything, so I need not worry about pill poison.”
With that, Ye Yun dismissed the concern. He formed a subtle hand seal, his brow revealing the Red Flame Devil mark, flames blazing, summoning the Red Flame essence fire to envelop him and purify the residual pill poison left by the Essence Pill.
Moments later, Ye Yun was drenched in sweat, black impurities expelled from his pores, gathering as thick grime on his skin.
“Truly, this ancient devil art defies the heavens. The pill poison that so many cultivators fear can be removed with ease.”
After expelling the poison, Ye Yun felt wholly refreshed. He immediately took out another Essence Pill, eager to further strengthen his Red Flame internal energy.