Chapter 105: Each with Their Own Merits

As time passed, Master Qingxu had been refining the Golden Elixir for nearly three hours.

At this moment, the medicinal liquids had condensed into a vibrant red pill, about the size of a soybean, perfectly round and gleaming brightly within the “Void Furnace,” vivid and dripping with vitality.

Seeing this, Master Qingxu knew the timing was right. The “Nine-Yang Golden Elixir” was complete. He extinguished the “Three Origins True Fire” and continued to use his true energy to keep the elixir rolling steadily, allowing it to cool and take shape...

………………………………

Lishan Mountain, Purple Mist Palace.

She Meier returned to Purple Mist Palace using the [Gentle Breeze Dispersal] escape technique, heading straight to the “Heart Nourishing Hall” to meet Immortal Jiuxiao.

Immortal Jiuxiao was seated calmly on a meditation cushion, cultivating her mind and spirit. Seeing She Meier return on schedule, she was delighted and immediately rose to ask:

“Meier, how is your study of the ‘Paper Painting Talismans’ coming along? What did Master Yan teach you today?”

She Meier, brimming with enthusiasm, replied:

“Very well! Master, today Yan Chixia taught me how to paint. I drew many swans... and brought them all back. Let me show you now.”

As she spoke, she silently recited an incantation, summoning the talisman papers with swan paintings stored inside her “Storage Ring” and presented them one by one for Immortal Jiuxiao’s inspection.

Immortal Jiuxiao watched with great interest, commenting as she went:

“Hmm, Meier, these swans are quite well drawn—each better than the last. Heh heh, if you keep this up, you’ll surely master the [Paper Painting Talisman Technique]! By the way, after I left Qingxu Temple this morning, did Qingxuzi immediately take the ‘Heavenly Uranium Crystal’ to the alchemy room?”

“Master, you are absolutely right!” She Meier smiled. “As soon as you departed, Qingxu Daoist took the ‘Heavenly Uranium Crystal’ straight to the alchemy room to refine the ‘Nine-Yang Golden Elixir.’”

“Good.” Immortal Jiuxiao nodded. “Qingxuzi succeeded in refining the ‘Nine-Yang Golden Elixir’ today... Its power is extremely potent. Since he has just recovered from a serious illness, he cannot take it immediately. He must wait at least five days until his body is fully restored before consuming it. Once Qingxuzi breaks through the ‘Tribulation’ bottleneck and reaches the ‘Scattered Immortal’ realm, I will visit him again at Qingxu Temple... But enough about that for now. Meier, come with me to the ‘Seven Stars Hall’—I’ll teach you how to set up a ‘Barrier.’”

………………………………

Mount Zhongnan, Qingxu Temple.

Just as Immortal Jiuxiao said, after Master Qingxu successfully refined the supreme “Nine-Yang Golden Elixir” using the “Void Furnace,” he was overjoyed but did not immediately consume it.

Yan Chixia was puzzled and asked why he didn’t take the elixir at once.

Master Qingxu explained that since he had just recovered from the incurable “Inch-by-Inch Scorch” disease, his body was not yet in optimal condition. Taking the immensely powerful “Nine-Yang Golden Elixir” now would neither help break through his bottleneck nor be beneficial; it might even cause adverse effects. Therefore, he planned to devote himself fully to recuperating over the next few days and consume the elixir only when his body was at its peak, aiming for a breakthrough in one fell swoop.

Thus, Master Qingxu secluded himself in a quiet chamber, concentrating entirely on healing his body...

………………………………

The next day, after breakfast, Master Qingxu addressed Bai Xiaoyue, Tu Xiaomeng, and Song Ta’er:

“Mingzi, Congzi, Chizi, from today onward, I will teach you how to cultivate the Dao. Mingzi, although your ‘scattered cultivation’ has some Dao techniques, you lack a solid foundation... So, you will start with cultivating true energy alongside Congzi and Chizi.”

Bai Xiaoyue promptly responded:

“Yes, Master. I will follow your instructions completely.”

Master Qingxu then began instructing Bai Xiaoyue, Tu Xiaomeng, and Song Ta’er in the methods of true energy cultivation. After clearly explaining the techniques, the three returned to their respective chambers, sitting cross-legged on their meditation cushions, focusing intently on their training.

Outside on the meadow before Qingxu Temple, only Master Qingxu and his disciple Yan Chixia remained. Master Qingxu turned to Yan Chixia and said:

“Danzi, now I will teach you how to set up a ‘Barrier.’ First, let me briefly explain what a ‘Barrier’ is. A ‘Barrier’ is when a cultivator expels a vast quantity of true energy from within their body, allowing this energy to form a ‘true energy defensive shield’ in any location, shaped by an array formation. It can be large or small, storing the cultivator’s power on its surface to resist intrusions, protecting a designated area, person, or object.

According to the [Compendium of the Great Dao], there are ten types of ‘Barriers’: ‘Half Barrier,’ ‘Full Barrier,’ ‘Umbrella Barrier,’ ‘Spherical Barrier,’ ‘Screen Barrier,’ ‘Mobile Barrier,’ ‘Fixed Barrier,’ ‘Diamond Barrier,’ ‘Flexible Barrier,’ and ‘Perpetual Barrier’—each with its own distinct characteristics and applications.”

“The ‘Half Barrier’ is the most common. Danzi, the Barrier I set here at Qingxu Temple is actually a ‘Half Barrier’: it covers the area above the ground but not beneath. Its advantage is easy setup; its drawback is incomplete defense, unable to block intrusions by ‘Earth Escape’ techniques. This is why Immortal Jiuxiao and She Meier could come and go freely here—they exploited the loophole of the ‘Half Barrier’ with their [Gentle Breeze Dispersal] escape technique.”

“The ‘Full Barrier’ covers both above and below ground, impenetrable like an iron bucket, leaving no opportunity for invaders. The Barrier at ‘Deadly Valley’ is a prime example of a ‘Full Barrier.’”

“The ‘Umbrella Barrier’ is shaped like an umbrella. When a cultivator encounters wind or rain on the road, they can set up this Barrier overhead to shield themselves.”

“The ‘Spherical Barrier’ resembles a sphere. When a cultivator is traveling without a fixed residence and wants a temporary rest, they can encase themselves inside this Barrier and rest peacefully without worry.”

“The ‘Screen Barrier’ resembles a folding screen, suitable for blocking enemies on the battlefield.”

“The ‘Mobile Barrier’ can vary in size and move at will—for example, the ‘Ruyi Divine Boat’ crafted by Immortal Jiuxiao is a marvelous ‘Mobile Barrier.’”

“The ‘Fixed Barrier’ is an unchanging layer, ideal for imprisoning enemies.”

“The ‘Diamond Barrier’ is as solid as rock, impregnable, perfect for sealing ancient ruins.”

“The ‘Flexible Barrier’ is extremely resilient, able to overcome hardness with softness, possessing extraordinary impact resistance and rebound ability.”

“The ‘Perpetual Barrier’ is set up so that it maintains its power indefinitely without human energy input. This is achieved by placing a ‘Spiritual Core’ at its center, which continuously generates true energy to replenish the Barrier. The Barrier at ‘Deadly Valley’ is the only known example of a ‘Perpetual Barrier.’ Setting up such a Barrier requires extraordinarily powerful magic—only cultivators at the ‘Primordial Great Dao Golden Immortal’ level can manage it. With my current ‘Tribulation-Breaking’ cultivation level, I can only admire it from afar!”

Hearing this, Yan Chixia was filled with an all-consuming desire to possess such wondrous Barriers!

After finishing his explanations, Master Qingxu began teaching Yan Chixia the method of setting up a Barrier.

Yan Chixia, gifted and highly talented in cultivation, grasped the instructions immediately and devoted himself wholeheartedly to practice.