Daoist Competition

Upon entering the Twelve Layered Palace, Zhang Yan settled on the jade couch, called Wei Zihong to his side, and handed over a bottle of elixir pills, saying, "Your mother has been bedridden for years. This bottle of elixir, named Qi Continuation Powder, can unblock the flow of qi and blood, ease and invigorate the meridians, remove impurities, and dispel turbid qi. Remember to give her one pill every morning and evening, and after a hundred days, she will be able to walk no different from normal people."

Wei Zihong was overjoyed and, moved to tears, knelt to the ground, saying, "Master’s great kindness is something this disciple cannot repay even with a thousand deaths."

Others did not know how Wei Zihong’s mother’s paralysis came to be, but Zhang Yan was well aware. The Wei family was likely harmed by the Divine Light from the third eye on their foreheads, which led to the current situation. However, with his elixir for recuperation and protection, there should be no cause for worry in the future. He further instructed, "I will first impart to you a spell. After you remember it, return and cultivate diligently."

Wei Zihong knelt and kowtowed, repeatedly agreeing.

Zhang Yan flicked his finger, sending out a talisman, and shortly, Liu Yan Yi arrived in the hall, greeting respectfully, "What instructions does Master have for summoning this disciple?"

Zhang Yan pointed to Liu Yan Yi and said to Wei Zihong, "This is your Senior Disciple Sister. If you encounter any uncertainties in your cultivation, you can seek her guidance."

Wei Zihong immediately performed a respectful salute to Liu Yan Yi and said loudly, "Zihong greets Senior Disciple Sister."

Liu Yan Yi supported him with a gentle tone, "Junior Brother, please rise. Above you, there are five senior sisters. I will call you the sixth Junior Brother. With the fortune of being accepted by Master, make sure to cultivate diligently and not let down Master’s expectations."

Being new to the sect, Wei Zihong could only respond affirmatively when facing his Senior Disciple Sister.

Seeing his restraint, Liu Yan Yi smiled slightly and did not say more.

Zhang Yan nodded. Currently, his disciples were few in number. When he had the spare time, he would offer some pointers. But as his cultivation deepened, the disciples would surely increase in number, and he would no longer do everything personally. Matters like imparting the mental method to beginners would be entrusted to disciples with higher cultivation within the sect.

Moreover, now as the Lower House Master, he could take suitable individuals as registered disciples and send them to cultivate in the Lower Court. If they truly excel, they would naturally stand out, and that would be the time to teach them the True Skill.

However, Wei Zihong was an exception. He was destined to inherit the Daoist Inheritance of the Yao Yin Sect, so he didn’t need to follow the usual route. After Opening his Meridians, Zhang Yan would take him to meet the Sect Leader, receive the inherited Five Treasures, and then arrange specific cultivation matters.

Zhang Yan gave a few more instructions before calling Shang Shang to lead Wei Zihong and his mother away to arrange a place for them to rest.

He kept Liu Yan Yi back by herself and said, "Five years from now, the great competition in the sect will take place. I do not wish to attend. If Brother Huo sends someone to inquire, just say that I am in seclusion comprehending Mysterious Skill. During this seclusion, which will be lengthy, you all must watch over the sect carefully and not leave casually. Yanyi, as the Senior Disciple, you will manage all internal matters. If there’s anything you can’t decide on, you can discuss it with Miss Luo. If necessary, you may ask True Master Lu for assistance."

Liu Yan Yi solemnly replied, "Yes, the disciple will remember."

After giving his instructions, Zhang Yan dismissed her, then picked up a brush and wrote three flying books, sending them to Shouming Palace, the Elixir Cauldron Institute, and the Lower Court of Cangwu Mountain.

Now, with the new rules he established for the Lower Court and the three stewards in charge, there should be no concerns. For this seclusion, which he anticipated would take considerable time, he needed to inform True Master Peng and Zhou Chongju in advance.

After handling those matters, he pondered if there was anything he missed. A thought surfaced from the depths of his mind, causing him to shake his head and think silently, "I almost forgot about this matter, but I need to address it."

Back when he opened his meridians, with the aid of the Shell Pearl, he feigned borrowing the Jade Liquid Pool from a small sect under the Han Clan to mask his actions.

He promised back then that within two Jiazi cycles, if disciples of that sect were outstanding, they could be brought into his sect for cultivation.

Today, having accepted a new disciple, this matter also came to his mind.

However, if this seclusion proceeds smoothly, he would need to go cultivate in the Floating Heavenly Palace and might lack the time to attend to this matter. If a disciple from the Han Clan seeks him out, he must not break his promise.

So, after some thought, he wrote another letter and sent it to Lu Mei Niang.

This is indeed a season of many affairs. He strives to minimize disciples’ travel from the sect, and as this woman is a Nascent Soul True Master, going out of the sect poses no great problem. Assigning this task to her should be reliable.

After dispatching the letter, he quietly sat for a moment, adjusted his state of mind, and then proceeded towards the Little Pot Mirror.

Entering that realm, he vaulted and sat down in the bamboo tower. With a wave of his hand, he released two jade bottles, placing them to his left and right in front of the couch. These contained the Gold and Fire Qi that Liu Yan Yi had found.

Zhang Yan gazed for a moment, then pointed, causing the jade bottle containing the Geng Xin Gold Essence Qi to tremble and open its stopper. The sharp gold qi, which had been coiled inside, suddenly lost its suppression. Unable to stay, a beam of light shot straight up, seemingly ready to pierce through the bamboo tower.

He remained calm, exhaling a stream of snow-like white qi that enveloped the gold qi. No matter how it struggled, it couldn’t escape. With a slight pull, he inhaled a wisp of it into his abdomen.

Then, with a flick of his finger, he pressed down with the Elixir Evil, suppressing the remaining essence qi back into the bottle. With a twist of his wrist, the stopper popped back into place, sealing it tightly. The jade bottle shook a few times before becoming still.

Among the Five Elements Essence Qi, the Gold Qi is sharp, and the Fire Qi is fierce and volatile. These two types of qi are the most difficult to tame, especially the Gold Qi, which is hard to contain. During the refining process, even a slight mishap could cause it to disappear without a trace.

Fortunately, Zhang Yan had already mastered three types of True Light and was no novice. He skillfully subdued the wisp of Gold Qi with ease.

Next, it was merely necessary to follow the spell and refine the essence qi according to the procedure.

...

...(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my biggest motivation.)