C135 Soul Refining Technique(2)

Behind what was called a shopfront lay the expansive estate of the Liang family. Despite their decline, the Liang estate remained vast, a testament to their heritage as a family of renowned alchemists.

The backyard was filled with various herb gardens, where an array of mystical plants grew. Walking through them, one could feel the invigorating energy in the air, creating a sense of peace and contentment.

Unfortunately, there were always those who would disrupt such tranquility. As Liang Ruoxuan was explaining the different mystical plants to Woo Zhengyang, a mocking voice interrupted, "I heard my dear sister Ruoxuan brought back a man. Is it this guy? I can't sense any energy from him. Has he not even awakened his Origin Genuine Qi yet?"

The speaker was a flamboyantly dressed man with an unnaturally feminine appearance, marred by a large black mole on his left cheek, adding to his oddity.

"Liang Ruoqing, why haven't you left the Liang family yet?" Ruoxuan's mood soured instantly upon seeing him.

Woo Zhengyang recalled Ruoxuan mentioning that Ruoqing was the alchemist planning to marry into the Ma family. The thought of such a repulsive person being an alchemist made Zhengyang shudder. He wouldn't dare consume any potion crafted by him.

"Dear sister Ruoxuan, don't let your fiery temper flare up, especially with your condition. But honestly, you have quite the eye. This young man is so handsome, even I find myself captivated," Ruoqing said, throwing a flirtatious wink at Zhengyang.

Woo Zhengyang struggled to suppress his anger, trying not to look at Liang Ruoqing. However, Ruoqing approached him, even reaching out as if to touch him. At that moment, Zhengyang couldn't hold back any longer and kicked out.

"Thud..."

Despite being a top-tier alchemist, Ruoqing's cultivation level was only at the ninth tier. Caught off guard, she was hit hard in the side by Zhengyang's kick, curling up like a shrimp as she flew through the air.

"You... you dare kick me!" Ruoqing shouted, climbing out of a patch of herbs, wiping dirt and leaves from her face.

"Come near me again, and I'll kill you!" Zhengyang said coldly.

"Kill me? You've got some nerve... do you even know whose place this is?" Ruoqing retorted.

Before she could finish, Liang Ruoxuan interjected, "This is my family’s place, and if you, a traitor about to marry into the Ma family, provoke my guest again, I'll have Uncle Hai deal with you!"

With that, Ruoxuan ignored her and hurriedly pulled Zhengyang away. Though Ruoxuan spoke with conviction, Zhengyang knew things were far from simple. If she could truly threaten Ruoqing, the Liang family wouldn't be in this situation.

Ruoqing, more concerned with her appearance, said nothing further, and Zhengyang left with Ruoxuan. In truth, Zhengyang had no desire to kill Ruoqing; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to eat well for days.

After dinner, Liang Ruoxuan hurriedly prepared to seclude herself and expel the fire poison. Woo Zhengyang accompanied her to the Liang family's alchemy room.

Upon entering, they were greeted by the sight of an ancient, ornate cauldron. Though it was closed, the air was thick with the scent of herbs.

"This cauldron was once used by a great alchemist," Liang Ruoxuan explained. "Unfortunately, since his departure, no one has been able to use it."

"Why is that?" Woo Zhengyang asked.

"The cauldron is exceptional, but it requires a tremendous amount of Soul Energy. Even my father can only manage to open it, but lacks the energy to actually use it for alchemy. Otherwise, it wouldn't just be sitting here as a decoration."

Reflecting on the past brought a touch of sadness to Liang Ruoxuan, but her pure nature quickly allowed her to move on. She pointed to a row of bookshelves and said, "Even though we don't have the 'Pill King Note,' our family still has plenty of alchemy manuals. Senior Brother Woo, you should start with the basics." With that, she handed him a book titled "Alchemy Essentials."

"This 'Alchemy Essentials' isn't rare, but it's a must-read for beginners. Go through it, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me."

After giving a few more instructions, Liang Ruoxuan entered a separate chamber to begin expelling the fire poison.

Woo Zhengyang sat down on the ground, flipping through the book in his hands. The art of alchemy is about harnessing the forces of nature and capturing the essence of all things. To master alchemy, understanding formations is fundamental, but this was not a concern for Woo Zhengyang.

Beyond that, the key skills include fire control, medicine refinement, and pill condensation, collectively known as the Three Pill Techniques. Each technique affects the final quality of the pill, and all are deeply connected to Soul Energy.

Woo Zhengyang skimmed through "An Introduction to Alchemy," gaining a basic understanding of the craft, before turning to the bookshelf to search for something else. Before long, he found what he was looking for: "The Art of Soul Cultivation."

"The Art of Soul Cultivation" is a method for strengthening Soul Energy. Whether in alchemy or crafting, Soul Energy is an essential tool. In alchemy, the stronger the Soul Energy, the easier it is to master the Three Pill Techniques, which directly impacts the success rate and quality of the pills.

Moreover, the strength of one's Soul Energy is closely tied to an alchemist's level. Only with powerful Soul Energy can one become a master alchemist or even ascend to the ranks of a Pill King or Pill Emperor. There are even legends that, before ancient calamities, Soul Energy could be used as a formidable means of attack, akin to martial arts, known as Soul Techniques.

Unfortunately, the soul technique that uses Soul Energy for attacks vanished with that great catastrophe.

"It's a pity that Bing'er and the others only practiced the skills and martial arts they could use. Otherwise, many ancient techniques might have resurfaced. I wonder how their recovery is going now!"

Woo Zhengyang didn't disturb Bing'er and the others as they recovered. He cleared his mind of distractions and began practicing the art of soul refinement.

The soul is the root of human intelligence. Its residence is the center of the forehead, known as the Purple Palace. While the dantian stores Genuine Qi, the Purple Palace stores Soul Energy. How Nalan Yan'er managed it is a mystery, but the Ice Crystal Fire Palace currently resides in Woo Zhengyang's Purple Palace.

Soul Energy is an enigmatic force, and the path of soul refinement is even more profound. Although the Ice Crystal Fire Palace is in the Purple Palace, Woo Zhengyang controls it using the method passed down by Nalan Yan'er, remaining unaware of the Purple Palace's mysteries.

After trying for a good two hours, Woo Zhengyang finally glimpsed the way, connecting his mind with the Purple Palace and opening this mysterious door. The moment it opened, Woo Zhengyang was jolted awake.

Beyond that door, Woo Zhengyang discovered a vast world he had never seen before. Yet, he was acutely aware that such a world was never meant to be his.

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