Chen Miaomiao suppressed the hostility in her eyes and smiled brightly. “Fellow Daoist Chen, you flatter me. I have long heard of your innate talent in the Liandan Art, and that every pill you refine is of Mid-grade Quality. Truly, you are a prodigy among prodigies! I have long admired you, and having the chance to meet you today is truly fate.”
Chen Wen laughed, waving it off casually. “Mid-grade pills are nothing. If you like them, how about I gift you a few High-grade Pills?”
As he spoke, Chen Wen retrieved a green porcelain bottle from his cloud sleeve. When he pulled out the stopper, an intense, domineering medicinal fragrance instantly filled the hall—a scent no ordinary Mid-grade Pill could compare to.
“Heavens! This aroma… is it a High-grade Pill?!”
The Chen family members were overjoyed, exclaiming one after another, “Congratulations, Elder, on advancing your strength!”
“Congratulations, Elder!”
“The Elder is truly the foundation of our Chen family!”
“Hahahaha!” Chen Wen raised his thick eyebrows, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes as he glanced at Chen Miaomiao, gently stroking the black bead bracelet on his wrist.
This was a silent contest.
Chen Wen wanted to show Chen Miaomiao that even if she truly was a Yuanying Laozu, he was a Grade 3 High-grade Alchemist. In his presence, she would have to rein in her arrogance and carefully weigh his worth.
An alchemist capable of refining Grade 3 High-grade Pills was not only respected within the Chen family but would also be considered an elite even among the great sects!
Chen Miaomiao sneered inwardly but accepted the bottle graciously. “Then I shall humbly accept. Elder Chen is truly generous!”
Chen Miaomiao’s unreserved attitude even caught Chen Wen off guard, causing him to pause his stroking of the beads. He had assumed these High-level Cultivators would be more reserved and unwilling to lower their heads.
So it turns out they’re no different.
Chen Miaomiao cheerfully tucked the bottle into her cloud sleeve. Humiliation? Sorry, she didn’t feel humiliated at all.
Only a fool would pass up a free advantage. Besides, who knew whose hands this pill truly came from or where it originated?
Chen Wen looked down on Chen Miaomiao’s mercenary attitude yet was satisfied with her tactfulness. With a Yuanying Laozu aiding him, he could now expand his influence even more recklessly in the future.
Excellent.
Chen Wen nodded and said, “I have prepared a modest feast. Would you care to join me inside, Fellow Daoist?”
“Please.”
…
At the banquet, the two chatted and laughed, creating a harmonious atmosphere. After several rounds of drinks, Chen Wen suddenly remarked, “By the way, I heard that you offered some guidance to my granddaughter on the road, helping her achieve a breakthrough? Is that true?”
Chen Miaomiao smiled warmly. “Guidance is too strong a word. It was merely Young Miss Chen’s innate brilliance. If you’re interested, I happen to have a set of Gongfa. Shall I share it with you?”
Hearing this, Chen Wen was overjoyed and replied bluntly, “Excellent! Truly excellent! Nothing could be better!”
Chen Wen repeated his praise, partly because he could obtain a new Gongfa, and partly because this signified that Chen Miaomiao had completely “submitted” to their Chen family!
This Gongfa was her “pledge of allegiance”!
Chen Chuqing couldn’t sit still any longer and asked excitedly, “Senior, what is this Gongfa called?”
Chen Miaomiao turned to look at her, her smile as kind and amiable as could be.
“This Gongfa is called the ‘Jiuyin Zhenjing.’”
The Jiuyin Zhenjing?!
Every member of the Chen family gasped in astonishment. The name alone sounded domineering!
It must be a Huang-rank, no, perhaps even a Di-rank Gongfa!
They could hardly wait any longer!
“Listen carefully, Benzun will only say this once… At the four cardinal hours of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You, guide the Qi back to the Dantian and push the palms forward. Face north with your back to the south, sitting cross-legged toward the sky, let your intent follow the movement between your palms. Focus your intent on the Dantian as a single Yang stirs, drawing back left and right to align with the two acupoints. Bring your palms together in a prayer gesture before your chest, allowing the Zhenqi to spiral and flow within. Let the Qi circulate through the Rendu Small Cycle, then gently nurture the Dantian for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. The speed should align with the number thirty-six—this is the first level of the Jiuyin Shengong. (1) Have you all remembered it?”
The crowd listened in a daze, utterly bewildered, yet not a single person doubted the authenticity of these words.
After all, Chen Miaomiao had casually offered a few pointers to Chen Chuqing, and she had broken through!
If they could master this entire “Jiuyin Zhenjing,” wouldn’t achieving Jindan be just around the corner?!
After speaking, Chen Miaomiao picked up her wine cup and took a small sip, feeling overjoyed inside.
You pack of jackals and leopards, if I don’t ruin you all, I’ll consider it my loss, alright?
Of course, Chen Miaomiao didn’t forget to express her gratitude to her favorite author, Mr. Jin Yong. Hehehe.
Chen Wen slowly twirled the bead bracelet in his hand, savoring the “Jiuyin Zhenjing” repeatedly before offering a sincere sigh: “This Gongfa is truly profound and mysterious. I wonder, is there a second level?”
Chen Miaomiao unhurriedly set down her wine cup and smiled: “There is naturally a second level. However, while a Grade 3 High-grade Pill is certainly good, its effects are minimal for someone like me.”
Even if a Grade 3 Pill were of extraordinary quality, it would still be a Grade 3 Pill. What a Yuanying Cultivator needs is a Grade 4 Pill!
The implied meaning was: Can you even refine a Grade 4 Pill? How dare you babble nonsense in front of a Yuanying Cultivator.
Chen Wen understood, but he didn’t feel angry. Instead, he felt reassured.
If she had given him a Gongfa for no reason, he would have found it suspicious!
“Hahaha.Chen Wen tightened his grip on the bead bracelet and said with an air of mystery, “A Grade 4 Pill, hahaha.”.. Considering how well we hit it off, this old man will give you a little hint in advance. I’ve recently gained deeper insights into the art of pill refining. Perhaps there will be a pleasant surprise soon.”
Chen Miaomiao’s heart skipped a beat: “Is that true?”
“How would I dare to deceive you?”
Chen Miaomiao smiled brilliantly, standing up to toast Chen Wen from afar: “Then I’ll leave it to you, fellow Daoist. I await your good news. I toast to you, fellow Daoist.”
“Haha, of course, of course.”
After the two finished their cups of Lingjiu, the Chen family members could no longer contain themselves and burst into cheers on the spot.
“Elder! You truly are the number one pill-refining prodigy under the heavens!”
“Elder! We are deeply proud of you!”
“Elder, you are mighty!”
“Elder, mighty!”
Chen Wen laughed heartily, set down his wine cup, and once again gently twirled the bead bracelet on his wrist.
This small gesture initially didn’t catch Chen Miaomiao’s attention, but as Chen Wen repeatedly and unconsciously rubbed it, she naturally couldn’t ignore it any longer.
Chen Miaomiao subtly examined the pitch-black bead bracelet, vaguely sensing that something might be amiss.
Could this bracelet belong to little Miaomiao?
No, little Miaomiao doesn’t have a bead bracelet… Then what is this…
Wait!
In a flash of insight, Chen Miaomiao remembered a crucial detail!
Although little Miaomiao doesn’t have a black bead bracelet like this, she does have a white pearl of the same size.
Since this pearl was ordinary and devoid of Lingqi, the main family had no interest in it, so it had always been kept by little Miaomiao herself. However, this pearl was not currently on Chen Miaomiao’s person!
Chen Miaomiao speculated that the white pearl might be a storage space similar to a Qiankun Dai!
And all the pills “refined” by Chen Wen might have come from the pearl’s space!
If her guess was correct, everything would fall into place!