Chapter 44: Five Elements Elixir Formation

Shui Jingzi nodded with a smile. “The Five Elements of Heaven and Earth, the Divine Ability attained upon their perfect completion is unimaginable! In my youth, I once saw that lofty master who founded the Five Elements Path. His noble bearing was beyond compare, utterly incomparable…”

His gaze grew somewhat unfocused at this point, revealing a look of yearning before turning cold with a sneer. “There aren’t ten thousand Five Elements spells under the Heavens, but there are eight thousand for sure! Yet, most only specialize in one path. While everyone knows of the Five Elements, few truly understand their profound mysteries!”

“Fei Longzi himself only lamented the vast intricacy of the Great Dao of Five Elements after attaining his Primordial Spirit! It filled him with deep regret. What I wish to impart to you today is the very secret to achieving the Five Elements Elixir Formation and ascending to the pinnacle!”

“Five Elements Elixir Formation, ascending to the Pinnacle!” Even the usually carefree Mu Yuan felt his blood surge with excitement at these words.

“Any single path within the Five Elements can independently form a Golden Core and achieve a Primordial Spirit! And their power is not weak! But if one truly wishes to roam heaven and earth unchallenged, without restraint or fear, it is the Five Elements Golden Core of the Five Elements Path, the Universe Primordial Spirit, that is required!”

By now, Mu Yuan was completely immersed. He listened as Shui Jingzi continued, “After Fei Longzi attained his Primordial Spirit, he engaged in fierce battles with masters of the other four paths who had also achieved Primordial Spirits. Though he didn’t steal the secrets of their four paths’ methods, he grasped their fundamental essences!”

“Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth – the Five Elements! Their quintessential truth encompasses constant change and dissolution! The Fire Path Primordial Spirit is the strongest in direct combat power, while the others have their own profound mysteries. But once the Five Elements Elixir is forged and one achieves the Primordial Spirit, the power is earth-shattering, capable of sweeping aside almost every other sect!”

Mu Yuan had originally thought that mastering all five paths merely meant possessing a more complex Magical Power and a wider array of combat methods. Though his master intended to guide him, he was only at the Core Formation Realm himself. The path to Primordial Spirit was long and undefined; no one had yet revealed the ultimate potential of Qi Refinement cultivation to him. Now, getting this chance, especially hearing about the supreme path, Mu Yuan was determined not to miss it!

“Esteemed Senior, if the Five Paths are so distinct, how can they be fused into one?”

Shui Jingzi chuckled slightly. “Have you forgotten what I just said? Among the Five Elements, the Earth nature is vast and encompassing. It harmonizes all things. Within the Earth Path, its supreme technique is called the Forge Furnace Art! Its purpose is to melt all five paths together into a single furnace, gathering and coalescing them into the Elixir! Water and Fire nurture each other, Dragon and Tiger meet – that would be the Water, Fire, Wood, and Metal paths! As the verse goes: ‘Sleeves unfolded, the universe expanded; Staff lifted, sun and moon shone bright; All rests upon that single formed Elixir!'”

Mu Yuan murmured, “‘Sleeves unfolded… all rests upon that single formed Elixir.’ But achieving mastery over all Five Elements… how incredibly difficult that must be!”

Shui Jingzi sighed. “It absolutely is! Otherwise, it wouldn’t be that no one has accomplished it in all these years! However, Fei Longzi once theorized that obtaining the Forge Furnace Art alone could suffice. The other four paths could be substituted with different techniques from other lineages. Though this Five Elements Elixir wouldn’t be as exquisite as one formed purely from orthodox Five Elements Path methods, it would still far surpass any other!”

“The Forge Furnace Art… Forge Furnace Art… why does it sound more like a Fire Path technique?” Mu Yuan wondered aloud.

Shui Jingzi laughed brightly. “One should not guess the nature of a technique merely by its name! The Fire Path’s core method is the Nirvana Art! The Metal Path’s is the Eternal Art! You know the Water Path’s – it’s the Tidal Flow! Together with the Longevity Art, these are the Five Great Mind Techniques! Any one of them can lead to the achievement of a Primordial Spirit – it depends on the individual!”

Mu Yuan nodded. He asked hesitantly, “If one cannot acquire all five great techniques, how can they use the Forge Furnace Art to smelt the Five Elements and form the Golden Core?”

“Aspire for their spirit, their essence! Techniques under heaven are diverse, but none escape the principles of the Five Elements and Yin and Yang. If you gather representations of the Five Elements themselves, it should suffice. If that proves utterly impossible, one can barely make do by condensing the Five Elements’ Auras and Malices from the world, or using certain quintessence treasures associated with the Five Elements Path!”

“Treasures can work too?” Mu Yuan was intrigued.

“Using treasures is something Fei Longzi also speculated about. It is possible! However, the requirements for the treasures become very strict. They must be treasures of the Five Elements Path, embodying a pure aspect of a single element! Once you achieve great success in Spirit Refining and can divide your Spiritual Sense to create External Incarnations, you will naturally gain insight into some essential principles of treasure crafting. Then, you can use the Forge Furnace Art to simultaneously smelt those External Incarnations, those Second Primordial Spirits, together with your own True Qi, transforming them all into the Golden Core! A Golden Core formed this way is even higher in quality than one formed by gathering techniques from other paths!”

“External Incarnations!” Mu Yuan felt like he was going crazy. He hadn’t anticipated such complexities. He managed a bitter smile. “Esteemed Senior, surely you jest? How could forming a mere Elixir be so troublesome?!”

Shui Jingzi’s expression turned cold and stern. “Who said I was joking?! If you don’t wish to pursue this, then forget it! Forming your Elixir with the Longevity Art is simple enough. Consider my words wasted on you!”

With these sharp words, Shui Jingzi’s graceful form twisted. He suddenly reverted to his true body! His wings trembled, parting the swamp as he vanished back into its depths.

“Such a temper!” Mu Yuan sighed heavily. “An entity controlling water, yet unable to quench that blazing fury within!” He watched the ripples settle.

“The Forge Furnace Art, External Incarnations, treasures, Heaven and Earth Auras and Malices… sigh! My Elixir Formation!” Mu Yuan let out a groan. He had thought his Elixir Formation was within easy reach, needing only Gathering Aura and Condensing Malice followed by Spirit Refining to fuse his Essence, Qi, and Spirit into the Golden Core. Now, Shui Jingzi’s words had completely unsettled him. Which cultivator on the path of Qi Refinement lacked pride and determination? Who wouldn’t want a top-grade Elixir and an invincible Primordial Spirit?!

He strolled leisurely back to his original spot and sat down cross-legged. He did not notice that deep within the swamp, Shui Jingzi’s colossal body coiled upon itself. He reverted to human form, wiping cold sweat from his brow. “Thank the heavens that lad is easily fooled. Merely recounting Fei Longzi’s speculations earned me the Dragon King’s Dynamic Force! Whether he succeeds is up to him now! Alas, I have no worthy treasures on me, or I might have given him one. Ha, deceiving a junior like that… Fei Longzi would probably laugh himself to death if he knew.” A satisfied smirk appeared on his face.

Immediately, he began circulating his newly acquired technique. His Wanchuan streams of True Qi transformed into thin threads of lightning power. In mere moments, his entire body was covered in a shimmering electric glow! The space around him warped faintly under the influence of this electric force. Compared to Mu Yuan’s Dragon King’s Dynamic Force, this power was a hundred times stronger!

In the remaining days, Mu Yuan continued honing his Tide True Qi daily. In moments of leisure, he still pondered the Elixir Formation methods Shui Jingzi had spoken of, finding himself no closer to a solution. Day by day passed this way until the final month of his seclusion finally ended. Mu Yuan had made up his mind.

“It seems I must first ask Master for the Spirit Refining method. I’ll inevitably need to undertake Gathering Aura and Condensing Malice. If I come across suitable Auras and Malices, I can collect them for the future Elixir Formation! And if I encounter a few clueless cultivators from the other three paths… Well, I might have to resort to force! Snatching their techniques would be ideal, but even securing a few precious treasures wouldn’t hurt!” His eyes gleamed with planning. “Ah yes! And I need the means to divide my Spiritual Sense and cultivate External Incarnations as well. That’s crucial!”