"Elder Yao, although these Bigu Pills are somewhat different from those refined by my ancestor, they shouldn't be considered useless, right?" He Yiming inquired uncertainly.

After seeing the expressions of the two elders, He Yiming had already been fairly certain that these items were unlikely to be duds, but he couldn't help but ask anyway.

Daoist Yao sighed wryly. "Elder He, if these were useless pills, then there would be no Bigu Pills in the entire world."

He Wude also let out a long sigh. "Yiming, even Bigu Pills have degrees of quality. The Bigu Pills I refine, while they do have the effect of staving off hunger, only sustain one person for a single day. However..." His gaze flickered toward the jade bottle, "If one consumes these Bigu Pills, it can sustain a person for three days and nights. These Bigu Pills are absolutely top-tier."

A sharp glint flashed in He Yiming's eyes. He naturally understood the logic: after his refinement, the vitality of the mixed herbs undoubtedly far surpassed that of the pills He Wude had made. The efficacy of the Bigu Pill, therefore, must be determined by the amount of vitality contained within the medicine.

"Elder He, how did you manage to refine them?" Daoist Yao asked after pondering for a long moment.

He was immensely curious. From his observations over the past few days, He Yiming appeared to be an amateur in the Way of Alchemy. Although he had somehow picked up a small amount of knowledge, he was still vastly inferior to the disciples on Spirit Medicine Peak.

Yet, the first time he attempted alchemy, he achieved this level—a feat that could only be described as miraculous.

He Yiming thought carefully and recounted his feelings during the refining process.

Daoist Yao's expression shifted between growing astonishment and profound seriousness. Especially when he heard that He Yiming could sense the vitality within the herbs while employing his Wood element cultivation technique, his face lit up spectacularly.

After a long silence, the old man sighed deeply. "Elder He, I was previously worried. Although you are very interested in refining medicine, due to your Five Elements cultivation art, your achievements in the Way of Alchemy in the future would be severely limited. But now, this old man finally realizes that all those worries were unfounded."

He looked deeply at He Yiming. "Elder He has not only mastered the cultivation methods of both Fire and Wood elements, but his innate talent for the Wood element is shockingly profound."

He Wude's eyes immediately shone. Hearing his master's assessment of his grandson filled his own heart with pride, making him happier than if he himself had been praised.

"Master, how did you determine that?" he asked in a deep voice.

Daoist Yao smiled slightly. "Ancient records state that there exist geniuses in this world capable of sensing the life force vitality of herbs and flora. Such geniuses are rarely seen even once in a thousand years. If they cultivate a Wood element technique, they will be like fish in water, and breaking through bottlenecks will be a hundred times easier for them than for ordinary people."

He looked at He Yiming with extreme envy and declared loudly, "Such Wood element talent is absolutely what every alchemist dreams of. No wonder Elder He chose the path of alchemy; it all makes sense now."

He Yiming inwardly broke into a cold sweat. He had no idea about the deeper meaning; even probing the vitality of the herbs was something he discovered accidentally. However, one thing he was sure of was that this talent was of unimaginable, immense help in refining medicinal herbs.

"Master, are you saying Yiming should switch to cultivating the Wood element technique?" He Wude suddenly asked.

Daoist Yao pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "Which technique Elder He should cultivate should be his own decision. But to waste such excellent Wood element talent would be a terrible pity."

Although he didn't explicitly say it, the implication of his words was perfectly clear.

He Yiming offered a wry smile. He knew his own situation intimately. For him, cultivating any technique yielded essentially the same result, but this was something he couldn't possibly reveal to others.

After a brief pause, seeing that He Yiming showed no reaction, Daoist Yao displayed a trace of disappointment. He cleared his throat lightly. "Elder He, the Way of Alchemy is vast and profound. If you can truly achieve something in this path, it will bring unimaginable benefits to your future martial cultivation."

He Wude nodded heavily. "Yiming, Master speaks the truth. Even I never imagined you possessed talent in both Fire and Wood elements." He sighed deeply. "If I had known earlier, even facing Master's reprimand, I would have taught you the Way of Alchemy sooner."

Before He Yiming revealed this dual-element talent, He Wude desperately hoped his precious grandson would quickly abandon the absurd notion of alchemy and focus all his energy on cultivation.

But upon learning of He Yiming's exceptionally brilliant Fire and Wood talent, his thinking underwent a massive reversal.

Elder Yao’s eyes suddenly showed a look of resolution. "Elder He, to be frank, among our Hengshan lineage, Spirit Medicine Peak, while not the main peak, is undoubtedly the second most important. If you are willing to study Fire and Wood cultivation and inherit my Way of Alchemy, I am willing to grant you the position of the Peak Master of Spirit Medicine Peak."

On his face, which did not match his actual age, there appeared an unparalleled gravity.

He Yiming was deeply surprised. Having seen the residence on Spirit Medicine Peak and that expanse of medicinal gardens, he certainly understood the mountain's status within Hengshan. Therefore, when Daoist Yao, representing the elders of the sect, offered him the choice to select any peak in the nearby mountain range, he had never considered the possibility of taking charge of Spirit Medicine Peak.

After a moment of hesitation, he asked, "Elder Yao, why would you do this?"

Elder Yao didn't answer immediately but pondered for a moment before abruptly asking, "Elder He, do you know why our Hengshan lineage's Supreme Elder, two other Elders, and the majority of our Inner Strength Tenth Layer disciples are far from Hengshan?"

He Yiming shook his head slightly, completely bewildered by this too. "I do not know."

Elder Yao gave a bitter smile, his voice filled with helplessness. "All of this is because of a lack of successors!"

Only when Elder Yao truly spoke his mind did He Yiming grasp the core issue.

Since Yu Xichen consumed the last Congenital Golden Elixir and advanced to the Congenital Grand Master realm, for an entire sixty-year cycle, no one else in the Hengshan lineage had managed to break through. Simultaneously, the three Elders and the Supreme Elder were aging. If no new talents emerged, the doom of the Hengshan lineage would arrive once the older generation of Congenital masters passed away.

Therefore, the elders in the mountain held discussions and dispatched most of the experts capable of making a difference to search the boundless mountains for traces of Congenital Spirit Beasts over five hundred years old. Although the Houtian disciples at the Inner Strength Tenth Layer could not fight Congenital Spirit Beasts, as soon as they found any clue about these beasts, they would return to the mountain to request the Elders or even the Supreme Elder to intervene personally.

It was precisely because Hengshan was in this precarious transitional state that when He Yiming arrived and brought two precious Congenital Spirit Beast Inner Cores, Daoist Yao was so overjoyed.

Naturally, Daoist Yao also had his own private motives. Given his age and extensive knowledge, he truly wished to find a genuine successor to his legacy. However, among his many disciples, even He Wujin, who had followed him the longest, was not a Congenital Grand Master, nor did he cultivate both Fire and Wood elements—making him completely incapable of inheriting his entire body of knowledge.

Thus, when He Yiming displayed that extraordinary, almost exaggerated Wood element talent, his thoughts immediately became active.

A Congenital expert at only seventeen years old, possessing the legendary Wood element talent—it would be the greatest waste of heaven's bounty if such a person did not become an alchemist.

After laying out all these facts without concealment, Daoist Yao stated solemnly, "Elder He, if you did not possess both Fire and Wood element talents simultaneously, this old man would not press you; the Hengshan lineage covers a vast area, and you could choose any peak. But since you possess such superior talent, this old man naturally cannot let it slip away easily."

He Yiming hesitated for a moment. "Elder Yao, did the Hengshan lineage have many Congenital Golden Elixirs in the past?"

"Not many," Daoist Yao replied with a look of helplessness. "You have seen Congenital Spirit Beasts; their strength is immense, and even ordinary Congenital experts might not easily defeat them. Moreover, finding traces of them is far more difficult than hunting them. Except for that one place..." He paused, a flash of fear crossing his face, then coughed twice to cover it up. "In short, Congenital Spirit Beasts are extremely rare, and Congenital Golden Elixirs are even rarer. If it weren't for that, Wude wouldn't have been expelled from the sect over that matter forty years ago."

He Yiming nodded slightly and stated gravely, "Since Congenital Golden Elixirs have always been in short supply, how did the Congenital experts of Hengshan reach that realm?"

Daoist Yao looked at him with surprise, a slightly comical expression appearing on his face, and laughed heartily. "Elder He, do you truly believe that all the Elders of our Hengshan lineage advanced by consuming Congenital Golden Elixirs?"

He Yiming was slightly taken aback and looked at his grandfather, who offered a bitter smile. "Yiming, for those who only cultivate one element among the foundational Five Elements, it is true that only by consuming a Congenital Golden Elixir can they advance to the Congenital realm. But the Hengshan lineage has produced masters throughout the generations, and there have been no small number of people who cultivated dual-element complementary techniques and reached the Tenth Layer simultaneously. Currently, the three Elders and the Supreme Elder—four Congenital masters in total—except for Elder Yu Xichen of the main peak, the other three advanced to the Congenital realm through dual-element complementary techniques."

Daoist Yao nodded slightly, supplementing, "It's not just Hengshan like this; whether in the Northwest Kingdoms or the distant Great Shen in the East, or even the Congenital experts in the Northern Ice Plains, seven or eight out of ten advanced by cultivating dual-element complementary techniques. As for those who consumed Congenital Golden Elixirs..." He paused, "either their luck was too great, or they had the support of a powerful sect behind them."

Only then did He Yiming realize. He recalled Cheng Fu, recalled Xie Zhi'en, and then looked at Daoist Yao before him.

In the Northwest territory, cultivators were as numerous as grass. With such a massive base, there must certainly be many cultivating dual-element complementary techniques. Even if not all of them could break through to the Congenital realm, even a small minority would be enough to hold up the sky.

Daoist Yao noticed the change in He Yiming's expression. "Although our Hengshan lineage is not a major sect, we have some renown, and there has never been a shortage of disciples in the sect who possess dual-element complementary talent. Thus, for thousands of years, the sect never lacked Congenital experts. However, in the last sixty years, not a single person in the sect has managed to advance to the Congenital realm through their own efforts—this is unprecedented since the founding of Hengshan."

He shook his head, his voice imbued with bitterness.

He Wude quickly interjected, "Master, now that Yiming has joined the Hengshan lineage, coupled with one Congenital Golden Elixir, the inheritance of our sect will definitely not be an issue."

Daoist Yao nodded gently, a look of anticipation appearing on his face. "Elder He, what about my proposal..."

He Yiming laughed heartily. "Since Elder Yao has commanded it, Yiming certainly dares not refuse!" He bowed deeply to Daoist Yao. "The Way of Alchemy is as profound as the ocean; please guide me generously."

Sparks flew in Daoist Yao's eyes, and he made no attempt to hide his joy. He laughed, "Good! Since that is the case, please have Elder He reside temporarily on Spirit Medicine Peak. This old man will certainly impart all of my over a century of learning."

He Yiming nodded heavily, his expression also filled with delight.

However, he muttered inwardly: the late Lü Xinwen had repeatedly entrusted him on his deathbed to pass on the learning of his line, not to seek revenge from Fan Hao.

Now Daoist Yao was doing the same; although his end was still far off, he was already preparing for the future.

As for Master Shui Xuanjin, although his time was nearly up, he still placed all his energy into the Tianluo Kingdom.

These powerful individuals, it seemed, each held their own unwavering convictions.

Perhaps it was the strength of this conviction that allowed them to successfully stand out among the multitude of Houtian masters.

※※※※

"Elder He, here are the two Congenital cultivation techniques I have practiced."

In a spacious main hall, Daoist Yao solemnly presented two handwritten secret manuals to He Yiming. His gaze remained fixed on these two books, his face filled with a sigh of emotion.

He Yiming accepted the books with both hands. He didn't turn to the first page immediately but instead flipped to the latter half of the handwritten copies, and instantly understood why Daoist Yao wore such an expression.

These two copied volumes contained not only the incantations and diagrams of the cultivation techniques but also, more preciously, the annotations that followed.

From the densely packed minute characters, He Yiming could deeply feel the painstaking effort Elder Yao had invested.

He bowed deeply toward Daoist Yao, recognizing the sincerity of his gratitude from the elder's devout expression.

Daoist Yao smiled and accepted the bow. Presenting these two manuals, which held the essence of most of his life's work, this mere bow was thoroughly deserved.

He Yiming composed himself and formally opened the first page of the first manual, right in front of Daoist Yao.

Suddenly, He Yiming’s eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape, as if wanting to cry out in surprise but ultimately swallowing the sound back down.

However, at that moment, his heart was far from calm.

Because, on the first page of this manual, were three large characters he knew intimately.

Blazing Fire Art...

Almost without hesitation, He Yiming flipped to the first page of the other manual at his fastest speed.

When he recognized the three equally familiar characters inscribed there, the look in his eyes became as peculiar as possible.

Withered Wood Art...

The names of these two manuals were identical to the top-tier Fire and Wood cultivation techniques from the Xu family in Taicang County.

He hesitated for a moment before continuing to flip through the contents. After skimming several pages in great haste, a feeling of wry amusement washed over him.

Because the content inside was exactly the same as the two manuals he possessed!

He skipped directly to the middle of the manuals, and only then did the content begin to differ. He Yiming slowed his reading speed, scrutinizing every word and phrase, a faint trace of joy subtly emerging at the corners of his eyes.

He finally understood: the Blazing Fire Art and Withered Wood Art he obtained from the Xu family were merely incomplete drafts!

They only recorded the cultivation methods for the Houtian realm for these two techniques. In reality, once the cultivation of these two techniques reached the Congenital realm, there were corresponding Congenital tempering methods.

Even though He Yiming had only briefly scanned a few lines, he had already discerned many extraordinary aspects.

His Five Elements cultivation techniques, after advancing to the Congenital realm and undergoing repeated tempering, had undergone extremely subtle changes, rendering them neither one thing nor the other.

It was precisely because of this that even Daoist Yao, who had cultivated these two techniques for a hundred years, failed to realize that He Yiming's Fire and Wood cultivation stemmed from the same origin.

After obtaining these two complete Congenital manuals, He Yiming merely flipped through them quickly, verifying them against what he already knew, and instantly felt enlightened. He was certain that if he could fully integrate the contents of these two manuals, his martial cultivation would advance significantly.

"Elder He, is there something unsuitable about these two manuals?" Daoist Yao asked, observing He Yiming's expression, which shifted like a spell was being cast.

He Yiming snapped back to attention and hurriedly said, "It's not the manuals themselves, but their names." He collected his thoughts. "In my Taicang County, there is an aristocratic family that has been established for a hundred years, and they possess these two manuals."

Daoist Yao was greatly alarmed, exclaiming, "That's impossible!"

"If you don't believe me, you can ask my ancestor for verification," He Yiming added. "Of course, I haven't seen their manuals; perhaps the names are just the same."

Daoist Yao shook his head slightly. "Even if it's a coincidence, it’s impossible for the names of two manuals to be exactly the same." He suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Is that aristocratic family surnamed Xu?"

"Yes," He Yiming replied, surprised.

Daoist Yao laughed heartily and immediately changed the subject, refusing to say another word no matter how much He Yiming pressed.

This greatly astonished He Yiming. What was the background of the Xu family that even Daoist Yao was deeply apprehensive of them?

Ps: Two more chapters in two minutes ^_^