Translator: 549690339
She looked as delicate as a dolled-up jade figurine. With red lips, white teeth, pitch-black eyes, and rosy cheeks peeking through her white face, she seemed so tender and soft that one couldn’t help but want to squeeze and hug her.
Looking at Gu Junzhu, who was gazing at the child with such affection, it was as if he was looking at his own flesh and blood.
It made sense.
Just a few glances at the child made his heart itch with longing.
Well, since the child was so reliant on Gu Junzhu, it was only natural for Gu Junzhu to love him.
Gu Junzhu carried the little boy back to Ye Xingbei’s side.
Ye Xingbei pinched the little one’s cheek and pretended to be angry: “You little rascal! Always thinking about Daddy and forgetting Mommy, right?”
Although she was feigning anger, there was undeniable bitterness in her heart.
After pouring out so much effort over five years to raise this child, the place in his heart was overtaken by the newcomer Gu Junzhu in just a couple of days. The little rascal only had eyes for Gu Junzhu and no longer her.
It felt as though someone had flipped her heart over, spilling all the vinegar inside, leaving behind a sour taste.
The little one hugged her neck and gave her a peck on the cheek. In a soft voice, he confessed, “Mommy, you’re always here. But what if Daddy has to leave again on a mission?”
Hearing this, Ye Xingbei felt her heart squeeze tighter.
The sour taste in her heart this time wasn’t from jealousy, but from the pang of sympathy she suddenly felt for her son’s understanding of the situation.
So, the boy was not simply attached to Gu Junzhu, but was also afraid that Gu Junzhu might vanish on him again. That’s why he clung so tightly to him.
Gu Junzhu lightly patted his bottom, “I’ve retired, Daddy won’t be going on any more missions.”
“But you could still go on business trips!” The tiny boy earnestly raised both soft hands to cradle Gu Junzhu’s face, “The book says, men should provide and women should nurture. Mommy can always be with Little Tree, while Daddy has to hustle outside, earn money to provide for Little Tree and Mommy!”
Gu Junzhu grinned, pinching his small cheeks, “You little thing, how come you understand so much? Alright, Daddy promises you, if I have to leave on a business trip, I’ll always let Little Tree know. I won’t leave stealthily. Is that acceptable?”
“Uh-huh!” The child nodded vigorously, extending a small finger, “Pinky promise! No going back on your word or you’re a puppy!”
“Pinky promise!” Gu Junzhu extended his pinky, hooking it with the little one’s finger.
At noon, Xie Yunlin, Xie Jinfei, and Ye Xinglan all stayed over for lunch.
Little Tree was thrilled to have two uncles joining them. Though, for him, his daddy, Gu Junzhu, remained his favorite.
Snuggled next to Gu Junzhu, his eyes were almost always fixated on him. Whoever Gu Junzhu talked to, he would listen attentively.
With his tiny hands, he even attempted to serve Gu Junzhu by picking out food for him. Tasting something delicious, he instantly scooped more onto Gu Junzhu’s plate.
Xie Jinfei looked on enviously.
This small milk-fed child, so endearing and adorable. He wished he could have one too.
Seeing Xie Jinfei’s glowing eyes fixed on the child, Xie Yunlin abruptly said, “Xiao Fei, if you like children so much, you better get married soon and have your own.”
That way, the ceaseless nagging from their grandparents to find a girlfriend and get married would probably come to an end.
Jinfei nearly spit out the food in his mouth, gulping it down in two to three bites, and after a couple of coughs, laughed off Yunlin’s comment. He said, “Stop kidding around! You’re older than me, so if anyone should get married first, it should be you. Marriage is still a long way off for me.”
Yunlin shot him a glance and chuckled, “Oh, so now you remember to be respectful towards your elder brother? Where was this respect when you were taking benefits for yourself?”
A sheepish grin spread across Jinfei’s face, and he silently resumed eating his food.
Ye Xinglan watched as Jinfei shied away, a sight reminding him of his younger brother Ye Xingli. He couldn’t help but display a knowing smile.
No wonder they were cousins. The way they both cowered in such situations was almost identical.
Even though these two brothers resembled their mother more, there were certain similarities among them if you looked close enough..
Innumerable Changesi
Translator: 549690339
Li Xuan finished explaining the basic theory of Alchemy he had written, and then looked at Su Lingxiu. He asked, “Have you remembered it all?”
If she didn’t remember it, her talent would be somewhat lacking.
Both Xu Yan and Meng Chong remembered after only hearing it once.
“Master, I’ve memorized it all, and I’ve even thought of a pill formula. Can you see if it can work?”
Su Lingxiu said excitedly.
Li Xuan was surprised. She had come up with a pill formula so quickly?
Her talent was not bad!
He had not chosen the wrong person or accepted the wrong disciple.
With a calm expression on his face, he nodded and said, “Oh, what is the pill formula?”
“Master, you mentioned that practice begins with the sensing of Qi and blood, refining the skin, bones, and organs. Therefore, I thought of combining ginseng, nine-leaf ginseng, tiger blood… When used together and refined into a pill, they can greatly replenish the body and can be quickly digested for the purpose of cultivation.”
Su Lingxiu explained the pill formula she had come up with.
“Your ability to think of such a pill formula shows that you are familiar with various herbs…”
Li Xuan calmly said.
Su Lingxiu was slightly jubilant, had her master approved of her pill recipe?
However, Li Xuan continued, “You certainly have talent, or 1 would not have accepted you as a disciple, but how did you conceive your pill formula?
“Do you understand the principle of using the monarch, minister, assistant, and courier in medication?”
Su Lingxiu, squeezing the corner of her clothes, said, “I don’t, could you please clarify, Master?”
“Being the main herb for a particular disease is the monarch, supporting the monarch is the minister, assisting the minister is the courier… One monarch and two ministers are the minor recipes, two monarchs, three ministers, and five couriers are the medium recipes…”
Li Xuan explained the principles of using monarch, minister, assistant, and courier in medicine, and then said, “You should grasp which herbs should be the monarch, which should be the minister… The doctrine of the elixir is changeless.”
“Remember, diseases have various forms, medical treatments do not have constant methods, medicines do not have constant characteristics, and the timing of the situation dictates; divine craftsmanship lies with the person, while the roles of monarch, minister, assistant, and courier depend on their use…”
Su Lingxiu was greatly shocked as she listened. It seemed as if a skylight had suddenly been opened in her world, and she had caught a glimpse of a whole new terrain.
She had a faint sense of understanding.
Various precious and spiritual medicines flashed through her mind: what characteristics each medicine had, which were their main functions… and all things reappeared in her mind one by one.
“Monarch, minister, assistant, and courier? The changeless doctrine of the elixir…”
Su Lingxiu vaguely felt that she seemed to have understood something. As long as she spent time sorting it out, she was sure she could create a valid pill formula.
Li Xuan watched her. This girl was not lacking in comprehension. The theory of elixir he’d told her, along with the principle of using monarch, minister, assistant, and courier in medicine, seemed to have given her great inspiration.
She may have had some insights.
So he stopped explaining further, allowing Su Lingxiu time to process it all.
“Master, 1 think I understand a bit. 1 will ponder this carefully.”
Su Lingxiu respectfully replied.
“Hmm, next, I will teach you how to refine the elixir.”
Li Xuan nodded, and then said, “When refining a pill, use Qi and blood as the furnace, Qi and blood as the pill fire, use the mind to sense, understand the changes of the pill, comprehend the success or failure of the pill… Use True Qi as the pill fire, refine and remove impurities, and take its essence…”
How to refine a pill?
Li Xuan directly created the refining of pills with Qi and blood, and refines pills with True Qi… Anyway, when in the Qi and blood realm, Qi and blood are used as the pill fire, and pills are refined. During the Innate realm, True Qi is used as the pill fire, and pills are refined… and so on.
As for the Pill Furnace, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to make one, so Li Xuan didn’t mention it specifically.
“Since you have not entered the Qi and blood realm, you naturally cannot use
Qi and blood as the pill fire to refine pills. You can attempt it with a Pill Furnace. Of course, if you have a good Pill Furnace, refining pills can naturally be made easier.
“This all depends on you and how to comprehend the way of refining medicine.”
“If you want to use the Pill Furnace to assist in refining pills, you need to figure out a way to make the Pill Furnace on your own. The Pill Furnace is particular, and the usual steel furnace is not conducive to Alchemy.”
Li Xuan reminded Su Lingxiu that besides refining pills with bare hands, a Pill Furnace can also be used for assistance.
As for how to get a Pill Furnace, that would depend entirely on Su Lingxiu’s own capabilities.
After all, he didn’t have a Pill Furnace and didn’t know how to refine a pill.
The whole thing was made up.
“Yes, Master!”
Su Lingxiu nodded, indicating that she understood.
The next part was the core of the Alchemy Martial Arts—the cultivation method.
“The cultivation of Alchemy Martial Arts, although it also involves refining the skin, bones, and organs, the cultivation is actually closer to living qi of all things. Using the Spiritual Energy of all things to nurture oneself and stimulate the Qi and blood.
“The Qi and blood of Alchemist Martial Artist is full of life, representing the way of medicine, curing diseases and saving people; regardless, it can also be as strong as fire, representing the way of elixir, extracting the essence and used for refining elixir.
“Medicine is like wood, the elixir is like fire. Wood can produce fire, fire can forge metal, metal can produce water, and water can produce wood…”
Subsequently, Li Xuan imparted the cultivation method of Alchemist Martial Artist to Su Lingxiu, and along the way, he also taught her about Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, the Eight Extraordinary Channels, the Human body’s acupoints, etc.
The Qi and blood and True Qi cultivated by Alchemist Martial Arts, naturally has its own characteristics.
If not, there wouldn’t be much difference compared to the orthodox Martial Arts.
Lastly, he explained some additional themes such as acupuncture. For example, using the Golden Needle to reach the acupoint, expel toxins with the Golden Needle, restore life with the Golden Needle, and so on. These methods were mysterious beyond measure.
Li Xuan went on to explain all the compiled Alchemist Martial Arts, whether Su Lingxiu could comprehend anything from such a huge, complicated, and even somewhat self-conflicting theory.
Li Xuan couldn’t guarantee it. It all depended on Su Lingxiu’s own talent.
If she succeeded, he would have opened up a new system of Martial Arts.
And he would have another treasured disciple.
This girl was pretty, lively, and kind, liked to bury evil people, if she could successfully comprehend it all, Li Xuan felt the troubles behind her would be nothing at all..