Yang Gu Knelt Down
Yang Gu could not help but feel shocked. A Half-Step Void Refinement Realm expert was a being the likes of the Venerated Seven of the Internal Endless Sea. However, an expert of that level was subdued and refined into a spiritual puppet by Ning Fan…
Yang Gu could not refrain from wondering what level Ning Fan’s cultivation base was currently at!
Since the news of Ning Fan’s return had been spread widely, the rumors about Ning Fan in the outside world said that he was a Divine Transformation Realm cultivator, but it only claimed that he was at the early stage.
Despite that, Yang Gu did not believe it at all!
How could an Early Divine Transformation Realm cultivator own a Half-Step Void Refinement Realm spiritual puppet?!
“Daoist Yang, please don’t mind it. Having this spiritual puppet by my side is a principle of my behavior.”
He did not explain more after saying those words and threw tufts upon tufts of spiritual herbs into the pill cauldron.
Spiritual puppets were summoned as a protector of the pill master to prevent any spectators from sneak-attacking him which might then cause damage to the pills and even other people.
Asking for remuneration and taking precautions against Yang Gu… Ning Fan always laid out the situations very bluntly at the beginning, neither taking advantage of other people nor letting others take advantage of him.
A great surprise rose in Yang Gu’s mind. He realized that he had underestimated Ning Fan’s capabilities and mentality from the beginning.
However, this feeling of surprise disappeared a while later. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn passed, Yang Gu was completely mesmerized by Ning Fan’s fantastic pill refinement techniques.
“T-This is… This is the pill refinement technique of the Nine Revolutions of the Rivers – ‘Blessings of Purple Strip!”
“This… This is the pill refinement technique from the San Qing Pill Condensation – ‘Heart Executing Fire Division!”
“This is…”
It was Yang Gu’s first time seeing 90% of the pill refinement techniques that Ning Fan used. Prior to this, he had only read about them in ancient books.
He was on cloud nine.
It’s worth it! It’s indeed worth it! With only one million immortal jade, I am able to see such profound techniques. It’s indeed a worthwhile trip!
Day after day, Ning Fan stayed in front of the pill cauldron without moving. It took him one entire month to concoct the Mind Nourishing Pill.
Ning Fan was careful and meticulous throughout the process. Since this is the nourishing pill for Xu Qiuling to heal her state of mind, he definitely could not be sloppy.
He was like a multicolored butterfly which was affectionate yet forthright.
Within this month, the techniques he performed were constantly alternating between two completely different factions of the Dao of Alchemy.
The Nine Revolutions of the Rivers required the combination of his demon power. After a series of alternating between his different types of power to improve the quality of the pill, a complete, high-grade pill was formed.
As for the San Qing Pill Condensation, it required him to split his spirit sense into three portions and roast the mixture of spiritual herbs from three different parts. The portion with the strongest demon power was known as the core of the pill whereas the other two portions were known as pill embryos…
Despite being two totally different pill refinement techniques, both of them were combined into one when Ning Fan used them.
His thoughts and his Dao were to combine things from two opposing extremes just like fusing Yin and Yang!
Green qi rose from all over his body and the medicinal mist grew denser, filling up the atmosphere. Ning Fan’s temperament was sublimating and transforming!
Yang Gu was stunned once again… He could literally see that during the process of refining pills this time, Ning Fan had reached the bottleneck of the middle stage of Fifth Revolution because of using two types of pill refinement techniques at the same time.
“Daoist Zhou is on the verge of breaking through to the Mid Fifth Revolution Pill Refinement Realm! I, Yang Gu, can’t believe that I actually have the fortune to witness the breakthrough of a Mid Fifth Revolution pill master!”
To Yang Gu, this meant a lot. As long as he remembers the details of Ning Fan’s breakthrough in his heart, Yang Gu certainly had the chance to attain the middle stage of Fifth Revolution after he becomes a Fifth Revolution pill master in the future!
This is certainly worth more than one million immortal jade!
It’s still worth it even if I have to pay ten million or even one hundred million immortal jade!
“No, I must give you this amount of money! I want to acknowledge Daoist Zhou as my master!”
A hint of persistence flashed in Yang Gu’s eyes. Ning Fan’s pill refinement techniques were too broad and profound. Even though his cultivation base was not the highest in the Rain World, every act and every move he made had virtually reflected Emperor Ancient Chaos’ behavior and temperament in pill refinement techniques, dashing and extraordinary.
Accepting an apprentice was a good thing, especially an apprentice like Yang Gu who was willing to lose money instead of being paid.
Ning Fan just needed to casually imprint some insights for him and the latter would be satisfied and pledge his loyalty to Ning Fan. There was no need for Ning Fan to give him any benefits at all. Besides, when Ning Fan is not around, Yang Gu could help him provide a large amount of pills for his forces.
Just like Ning Fan’s first apprentice, Xue Qing. He should have probably broken through to the Fourth Revolution of the pill refinement realm by now and is providing a large quantity of pills for Ning City.
Ning Fan of course did not know Yang Gu’s intention of acknowledging him as his master. However, even if he knows, he would probably decide whether to accept this relation of apprenticeship based on his mood.
At this moment, he was placing his focus on the sublimation happening within his state of mind. Then, a sound like a cocoon breaking was heard and the green qi all over his body suddenly flickered with light rays. The intensity of the color of green grew deeper and began to change gradually into color of xuan*(玄).
Xuan (玄) means black.
His pill refinement techniques successfully advanced into the middle stage of Fifth Revolution Realm!
“*Puff*… Finally, my pill refinement realm has improved!” Ning Fan’s eyes were filled with joy.
The advancement in his pill refinement realm this time was of great significance.
This time, it was his first time achieving a breakthrough in his pill refinement realm based on his own effort after his pill refinement techniques that were inherited from Emperor Ancient Chaos reached their limit.
This meant that as long as Ning Yan continued to work hard, he could definitely be a grandmaster with his talent!
“Young Master Zhou, you’ve had a long day. Do you need me to prepare some bath water for you?” Xu Qiuling was unable to restrain herself from giving a chuckle.
The current Ning Fan’s face had been stained with grime and ashes after spending one month non-stop in concocting pills, making him look just like a young master fleeing from his subjugated country.
Why was he not being described as a beggar but a young master running away from his perished country?
Well, this was because within Xu Qiuling’s heart, Ning Fan still had an unyielding determination no matter how down-and-out he was. As long as that determination remains within him, even if he flees from country to country and travels for nineteen years, he would still be a young master, but not a beggar!
“Are you willing to bathe with me?” Ning Fan teased again.
“If you dare, then I won’t cower!” Xu Qiuling still remained as decisive as she was.
*Thud*
The sound of a heavy object falling to the ground interrupted the conversation between Ning Fan and Xu Qiuling. It turned out to be the sound of Yang Gu’s knees landing to the ground. He was kneeling before Ning Fan and kowtowed to him.
“Daoist Zhou… No, Revered Ming, please accept me as your apprentice!”
Yang Gu’s eyes flashed with determination. He had a hunch that Ning Fan would become a pill master who would surpass Venerated Pill in the future. Moreover, he even believed that Ning Fan could become the next ‘Pill Emperor’ who is the strongest pill master in the Rain World!
“Uhh…”
Ning Fan looked stunned for a moment, feeling rather speechless about the man in front of him.
Why do maniacs who are obsessed with pill refinement like to acknowledge me as their master?
Keeping Xue Qing can still help me look after the base and refine pills, providing a continuous supply of pills for the Three Divine Armies of Black Devil. But what is the use of keeping Yang Gu as my apprentice?
“Daoist Yang, acknowledging a master is a serious matter. You must consider it carefully before making up your mind…”
“Revered Ming, please give me an opportunity. Even if I have to start from just becoming a titular apprentice, I will also not refuse! I know Revered Ming likes to travel around and dislike your apprentice following you. You can be rest assured that I will take care of myself and won’t cause any trouble for you! There is one hundred million immortal jade here. This is a small token of appreciation from me to thank Revered Ming for keeping me as an apprentice!”
Yang Gu was very nervous. In his whole life, it was his second time kneeling down to someone and his first time acknowledging someone as his master.
The first time he knelt down was a few thousand years ago. At that time, he was kneeling before his parents’ graves. After that incident, he then left his war-torn homeland, leaving the kingdom of mortals and beginning the path of cultivation…
“What are the benefits that I can get from accepting you as my apprentice?” Ning Fan’s words sounded very materialistic but they were the truth.
In the world of cultivation, if it was not for a deep relationship, what’s the point of doing something that brings no benefits at all?
“If Master keeps me as your apprentice, I can recommend Master to join the Pill Island and become a feudal ranking elder of the island. Besides, I can also help Master obtain the chance to enter the Soul Washing Pond. If Master can enter the pond, Master’s medicine soul will certainly be improved to a great extent, greatly enhancing Master’s pill refinement techniques. Furthermore, it is very likely that Master’s pill refinement realm can break through to the high stage of the Fifth Revolution!”
Yang Gu made another bow and his expression looked extremely sincere.
As a disciple, it is a must to show filial piety to the master. In order to acknowledge Ning Fan as his master, giving him gifts was definitely a must.
He was extremely nervous inwardly as this matter concerned his Dao of Alchemy in his entire lifetime.
He had asked himself for a thousand times. If he misses this opportunity with Ning Fan, who else could teach him such magnificent pill refinement techniques…
No one!
Ning Fan remained silent. In the bottom of his heart, however, he felt tempted.
Soul Washing Pond. It was not his first time hearing that name. If he could enter the pond, his medicine soul would improve and his pill refinement techniques would surely have a great leap.
Now, it not only seems like I wouldn’t need to put much time on this man after keeping him as my disciple, but I will also receive great benefits.
Ning Fan narrowed his eyes, as if he had come to a decision.