Chapter 330
He thought for a moment and suddenly turned to Madam Xuanhua, saying, “If you have some free time, could you offer a few pointers to the disciples of the Jiu Shan Sect?”
“…” Madam Xuanhua glanced at him, remaining silent.
Neither a yes nor a no.
“Just a casual suggestion would be fine…”
Madam Xuanhua pondered for a moment, seemingly recalling the spirit stones promised by Zheng Fa, and gently nodded.
…Then she regretted it!…
Looking outside the small courtyard on the mountainside, she saw about ten disciples from the refining group lined up at her door, bowing respectfully, eager to ask questions. Uncle Pang twitched his lips and turned to Zheng Fa:
“Are you sure Madam Xuanhua won’t get angry?”
“...If she does, we’ll deal with it then,” Zheng Fa replied with a smile. “I’ve asked Fairy Xiao about it… As long as the spirit stones are in place, she’s usually quite patient.”
After all, even the most intolerant cultivator couldn’t work with someone like Xiao Yuying, who had a way with words.
“…” Uncle Pang was at a loss for words.
He thought to himself that perhaps Madam Xuanhua had never encountered a customer like Zheng Fa before—someone who pushed people to their limits.
“Uncle, these disciples are relatively inexperienced, and the questions they ask won’t delve into anything too profound… They won’t offend Madam Xuanhua.”
Zheng Fa had arranged this after consulting with Xiao Yuying and understanding Madam Xuanhua’s character.
The questions they asked were quite basic, ones that Madam Xuanhua could answer off the top of her head.
It wouldn’t make it seem like the Jiu Shan Sect was coveting her secret techniques.
Moreover, there was that saying:
If she gets angry, we’ll deal with it then. If she’s unwilling, she can just send these disciples back.
If one lacks ability and is too shy to ask, how can they expect others to teach them?
In the Xuanwei Realm, seeking knowledge requires a thick skin.
Uncle Pang thought for a moment: “I suppose we still have some strength.”
Zheng Fa nodded with a smile.
This tactic was indeed effective when both parties were relatively equal in strength—otherwise, if the other party flipped the table, you wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Seeing him nod, Uncle Pang couldn’t help but sigh: “I don’t think she’ll take any more of our orders after this!”
…
“Why do I feel like I’m the one losing out?” Madam Xuanhua sat in her chair, looking at Xiao Yuying with a hint of grievance, muttering, “Is there no end to this?”
She felt utterly helpless.
These disciples from the Jiu Shan Sect were all so charming with their words, showering her with flattery as if it were free.
They were also quite perceptive; the moment Madam Xuanhua showed any signs of impatience, they would politely excuse themselves—only to return next time.
In summary, they were annoyingly persistent yet tactful.
It was clear someone had coached them behind the scenes.
She had indeed lost her temper at Zheng Fa before, but he had quickly apologized, lamenting how pitiful the Jiu Shan Sect was and how eager these disciples were for knowledge…
From top to bottom, what a bunch!
Xiao Yuying wore a smile, seemingly amused by the situation…
“Seriously, how can Zheng Fa be so shameless?”
After hearing Madam Xuanhua’s words, Xiao Yuying realized: this was indeed about Zheng Fa’s face.
Madam Xuanhua only complained, but overall, she was holding back, not because of the low-level disciples.
Rather, it was due to Zheng Fa’s spirit stones and the prestige of the Jiu Shan Sect.
Could other sect leaders or Nascent Soul cultivators not think of this method?
Of course, they could, but they wouldn’t be willing to be so shameless for a few Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment disciples.
Who would go to such lengths just for a group of disciples to learn a bit more?
Their own reputation was far more important.
But thinking back on her experiences in the Jiu Shan Realm, she suddenly felt… for Zheng Fa, this behavior was quite reasonable.
…
“By the way, are you working for the Jiu Shan Sect now?”
Madam Xuanhua asked again.
Xiao Yuying nodded.
Zheng Fa hadn’t restricted her movements too much, but she had just begun to delve into “Electromagnetism” and “Mathematics,” spending most of her time in the Jiu Shan Realm.
Madam Xuanhua’s expression showed some confusion: “Have you been enchanted by Zheng Fa?”
Xiao Yuying shot her a glare.
“Is the Red Luan Star in motion?” Madam Xuanhua joked.
“…”
Madam Xuanhua chuckled oddly, her eyes filled with endless teasing, before finally saying, “I never expected someone with your restless nature would settle down one day.”
Xiao Yuying wanted to explain, but after thinking for a long time, she found she didn’t know how to.
Then she heard Madam Xuanhua say with a hint of bitterness, “No matter what enchantment the Jiu Shan Sect has, I’ll let it slide this time for your sake. Once I finish refining the external elixir, I’m out of here!”
“…”
“Next time I come, I’ll be a fool!”
…
Perhaps truly annoyed, Madam Xuanhua quickly began the process of refining the external elixir.
Watching the spiritual fire in the cauldron gradually extinguish, the silver light in Zheng Fa’s eyes slowly faded as well.
A round, blue external elixir flew out of the cauldron and landed in Madam Xuanhua’s hand.
She smiled slightly, seemingly pleased with herself, and handed the newly refined “Han Hai External Elixir” to Zheng Fa.
Zheng Fa took the elixir in his hand.
The outer layer of this Han Hai External Elixir was wrapped in a layer of what was called “Dan Sha,” which contained the essence of the heavens and earth.
The inner layer was a dazzling blue-white color, its brilliance piercing through the dense Dan Sha, shooting out fine beams of light that illuminated the surroundings.
Beyond that, it was hard to see.
After observing Madam Xuanhua’s process of refining the external elixir, Zheng Fa confirmed several things and altered many of his previous thoughts about external elixirs.
What he confirmed was that he and Cheng Yun’s ideas about refining external elixirs were generally correct.
However… his previous assumptions about the Golden Elixir had been slightly off.
He had always thought that the reactions of the Golden Elixir itself were quite intense.
But from the formation of this Han Hai External Elixir, the reaction was actually very stable.
The essence of the heavens and earth consumed very slowly, while the vast energy that should have erupted from the external elixir was surprisingly contained within, with almost no leakage.
This level of control far exceeded his previous expectations.
Beside him, Uncle Pang glanced at the Han Hai External Elixir and exclaimed, “Madam, your skills are remarkable! This external elixir’s power is almost comparable to a mid-grade Golden Elixir.”
Madam Xuanhua smiled, seemingly proud.
This skill was indeed extraordinary… ordinary external elixirs could only be compared to low-grade Golden Elixirs, or even the most inferior ones.
Yet, with Madam Xuanhua’s touch, it surpassed the usual external elixirs.
Now, Zheng Fa didn’t mind the threefold price anymore…
To be honest, he felt a bit guilty… this deal seemed almost too good to be true.
…
“Now that the external elixir is done, I should be leaving.”
Seemingly truly unwilling to deal with the Jiu Shan Sect any longer, Madam Xuanhua spoke up.
Zheng Fa thought for a moment and suddenly said, “Madam, I have one more thing I’d like to consult you about…”
Upon hearing the word “consult,” Madam Xuanhua’s face darkened.
She stared at Zheng Fa for a long time, took a deep breath, then looked at Xiao Yuying, remaining silent for a long while before finally saying, “This is the last time!”
“Last time.”
Zheng Fa took out a jade tube and handed it over.
Inside the jade tube were some optimizations he and Cheng Yun had made regarding the “Han Hai External Elixir.”
It simplified many of the refining techniques.
He showed it to Madam Xuanhua mainly because she indeed had the strength and had signed a confidentiality agreement; Zheng Fa wanted her to see if this line of thought was correct.
Madam Xuanhua took the jade tube, her consciousness sinking into it as she began to read.
Gradually, her expression changed, becoming increasingly complex:
First confusion.
Then puzzlement.
Followed by sudden realization.
Finally, a hint of astonishment and admiration.
She raised her eyes and stared at Zheng Fa for a long time, opened her mouth, and suddenly asked, “Whose idea was this method?”
She didn’t even realize that there was a hint of reverence in her tone.
“It was developed by our Jiu Shan Sect.”
Madam Xuanhua fell silent. She seemed still puzzled but didn’t know how to question it.
“May I ask, Madam, can you see any issues with this method?” Zheng Fa inquired.
After pondering for a while, Madam Xuanhua honestly replied, “Just by looking, I can’t see any problems.”
Zheng Fa nodded, satisfied with this answer.
At least the theory was sound.
As for whether it could truly succeed, they could continue testing; at the very least, he and those disciples had gained a wealth of knowledge from Madam Xuanhua…
“Thank you for your guidance, Madam.”
He honored his promise of it being the last time, refraining from asking anything further, and bowed to Madam Xuanhua as if bidding her farewell.
Madam Xuanhua seemed to want to say something but held back, pausing to glance at Xiao Yuying before bowing to everyone and taking her leave.
…
Xiao Yuying escorted Madam Xuanhua for a while, and along the way, Madam Xuanhua’s expression shifted, as if deep in thought.
Suddenly, Xiao Yuying said softly:
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