The Eternal White Works Slowly Cultivating Immortality Volume 1 Chapter 52 Fifty-two, Continuing to Stall

  After several days of recuperation, Xiao Yao's spiritual consciousness had fully recovered. This time, she attempted to enter two points and condense them into her primordial energy. At first, the consumption of her spiritual consciousness was indeed greater than when entering from one point, but once it became smooth, the consumption of her spiritual consciousness was less than when using a single point. However, controlling her spiritual consciousness would become much more difficult.

  Two more days passed, and Xiao Yao's spiritual energy was once again depleted. Although her progress was slightly better than the first time, she still couldn't condense a complete sword. However, she didn't get discouraged. Under Nameless Master's guidance and without any extraordinary epiphanies, it was impossible to find the key in just one or two attempts. Fortunately, she had the perseverance to repeat her practice tirelessly, without fear of failure. Since she had found the right direction, all that was left was to keep practicing repeatedly. If trying once or twice didn't work, she would try three or four times, and if that still didn't work, she would condense it four or five times, or even more. She firmly believed that there would be a day when she would succeed!

  Time flies day by day, and in the two years, Xiao Yao spent every day in high-intensity tempering, condensing until his spiritual consciousness was exhausted. During the cultivation period, he forged the instrument to recover his spiritual consciousness, repeating the cycle, a total of 105 times! In these days, except for the necessary purchase of refining materials, she basically didn't leave her house.

  This hundred and fifth time of refining, only the last three times of refining can be barely considered successful. However, from the previous 102 failures, she still discovered many problems and summarized a lot of practical experience. For example, just like array patterns, all array methods will have an array eye, which is the key to the entire array method. Similarly, there are similar "array eyes" in the instrument pattern, called instrument doors. If you can refine through the instrument door, you can achieve twice the result with half the effort. Also, during the repeated refining process, it is also a kind of exercise for one's divine sense. Every time the divine sense is consumed to the extreme limit, there will be some growth, just like cultivation.

  With the Meishan Floating Island's name selection day approaching, Xiao Yao thought for a long time and decided to do another condensation. After all, although the last three condensations were successful, they weren't the best condensations. Mainly because she relied on the artifact's door to condense, this method of condensation only required her divine sense to guide about two-thirds of the pattern drawing, and the remaining yuanqi would automatically fill in and condense. She always felt that the surrounding yuanqi was insufficient and not agile enough with this kind of instrument.

  But for a craftsman, the requirements for creating something are always to strive for perfection, even being harsh. The shortcomings on the artifact make Xiao Yao feel that just two or three successes cannot represent anything, she has a premonition: only by truly guiding the yuanqi from start to finish and drawing the pattern of the artifact can she truly understand the essence of condensation. She still remembers that when she first condensed, she exhausted her divine consciousness and only guided the completion of three-fifths of the artifact's pattern. Now, starting from the entrance of the artifact, plus her divine consciousness has expanded over the past two years, it's worth another try!

  The cauldron was ready, the materials were refined, the furnace was lit, and the phoenix fire was burning. Everything was prepared, and Xiao Yao began to condense and refine once again.

  At the door of the refining room, the leopard was lying on the ground with nothing to do, occasionally glancing at the interior of the room, hoping from the heart that the woman inside could finish soon. Since being able to show her face outside, she had become more and more averse to being confined in a small space, and would never enter it again unless absolutely necessary. She yearned for more freedom and carefree days.

  For the past two years, it has been guarding the cave under Xiao Yao's orders, preventing anyone or anything except Zi Dong from entering. But apart from that bastard Zi Dong occasionally passing by, who else would dare to barge in? It's been so boring for these two years, and on top of that, it had to endure Zi Dong's temper. If not for Xiao Yao repeatedly warning it with the Great Way not to reveal its magical powers in front of Zi Dong, it would have pounced on him and fought to the death long ago!

  "Little guy, long time no see, why are you still guarding the gate?"

  The leopard slightly raised its eyelids, and in its heart it cursed: "Damn it, here we go again!" With extremely fast speed, it jumped up and bit the outstretched hand fiercely. Only when the smell of blood filled its teeth did it stop biting, then lay down again and ignored him.

  Zi Dong gazed at the palm covered in blood, only to smile and say: "Little guy, your bite is still so good. I don't know how my dear disciple was raised, but she's actually raised her spiritual pet with a worse temper than hers."

  The leopard raised its head and bared its teeth, but it didn't jump up to bite him again. Instead, it stared at him with every move, its eyes filled with murderous intent.

  Zi Dong came here, although not specifically to tease the beast, but no matter how many times, as long as he looked at this fierce and evil spirit pet with murderous intent in his eyes, he would produce a kind of face-to-face destruction of heaven and earth's ferocious beast illusion, making people think deeply and be unable to understand, and couldn't help but provoke again and again. Only after several times, this little guy either pounced on or bit him, never having used any magic spells. He could remember that it was this little guy who had torn open the void that day. Of course, although there were many suspicious points about this beast, in a world as vast as this one, where there's nothing strange that hasn't happened, and all sorts of bizarre creatures with divine powers hadn't been seen before, he didn't think it was unusual anymore. Or perhaps it should be said that at the moment, he was more concerned about that deadbeat disciple who refused to acknowledge him as his master.

  Thinking of this, he looked at the figure inside who was concentrating and a faint smile appeared on his lips: During the refining process, she had persisted in her own way.

  Two years ago, he had intentionally misled her, wanting to make her take a detour and use it as a warning for her ignorance. However, he didn't expect that this disciple of his would not blindly follow him, unlike most cultivators in the world who rely on finding famous scriptures or getting guidance from famous masters, and then practice without questioning, being misled by appearances, but instead she was good at thinking and had her own unique insights.

  Indeed, ordinary alchemists would not choose to condense equipment during furnace refinement, only true masters have the ability to choose this method, because the effect of condensing during furnace refinement is the best, and condensation is also the most difficult. If one does not possess a strong spiritual sense and precise control over their spiritual sense, it is absolutely impossible to complete.

  This woman has now relied on her own exploration and practice to achieve this, proving that she indeed has the qualifications to become a master of alchemy. What's even more rare is that she adheres to her principles without being too rigid, and after taking in apprentices, her days will certainly be very interesting, just right for comforting his heart that has nothing better to do.

  Zi Dong stood patiently outside the alchemy room, not disturbing Xiao Yao again. The leopard, seeing that he was just standing there like the previous two times, narrowed its eyes and climbed down to rest, hiding its killing intent.

  This time, Zidong had been waiting outside with Baozi for three days. He had come a few times before, just to check on Xiao Yao's progress and leave, and he also knew that Xiao Yao had already figured out the method of condensing and refining, and even knew that she had signed up for the Alchemy Competition. Now, with less than a month until the first round of selection, since she had already succeeded in condensing and refining, she should be preparing for the relevant matters, he was very curious what else she could come up with in these short twenty days.

  On the fourth day at dawn, Xiao Yao finally ended her condensation due to mental exhaustion. Her eyes were filled with bloodshot, staring at the long sword embryo in her hand that had been condensed, her gaze was focused and deep, as if she was surprised.

  Zi Dong followed her line of sight and saw the clay figurine, his breath catching in his throat.

  The author has something to say: The thinking is not yet clear, and it's still entangled. However, being entangled all the time without writing anything is not right either. I can only think while writing, and when I'm not considering clearly, I'll just write hard - that's another way. So, everyone, please don't mind the reduced word count for now.