He was afraid of forgetting the insights he gained during his cultivation, so Chen Yun did not immediately go back to sleep.

    Instead, he got up and lit the oil lamp.

    Wearing a garment, Chen Yun got up from the bed and went to the desk by the window.

    There, on the desk, lay a bowl of ginseng soup.

    The rim of the bowl was still emitting hot steam from time to time.

    Clearly, it had just been boiled not long ago.

    Chen Yun was quite puzzled, "Where did this ginseng soup come from?"

    While he was in a state of perplexity, he noticed that his internal energy cultivation technique had been altered.

    "I remember I wrote 'Inner Dan Technique by Chen Chong', how did it become 'Inner Dan Technique by Mr. Chen'?"

    originally, Chen Yun thought he must have mistaken something. But upon careful inspection, he realized that the two characters "Mr." had a completely different style of penmanship from his own.

    The two characters "Mr." on the paper were twisted and curved, resembling a horizontally lying pear, and also somewhat similar to the shape of the gallbladder.

    "My master would usually require prior notification before anyone could enter the inner courtyard during his teaching at the Temple of Transmission, even Master Zheng and Master Wang were no exception. I was only able to stay in the inner courtyard temporarily because I was just adopted as a disciple and needed to be closely guided by my master."

    Chen Yun suddenly understood.

    Without a doubt, the alteration of "Chong Yong" to "Mr." must have been done by my master.

    Likewise, I suppose the ginseng soup was the same.

    He finally understood that my master wasn't indifferent to whether I practiced or not, but was always paying attention.

    The ginseng soup was understandable, as my master knew that I had finished my cultivation and was making it available to replenish vital energy.

    But why would my master change these two characters, what was his deep intention?

    Chen Yun pondered for a long time but could not come to a conclusion. He decided to assume that his master approved of his understanding of the internal energy cultivation technique.

    This made him feel quite delightful. To be acknowledged by such a true Daoist master as my teacher, was indeed an honor.

    That is, Zhongli Quan believes that this system of internal alchemy is viable.

    Chen Yun understood that he could continue to practice this system of internal alchemy.

    He experienced a brief sense of joy and began to document his cultivation insights, making slight modifications to the techniques.

    "Under the sky and earth, with me as my companion, all meridians naturally open up. Vital energy rises, a faint bitterness in the mouth, yin and yang are greatly harmonized, and the spirit resides beyond heaven. Then the entire universe is as if under my knees, the great qi fills the heavens and earth, all meridians flow smoothly, and ten thousand orifices open wide, the great medicine descends."

    This faint bitterness in the mouth is very important and must be recorded.

    Chen Yun drank a sip of ginseng soup as he wrote.

    Soon, the modification of the cultivation technique neared its conclusion.

    "To create the heavens and earth, dual fire drawing in both hands at the beginning... When the heart and kidney are intertwined, it is called gradually plotting."

    Write the last line of characters.

    And drink the last sip of ginseng soup at the same time.

    "Huh, I feel a bit drowsy, let me sleep for a while."

    Chen Yun stretched lazily.

    Blowing out the oil lamp, he fumbled his way back to the bed.

    He pulled the blanket over himself and closed his eyes, sleeping soundly.

    ……

    Morning.

    Chen Yun found another bowl of hot congee on the desk.

    He knew it was from his master, so after grooming himself, he ate it.

    As usual, he went up to pay respects and listened to his master talk about the Tao for a while.

    During this period, Zhongli Quan did not mention anything about modifying the title of the cultivation technique last night. Instead, after concluding his talk on the Tao, he handed Chen Yun a hundred-year-old ginseng root and instructed him to take it with soup after his cultivation. He also told him to have a bowl of hot congee as usual after getting up in the morning today.

    Chen Yun knew that his master had a purpose and firmly remembered it in his heart.

    Going downstairs, he headed towards the Hall of Formation Symbols.

    Chen Yun was preparing to talk to Cai Rujin to find out how many pieces of real qi an ordinary person can generate after a night of cultivation.

    As Chen Yun passed through the great hall and turned the corner at the wall, he collided with Cai Rujin.

    Cai Rujin greeted him actively: "Uncle Chen."

    Chen Yun returned the bow: "Cai junior, I happen to need something from you."

    Cai Rujin said: "Please speak, Uncle Chen."

    Chen Yun asked: "If a normal person practices qi refinement, how many pieces of real qi can they generate in one night?"

    "It's not easy to say," Cai Rujin shook his head. "Qi refinement requires the right amount of heat. People's bodies are different, so the heat required is also varied. If the heat is controlled properly, each practice session can produce a golden dew and jade fluid that turns into nectar. However, if the heat is not controlled properly, one might work all night and get nothing. In short, at the beginning of qi refinement, being able to refine one piece of real qi in one night is already quite good. After mastering the fire and gradually improving, there might be gains every time you practice. Even as a high-level master like me, I'm not guaranteed to produce real qi every time I practice."

    At this point, he paused for a moment, "Controlling the fire is not only about innate talent, but also about one's daily physical condition, external climate, internal environment. All these factors can affect the heat level. That's why some people may never be able to reach the status of a low-level master in their lifetime, while some can achieve it in just ten years. Also, everyone's vital energy is filled differently, so the amount of real qi produced also varies. There's no need for comparison."

    So, to have generated three pieces of real qi in one night is already quite good?

    Chen Yun pondered silently in his heart, realizing that the technique must indeed be fine.

    Just then, Cai Rujin curiously asked: "Uncle Chen, why are you asking this?"

    Chen Yun waved his hand, "Nothing, just asked out of curiosity."

    Perhaps Chen Yun couldn't see the result just yet as he had just generated real qi, and Cai Rujin naturally believed that Chen Yun couldn't have refined the essence in just a few years of cultivation, without using his Qi Observation Technique. So he asked instead: "Uncle Chen, do you have any other matters? If not, I have some things to take care of, and we can talk again later?"

    "Very well, thank you for your help today, junior."

    Chen Yun said his farewells and left.

    Just as he turned to leave, he collided with Zheng Wensun who was walking towards him.

    Chen Yun greeted habitually: "Master Zheng, good morning."

    "Chen junior, good morning."

    Zheng Wensun responded calmly.

    Chen Yun then returned directly to the inner courtyard.

    Zheng Wensun, however, stood still and stared at his retreating figure in thought.

    Cai Rujin originally had something to do, but seeing his master arrive, he immediately came forward to pay respects and said, "Master, please allow me to ask for your wellbeing."

    Zheng Wensun only then came back to his senses, "Rujin, did you notice anything special about Chen Junior today?"

    Cai Rujin instinctively looked towards the direction of the inner courtyard, but he could no longer see Chen Yun's figure.

    He wondered, "Isn't Uncle Chen the same as usual today?"

    "Didn't you just now observe his qi?" Zheng Wensun asked.

    Cai Rujin shook his head, "No."

    Zheng Wensun said seriously, "He has generated real qi."

    "Being able to generate real qi is of no concern……" Cai Rujin stammered halfway through, his eyes wide open in disbelief, "Ah?"

    Zheng Wensun thought Cai Rujin had not heard clearly and repeated, "I observed that Chen Junior has a bright and spirited appearance. It must be that the yin and yang in his body have harmonized to generate real qi."

    Cai Rujin couldn't believe it and said, "Although Uncle Chen has extraordinary talent, when I looked at him before, I did not see any signs of it. How can he have actually generated real qi?"

    "You are still young in your cultivation and everything you see is through the ordinary eyes, which naturally prevents you from noticing any anomalies," Zheng Wensun explained. "Chen Junior has just generated real qi, which is quite rare and not obvious externally. That's why you couldn't observe it with your ordinary eyes."

    Cai Rujin still couldn't believe it, "Master, you said earlier that Lv Teacher spent fourteen years in cultivation. Even if Uncle Chen's talent is extraordinary, he should at least have a breakthrough and generate real qi in three or five years. He has only been a disciple of the ancestor for just over two months. How could he possibly have mastered the cultivation of immortality?"

    Zheng Wensun sighed, "At first glance, I didn't believe it either, so I specifically observed his qi. He really comprehended the secret of immortality and generated real qi in just over two months!"

    Upon hearing that Master had personally observed his qi, Cai Rujin knew it couldn't be false.

    For a moment, he didn't know what to say.

    Usually, people practicing immortality would not be able to master the control of qi within two months. It is even more unlikely for them to generate real qi.

    However, Chen Yun is able to comprehend the cultivation of immortality and generate real qi in such a short period of time.

    Cai Rujin only then recalled what Wang Zixu had previously mentioned about the meaning of "losing faith."

    Indeed, compared to Uncle Chen, he felt as though people were dying of envy.

    While Cai Rujin was in a mess, Zheng Wensun seemed to notice something and encouraged him: "Rujin, the cultivation of the Dao is about self-cultivation, so don't compare yourself with others."

    Upon hearing this, Cai Rujin suddenly woke up, quickly bowing deeply and saying: "Thank you, Master, for enlightening me."

    Zheng Wensun was pleased with his disciple's insight.

    Ordinary people might envy such talented people, but they wouldn't be as devastated as Cai Rujin.

    Cai Rujin himself is a prodigy, otherwise he wouldn't have been discovered and taken as a disciple by Zheng Wensun.

    Talents tend to be rather egotistical. Now that they see themselves far inferior to others, their self-confidence naturally takes a hit, which can affect their subsequent cultivation.

    Therefore, Zheng Wensun actively enlightened him, afraid that his disciple would fall into the abyss of comparison and not be able to extricate himself.

    "By the way, Master," Cai Rujin asked, "since Uncle Chen has generated real qi, do I still need to prepare talismans for him?"

    Zheng Wensun thought for a moment and said, "According to Chen Junior's talent, he is expected to become a nine-level master in about a month. However, Zhang Qian will be going down the mountain on the fifth day of the next month. I'm afraid Chen Junior won't have enough time, so I suggest preparing the talismans for him."

    Cai Rujin nodded, "Yes."

    The master and disciple chatted for a while longer, and then Cai Rujin bowed to take his leave.

    However, Zheng Wensun did not leave, staring at the inner courtyard in silence for a moment before finally sighing heavily, "Ah, I told Rujin not to compare himself with Chen Junior. How come my own heart is unsettled and I'm so jealous?"

    He is not as composed and carefree as he appears on the surface; in fact, he also has feelings of jealousy.

    Earlier, out of the thought of caring for his junior disciple Cai Rujin, he had asked him to prepare talismans for Chen Yun.

    In Zheng Wensun's view, Chen Yun could not possibly master the secret of immortality before Zhang Qian descended the mountain next month.

    After all, there are only twenty days left, and even if we count the previous one or two months that Chen Yun spent meditating on the great technique, it's still only a short period of three months.

    Three months to master the cultivation of immortality?

    Isn't this just a joke?

    Yes, that's why Zheng Wensun initially thought so, which is why he instructed Cai Rujin to prepare the talismans for Chen Yun in advance.

    Who would have thought that this became a reality!

    Such a comprehension, far surpassing that of Lü Dunbin, the hermit.

    On this realization, Zheng Wensun also suddenly came to his senses, shedding his feelings of jealousy.

    With a dry laugh, he said, "Even if Lv Xiongzi's comprehension is still not as good as Chen Junior's, I have no right to be jealous. That's why our teacher said that although I appear to be generous and magnanimous on the surface, I have a strong desire for competition in my heart. Jealousy is something that should not exist."

    After speaking, Zheng Wensun could feel that his mind had greatly improved, and the real qi in his body flowed like fish, almost breakthrough again. He thought he was just about to refine the Golden Dan!

    He was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter, "The wave of jealousy has receded, and today I truly know who I am! I should really thank Chen Junior for helping me complete my cultivation heart and finally reach the point where I can cultivate a Golden Pill!"

    ...

    The inner courtyard, the Red Mansions.

    Chen Yun had no idea that he had been envied by both Master Zheng Wensun and Cai Rujin.

    He had never even imagined that Zheng Wensun would be able to reach a higher level of cultivation and be on the verge of refining a Golden Pill because of this.

    During the day, he practiced some martial arts and read a half-day of Daoist scriptures, enjoying himself quite a bit.

    At night, Chen Yun went to sleep early.

    As the clock approached midnight, he woke up.

    Chen Yun held the jade bead in his hand, pondering to himself: "I thought about carrying the jade bead while practicing qi refinement. Perhaps I can generate true qi with each breath, but daytime is not suitable for cultivation, so I did not try it before. Now that it's already very late at night, I'll see if the jade bead is as wonderful as I previously speculated."

    Hoping it won't disappoint me.

    Thinking about it, Chen Yun began to practice his qi.