Dual-element Golden Elixir

"Ah, no, no, no, it's impossible. Whatever you say, it's still impossible," Jia Gu Qing kept shaking his head, being relentlessly followed by Li Luoning in the courtyard.

"Senior, please, help me this time. Senior, senior…" Li Luoning pleaded, chasing after Jia Gu Qing.

"Little medicine fool, do you know that using this Clear Heart Purifying Cauldron now is as painful as bone-crushing rebirth? You just replaced your inner core, your spiritual energy is in chaos, and you still have injuries. Forcing a cleansing would be no different from taking your life! I disagree, and nothing you say will change that." Jia Gu Qing resolutely turned his face away, refusing to pay attention to Li Luoning.

Seeing Jia Gu Qing's firm attitude, Li Luoning sighed and said, "Senior has always regarded me as a close friend. If it weren't for caring deeply about my safety, you wouldn't refuse so firmly. But it is precisely because of this that I make this unreasonable request. As your friend, I am also Xingzhe's master. Now that my disciple is in trouble, I cannot sit idly by. Even though he has the Floating Light Golden Seal for protection, he is still in great danger. I once promised Yun Qingyi to take good care of his younger brother. No matter where Xingzhe is now, I must go and find out. Please, senior, understand my duty as a master and my love for my disciple."

After speaking, Li Luoning knelt down slowly, bowing to Jia Gu Qing.

"Oh, what are you doing, oh you… you really are… fine, fine, you win." Jia Gu Qing finally relented.

In the wooden house, Li Luoning sat cross-legged on the bed with his palms facing the sky, while Jia Gu Qing sat on a stool beside him, holding the Clear Heart Purifying Cauldron.

"Are you sure? Once we start, no matter what you say, I won't stop." Jia Gu Qing asked one last time, unwilling to give up.

"Thank you, senior." Li Luoning smiled faintly and nodded.

As Jia Gu Qing chanted, a stream of crimson flame-like energy slowly floated out from Li Luoning's chest, then slowly entered the Clear Heart Purifying Cauldron. When it came out, it turned into a cold azure energy that re-entered Li Luoning's body.

Injected with the cold energy, Li Luoning felt an excruciating pain, as if his bones were being crushed. The chaotic spiritual energy inside him clashed violently, causing his bones to feel like they were shattering. The intense internal pain made his heart pound fiercely, and despite his efforts to control it, he couldn't calm his rapid breathing. His body trembled uncontrollably, drenched in cold sweat.

In the Nan Zhe residence,

Mi Xingzhe, although not as skilled as Nan Zhe, had the protection of the Floating Light Golden Seal, making Nan Zhe's attacks ineffective. However, because of this, their fight was at a stalemate.

Hua Ruoying, watching from the side, knew that if this continued, Mi Xingzhe would eventually be exhausted, and the Floating Light Golden Seal would weaken, leading to his defeat. Thinking of this, Hua Ruoying drew the short sword Nan Zhe had given her earlier, twisted the hilt, and stabbed towards Nan Zhe's back.

Sensing the movement behind him, Nan Zhe instinctively struck back. Hua Ruoying couldn't dodge in time and was hit in the chest by the flying spell, the short sword slipping from her hand and grazing Nan Zhe's arm.

"Ruoying!" Mi Xingzhe, seeing Hua Ruoying injured, quickly removed the Floating Light Golden Seal and rushed towards her.

Annoyed by the wound, Nan Zhe frowned and looked at Hua Ruoying lying on the ground. Seeing Mi Xingzhe rushing towards her after breaking the seal himself, Nan Zhe's eyes changed, a sick smile curling on his lips. "You asked for this," he said coldly, gathering a powerful spell and striking Mi Xingzhe's back.

"Ruoying, are you alright?" Mi Xingzhe knelt down to check Hua Ruoying's injuries, but she suddenly opened her eyes wide, blood at the corners of her mouth. She used all her strength to push Mi Xingzhe aside.

"Watch out!"

Hua Ruoying's dry, cracked voice warned as she pushed Mi Xingzhe away. A powerful spell struck her forehead.

"Ruoying!" Mi Xingzhe felt his blood drain, his mouth agape in shock. He watched as Hua Ruoying collapsed beside him, lifeless.

Seeing Hua Ruoying take the hit for Mi Xingzhe, Nan Zhe gasped, veins popping on the back of his hand as he broke the ring in his hand.

"Ruoying, don't die, don't die!"

Mi Xingzhe's voice trembled as he held Hua Ruoying, infusing her with spiritual energy, tears streaming down his face.

Hua Ruoying, too weak to respond, stared at Bingo, lying unconscious in the corner, as a misty shadow flew from Bingo's body. A tear of relief fell silently.

"No, don't, Ruoying, don't sleep, please, wake up." Mi Xingzhe whispered, tears falling as he held Hua Ruoying's cooling body.

"Seize him!" Nan Zhe commanded coldly, his voice filled with rage.

The weary moon hid behind the night clouds, leaving only a faint light under the dark leaves. Jia Gu Qing withdrew the last bit of spiritual energy from Li Luoning, gently putting away the Clear Heart Purifying Cauldron.

Li Luoning slowly opened his eyes, his gaze dull and exhausted.

"How do you feel?"

Li Luoning raised his hand, gently channeling his spiritual energy, a cool blue energy gathering in his palm,

"Different, it feels… much cooler and more sorrowful."

"Naturally, this Moon Shadow Pill was refined by Li Minghan with great resentment, absorbing the evil energy from Wuming Demon Mountain. Although the Clear Heart Purifying Cauldron can cleanse its demonic power, its memory and nature still linger, making it feel sorrowful," Jia Gu Qing said, seeing Li Luoning was alright and taking a sip of tea.

"Thank you, senior, for saving my life," Li Luoning said, getting off the bed and bowing.

"Stop! I don't want to save your life repeatedly. I don't have the patience for your nonsense." Jia Gu Qing turned his head away.

Li Luoning smiled without speaking. Just as he was about to say something, someone outside the door spoke,

"Master Xieyi, may I see you?"

Hearing someone call him this, Li Luoning's expression turned serious. This was his title in the Liao Yin Immortal Realm, so the person must be from there. Recognizing the familiar voice, Li Luoning opened the door.

Outside, he saw Qingyuan standing alone.

"Qingyuan?"

Li Luoning wondered how Qingyuan had found him, but seeing no soldiers, he knew Qingyuan wasn't there to arrest him.

"How did the War God know I was here?" Li Luoning asked.

Qingyuan pondered for a moment, then pulled out a flower bud from his sleeve. As the flower bloomed, it revealed two spells—one appearing as a sealed letter, the other as an image of this wooden house.

"I found this flower in the courtyard of Mirror Cloud Residence. It carries the power of the Yanding Dragon Clan, likely left behind when the Yanding Dragon King was killed," Qingyuan explained.

"After Yue Ruling helped you two escape the Liao Yin Immortal Realm, she was imprisoned by the Immortal Lord. I originally planned to wait until the Immortal Lord calmed down before finding a reason to have her released. Unexpectedly, a few days ago, the Immortal Lord summoned me, demanding I find you and your disciple within a month, or Yue Ruling would be judged, her core removed, and her soul shattered."

"So, Lord Qingyuan knew all along that Xingzhe and I were hiding here?" Li Luoning asked.

"I didn't know at first. Without any clues, I went to Mirror Cloud Residence hoping to find something. I found this flower in the courtyard, left by the Dragon King, and came here alone," Qingyuan explained.

"May I see this flower bud?" Li Luoning reached out his hand.

"Please, go ahead." Qingyuan handed it over.

The flower slowly bloomed in Li Luoning's hand, and with a crisp sound, the seal on the letter broke. The three of them exchanged puzzled glances. Li Luoning lightly touched the letter, revealing a handwritten message from Yanding Dragon King.

"Nephew Luoning, you must already know about the twin golden cores. Minghan is not inherently evil, just extreme in his ways. If you and your brother ever come to blows, I hope you will spare his life for the sake of the Li family bloodline. Our families have been friends for generations. When the Li family was tragically attacked, dozens of lives were lost in the fire. Over the years, I have discovered that the fire was caused by an Upper Wei Sky Stone. Only one person in the Three Realms can refine such a stone. The prophecy read, 'The fall of the White Monarch brings strange fortune and disaster. The void descends, the clouds move, the immortal tribulation rises, the demon thrives. The ruler faces peril.' He feared the twin golden cores of your Li family and took drastic measures. Now, his position is much stronger. If you start a war with him recklessly, it could bring disaster. You are alone and outnumbered. But if you can endure for the peace of the Three Realms, I would be eternally grateful. You now have my dragon wings. I entrust the Dragon Palace to you. Please consider carefully, and always prioritize the greater good and the lives of the Three Realms."

Li Luoning's emotions were turbulent, though his face remained calm. Knowing the contents of the letter were crucial, he took a deep breath, turned his hand, and encased the letter in ice before crushing it.

"Hey, hey, why did you destroy it? I hadn't finished reading!" Jia Gu Qing exclaimed.

"Yue Ruling will be fine," Li Luoning said softly.

"How can you be so sure, Master Xieyi?" Qingyuan asked.

Li Luoning didn't answer but instead scrutinized Qingyuan, his gaze falling on the Empty Flower Token he carried.

"The Immortal Lord only wants to use you to find my hiding place quickly. Though you came alone, he now knows my location," Li Luoning said, as if speaking to someone else through the token.

A surge of ice shattered the Empty Flower Token at Qingyuan's waist.

On the other side, watching Qingyuan's every move through the token, SiTu Fanzhi saw the image shatter. He slammed his fist on the table in fury, breathing heavily, and then flipped the desk in anger.

"Li Luoning! How long do you think you can hide?" SiTu Fanzhi growled through clenched teeth.

"Master Xieyi!" 

Qingyuan barely had time to react before the token shattered.

"Why did you do that? If you didn't want to see the token, you could have just asked, and I would have put it outside. Now how are we supposed to get through the Liao Yin Immortal Realm's barrier without it?" Qingyuan complained.

"Qingyuan, after patrolling the barriers for so many years, haven't you noticed anything unusual?" Li Luoning asked calmly.

"What do you mean, Master Xieyi?" Qingyuan frowned in confusion.

"Qingyuan, with all your experience and keen observation, haven't you ever used it on patrolling the Liao Yin Immortal Realm?" Li Luoning said, pouring himself a cup of tea. "Entering and exiting the Liao Yin Immortal Realm doesn't require a token at all," he added with a smile.

"No token?" Qingyuan said incredulously.

Li Luoning nodded slightly. "Do you remember my disciple Yun Wan Nian, who often sneaked out of the Liao Yin Immortal Realm?"

"I remember, but what does that have to do with the token?"

"Because I was worried about him sneaking out, I kept his token with me. But he always managed to pass through the barrier easily," Li Luoning explained.

"If the Empty Flower Token isn't for passing through the barrier, then why does everyone need one?" Qingyuan asked.

"It's for tracking location. The Immortal Lord secretly added a spell to the tokens of important immortal friends so he could always know their whereabouts," Li Luoning recalled, thinking of the moment when Mi Xingzhe received his reward token and noticing the fleeting spell.

"Your Immortal Lord has always been distrustful, secretly monitoring those with high cultivation," Jia Gu Qing added, shaking his head.

"You know the Immortal Lord?" Qingyuan asked.

"More than that, we're quite familiar!" Jia Gu Qing said with a disdainful snort, turning away.

"By the way, little medicine fool, what was that long-winded letter about? Who can refine the Upper Wei Sky Stone?" Jia Gu Qing asked.

"To my knowledge, there is only one recorded person in the Three Realms with dual wood and metal golden cores, essential for refining the Upper Wei Sky Stone. The stone is of the fire element, and the stone I found in my family's backyard emitted a fiery aura. My previous blazing golden core was also a top-grade fire element, likely the reason he went to such lengths," Li Luoning said solemnly.

"A dual-element golden core? Who could be so powerful?" Qingyuan asked, surprised.

"SiTu… Fanzhi."