"A secret realm? A pill-fire?"

Upon hearing Feng Bingwen's words, Luo Lingxiao blinked. She stretched out her fair and delicate palm, and in her palm, a faint, almost ethereal flame gradually ignited.

"I already have one!"

Azure Celestial Flame!

For ordinary sects, secret realms are the foundation of their existence, but for a junior alchemist like her who can reside in a grotto-heaven for a long time, they are not worth her attention. Even those dilapidated blessed lands that have lost the protection of earth immortals are not worth her time to manage, because it would distract her.

As for the alchemical fire, there's no need to say more. Even if a disciple of the Supreme Dao is just starting out, as long as their name is entered into the Jade Register, they basically don't need to worry about cultivation resources anymore. Not to mention her, the alchemist. Back then, when she was choosing alchemical fire, she spent a lot of time picking and choosing.

There were simply too many alchemical fires to choose from, even some of the most famous true fires in the world were laid out before her. Unfortunately, her cultivation level was too weak, so she could only look at them.

“I know you possess the Dan Fire, but you don’t want it…”

At this point, Feng Bingwen couldn't continue. There was no way he could stop talking; the Supreme Dao was simply too wealthy, and he really didn't believe that this senior sister would lack any alchemical fire.

The collection of a primordial deity over a long period of time sounds very tempting, but the Supreme Dao's inventory may not be much worse, and may even be better.

What do I want?

Luo Lingxiao stared at the handsome Feng Bingwen in front of him, waiting for him to continue speaking, but unfortunately, his junior brother suddenly stopped talking.

"Senior sister, I just heard you lamenting that your cultivation level seems to be holding you back in alchemy!"

Feng Bingwen abruptly changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on it any longer. He realized that giving this secret realm, bestowed upon him by a primordial deity, to his senior sister in a reasonable way would require some thought and finding a suitable reason.

"That's right. If I could have the same cultivation level as you, junior brother, I would definitely be able to refine a sixth-grade immortal pill!"

Luo Lingxiao, whose makeup and appearance made her look like a young woman in her late teens, showed a look of regret.

As a practitioner, focusing more on alchemy than on daily practice, even to the point of affecting the progress of cultivation, undoubtedly leads one astray to some extent.

However, this senior sister herself likes alchemy, and as a cultivator, she is young enough and has a long and rich lifespan. Even if she wastes hundreds of years, it won't affect anything. She has enough capital.

"Then, Senior Sister, your accumulation should be sufficient. Why not try to overcome the tribulation to become an immortal?"

Feng Bingwen asked, "This senior sister's accumulation of magical power is beyond reproach. She can refine immortal pills, refine them herself and consume them, and she can also create a flawless foundation for herself. As for the grade of the golden core she forms, it is naturally top-notch. After all, she is a disciple of the Supreme Dao. How could it be inferior?"

"Transcending tribulation!"

Upon hearing Feng Bingwen mention this, Luo Lingxiao pursed his lips, his originally rosy complexion turning slightly pale.

As Feng Bingwen observed the change in his senior sister's expression, he suddenly realized something; he seemed to know what was wrong with her.

For beings who are just beginning to cultivate, talent is undoubtedly the most important thing. Especially for those mortal beings, talent will determine how much time they will spend reaching a higher realm and how much lifespan they can gain.

Senior Sister Luo Lingxiao's talent for cultivation is beyond doubt. She was spotted by an elder who was traveling and brought back to the sect.

However, talent only plays a decisive role at the beginning of cultivation. As the cultivation level gradually deepens, the importance of talent to the cultivator gradually decreases. Instead, comprehension, temperament, and other mysterious but real hard conditions take their place.

These factors determine how far a practitioner can go on the path of spiritual practice.

It seems rather strange that a master alchemist capable of refining elixirs, despite having no shortage of alchemy materials, remained stuck at the Cave Profound Realm for so long without taking that crucial step forward.

But looking at the senior sister's expression, Feng Bingwen felt that he had found the answer.

Senior Sister Luo Lingxiao fears the Heavenly Tribulation!

This makes sense, and logically speaking, it's not incomprehensible. Among all living beings in the world, how many wouldn't fear heavenly tribulations? Fearing heavenly tribulations is not a strange thing.

It is this reverence and fear of the Heavenly Dao that gave rise to many supernatural methods for avoiding disasters and calamities, and the most comprehensive of these is the blessed land.

Such fear is not surprising to ordinary cultivators or even spirits, but Senior Sister Luo is a disciple of the Supreme Dao.

For a disciple of the Supreme Dao to lack the required moral cultivation and to fear the Heavenly Tribulation—to say such a thing would be disgraceful and shameful.

Of course, Feng Bingwen only thought these words once in his mind before suppressing them, because he was not qualified to comment. His way of undergoing tribulation was too different from others, and he did not understand the fear and trepidation that mortal beings felt when facing the majesty of the Heavenly Dao.

"Senior sister, don't you want to become an immortal?"

Feng Bingwen didn't expose the truth, nor did he reveal what his senior sister was afraid of, even though it was an obvious fact.

"Of course I want to, but..."

Luo Lingxiao answered without hesitation, but then hesitated, feeling somewhat ashamed to speak.

She had forgotten exactly when she began to feel fear towards the heavenly tribulation she had never experienced before.

However, she knew that her fear of the Heavenly Tribulation stemmed not from witnessing the tragic fate of her fellow disciples who failed to overcome it.

Although this is also one of the influencing factors, the way of Heaven is impartial. Ordinary cultivators who are unknown and those who are exceptionally talented and outstanding cultivators are treated the same when facing the Heavenly Tribulation—they all have to go through a life-or-death ordeal, but there is also a glimmer of hope.

If one can grasp that glimmer of hope, one can transcend the mortal realm and become an immortal, truly transcending the mundane and stepping onto the path of immortality. If one cannot take that step, even the most brilliant and talented genius will ultimately turn into a handful of ashes.

Luo Lingxiao's inner conflict did not lie in this, but rather in his own cultivation level.

She was obsessed with alchemy, devoted to it, and had the resolve to dedicate her entire life to it.

All of this gradually developed after she was brought back to the sect by her master and her talent for alchemy was discovered.

It was from that moment on that she lost confidence in her cultivation level, because compared to her fellow disciples, she had gained most of her cultivation through elixirs.

The actual time spent in meditation and spiritual practice is less than one-tenth or one-twelfth of the time spent refining elixirs.

It is precisely for this reason that Luo Lingxiao is extremely unconfident about the Ascension Tribulation that tests her cultivation results, because she herself knows how lax she has been on the path of cultivation and cannot be considered a qualified cultivator.

If it were a test on alchemy, she would naturally go for it without hesitation, full of confidence, thinking, "Who else but me?" Unfortunately, the Heavenly Tribulation does not test alchemy.

"Senior sister, do you know how to fight magic?"

Seeing his hesitant senior sister, Feng Bingwen decided to take the plunge. This Senior Sister Luo had such a poor temperament; he felt he should lend a hand and help discipline her.

Putting aside other benefits, if this senior sister's cultivation level were to rise further and she were able to refine even higher-quality elixirs, wouldn't he be entitled to a share?

"Maybe...a little!"

Luo Lingxiao originally wanted to say yes directly, but after thinking about the time it took for him to fight someone last time, he decided to be more cautious.

"I think I understand where you went wrong, Senior Sister!"

Feng Bingwen pinched his chin, looked up and down at his senior sister who seemed like a celestial maiden descended to earth, and nodded slightly.

This senior sister is truly unparalleled in her field of expertise, possessing a unique aura that even Feng Bingwen would feel ashamed of. However, when it comes to cultivation, she becomes a timid and hesitant quail.

Where did I go wrong?

Luo Lingxiao, who actually had a vague understanding in his heart, pressed for an answer.

Many people know their own flaws and shortcomings, but they are unwilling to face them and need others to point them out.

"Senior sister, you don't understand yourself enough!"

Feng Bingwen narrowed his eyes, revealing a smile that seemed gentle but inexplicably made Luo Lingxiao feel uneasy.

"What?"

Hearing Feng Bingwen's words, Luo Lingxiao was somewhat stunned, as this was not what she had imagined.

"I don't understand myself?"

It sounded absurd, and Luo Lingxiao even found it somewhat funny.

"That's right, Senior Sister doesn't know where she stands among cultivators of the same realm, does she?"

Feng Bingwen asked with a smile.

"have no idea."

Luo Lingxiao pondered for a moment, then shook her head. She knew her cultivation talent was exceptional, but that wasn't the factor that allowed her to crush other cultivators of the same level. If talent truly determined everything, then cultivators wouldn't need to fight each other; they could just reveal their talents directly.

"It must have been a long time since Senior Sister last fought someone!"

"good!"

"Therefore, I suggest that Senior Sister find out her position among cultivators of the same realm as quickly as possible!"

Feng Bingwen gave his final advice.

This senior sister clearly lacked self-confidence, to the point that she dared not face the heavenly tribulation. And cultivating self-confidence is something that is neither particularly difficult nor particularly easy.

Just beat up a group of cultivators who look to be at the same level as you. As long as you can easily defeat them, your confidence will naturally come. Although violence is not advisable, it is indeed effective.

It would be truly strange if someone could easily surpass others and not develop a sense of confidence from that.

"Junior brother, are you asking me to fight other cultivators?"

Luo Lingxiao's eyes widened; she had never imagined that she would get into a fight with someone during this trip.

"That's right!"

Feng Bingwen nodded, and as he spoke, the smile on his face became increasingly strange, even revealing a very obvious malice.

"Wait a minute, junior brother, I'm an alchemist, I'm not good at fighting!"

Seeing Feng Bingwen's expression, Luo Lingxiao immediately panicked; she had a bad feeling.

"Few people are born with the ability to fight; they become proficient through practice!"

A hazy, dazzling celestial light emanated from Feng Bingwen's body, reaching from the sky above to the earth below, instantly filling this not-so-vast secret realm and attracting many Dragon Serpent Sect cultivators who were practicing to peek out.

I surrender!

Seeing that Feng Bingwen seemed inclined to take action, Luo Lingxiao cleanly and decisively raised the white flag and admitted defeat.

She didn't think she could be a match for this junior brother who was suspected of hunting a real dragon.

"Conflict of surrender is invalid!"

Feng Bingwen's body gradually rose higher into the sky, the dazzling immortal light making his form increasingly hazy, and also giving him an aura that made Luo Lingxiao feel somewhat oppressed.

"However, senior sister, you don't need to worry, your opponent is not me!"

As he spoke, Feng Bingwen gently pulled at a mountain not far away, and a colossal creature, hundreds of feet long and resembling a dragon or snake, was pulled out from it. He then gently tossed it in front of Luo Lingxiao.

Boom—

The low hill collapsed, and smoke and dust filled the air. Accompanied by the glint of a cold, scaly light, the surging smoke and dust were instantly lifted, revealing a colossal creature that was both ferocious and majestic.

Dragon and Snake Cult Leader!

A genius cultivator who spent hundreds of years stealing the power of his descendants' bloodline, and then, not content with his lot, attempted to transform from a snake into a dragon based on the Heavenly Serpent bloodline, trying to transcend the shackles of bloodline.

It must be said that this is an outstanding cultivator worthy of attention. He is quite good in all aspects, including opportunity, talent, perseverance, and comprehension. Therefore, he was chosen by Feng Bingwen to be the first stepping stone to cultivate his senior sister's confidence.

"Senior Sister Luo, this is the first opponent you will face now, the Dragon-Snake Cult Leader, who was born into a mortal family..."

Feng Bingwen looked down at the nervous female cultivator and the still bewildered Long She, and began to introduce the Dragon-Snake Cult Leader. He mainly described the Dragon-Snake Cult Leader's life in concise language, of course, with a few embellishments.

To put it bluntly, they were just bragging about how extraordinary this inhuman Dragon and Snake Cult Leader really was. As they kept bragging, the cult leader, who had been somewhat bewildered, suddenly became somewhat dazed and proud – "So I'm this awesome."

"Amazing!"

This was the first impression that came to Luo Lingxiao's mind after hearing the origins of the ferocious dragon-snake beast opposite her. Then, her expression immediately became even more serious.

"Now, the battle of wits begins!"

Feng Bingwen immediately announced the start of the fight. Concerned that the two might not actually fight, he also sent a telepathic message to the Dragon-Snake Cult Leader.

"My senior sister loves using the blood and bones of other races to refine pills. You are no longer considered human. I just discussed with her that if you can last ten rounds against her, you can continue to stay under my command and won't become material for refining pills. If you can't last ten rounds, hehe!"

At the critical moment of life and death, the Dragon-Snake Cult Leader, who was still somewhat dazed, had no time to think. With a roar, he opened his blood-red maw and lunged at Luo Lingxiao.

Bang!

A sky-blue palm suddenly appeared, obscuring the sky, and then slammed down.

That's it?