Double Cultivation
forbearance
After everyone left the Meeting Hall, Su Yang and Wang Shuren returned to the Burning Lotus Sect to prepare for the Alchemy Examination in two weeks.
"What kind of test will you do for them to follow? Would it be something like the assessment of a Profound Flower Sect disciple?" Wang Shuren asked him.
"Not really. Although talent was an important factor in Alchemy, what was more important was their dedication and ability to remember things. Without dedication, even if you have the world's best talent, you won't be able to concoct pills properly. And there are thousands of pill recipes that exist in this world with quantities of ingredients that are hundreds of times more than the recipe itself. Without a good memory, how to memorize what ingredients are needed for pills, let alone how to concoct pills? While some pills may require similar ingredients, the way each pill is concocted is unique and very different."
"Therefore, I will test their ability to memorize the pill recipe and have them undergo a patience test."
"Testing their patience…?" Wang Shuren raised his eyebrows. "Although I can see how the first exam will take place, I can't imagine how you plan to test their patience."
"That's simple." Su Yang suddenly entered the pill room and started concocting pills.
A few minutes later, he returned to Wang Shuren's side and showed her a pebble-sized pill.
"What kind of pill is this?" he asked with his eyes flickering with interest and excitement.
Su Yang simply smiled and said, "Sit down and close your eyes. I'll let you experience it for yourself."
"…"
Wang Shuren narrowed his eyes at him with a suspicious look. He could feel the unpleasant feeling that came from the smile on Su Yang's face, but he was too curious about the pill to resist.
A moment later, he sat on the floor in a lotus position and closed his eyes.
Seeing this, Su Yang smashed the purple pill between his fingers and sprinkled the powder on Wang Shuren's face.
"…"
"…"
"…"
After waiting for a few minutes without anything happening, Wang Shuren said, "What took you so long, Su Yang?"
"…"
"…"
"…"
But no one responded to it.
"Su Yang?"
Wang Shuren slowly opened his eyes, and it was at that moment that he realized why Su Yang had not responded to him.
"Where am I?"
Wang Shuren had opened his eyes and learned that he was no longer inside his house or the Burning Lotus Sect for that matter.
Instead, he had been moved to a mountain cliff in the middle of nowhere with a mountain range that was even higher than the clouds in all directions.
How was he suddenly transferred to this place without even realizing it? Where is this place?
"Ah.. This must be an illusion…"
Wang Shuren shook his head with a smile on his face. "You almost got me, Su Yang. Although this is definitely an illusion caused by pills, I must admit, it is very realistic. If I didn't know about the pills, I would definitely be fooled by them."
Wang Shuren decided to sit down until the effect of the pill dissipated or when Su Yang pulled it out of the illusion.
However, after waiting for hours, he remained in the same place, surrounded by mountains and clouds. But even so, Wang Shuren remained calm, as he was confident that he was inside the illusion.
10 hours. 20 hours. 3 days. 7 days…
A week had passed in the blink of an eye, yet Wang Shuren did not wake up from the illusion.
"Haha..I saw what you were trying to do, Su Yang.." A smile appeared on his face when he realized what was happening.
"You're trying to test my patience, huh? Alright. I'll wait until you're satisfied!"
Therefore, Wang Shuren continued to sit on the mountain cliff, patiently waiting for the 'test' to be completed.
1 week. 2 weeks…
Wang Shuren had been sitting in the same position for a month now, but the effect of the pill was still there, as he could see the mountains.
"I don't know how long it's been since I got here, but it should have been weeks. How long are you gonna keep me here, Su Yang?" Wang Shuren said loudly, and his voice echoed in the distance.
"…"
With that in mind, Wang Shuren left the mountain cliff and started to tour the mountain range.
His surroundings were extremely silent, almost like he was the only living being in this world. However, it was foreseeable, since he was inside the illusion created by the purple pill.
"Although I've already expressed my admiration, the ability of the pill to create a realistic illusion is too confusing, it even becomes more realistic the longer I stay in this place."
Wang Shuren went on to cross the mountains, but after spending several days in an illusion, he continued, he realized that he had walked in the same area no matter which direction he walked or how far he walked, in the end, he would walk back to the same mountain cliff at the beginning.
"Is this really an illusion…?" Wang Shuren began to doubt himself after spending a few more weeks in that place.
"i should have been aware of this when I first arrived at this place, but I have ignored it .. Why is there spiritual energy in the illusion? Is it possible to create real spiritual energy within the illusion?"
Wang Shuren started cultivating to test spiritual energy, and as he expected, he was able to cultivate normally with Profound Qi in this place despite being in an illusion, he was able to cultivate normally, that was the beginning of his doubts about this place.
"Well, since I can develop spiritual energy in this place, it will make waiting easier…"
Thus, Wang Shuren returned to the mountain cliff where spiritual energy was most dense, and he started cultivating there.
1 month…
2 month…
3 month…
6 month…
1 year…
In the blink of an eye, over a year had passed since Wang Shuren was transferred to this mountain range, yet there was no sign of him returning to his room in the Burning Lotus Sect any time soon.
2 year…
3 year…
5 year…
10 year…
Wang Shuren had increased his cultivation base by as much as two levels in the past 2 years, but without being able to concoct pills for so long, he started to yearn for the smell of medicine and sweat until his robe was soaked by the pill concoction.
"Su Yang! Are you done testing me ?! I've been tired of seeing the same sights for years! Please! Just let me go!" Wang Shuren shouted with all his might towards the sky.
However, there was no response from Su Yang no matter how long he waited.
"I don't think it's easy trying to satisfy an Immortal who has lived for thousands of years.." he sighed afterwards. If he thought about it, he was extremely lucky to have an Immortal like Su Yang lecturing him.
"i may not be a real disciple in his eyes right now, but I will prove to him that I have the ability to become his disciple!" Wang Shuren decided to wait as long as he could endure.
15 year…
30 year…
50 years…
100 years…
After spending 100 years in the same place, Wang Shuren started to go crazy. When he first entered this place, he was only at the Earth Spirit Realm. But after spending 100 years in cultivation, he had ascended to the peak of the Earth Spirit Realm, only a step away from reaching the Heavenly Spirit Realm.
"i can feel it .. I will enter the Heaven Spirit Realm in a few days …"
A few days of preparation later, Wang Shuren began his ascension to the Heavenly Spirit Realm.
A few hours later, he could feel his dantian growing many folds, and his spiritual energy growing denser and purer.
"i succeeded! I have finally reached the Heavenly Spirit Realm!" Wang Shuren shouted in excitement as he opened his eyes.
However, it was at that moment that he realized that he was no longer in the mountains, and Su Yang's handsome face could be seen standing several meters away from him.
"Su-Su Yang…?" he muttered in a dazed voice, as if in disbelief.
"Congratulations, you've managed to survive 100 years in solitude without breaking your mind." Su Yang said to him with a smile, and continued, "Although you have experienced 100 years with the effects of pills, in fact, only 10 hours have passed since you closed your eyes."
"Eh?" Wang Shuren looked at him with wide eyes, speechless in surprise.