Chapter 459: Honor
Translator: _Tat_ Editor: Fish_Creek
The Painting of the Nine Immortals had a scenery that mimicked poetries and paintings. It was a view that belonged only in Heavens.
On top of the giant Mountain of the Healing Soul, the Immortal of Alchemy suspended in mid-air. He was sage-like and divine.
Ling Xian was wearing a black robe. He stood silently behind Liao Cang Qiong and he found it hard to hide the ecstasy he felt.
Eight years of anticipation, eight years of waiting, he had finally awakened the Immortal of Alchemy. How could he not feel overjoyed?
The Immortal of Alchemy was also overjoyed. For one, he had finally been awakened. For two, from the Untainted and Feng Qing Ming, he learned about Ling Xian's achievements.
As a Master, nothing made him happier than having his apprentice succeed. All of Ling Xian's accomplishments satisfied him.
On top of that, he had been away for eight years. If he didn't have the identity of an Immortal, he would be crying from his emotions.
"Ling Xian, I truly didn't think that in merely eight years, you would have grown to where you are now." The Immortal of Alchemy turned around and stared at his apprentice. He was deeply moved and truly proud.
Deeply moved because he didn't expect that after short eight years, that young meditational levelled cultivator had grown into a completion levelled powerhouse. Proud because his apprentice achieved such glorious greatness.
"You flatter me. It's all because of you." Ling Xian's lips curled up, revealing a warm smile.
"That is not true."
Looking at the grinning young man, the Immortal of Alchemy beamed, "I merely pointed you to the right road and helped you get started. Everything you accomplished after were because of your own abilities."
"No matter what, without you, I would not be where I am today." Ling Xian mysteriously smiled, "Master, it's been eight years, I have a gift to give you."
"A gift?" Liao Cang Qiong's eyes brightened in interest.
"I believe this gift will make you very happy." Ling Xian smiled, his confidence lit up the universe.
"Oh?"
Lian Cang Qiong checked out the now-even-more-handsome Ling Xian and smiled, "You have already made me very happy."
"I promise that once you see this gift, you will be happier." Ling Xian truly believed that the moment he took out the gift, Liao Cang Qiong will forget who he was and laughed out loud.
"Such confidence? Then I will treat it seriously." The Immortal of Alchemy stroke his beard in anticipation.
"Just you wait." Ling Xian grinned and a dragon-eye sized golden Dan appeared.
This Dan was completely gold and there was not a single carving on its surface. It gave off the aura of achievement and the moment it appeared, the dense aroma filled the air.
It was the perfect Foundational Dan!
Instantly, Liao Cang Qiong stopped moving. He stared at the golden Dan with shock in his eyes.
In the Taoism community, a tenth-ranked Dan was also known as a perfect Dan. It was a goal every single alchemist pursued after. Sadly, this was almost an impossible task. Even for the Immortal, he cannot make the claim that he can brew a perfect Dan easily.
This was why when he saw this tenth ranked Dan, he was so shocked.
"You… you made this?" Liao Cang Qiong was a little excited. Thinking about this made his breathing heavy.
Sensing Liao Cang Qiong's high expectation, Ling Xian's lips curled up and made a statement that excited Liao Cang Qiong greatly.
"If I didn't make it, why would I show it off?"
Liao Cang Qiong's body began to quiver as he became extremely excited. He laughed, "Ahahhaa, well, well, well, my apprentice brewed a perfect Dan! The Gods have eyes!"
After learning that Ling Xian brewed this Dan, the immortal could no longer control himself and let his excitement take over. All because this made him so happy.
A perfect spiritual Dan!
Even though Liao Cang Qiong himself could brew it, this particular Dan was brewed by Ling Xian, thus had completely different meaning to him.
Without a doubt, Liao Cang Qiong felt the honor!
"Ha ha ha, the Gods sure like me. They let me acquire an excellent apprentice! The Gods have been so kind!"
Liao Cang Qiong bellowed as he felt a great deal of happiness. As he laughed, he began to cry.
Originally, when he woke up and saw Ling Xian, his eyes were damp. But because he didn't want to seem weak, he controlled himself. But now he realized the extent of his apprentice's achievement, he couldn't control his excitement any longer.
Seeing Liao Cang Qiong's excitement, Ling Xian grinned as well. His eyes too, were a little damp.
He knew very well that he didn't have much to give Liao Cang Qiong in return. All he could really do was to make Liao Cang Qiong proud.
As he watched Liao Cang Qiong laugh and cry, he felt like everything he had ever done had been worth it.
"Well, well, well."
Liao Cang Qiong said "well" three times and stared at his proud apprentice, "Ling Xian, you have done well. I cannot believe that you brewed a perfect Dan at your age."
"It's all due to your teaching." Ling Xian smiled.
"No, it's because of your hard work." Liao Cang Qiong suppressed his emotions, "Ling Xian, do you know how old I was when I brewed my first perfect Dan? Do you know which realm that Dan belonged to?"
"I… I do not know." Ling Xian hesitated.
"That's normal. Usually the records don't state all the details." Liao Cang Qiong began to reminisce for a while, "My first perfect Dan was when I turned 56. Back then, I was an alchemist of the Fourth Realm."
Ling Xian frowned, uncertain why he was being told this.
"Do you not understand?"
Liao Cang Qiong beamed and the way he looked at Ling Xian softened, "Think about it, if my first perfect Dan was brewed when I was 56 and when I was of the Fourth Realm, what does this mean for you? If I'm not wrong, you are of the Seventh Realm now and your age, should be around 23."
"I see what you mean now." Ling Xian realized what the Immortal was exclaiming about.
Liao Cang Qiong was obsessed with alchemy all his life and his knowledge of alchemy was insanely profound. Known to be the Immortal of Alchemy, his status in the community cannot be surpassed.
He was only able to brew a perfect Dan when he was 56 and of the Fourth Realm, yet Ling Xian achieved this at 23 and when he was merely of the Seventh Realm!
From certain angles, Ling Xian had broken the Immortal's record!
"Aye, 23 years old, Seventh Realm… already a perfect Dan." Liao Cang Qiong exclaimed and stared at Ling Xian praisingly, "You have surpassed me."
Hearing this, Ling Xian rubbed his nose and thought, [You are wrong.]
[If I remember correctly, when I brewed the perfect Dan, I was 19 and was of the Eighth Realm.]