Demon Cultivator: Heaven and earth are the cauldron, and all living beings are the medicine

In the vast and silent mountain cave, a slender youth in a yellow robe sat cross-legged, eyes closed, wholeheartedly refining the plump, white wine worm in his hand.

The wine worm could help low-level cultivators forcibly break through a small realm, and because this worm was pure and gentle, it wouldn't violently resist during the refining process, nor would it cause much harm to the cultivator, which is why it was so favored by low-level cultivators.

However, advancing from the Body Tempering Realm to the Qi Refining Realm was a qualitative change. When a cultivator's cultivation reached the Qi Refining Realm, a gaseous dantian would form within their body, used to absorb the spiritual energy of the world to aid in their cultivation.

Therefore, to break through, cultivators needed to spend a lot of time building a good gaseous dantian.

Throughout the long night, the youth spent his time in the dark and empty mountain cave, wholeheartedly refining the wine worm, not daring to slack off in the slightest, as if he was racing against time.

At this moment, in the Canglan Sect, inside a dignified and exquisite wooden house, an old man in a dark green robe sat upright in a chair, with a sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked youth standing anxiously before him.

"Master! Are you sure you want to accept that Ning Lu as a disciple? Why are you doing this?" Sun Hao asked Hu Danian, his face anxious and full of confusion.

"Calculating the time, in less than a year, the wolf tide in the nearby mountains will erupt. This reconnaissance mission requires two people. I'm taking him as a disciple so you can lead him to carry out this mission together."

The old man sighed, looked at the anxious youth, and slowly spoke.

Sun Hao's expression brightened, a flash of inspiration in his mind, and he asked with a smile, "Master, do you mean? To get rid of him during the mission?"

The old man was silent, only nodding slightly.

"Master is wise! How could I not have thought of that? As long as you accept him as a disciple, then I will have a sufficient reason to take him on a mission, and due to the constraints of his identity, he won't even be able to refuse!"

A sinister smile appeared on the youth's face as he continuously flattered the old man.

"Alright, you can go down first. Ning Lu has gone out to perform a mission and should be back tomorrow. According to his abilities, he should be able to bring back that jar of Azure Bamboo Wine. Using this as a reason, I will personally come forward to accept him as a disciple!"

Hu Danian's expression was calm as he picked up the teacup on the table and gently sipped the tea.

"Yes! Master, this disciple takes his leave!" Sun Hao respectfully cupped his fist towards the old man, then turned and left the wooden house.

The old man watched the youth's departing figure, the calm expression on his face turning cold.

Sun Hao thought he was scheming against Ning Lu with his master Hu Danian, but the reality was that both Sun Hao and Ning Lu were pawns in Hu Danian's game, and both were being plotted against by the old man!

The night receded, and the light of dawn emerged from the horizon, the morning's glow scattering across the earth, as if covering it with a layer of brocade.

In the mountain cave, the youth suddenly opened his eyes, his aura soaring. The white wine worm in his hand had been completely refined, and a gaseous dantian had formed within the youth's body.

The night's efforts had not been in vain. At this moment, the youth had officially entered the Qi Refining Realm!

Ning Lu slowly sat up from the ground, feeling the changes in his body, only feeling that the meridians and bones in his body had now completely undergone a reshaping, reaching a strength that ordinary mortals could not resist.

At the same time, the youth had an even deeper understanding of the spiritual energy between heaven and earth, and could also use the gaseous dantian within his body to absorb some of the spiritual energy between heaven and earth.

A ray of light shone into the mountain cave through a narrow stone crevice, illuminating the pitch-black cave.

"It's already dawn? It's also time to return to the sect. If a disciple goes out to perform a mission for too long and still hasn't returned, the sect will probably send someone to look for me."

Ning Lu thought in his heart, took all his belongings, immediately shuttled through the narrow stone crevice, left the empty mountain cave, and returned to the Canglan Sect without stopping.

At noon, in the Canglan Sect's council hall, a pot-bellied middle-aged man lay comfortably in a chair, with a few scattered disciples staying in the council hall.

At this moment, a youth in a yellow robe appeared at the door, holding a jar of fragrant wine in his hands, his eyes bright, full of youth and vitality.

The youth stepped into the room, walked straight to the middle-aged man, handed the Azure Bamboo Wine in his hand to the middle-aged man, and slowly spoke.

"Elder, the mission to retrieve the Azure Bamboo Wine has been successfully completed by this disciple."

The middle-aged man took the fragrant Azure Bamboo Wine, looked at the yellow-robed youth whose aura was much stronger, and his face was full of shock.

"You're something else, kid. This mission has been going on for many years, and three or four disciples have been to the Song Family Mountain Stronghold, but you're the only one who can bring back this Azure Bamboo Wine."

"Elder is too kind!" The youth cupped his fist and bowed.

"I haven't seen you for two days, and your aura has become much stronger. You're really progressing rapidly. You're a formidable person!" The middle-aged man couldn't help but sit up from the chair and heavily patted the youth's shoulder.

At the same time, an old man with snow-white hair, wearing a dark green robe, appeared at the entrance of the council hall and slowly stepped into it.

Everyone present immediately stopped what they were doing when they saw the old man, slightly bowed, and respectfully cupped their fists and bowed towards the old man, "Greetings, Elder Hu."

Hu Danian nodded slightly in response, his footsteps not stopping, directly coming to Ning Lu, patted the youth's shoulder, and slowly asked, "Ning Lu, are you willing to be the old man's third personal disciple?"

As soon as these words came out, the whole place erupted in an uproar, and noisy discussions broke out, resounding throughout the entire council hall.

"Did I hear that right? Elder Hu is going to accept another personal disciple?"

"Why? That kid is just a handyman disciple who has just been promoted to an outer disciple. What virtues and abilities does he have to be favored by Elder Hu?"

"This kid is really lucky! If he becomes Elder Hu's personal disciple, then his cultivation and his status in the sect will surely advance rapidly and smoothly!"

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the yellow-robed youth, their eyes full of envy and jealousy.

At this moment, even Ning Lu's eyes flashed with a hint of astonishment, and he asked in confusion, "May I ask Elder Hu, why did you take a liking to me?"

"You are exceptionally talented. Your realm has risen all the way up not long after entering the sect, setting a precedent for the sect's handyman disciples. I cherish talent and naturally don't want to see your talent buried." The old man smiled lightly and responded.

The youth stared at the kind-looking old man in front of him, constantly struggling in his heart.

In the youth's impression, Hu Danian was a kind, benevolent, and highly respected sect elder. Although he couldn't say he had a particularly good feeling about him, he had never thought that the other party would have the idea of harming him.

If he became the old man's personal disciple, then he would have access to cultivation resources and techniques that he had never had before.

However, after becoming the old man's disciple, the Hongmeng Ancient Cauldron could only be used for a limited time, and must never be exposed in front of the old man. Although the usage time was reduced, it did not have an excessive impact.

After struggling again and again, the youth raised his head and said in a sonorous and powerful voice, "Disciple Ning Lu, greets Master!"