Lu Yang had a very long dream. Although he couldn’t remember what it was about, he recalled being cursed by an immortal, trapped in an endless cycle of time loops.

Wait, that doesn’t make sense. I’ve already brought Tang Chuanwu back. Why am I still going through loops?

When this realization dawned upon him, Lu Yang’s mind gradually cleared. He jerked his head up, his eyes clouded.

What happened just now? Why did I fall asleep? And why do I have no memory of it at all?

Why has the sky turned dark?

And my stomach feels warm. Did I break through again?

The diligent Everlasting Immortal Fairy had already cleared the dishes, wiped the table, and restored everything to how it was before Lu Yang had eaten. She had waited quietly for Lu Yang to wake.

Each time Xiao Yangzi woke, he would take a bite and then fall back asleep. This process would be repeated many times. Only after finishing a full plate of paste would he finally sleep well.

The fact that he persisted in eating my paste despite his sleepiness is proof enough of how delicious it is.

“You experienced too many time loops in the Buddhist Kingdom. Although your physical body wasn’t affected, the toll on your mind and spirit was immense. That’s why you fell asleep just now.”

“Is that so?” Lu Yang didn’t feel as exhausted as the Everlasting Immortal Fairy described.

“Where’s Sister Mengmeng?” Lu Yang vaguely remembered she was here earlier.

“Oh, she danced as she left.”

A puzzled expression crossed Lu Yang’s face. He vaguely caught onto something, but his mind was still sluggish from just waking up.

“By the way, Immortal Fairy, do you know any body refinement methods?” During his battle with the Heartless Creed elders, Lu Yang had realized that while his physique far surpassed his peers, it still fell short when facing Fusion cultivators.

It'd be best to shore up this weakness.

“What’s so difficult about body refinement methods? The simplest way is to get struck by lightning. It just so happens that we know someone perfect for that. Xiao Yangzi, you can choose whatever lightning tribulation you want.”

“Are there other methods...?” Lu Yang felt that cultivation was best approached step by step. There’s no need for such drastic measures.

“This immortal has a unique body refining method that has never been shared with outsiders.”

Before obtaining the Everlasting Dao Fruit, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy hadn’t relied on self-detonation to fight enemies. Instead, she had relied on her unique body refinement method to contend with the various prodigies of ancient times, enjoying boundless glory.

“What is it?”

“The Pill Furnace Body Refinement Method. You’ll be thrown into a pill furnace, roasted repeatedly with true fire. Then, various medicinal ingredients will be tossed in for you to absorb their medicinal properties within the flames. After forty-nine days of being burned like this, you’ll see initial results. If you still find the intensity insufficient, we can go up to a hundred and ten days.”

“Are there other methods?” Lu Yang felt that asking the Everlasting Immortal Fairy for cultivation advice wasn’t the wisest decision.

It was rare for Lu Yang to consult the Everlasting Immortal Fairy. She was full of enthusiasm and confidence.

“Aiya, don’t be so picky. My body refinement method isn’t something just anyone is qualified to experience. You should be secretly delighted.”

Without further ado, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy took over Lu Yang’s body and controlled him to enter her kitchen.

Within the kitchen was a three-legged pill furnace. Its walls were carved with ancient mythical beasts—nine dragons, four phoenixes, and others. It was clearly of tremendous value.

“Why is there a pill furnace here?!”

“What’s with the question? Isn’t it perfectly normal to use a pill furnace when cooking?” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy said matter-of-factly. She felt that Lu Yang lacked too much general knowledge and common sense.

She controlled Lu Yang’s body to open the furnace door and climbed inside.

With a snap of her fingers, a blazing fire ignited beneath the pill furnace. It was none other than her exclusive Everlasting Immortal Fire.

The Moon Laurel Immortal Palace used the leftover Everlasting Immortal Fire from the ancient era to concoct pills, forge artifacts, and heat the hot springs. The entire immortal palace, elders and disciples alike, shared a single flame. In contrast, Lu Yang could enjoy this immortal fire exclusively, a privilege befitting only an important minister of the Great Dou Dynasty!

With a thought from the Everlasting Immortal Fairy, the food ingredients—or rather, medicinal ingredients—lining the kitchen walls floated into the air and flew into the furnace in an orderly fashion.

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy truly had some skill in cooking. Once the medicinal ingredients entered the furnace and were roasted by the immortal fire, they instantly vaporized and condensed into a few drops of spirit liquid.

These drops of spirit liquid represented the most essential essence of the medicinal herbs; the dross had been discarded. This was a pill refinement technique that only the top-tier pill-concocting grandmasters could execute.

More and more medicinal ingredients flew into the pill furnace, transforming into boiling spirit liquid that merged together, some clinging to the walls and some pooling at the bottom of the furnace.

“Settled. All that’s left is to let it burn.”

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy understood the principle of returning what was borrowed, giving Lu Yang back control of his body.

Earlier, when his body had been taken over, Lu Yang felt nothing. Now, regaining his physical form, he immediately felt the pill furnace’s terrifying heat. Some restrictions had been placed on the pill furnace, preventing him from flying or levitating. He hopped from side to side as the heat scorched his feet. Along with the boiling spirit liquid dripping onto him, excruciating pain overcame him.

“Aaaargh!”

Lu Yang’s blood-curdling screams came from within the pill furnace. The pain was so overwhelming that he threw himself against the walls, but the furnace was as heavy as a mountain. He couldn’t get it to budge at all.

It was unclear how much time had passed. Perhaps it was a quarter of an hour. Or perhaps it was a full day. Lu Yang had lost all sense of time.

~~~

“Little Junior Brother, your idea is indeed feasible.” After confirming with the Seventh Elder, Yun Zhi sent the three Heartless Creed elders to Incarceration Peak to have their blood drawn slowly. When she returned to Heaven’s Gate Peak, she had heard screams from the Immortal Fairy Kitchen and rushed over to investigate.

Entering the kitchen, she saw the blazing pill furnace and immediately understood what Lu Yang was up to.

This must be the Immortal Fairy’s doing.

Yun Zhi opened the furnace door and pulled Lu Yang out.

Lu Yang’s clothes had been reduced to ashes, and he was like a lump of charcoal. Only when he spoke could one tell where his mouth was by the glimpse of his teeth.

“Big Senior Sister...” At the sight of Yun Zhi, Lu Yang felt as though he had seen a savior.

Then he heard Yun Zhi reprimand the Everlasting Immortal Fairy, who was watching the spectacle from the sidelines. “Immortal Fairy, how can we take shortcuts in body refinement? You simply put him in the pill furnace to be burned. What if it leaves hidden complications for the future?

“If one wishes to refine the body, one must undergo weight training and temper the bones and sinews, training until one collapses and until every ounce of strength is drained from the body, yet still be helped up to continue training. Only by doing so can one break through the limits of the physical body. That is the orthodox body refinement method.”

Lu Yang’s charcoal-black face instantly turned deathly pale. Long-buried memories came flooding back.

In his first year at the sect, Yun Zhi had tempered him day and night for him to build a solid foundation. She only let him off when he reached the Foundation Establishment Stage.

That period had been so agonizing that he would shudder at the mere memory of it.

Big Senior Sister’s body refinement method is no more relaxed than the Immortal Fairy’s.

Since the matter concerned Lu Yang, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy refused to be outdone. “This is my body refinement method. How could it have flaws? Look at this immortal—am I not perfectly fine?”

Yun Zhi said earnestly, “Body refinement should follow the proper path. Cutting corners and taking shortcuts may harm Little Junior Brother.”

“There are no problems with this immortal’s body refinement method.”

“The orthodox body refinement method is the proper path.”

“Xiao Yangzi, who will you listen to?”

“Little Junior Brother, who will you listen to?”

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy and Yun Zhi turned to look at Lu Yang, who was still lying prone on the ground, yet to recover.

Lu Yang raised his head, looking pitifully at the two of them. He wanted to cry but had no tears. Can I choose neither?