Love from the Male Protagonist’s Harem

Chapter 103-Xuan-Level Liandan Master Part 1

Instead of good news, a messenger bird brought Chang Lan quite bad news.

Chang Lan’s face sank as he read the reply he’d received.

A disciple to one side queried cautiously: “Senior Brother……”

Chang Lan paused: “The elder is still in seclusion?”

The disciple nodded, saying hesitatingly: “The elder remains in seclusion……”

As if weighed down by a great burden, Chang Lan took a deep breath and frowned, finally saying in a low voice: “Go prepare a report on our casualties for when I return.”

The disciple was bolder this time: “That Danfeng disciple……?”

Chang Lan’s tone lightened: “No need to worry, I’ll be back soon.”

But his eyes were filled with indelible shadows.

Accepting Chang Lan’s order, the disciple left and Chang Lan’s expression turned bleak.

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Bad news would naturally affect a person.

Gu Peijiu and three Jianfeng disciples had disappeared at Kuzhu village.  The Demon Tide was ferocious and the remaining disciples were desperately trying to fight it.  Therefore, they were currently unable to return.

The remaining disciples not returning wasn’t the main issue though.  The mountain’s protective formation would hold up against the Demon Sect.  No, the biggest problem was that they gravely needed a Xuan-level liandan master to help cure the vicious soul poison, and if the only one Lingxi Sect had couldn’t come back, the bad situation became overwhelming.

“What should I do……?”

Massaging his forehead, Chang Lan finally took out a sound stone.

At this moment……he’d have to ask his family for help, wouldn’t he?

Nevermind that the family’s inventory was limited and might not have enough medicine for such an emergency.

But……

About to the crush the sound stone, Chang Lan was interrupted by the sudden return of the disciple he’d sent to check on the Jianfeng casualties: “Senior Brother, here is the report.”

Trying to collect his thoughts, Chang Lan paused, put the sound stone away, and sighed: “Please bring it here.”

“What about……Xia Wuyin?”

“I’ll go to Danfeng when I’m done with this.”

While Chang Lan was busy dealing with Lingxi Sect’s casualties, Xia Ge had managed to refine a dan after three tries.  Face grimy with soot, she plucked from the furnace a grey dan.

Xia Ge: “Was I……successful?”

The master who’d been watching for a long time answered exasperatedly: “Baihun dan is white.”

Xia Ge: “……”

The master took a deep breath: “I’ve been observing you.  You’re trying to refine a Xuan-level Baihun dan, correct?”

Mao Qing was still poisoned and no one knew when Senior Sister would be back.

Xia Ge rubbed her nose: “Yes.”

The master: “You haven’t made a mistake in your steps and you have abundant lingqi, however……your concentration is lacking.”

Xia Ge: “……ah?”

Not concentrating enough?  Xia Ge was confused about the master’s meaning.

The master: “You may think your attention is focused enough, but it’s not.”

Hesitating for a moment, the master then continued: “You need to put all your soul into it.  Baihun dan is a dan that heals the soul, so it naturally needs the strength of your soul.  True Xuan-level liandan masters, when they refine dan, their soul strength freely enters the dan.  Other Xuan-level dan might be different, perhaps they don’t always require the power of the refiner’s soul.  But a Xuan-level Baihun dan requires three things.  Lingqi, medicinal power, and soul power all have to combine in order to refine it.  That’s why the Baihun dan can only be refined by a liandan master Xuan-level or higher.”

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“This is also the biggest difference between an ordinary Huang-level liandan master and a Xuan-level liandan master.”  Taking Xia Ge’s failed dan and throwing it into a waste basket, the master stroked his goatee, “According to what I’ve seen, you should have Xuan-level danmai.  Am I right?”

Xia Ge nodded: “Yes.”

Thanks to her system, as soon as the ‘profession of liandan master’ had opened, she’d been a default Huang-level liandan master.  But upgrading to Xuan-level only took 10 points and refining a dan was worth 1 point.  Therefore, just by doing her homework, Xia Ge had already reached Xuan-level.

Hearing Xia Ge acknowledge it, the master was startled, yet he remained outwardly calm, saying: “Prepare the materials and try again.”

In his heart, he no longer wondered how this little bastard had the self-confidence to try and refine Xuan-level dan.

“Don’t think that Xuan-level danmai is all you need.”  The master looked Xia Ge up and down.  “I’ve read historical records.  Back when there was a method of cultivating danmai, many of those with Xuan-level danmai still didn’t understand the true meaning of being a liandan master.  They too failed to sufficiently focus when refining, and they were never able to actually go further than Huang-level.

——Becoming a liandan master wasn’t about someone else’s expectations or becoming their courage.

“What is the true meaning of being a liandan master?”

Even though Xia Ge wanted to carp about just why she had to understand the ‘true meaning,’ she managed to ask the master respectfully: “Do you know?”

The master was silent for a long while, finally shaking his head: “Every person’s experiences are different, and I’m not a Xuan-level liandan master.  I can’t tell you this.  If you still want an answer, wait for your Senior Sister’s return and ask her.”

“I’m going to go check on Mao Qing’s wound.”

The master left the room.

Xia Ge suspected the master of being embarrassed and using Mao Qing as an excuse to leave.

So the ‘true meaning’ was different for every person, huh?  Fine, Xia Ge knew how to adapt.

But, even after a couple more tries, Xia Ge kept failing.

System: [Still Can’t Refine It?]

Aware that it was already dark outside, Xia Ge stared at the furnace: “Ah……it seems so.”

The system stayed quiet, knowing that what the master had said about her concentration lacking had really hit a sore spot for Xia Ge.

“Why……I feel like I’m already concentrating as hard as I can?”  Xia Ge looked at her failures filling the waste basket and felt mildly ashamed.

After some pondering, the system ventured: [But……You Don’t Like It Very Much.]

Xia Ge: “Honestly, what’s there to like?”

System: [……]