Divine Mud

Divine Mud (shenni). In the methods of the Nine Elixirs, this mud is made of alum (fanshi), Turkestan salt (rongyan), lake salt (luxian), arsenolite yu-shi), oyster shells (muli), red clay (chishi zhi), and talc (huashi). The seven ingredients are pounded, heated for nine days and nights in an iron vessel, pounded again, sieved, and then soaked in a Flowery Pond (huachi). The crucible is luted first with this mud, then with the mud of Mysterious and Yellow, and finally is left to dry in the sun for ten daysd ... 

Second Elixir Divine Tally (shenfu). The section on the Second Elixir is divided into three parts that describe methods for making the Divine Tally and two other elixirs. All three methods are based on mercury, which according to the Secret Instructions initially should be refined nine times in order to expel its toxicity. In the first part of the method, the crucible is luted first with the Mud of the Six-and-One, then with a mud of oyster shells and red clay. Mercury is heated in nine cycles of one day each, and the crucible turned upside down at every cycle. The product of the sublimation is collected, added to carp s gall, and sublimated nine more times then it is added to Grease of Dragons to obtain the Divine Tally. This elixir can be heated in nine further cycles with the Mysterious and Yellow to obtain the Yellow of the Elixir Flower (danhua zhi huang), or can be added to mercury to obtain a Reverted Elixir huandan). ... 

Seal the crucible with the Mud of the Six-and-One, and, as in the initial method, leave it in the sun for ten days so that it becomes completely dry. Then place the crucible over the fire if it is humid this is not possible, as it would break when you heat it. Heat it again for nine days and nine nights. Then you can extinguish the fire, let the crucible cool for one day, and open it. Brushing with a feather, collect the sublimated essence (feijing) that adheres to the upper crucible. If it is of an intense purple color, it is the Reverted Elixir of the Divine Tally (shenfu huandan). 

The Third Divine Elixir is called Divine Elixir (shendan). First lute a double red earthenware crucible with the Mud of the Six-and-One, making it three-tenths of an inch thick both inside and outside. Then take oyster shells, red clay, and magnetite (cishi). 

After this is done, [2b] cover the crucible with another Divine Crucible, first luting the mouth of the lower crucible with the mud of Lead Elixir, and then placing the upper crucible over it. Lute the joints with the mud, so that the two crucibles perfectly fit together. Then lute the outer part of the joints with the mud of Lead Elixir, for a thickness of about one and two-tenths inches. 

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