The Duan Chaoyong 段朝用

Duan Chaoyong was a native of Hefei, Anhui during the Jiajing reign period of the Ming Dynasty.

He was skilled in external alchemy, particularly the Huangbai Art (a traditional alchemical practice focused on refining gold and cinnabar). He gained great trust from Guo Xun—Guo presented the alchemically refined gold (produced by Duan) to the emperor, and the emperor was extremely pleased.

Recommended by Tao Zhongwen, the emperor praised Duan for his loyalty and integrity, and officially conferred on him the title "Zifu Xuanzhong Gaoshang" (a honorific title recognizing his Taoist attainments and loyalty). Later, his alchemical techniques failed to yield the expected results, and his disciple Wang Ziyan exposed his fraud. Duan was handed over to the Zhenfu (a imperial law enforcement agency) for torture and interrogation. The emperor was enraged and issued an imperial edict to execute him.

Details of his deeds can be found in Volume 307 of The History of the Ming Dynasty.