Immortal Cultivation: Starting from a Pharmacy Apprentice

Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Helping a Fellow Disciple

"Junior Brother, you’re looking for this herb?"

The senior brother, dressed in black with a thick beard, sat behind his desk, looking at the paper Bai Mo had handed him.

The paper had a detailed illustration of a Fire Tongue, complete with a written description.

"I know this herb. The locals like to use it in medicine. It’s good for treating bone ailments and dispelling cold."

Bai Mo was secretly overjoyed.

He had thought it was something precious, but it turned out to be quite common where it grew.

"Brother Hou, could you help me?"

Hou Mingsheng put the paper down, folded his arms, and leaned back.

He had a mature face and a more detached air than other Cultivators.

"Buying some from the locals won’t cost much, but the travel expenses might be a bit steep."

"However, on the battlefield, every little bit counts. If you’re asking our sect brothers on the front lines to do this for you, Junior Brother, you’ll have to show some appreciation."

Bai Mo nodded. It was only natural not to expect someone to help for free.

"If I may ask, where are our brothers fighting?"

"I haven’t heard of any major battles recently."

Hou Mingsheng gave a faint smile and took out a rolled-up map. On it, an area the size of a finger was specially marked in ink.

"Who says there isn’t one?"

"But this is a matter of the Cultivation Realm, so it’s not widely known in the mortal world."

Bai Mo was shaken. From the looks of it, that region was at least twelve or thirteen times the size of Immortal Arrival City. No wonder it could support such a large-scale war.

He couldn’t help but ask in astonishment:

"A war between Cultivators? For so many years... what must that be like?"

"Does the sect have such a mortal enemy?"

"Not exactly." Hou Mingsheng looked at Bai Mo, as if weighing something.

"This is a matter for the entire Cultivation Realm, not just one sect. All the major sects have contributed."

"The disciples within the sect have had it too easy for too long. Not many pay attention to these things."

Hou Mingsheng looked at Bai Mo.

"Junior Brother, have you ever seen what a Cultivator looks like after falling into a demonic state or succumbing to qi deviation?"

Bai Mo certainly had.

In Immortal Arrival City, there were plenty of Cultivators who had been tainted by the Blood Curse and suffered qi deviation during their seclusion.

There were also those who, after delaying and finally dispelling the Blood Curse, were left with lingering effects. They would often lose control in the middle of the street, only to weep bitterly afterward.

"Those are individuals."

Hou Mingsheng continued, "But what if an entire nation went mad, or was influenced and controlled by others..."

"Can you imagine such a scene, Junior Brother?"

Bai Mo was stunned, a chill running down his spine.

"Such a nation exists?"

"Of course," Hou Mingsheng said as if it were obvious.

"Some people are tainted by the Blood Curse, and their minds are altered. If they don’t die but their Dao hearts are reshaped, they can do such things."

"Whether through the influence of a Secret Technique, or external forces like Pills and Arrays, they can gather an army."

"In even more extreme cases, a population might be attacked by a horde of Demon Beasts. After banding together to wipe them out, they’re all tainted by the Blood Curse, and no one’s mind is left intact."

"Besides, they’ve only gone mad. Their bodily functions are intact, and they have no trouble reproducing..."

Hou Mingsheng tsked.

"The reasons are many and bizarre. Sometimes it’s a freak coincidence, other times it’s the plotting of heretics and devils. The causes are things we’d never expect."

"From time to time, such regions appear in the Cultivation Realm, forcing the various sects to gather their forces and spend years to encircle and annihilate them."

Bai Mo frowned.

"So it’s a place like that."

Hou Mingsheng said nonchalantly, "I wonder when the sect will issue a broad call for disciples to go to the front lines."

"Looking at the junior brothers joining these days, we can’t help but feel they’re too naive and inexperienced."

Just as he was speaking, a disciple from Beast Taming Peak walked in from outside.

"Brother Hou, the new batch of provisions has arrived. Should we..."

"Just take it to the usual place."

The disciple nodded and was about to turn and leave when Hou Mingsheng stopped him.

"Haven’t the weapons arrived yet?"

"Oh, about that... the kiln at the Weapon Refining Workshop that provides them exploded. They’re repairing it and forging a new batch, which caused a delay."

"It’ll probably be a few more days before they arrive."

Hou Mingsheng’s brows knitted in displeasure. He dismissed the disciple.

"Remember to hurry them along. And make sure they use the full measure of materials."

With that, he turned to Bai Mo.

"I’m stationed here to coordinate some of the front-line supplies. I’m always haggling over these miscellaneous details."

"My apologies for you having to see that, Junior Brother."

Bai Mo quickly waved his hands.

"That is your duty, Brother Hou. The front line is of great importance."

"It is I who came unannounced and disturbed you."

Shouts rang out from outside as massive quantities of supplies were loaded onto a flying Spirit Beast in the beast yard.

It involved a lot of manpower and was a bustling scene.

Hou Mingsheng peeked his head out for a look, then led Bai Mo outside. With his hands behind his back, he watched and spoke:

"Alright, I can get the Fire Tongue for you, Junior Brother."

"But there’s something you have to help us with."

Bai Mo immediately cupped his fists and asked:

"Please tell me, Brother Hou."

Hou Mingsheng took out a black Pill and placed it in Bai Mo’s hand.

"This is a Pill created by the enemy Cultivators. It’s very strange. It can be ignited and used."

"Small groups of Cultivators have been using it to break through our defensive lines."

"I need you to take a look for us, assess its properties, and figure out a way to counter it."

Bai Mo’s hand paused. He was truly stumped.

"To be frank, Brother Hou, analyzing a Pill and countering its effects is a matter of luck."

"If I happen to be familiar with the Pill Master’s methods, then it’s no problem. But if it’s a very obscure and peculiar Pill..."

Bai Mo shook his head.

"It all comes down to luck."

Hou Mingsheng turned his head, his brow furrowed as he stared at Bai Mo.

"You’re not confident about this Pill?"

Bai Mo nodded.

"Just from its smell, I can tell this Pill contains some strange ingredients I don’t recognize."

"Furthermore, its refining method is likely different from the usual. I really have no confidence."

Seeing that Bai Mo’s expression wasn’t faked, Hou Mingsheng sighed and his gaze returned to the provisions being moved.

"No wonder those people from Pill Peak are always so aloof and unresponsive. Whenever we ask, they just make excuses."

"So it seems the Pill really is the problem."

He had been in Immortal Arrival City for some time and naturally knew of Bai Mo’s reputation. He knew Bai Mo wouldn’t lie, so he suddenly felt rather dispirited.

Hou Mingsheng waved his hand.

"Just do your best, Junior Brother. Whether you succeed or not, I will still provide you with the Fire Tongue."

"Alright."

Bai Mo placed the Black Pill into a pill bottle. Having held it in his hand for a while, a bit of oil had begun to seep from its surface.

The slick, sticky feeling was very unpleasant.

Suddenly, one of the Cultivators moving the provisions cried out in surprise and urgently waved Hou Mingsheng over.

"Brother Hou, come quickly!"

"Damn it! Which heartless bastard did this!"

Perhaps there was a problem with the provisions, but that had nothing to do with Bai Mo.

Not wanting to disturb Hou Mingsheng, Bai Mo bid him farewell and left the beast yard.

He returned to Mountain View Tower, greeted An Caiwei to pass on a message, and then went back to his shop.

Everything in the shop was as usual.

Since Brother Hou was willing to do him this favor without asking for anything in return, Bai Mo naturally didn’t dare to be careless with the jet-black Pill.

After taking a sip of the cool tea Wei An had brewed, Bai Mo entered his quiet room. He took out a variety of tools—daggers, bamboo slivers, and more—all very precise.

Deftly, he broke the Pill apart.

Bai Mo soaked some of the Pill’s powder in water. A layer of scum formed on the surface, emitting waves of a rotten stench.

He just had to wait for the oils to separate and the rest to settle. Then he could visually identify its origins and perhaps even guess at its refining method.

He fiddled with the rest of the powder in front of him.

’These are all old techniques. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to find anything...’

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