Immortal Cultivation: Starting from a Pharmacy Apprentice

Chapter 232: Chapter 232: Discourse on the Dao in the City

Anyone who dabbled in the Alchemy Dao had heard of Celestial Mountain City’s reputation.

The next day, Bai Mo set out.

As Hou Cheng saw him off, there was a look of longing in his eyes.

He had once been to Celestial Mountain City, seeking to advance on the Alchemy Dao, but his limited talent meant he had gained little.

Crushed by the experience, he had returned in low spirits.

"My uncle asked about me recently. He is very grateful for your kindness, Shopkeeper, and asked me to tell you that the Fire Tongue will arrive in a few days."

Bai Mo nodded and departed with a casual air.

"You all better watch it for me. I don’t know how many hands that thing passed through to get here; it wasn’t easy to obtain."

After saying this, he headed straight for the Beast Hall.

There were quite a few travelers heading to Celestial Mountain City. Bai Mo called in a favor and had the staff at the Beast Hall save him a premium spot.

The few people traveling with him were likely alchemist apprentices; the Pill Qi about them wasn’t particularly dense.

’The Pill Master certification in Celestial Mountain City seems to be starting soon as well.’

Bai Mo’s thoughts drifted, and he sighed with emotion.

Those apprentices, however, looked at Bai Mo with a mixture of shock and uncertainty.

The Pill Qi on this man was absurdly dense, unlike that of any ordinary person.

They were already racking their brains, trying to recall a figure of this caliber from Immortal Arrival City.

Since this was a chance encounter, it must be fate. Even a few casual words of guidance from such a person would be worth more than their own long years of dedicated study.

Just as they were about to strike up a conversation, the giant bird beneath them let out a high, long cry, and with a powerful flap of its wings, soared into the air.

A journey that would have taken ages by carriage was completed in just four days thanks to the Spirit Beast’s speed.

Bai Mo saw a great, towering city perched on a mountain peak. Several streams of people flowed around it, slowly ascending the mountain as if on a pilgrimage.

Soon, Bai Mo had joined one of those streams of people.

His fellow travelers never got the chance to greet him before he was gone.

The disciple who had piloted the giant bird led them toward the patrol disciples. People of their status had to be questioned.

In contrast, Bai Mo simply flashed his Token from the Xuandao Sect. The Cultivator who came to question him just smiled and walked away.

Two hours later, Bai Mo was inside Celestial Mountain City.

The crowds in the city were a motley mix. With his current level of discernment, Bai Mo could better identify the backgrounds of the various Cultivators.

People from all walks of life, from merchants to laborers, were all remarkably well-behaved within the city walls. No one dared to cause trouble.

Compared to Immortal Arrival City, the industries in Celestial Mountain City were more developed, and its regulations were far stricter.

The streets were still filled with all kinds of Pill Fragrance. Any Alchemy Cultivator walking through them would be filled with a sense of solemn reverence.

Bai Mo glanced around, and after confirming that the merchant guild beside him was the largest on the street, he went inside.

A clerk, having just seen a customer out and finding himself with a moment to spare, saw Bai Mo and immediately came forward with a smile.

"What can I get for you, honored guest?"

Bai Mo saw the displays of spiritual herbs, Talismans, and Pills of every color, a collection dazzling enough to overwhelm the senses.

Items that were considered quite precious in Immortal Arrival City were merely commonplace here.

"Do you have any Pill Formulas?"

The clerk grinned, showing his teeth.

"Heh, in all of Celestial Mountain City, there isn’t a single merchant guild that would dare say they don’t carry Pill Formulas."

"And as it happens, our guild’s collection is among the very best."

With that, he turned to the side and gestured for him to follow.

"If you’ll follow me, honored guest..."

"Zhou Dao!"

A sharp voice called out. An old man with a mostly white beard strode toward them, his wide sleeves billowing.

The clerk stopped and looked over, confused.

"You may go. I will attend to this fellow Daoist!"

The old man’s expression was grave. He approached Bai Mo and cupped his hands in a formal greeting.

"Greetings, fellow Daoist."

Bai Mo smiled and followed the old man deeper into the guild.

The clerk stood rooted to the spot. He was an outsider who had come here for work and knew nothing of alchemy, so he hadn’t been able to perceive the Pill Qi on Bai Mo.

Seeing this, how could he not realize that this was an extraordinary customer?

He stamped his foot in frustration.

"Damn it! I almost caused the guild to lose face!"

Normally, customers of this caliber were always handled by a Cultivator who could command the situation. One misstep, and causing the merchant guild to lose face would mean big trouble.

Trying to make a living in Celestial Mountain City, the worst thing was for people to say you lacked depth. Once you gave them an excuse to talk, even passing dogs wouldn’t deign to eat your kitchen scraps.

"Heh, so, fellow Daoist, what brings you to our humble guild today? Is there something you wish to purchase?"

The old man leading Bai Mo stroked his beard as he spoke.

He didn’t dare to speak too presumptuously. The Pill Qi emanating from Bai Mo was dense, far surpassing that of an ordinary Pill Master. He had no choice but to be cautious.

"To be honest, I’m looking for some Pill Formulas. The Pill Tier doesn’t matter—Tier One or Tier Three, it’s all the same to me—as long as the pill principles are compatible and sufficiently harmonious."

Bai Mo spoke with an air of immense confidence.

This was precisely why he had come to Celestial Mountain City for Pill Formulas. Not only was its collection comprehensive, but its Cultivators were also masters of the Alchemy Dao.

Elsewhere, merchants wouldn’t understand what was meant by ’compatible and harmonious pill principles’.

And even if they did, the standard for what could be considered ’harmonious’ would differ from person to person.

Upon hearing this, the old man’s expression turned solemn.

"Fellow Daoist, you’re not here seeking pills. You’re here for the art itself."

"Have you already reached the stage of blending myriad Pill Principles in pursuit of a higher realm?"

Bai Mo nodded.

"I’ve merely had some minor insights. I wouldn’t dare claim any great achievements."

"Heh heh, for a fellow Daoist of your age to say such a thing... it truly puts old men like me to shame."

The old man led Bai Mo into the depths of the guild. He turned and rummaged through a collection, producing a stack of Pill Formulas. Judging by the quality of the paper, they had been preserved for many years.

"These Pill Formulas are obscure, and the Pills they produce are unpopular, so no one has ever shown interest in them. In meeting you today, fellow Daoist, it seems they have finally found their rightful master."

Bai Mo examined them one by one, selecting them slowly.

The more Pill Formulas he set aside, the graver the old man’s expression grew.

Many formulas the old man considered perfectly acceptable were casually dismissed by Bai Mo with barely a glance.

"Not bad. These are all excellent Pill Formulas. I must say, the senior who created these from scratch had an exquisite mind. It’s truly admirable."

Bai Mo said casually, "I hope the fellow Pill Masters of this city will uphold this senior’s legacy and not let the tradition be lost."

The old man’s eyes widened in realization.

"You’re not from Celestial Mountain City, are you, fellow Daoist?"

"I came from Immortal Arrival City."

"Are you perhaps looking to engage in a Dao debate?" the old man asked.

Bai Mo looked him straight in the eye and nodded lightly.

The old man straightened his robes and said with utmost seriousness:

"I wonder if this old one might have the honor?"

Bai Mo cupped his hands.

"The honor would be mine."

The old man turned his head and called out to the clerk, who was watching from a distance.

"Zhou Dao, prepare a private room for us!"

After giving the order, he looked at Bai Mo, and the two exchanged a knowing smile.

"After you."

"After you..."

Both men understood what the other was thinking. This was no friendly exchange between peers; it was a clash of their respective Daos.

Each Pill Master would expound upon their own principles, testing them against the other’s in a contest of skill and understanding—an extremely mentally taxing endeavor.

Bai Mo had studied numerous pill formulas, and deducing common Pills had become second nature to him.

What others saw as profound mastery, Bai Mo himself was not satisfied with. He felt he had reached a bottleneck he could not break through.

And so, he had made this trip to Celestial Mountain City.

As dusk fell, Bai Mo and the old man finally emerged from the private room.

Bai Mo’s expression was calm, though he looked as if he was not yet finished.

The old man, however, looked utterly exhausted as he saw Bai Mo out.

"Do you have a place to stay for the night, fellow Daoist?"

Bai Mo smiled. "There’s no need to keep me, sir. I’m not nearly finished yet."

"I just need to trouble you to ask—are there any other masters with exceptional skill nearby?"

The old man sighed and pointed him in a direction.

"You have already gone so far on the path of alchemy, fellow Daoist. You command ordinary Pill Principles with ease, transforming them in countless ways."

"But finding another who is your equal for a debate... that will not be so easy."

After he saw Bai Mo off, the clerk crept up behind him.

"He’s an impressive one, isn’t he? Who came out on top, you or him?"

The old man just sighed.

"How could I possibly compare?"

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