Immortal Cultivation: Starting from a Pharmacy Apprentice

Chapter 290: Chapter 290: The Bell Toll

In the blink of an eye, Bai Mo had already dealt with all the orders on hand.

He heard that the Jade Plate Secret Realm was set to open the day after tomorrow.

Bai Mo occasionally heard massive sounds echoing from the far end of the valley. It was probably something large passing through.

Clearly, the various peaks were already bustling with activity.

He wasn’t performing any alchemy today, so the scorching heat in the valley wasn’t as intense.

Bai Mo spotted a cultivator from Feather Peak.

"Excuse me, have you had a chance to look over my Prince’s Pill Formula?"

The man wore practical, close-fitting attire with a blade at his waist. His sharp brows and bright eyes gave him an extraordinary martial air.

It was the first time Bai Mo had seen someone bring a personal guard into the sect. ’For a mere guard to be registered as a disciple of Profound Dao Mountain, he must be someone special.’

"I’ve already looked over Brother Yin’s Pill Formula."

"However, refining it into a Pill will likely take a great deal of time."

Bai Mo said courteously.

A flicker of urgency crossed the man’s face. He said in a deep voice,

"Please, be more specific!"

So, Bai Mo told him straight.

"The ingredients required for this Pill are treasures from the farthest corners of the world—a veritable collection of heaven and earth’s finest essences."

"Gathering them all would require the efforts of someone with immense connections, or perhaps a national chamber of commerce with a vast network to slowly collect them over time."

"The alchemy itself, on my end, isn’t the difficult part."

The man breathed a sigh of relief, hearing no intention of refusal in Bai Mo’s words.

"My Prince will mobilize the power of his nation. The ingredients can be gathered shortly. Please, just wait a little longer!"

"Of course."

With that, Bai Mo saw the man off.

According to An Caiwei, that Brother Yin Zhen from Feather Peak was a very composed person.

But whether it was due to the influence of his sect-mates or some other reason, it was clear he still cared a great deal about this Immortal Pill.

An Caiwei had also left. She still needed to help settle things for Lanshan and the others.

With time on his hands, Bai Mo waited in the valley to hand out Pills to his arriving clients.

A disciple from Golden Jade Peak arrived. He was a stranger to Bai Mo, merely holding a voucher to collect some Pills.

"This is from Brother Xin himself. He asked me to pick up the Pills on his behalf."

Not everyone had the time to come in person.

Bai Mo handed him two bottles of miasma-warding Pills. With these, if one were assaulted by the miasma from a great tomb or abyss, they could last at least a little while longer.

The disciple carefully stored the pill bottles away, then said with a chuckle,

"When I was on my way here, I think I saw a disciple from Feather Peak."

"Even people like them have to come to you for help?"

’His tone makes my place sound so shabby.’

But the disciple before him was also here to request Pills. Bai Mo didn’t think he’d insult himself in the process, so he was curious.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You might not know this, but most of the disciples from Feather Peak are royal scions and nobles, born a cut above everyone else."

"On top of that, Feather Peak’s legacy is truly formidable. They value quality over quantity when recruiting, so the disciples they have are all incredibly skilled."

"Shouldn’t people that prestigious and wealthy be seeking out famous alchemists like Tianqingzi of Pill Peak, or even going a step further and requesting help from the Inner Sect Disciple?"

"For them to come to you instead... it’s quite surprising."

This disciple from Golden Jade Peak clearly had a grudge.

"They usually look down their noses at people like us!"

He walked off as he finished speaking.

Bai Mo shook his head and didn’t give it another thought.

In his few interactions with Feather Peak, at least, he hadn’t seen anything so unpleasant.

The fires still burned beneath the three Pill Furnaces in the Stone Lodge, but only as tiny flickers.

If it weren’t for the unique nature of the Earth Fire, a single gust of wind would have likely extinguished them.

Bai Mo turned and glanced at the Pill Liquid inside one of the furnaces. It was separated into distinct layers of blue-green and white, a truly beautiful sight.

This was his most unusual order yet. The price was steep—a full nine hundred Spirit Stones—but it hadn’t required too much effort.

Just as he was observing the Pill Liquid, a cloud of dust and stone billowed up outside the valley.

"Ah, I’m late."

"Junior Brother! I didn’t screw things up, did I?!"

Wei Xianxing from Broken Blade Peak arrived in a flurry, driving a chariot pulled by two giant lizards and charging straight through with wild abandon.

He terrified a group of people who were also heading this way, forcing them to scatter and leaving them covered in dust.

THUD!

Wei Xianxing leaped from the chariot.

"Is it ready?"

"These two brutes got spooked right before we were supposed to leave. It took a whole crowd to corner them and bring them back."

"What a damned delay."

Bai Mo glanced up at the two large lizards, whose bodies were covered in golden markings. They both had fresh wounds and looked rather aggrieved.

’Looks like they got a solid beating after being caught.’

It wasn’t their fault, though.

Things were so chaotic right now; if another disciple had flown by on one of their natural predators, their fear would have just been instinct.

"It’s fine. Brother, just give me a hand. We just need to pour the Pill Liquid."

Atop the chariot sat an enormous Pill Furnace, its lid resting beside it.

Judging by its size, it was larger than all three of Bai Mo’s Pill Furnaces combined.

Wei Xianxing walked into the Stone Lodge, rubbed his hands together, and brazenly placed them on one of the furnaces.

Before Bai Mo could stop him, there was a sharp SIZZLE.

A vein throbbed on Wei Xianxing’s temple as he snatched his hand away.

Bai Mo sighed. "The flames here are no ordinary fire. It’s Earth Fire, not something you can compare to a fire lit with regular Spirit Wood."

"You should be more careful, Brother..."

The two of them found some animal hides and iron levers. After a good deal of strenuous work, they finally managed to pour the Pill Liquid out of the three furnaces.

The Pill Liquid collected in the large Pill Furnace on the chariot, still distinctly separated into blue-green and white layers.

Wei Xianxing leaped up onto the chariot.

"Can’t delay, I’m heading out! This way, they’ll owe me another favor!"

So he was just running an errand for someone else.

The chariot rumbled away.

The group that had scattered earlier had learned their lesson and kept their distance.

The man leading them had a grim expression.

The others, however, were completely baffled.

"Brother Tianqingzi, what was that all about?"

"Is that Bai Mo selling unprocessed Pill Liquid?"

They had gotten a clear look at Bai Mo and Wei Xianxing pouring the liquid.

A flash of anger appeared on the fair-skinned disciple’s face.

"I’m in seclusion for a while, and you lot go and stir up trouble for me. How could you possibly underestimate someone with his kind of skill?"

"He can decoct a furnace of pure Pill Liquid for someone else to take back, add their own secret ingredients, and complete the final refinement."

"Which one of you has that kind of control over Pill Liquid?"

Tianqingzi took a sharp breath.

"Go back. And don’t talk about causing trouble for him anymore. You’ll just make yourselves a laughingstock!"

With that, he flicked his sleeve and stormed away.

The remaining disciples looked at each other in dismay. After receiving the Pills Bai Mo had made for them, they hadn’t been able to find a single flaw.

That was why they had asked Brother Tianqingzi to come and put some pressure on him.

Who would have thought they’d get this result before even reaching the valley?

...

"I’ve figured out the grudge between Feather Peak and the Golden Jade Peak disciples."

An Caiwei had returned, this time to get Pills for Lanshan’s group.

She knew that Bai Mo always looked out for the members of the Demon Hunting Team and had privately prepared a batch of Pills for them.

"It all comes down to that rotten habit of the Golden Jade Peak disciples. They were careless while grave-robbing and dug up the grand ancestral tomb of a Feather Peak disciple."

"The two sides had a huge falling-out, and things have been a mess ever since..."

Bai Mo knew there had to be more to it.

"I’ve heard the Feather Peak disciples have vast connections and resources. I wonder why they ended up coming to me."

An Caiwei dismissed his concern.

"A Pill of the caliber of the Immortal Pill? I’m afraid only you or an Inner Sect Disciple could possibly refine it."

"And asking an Inner Sect Disciple for help is no simple matter..."

The two were chatting idly.

DONG!

A clear, resonant toll of a bell spread out, echoing throughout the entire Outer Sect.

An Caiwei’s expression changed.

"The Secret Realm is open!"

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