Stealing Immortal

Chapter 105: Chapter 104: Dirty Trick

After seeing him out, Chen Qingyang returned to the Alchemy Room to prepare for alchemy.

"Master, I can tell that man is up to no good," Xu Baoling gently reminded him. "You must be careful if you go. Don’t let them plot against you. You could also just refuse."

However, Chen Qingyang had already started preparing a batch of Tier Three Qi-Introducing Pills. Once the raw materials were in the Pill Furnace, he sprinkled in the Star Meteor Powder.

The dosage was perfect, and his movements were incredibly deft. Even though he was just a Divine Soul Body, Xu Baoling couldn’t help but let the corner of her mouth twitch.

"If I don’t go, then wouldn’t their carefully laid trap all be for nothing?"

At that, Xu Baoling was truly at a loss for words.

’A moment ago, Chen Qingyang had considered using the Power of the Stars for a divination, just to be safe. But then he remembered the backlash he suffered last time. Besides, Lu Sheng’s cultivation was much higher than Tian Jingzhao’s, so he probably wouldn’t get a clear result anyway. He’d just have to go and improvise as needed.’

After refining the Qi-Introducing Pills, Chen Qingyang would set aside time to refine the Tier Four Yang Replacement Powder. He needed to start stockpiling them; two hundred and fifty pills a year was no small number. ’When I deliver these elixirs,’ he thought, ’I must make one demand of Master Yun Ci: she has to be the one to provide the raw materials.’

...

A gentle breeze, a bright moon, and an azure Star Map above.

The endless mountain range shimmered with waves of golden light, its terrain as imposing as a crouching tiger or a coiling dragon. A narrow path snaked along, twisting and turning until it disappeared into the valley.

Chen Qingyang flew just above the ground at an incredible speed. ’It’s true,’ he thought. ’Once you leave the Four Golden Peaks, every corner of the Tai Xu Sect is an Immortal Sacred Land.’

He first flew upward, then followed the path in a sharp descent into a valley. The moonlit scene was like a legendary land of peach blossoms in a spring breeze—a beauty that could topple kingdoms.

As far as the eye could see was a sea of brilliant pink. The peach trees themselves were exquisite, each with its own character: some had gnarled, coiling roots; some were elegant and pure as jade; some were resplendently beautiful; and others formed canopies like colorful sunset clouds.

With his Conscious Fish scouting ahead at incredible speed, Chen Qingyang followed behind. As it drifted about, it gave him a perfect grasp of the surrounding terrain. Pressing forward, he soon came upon a colossal peach tree.

It would take at least ten people with linked hands to encircle its trunk. The dark, gnarled branches exuded an otherworldly, sagely air. The canopy spread out for what must have been hundreds of yards, and as for its height, Chen Qingyang stood at its base and craned his neck back as far as it would go, but still couldn’t see the top.

Beneath the peach tree was an array of furniture: daybeds, prayer mats, and chairs made of wood, woven bamboo, and even bluestone. There were also long tables and decorative screens—nothing was missing. Miscellaneous Task disciples moved back and forth, methodically arranging platters of delicacies and fruit on the tables.

’Back when I was a Miscellaneous Task disciple, I heard people say that upon entering an Immortal Sect, you could live like a true Immortal. Today, I’m finally seeing it for myself.’

Seven men were present, a mix of old and young, dressed in splendid robes with high crowns and Jade Pendants. They were lounging about, some lying down, some reclining, each with an air of effortless grace. ’The first time I met Tian Jingzhao, I thought she really knew how to enjoy life,’ Chen Qingyang mused. ’Seeing these seven today, the tendency probably originated with their master, Master Water Moon.’

Not everyone who obtains a True Skill continues to live like an Ascetic Cultivator.

Chen Qingyang executed a Void Step Introduction, riding a gentle breeze as he descended from the sky. Lu Sheng was already moving to greet him. "Senior Brother Chen, a man of character indeed! You said you’d arrive at moonrise, and here you are, not a moment late. Brothers, come and meet him!"

Instantly, the other six men surrounded Chen Qingyang, each bowing and offering greetings. If not for the vile schemes they were nursing, it would have truly looked like a cordial gathering of immortals discussing their path.

"I am Hu Sheng. Greetings, Junior Brother Chen!"

"I am Long Sheng. Greetings, Junior Brother Chen!"

...

After everyone had introduced themselves, Chen Qingyang finally understood. The seven were named after the Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, Deer, Crane, Flood Dragon, and Magpie. They had creatures that flew in the sky, no shortage of those that ran on the ground, and even the hegemon of the waters—the Flood Dragon.

’Such names certainly weren’t given to them by their parents,’ Chen Qingyang thought. ’And as far as I know, Daoist titles aren’t fashionable in the Tai Xu Sect. This must be their own pretentious affectation.’

Chen Qingyang cut straight to the point. "Senior Brother Lu, you said that many of Master Water Moon’s disciples would be here today. How come I don’t see them? Is it just you Seven Immortals of Peach Valley?"

’This guy is a complete liar. He was afraid I’d be suspicious and not show up, so he made up some excuse about many people attending. Now I’ve prepared too many of these special elixirs. What a waste!’

Lu Sheng had expected this question. "Junior Brother Chen, you may not be aware, but our Master ordered her disciples into a month of seclusion today. They’ve all gone. If the seven of us hadn’t already committed to hosting this banquet, we would have gone as well."

Chen Qingyang smiled. "Such a beautiful night, and with my senior brothers’ generous hospitality being so hard to refuse, let’s not let this moment go to waste!"

Lu Sheng stroked his long beard. "Precisely." He then called out to his brothers, "Let the banquet begin! Everyone, it’s time to present your treasures!"

Chen Qingyang didn’t know what this "treasure presentation" entailed. But after everyone had settled, he saw them take turns walking to the center of the formation, holding up an item. "I am Jiao Sheng," one announced. "Today, I have prepared Profound Pool Pearl Fruit for everyone."

"I am Hu Sheng. I went to the trouble of opening a distillery in the mountains to create this Gathering Spirit Brew..."

Everyone presented a treasure, and each had a little speech to go with it. But for all their elegant posturing, the items they produced were hardly impressive.

’The Profound Pool Pearl Fruit, for instance, is just some fruit that grows by a lake, not at all hard to pick. That thing they called Heaven and Earth’s Blessing is just a piece of dried meat. The only thing that takes any real effort is the personally brewed wine, which requires some skill.’

’Their voices are filled with sincerity, but their actions are all for show,’ Chen Qingyang thought, inwardly steeling himself. ’Just wait. You’ll see my presentation.’

"Today is Senior Brother Chen’s first visit, so we shouldn’t make things difficult. Senior Brother Chen, you don’t need to present a treasure..."

Before Lu Sheng could finish, Chen Qingyang held up his own items and, in a flash, set them on the table before him. There were eight Brocade Boxes—the kind typically used to hold elixirs.

"A humble gift, just a small token of my respect. These are eight Tier Three Qi-Introducing Pills. For cultivators at the Qi Refining Ninth Realm, they can be instrumental in achieving a breakthrough. Please, accept them with a smile!"

He opened one of the Jade Boxes. The elixir inside was translucent and sparkling—one glance was enough to tell it was a superior item. The seven men began to exchange glances, all stunned by his move.

"This... Senior Brother Lu, look..." one of them said, his expression hesitant.

Lu Sheng turned and shot the man a look. He then walked over, picked up one of the elixirs, and took a deep, appreciative sniff. His eyes were filled with undisguised greed.

"Brothers, since Junior Brother Chen has shown such sincerity, we can’t possibly refuse his kind gesture. Everyone, take one."

At his words, the others scrambled forward, each grabbing an elixir. One impatient man even swallowed his on the spot. Chen Qingyang, of course, seared the man’s face into his memory.

It was just like when he’d schemed to acquire Xu Baoling; the resulting Immortal Seedling was in the thirty to forty range.

When it was Lu Sheng’s turn, he shamelessly took both remaining elixirs and tucked them into his sleeve. Of course, his brothers were displeased and shot him pointed looks. Seeing all this, Chen Qingyang merely laughed to himself.

After taking the elixirs, the men celebrated for a while before sharing the fruit and wine. Chen Qingyang didn’t dare to partake at first. He waited until the cups had been mixed around and he could be sure his wine came from the same bottle as theirs before he finally dared to take a small sip.

’His Conscious Fish was constantly roaming the area but hadn’t detected anything amiss. Could he have misjudged them? In any case, there was no getting those elixirs back now.’

Finally, after several rounds of drinks and dishes, Lu Sheng made a new proposal. "Junior Brother Chen, our banquet is only now truly beginning."

Chen Qingyang was puzzled. "Senior Brother, I don’t understand."

"We’ve had our introductions, presented our treasures, and enjoyed a gentlemanly exchange. Now, it’s time for you to witness our true skills. Please, follow me."

Having come this far, Chen Qingyang naturally followed. All eight of them used Wind Control to drift around the peach branches, spiraling upward.

They passed through clouds of blooming peach blossoms, their robes dusted with pink petals, and finally landed on a thick branch high above. They posed with casual grace—the very picture of true Immortals.

There was a dark hollow in the tree trunk. Below it stood an altar, upon which sat an Incense Burner and other implements. In front of the altar were eight prayer mats, apparently for some kind of worship.

"Everyone knows this peach tree has a spirit, but few know its nature. Today, I will explain everything to Junior Brother Chen."

Chen Qingyang said, "Then I’ll be troubling you." ’...and let’s see what kind of trick you have up your sleeve,’ he added silently.

"Junior Brother, step forward and beseech the Peach Spirit Granny to appear." As he spoke, Que Sheng stepped forward. He first lit three sticks of incense in the burner, then wiped it with a unique technique and infused it with True Essence. As he finished, a golden light began to flicker from within the pitch-black hollow.

In the faint, blurry light, a shape emerged that resembled the face of an old woman. ’Could this be the spirit of the peach tree?’

The ever-helpful Lu Sheng was right there to explain. "Junior Brother Chen, you might not know this, but this tree is an Ancient Exotic Species. Its root system is vast, and the Spiritual Power it contains is immense. If an ordinary peach tree had this level of cultivation, it would have condensed a Yin Spirit and taken human form long ago. But for some reason, this Ancient Exotic Species has been unable to do so."

"It is her presence that allows the flowers in this valley to bloom so luxuriantly, gathering a great deal of Wood Spirit Qi and making it an excellent place to cultivate. If we offer her our respects, she will bless us and infuse our bodies with a great deal of Wood Spirit Qi."

As he spoke, the other men all knelt to bow, conveniently leaving one prayer mat for Chen Qingyang.

Chen Qingyang, however, remained standing. The moment he had arrived at this spot, his Conscious Fish had detected an anomaly. It seemed someone had deliberately set up an Array here.

The placement of the Incense Burner, the altar, and even the dark hollow itself—it was all arranged with a profound and hidden purpose, aligning perfectly with the empty prayer mat.

’If I kneel,’ he realized, ’my Mingtang Hall will be directly aligned with the dark hollow, the altar, the three sticks of incense, and the Incense Burner. A causal link will be forged. It’s hard to say what would happen then, but it wouldn’t be anything good.’

’What a formidable Array!’

’So this was what they were waiting for. If it weren’t for the extraordinary Perception Power of my Conscious Fish, I really would have fallen for their scheme.’

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