Stealing Immortal

Chapter 138: Chapter 137: March

「On this day.」

Hong’Er was organizing the Alchemy Raw Materials. It was plain to see that the shelves, once piled high, were now becoming sparse.

"Senior Brother Chen, all these raw materials are only enough to make one batch of Tier Four Yang Replacement Powder... No, wait. With your skill of producing eight pills per furnace, it’s only enough for half a batch!"

Counting the days, Hong’er realized she had been here for nearly half a year. She had gradually grown familiar with Chen Qingyang’s personality, learning what to do, what not to do, and this Senior Brother Chen’s unconventional methods. Their rapport had grown much stronger.

"It’s fine. I have it under control."

After tidying up the items in her hands, Hong’er walked over again. "Senior Brother Chen, yesterday Senior Brother Li manned the furnace himself, with Senior Sister Xu supervising. They managed to refine a Tier One Qi Gathering Pill. It was all shriveled and unsightly, but at least it’s usable!"

"I was the one who took the elixir in the end. It’s nothing like yours, Senior Brother Chen, but it’s a start, right?"

She rambled on, always able to find something to talk about, her little mouth chattering away without a pause.

Chen Qingyang replied, "You’ve just reminded me. Our little courtyard is going to need another Pill Furnace."

But Hong’er said, "Those things are incredibly expensive! We shouldn’t go to all that trouble. Everything should revolve around your Cultivation, Senior Brother Chen."

These words came from the heart. As the saying goes, when one person attains the Dao, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Hong’er was now dead set on being one of those chickens or dogs.

Chen Qingyang shook his head. "That’s not it. Li Sheng is just the beginning. In the future, you and even Zhang Ping will need to learn. I’ll have to find a way."

Hearing this, Hong’er covered her mouth and giggled. "Hehe, you’re right, you’re right! That does make a lot of sense when you put it that way. We’ll just follow you forever, Senior Brother Chen. The day you become a Foundation Establishment Master, we’ll all cultivate alongside you..."

"Don’t say that!" Chen Qingyang cut her off, then gave his orders. "Go tell Zhang Ping to pick out another plot of land and build a new structure. It needs to be big enough to house a Pill Furnace. Have Li Sheng help him for the next few days. We’ll put Alchemy on hold for now!"

Hong’er grinned. "That’s a great idea, Senior Brother Chen! We should definitely expand our little courtyard. There’s plenty of land, after all. I’ve been learning to cook from Senior Brother Zhang recently, so I can handle the kitchen for them."

"Alright."

Chen Qingyang nodded in agreement.

After Hong’er left, he picked up his bamboo basket. Inside were seventy-four elixirs, seventy-two of which were the Tier Four Yang Replacement Powder.

’That Master Yun Ci... Important people are certainly forgetful. She clearly said she’d send Leng Yueru over every so often with more Alchemy Raw Materials, but all this time has passed and there’s been no sign of her.’

’Of course, it’s also possible the Master knows exactly how much she’s sent, and it only feels like I’m running low because I’ve been skimming so much off the top.’

Regardless, he had to make a trip to Four Golden Peaks today and ask the Master for more. As the saying goes, relationships need to be maintained. The more you visit, the closer you get.

He left his small courtyard and activated the Void Step Introduction. His speed, enhanced by his improved Cultivation, was astonishing. In a flash, he arrived at Four Golden Peaks. But instead of heading straight up the mountain, he first went to find Liu Tao.

’The time between this visit and the last is much shorter,’ he thought. ’She probably won’t complain this time, right?’

Liu Tao had helped him immensely, and Chen Qingyang would never forget it, no matter what.

He knocked on her door. When there was no response, he pushed it open and went inside. Liu Tao wasn’t there, so Chen Qingyang sat down to wait.

He waited until evening, when the woman in pink finally appeared at the doorway. Seeing Chen Qingyang, she stood there and stared at him for a long moment before counting on her fingers. "Well, you’re visiting sooner than last time, but I wouldn’t call it frequent. Is Cyan Bamboo Peak really that far away?"

Chen Qingyang had suggested before that she could come find him, but Liu Tao had stubbornly insisted that he be the one to visit.

He could understand her feelings. After all, when they’d first met, he had been an old man at the end of his life. Now that he looked like this, she probably felt he was out of her reach. ’There’s bound to be some sense of distance between us now,’ he mused.

Chen Qingyang chuckled. "But I am visiting more frequently, right? That proves I listened to your words."

Liu Tao’s gaze fell on his bamboo basket. Seeing the elixirs inside, she sighed. "You’re really working yourself too hard. Refining so many elixirs must have taken a lot of effort, didn’t it?"

She had said the same thing last time. Chen Qingyang repeated himself, "Senior Sister, I can make eight pills in a single batch now. It doesn’t take much effort. Besides, this is an opportunity for me. I’m visiting your Master today because I want to make the most of it!"

Just as he expected, Liu Tao immediately shook her head. "Make the most of it how? I think you’d be better off not provoking her again. I’ve been diligently studying this Elixir myself lately. When the time comes, I’ll help you refine them."

"And Master has given me an assignment. I’m going to do my best to complete it, get on her good side, and then I can put in a good word for you. You just need to lie low and behave yourself."

’So, she doesn’t say anything, but she’s working hard for me in secret.’ "Senior Sister, you don’t have to worry about me. You know what I’m like. What kind of assignment did Master Yun Ci give you?"

Liu Tao said, "It’s not that hard. I only have to go for three months, and I’ll be back."

She still hadn’t said what the assignment was. "Could you be a little more specific, Senior Sister?"

Liu Tao had no choice but to elaborate. "All Disciples under a Foundation Establishment Master are required to contribute to the Sect. It just so happens that it’s our lineage’s turn."

"The assignment I accepted is to serve under a Xuanwei Master for three months."

A Xuanwei Master was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator dispatched by the Tai Xu Sect to guard its outer territories. Chen Qingyang had encountered them before. Serving under one would inevitably involve bloodshed and combat; it couldn’t possibly be a simple task.

Chen Qingyang thought for a moment. "Senior Sister, why don’t you take me with you? It’s a good chance for me to get some experience."

Besides gaining experience, he could also acquire some Immortal Seedlings. He had mostly finished his recent tasks, so he had the time.

Besides, there was no one on Cyan Bamboo Peak to tell him what to do, so he was free to go as he pleased.

Hearing this, Liu Tao flatly refused. "What are you talking about? There will be plenty of other opportunities to gain experience. You don’t need to rush into this one. I’ll find a chance to take you down the mountain myself sometime."

Having known Liu Tao for some time, Chen Qingyang understood her personality well, so he changed his tactic. "Senior Sister, there’s something you don’t know. At the last Separation Dragon Assembly, I seriously offended a Foundation Establishment Steward. If you take me with you, I can lay low for a while. Otherwise... *sigh*!"

That single sigh made Liu Tao even more anxious. "Chen Qingyang, what on earth have you been doing? Why are you always offending people..."

Seeing her start to lecture him, Chen Qingyang had to cut her off. "Senior Sister, don’t tell me you don’t want to help me?"

His words made Liu Tao freeze. "You... You’re not trying to trick me, are you, you little rascal?"

Chen Qingyang shook his head solemnly. "Of course not."

After a moment of hesitation, Liu Tao could only nod. "Fine. We don’t leave for over a month, though. And if you come, you have to listen to me, no matter what. If you can’t agree to that, then forget it."

Asking the question that way meant she had already agreed. Chen Qingyang replied, "Of course, that’s no problem at all."

As they spoke, he took a Jade Box from his basket. Inside were two elixirs. Liu Tao took the box and examined them carefully for a long time before asking with a hint of uncertainty, "This... could this be an Earth Root Biochemical Pill?"

Pill Formulas were indeed rare on Four Golden Peaks. Even Liu Tao, who possessed the Earth Root Acupoint, took a long while to identify it.

"Senior Sister, I refined this Elixir myself. These two are for you, for your Cultivation. I’ll bring you more when I make them in the future!"

At his words, Liu Tao’s eyes grew red. "It’s so rare... for you to still remember me..."

Chen Qingyang hated getting sentimental with her, so he quickly changed the subject. "It’s already gotten dark. It would be rude to show up any later. I should head up."

Liu Tao glanced outside and could only say, "Mm."

...

The last time he had come, it had been nighttime, and Master Yun Ci had even let him stay the night.

’I felt that was a bit improper, so I’d planned to come at noon today. But waiting for Liu Tao delayed me until evening again.’

Four Golden Peaks was in the height of summer. The path was alive with the sound of chirping cicadas, insects, and birds.

The Master’s Child attendant had a good memory and recognized Chen Qingyang at a glance. After waiting for only a moment, Chen Qingyang was invited up.

Just like last time, he left his shoes at the door. This time, however, the Master was in the middle of meditating and cultivating. Chen Qingyang stood to the side, waiting silently for a long time.

The Master had her back to him, her wide robes draping like silk and outlining a slender waist. Her frame wasn’t especially small, but she gave off an impression of being delicate and petite.

After what felt like a very long time, the glow around the Master faded, and the unique aura in the room dissipated. She stepped onto the floor with bare feet and, with a gentle turn, faced him.

Her feet were as smooth as jade, tinged with a soft pink. They were plump and soft, irresistibly drawing the eye.

Chen Qingyang was looking so intently that he noticed the strange glint in the Master’s eyes when she saw him. "You... What have you been up to lately?"

He instantly understood. ’It must be from the day my Great Soul Scripture had its breakthrough. The Conscious Fish must have absorbed a great deal of essence from the Separation Huo Dragon Pearl. That essence circulated through my body, and much of it settled in my Spiritual Sea.’

"My Nine Yang Separation Fire Technique has seen some progress, I believe?"

"Hah!" The Master’s soft exclamation suddenly held a girlish quality, shedding some of her usual iciness. "I told you last time. The aura about you is different from the others. But forget it. If you don’t want to talk about it, we’ll drop it."

All Chen Qingyang knew was that his Conscious Fish had been infused with a great deal of Dragon Qi. ’Could it be that as my Cultivation increases, the Dragon Qi is growing stronger as well?’

He said, "Master, here are seventy-two pills of the Tier Four Yang Replacement Powder. Please inspect them."

She didn’t comment on the speed of his Alchemy, nor did she ask about the elixirs. She simply said, "I’ll have Yueru deliver the Alchemy Raw Materials you need tomorrow. Any surplus is yours to keep. I only want my two hundred and fifty elixirs."

Her perception was astonishingly clear; she had guessed his intentions at once. There was a good reason her Disciples were afraid of her.

But to her surprise, Chen Qingyang shook his head. "Master, I have a different proposal."

Yun Ci paused, seeming slightly surprised that she hadn’t correctly guessed Chen Qingyang’s intentions.

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