Stealing Immortal

Chapter 56: Chapter 55: Killing Intent

[Chen Qingyang]

[Qi Refining Sixth Realm]

[Void Step Introduction: (94/100)]

[Great Soul Scripture (Incomplete): (15/600)]

[One-Origin Sword: (1/1200)]

[Tier Two Yang Replacement Powder: (5/200)]

[Tier Two Jade Flower Spirit Dew Pill: (5/2000)]

[Dragon and Tiger Fighting Calamity Pill: (0/50)]

[Available Immortal Seedlings: 15]

The sky was in the dim moments before dawn.

Inside the small hut, the light was faint.

Chen Qingyang sat cross-legged on his bed, contemplating his Cultivation.

’My Void Step Introduction is just one step away from a breakthrough. As for the One-Origin Sword, its progress jumped by four hundred after the last breakthrough, bringing the total to twelve hundred. Reaching the Qi Refining Seventh Realm will be quite difficult in the future, but at least I’ve already obtained the rest of the Cultivation Technique. The Yang Replacement Powder has advanced to Tier Two, and I haven’t hit any bottlenecks yet. My Immortal Seedlings were hard-earned, so I should save them for now.’

’I haven’t started studying the Dragon and Tiger Fighting Calamity Pill since I got it. I don’t have time for it now, so I’ve just set it aside.’

With his thoughts in order, Chen Qingyang turned to the Copper Mirror and began to alter his appearance.

He kept his beard, which made him look a bit older. By leaving the hair at his temples untrimmed, he appeared less energetic. Then he draped a Long Coat of an indeterminate, dusky color—not quite gray, not quite black—over his shoulders, adding another touch of age to his look.

Satisfied with his attire, he pushed open the door. Under the eaves, the three youths were already busy.

Zhang Ping, who was already holding a ladle under the eaves, saw Chen Qingyang and hurriedly shouted into the house, "Junior Sister Lin, Senior Brother Chen is out!" From inside, Lin Qingxuan hastily wiped her hands and trotted over to Chen Qingyang. When she stood before him, she suddenly felt she had lost her usual composure, her face blushing slightly. "Senior... Senior Brother Chen!"

Having known the young woman for some time, Chen Qingyang was familiar with her temperament. He asked in a gentle tone, "I’m not in a hurry. Take your time and tell me what’s on your mind."

"Mm," Lin Qingxuan said, lowering her head to compose herself. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Chen Qingyang point toward the large Locust Tree.

"Let’s sit over there."

"Okay."

The Locust Tree stood on the edge of a cliff. Beyond it, the view was unobstructed, revealing distant mountains standing proud, a red sun hanging in the sky, and a golden light suffusing the swirling clouds and mist.

The snow at their feet had melted away, and a gentle breeze had swept the stone table and chairs clean of dust.

Chen Qingyang sat down, and Lin Qingxuan took the seat opposite him.

"Senior Brother Chen, yesterday at work, the Steward for the Hongling Tokens, Senior Sister Shao, said I have a strong heart for the Dao and that I’m... quite clever. She recommended me for a Miscellaneous Task on the Golden Summit. I heard it’s to serve a Senior Brother, surnamed Zhang, who is already at the Qi Refining Ninth Realm. He’s a favored disciple of a Foundation Establishment Master on the Golden Summit..."

At this point, Lin Qingxuan paused again. "She also said that if I go with that Senior Brother, it will be very easy for me to break through to the Qi Refining Realm. Oh, right, they say that Foundation Establishment Master’s name is Yin Xuanguai..."

Haltingly, she told Chen Qingyang everything she could remember, focusing only on the benefits of going to the Golden Summit.

Although she was asking for his opinion, it was clear her mind was already leaning in one direction.

The most appropriate thing for Chen Qingyang to do was to support her decision. But, considering they were on good terms, he asked an extra question, "Do you know anything about this Senior Brother Zhang? What would you be doing up there? While there are many ways to help you break through to the Qi Refining Realm on the Golden Summit—like the Alchemy Dao, Arrays, and so on—it all ultimately depends on your own aptitude."

Lin Qingxuan hesitated. "Senior Brother Zhang should be a good person, right? After all, his Cultivation is so high, he’s a great master of the Dao. And Senior Sister Shao, an Outer Disciple, is a nice person too, and she’s the one who recommended me. She said I’d continue with Miscellaneous Tasks up there, serving Senior Brother Zhang and running errands for him..."

As she spoke, Lin Qingxuan’s tone grew more resolute. "I believe I don’t lack aptitude. Even if I’m missing a little, I can make up for it by working harder. Going to the Golden Summit will let me break through faster, which means I’ll have more opportunities to pursue the Immortal Dao in the future!"

Her words were in line with her typically strong-willed personality, but they also revealed a youthful naivety. At this point, Chen Qingyang couldn’t say much more. "Well, you should get clear answers to the questions I raised. That way, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect when you go to the Golden Summit."

In his ninety-odd years as a Miscellaneous Task disciple on the Four Golden Peaks, he had seen many others like her get used and then cast back down the mountain. His warning was simply based on what he had seen and heard.

Lin Qingxuan said, "Yes, thank you for your advice, Senior Brother Chen. I’ll go and discuss it further with Senior Sister Shao today. Once I’ve decided whether to stay or go, I’ll let you know."

"Alright."

After their conversation, Lin Qingxuan and Li Sheng went to work. Only Zhang Ping remained, tidying up the house. In his own words, he was used to these chores from back home; he could finish them whether he started early or late. Of the three, his yearning for the Immortal Sect had always been the weakest.

"Senior Brother Chen, do you think Junior Sister Lin will go?"

Chen Qingyang countered, "Do you think she should go?"

Zhang Ping gave a wry laugh, a lazy look returning to his face. "If it were me, I wouldn’t go."

"Why not?"

"When I was farming back in my village, my dad always warned me: it’s better to farm your own land than to be a long-term worker for a landlord. Once you become a long-term worker, many things are no longer up to you. They can even find ways to pick on you and make you forfeit your own land to them. I’ve seen that kind of thing happen more than a few times."

Chen Qingyang thought about it seriously. "You’re right, that’s the logic. But life is full of different opportunities. Who can say for sure how things will turn out?"

Zhang Ping was silent for a moment. "That’s true too. For example, I don’t want to leave the mountain anymore. I’ll just Cultivate here for five years. If I haven’t made it after five years... hehe, then I’ll sneak off the mountain and go find a wife. I’ve already asked about the way down. It might be difficult for others, but I used to forage for herbs in the mountains all the time. It’ll be easy for me to escape!"

"Haha..." After a hearty laugh, Chen Qingyang left.

「Golden Summit.」

Inside the Alchemy Room, Liu Tao was fiddling with two Cloaks.

Both were black and very large; when the hoods were pulled up, they could cover the entire face. Seeing Chen Qingyang arrive, she picked one up. "Put this on, let me see. Yes, right now."

Chen Qingyang complied, draping the Cloak over his shoulders and putting on the hood. He lowered his head slightly, and his entire face was almost completely concealed.

"I think this outfit really suits you. It gives you a very unique aura when you wear it!" Liu Tao said with a mischievous grin.

"What kind of aura?"

"Hmph, a very dark and cold one. Like a Demon Sect Disciple who specializes in lurking in dark corners and committing all sorts of evil deeds!"

This...

Chen Qingyang fell silent. ’To think it’s such a perfect resemblance...’

"Haha!" Liu Tao burst into another fit of laughter. "I’ve already found out all about it. Tomorrow night, there’s a trading gathering for Sect disciples outside the Four Golden Peaks. A lot of people will be there. You should Refine some more Tier Two Yang Replacement Powder today, and tomorrow night we’ll take it to trade for Spirit Stones to save up for a Flying Sword."

Chen Qingyang understood what the clothes were for. "Senior Sister, you can just go by yourself. Why bring me along? I can’t even use the Wind Control Skill. Won’t I just be a burden?"

There wasn’t much to see at an event like this, and more importantly, he wasn’t currently in need of anything. Besides, he didn’t have any Spirit Stones to hunt for treasures.

"Hmph!" Liu Tao’s expression turned fierce. "What are you talking about? Don’t forget this whole idea was yours in the first place. No matter what, you have to go."

After all, he was a Miscellaneous Task disciple and she was an Inner Sect Disciple. It was pointless to be stubborn, so he could only relent. "Alright, I’ll listen to you, Senior Sister."

Liu Tao clapped her hands, a satisfied look on her face. "Now that’s more like it. Just think, I, your Senior Sister, haven’t left the Sect in over a hundred years. I see the same few people over and over again. It’s truly suffocating. When we go, you have to accompany me for a good look around."

Her face was filled with anticipation.

Chen Qingyang replied once more, "Don’t worry, Senior Sister."

「Before the Pill Furnace.」

He began preparing the ingredients again. Previously, he had only been able to produce a single Tier Two Yang Replacement Powder per batch, but Chen Qingyang felt he was becoming more proficient and could attempt to make three at once.

The required ingredients multiplied accordingly, and he spent a great deal of effort on the preliminary processing. Only when everything was ready did he place them into the Pill Furnace.

The flames flared violently, and the True Essence consumed also multiplied. Chen Qingyang was meticulous, his entire focus on the Elixirs.

The sun slanted westward, casting a halo of light through the window.

It painted his face in a golden hue.

He withdrew his palms and exhaled a long breath. After waiting for the flames in the Pill Furnace to cool slightly, he took out the contents. Three Elixirs, all with potent medicinal effects and all at Tier Two.

Liu Tao was still in seclusion and hadn’t noticed the activity over here. After a short rest, Chen Qingyang began refining the Tier Three Qi-Introducing Pill. This time, it was even more time-consuming. By the time he stopped, it was pitch black outside, so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. A dozen candles had been lit in the room, brightly illuminating the space.

Liu Tao’s eyelashes fluttered. She opened her eyes, walked over, and held the three Elixirs in her hand. "Starting tomorrow, I won’t need these Qi-Introducing Pills anymore, and I’ll rarely take Warm Sun Pills either. I plan to be self-reliant for a while to temper my Dao Heart. So... you old boy, you will..."

Seeing her looking at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes, Chen Qingyang truly thought their collaboration was about to end.

"...no longer need to Refine Elixirs for me. From now on, you’ll just be my Miscellaneous Task disciple, my attendant. You have to follow me wherever I go, and you’re not allowed to argue back like you did today. Understand?" She didn’t forget to raise a fist, making a threatening gesture.

Chen Qingyang could only reply, "Fine. I’ll listen to Senior Sister Liu, as long as Senior Sister Liu allows me to use this Pill Furnace to study the Alchemy Dao."

Liu Tao waved her hand dismissively. "No problem!"

The moonlight was bright, and a gentle breeze was blowing.

It reflected off the White Jade Steps of the path down the mountain, making them look like a long dragon winding its way beneath the starry sky.

The scenery here was uniquely beautiful. The Cangsong had not changed their color in a thousand years, the plants and trees faced the sun to welcome the spring, and from time to time, the cries of foxes and howls of wolves could be heard, along with the chirping of birds and insects. Suddenly, Chen Qingyang no longer felt alone!

But just as his mind relaxed, he suddenly felt a killing intent so palpable it was almost tangible, lunging at him from behind. The feeling of being so close to death sent a cold sweat instantly streaming down his back.

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