Inside the Main Conference Hall of Void Spirit Sword Sect, Yang Kai sat valiantly in the main seat. To his left sat a group of Elders from Tian Luo Hall with Li Zheng Qing as their leader. On the other hand, to his right sat another group of people from Roaring Tiger Sect with Sect Master Zhuang Ju He at their head.
There was a clear distinction between the two sides. Moreover, all the people present today were cultivators in the Fourth-Step Earth Grade And above.
It had been one month since Yang Kai advanced into the Heaven Realm, and many things had happened during this time.
The biggest incident that affected the entire Void Spirit Sword Sect was that the Old Sect Master Su Chang Fa had abdicated his position. The Eldest Disciple of the younger generation, Yang Kai, had taken over in his stead.
This was also what everybody desired. Yang Kai was the one and only Heaven Realm Master in the entire Void Spirit Sword Sect. Not only was he the strongest, but he was also very young; thus, it was only a matter of time before he took over as the Sect Master. Su Chang Fa had simply brought this matter forward a little.
What’s more, Void Spirit Sword Sect was now a booming business thanks to Yang Kai’s efforts in developing the Sect. Not only did Roaring Tiger Sect and Tian Luo Hall become branches of Void Spirit Sword Sect, but all the other Sects and Clans within a thousand kilometres radius had also decided to submit to Void Spirit Sword Sect. Therefore, Void Spirit Sword Sect was indeed in need of a stronger Sect Master to act as a deterrent and a symbol.
Su Chang Fa was getting on in his years. Although he was happy to witness the rise of Void Spirit Sword Sect, he no longer had the energy to manage the Sect. In this aspect, Yang Kai was full of vigour, which was perfect for the circumstances.
For that reason, Su Chang Fa swiftly decided to pass the torch to Yang Kai after a simple discussion with Gu Kang Ning and Hong Xiu, regardless of whether Yang Kai agreed or not.
The succession ceremony was held half a month ago. All the nearby great forces sent their representatives to express their congratulations, making it a lively scene.
Aside from that, news of Yang Kai refining the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill in Heavenly Martial City had spread like wildfire among the Elders of Tian Luo Hall and Roaring Tiger Sect.
This was something that could not be kept secret, and Yang Kai had no intention of keeping it secret either. That was why he did not care when Du Yu Yu and Shi Ming Hui either intentionally or unintentionally spread this news to the public.
The news caused a huge stir among the Elders of Roaring Tiger Sect and Tian Luo Hall. Accordingly, the attitudes of these people were obviously much more respectful and attentive nowadays.
In the past, they had no choice but to surrender under Yang Kai’s brutal ferocity after he forced them to consume Poison Pills. However, it was different now. Yang Kai was not just a Heaven Realm Master but also a Heaven Grade Alchemist. A person like that was a pivotal figure in the Divine Armament World.
Once this information spread, there would be many Heaven Realm Masters willing to follow him.
In the Divine Armament World, it was not shameful for a Heaven Realm Master to serve under a Heaven Grade Alchemist. Rather, it was an act that was approved and recognised by the public!
That was because Heaven Realm Masters required large amounts of resources for their cultivation, while Heaven Grade Alchemists were wealthy people. As long as a Heaven Realm Master could serve under a suitable Heaven Grade Alchemist, there would be no need for them to worry about cultivation resources again.
Naturally, there was another, more important reason. If the Heaven Grade Alchemist they served could advance to become a Spirit Grade Alchemist, then they had hope of obtaining a Hundred Revolutions Clear Heart Pill and advancing into the Spirit Realm in the future. They were simply investing in their future in advance.
The two bodyguards at the peak of the Heaven Realm who served beside Gao Xin Peng were eagerly waiting for the latter to become a Spirit Grade Alchemist and subsequently refine Hundred Revolutions Clear Heart Pills for them.
After all, there were not many Spirit-Grade Alchemists in the entire Divine Armament World. Even if Masters at the peak of the Heaven Realm like themselves begged those Spirit Grade Alchemists for a pill, they might not have a chance of success.
The people of Roaring Tiger Sect and Tian Luo Hall were well aware that Yang Kai could easily amass a large force of Heaven Realm Masters with his current status and identity; therefore, they were dispensable pawns in his eyes.
It was not easy for them to gain a connection to a Heaven Grade Alchemist; hence, they would never let this opportunity slip by without a fight.
Inside the hall, these people sat upright with their backs straight. They also had attentive looks on their faces. Despite so many people gathering in the Main Hall, it was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Even the sound of their breathing had been suppressed to the limits.
They did not know the reason why Yang Kai summoned them all here. Ever since he returned from his previous trip, he had remained in retreat. Aside from the one time he showed up at the succession ceremony, there had been no sight of him.
Looking around, Yang Kai nodded in satisfaction after seeing the respectful behaviours of these Elders. He then shouted, “Li Zheng Qing!”
Tian Luo Hall’s Sect Master, Li Zheng Qing, hastily stood up and cupped his fist, “Subordinate is here!”
“How long have you been stuck at the peak of the Earth Realm?” Yang Kai casually asked.
Li Zheng Qing quickly replied, “Reporting to Sir, it has been thirteen years since this Old Master advanced to the Peak Earth Realm.”
Yang Kai nodded and looked to the other side, “What about you, Zhuang Ju He?”
Roaring Tiger Sect’s Sect Master, Zhuang Ju He, also stood up quickly and smiled brightly, “I’m slightly better off than Brother Li, it has been eight years for me.”
Yang Kai said, “This world has shackles that bind us tightly. Unless you break free of these shackles, you will never get a glimpse into the mysteries of the Heaven Realm.” Raising a hand, he threw out two bursts of light towards Li Zheng Qing and Zhuang Ju He, “Take this and cultivate hard. Don’t disappoint this King!”
Both Li Zheng Qing and Zhuang Ju He accepted the beams of light, and when they stared down at the item, they immediately became emotional.
Li Zheng Qing’s lips trembled, “T-This… Sir, c-could this be….”
Zhuang Ju He took a deep breath and finished the sentence for Li Zheng Qing, “Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill?”
There was an uproar among the people in the Main Hall and numerous gazes latched onto the pills that Li Zheng Qing and Zhuang Ju He were holding in their hands like leeches. They might not need this pill right now, but it was something they would need one day.
“Yes, they are Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pills. As you know, I am now a Heaven-Grade Alchemist. This King refined these two pills himself,” Yang Kai responded indifferently.
He had already learned the pill recipe for the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill by heart, so a few days prior, Yang Kai sent his subordinates to purchase some herbs for him and quickly refined some Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pills. Seeing as he had no need to conceal his skills anymore, Yang Kai went all out during the refining process and produced six pills in the end. Out of which, one was a High-Rank pill and five were Mid-Rank pills.
To prevent standing out too much, he had only given Li Zheng Qing and Zhuang Ju He a Mid-Rank pill each. Even so, his actions made those two incredibly emotional.
They had known that Yang Kai would one day give them Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pills to aid them in advancing to the Heaven Realm if they were loyal enough; however, they never imagined that such a great blessing would come to them so soon! They thought that it would take several years of loyal performance for them to obtain the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill…
Thinking about it again though, Yang Kai’s strength was obvious. Not to mention that he was also a Heaven Grade Alchemist. Earth Realm Masters like themselves were probably of little importance to him. As such, they could play a greater role if he helped them advance into the Heaven Grade as soon as possible.
Li Zheng Qing was the first to return to his senses. He put the pill away with great care and cupped his fist, “Many thanks for your gracious gift, Sir. This Old Master swears that he will repay your kindness!”
He used to be the Great Elder of Tian Luo Hall. Although Tian Luo Hall was not a bad place, he had been suppressed by the Palace Master Shu Wan Cheng, who stood above him.
Most of the resources had been taken by Shu Wan Cheng, so even if Li Zheng Qing wanted to ask a Heaven Grade Alchemist for a Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill, he could not gather enough compensation to do so.
On the other hand, Shu Wan Cheng had managed to accumulate enough compensation to make such a request. Be that as it may, he still had to wait several years for his turn to come.
The problem Zhuang Ju He faced was similar to Shu Wan Cheng.
Back then, Zhuang Ju He travelled tens of thousands of kilometres to Profound Pill Sect to request a Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill. He had handed over a substantial reward only to be told that he had to wait for another eight to ten years. But now, there was a Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill right in front of him.
He gave a deep sigh as he thought to himself, [The treatment sure is different when you have powerful friends.]
With this pill, he was 80% certain that he could advance into the Heaven Realm. Cupping his fist solemnly, he said, “Many thanks, Sir. This subordinate will not let you down. I will definitely advance into the Heaven Grade as soon as possible and dedicate my services to you!”
Yang Kai nodded lightly and swept his gaze over the others below him, “As for the rest of you, there’s no need to be envious of them. If any of you reach the peak of the Earth Grade and wish to advance into the Heaven Realm, feel free to come to me. I will prepare a Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill for each of you.”
The expressions of the others changed upon hearing those words, and they thanked him with great emotion.
Even if Yang Kai tried to drive them away now, they would never leave. Staying here meant that there was no need to worry about the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill that was required to advance into the Heaven Realm. Where else would they find such a beneficial deal?
Afterwards, Yang Kai dispersed the crowd and went to check on the studies of Wan Ying Ying and his other two Junior Brothers. He taught them some common knowledge and techniques for Alchemy and only then did he return to his secluded home.
Out of the 100,000 pieces of Red Jade Yang Kai brought back from Heavenly Martial City, only half of them remained. If anybody were to learn about his consumption rate, they would be absolutely shocked. However, for a person who used the Heaven Devouring Battle Law like him, this was the result of deliberate suppression.
The power of the Heaven Devouring Battle Law was unfathomable. Even Yang Kai was horrified by this Secret Art that allowed him to devour everything in existence when activated. If he did not deliberately suppress the power of this Secret Art, he would have finished consuming the 100,000 pieces of Red Jade a long time ago.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai needed to allow his body to become accustomed to the surge in his cultivation and he also needed time for the might of his Dragon Vein to remove the hidden dangers brought about by cultivating the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. Therefore, he had no choice but to slow down his cultivation.
Fortunately, the toughness of his body gradually increased as his cultivation improved and more power from his Dragon Vein could be stimulated as a result. All of this formed a delicate balance with the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, so there were no hidden dangers for the time being.
During this past month, his cultivation did not grow by much as he only advanced from the First-Step Heaven Realm to the Second-Step Heaven Realm. The main reason for such slow progress was that the amount of resources he required just to advance by one Step was colossal now that he was in the Heaven Realm.
Other cultivators might not face such issues, but Yang Kai knew that he was unlike other people.
If it was said that one’s body was a container, then other people might have the capacity of a large lake when they reached the Heaven Realm. In contrast, Yang Kai’s capacity was as large as an ocean. The Spirit Qi he needed to accumulate in order to advance into the next Minor Realm was many times greater than average. The reason for such an occurrence was that the gradual strengthening of his body allowed him to accommodate even more Spirit Qi.
That was why Yang Kai was confident that he could win against most Masters at the Peak Heaven Realm despite only being in the Second-Step Heaven Realm. Moreover, he could succeed purely with his own strength, without the support of the True Void Sword Qi.
The days went by smoothly. In addition to cultivation, Yang Kai would take the time to teach Wan Ying Ying and the others daily. Nothing else required his personal attention as ever since giving Zhuang Ju He and Li Zheng Qing the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pills, the entirety of Roaring Tiger Sect and Tian Luo Hall had become absolutely loyal to him.
Meanwhile, the diligence of the younger Void Spirit Sword Sect disciples was gradually producing results in their cultivation.
At present, Void Spirit Sword Sect was no longer lacking in financial resources. Not only did they have the Black Jade mine, but Roaring Tiger Sect and Tian Luo Hall also kept sending various cultivation resources over as tribute. As a result, the disciples no longer needed to suffer through poverty like before.
Thanks to the consumption of various cultivation resources and supplemented by the Body Tempering Secret Art that Yang Kai taught them previously, the bodies of Void Spirit Sword Sect disciples not only became stronger, but their cultivation also improved at a steady pace.
Void Spirit Sword Sect was flourishing by the day. Soon, one month had passed.
Yang Kai stepped out of his secluded home on a bright sunny day. After one month of training, he finally reached the next Step in his cultivation. He was now in the Third-Step Heaven Realm; however, he had used up all the Red Jades that Miao Hong had given to him. There were many Black Jades in Void Spirit Sword Sect, so he decided to give it a try; however, he realised that just like what Miao Hong had said, when a cultivator reached the Heaven Realm, it would be ineffective to use Black Jades to cultivate. Red Jades would be a much better option.
He knew that he should head out to look for cultivation resources.
The notion made him feel slightly somewhat dispirited. Nevertheless, it wasn’t a difficult task for him. Now, he was a Heaven Rank Alchemist, and he possessed the pill recipe for the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill. Therefore, it wasn’t hard for him to collect some resources.
As long as he exposed the fact that he was able to refine the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill, countless cultivators would come over to request Alchemy services from him; after all, in this Divine Armament World, a lot of cultivators were stuck at the peak of Earth Realm.
Yang Kai had already expected this day to come; therefore, before he left Heavenly Martial City previously, he had insinuated to Miao Hong that he might return to the city soon.
Compared to Void Spirit Sword Sect, Heavenly Martial City was much more powerful, and it also had a larger population. Yang Kai had already decided to return to Heavenly Martial City and set up a Pill Shop. While refining pills for others, he could also collect the resources he needed. With sufficient resources, he would be able to reach the peak of the Heaven Realm at the fastest speed.
As for the Hundred Revolutions Clear Heart Pill needed for achieving an ascension to the Spirit Realm from the Heaven Realm, Yang Kai could only play it by ear. He wasn’t in a rush anyway, and he believed that a solution would present itself eventually.
He left his secluded home while he was still lost in his thoughts, and when he looked up, he became startled for a moment.
That was because Wan Ying Ying was seated outside his home as she stared vigilantly at Li Zheng Qing, who was just standing in a nearby place with a helpless expression, as though he was waiting for Yang Kai to come out. However, the old man wasn’t in a healthy state as he had been injured. His face was slightly pale, and his arm seemed to have been fractured as it was hung close to his chest with a long piece of cloth.
Upon hearing the noises, Wan Ying Ying and Li Zheng Qing gazed at Yang Kai. The former got up joyfully and dashed towards Yang Kai. In an obedient manner, she called out, “Eldest Senior Brother.”
Yang Kai nodded gently and stroked her head. Wan Ying Ying instantly started blushing as she moved away and pouted, “I’m a grown woman, Eldest Senior Brother. Please stop treating me like a child.”
Despite what she had said, she appeared to be enjoying his touch.
Yang Kai laughed and nodded his head, “Got it. I’ll be more mindful.” Then, he gazed at Li Zheng Qing, “What happened? Who hurt you?”
An embarrassed Li Zheng Qing bent his back and replied, “Sir, I have no idea who hurt me. The person’s Movement Skill was brilliant, so I was unable to see them clearly.”
Yang Kai was surprised, “You’re in the Heaven Realm now. How could you not even see who hurt you?”
Although it had only been a month since he last met Li Zheng Qing, Yang Kai could sense that the old man was now in the Heaven Realm.
Li Zheng Qing started flushing, “I really couldn’t see the person clearly. I’m truly useless.”
“So, what happened?”
Li Zheng Qing hurriedly narrated the incident in detail, as that was the reason he had been waiting here in the first place. Before Yang Kai entered retreat to cultivate, he had ordered that no one should disturb him. Therefore, Wan Ying Ying had been standing guard outside of the secluded home, and she wouldn’t even let Li Zheng Qing come anywhere near the place.
Upon hearing his story, Yang Kai finally learned that about half a month ago, a Heaven Realm Master snuck into Void Spirit Sword Sect. No one knew who the person was or even if they were a man or woman. They also had no idea why the person had snuck into this place.
Li Zheng Qing and Zhuang Ju He ascended to the Heaven Realm not long after. Since this was a serious incident, they personally led their subordinates to look into the matter. Unfortunately, when they finally detected some traces and found the intruder’s hiding place, they were easily defeated by that person. Li Zheng Qing and Zhuang Ju He were injured even though they had joined forces.
Fortunately, that person didn’t seem to have the intention to kill, so after injuring Li Zheng Qing and Zhuang Ju He, they immediately fled. Otherwise, the two new Heaven Realm Masters wouldn’t have been able to survive.
Other than the ones guarding the Black Jade lode, the people from Tian Luo Hall and Roaring Tiger Sect had gone all out to look for that mysterious person, but they hadn’t found a single clue so far.
The reason Li Zheng Qing had been staying there was to inform Yang Kai about it as soon as the latter exited his seclusion.
“A mysterious person, heh…” Yang Kai frowned, “Why do you think that person came to our Sect?”
The elusive person never killed anyone, and they were able to defeat two new Heaven Realm Masters, so it was obvious that they were very strong. The person must be in the Third-Step Heaven Realm at the very least. There must be a reason for such a person to sneak into this place.
Li Zheng Qing replied, “Brother Zhuang and I discuss it before, and we’re worried that the person came here for the Black Jade lode; after all, in Void Spirit Sword Sect, only the Black Jade mine could arouse the interest of Heaven Realm Masters.”
Yang Kai nodded gently, “It’s a possibility. Did you find anything in the lode itself?”
Li Zheng Qing shook his head, “That’s what’s strange about it. We didn’t find any trace of the intruder in the mineral lode.”
“Is that person still in Void Spirit Sword Sect?” Yang Kai narrowed his eyes.
“Yes, I believe so.” Li Zheng Qing bowed his head, “That person is powerful. Even though we discovered them once, they didn’t immediately leave. Brother Zhuang found the person again last night, but they soon disappeared.”
“Interesting,” Yang Kai’s lips curved into a smile. There was a mysterious Heaven Realm Master who appeared in Void Spirit Sword Sect and kept hiding in different places. It was expected that the people here were anxious. Before they figured out the person’s intentions, the entire Void Spirit Sword Sect would be shrouded in suspense.
“Alright, I’ll…” Before Yang Kai finished his words, he saw a burly man rushing towards them.
“He’s from Tian Luo Hall,” Li Zheng Qing spoke up.
The burly man stood in front of Li Zheng Qing and cupped his fist, “Greetings, Sect Master.”
“What’s wrong?” Li Zheng Qing asked.
The burly man replied, “There’s a Heaven Realm Master at the bottom of the mountain who has requested to meet the Sect Master.”
Li Zheng Qing turned solemn, “A Heaven Realm Master? Did he reveal his background?”
The burly man shook his head, “He didn’t. However, he gave me this thing. He said that the Sect Master will understand it when he sees it.”
Upon finishing his words, he held out a token with both hands.
A doubtful Yang Kai took it and instantly saw the character ‘Gao (高)’ on the token. Upon realising who the visitor was, he said to the burly man, “Invite him to the Reception Hall. I’ll be waiting for him over there.”
“Yes,” the burly man replied and turned to leave.
Li Zheng Qing gazed at Yang Kai and asked, “Sir, could the visitor be…”
“No. He’s from Profound Pill Sect.”
“Profound Pill Sect?” Li Zheng Qing straightened his face as the Sect was truly famous. It was one of Ten Great Sects in the Divine Armament World that currently controlled the Medicine King Furnace Divine Armament.
A moment later, a muscular man stepped into the Reception Hall. Just like what Yang Kai had expected, the visitor was the one he had in mind; however, what surprised Yang Kai was that the man was carrying a person in his hand. This person’s strength was apparently sealed, so they appeared weak while trying to struggle out of the man’s grip.
“Gao Ming greets Alchemist Yang.” The man directly threw the person onto the ground, and ignoring their glare, he cupped his fist to Yang Kai.
Yang Kai nodded his head, “Are you the bodyguard of Senior Brother Gao?”
When he saw the token just now, he reckoned that Gao Xin Peng must have sent someone over. When they parted ways in Heavenly Martial City previously, Gao Xin Peng said that he had to return to Profound Pill Sect as soon as possible to report the matter of Yang Kai’s existence to his Sect. Two months had passed, so it was about the right time for Profound Pill Sect to react.
“Yes.” Gao Ming nodded.
It was the first time Yang Kai heard his name, so he asked curiously, “You share the same surname as Senior Brother Gao. Are you two from the same family?”
Gao Ming nodded, “That’s right.”
“I see,” Upon hearing that, Yang Kai reckoned that Gao Ming’s loyalty could be guaranteed since he and Gao Xin Peng were from the same family. Gao Xin Peng must share the same concerns, which was why he asked Gao Ming to be his bodyguard.
Then, Yang Kai took a glance at the person who was squirming on the ground and asked curiously, “Who is this?”
The person on the ground was a woman, but her face couldn’t be made out for now. Although her Spirit Qi had been sealed, she was still squirming like a worm as though she was trying to flee. The sight was quite comical.
Gao Ming replied, “I detected this person’s aura when I was climbing the mountain. Since she was being rather stealthy, I decided to capture her. Please forgive me if she’s from your Sect.”
Yang Kai was instantly amused, “She’s not from Void Spirit Sword Sect.” Then, he turned to look at Li Zheng Qing, “Is it her?”
Li Zheng Qing shook his head, “I can’t be sure.”
“Just ask her about it.” Yang Kai rose from the chair and walked up to the woman to block her way. The woman immediately lifted her head and roared, “Get lost!”
Yang Kai adjusted his clothes and squatted in front of her before clenching her chin and lifting her up. He realised that she was a young woman with an alluring face and skin was as fair as snow.
Despite her beautiful looks, the woman was clearly quite fierce and incensed as the first thing she did was widen her mouth in an attempt to bite Yang Kai’s hand.
Yang Kai exerted more force into his grip, which ensured that she was unable to close her mouth. She could only hoot in response.
“Are you the one who has been hiding in Void Spirit Sword Sect?” Yang Kai questioned.
The woman still hooted in response.
Yang Kai grunted and scolded, “I’ll release you, but don’t you bite me; otherwise, I’ll break all your teeth.”
The woman glared at Yang Kai without saying anything.
It was only then that Yang Kai released her, which instantly left some red marks on her fair face.
“Speak. Are you the one who has been making a scene in Void Spirit Sword Sect? Are you the one who hurt my subordinates?”
“So what if it was me?” Despite her alluring face, the woman was hot-tempered, “Release me if you have the guts and fight this Great Aunt!”
Yang Kai chuckled and gazed at Gao Ming, “What’s this woman’s cultivation?”
Gao Ming replied, “Sixth-Step Heaven Realm or slightly higher.”
“You’re unlucky, then.” Yang Kai started sympathising with her. A Sixth-Step Heaven Realm Master should be quite powerful, and she was basically peerless in Void Spirit Sword Sect; however, she happened to come across Gao Ming, which was why she was easily captured.
“What’s your name? Where are you from?” Yang Kai asked.
The woman glared at him, “Do you think I’ll tell you?”
“You’re pretty hot-tempered.” Yang Kai grinned, then yelled, “Li Zheng Qing!”
“Yes!” Li Zheng Qing hurriedly stepped forward.
“Whip her 100 times before I interrogate her.”
Li Zheng Qing was startled for a moment, but he soon replied, “Yes.” Then, he moved towards the woman.
The woman was horrified. 100 whips were no big deal as since she was a Heaven Realm Master, the torture wouldn’t kill her; however, after 100 whips, her clothes would certainly be destroyed. How was she going to face anyone when her body was exposed by then?
She couldn’t believe that such a vicious man existed in this world.
“My name is Hua Rong! Hua Rong!” The woman hurriedly spoke up.
“So, it’s Sister Hua.” Yang Kai nodded gently, “What are you doing in Void Spirit Sword Sect?”
Hua Rong batted her alluring eyes, “Will you believe me if I say I’m having a stroll around here since this place is beautiful and serene?”
Yang Kai looked up and shouted, “Li Zheng Qing!”
“Wait! If you don’t believe me, I’ll come up with another excuse!” Hua Rong cried.
Yang Kai waved his hand, “Take her away and whip her 100 times.”
“True Void Sword!” Hua Rong exclaimed, “I’m here for the True Void Sword!”
“Oh?” Yang Kai arched his brow, then took the sword from his waist and waved it in front of her, “You’re here for this sword?”
Hua Rong nodded, “Yes.”
Yang Kai stared fixedly at her and realised that she didn’t seem to be lying. She really seemed to be here for the True Void Sword. It seemed that he and Li Zheng Qing had gotten it wrong.
The Black Jade lode in Void Spirit Sword Sect wasn’t the only thing that could arouse the interest of Heaven Realm Masters. There was also the True Void Sword.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t surprising at all. Although the True Void Sword was just a replica of a Divine Armament, it was still commissioned by the True Void Sword Lord using a lot of money and resources. Therefore, the True Void Sword was no ordinary weapon as it was a Spirit Armament, making it practically invaluable.
However, since this was the inheritance left behind by the True Void Sword Lord for his descendants, there were naturally some security measures in place.
The sword had three distinct portions of Sword Qi sealed within it and could only be safely used by one who cultivated the Void Spirit Sword Art. If an unsuspecting person rashly activated the sword’s power, the True Void Sword Qi would kill the wielder instead of their enemies.
It wasn’t certain how Hua Rong found out that the True Void Sword had appeared, but that was apparently the reason she had come all the way here. Unfortunately, even if she managed to obtain the sword, she wouldn’t be able to use it unless she was able to remove the Sword Qi from within it.
“That’s the True Void Sword?” To the side, Gao Ming, who had always remained calm and collected, was shocked as he looked dazedly at the sword in Yang Kai’s hand.
As a Heaven Realm Master, he certainly had heard about True Void Sword before as it was one of the Ten Great Divine Armaments.
Yang Kai shook his head, “Of course, it’s not the real True Void Sword. An Ancestor from Void Spirit Sword Sect made this weapon by imitating the Divine Armament. It’s just a Spirit Armament.”
“A Spirit Armament…” Gao Ming took a deep breath. Although this True Void Sword was just a Spirit Armament, no ordinary person had the right to possess it. Such a treasure would bring misfortune to its owner if they weren’t strong enough. It was imaginable that if word got out, Void Spirit Sword Sect would never have any peaceful days again.
Forget about Heaven Realm Masters, even many Spirit Realm Masters would come over to snatch this weapon.
“You’re pretty good at gathering information,” Yang Kai flashed a smile at the woman.
Hua Rong remained curled up like a worm, but she was no longer squirming. The main reason was that all her Spirit Qi had been sealed, so it was pointless for her to struggle. As she gazed at Yang Kai with a tilted head, she suggested by saying, “Your Sect is unable to keep this weapon. Why don’t you give the sword to me to save yourselves some trouble? Your problems will all be solved then.”
“Even if I give it to you, do you think you can keep it?” Yang Kai burst into laughter.
Hua Rong shrugged, “That’s my problem.”
To the side, Gao Ming snorted, “A Spirit Armament is truly precious. However, if Alchemist Yang is unable to keep it, no one else in the world can do that.”
Hua Rong was startled for a moment, “How arrogant! How could Void Spirit Sword Sect…”
Gao Ming cut her off by saying, “Void Spirit Sword Sect naturally can’t hold onto a Spirit Armament, but what about Profound Pill Sect?”
“Profound Pill Sect?” Hua Rong was astonished as she gazed at Yang Kai in puzzlement, “You’re from Profound Pill Sect?”
Gao Ming stated, “Alchemist Yang is a disciple of the thirty-fourth generation from Profound Pill Sect, and he’s also a Heaven Grade Alchemist!”
“What!?” Hua Rong was flabbergasted as she got to her knees and looked up at Yang Kai. With widened eyes, she stuttered, “He… is a Heaven Grade Alchemist?”
“What’s so surprising about it?” Yang Kai looked smilingly at her.
Hua Rong examined him and tutted, “It’s said that one can’t judge a book by its cover. If I hadn’t heard it from a cultivator who’s at the peak of the Heaven Realm, I wouldn’t have believed it. By the way, who are you?” As she spoke, she turned to look at Gao Ming.
She was truly unlucky to have been captured by Gao Ming. Initially, given her cultivation, Void Spirit Sword Sect was basically defenceless against her. Unfortunately, she happened to come across a cultivator who was at the peak of the Heaven Realm.
It was said that curiosity killed the cat. When Gao Ming was going up the mountain, Hua Rong secretly took a peek at him, which was why her whereabouts were exposed. She was subsequently captured by him.
A proud Gao Ming declared, “I’m a Blood Warrior under Heaven Grade Alchemist Gao Xin Peng, Gao Ming!”
“A Blood Warrior from Profound Pill Sect?” Hua Rong’s pupils contracted, then she let out a sigh, “It’s no wonder you were able to capture me easily. I admit defeat.”
She no longer appeared high-spirited as she sat on her backside and looked away, “Just kill me. I’ve made a rash move and offended a Heaven Grade Alchemist, so I deserve to die despite being such a young woman.”
She seemed to be a resolute person, and if it weren’t because her eyes were darting around when she spoke, Yang Kai would’ve admired her audacity.
“Since you’ve barged into Void Spirit Sword Sect and wounded my subordinates, I can’t let you off easily; however, seeing as you didn’t have the intention to kill, I won’t sentence you to death. Why don’t you receive one attack move from me? I’ll release you after that.” Yang Kai looked condescendingly at her.
Hua Rong was surprised, “Are you serious?”
“Do I look like I’m pulling your leg?” Yang Kai dispassionately replied.
Hua Rong was startled for a moment, then nodded, “You’re a good man. I’m in the wrong as I shouldn’t have offended your Sect.”
Yang Kai turned to look at Gao Ming, “Please lift her seal.”
Gao Ming appeared hesitant, but he still stepped forward and sent his Spirit Qi into her to release the seal he had placed. Hua Rong immediately got up and began stretching her limbs.
Gao Ming said, “Please be careful, Alchemist Yang. Although this woman is weaker than me, she’s still pretty strong. It took me quite some effort to capture her just now.”
“En.” Yang Kai nodded and gazed at the woman, “Are you ready?”
“Of course I…” Before Hua Rong could finish her words, she saw something flashing through her eyes. When she came to her senses, she realised that Yang Kai was already right in front of her. From the corner of her eye, she could see something coming right at her head so she anxiously lifted her arms to block it.
“How could…” Before she could accuse Yang Kai of launching a sneak attack, she heard a loud bang. Instantly, she became dizzy, and after staggering for a bit, she collapsed to the ground.
Raising his True Void Sword, Yang Kai took a glance at the unmoving woman and frowned, “I guess I used too much force.”
The weapon was sheathed when Yang Kai struck Hua Rong’s head with the flat of his blade. Although she had passed out, her injury shouldn’t have been serious.
Gao Ming was dumbfounded. After lifting the woman’s seal, he secretly circulated his Spirit Qi and was ready to make a move to ensure nothing unexpected would happen, but the subsequent incident thoroughly shocked him.
He thought that Yang Kai was a pretty despicable man. How could Yang Kai launch a sneak attack on such an alluring woman? That wasn’t what a gentleman should do.
Nevertheless, he wouldn’t dare to say it out loud.
“Ying Ying, throw her off the mountain,” Yang Kai gave an order to Wan Ying Ying, who was still dumbstruck.
“En,” Wan Ying Ying replied and picked up Hua Rong before shuffling out.
A moment later, a speechless Wan Ying Ying returned.
Li Zheng Qing was stunned, “Did you get rid of her so soon?”
Wan Ying Ying replied, “No. That woman wasn’t really passed out. Not long after I left this place, she woke up and leapt off the mountain.”
Upon realising what had happened, Li Zheng Qing remarked, “She’s quite a clever woman.”
That Hua Rong obviously pretended to have passed out; otherwise, she couldn’t have regained consciousness so soon. Then, Li Zheng Qing looked worriedly at Yang Kai, “Sir, will there be a problem if we let her go?”
Yang Kai waved his hand, “Don’t mind her. She doesn’t have any ill intentions. I guess she’s just interested in the True Void Sword; otherwise, you and Zhuang Ju He would have been killed. Since she doesn’t have the intention to kill, a light punishment for her was enough.”
“You’re indeed a righteous man, Sir,” Li Zheng Qing bent his back.
Yang Kai recalled the sight of him striking the woman with his sword. Now, he had a better understanding of the power he had grasped. He then turned to look at Gao Ming and said, “Sorry for the farce, Brother Gao.”
Gao Ming hurriedly replied, “Please don’t call me that, Alchemist Yang. I don’t deserve it. Just call me Guardian Gao.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Why have you come to Void Spirit Sword Sect, Guardian Gao? Does Senior Brother Gao want you to pass on a message to me?”
Gao Ming cupped his fist, “Senior Gao wants me to bring you back to Profound Pill Sect. He said that since you’re also part of Profound Pill Sect, you should return to your roots and acknowledge your ancestry. Besides that, the Elders have some questions for you as well.”
“I see,” Yang Kai felt his heart skipping. Although he knew that the matter regarding Profound Pill Sect would be a problem, he hadn’t expected it to come so soon.
Previously, in Heavenly Martial City, Yang Kai randomly came up with an imaginary Master to explain his skills, and Gao Xin Peng someone concluded that person was a Senior from Profound Pill Sect. That was why Yang Kai suddenly became related to Profound Pill Sect.
Honestly speaking, Yang Kai never wanted to go to Profound Pill Sect. Although he was able to fool Gao Xin Peng previously, it would be terrible if his lie was exposed after he headed there. Yang Kai believed that there were many Spirit Realm Masters in Profound Pill Sect since it was one of the Ten Great Sects, and there was no way he could go up against such a force as he was currently.
Once his lie was exposed, he would be doomed.
However, since those from Profound Pill Sect were aware of Yang Kai’s existence, and Gao Xin Peng had sent someone over to invite him, it would arouse their suspicion if he rejected the invitation, and his lie might be exposed.
It seemed that he had no choice but to head to Profound Pill Sect.
Nevertheless, it would be a good thing if he could really join Profound Pill Sect. Although it had only been two months since he ascended to the Heaven Realm, it would only take him a few years before he could make it to the Spirit Realm given the speed at which he cultivated using the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. By then, he would need to use the Hundred Revolutions Clear Heart Pill.
The Hundred Revolutions Clear Heart Pill was a Spirit Pill. Only a small number of great forces in the Divine Armament World possessed the pill recipe, and each one was a top existence in this world.
It was practically impossible for Yang Kai to get the pill recipe of the Hundred Revolutions Clear Heart Pill from those great forces; however, if he could assimilate into Profound Pill Sect, he might be able to get the pill recipe from them.
All in all, there were pros and cons if he headed to Profound Pill Sect.
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai decided to give it a try. It was said that fortune favours the bold, so he reckoned that it was worth going to Profound Pill Sect. As long as he was careful enough, his lie wouldn’t be exposed; after all, he had successfully fooled Gao Xin Peng already.
At the thought of this, he nodded, “Since it’s an order from Senior Brother Gao, I’ll definitely obey; however, Void Spirit Sword Sect…”
Gao Ming said, “Don’t worry, Alchemist Yang. You’re a Heaven-Grade Alchemist and a disciple from Profound Pill Sect. As long as word spreads, no one will dare to harm Void Spirit Sword Sect.”
Yang Kai reckoned that the other man was right. No one in the Divine Armament World was willing to rashly offend a Heaven Grade Alchemist, especially when he had something to do with Profound Pill Sect.
“Will you please wait here for two days, Guardian Gao? I’ll settle everything in my Sect and follow you to Profound Pill Sect.”
Gao Ming naturally wouldn’t object to it.
For the next two days, Yang Kai was busy handling all the trivial matters in Void Spirit Sword Sect. His trip to Profound Pill Sect was risky, so he decided not to bring anyone with him; furthermore, there were only two Heaven Realm Masters in Void Spirit Sword Sect, so it was pointless to bring them with him. He’d rather let them stay here to protect the Sect.
With Li Zheng Qing and Zhuang Ju He guarding Void Spirit Sword Sect, they could at least fend off some reckless people.
Yang Kai then refined some Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill and passed them to Su Chang Fa so that there wouldn’t be a lack of such pills when their disciples had to achieve an ascension. There was a Black Jade mine in the Master Sect as well as other businesses controlled by Tian Luo Hall and Roaring Tiger Sect, which could sustain the Sect’s development for a long time.
As for the Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters, Yang Kai had some arrangements for them as well. Wan Ying Ying and two other Junior Brothers had gained some experience in the Alchemic Dao, so there wouldn’t be a problem after they were given some pills for Body Tempering. What they lacked was cultivation, which couldn’t be solved in a short time.
Yang Kai also left behind a book which contained his insights into Alchemy for Wan Ying Ying. The book also contained many pill recipes. With this thing in her possession, she could still cultivate Alchemy on her own even though Yang Kai wouldn’t be by her side.
Everything was settled in two days. Outside the mountain, Yang Kai bid farewell to the Seniors, Junior Brothers, and Junior Sisters of his Master Sect. Su Chang Fa and the others were worried as, after they parted ways, it would probably take a long time before they reunited. Furthermore, Yang Kai was going to a faraway place. As Seniors, Su Chang Fa and the others were expected to be worried.
Wan Ying Ying was sobbing as she wouldn’t let go of Yang Kai’s clothes.
“Alright, stop crying. I’ll come back to visit you all after some time.” Yang Kai helped Wan Ying Ying brush the tears from her eyes. If it weren’t because he was worried that he might fall into trouble in Profound Pill Sect, he could have brought Wan Ying Ying with him and personally taught her; however, his future was uncertain, so it might do more harm than good to her if he brought her with him.
“Please take good care of yourself, Eldest Senior Brother. If you feel aggrieved in the outside world, remember you can always come back!” Wan Ying Ying cried.
“En, please protect the Sect on my behalf. If anything happens, go to Profound Pill Sect to look for me.”
Yang Kai then turned to look at Li Zheng Qing and Zhuang Ju He, “Both of you will be in charge of Void Spirit Sword Sect when I’m not around.”
They cupped their fists and said with straight faces, “Don’t worry. We’ll not disappoint you.”
Then, Yang Kai also talked to Su Chang Fa, Gu Kang Ning, and Hong Xiu for a bit before he leaped onto his horse and beckoned to Gao Ming, “Let’s go.”
Gao Ming nodded his head and led the way for him. After waving his hand at the crowd, Yang Kai clenched the horse with his legs and charged forward, soon disappearing into the distance.
Profound Pill Sect was pretty far away as it would take them half a month to arrive at their destination. They would also pass by Heavenly Martial City on their way.
However, not long after they left the mountain, Gao Ming frowned and looked behind as though he had detected something.
Yang Kai said, “Keep going. Let’s see what she’s up to.”
A surprised Gao Ming asked, “You’re aware of it as well, Alchemist Yang?” He was at the peak of the Heaven Realm, so it was expected that he could detect any anomaly around them; however, Yang Kai was a newly promoted Heaven Realm Master, so it was surprising that he had also noticed it.
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Alchemists have very sensitive perceptions; otherwise, we can’t accurately control our Alchemy Flames.”
After giving it a thought, Gao Ming realised that it was true. Alchemists indeed had more acute senses; therefore, he obeyed his order and kept going.
Upon moving past a col, they hid on the side and waited patiently.
Soon, a figure was charging forward in their direction. As soon as she dashed past the col, she saw two people staring fixedly at her. She instantly stiffened and became rooted to the spot.
With a cold expression, Gao Ming glowered at Hua Rong, who had been tailing them.
Hua Rong batted her eyes, then rubbed her palms together and beamed at them, “What a coincidence. I didn’t expect to bump into you here. Are you leaving? Where are you going?”
There was still a bump on the woman’s forehead after Yang Kai struck her with his sword previously. It looked like there was a horn on her head, which was quite comical.
Gao Ming questioned grimly, “Why are you stalking us?”
“Huh? Who’s stalking you?” Hua Rong looked around, then pointed at her own nose, “Are you talking about me? I’m worried it’s just a misunderstanding. I happened to…” She soon realised she was unable to keep fabricating a lie, so she said meekly, “Alright, it seems that you won’t believe me.”
Not wanting to waste any more time on her, Yang Kai shook his head and warned, “Stop following us, or I’ll hit your head one more time.”
Then, he leaped onto the back of his horse and beckoned to Gao Ming before galloping away.
However, Hua Rong used a profound Movement Skill as she tagged along with Yang Kai closely and asked curiously, “Are you really a Heaven Grade Alchemist? Did you lie to me?”
Yang Kai shot her a glance, wondering what was wrong with her. Her head was previously struck by his sword, but she still relentlessly followed him. It wasn’t certain what she was up to.
“Would you like to hire a bodyguard who is loyal and manageable? How do you find me?” Hua Rong kept babbling regardless of whether Yang Kai would respond to her.
“It’s really easy to manage me. You just have to give me some resources and food every day, and I won’t demand anything else. If anyone tries to harm you, I’ll protect you.” Hua Rong tried her best to recommend herself, “Moreover, I’m quite beautiful, so you can look at me when you’re bored. Of course, you can’t do anything to me. I’ll only be a bodyguard, not a whore. What do you think? Do consider hiring me. I’m a powerful Sixth-Step Heaven Realm Master.”
Unable to take it anymore, Yang Kai grabbed his sword and attempted to strike her head while bellowing, “Take this!”
A shocked Hua Rong instinctively covered her head and leaped away.
Seizing the chance, Yang Kai hastened his pace and left her behind.
Watching the man leave, Hua Rong was infuriated. She gritted her teeth and raced after him; however, she wouldn’t dare to go near him this time as she tailed him from a distance.
After pondering on it for a moment, Gao Ming said, “It seems that woman is determined to become your bodyguard, Alchemist Yang. It’s no wonder you’re unable to get rid of her.”
A helpless Yang Kai replied, “I can’t believe there’s such an unreasonable person in this world.”
Gao Ming shook his head, “You might not be aware of it, but it’s actually quite normal. Many Heaven Realm Masters aspire to become the bodyguards of Heaven Grade Alchemists. In that case, not only could their cultivation resources be guaranteed, but they also wouldn’t have to worry about obtaining a Hundred Revolutions Clear Heart Pill once that Heaven Grade Alchemist manages to ascend to the Spirit Grade in the future. It’s a clever move.”
Although Yang Kai was already aware of such information, he still found it inconceivable when he finally had a taste of it. Hua Rong was a powerful Sixth-Step Heaven Realm Master, but she could be so obstinate in order to serve him.
“Is that the same case for you, Guardian Gao?” Yang Kai asked.
Gao Ming shook his head, “I’m different from them. As a Blood Warrior of Profound Pill Sect, I was born to protect the Alchemists in the Sect. When you arrive at Profound Pill Sect, you also have a right to select Blood Warriors to protect you.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Yang Kai was surprised. He then recalled that when Hua Rong saw Gao Ming two days ago, she indeed mentioned the Blood Warriors of Profound Pill Sect; however, he wasn’t bothered about it at that time.
Gao Ming went on to say, “Alchemists spend most of their time practising Alchemy, and they rely on pills to increase their cultivation; therefore, they’re usually not very strong. In that case, their safety can’t be guaranteed when they go outside. Considering all that, our Sect trains a number of Blood Warriors from youth. When an Alchemist of our Sect reaches the Earth Realm, he’ll have a chance to select a Blood Warrior, and there’ll be another chance when he ascends to the Heaven Realm. Therefore, a Heaven Grade Alchemist from our Sect usually has two Blood Warriors while an Earth Grade Alchemist has one. Of course, besides the Blood Warriors from our Sect, the Alchemist can also hire bodyguards from outside. Nevertheless, he’ll have to bear the costs of hiring one.”
Yang Kai was stunned by how generous Profound Pill Sect was. Just like what Gao Ming had said, Blood Warriors started receiving training in the Sect when they were young, so they could be said to be the disciples of the Sect. The only difference was that they were trained to fight, and their loyalty wasn’t a concern at all. With the protection of Blood Warriors, the Alchemists from Profound Pill Sect could rest assured when they headed out into the world.
Blood Warriors were something that was familiar yet distant to Yang Kai. When he was still in the Great Han Dynasty, there was a group of Blood Warriors in the Yang Family whose duties were about the same as those from Profound Pill Sect.
“Unlike the bodyguards hired from outside, Blood Warriors can get a certain amount of resources from the Sect every month, so we could be considered part of the Sect. Moreover…” Gao Ming put on a smile at this point, “We can get a lot of good stuff from the Alchemists we follow; therefore, those from the Blood Warrior Hall yearn to be selected by an Alchemist. Whenever an Alchemist comes over to select a Blood Warrior, those little brats all become quite energetic.”
“It’s understandable.” Yang Kai could imagine the sight, then he took a look at Hua Rong, who had been tailing them, “In that case, it seems I was wrong about her.”
Gao Ming said, “That doesn’t matter. You’d better not rashly accept any strangers. If you want a bodyguard, you can select one from the Blood Warrior Hall when we get to the Sect.”
Yang Kai nodded gently, then suddenly recalled something, “Are there Spirit Realm Masters in the Blood Warrior Hall?”
Gao Ming shook his head, “No. Throughout the entire Divine Armament World, Spirit Realm Masters are considered peak experts. Such people naturally wouldn’t stay in the Blood Warrior Hall. However, many of the Blood Warriors grow with their Alchemists; therefore, the bodyguards of the Elders are basically all Spirit Realm Masters. You’ll find out more about it when you arrive at Profound Pill Sect.”
Yang Kai went on to ask more about Profound Pill Sect, and Gao Ming replied to him honestly. The main reason was that Yang Kai didn’t inquire about any secrets, so there was no need to hide anything from him. In any case, given Gao Ming’s position in the Sect, he was unable to get his hands on any top secrets.
Yang Kai stealthily tried to get more information about the person he claimed to be his Master; however, Gao Ming had no idea about this revered but mysterious person. The main reason was that he wasn’t Gao Xin Peng’s bodyguard at that time as he was still in the Blood Warrior Hall, so he had never come across that person.
Since Yang Kai was unable to gather any useful information, he could only give up. Now, he could only play it by ear and try to make sure his lie wouldn’t be exposed. He still hoped to get the pill recipe for the Hundred Revolutions Clear Heart Pill from Profound Pill Sect.
As they moved forward at full speed, they arrived at Heavenly Martial City three days later. They decided to visit Miao Hong and stayed over for one night.
Miao Hong received them in a hospitable manner, and upon learning that Yang Kai was returning to his roots in Profound Pill Sect, he congratulated him.
The next day, they leaped onto different horses and continued their journey.
They never came across any trouble along the way. Gao Ming was at the Peak Heaven Realm, and he was from Profound Pill Sect. Naturally, no one would dare to offend him.
Half a month later, they finally arrived at Profound Pill Sect.
The mountains were huge and the Spirit Peaks were beautiful. As one of the Ten Great Sects in the Divine Armament World, Profound Pill Sect was located in a picturesque mountain range. There was a city at the bottom of a mountain that was named Profound Pill City, which was bustling with noise.
According to Gao Ming, even though the city was the property of Profound Pill Sect, they didn’t really mean to develop it. It was just that the city had developed into such a scale over a long time.
Countless cultivators would come here every year to ask the Alchemists from Profound Pill Sect to refine pills for them. Most people were unable to enter Profound Pill Sect, so they would wait at the bottom of the mountain. There wasn’t a city initially, but as more people gathered together, a city was gradually formed. The city’s scale then increased over time. Now, Profound Pill City was one of the largest cities in the entire Divine Armament World.
In Profound Pill City, there were a lot of herb shops and pill shops. One could find any herbs that existed in the Divine Armament World in this city.
Before Yang Kai even entered the city, he saw many people flying around in the sky, which greatly surprised him.
He was now a Heaven Realm Master, and although he was able to fly, he would have to consume a lot of Spirit Qi to do so. Heaven Realm Masters usually wouldn’t fly unless it was absolutely necessary. People who could fly as they pleased were Spirit Realm Masters.
In other words, the people flying around before his eyes were basically all Spirit Realm Masters.
These were the strongest cultivators in the Divine Armament World and there was no doubt that the Spirit Realm was the goal for all Heaven Realm Masters. At the very least, Yang Kai could see a sense of yearning in Gao Ming’s eyes as he gazed up at the sky.
Gao Ming was now at the peak of the Heaven Realm, so with just one Hundred Revolutions Clear Heart Pill, he would be able to make it to the Spirit Realm.
Unfortunately, Gao Xin Peng wasn’t a Spirit Grade Alchemist yet, so he was unable to refine the pill for him.
Outside Profound Pill City, there was a wide avenue that was paved with stones which led to the nearest Spirit Peak. Gao Ming led Yang Kai to charge forward in that direction and no one stopped them.
However, Yang Kai could see many people walking on both sides of the road. Some of them appeared nervous as they were going up the mountain while some of them appeared dejected or excited as they were going down the mountain.
Although there wasn’t a restriction around the avenue, there seemed to be an invisible power that ensured no one would dare to step on it. While Yang Kai and Gao Ming were moving forward, those people looked at them with envious gazes.
Noticing Yang Kai’s doubt, Gao Ming secretly explained, “This avenue is exclusive to the disciples of Profound Pill Sect. Those who are not our disciples are not allowed to use it. The people you see are the ones who are here to ask for Alchemy services from our Sect.”
“There are so many of them!” Yang Kai was shocked.
Gao Ming said with a smile, “There are actually not many people today. There are days when more than twice as many people line the streets here.”
It was then that Yang Kai realised why those people sported different expressions. Those who got their pills were excited while those who didn’t were crestfallen.
“The Sect established the Seeking Pill Pavilion where people would go to request for pills. When you have a right to make pills in the future, you can set up a place there and get a medicine boy to be stationed there. If anybody wants you to refine pills, they will pass the necessary ingredients and compensation to your medicine boy.”
Yang Kai’s eyes brightened when he heard that, “That’s interesting.” Then, he turned to look in a different direction, “What are those people doing there? Is that Seeking Pill Pavilion?”
He could see that there was a huge platform where a large group of people, both men and women of different ages, gathered together. After scanning them, Yang Kai realised that many of them were cultivators in the Earth Realm or Heaven Realm. They had occupied the corners as they either looked around vigilantly or cultivated with their legs crossed on the ground. There were several dozen to a hundred of them.
What bothered Yang Kai was that there were traces of blood that had turned crimson on the ground. The traces of blood were a mess, and some of them were multi-layered. Yang Kai had a feeling that many fights had taken place here before.
The place was at the bottom of the mountain where Profound Pill Sect was located, so why would anyone get into a fight there?
Looking over, Gao Ming explained, “That’s not Seeking Pill Pavilion. That’s the Recruitment Stage.”
“Recruitment Stage?” Yang Kai frowned, “What is it for?”
Gao Ming swept a glance over them and suddenly pulled the reins of his horse, “Since we still have some time, you can take a look to find out what the place is for.”
Yang Kai stopped his horse beside Gao Ming and looked curiously at the Recruitment Stage.
Just then, a young man with a blue hat walked down the mountain with his hands behind his back. Despite his young age, he looked pretty arrogant. Yang Kai felt like laughing when he saw him.
However, when the cultivators on the Recruitment Stage saw the blue hat youth, they broke into a commotion as though a stone had been dropped into a still lake, which caused a layer of ripple to form.
The blue-hat youth directly shuffled towards the centre of the Recruitment Stage and looked around with a smug expression. Seeing that all of their attention was on him, he coughed lightly and said, “My Master needs to hire two bodyguards. He has total trust in me, so he has entrusted me to handle this matter.”
As soon as he finished speaking, one of them hurriedly asked, “Sir, is your Master in the Heaven Grade or the Earth Grade?”
The blue-hat youth glared at the person who spoke as though he was blaming him for saying something unnecessary. A moment later, he reluctantly replied, “He’s an Earth Grade Alchemist for now, but I believe he’ll make it to the Heaven Grade soon.”
Right after he finished his words, the eyes of many of the cultivators on the Recruitment Stage dimmed and soon, many cultivators left. Seeing that, the blue-hat youth yelled, “Don’t go! I said that my Master will make it to the Heaven Grade very soon. By then, you’ll be the bodyguards of a Heaven-Grade Alchemist! It’s not every day you get such a chance! If you don’t seize it now, you’ll regret it in the future!”
Regardless of what he said, those who were determined to leave had stepped down from the Recruitment Stage. About half of the cultivators were left.
Yang Kai could clearly see that the people who left were all in the Heaven Realm while the ones who stayed were in the Earth Realm.
He had a speculation about the use of the Recruitment Stage, so he gazed at Gao Ming and asked, “Is it a place where Alchemists hire bodyguards?”
Gao Ming nodded, “That’s right. Besides the Blood Warriors assigned to them, Alchemists can also hire their own bodyguards, and there isn’t a limit in number. Of course, the prerequisite is that they have enough money to employ them.”
“Did the Heaven Realm Masters leave because they think an Earth-Grade Alchemist wouldn’t have enough money to pay them?”
“That’s one of the reasons. Another thing is these Heaven Realm Masters treasure their dignity, and it’s reasonable that they want to follow at least a Heaven Grade Alchemist. They wouldn’t be able to get over it if they followed Earth Grade Alchemists.”
Yang Kai nodded to mean that he got it.
The blue-hat youth was haughty when he came, but at this moment, he appeared dispirited. While standing in the centre of the Recruitment Stage, he let out a sigh.
One of the Earth Realm Masters asked, “Sir, what are your Master’s requirements when selecting bodyguards?”
“Requirements?” The blue-hat youth looked up at the sky as though he was bored, then he grinned, “There aren’t really any special requirements. Why don’t all of you fight against each other? I’ll select the people I prefer and bring you to see my Master. Perhaps my Master will hire some of you.”
The demand was boorish, but the Earth Realm Masters seemed to have directly accepted it, so the person who asked the question nodded, “Understood.”
At that instant, the atmosphere around the Recruitment Stage became tense. Everyone, regardless of their age or gender, gazed vigilantly at the people around them. It seemed that a scuffle was about to take place.
It was then Yang Kai realised why there were so many traces of blood on the Recruitment Stage. A scuffle could be ignited when it was just an Earth-Grade Alchemist who tried to hire bodyguards, so nothing need be said about a Heaven-Grade Alchemist. This situation was clearly quite common in this place.
“Let’s go,” Yang Kai wasn’t in the mood to watch such a farce. He pulled the reins and beckoned to Gao Ming, after which the two of them continued moving forward. Soon, the noises of battle could be heard coming from behind them.
With Gao Ming leading the way, Yang Kai soon arrived at the Spirit Peak nearest to them. It was supposed to be the Reception Peak of Profound Pill Sect as there was a Reception Palace located here. Upon his arrival, Yang Kai was led by a maidservant to a room to get some rest.
Gao Ming stated, “Please wait here, Alchemist Yang. I’ve sent a message to Sir, and he’ll be here soon.”
Yang Kai nodded gently, “Many thanks.”
Gao Ming cupped his fist and turned around to leave. Yang Kai was left in the room to wait patiently.
One hour later, Gao Xin Peng was still nowhere to be seen. Since Yang Kai was bored, he decided to leave this room and take a stroll.
The maidservant followed him closely. Yang Kai took a glance at her but didn’t mind it; after all, he was unfamiliar with this place as he had just arrived, so it would be good to have someone to guide him and answer his questions if he got lost.
The Reception Peak was in the periphery of Profound Pill Sect. Yang Kai wasn’t surprised that he was told to stay here; after all, he wasn’t a disciple of Profound Pill Sect yet, so he didn’t have the right to enter the inner area.
The view on the Reception Peak was splendid as the buildings were finely built, and there was ample World Energy.
After taking a stroll for half a day, Yang Kai returned to the guest room. Gao Xin Peng happened to arrive at this point.
“Junior Brother Yang! I’m sorry for making you wait for such a long time.” Gao Xin Peng was still as passionate as ever, “It so happened that it was my turn to teach today. I was giving a lesson on Alchemy to the Juniors, which was why I was held up.”
“It’s fine, Senior Brother. I didn’t really wait for long,” Yang Kai put on a smile and invited him to have a seat.
Gao Xin Peng took a glance at him and nodded, “You’re a Heaven Realm Master now, Junior Brother Yang.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “It’s thanks to the High-Rank Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill you gave me, Senior Brother.”
Gao Xin Peng waved his hand, “Even without that pill, you still would’ve broken through successfully; after all, your aptitude is extraordinary.” All of a sudden, his expression turned solemn, “I’m sure Gao Ming told you about the reason you were asked to come here.”
Yang Kai nodded, “All my Alchemy skills come from Profound Pill Sect. Although I don’t have a title, I’m still a disciple of Profound Pill Sect.”
“That’s right,” Gao Xin Peng gently knocked on the table, “The thing is, when I returned to the Sect previously, I reported your matter to the higher-ups. They take this matter very seriously; after all, it has something to do with that person. That’s why they told me to invite you to this place; however, before that, there’ll be a test to find out whether you’ve really inherited the Alchemy skills from Profound Pill Sect.”
“A test?” Yang Kai arched his brow, “What is it about?”
Gao Xin Peng replied with a smile, “Don’t worry, Junior Brother. They’ll just be asking you to refine a Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill. The pill recipe you possess is the best proof. Some of the higher-ups will also observe the test. You’ll just have to perform as usual by then. Of course, they may ask you some questions, but I’m sure that won’t be a problem for you.”
The last part was actually what Yang Kai was most worried about. There wouldn’t be a problem if he was only asked to refine the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill; after all, he had stolen the pill recipe from Gao Xin Peng, so there wouldn’t be any mistakes. However, he wouldn’t be able to explain himself if he was asked to talk about that person.
The only things he knew were that the Master was an old person with an extra finger on one hand.
Although he felt helpless, Yang Kai didn’t show any distress on his face and simply asked, “When will the test be held?”
“It’s up to the higher-ups, but I believe it will be held within a few days. You have to get prepared. I’ll inform you when there’s any news about it.” Gao Xin Peng seemed to have other matters to attend to as he rose from the chair upon finishing his words, “Since you’ve come all the way here, I’m supposed to treat you to a meal; however, I’m truly busy today, so I’ll get back to you on that. Not to worry, I’ll prepare a proper banquet for you at a later time.”
Yang Kai got up and saw him off, “Please attend to your matters since you’re busy, Senior Brother. I can take care of myself.”
“Good, then I’ll take my leave now,” After Gao Xin Peng finished his words, he left the place in a hurry.
Yang Kai followed him to the door, then turned around and sat down to get some rest.
A night passed in silence. The next day, Yang Kai waited for half a day but there still wasn’t any news, and he didn’t have any resources with him to cultivate. Since he was bored, he decided to take a walk. After taking a stroll around the Reception Peak though, he was still quite bored. Therefore, he found the maidservant and asked, “Will it be alright if I go down the mountain?”
The maidservant saluted him in an elegant manner, “Alchemist Gao has said that Sir is free to do whatever you want. Just make sure to come back every night.”
“Oh, there won’t be a problem, then,” Yang Kai said and walked down the mountain.
When he was going up the mountain alongside Gao Ming previously, he only took a glance at the Recruitment Stage but didn’t pay attention to the view along the way. As he walked down the mountain now, Yang Kai realised that the moving clouds were rather soothing.
Upon reaching the middle of the mountain, he saw many people mulling around. The people who were supposed to be asking for pills from the bottom of the mountain were streaming in that direction.
As he recalled Gao Ming’s words, Yang Kai soon realised that this was around where Seeking Pill Pavilion was located, the place where outsiders came to request Alchemy services.
A curious Yang Kai shuffled towards Seeking Pill Pavilion as he listened to the people talking among themselves.
As he continued moving forward, a huge palace soon came into his sight. There was a stone monument in front of the palace on which the characters ‘Seeking Pill Pavilion’ were carved into it.
Yang Kai was startled for a moment. When he heard about Seeking Pill Pavilion previously, he thought that it would be a small pavilion. It wasn’t until this moment that he realised he had underestimated the wealth of Profound Pill Sect.
The huge palace before him could easily accommodate several hundred to a thousand people.
As he followed the crowd inside, Yang Kai saw that the main hall was crammed with people, as though it was a big market. Although there were many people, they were not rowdy at all. The cultivators tactfully kept their mouths shut. Even if they had to talk, they would do so in small voices.
The first thing Yang Kai could see were long lines of people that looked like Dragons.
There were many desks around the corners of the main hall, and behind every desk sat a young man or woman with a blue hat. Their outfits were about the same as the one the young man who had appeared on the Recruitment Stage some time ago was wearing, so Yang Kai supposed they were medicine boys and girls of Profound Pill Sect.
A sign was hung in front of every desk that looked like a name. Yang Kai reckoned that those were the names of the Alchemists.
There was a line of people in front of every desk, even though there were some desks where fewer people queued up.
There was also a round counter facing the entrance of the main hall. Behind the counter stood 8 maidservants who were scattered around. Some people would come over to ask them some questions, and upon getting the directions, they would leave.
The maidservants behind the counter were busy as there was never a lack of people asking questions.
“Alchemist Yang!” Someone suddenly called out.
Yang Kai turned to look in that direction and felt helpless, “You really followed me all the way here.”
The person standing in front of him was Hua Rong. Yang Kai couldn’t believe that the woman had tailed him all the way here from Void Spirit Sword Sect. He wasn’t sure how she got to this place, but she appeared to be covered in travel dust.
“I knew you’d come to Profound Pill Sect. I was just wondering how I could look for you when I bumped into you here. Don’t you think we’re fated to meet again?” Hua Rong looked smilingly at him.
Yang Kai replied in a perfunctory manner, “En, right.”
“You think so too? I totally share the same sentiment. Since fate has brought us together, why don’t you take me on as your bodyguard? I can fend off your enemies for you!” As she spoke, she looked longingly at the man.
“There’s no need for that.” Yang Kai waved his hand, “I’ll get a Blood Warrior from Profound Pill Sect soon. I don’t need to hire a bodyguard.”
“Well, don’t reject me so soon. Although a Blood Warrior is good, he might not be to your liking. I’m different.”
“How are you different?” Yang Kai found the woman funny.
After giving it a thought, Hua Rong replied willfully, “Anyway, I’m different… By the way, what are you doing here?”
“I have nothing to do right now, so I’m here to look around.”
“Let’s go together then!” Hua Rong chuckled and followed Yang Kai closely. Realising that it was the first time Yang Kai came to this place, she took the initiative to explain, “The people who seek pills have to go through those ladies.” She pointed at the 8 maidservants behind the counter.
“There are many Alchemists in Profound Pill Sect who are in the Earth Grade, Heaven Grade, and even Spirit Grade, but there are different experts in different fields. The pills that the Alchemists are good at making vary quite a bit; therefore, the people who have come to seek pills have to find out which Alchemist will have the best chance of successfully refining what they want by judging from the amount of pills they’ve produced before. Those maidservants will give them some information regarding that.”
Yang Kai nodded, “I can see that.”
After observing for a bit just now, Yang Kai quickly realised what the maidservants were there for. Just like what Hua Rong had said, every Alchemist was an expert in a different field of study. Those who sought pills naturally wanted to look for the Alchemists who were most adept at making the pills they wanted.
“This place is divided into three areas, which are Earth, Heaven, and Spirit. They correspond to Earth Grade Alchemists, Heaven Grade Alchemists, and Spirit Grade Alchemists. The people behind the desks are their medicine boys or girls, and the signs in front of the desks are the names of the Alchemists. Hence, those who seek pills can easily find the Alchemists they want. By the way, when will you be setting up a place here? You don’t necessarily have to hire me to be your bodyguard. I can even be your medicine girl!” This idea suddenly sprang into Hua Rong’s mind, “There’s not a single medicine girl in the Sixth-Step Heaven Realm in the entire Profound Pill Sect. What do you think?”
“Are you familiar with Alchemy?” Yang Kai asked.
“No,” Hua Rong directly denied.
“How can you be a medicine girl when you’re not familiar with Alchemy?”
“I’ll learn as long as you’re willing to teach me,” Hua Rong said, matter-of-factly.
Yang Kai helplessly shook his head. However, at this point, he realised that jobs in Seeking Pill Pavilion were clearly divided, which was convenient for the people who sought pills. Regardless of who they were, they could easily find their targets. Of course, it took time to make pills, and it depended on their luck whether they could get the pills they wanted as an Alchemist wouldn’t necessarily succeed every time he or she refined pills. There was always a chance of failure.
Yang Kai walked around inside Seeking Pill Pavilion for a while before leaving. Hua Rong followed him as though she was close to him.
Initially, Yang Kai intended to go down the mountain and take a stroll around Profound Pill City, but he was no longer in the mood to do so. That was because Hua Rong was so garrulous that he was unable to take it anymore, so he decided to return to his resting place.
Hua Rong watched longingly as the man shuffled towards the Reception Peak of Profound Pill Sect. She stopped in the middle of the mountain as she wouldn’t dare to keep going further. Waving her hand, she shouted, “Look for me when you change your mind, Alchemist Yang! I’ll be waiting for you!”
Yang Kai pretended to not hear her.
Upon returning to his room in the Reception Palace, he told the maidservant to inform him immediately when there was any news. He then went on to stay in his room for the next few days.
It wasn’t until three days later when darkness was about to descend upon the world that Gao Xin Peng came over in a hurry. After some small talk with Yang Kai, he took a seat and said, “You have to get prepared tonight, Junior Brother. Those from the Elder Council will give you a test tomorrow.”
“En,” Yang Kai replied. Although he already knew that there would be a test, he still became apprehensive when the time finally came. What if his lie was exposed then?
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai reckoned that it didn’t matter even if his lie was exposed. He could just fight his way out of this place as he was fairly strong now. Even if he was faced with Spirit Realm Masters, he would still stand a chance to flee; however, those from Void Spirit Sword Sect would be dragged into this mess if that happened.
The only reason Gao Xin Peng was here was to inform Yang Kai about the upcoming test, so after chatting with him for a bit longer, he left. Before that, he told Yang Kai to be at ease as someone would lead him to the venue the next day.
The night passed in silence. Yang Kai got up early the next day and washed up before waiting patiently.
When the sun was up above the sky, a voice was suddenly heard speaking from outside, “Is Yang Kai here?”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai stepped out and saw a middle-aged man standing quietly outside his room. The man’s bright eyes looked like those of an eagle.
[Spirit Realm Master!] Yang Kai was surprised. Although the man never revealed his aura, Yang Kai could still sense that the man before him was in the Spirit Realm. Nevertheless, he couldn’t be certain about his exact Step.
“I’m Yang Kai. You are…” Yang Kai asked politely.
The man nodded gently, “I’m the Blood Warrior of the Sect Master. I was told to come over to fetch you. Come with me.” He never mentioned his name.
“Many thanks,” Yang Kai replied politely, then thought to himself that those from Profound Pill Sect indeed took the matter seriously. Even a Blood Warrior of the Sect Master was sent here to personally escort him.
Without speaking further, the man suddenly dashed towards Yang Kai. The next instant, he activated his Spirit Qi and engulfed Yang Kai in it before shooting into the distance.
It was the first time Yang Kai flew in the Divine Armament World, even though he was technically being carried by someone. Nevertheless, he was no stranger to flying, so he wasn’t flustered at all. On the other hand, the man glanced at Yang Kai with surprise as he wondered why the latter was so calm.
Soon, they saw a Spirit Peak where there were a lot of palaces. The man landed in front of a particular palace alongside Yang Kai and extended his hand, “Just go in.”
“Yes,” Yang Kai cupped his fist and took a glance at the palace. After adjusting his clothes, he strode inside.
Since the door was open already, Yang Kai directly stepped into the palace. He initially thought that he would instantly see the higher-ups of Profound Pill Sect and go through their test; however, he was surprised that there wasn’t anyone or anything in the hall.
Before he could figure out what was going on, the door was shut with a loud bang.
A shocked Yang Kai instantly put up his guard and scanned his surroundings.
Although he couldn’t see anyone, he could sense that there were some curious gazes in the darkness. All of a sudden, lights lit up and illuminated the hall.
Yang Kai soon saw that there was an Alchemy Furnace in the middle of the room, and a rack to the side that was filled with different kinds of herbs.
A voice abruptly sounded and reverberated around the hall, “We’ve prepared an Alchemy Furnace for you, and you can draw on the Earth Flame in this place. There are different kinds of herbs on the rack. Choose what you need and refine a furnace of Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pills.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai became slightly at ease. It seemed that just like what Gao Xin Peng had explained, the pill recipe Yang Kai possessed was the best proof of his identity. As expected, he was asked to refine a batch of Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pills.
Settling his nerves, Yang Kai replied respectfully, “Yes.”
Then, he turned around and walked over to the rack to look for the herbs he needed. There were many herbs that were not needed to refine the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill here, which was obviously part of the test.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai had already memorised the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill recipe, so he could easily find the herbs he needed.
Gathering everything he needed, Yang Kai walked towards the Alchemy Furnace.
In a side hall just off from the room Yang Kai was in, five old men with grey hair and beards stood. They were Elders of Profound Pill Sect. One of them was the Sect Master, Baili Yun Sang, who was one of the most outstanding Spirit Grade Alchemists in the Divine Armament World. The other Elders were also Spirit Grade Alchemists.
Although both rooms were separated by a wall, they could easily see what Yang Kai was doing through a special one-way glass. On the other hand, Yang Kai was unable to see through the wall and look at the side hall.
Gao Xin Peng was standing respectfully behind the Elders and the Sect Master. Although he was a Heaven Spirit Grade Alchemist, he still felt pressured in such an environment as he brushed away the cold sweat from his forehead from time to time.
“Good, there’s nothing wrong with his selection of herbs. Those are the exact ones used in the pill recipe from our Sect.” Great Elder Wu Feng Hua nodded gently, “Let’s see if there’s any problem with his techniques and other details.”
Baili Yun Sang stroked his grey beard and said with a smile, “We’ll see.”
The Second Elder turned to look at Gao Xin Peng, “Little Gao, are you sure that this brat was an Earth Realm Master when he refined the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill in your competition?”
Upon hearing that, Gao Xin Peng hurriedly replied, “Yes, Second Elder. I saw it with my own eyes, so it’s definitely true. Junior Brother Yang was a peak Earth Realm Master when he made that Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill.”
Third Elder remarked, “I believe Little Gao. In that case, this boy is quite the talent.”
Wu Feng Hua asked, “Have you looked into his background?”
Gao Xin Peng replied, “Yes. Junior Brother Yang is an orphan who grew up in Void Spirit Sword Sect. He’s only 18 years old this year.”
“18 years old…” Baili Yun Sang took a deep breath, “An 18-year-old Heaven Grade Alchemist who is in the Heaven Realm. Such aptitude is really rare.”
Wu Feng Hua shook his head, “In fact, there has never been a person with such an aptitude in the past 10,000 years. He’s probably the first in at least that long. Although it’s rare, there have been a small number of 18-year-old Heaven Realm Masters in the past. The crux of the matter is that he’s also a Heaven-Grade Alchemist. I was already in my fifties when I became a Heaven Grade Alchemist.”
Baili Yun Sang suddenly stated, “Stop talking for now. That boy is about to start.”
Everyone looked in that direction and realised that Yang Kai had drawn on the Earth Flame as he was preparing to begin.
Under their observation, Yang Kai skillfully dropped the herbs one by one into the Alchemy Furnace and accurately controlled the Earth Flame below. His mastery of the temperature and timing was quite good and matched up with the pill recipe from Profound Pill Sect.
These experienced Alchemists couldn’t have done better even if they were to refine a furnace of Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pills themselves.
However, some small mistakes were made here and there during the process, likely due a lack of experience or familiarity with this recipe, but that didn’t really matter.
The entire process lasted for half a day. The Elders of Profound Pill Sect talked among themselves while observing the process and eventually confirmed that the pill recipe Yang Kai possessed was from Profound Pill Sect.
“The way this boy condenses pills is a little peculiar.” Wu Feng Hua fell into his thoughts, “I’ve never seen such a technique before.”
Second Elder added with a smile, “You know that guy very well. He likes to study all sorts of strange things. Perhaps he invented this Pill Condensing Technique after he left the Sect.”
Wu Feng Hua nodded, “That’s the only explanation.”
Just then, Yang Kai’s voice was heard coming from the hall, “Three pills have been successfully refined. One Mid-Rank and two Low-Rank. Please have a look, Seniors.”
Baili Yun Sang arched his brow, then turned to look at Gao Xin Peng, “How many Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill did you say he had made previously? What were the Ranks?”
Gao Xin Peng replied, “When I competed against Junior Brother Yang, he only made one pill that was in the Low-Rank.”
Baili Yun Sang tutted, “His skills have improved so much in just two months. His aptitude is truly extraordinary.”
Second Elder followed up, “That old guy has a terrible temperament, but he does have sharp vision as he’s found such a talented Disciple.”
Wu Feng Hua spoke up, “We can basically confirm that he has inherited his skills from Profound Pill Sect.”
In the hall, no one replied to Yang Kai after he finished speaking. However, he could still sense that some people were watching him, so he could only wait patiently.
A moment later, the voice from earlier sounded again. This time, he asked many questions about the person who wasn’t really Yang Kai’s Master. Yang Kai told him what he knew and tried to beat around the bush when he had no answers to the questions. He just told him that he was a young kid at that time, so there were many things that he had forgotten. The other party didn’t really probe him further.
Then, Yang Kai was asked to make another kind of pill, and he directly told them that he couldn’t. He said that his Master only passed him the pill recipe of Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill and taught him nothing else. The other pill recipes he possessed were obtained from other places over the years.
He wasn’t sure if he could fool the Elders of Profound Pill Sect using this explanation, but no one replied to him after that.
He went on to wait for an hour inside the hall before the door opened again.
Turning his head, he saw Gao Xin Peng standing outside the place with a smile. In a passionate manner, Gao Xin Peng called out, “Junior Brother Yang!”
“Senior Brother Gao!” Yang Kai walked up to him, and upon making sure that no one was else was watching, he asked in a small voice, “The test…”
“Congratulations, Junior Brother. You’ve passed the test,” Gao Xin Peng didn’t intend to keep him in suspense.
It was only then that Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief.
Fixed Moon Peak was a Spirit Peak where the Heaven Grade Alchemists of Profound Pill Sect gathered together. With that said, there were only three to five Heaven-Grade Alchemists of Profound Pill Sect who lived there.
Gao Xin Peng was one of the residents on this Spirit Peak. The palace on the left side of the peak was his territory. Although there were many Spirit Peaks in Profound Pill Sect, they couldn’t afford to assign a Spirit Peak to every Heaven Grade Alchemist. Only a Spirit Grade Alchemist had the right to own a Spirit Peak of their own.
There were about ten to twenty Spirit Peaks in Profound Pill Sect that were just like Fixed Moon Peak. In other words, there were about several dozen to a hundred Heaven Grade Alchemists.
That was a staggering figure.
Besides Gao Xin Peng, there were two other Heaven Grade Alchemists who lived on Fixed Moon Peak. They had previously selected their favourite spots. One of them built a cave mansion while the other built a palace just like what Gao Xin Peng had done.
There was also a ready-made cave mansion in that place. After asking Yang Kai about it, Gao Xin Peng decided to bring him here.
“This cave mansion originally belonged to a Senior Brother; however, he passed away more than ten years ago due to old age, so this cave mansion had remained unoccupied since then. Although it’s in the middle of the mountain, the World Energy and environment here are excellent. It’s also just half a mountain away from my place, so it’ll be convenient for you to look for me,” Gao Xin Peng led Yang Kai to walk around inside the cave mansion while giving him an explanation.
Since Yang Kai had passed the test, he was now considered the 34th generation disciple of Profound Pill Sect. Naturally, he had a right to own a cave mansion in the Sect.
Gao Xin Peng was the one who brought Yang Kai to Profound Pill Sect and he was also the only person Yang Kai was familiar with, so the Elders had asked him to help Yang Kai settle in.
He gladly accepted the job since Yang Kai’s aptitude was exceptional. He was more than willing to get closer to him.
The cave mansion still looked the same as the time when the original owner passed away, so it was obvious that the place was cleaned up frequently. Although the place had remained vacant for a long time, it was still neat and tidy.
Yang Kai was fine with this place, so after walking around alongside Gao Xin Peng and familiarising himself with his new residence, he cupped his fist, “Many thanks for your help, Senior Brother.”
Gao Xin Peng patted the other man’s shoulder with a smile, “We’re one family now, so stop being overly polite with me. It’s late now, so you should get some rest. I’ll bring you to get an Identity Token and make a registration tomorrow. Also, since you’re new to the Sect, there are many trivial matters you have to deal with… En, I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow.”
“Good.” Yang Kai nodded.
After Gao Xin Peng left, Yang Kai took a stroll around the cave mansion again and found a place to take a rest; then, he closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing.
The reason he was able to pass the test from the Elders of Profound Pill Sect was because of the pill recipe he possessed. Just like what Gao Xin Peng had said, the pill recipe was the best proof of his identity, for there were no great forces in the world that would expose their own pill recipes, especially the pill recipe of the Ten Revolutions Clear Heart Pill, which was extremely precious. Yang Kai’s refining process also proved that he had inherited skills from Profound Pill Sect.
Another reason was probably the aptitude he had showcased.
Even if the Elders of Profound Pill Sect were doubtful, Yang Kai’s aptitude was good enough to impress them. Those from Profound Pill Sect would want to make such a person stay even if he had nothing to do with their Sect.
Since Yang Kai had passed the test, there was nothing else he had to worry about.
Gao Xin Peng came over pretty early the next day and led Yang Kai to register himself. Yang Kai then obtained an Identity Token and some miscellaneous items.
It was already afternoon when everything was done.
They returned to Fixed Moon Peak together where Gao Xin Peng had already prepared a meal to welcome Yang Kai and congratulate him on becoming a disciple of Profound Pill Sect.
They had a jovial chat during the meal. A while later, Gao Xin Peng spoke up, “Junior Brother, since you’re new to the Sect and unfamiliar with everything, the Elders will give you one month to familiarize yourself. After one month, you have to start providing Alchemy services in Seeking Pill Pavilion just like other Heaven Grade Alchemists.”
Yang Kai turned solemn, “What do I need to prepare?”
Gao Xin Peng chuckled, “A lot. I was just about to talk to you about it.” After taking a sip of the wine, he put down the cup and continued, “Since you’re going to provide Alchemy services, you’ll need a medicine boy to be stationed at Seeking Pill Pavilion. You don’t have a medicine boy yet, right?”
Yang Kai shook his head.
“To Alchemists like us, medicine boys are very important. They’re our assistants who will help us deal with trivial matters as well as the disciples we personally train. Moreover, since the job has something to do with Alchemy, medicine boys must be familiar with both Spirit Herbs and pills. Not everyone can take on this job.” Gao Xin Peng wiped away the grease from his mouth, “Of course, it’s actually quite easy to settle this problem. There are new disciples joining the Sect every year, so you can go over to the Disciple Hall and select some medicine boys that meet your requirements. I’m sure those brats will be more than happy to follow a Heaven Grade Alchemist.”
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai asked, “Other than the disciples in the Sect, can I look for helpers from outside?”
Gao Xin Peng nodded, “There’s no problem with that and you’re free to do so; however, if you find medicine boys from outside, they’ll have to join Profound Pill Sect and become Outer Disciples. Do you have any candidates?”
Yang Kai nodded, “When I was in Void Spirit Sword Sect, I taught Alchemy to two Junior Brothers and one Junior Sister. They’ve shown talent in the Alchemic Dao.”
“Good. Just tell them to come over. However, that place is far away from here. You’d better get someone to fetch them so that they won’t fall into danger on the road. I suppose your Juniors are not very strong yet, right?”
“They’re not,” As Yang Kai spoke, he took a glance at Gao Ming, who was behind Gao Xin Peng.
Gao Xin Peng burst into laughter, “Well, please do not have your eyes on him. It’ll take one month to go back and forth; moreover, I’m leaving the Sect in a few days, so Gao Ming will have to come with me.”
A surprised Yang Kai replied, “I’ll come up with another way, then.”
At that instant, he regretted not bringing Wan Ying Ying with him when he came to this place. At that time, he was worried that he might fall into danger in Profound Pill Sect, dragging her into his mess if he brought her along.
However, it was no big deal as he could just ask someone to fetch her. A name sprang into Yang Kai’s mind as he thought he could use a particular woman’s help; after all, other than Gao Ming, she was familiar with the route.
After nibbling at his food, Gao Xin Peng went on to say, “Besides the matter regarding medicine boys, you’ll also have to settle the issue of an Alchemy Furnace and Alchemy Flame. I believe you still don’t have a personal Alchemy Furnace and Alchemy Flame, right?”
An embarrassed Yang Kai replied, “I do have an Alchemy Furnace, but it’s an old, generic one.” The Alchemy Furnaces in Void Spirit Sword Sect were all low quality. Even when he was still just an Earth-Grade Alchemist, Yang Kai found it difficult to use his current Alchemy Furnace. Now that he was a Heaven-Grade Alchemist, the furnace was basically useless to him; therefore, he didn’t even bother to bring it with him when he set off on his journey.
Gao Xin Peng put on a smile and suddenly clapped his hands.
Instantly, a maidservant came in with an Alchemy Furnace in her hands. It was a petite furnace only about a forearm length in height, but the surface was emblazoned with five Dragons, their mouths facing the lid.
“What’s this?” Yang Kai looked doubtfully at him.
Gao Xin Peng explained, “The Five Dragons Furnace. A Senior Brother gave it to me when I became a Heaven Grade Alchemist in the past, but I’ve never used it as I had my own. Since you don’t have a suitable Alchemy Furnace yet, why don’t you use it for now? Please don’t turn me down. This is a gift from someone after all. Although I’ve never used it, I wouldn’t have the nerve to give it away. I’m just lending it to you. When you have your own furnace, you can return it to me.”
Yang Kai parted his lips for a moment, then picked up his cup and drained it, “Many thanks for lending it to me then, Senior Brother.”
Gao Xin Peng waved his hand with a smile and told Gao Ming to send the Five Dragons Furnace to Yang Kai’s cave mansion before he went on to say, “Since you’ve settled the issue of an Alchemy Furnace, you can head to the Divine Flame Hall to get an Alchemy Flame. There are many Alchemy Flames available, but as for what kind of Alchemy Flame you’ll get, that will depend on your luck.”
An astonished Yang Kai asked, “The Sect will also provide us an Alchemy Flame?”
Gao Xin Peng put on a proud smile, “Profound Pill Sect has been in existence for a long time, so we do have a lot of Alchemy Flames. Those from the Divine Flame Hall are responsible for handling these affairs. After centuries of accumulation, even if there aren’t 1,000 Alchemy Flames over there, there are at least 800. There’s a rule, though. If you get an Alchemy Flame from the Divine Flame Hall, you’ll have to return it before your death; after all, it belongs to the Sect.”
Yang Kai nodded his head to indicate he understood. Still, he was shocked by the generosity of those in Profound Pill Sect. As long as an Alchemist reached a certain Grade, they could easily get a medicine boy, Alchemy Flame, and Blood Warriors.
Yang Kai believed that he could also get an Alchemy Furnace; however, since Gao Xin Peng had already lent one to him, it should be better than the one offered by the Sect.
“Get some rest tonight. I’ll bring you to the Divine Flame Hall tomorrow to get an Alchemy Flame. It’s the most important issue for you now because you’ll need some time to get used to the flame after obtaining one. It’ll probably take you a month to do so. You’ll also have to head to the Blood Warrior Hall. Since you’re now a Heaven-Grade Alchemist, you can get two Blood Warriors from the Blood Warrior Hall. I’m sure those from the Blood Warrior Hall will be quite excited.”
Two hours later, an intoxicated Yang Kai returned to his cave mansion.
When he left his residence the next day, he saw a blue-hat youth waiting for him outside the place.
“Greetings, Alchemist Yang!” The blue-hat youth saluted him.
“Are you… Senior Brother Gao’s medicine boy?” Yang Kai took a glance at him. He had come across this medicine boy in Gao Xin Peng’s place the day before, so he could faintly remember him.
“Yes, Alchemist Yang. I’m Senior Gao’s medicine boy.”
Yang Kai looked curiously at him, “What are you doing here? Where’s Senior Brother Gao?”
The medicine boy replied, “Senior Gao told me to wait here to pass on his word to you. Senior Gao had to leave the Sect this morning after receiving an order from the Elders; therefore, he can’t accompany Senior Yang to the Divine Flame Hall. However, he has informed those from the Divine Flame Hall about it. If Senior Yang wishes to obtain an Alchemy Flame, you can directly go over.”
“Senior Brother Gao has left?” Yang Kai was surprised.
Although Gao Xin Peng did say he was leaving the Sect in a few days, Yang Kai hadn’t expected him to be gone on this day.
“It was an emergency. Since the Elders had given the order, Sir had to leave,” the medicine boy replied respectfully.
“En,” Yang Kai nodded. After giving it a thought, he asked the medicine boy about the location of the Divine Flame Hall then walked down the mountain.
The medicine boy thoughtfully asked Yang Kai whether he needed a guide; however, getting an Alchemy Flame shouldn’t be a difficult task. Moreover, Gao Xin Peng had informed those from the Divine Flame Hall about it beforehand; therefore, Yang Kai turned him down.
The Divine Flame Hall was located in a mountain valley where there were many guards. As Yang Kai headed to his destination, he was stopped and checked several times. Nevertheless, after he showed them his Identity Token, the guards at the Divine Flame Hall stepped aside respectfully.
Soon, he arrived at a large palace and as soon as he entered he saw two people chatting among themselves. One of them was clad in the clothes exclusive to Heaven Grade Alchemists of Profound Pill Sect, and he was followed by two bodyguards.
The other person was clad in black tight-fitting clothes. Yang Kai was unable to sense his cultivation since his aura was restrained, but he had a feeling that the man was a Spirit Realm Master.
The Spirit Realm Master in black clothes said, “Since you’re all ready, Alchemist Wei, good luck.”
Alchemist Wei cupped his fist with a smile, “Many thanks for your kind wishes, Vice Hall Master. I’ll definitely succeed; after all, I’ve been preparing for it for two years.”
“You may go now. Someone from the Divine Flame Cave will lead you there,” The Spirit Realm Master nodded.
Alchemist Wei nodded, then led his Blood Warriors towards the door. Before he left, he shot a curious and doubtful glance at Yang Kai. Despite finding the man unfamiliar, he didn’t say anything.
After he was gone, the Spirit Realm Master turned to look at Yang Kai and examined him, then asked, “Alchemist Yang, I presume?”
“You know me?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
The Spirit Realm Master replied with a smile, “There are only a small number of Heaven Grade Alchemists in the Sect, and I’ve met them all. The only one I’ve never met is the newly joined Heaven Grade Alchemist. Alchemist Gao informed me about your arrival yesterday.”
Upon hearing his explanation, Yang Kai asked, “I see. How may I address you?”
“Divine Flame Hall Vice Hall Master, Wu Zheng Qi.”
“So it is Vice Hall Master Wu!” Yang Kai cupped his fist and thought that it was no wonder this person was a Spirit Realm Master. Since he was the Vice Hall Master of the Divine Flame Hall, the fact that he was a Spirit Realm Master wasn’t so surprising.
“Have you come here to obtain an Alchemy Flame?” Wu Zheng Qi asked.
“Yes.” Yang Kai nodded, “Senior Brother Gao said that since I’ve joined the Sect, I should prioritise getting an Alchemy Flame.”
Although Wu Zheng Qi wasn’t an Alchemist, he knew a thing or two about Alchemy since he had been in Profound Pill Sect for a long time. Upon hearing that, he nodded, “Since Alchemist Gao has said so, there wouldn’t be a mistake.”
“However, it is my first time coming to the Divine Flame Hall. Is there anything I should prepare?” Yang Kai inquired modestly.
Wu Zheng Qi replied with a smile, “You don’t have to prepare anything. The Divine Flame Cave is a special place where the Alchemy Flames accumulated over the years are stored. You just have to go in and sense your surroundings. As long as you are capable enough, you’ll find a suitable Alchemy Flame. What’s more, the Alchemy Flames will also be looking for worthy Masters to follow.”
Yang Kai was puzzled, “You mean, those Alchemy Flames are sentient?”
Wu Zheng Qi burst into laughter, “Alchemy Flames are not living creatures, so why would they be sentient? However… the Divine Flame Cave is a special place. It was built by the ancestors of Profound Pill Sect taking much time and care. It is also one of the Sect’s foundations. I’m not an Alchemist, so I don’t understand the abstrusity of it; nevertheless, the same thing happens to every Alchemist who tries to obtain an Alchemy Flame, so you don’t have to worry about it. Moreover, I heard that the greater a person’s aptitude, the better the Alchemy Flame they can obtain.”
“Are the Alchemy Flames graded?” Yang Kai figured out there was a deeper meaning to the Vice Hall Master’s words.
“Of course,” Wu Zheng Qi looked curiously at him, wondering why a Heaven Grade Alchemist wasn’t aware of such common knowledge, “Just like we cultivators, Alchemy Flames are divided into Mortal, Earth, Heaven, and Spirit Grades. Although there are different grades, an Alchemy Flame can swallow others to improve itself; therefore, even if one only gets a Mortal Rank Alchemy Flame, it will grow into a Spirit Rank Alchemy Flame as long as there’s enough hard work and opportunity. Moreover, the powers of the Alchemy Flames in the same rank can vary greatly. Good, if you want to find out more about it, you can head to the Records Hall when you’re free. There are many books about Alchemy Flames inside.”
“Many thanks for your guidance, Vice Hall Master Wu.” Yang Kai thanked him sincerely, for he had no knowledge of such information prior to this, “By the way, do you mean that there are Spirit Rank Alchemy Flames in the Divine Flame Cave?”
“Indeed.” Wu Zheng Qi nodded, “The Alchemy Flames that the Elders possessed over the generations were all Spirit Flames. Before their predestined time of death, they would try to separate the Spirit Flames from their own bodies and return them to the Divine Flame Cave. This process normally damages the Spirit Flames, causing them to regress into Heaven Flames. Nonetheless, some of the Spirit Flames still survived over the years. However, I advise you against coveting a Spirit Flame; after all, they are very powerful. If you don’t have sufficient power to match, you’ll be harming yourself instead.”
“I understand. However, is it alright that so many Alchemy Flames are put together? You just said that an Alchemy Flame could swallow others to upgrade itself…”
Wu Zheng Qi shook his head, “The Alchemy Flames that have returned to the Divine Flame Cave are all planted with seals, so they won’t swallow each other. Otherwise, the cave would’ve been gone for good long ago.”
“I see.” Yang Kai finally figured it out after his explanation, but he still asked worriedly, “Is there really nothing I have to prepare? Just now, I heard Alchemist Wei say that he had been preparing for it for two years.”
“He…” Wu Zheng Qi burst into laughter, “He’s different. He wants to obtain a particular Alchemy Flame from the Divine Flame Cave, so he has been trying to prepare some bait over the past two years to tempt that Alchemy Flame. If you have your own target, you naturally have to prepare some things in advance. However, if you’re just getting a random one, you don’t have to do that.”
It was then Yang Kai realised he had been overthinking things. Following that, he replied, “I’ll just obtain one at random then.”
“Do you have other questions? If not, you can head to the Divine Flame Cave now.”
Yang Kai shook his head.
“Come with me, then,” Wu Zheng Qi said, then led the way for him.
It wasn’t certain whether it had something to do with Gao Xin Peng or that the fact Yang Kai wasn’t familiar with this place was taken into consideration, but when Alchemist Wei headed to Divine Flame Cave just now, Wu Zheng Qi didn’t lead the way for him. Instead, Yang Kai had the honour to receive such treatment.
Naturally, Yang Kai had to thank him again.
The Divine Flame Cave wasn’t far away, and there was an entrance that led to it inside the hall. When they arrived, Yang Kai saw that the Blood Warriors that Alchemist Wei had brought with him were standing outside the cave while the Alchemist himself was nowhere to be seen. It was apparent that he had entered the cave.
Wu Zheng Qi pointed ahead and explained, “That’s the entrance to the Divine Flame Cave. There’s a rule in the Sect that only Alchemists can enter this place, so I’ll have to stop here. You can just go in.”
“Many thanks,” Yang Kai cupped his fists and shuffled into the cave.
The Divine Flame Cave was located deep beneath the ground, and as Yang Kai walked down, it took him almost an hour before descended into complete darkness.
It wasn’t the kind of darkness that was caused by a lack of light, but rather a kind of pure black colour that was indescribable with words.
Yang Kai initially intended to look for Alchemist Wei and observe how the latter was going to obtain an Alchemy Flame; however, he could see nothing in the darkness, let alone look for Alchemist Wei.
Turning his head, Yang Kai saw that there was a bit of light at the entrance that served as a beacon for when he needed to leave. However, the light was restricted in a radius of three metres in an eerie manner.
It seemed that the Divine Flame Cave was truly abstruse, so it was no wonder that it was one of Profound Pill Sect’s foundations.
Shaking his head, Yang Kai continued moving forward. In the darkness, he was unable to determine how far he had gone, so he could only turn to look at the light at the entrance to know that he had moved forward for quite some distance.
Reckoning that it was time to stop, he sat down on the ground with his legs crossed.
Wu Zheng Qi had said that the Divine Flame Cave was a special place, and upon entering, an Alchemist just had to sense their surroundings to look for the Alchemy Flames that suited them.
Yang Kai didn’t understand the abstrusity of it, so he could only do as he was told.
After emptying his mind, he focused on sensing his surroundings. He initially couldn’t detect anything special, but as he released his Divine Sense, he realised that dots of light started appearing out of thin air.
He was taken aback by the sight and almost awoke from his meditative state, which caused the lights to start flickering.
However, he soon composed himself, and the lights stabilised as well.
This was a strange feeling. Although his eyes were closed as he was only sensing his surroundings, it was as though he could really see those lights. The intensity of the lights varied, looking like different-sized candles that had been lit up in the darkness.
Besides that, the lights continued to increase, and soon, they started growing exponentially. From a few dots of light, they grew into dozens to over a hundred.
In the distance, more lights appeared all of a sudden.
[Are these the Alchemy Flames in the Divine Flame Cave?] Yang Kai fell into his thoughts as he inspected the lights, trying to determine their Grades by judging the intensity of the light.
Just like what Wu Zheng Qi had said, the Alchemy Flames here ranged from the Mortal Grade to the Spirit Grade.
The small number of the brightest lights should be the Spirit Flames, while the slightly weaker ones were Heaven Flames, followed by the Earth Flames and then the weakest Mortal Flames.
What surprised Yang Kai was that these Alchemy Flames came in different colours, which illuminated the originally dark cave.
While he was still awestruck by the sight, something happened all of a sudden.
The lights of different colours started rushing towards Yang Kai, as though they had been drawn by something. In the blink of an eye, he was surrounded by countless Alchemy Flames.
“Uh…” Yang Kai was stunned, not knowing what was going on.
Yang Kai could sense that these brightly lit Alchemy Flames had surrounded him as they jumped around him. Despite not knowing what was going on, he had a feeling that if he wanted, he could easily obtain any of the Alchemy Flames, be it a Mortal Flame or a Spirit Flame.
This discovery made him arch his brow.
He recalled that Wu Zheng Qi had said the greater a person’s aptitude, the better the Alchemy Flame they could get in the Divine Flame Cave. It then dawned on Yang Kai that even though he was just a Heaven-Grade Alchemist in the Divine Armament World, his attainments in the Alchemic Dao far exceeded the limits of this World. Regardless of whether these Alchemy Flames were sentient, they seemed to have instinctively realized his uniqueness, which was why they proactively approached him.
Almost all the Alchemy Flames in the Divine Flame Cave had gathered around Yang Kai except for one particular flame.
There was a flickering Alchemy Flame in a spot that was several hundred metres away from Yang Kai. He reckoned that it was a Heaven Flame by judging from its brightness, and it could be considered a better one among those in the Heaven Grade.
The Heaven Flames around Yang Kai were not comparable to it in terms of brightness or purity.
Yang Kai thought about Alchemist Wei, who had entered the place first, and had a feeling that the latter was just over there as the special Heaven Flame was restricted by him. That was the reason it was not drawn over.
Yang Kai wasn’t really concerned about what was going on over there. Since Alchemist Wei had prepared for it for two years, he must have a special technique to get the Heaven Flame he wanted. Moreover, Yang Kai wasn’t interested in Heaven Flames at all.
What attracted him were the small number of Spirit Flames.
Wu Zheng Qi had advised him against getting a Spirit Flame since he didn’t have the power to match, as that would cause him to be injured. However, that piece of advice was only applicable to the average person. Yang Kai had the confidence to subdue a Spirit Flame.
He could still use a Spirit Flame when he became a Spirit Grade Alchemist in the future, and he didn’t have to waste time upgrading or changing his Alchemy Flame. Since he had come to the Divine Flame Cave, Yang Kai naturally had to get the best one.
After making up his mind, he examined the lively Alchemy Flames around him and soon found his target.
It was an Alchemy Flame that was one of the brightest in this place. If he wasn’t mistaken, this was supposed to be a Spirit Flame. Moreover, this Alchemy Flame gave off a gentle feeling, which was unlike some of the restless flames, so it was suitable to be used for refining pills.
This orange Spirit Flame was originally in the outer ring, but after Yang Kai sent a signal over, it slowly came closer and soon reached a spot that was one metre away from him.
While the Spirit Flame was moving forward, the other Alchemy Flames proactively stepped aside as though they had realised how determined Yang Kai was.
The Spirit Flame continued moving forward, but just when it was about to reach Yang Kai, it abruptly stopped.
Yang Kai had no idea what was going on, but the next instant, all the Alchemy Flames around him seemed to become flustered, as though a ferocious beast was coming their way. In the blink of an eye, they dissipated and went into hiding. The countless lights that Yang Kai could sense instantly vanished.
The originally colourful world soon fell into complete darkness.
Yang Kai was shocked, not knowing what he had done that caused those Alchemy Flames to run away.
Looking around, he could see that the Alchemy Flame restricted by Alchemist Wei was pulsating; however, Alchemist Wei seemed to have a way to control it. Yang Kai couldn’t see clearly what the other party was doing, but the Alchemy Flame was unable to flee regardless of how hard it tried. It seemed to be bound to that exact spot. It seemed that it was just a matter of time before the flame was captured by Alchemist Wei.
Yang Kai came to his senses and thought back on what he had been doing since he came to this place, but he didn’t think he had done anything wrong. Nevertheless, the Alchemy Flames that had surrounded him disappeared just like that.
Just then, he caught a glimpse of a light that was slowly flying towards him from a distance. It was a white flame that wasn’t particularly bright. According to his observation, he reckoned that it was an Alchemy Flame in the Mortal Grade.
However, the light was astonishingly pure. Yang Kai hadn’t seen any other Alchemy Flame with such purity.
The Mortal Flame soon reached Yang Kai and landed in front of him, then became unmoving.
Yang Kai was startled for a moment as he was torn between tears and laughter.
[What’s going on?] All the Alchemy Flames were gone, leaving behind a Mortal Flame. He was now a Heaven-Grade Alchemist, so there was no way he would take a Mortal Flame, which wouldn’t meet his requirements for making pills.
After observing the Mortal Flame for a moment, Yang Kai concluded that besides the fact that the light was pure, there was nothing special about it. Therefore, he stopped paying attention to it.
Then, he emptied his mind and sensed his surroundings in an attempt to draw the Alchemy Flames back to him.
However, his action elicited a strange reaction from the small white Mortal Flame. Like a naughty kid, it jumped around in Yang Kai’s perception to draw his attention.
Seeing that Yang Kai ignored it, the flame started circling around him.
A moment later, it suddenly charged towards the Heaven Flame bound by Alchemist Wei. This turn of events finally attracted Yang Kai’s attention.
He could sense that the Heaven Flame bound by Alchemist Wei became even more flustered while the Alchemist exclaimed.
Alchemist Wei did not have long to ponder the issue, however, as the Mortal Flame dashed forward and instantly engulfed the Heaven Flame with its white light. After the dust settled, the light that belonged to the Heaven Flame was nowhere to be seen.
The white Alchemy Flame didn’t change one bit as it swaggered back towards Yang Kai. Upon reaching him, the flame gently whirled around as though it was trying to brag.
Yang Kai was flabbergasted.
Although it was the first time he came across this situation, it was obvious to him that the Heaven Flame was swallowed by this white Mortal Flame.
Wu Zheng Qi said that all the Alchemy Flames in the Divine Flame Cave were planted with seals, so there was no way they would devour each other. What was going on with this white light then?
Moreover, only Alchemy Flames of higher Grades could gobble up ones of lower Grades. How did a Mortal Flame wolf down a Heaven Flame?
“Who destroyed my flame!? Who?!” Alchemist Wei’s roar reverberated across the entire cave.
Getting no reply, Wei Cheng said through clenched teeth, “Good. Unless you stay in this cave forever, this Wei will find out who you are sooner or later! This matter is not settled!”
After Wei Cheng barked for a while more, Yang Kai could hear the footsteps fading into the distance.
There was a dark expression on Yang Kai’s face as he looked at the white light in front of him. He had practically done nothing, but it seemed that a grudge had been formed between Wei Cheng and him.
Yang Kai could only hope that he wasn’t the only person in the cave at this moment; otherwise, he would never be able to explain himself.
After witnessing how the white light swallowed the Heaven Flame, Yang Kai realised that this white flame was different somehow. The average Mortal Flame was not able to do that.
Furthermore, regardless of how hard he tried to sense his surroundings, the other Alchemy Flames in the cave didn’t respond to him. As he recalled the sight of those Alchemy Flames fleeing, Yang Kai let out a long sigh.
Now, it seemed that regardless of what he thought, he had to take this white flame.
Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened during the process. As soon as Yang Kai relayed his intent, the white flame flew towards him and directly disappeared into his body.
At the same time, Yang Kai could clearly feel that there was a new strange power in his body. The power wasn’t harmful to him, but he needed some time to refine and familiarise himself with it before he could really use it.
He had achieved his goal for coming to the Divine Flame Cave. Although he had only taken a Mortal Flame, Yang Kai reckoned that it wasn’t just any ordinary Mortal Flame judging from its strange behaviour.
It seemed that he had to head to Records Hall to find out what kind of Alchemy Flame he had accepted.
Standing up, he shuffled towards the light at the entrance and soon left the Divine Flame Cave. Then, he walked up the spiralling path.
One hour later, Yang Kai could finally see bright sunlight again, which suggested that he had finally left the cave. Before he could adjust to the brightness though, he heard someone speaking through gritted teeth, “It’s really you!”
Yang Kai turned his head and saw Wei Cheng glaring at him. The Blood Warriors behind him sported dark expressions as well. On the other hand, Wu Zheng Qi was standing with his hands behind his back as he looked curiously at Yang Kai.
A dejected Yang Kai knew that the trouble was inevitable, but he still pretended to know nothing, “Vice Hall Master Wu, this…”
Wu Zheng Qi explained, “Alchemist Wei came across an accident when he was trying to obtain an Alchemy Flame in the cave. It seems that he was unable to achieve his goal because he was disturbed; therefore, Alchemist Yang, he wants to know what you did down there.”
“Of course I was trying to get an Alchemy Flame in the cave. What else could I do?” Yang Kai frowned, “I didn’t act against anyone or anything. Why don’t you ask the other Alchemists who have entered the cave?”
Wei Cheng said through clenched teeth, “There were only the two of us in the cave. There were no other Alchemists! If you hadn’t done anything, this Wei couldn’t possibly have failed. I was about to succeed!”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Alchemist Wei. I was just trying to obtain an Alchemy Flame for myself. However, I was shocked to hear someone exclaiming just now. It seems that it was you who screamed.”
A relentless Wei Cheng snapped, “Stop playing dumb! Who else could it be if it weren’t you?”
Yang Kai gazed at him and replied, “It’s the first time we meet, Alchemist Wei, and there are no grudges between us. Both of us are the Heaven Grade Alchemists of Profound Pill Sect, so why would I act against you?”
Wu Zheng Qi nodded, “That’s true. What actually happened, Alchemist Wei?”
Wei Cheng still glowered at Yang Kai, but he realised that the latter was right. It was the first time they met, and there were no grudges between them. There was no reason for Yang Kai to derail his plans; however, as he recalled the two years he had spent getting prepared and the fact that he was so close to succeeding, he was unable to just let the issue drop.