In the cover of night, a figure shimring with specks of green light stealthily entered the hidden base of the Shadow Pavilion.
"Who’s there?"
With a flash of the figure before him, Zhang Xuanji ford a seal in his hand, his palm brimming with thunder and lightning, and appeared before the intruder.
"It’s you." Recognizing the visitor, Zhang Xuanji dispersed his Thunder Skill, "I did not expect that you too are proficient in the art of drawing from the Earth Veins."
Just now, Zhang Xuanji was analyzing Zhang Xuanlian’s True Pill when he suddenly felt the Earth Qi within the base moving abnormally. Thinking it was an enemy attack, he left to confront the intruder.
But he had not expected that the one causing the disturbance of Earth Qi would be Qing Yu.
"I know just a bit," Qing Yu said, dispersing the Earth Essence Qi with a wave of his hand and stopping his healing process.
Earlier in the day, Qing Yu had already been wounded by Xuanming, and tonight he had a run-in with two Corpse Scattering Persons, hence his injuries had worsened.
Though after becoming Corpse Scattering Persons, Tong Pi and Shi Xuanlan’s power was not as formidable as before, as seasoned monsters, they still managed to exert considerable pressure on Qing Yu.
On his way back, Qing Yu had walked while drawing Earth Essence Qi to heal.
"How does the research on Zhang Xuanlian’s True Pill go?" Qing Yu asked.
"Quite smooth."
With the ntion of the True Pill, Zhang Xuanji set aside his doubts about Qing Yu drawing Earth Essence Qi and started to enthusiastically share his progress.
It was clear that the latter half of the Nine Tripods Elixir Scripture greatly tempted Zhang Xuanji, for even soone as stoic as he showed a smile on his face now.
However, this smile soon turned into a greater longing, "The ancestors of Dragon Tiger Mountain never imagined soone would use the patterns on a True Pill to reverse-engineer the elixir recipe. I have already deduced the properties of one type of Dan Qi and currently, it seems possible to deduce three more.
But this is far from enough. I need more, much more True Pills..."
"But clearly, that’s impossible. While there may be many in the True Pill Realm, there aren’t enough for your research at will. If we capture too many True Pill Realm disciples from Dragon Tiger Mountain, that Grand Master Zhang might go insane," Qing Yu bluntly poured cold water on Zhang Xuanji’s head.
An insane Heavenly Master Zhang, tsk, probably no one in this world would want to face him. Even the notorious ’Sword God’ wouldn’t dare provoke Heavenly Master Zhang for the sake of researching re True Pills.
"You’re right," Zhang Xuanji cald down.
Growing up in Dragon Tiger Mountain, Zhang Xuanji understood the terror of the Heavenly Master and was more than willing to abandon the tempting thought of capturing True Pill Realm disciples from Dragon Tiger Mountain to keep his life for further research into the Alchemy Dao.
"Then let’s do this, you continue your research. I’ll go rest."
Qing Yu turned and headed to his room; as he moved, the faint green light began to erge again.
’Heaven and Earth Supre Skill’s Earth Dominating Technique was still new to Qing Yu, far from reaching the level of enhancing his cultivation by tenfold through the absorption of Earth Veins Essence Qi, even the healing from absorption of Essence Qi was limited due to insufficient intake of Earth Essence Qi for a speedy recovery.
Thus, Qing Yu needed to spend more ti practicing to heal.
...
For the next two days, Qing Yu and Zhang Xuanji didn’t leave the base, both holing up in their respective rooms, imrsed in their tasks.
Zhang Xuanji was hopelessly addicted to studying the True Pill. Engrossed in the task of reverse-engineering the elixir recipe, he lost interest in anything else.
While Qing Yu, realizing the need to further improve his strength, took this opportunity to start cultivating intensely. He spent his days either pondering the Ten Thousand Transformation Pill Technique he’d acquired from the Shadow King or practicing the Earth Dominating Technique, ignoring everything else.
Both n could delve deep into research, once imrsed, trivial matters were forgotten.
Clearly, to Qing Yu, anything besides increasing his strength was unimportant. To Zhang Xuanji, aside from the Alchemy Dao and cultivation, everything else was secondary.
Even the Shadow King wouldn’t have guessed that their enthusiasm for research could be so unreliable.
ng Yunfei, the assistant assigned to Qing Yu by the Shadow King Sect, felt that this was sowhat inappropriate, but given his low position, he dared not disturb the two venerables.
Moreover, Fatty ng was cunning enough to know that even if the Shadow King were inford, he wouldn’t make much fuss, so ng Yunfei continued serving with utmost caution, without speaking out of turn.
For a while, the Shadow Pavilion ceased all operations, with all personnel laying low.
This sudden quietness confused the people of Yu Jian Manor.
Manor Master Xiao Qianxiu personally ordered his people to find the user of the eerie green Sword Qi. They had been searching diligently for the past two days without slacking.
But with the adversary lying in wait and refusing to erge, and Yu Jian Manor not being constables nor as adept at hiding as thieves or assassins, it was impossible to locate the Shadow Pavilion.
This situation persisted until Xiao Qiye received a letter.
The letter was unsigned, with no distinguishable markings, rely delivered by a ragamuffin who said it was from a cloaked old man whose face he couldn’t see.
Xiao Qiye opened the envelope to find just an address— the address of the Shadow Pavilion.
"Young Master, the origins of this letter are unclear, and we’re not sure if it’s reliable. Should we send soone to probe?" one of the three Sword Masters with Xiao Qiye, known in the worldly society as "Qu Linghan Sword," Qu Hansheng, suggested.
"Stirring the grass may startle the snake. We must, first strike, control the enemy," Xiao Qiye said, pausing between every couple of words as he pocketed the letter.
His brief words conveyed a clear ssage.
"Go, give the orders."
"Yes, Young Master," Qu Hansheng complied.
"And stop calling , Young Master," Xiao Qiye reminded.
In Yu Jian Manor, the title of Young Master was held by Xiao Chengye and Xiao Qiye certainly had no wish to be associated with such a useless person, though the latter already saw Xiao Qiye as a stumbling block.
"The position of Young Master in Yu Jian Manor belongs only to a capable individual, and you are that capable individual," Qu Hansheng looked at the forr Young Master, sympathy and support flickering in his eyes.
Xiao Qiye had remained aloof for fourteen years. During these years, the once glorious Young Master devoted himself solely to strength-building and sword training. He took his als outside the courtyard, never interacting with anyone.
For a full fourteen years, while Xiao Qiye reached the True Pill Realm, he almost forgot how to speak.
For Qu Hansheng, who had watched Xiao Qiye grow up, he felt sorry for his plight and strongly supported him, a capable individual and warrior, to beco the future Manor Master of Yu Jian Manor.
After all, between Xiao Qiye and Xiao Chengye, one in the True Pill Realm, the other in the Innate Realm—the gap was simply too vast.
Xiao Chengye, to think of catching up with Xiao Qiye, let alone advancing to the True Pill, even breaking through to the Divine Origin was questionable.
To any discerning eye, it was clear who should be chosen as the Young Master.
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