Are Seventh-Grade Pills Rare?

A cloud of black Qi swept over the valley, startling countless birds into flight. Black Tiger Dao Lord's terrifying Divine Sense swept across the entire gorge, and only when he found no trace of Lu Changsheng or Xia Ningxue did he leave.

The valley fell silent.

An hour later, the black Qi returned. Black Tiger Dao Lord had doubled back for a surprise attack.

"It seems they really aren't here."

Muttering to himself, Black Tiger Dao Lord rode the clouds and mist away.

"Black Tiger Dao Lord is truly devious. Real villains are far more cunning than the ones on TV. We'd better stay in the cave for now."

Inside a secluded cave, Lu Changsheng held his breath and focused. Sensing that Black Tiger Dao Lord's presence had vanished, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Black Tiger Dao Lord was infamous among the Rogue Cultivators of the Desolate Province for his cruel nature and cunning disposition. Lu Changsheng and Xia Ningxue had joined forces and escaped his pursuit only with great difficulty.

Lu Changsheng feared they would run into Black Tiger Dao Lord if they went out now, so he planned to stay in the cave a while longer.

Lu Changsheng sat cross-legged and regulated his breathing.

Xia Ningxue's breathing could be heard in the cave.

Xia Ningxue had been injured by Black Tiger Dao Lord and was recuperating.

"When Black Tiger Dao Lord's Dao technique shattered my soul, was it you who used the Seventh-Grade Medicinal Pills, the Nine Nether Soul-Gathering Pill, to piece it back together?"

Xia Ningxue opened her bright eyes and looked at Lu Changsheng, her feelings complicated.

The Nine Nether Soul-Gathering Pill was a seventh-grade pill. Ordinary Dao Palace Realm elders would never even come across such a supreme-grade pill, and even the Pavilion Master of Ask Immortal Pavilion could produce only a few.

Yet Lu Changsheng had given one directly to her, neutralizing Black Tiger Dao Lord's Dao technique and saving her life.

"Are Seventh-Grade Medicinal Pills rare?"

Lu Changsheng was puzzled.

Although he knew Seventh-Grade Medicinal Pills were valuable, he had no idea just how rare they were.

In any case, it was a reward from the Apprentice-Teaching Simulator, nothing out of the ordinary. He could always fleece the system for more later.

"You..."

Xia Ningxue's pupils trembled. Was Lu Changsheng saying that Seventh-Grade Medicinal Pills meant nothing to him?

Even her own master wouldn't dare say that, would he?

"This is a fifth-grade Crimson Blood Essence-Congealing Pill. It can heal wounds and restore Blood Qi."

Seeing that Xia Ningxue's injuries had yet to heal, Lu Changsheng flicked a pill over to her.

"A fifth-grade pill... You're really giving it to me?"

Xia Ningxue caught the pill, unable to believe it.

Lu Changsheng's expression was calm, as though a fifth-grade pill was little different from trash to him.

"Only if you recover your vitality quickly will we have a hope of escaping with our lives. Otherwise, with my cultivation alone, running into Black Tiger Dao Lord would mean certain death. This benefits us both."

Lu Changsheng knew that only with two first-layer Dao Palace Realm cultivators would they stand a chance against Black Tiger Dao Lord, so he had given her the Crimson Blood Essence-Congealing Pill.

"Mm."

Xia Ningxue knew that if the lips were gone, the teeth would be cold. She stopped making a fuss and swallowed the Crimson Blood Essence-Congealing Pill. Closing her eyes to rest, she refined its medicinal power, and her wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Lu Changsheng also took a fourth-grade Earth Spirit Pill to restore his Spiritual Qi.

Fortunately, the disciple-teaching system had returned a pile of supreme-grade pills before he came down the mountain, allowing Lu Changsheng to escape calamity.

Lu Changsheng and Xia Ningxue stayed in the cave for three days. Xia Ningxue's injuries healed completely, and Lu Changsheng's Spiritual Qi was fully restored.

"Black Tiger Dao Lord hasn't come back in three days. We can go out now."

Lu Changsheng planned to return to Shushan and report back, telling his eldest senior brother about the situation in the Desolate Province.

Lu Changsheng and Xia Ningxue had fought their way out of the encirclement with a group of Ask Immortal Pavilion disciples. The other disciples' cultivation was lacking, and they had all perished while being hunted by Black Tiger Dao Lord and the Reincarnation Hall.

As for Elder Kumu and Elder Luo Feng of the Ask Immortal Pavilion, their whereabouts were unknown.

If Lu Changsheng had not displayed Dao Palace Realm cultivation, Xia Ningxue might have been killed by Black Tiger Dao Lord as well.

Thinking of the outcome of this journey, Xia Ningxue's delicate brows showed a hint of worry. "Elder Lu, I owe you my life. How would you like me to repay you?"

"If you want to repay me, why not take me as your master?"

"Are you serious? But I swore a solemn oath to my sect that I would never betray it. I can agree to anything else."

Xia Ningxue was astonished. She had thought Lu Changsheng was only joking, but he had brought it up again.

"Other than that, I can't think of anything for now. We can talk about it later."

Lu Changsheng really lacked neither Law Treasures nor cultivation methods.

For now, finding a way back to Shushan was the proper course.

"Mm."

Xia Ningxue was in no hurry to repay him either. They both belonged to the Six Great Orthodox Sects, and both were elders of the younger generation. They were bound to see each other again.

Lu Changsheng and Xia Ningxue left the cave where they had been hiding.

Suddenly, Xia Ningxue let out a startled sound. She had spotted a string of strange markings on a boulder at the cave entrance.

"This is a secret code our Ask Immortal Pavilion disciples use to communicate. A disciple from the Desolate Province Branch Hall is still alive. She left these markings."

Xia Ningxue's expression gradually brightened.

The Desolate Province Branch Hall had not been completely wiped out. There was a survivor!

"She fled north. I hope Black Tiger Dao Lord didn't run into her."

"Let's hurry and catch up."

Lu Changsheng and Xia Ningxue flew north on their swords, keeping close to the ground.

The next day, when Lu Changsheng and Xia Ningxue reached an abandoned village, they spread their Divine Sense over it and detected two presences, one stronger and one faint.

"Come out!"

Lu Changsheng shouted.

"People of the Demon Sects, I'll fight you to the end! We'll burn together like jade and stone!"

A flying sword shot out from the abandoned village, opening with a move that would leave both sides grievously wounded!

"Stop! I am Xia Ningxue of the Ask Immortal Pavilion!"

Sensing that the other party was one of their own, Xia Ningxue called out softly.

The flying sword stopped in midair. Its wielder was a female Golden Core Realm disciple of the Ask Immortal Pavilion.

"This disciple greets the Holy Maiden!"

The female Golden Core Realm disciple was overjoyed to see Xia Ningxue. She hurriedly put away her sword and saluted.

Holy Maiden?

Lu Changsheng gave Xia Ningxue a strange look. Her standing in the Ask Immortal Pavilion really was quite high.

But Xia Ningxue still owed him a favor...

"Evil Sword of the Reincarnation Hall joined forces with Black Tiger Dao Lord of the Demon Race and bathed our branch hall in blood. I was the only one who escaped through a tunnel by luck. Everyone else in our branch hall..."

As the female disciple spoke, her voice choked, and her eyes reddened.

"We ran into Evil Sword and Black Tiger Dao Lord too."

"Then, Your Holy Maiden..."

"Everyone except the two of us either died in battle or is missing."

"I suppose so. You haven't cultivated for long, Your Holy Maiden. You're no match for Black Tiger Dao Lord yet."

"Why did Black Tiger Dao Lord attack our Ask Immortal Pavilion's branch hall?"

Xia Ningxue had regained her composure. The ultimate purpose of this journey was to uncover the truth of what had happened in the Desolate Province.

"This matter also involves another person. Black Tiger Dao Lord and the Reincarnation Hall probably came for her. Come out."

The female disciple wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and called out to the other person hiding inside the stone house.

Lu Changsheng looked toward the stone house and saw a little girl with dirt all over her face hiding behind the wooden door, looking timidly at them.

[Ding, the system is searching for a suitable disciple candidate for you... One found.]