September
Su Bai and True Man He had a long talk in the Central Court hall inside the Pill Furnace statue. True Man He shared everything he knew, from the foundation of Dao of Alchemy to the tempering of the Dao Heart, from the gifts of the Secret Realm Origin's origin to future cultivation plans.
When the conversation came to an end, the master and apprentice left the Central Court hall and returned to the entrance of the statue. The outer square was already deserted.
After completing their final exchange and discussion on alchemy, the members of the Star Luo Pill Pavilion dispersed.
Under the soft artificial light, only the majestic Pill Furnace statue stood silently. In the distance, the roar of the Illusionary Fire Mountains, which was isolated from the heat, added to the sense of the Secret Realm.
True Man He personally escorted Su Bai to the Secret Realm Entrance.
With a wave of his sleeve, True Man He teleported the two of them.
With a flash of light, the space shifted, and they were back in the Quiet Chamber equipped with Teleportation Array at the Star Luo Pill Pavilion headquarters.
The windows of the Quiet Chamber were slightly ajar, and a cool night breeze carrying the unique bustling atmosphere of Heavenly Star City rushed in.
Looking out the window, the sky was filled with stars, night had fallen, and the lighting Magic Array throughout the Market and the lights of thousands of homes intertwined to create a dazzling sea of light, illuminating half the sky.
Before I knew it, it was already late at night.
"Master, this Disciple will take his leave now."
Su Bai straightened his clothes and respectfully bowed to True Man He to say goodbye.
True Man He nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Su Bai for a moment. "Go. Remember, while miscellaneous tasks need to be completed, don't put the cart before the horse and get bogged down in mundane affairs."
"With your Talent and aptitude, it's truly a waste of your time that your alchemy skills are still at this level; it's unacceptable."
His tone was urging, "When you return, you must calm your mind, cultivate yourself diligently, and not waste this talent."
He paused, then added, "The Disciple Recruitment Ceremony will be held three days from now at the Pill Spirit Treasure Pavilion."
You need to arrive an hour early, don't be late.
"At that time, I will introduce you to fellow Daoists who will come to observe the ceremony."
"These people are mostly High-Ranked Cultivator who hold positions within the Heavenly Star Alliance, or representatives or managers of other important forces in the Demon Star Sea."
"Now that you've joined my school, you'll inevitably have to deal with them in the future. Getting to know them early won't hurt."
Su Bai understood.
True Man He is using the opportunity of the Disciple Recruitment Ceremony to formally push his Personal Disciple into the circle of High-Ranked Cultivator in the Demon Star Sea.
Being the first disciple of a Pill Sect Grandmaster and the Pavilion Master the Pill Pavilion signifies a certain status, resources, and connections.
True Man He is paving the way for him and cultivating a successor for the future of the Star Luo Pill Pavilion.
"Yes, Disciple will remember. I will arrive ahead of time and will not dare to be negligent."
Su Bai bowed again in agreement.
He understood that from now on, Lu Jiu's identity would no longer be unknown in the Demon Star Sea, especially in Heavenly Star City and its surrounding area.
His portrait and information will likely soon be collected and analyzed by those with ulterior motives.
However, this place is separated from the distant Qingzhou by vast and dangerous terrain, so the risk of his identity being exposed is minimal. This aura of Alchemist can instead serve as excellent cover for his other actions.
After bidding farewell to True Man He, Su Bai did not return directly to the Alchemy Street.
He first casually circled around Star Luo Market a few times, and after confirming that no one was following him, he quickly slipped into a secluded and deserted alley.
With practiced ease, he removed his Moon-white Alchemist robe and donned his signature black-and-gray attire. Azure Fish Mask covered his face, and Lu Jiu's gentle aura vanished instantly, replaced by Hai Jiu's unique coldness.
Finally, he hung the Token of temporary collaborator of the Heavenly Punishment Platform in a conspicuous place on his waist.
Having changed his clothes, he no longer concealed his presence, but instead swaggered towards the main gate of the Starlight Academy.
The Token at his waist gleamed faintly.
The Cultivator guarding the Academy's gate merely glanced at it as a matter of routine before waving them away.
The trip to the Pill Pavilion Secret Realm yielded far more than expected, even obtaining two extremely valuable trump cards: Personal Disciple True Man He and the Secret Realm's Origin Imprint. Naturally, Su Bai was overjoyed.
Despite his joy, he did not let his guard down regarding Little Dragon's situation.
Things are progressing smoothly here, but let's not let things get messy at Rear Courtyard and cause the cooked duck (Mysterious Tier Talent) to fly away; that would be a real loss.
They arrived silently at the secluded courtyard, their Spiritual Sense sweeping over it, and the scene inside came into their perception.
Su Bai felt somewhat relieved.
There were no unusual fluctuations in Spiritual Power, nor any unfamiliar aura; it seems that the Immortal Palace and the Holy Hall have not taken any further action for the time being.
His figure floated into the courtyard.
As expected, Little Dragon was still there, sitting cross-legged in the center of the courtyard with his eyes closed. Faint silver-purple lightning flashed around him, indicating that he was practicing some kind of Thunder Method. An empty Jade Bottle was placed beside him.
It was the Number Nine Golden Marrow Pill that Su Bai had given him earlier.
Meanwhile, Dragon Daoist sat in the shadows under the eaves, arms crossed, brows furrowed, his face etched with lingering sorrow, his gaze fixed on his son who was cultivating.
Judging from the situation, the father and son probably had another unpleasant exchange before Su Bai arrived. Perhaps it was because Little Dragon Long's cultivation had improved slightly that he once again expressed his dissatisfaction with the current situation.
Sensing Su Bai's presence, Dragon Daoist turned his head, forcing a bitter smile that was more like a grimace, and said in a hoarse voice, "You've come."
He paused, then suddenly said in a half-serious, joking tone, "Brother Hai Jiu, what do you think... how about I send this kid to your Azure Fish Hall to be Assassin?"
He pointed at Little Dragon: "Look at his Thunder Method, it's insidious and cunning, with considerable power. Against Cultivator of the same level, it could probably kill them instantly."
"Your Azure Fish Hall is, after all, a well-known and legitimate organization in the Demon Star Sea, with strict rules and clear missions. Compared to places like the Immortal Palace, which is a den of iniquity, or the Holy Hall, which is bloody and violent, it's definitely much better, isn't it?"
"After he's worked his way up for a few years and accumulated enough experience, maybe he can retire from crime, change his identity, and live a peaceful life..."
Su Bai's lips twitched slightly beneath her Veil Hat.
Sending a rebellious and stubborn Qi Refining Stage youth who desperately wants to join the Immortal Palace to the Azure Fish Hall?
Putting aside the fact that Azure Fish Hall would never recruit Cultivator who are not from the three major sects of Qingzhou, even if they made an exception, given Little Dragon's temperament, he would probably kill himself and his companions on the very first mission.
Not to mention the Azure Fish Hall's strict, almost cruel, control methods and near-zero defection success rate; once inside, you can forget about "living a peaceful life."
"Impossible." Su Bai's voice came through the mask, cold and decisive, leaving no room for discussion.
The faint glimmer of hope in Dragon Daoist's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a deeper sense of despondency.
He let out a long sigh, his shoulders seeming to slump slightly. "Sigh... I know it's wishful thinking, but... what should I do...?"
His sigh was filled with helplessness.
If it were an ordinary Disciple of the Academy, daring to be so rebellious and repeatedly clamoring to betray the Academy and join the enemy forces, he, Dragon Daoist, wouldn't even need to lift a finger. The Starlight Academy's enforcement team would have taught them what rules were. At best, they would have their cultivation revoked and be expelled from the Academy; at worst... as a warning to others.
But this was his son, Bloodline relative, and this feeling of helplessness was almost driving this Body Cultivator, known for his Forceful and powerful nature, insane.
Su Bai didn't reply, but simply stood quietly in the shadows.
He could understand Dragon Daoist's pain, but his goal was clear: to stabilize Little Dragon and wait for the Talent to Copy.
As for the future relationship between the father and son, that's not within his current considerations.
After standing guard at the Academy for about an hour and confirming that nothing would happen that night, Su Bai quietly left, took a detour to change back into Lu Jiu's clothes, and returned to the Number Nine Pill Shop.
It was nearly midnight, Alchemy Street had long since fallen into a deep, slumbering silence, with only the faint protective glow of the doors of each Pill Shop flickering in the night.
The Number Nine Pill Shop still shone with a warm yellow light. Zhang Ying hadn't rested yet and was guarding the closed shop, checking the accounts while occasionally glancing outside.
"Boss! You're finally back!"
Upon seeing Su Bai appear at the door, Zhang Ying's face immediately lit up with a smile. She put down her work and quickly came to greet him, her eyes filled with concern.
"How did the Alchemy Competition go? Exchanging ideas and discussing techniques with so many alchemy masters must have been incredibly rewarding!"
Her tone was full of anticipation.
Working at the Pill Shop recently, Zhang Ying has developed a strong interest in alchemy under the influence of what she sees and hears. Su Bai not only supports her but also gave her a decent Lower Grade Alchemy Furnace. She has already begun to try to learn the most basic pharmacology and fire control.
"Yes, I'm back."
Su Bai nodded slightly, walked into the shop, closed the door behind him, and activated a simple soundproofing Magic Array: "The harvest is indeed considerable, far exceeding expectations."
He paused, looked into Zhang Ying Ying's bright eyes, and calmly announced the next steps, "However, because I have gained so much, I may need to leave for a while to go to the Star Luo Pill Pavilion for further study."
"Ah?"
Zhang Ying was taken aback at first, then reacted, her face beaming with genuine joy, "Congratulations, boss! This is incredible news! Being selected by the Pill Pavilion for further training means your Talent has been fully recognized!"
She was genuinely happy for Su Bai.
Su Bai nodded and continued, "After I leave, the refining of Golden Marrow Pill at Number Nine Pill Shop will be suspended."
"But the shop doesn't need to close. It can continue operating as usual, and instead become a distributor of high-quality Pill that we acquire from other reputable Pill Shop, just to maintain its popularity and customer base."
"All matters concerning the shop, including procurement, sales, accounting, and liaison with partners, will be entirely under your control."
He ultimately did not choose to temporarily close the shop.
On the one hand, with his prestigious title of "True Man He's Personal Disciple" soon to resound throughout the Alchemy Street, the popularity of Number Nine Pill Shop will only increase rather than decrease, and even if he only does resale business, the profits will be quite considerable.
On the other hand, Zhang Ying had been working diligently and conscientiously during the time she had been with him. She was also quite clever and loyal. Entrusting the shop to her management would not only provide him with a stable source of income, which wasn't much for him, but it was an important guarantee for Zhang Ying and a reward for her hard work.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ying was first startled, then nodded vigorously, her voice trembling slightly. "Thank you for your trust, Boss! I... I will do my best to take good care of the shop!"
"Um."
Su Bai responded and was about to explain some details when his Divine Sense inadvertently swept towards the entrance of the Alchemy Street and caught sight of two somewhat familiar figures who were currently loitering around suspiciously: Lin Wan and Shen Shuangshuang.
Su Bai frowned almost imperceptibly, turning his gaze to Zhang Ying: "They... came to see you again?"
He remembered that after the two men failed to obtain the Pill Formula from Zhang Ying last time, they disappeared for a while.
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Zhang Ying's face. She lowered her head, her fingers Consciousness twisting the hem of her clothes, and whispered, "Yes... they found me again a few days ago, apologized, and said that they were confused before and blinded by profit. And... they also showed me something."
She looked up, her eyes filled with obvious worry, and carefully took out an ordinary Imprint Jade Slip from her bosom, handing it to Su Bai: "Boss, look, they said they went back to their hometown on business a while ago and accidentally discovered... discovered that my parents' family had suffered a disaster, their family had fallen on hard times, and they've... they've been reduced to begging on the streets!"
"The Jade Slip contained images of my parents with my younger siblings... They said they couldn't bear to see the elderly and children suffer, so they took it upon themselves to bring my family to the outer city of Heavenly Star City for temporary settlement."
"I... I was just about to ask you for leave so I can go see him tomorrow..."
Su Bai took the Jade Slip and probed it with his Spiritual Sense.
The images in the Jade Slip were somewhat blurry and shaky, as if they were being secretly photographed from a distance.
In the scene, several ragged, emaciated figures huddled in a dirty street corner. Among them, a middle-aged couple with haggard faces could be vaguely seen to resemble Zhang Ying. They were accompanied by two even younger children, who were begging from passersby with broken bowls.
The video is short, but it is enough to touch people's hearts.
After reading it, Su Bai calmly handed the Jade Slip back.
He gave Zhang Ying a deep look, without immediately judging the authenticity of the video or the motives of Lin Wan and the other person.
Human nature is fickle, especially when faced with enormous profits. What are the chances that a former traitor will turn back to the right path?
The coincidence of discovering Zhang Ying's family's misfortune and kindly taking them in seems rather deliberate.
But he didn't voice his suspicions directly.
Zhang Ying is worried about her family and is emotionally agitated; she may not be able to listen to what they're saying.
After a moment of silence, Su Bai raised his hand and took out a blank high-level Law Technique storage Talisman from his Storage Bag.
Lightning crackled around his fingertips as a wisp of pure Lightning Spiritual Power was rapidly extracted and compressed into the Talisman.
This is not a traditional talisman-making technique, but simply a storage of Law Technique. Its shelf life is not very long, and its power will decrease over time. However, its advantage lies in its speed of production, which is enough to exert great power in a short period of time.
In an instant, a talisman containing the [Thousand Lightning Lure] Spell Mark Talisman was completed, with faint crackling lightning flowing across its surface.
He had considered using his Sword Soul to store a Natal Sword Qi for Zhang Ying's self-defense. That would undoubtedly be more concealed, more enduring, and more terrifyingly powerful. Even Foundation Establishment Cultivator could be instantly killed if they were unprepared.
However, the Sword Qi attribute is seriously inconsistent with Lu Jiu's identity as an overseas rogue cultivator with Lightning Attribute and a genius Alchemist.
Details determine success or failure. In this crucial stage of preparation, he cannot leave any discordant traces that might arouse suspicion.
Lightning Attribute Law Technique is the method Lu Jiu should use.
Moreover, thanks to the continuous nourishment of the Lightning Spirit Root and his recent study of Thunder Method, he felt that his Lightning Attribute Spell Talent seemed to be breaking through to the Second Tier. The [Thousand Lightning Lure] Talisman he was currently condensing was not to be underestimated.
One should always be wary of others.
Su Bai handed the Thunder Method Talisman, still slightly tingling to the touch, to Zhang Ying: "When activated, this talisman can unleash a powerful Thunder Method, sufficient to deal with threats below the Foundation Establishment Early Stage."
"Keep it close to your body and do not show it unless absolutely necessary, and never use it lightly."
"When you go to see them tomorrow, be careful. If anything seems amiss, immediately activate this talisman to warn them and escape, then contact me immediately."
Zhang Ying took the Talisman, feeling the terrifying power of thunder spirit contained within it, and hearing Su Bai's solemn instructions, she felt both warm and awe-inspiring.
She clutched the Talisman tightly in her hand, pressed it to her chest, and nodded vigorously. "I understand, boss! Don't worry, I'll be careful!"
Su Bai nodded slightly and said no more.
In the days that followed, he resumed his regular routine: spending most of his daytime days refining pills and cultivating at Number Nine Pill Shop under the guise of Lu Jiu, consolidating his newly acquired insights into Dao of Alchemy, and occasionally receiving visitors who came to offer congratulations or test the waters, whom he couldn't completely refuse.
"At night, he would change into his Hai Jiu attire and go to the Starlight Academy for his shift, observing Little Dragon's cultivation and Dragon Daoist's sorrows with a cold eye, ensuring that the target remained under control."
As for the Immortal Palace and the Holy Hall, they seem to have temporarily gone into hiding due to the failures of the previous two operations, or perhaps they are brewing a new and more meticulous plan.
The area around Little Dragon was calm and peaceful, with no further abnormalities.
With the continuous supply of the Number Nine Golden Marrow Pill, Little Dragon Long's cultivation progress has obviously accelerated. His rebellious and restless aura seems to have been temporarily suppressed, and he has instead entered a state of almost frantic seclusion and arduous cultivation, steadily advancing towards the Qi Refining Layer Eight.
This saved Su Bai and Dragon Daoist a lot of trouble.
As Su Bai had predicted, the business at Number Nine Pill Shop did not decline because he had stopped refining Golden Marrow Pill. On the contrary, it became even more popular because the name "the shop of True Man He Lu Jiu, the Personal Disciple Master He" spread far and wide.
Every day, Cultivator come in droves to buy Pill, or simply to absorb some of the immortal energy and make acquaintances.
Zhang Ying was extremely busy, yet she managed her resale business very well, generating considerable profits.
Alchemist from nearby shops went to great lengths to visit Su Bai and offer gifts, hoping to establish a relationship with him.
Su Bai politely declined all these invitations, citing his need to "close himself in Dao of Alchemy and prepare for his Master's Disciple Recruitment Ceremony."
His time is extremely precious now, as he needs to maintain a facade of spiritual practice while secretly making plans; he has no time to deal with these superficial pleasantries.
Time slipped away quietly amidst the undercurrents of busyness, and September arrived in no time.
Early that morning.
Su Bai had just finished a night of cultivation and alchemy deduction and was stretching his muscles in the Rear Courtyard.
Zhang Ying walked in with slightly hurried steps, her face showing a hint of hesitation as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.
"Boss..." she said softly, "I... I'd like to ask for a day off."
Su Bai turned around and looked at her. "Is it to see Lin Wan and the others, and your family?"
Zhang Ying nodded. "Yes, they Transmit Message me again yesterday, saying that everything is arranged and they can take me to the outer city to see my parents and siblings today... I want to go as soon as possible to see how they are settled, and... I also want to give them some of the wages you gave me, boss, to help them out in a pinch."
Su Bai didn't stop him, but simply reminded him again, "Did you take the Talisman I gave you?"
"It's all packed!" Zhang Ying patted an inconspicuous little cloth bag at her waist.
"Okay, go ahead, come back soon, and be careful." Su Bai waved his hand, granting him leave.
"Thank you, boss!"
A grateful smile appeared on Zhang Ying's face. Without further hesitation, she turned and quickly left the Number Nine Pill Shop.
After leaving the Alchemy Street, Zhang Ying arrived at a relatively secluded intersection in the Market, as agreed.
Sure enough, Lin Wan and Shen Shuangshuang were already waiting there.
The two were dressed more simply than usual today, their faces showing just the right amount of concern.
"Yinger, you've arrived!"
Shen Shuangshuang was the first to come forward, affectionately taking Zhang Ying's arm. "Don't worry too much. Although your aunt and uncle have suffered some hardships, they are still in good health, and your younger siblings are very sensible."
Lin Wan stepped forward, her tone gentle yet tinged with worry. "We've brought the person here, and they're temporarily housed in a small courtyard outside the city."
"However... none of them have Spirit Root and cannot cultivate. Staying in the outer city for a long time would be very expensive and not a good solution. We need to consider how to properly settle them."
Zhang Ying was extremely anxious and just wanted to see her family as soon as possible. She nodded repeatedly, "I know, I know, thank you, Sister Wan, Sister Shuangshuang! We can talk about that later, please take me to see them first!"
"Okay, let's go now." Lin Wan and Shen Shuangshuang exchanged a glance, and deep in their eyes, a strange and resolute emotion seemed to flash, so fleeting that it was impossible to catch.
"Your uncle and aunt will be overjoyed to see you." Shen Shuangshuang smiled, and the three of them, without lingering, transformed into Three Laws of light and sped towards the vast outer city area of Heavenly Star City.