Whose Sect Is This? (Seeking Follow-up Reads, Seeking Votes)

Cultivation and enjoyment—both could be had without delay.

He had gained resource support while living in a prosperous place. What bliss.

Steward Xu possessed a specialized skill. He did not need to leave the sect and fight for his life on the Dao Path. Being able to open Xu's Pill Shop meant he was doing rather well among the Outer Sect's Foundation Establishment Stewards.

The pill shop was not far from Xu Estate, only two streets away. If Qi Refining Cultivators had not been forbidden from flying within the Inverse Blood Ten Wards, it would have taken only a few breaths to get there.

After all, Qi Refining Cultivators were numerous. Without restrictions, the skies would have been filled with human figures, ruining the sect's environment.

Walking swiftly, Wang Yu encountered an unexpected person when he reached a spot not far from Xu Estate.

Su Qing Shan!

He was also at the entrance, though he had not entered through the main gate. Instead, he was using a side gate shrouded in shadow, making him impossible to see clearly. Wang Yu had recognized him only by his aura.

"Senior Brother Su!"

"Junior Brother Wang—"

Su Qing Shan was clearly startled. He hurriedly pulled the gate half-shut.

From a distance, Wang Yu inspected the scene and discovered a plump, fleshy thing completely blocking the side gate from behind it. One of Su Qing Shan's hands was digging around for something.

Bloop, bloop, bloop~

It sounded like the rushing waters of an Underground Dark River? Wang Yu did not dare approach any closer and instead asked from far away.

"May I ask, Senior Brother Qing Shan, is this Steward Xu's residence?"

"...It is."

For some reason, Wang Yu felt that Su Qing Shan was gritting his teeth. That arm of his was still twitching.

"It's like this. Xu's Pill Shop recently recruited four First Tier Alchemists at a monthly pay of two hundred Spirit Stones. I came to ask whether it was true."

Wang Yu played a little trick. He did not tell Su Qing Shan that he had already signed the contract, because matters were becoming complicated. Who knew what relationship Su Qing Shan had with Steward Xu?

Then a fat-headed, big-eared voice sounded from within the gate.

"Two hundred a month?!!"

"Who would dare offer such terms? This young lady will skin him alive!"

Fine. This was even more troublesome.

Su Qing Shan, on the other hand, was more concerned about Wang Yu's movements.

"Why is Junior Brother Wang asking about this? There is no place for Spirit Slaves to learn alchemy."

"Senior Brother Qing Shan misunderstands. This junior heard about Xu's Pill Shop opening while at Steward Tantai's Medicine Garden and wanted to try for the position of Pill Refining Apprentice, so I could learn a few skills."

"That makes sense. Newcomers ought to try more things, undergo some tempering, and gain experience."

By this point, Wang Yu had basically confirmed that something was wrong with the pill shop. He now had only one path left to take.

On the other hand, Su Qing Shan's relationship with the young lady of Xu Estate was rather interesting as well. She had just called herself "this young lady" and spoken in the tone of a master. Her identity was self-evident.

"The sky is already dark. If Senior Brother Qing Shan has business, you should go inside and discuss it. This junior should not disturb you, so I shall take my leave."

Su Qing Shan wanted to say something but stopped himself. It was hard to say anything, and only after Wang Yu had gone far away did he mutter in a low voice, "Jiao Jiao, he definitely saw it!"

"Ah~ ha..."

"That brat got off easy. Go dig out his eyes."

"Now?"

"—Tomorrow!"

Su Qing Shan cried out. His entire body was seized by a gigantic fleshy palm and dragged inside like a little chick. With wet, helpless eyes, he looked up at the bright moon in the sky.

He missed his mother~

Wang Yu did not return to his residence. Instead, he turned and headed toward the Law Enforcement Hall. That man and woman had been so impatiently fumbling with each other right at the gate that he could barely stand to look. It was revolting.

At the same time, he labeled Steward Xu as someone not to be approached.

Thinking of how Su Qing Shan had sought him out alone last time and wanted to trick Zhao Shang into getting killed, Wang Yu sensed an invisible thread faintly linking the two.

As he walked, Wang Yu suddenly stopped.

"Tantai Chan?"

That was it. He was merely a minor Outer Sect disciple at the Qi Refining Early Stage. What virtue or ability did he possess to be targeted? It could only be because of his half-year at the Medicine Garden.

Quite a few people knew that Steward Xu was pursuing Tantai Chan. They even treated it as gossip and spread it everywhere.

Was it because of that?

It did not seem likely. Considering the benefits surrounding Tantai Chan, there were only a few possibilities.

The Medicine Garden, her identity as an Alchemist, pills... and her beauty, if that counted.

"Four possibilities... Is Su Qing Shan involved because he is helping his future father-in-law? If so, didn't my joining Xu's Pill Shop amount to delivering myself right to their door?"

No, no—

If that were really the case, Steward Xu would have come looking for him at the first time. Why would he not come to the pill shop? So the Zhu Clan grandfather and grandson were still the problem.

The Medicine Garden was spirit land that Cold Blood Peak had helped secure. If anyone wanted to fight for it, it would be Evil God Peak. The Zhu Clan was not qualified. As for alchemy, Steward Xu's skill was not poor either, unless he was seeking higher-tier alchemical arts.

Did Tantai Chan have them?

That could not be confirmed. As for pills, she had only refined one batch in half a year. That seemed somewhat crucial. This suspicion was indeed questionable.

Without realizing it, he had reached the entrance of the Law Enforcement Hall. Wang Yu straightened his collar and swept every distracting thought from his mind. There was proper business to handle now; he could think about it after returning.

The contract for Xu's Pill Shop existed in three copies. That was where Wang Yu had room to maneuver.

Following the procedures, Wang Yu met a Foundation Establishment Stage law enforcement cultivator. He looked young, with fine features, though his complexion was a somewhat sickly pale. At the moment, he was looking at Wang Yu with clear impatience.

This was bad!

He had nearly forgotten. The people serving in places like this were all second-generation disciples with deep sect backgrounds. They had to work night duty when he came over at night—his own second-generation status was a little hollow.

Grumbling inwardly, Wang Yu stepped forward and respectfully said,

"Outer Sect disciple Wang Yu pays respects to Steward."

"Spit it out... Coming to bother me in the middle of the night. If you can't give me a proper reason, I'll skin you alive."

Zhuo Shouqing looked thoroughly impatient. Three days ago, while arranging flowers and playing with jade alongside a group of colleagues, he had bragged and made a bet. Who would have thought he would be the fastest to finish? Thus, for the next year, he was the one assigned to night duty at the Law Enforcement Hall.

Whenever he thought of it, he hated his own lack of strength, and Wang Yu consequently became unpleasant to look at.

Rather than being alarmed by this attitude, Wang Yu was delighted. Having emotions was good!

He was not afraid of someone having emotions. He feared someone who was a venomous snake, hiding in the dark where there was no way to manipulate them with words.

With a thud, Wang Yu collapsed limply onto the ground, as though he had been frightened senseless.

"This disciple dares not lie. It is Xu's Pill Shop—they tricked this disciple into signing tyrannical terms and use me, a One-Armed Alchemist, like livestock! They aren't human!

"Even so, Wang Yu could endure it. But that manager is even worse. He squeezes the four alchemists at the pill shop dry, seeking obscene profits of over a hundred thousand Spirit Stones. My brother Zhou Tao refined pills until he vomited blood, yet they still forced him to keep refining.

"He said that in this Inverse Spirit Blood Sect, his Zhu Clan is the heavens! That the Law Enforcement Hall is all their dogs!"

The more Wang Yu fabricated, the more outrageous it became; the more he spoke, the smoother it flowed. He rattled off a great heap of words. Yet in Zhuo Shouqing's ears, only the phrase "over a hundred thousand Spirit Stones" registered, and his eyes immediately turned as fierce as a wolf's.

"Outrageous!"

"Brazen beyond measure!"

"My Zhuo Clan does not even dare claim to cover the sky with one hand. What kind of Worthless Trash is the Zhu Clan? Come with me."

"Wang Yu obeys."

"Someone, prepare to raid the house. I want to see whose sect this really is!"