Siphoning Immortal Qi

Chapter 24: Chasing the Immortal Aura

That night, a bonfire was lit in front of the ancestral hall. In the center of the plaza stood a bronze cauldron, the very same one the Spirit Medium had left in Linjiang Township for offerings to the River God.

Just this cauldron alone spoke volumes about the Spirit Medium's wealth and the riches she had extorted from the surrounding villages over generations.

In this area by the great river, the Spirit Medium's influence and control surpassed that of the imperial court. Who dared defy her word in the ten-mile radius? If she decreed a family's child be sacrificed to the River God, they had no choice but to comply, lest their entire family perish, or even the whole village or township be implicated.

Even the County Magistrate dared not offend her, turning a blind eye to her transgressions.

Despite the late hour, the crowd around the plaza did not dwindle; instead, it grew.

People from the surrounding villages had been gathering here all afternoon, none willing to miss the chance to witness an Immortal. Many had brought their entire families, hoping to catch a whiff of the Immortal's aura.

And that was not all; an Immortal was about to refine an Elixir here, something only heard of in myths and legends.

"Such a large cauldron? Is an Immortal truly going to refine an Elixir?" A Brocade-robed Elder, arriving in a hurry, appeared to be of high status and possessed an extraordinary demeanor. He was accompanied by several house guards.

"Of course! The Immortal slew the River Demon, but sadly, those three children were poisoned by that wicked Spirit Medium. This is a truly benevolent, living Immortal, who is about to refine an Elixir to save the three children," the Gentry beside him said, seemingly captivated by the Immortal's noble bearing and character, his words filled with reverence and admiration.

"As for this Elixir, everyone says that even just inhaling its aura, let alone consuming it, can add years to one's life," said an old woman holding her grandson's hand.

"Youngster Sun Er is blessed to be able to consume an Immortal's Elixir." This was clearly someone from Shiqiao Village, familiar with Sun Er, speaking with a mix of envy and jealousy.

"The Immortal said that consuming the Elixir will not only cure illnesses but also guarantee one's rise to prominence. Those who study will become great officials, and those who practice martial arts will become generals."

This person then added in a hushed tone, "Perhaps they might even become Immortals themselves?"

"What? Li Lao Er's son will become an Immortal after consuming the Elixir?" someone nearby immediately spread the word.

"Not only will they become Immortals, but they will ascend to heaven, at the very least being granted the title of Great Immortal." The rumor spread further, becoming even more exaggerated.

Eventually, some even claimed that the Immortal was refining the Elixir to bring everyone along to ascend to immortality and heaven.

Through the grapevine, the crowd became excited, creating the magnificent scene that unfolded before them.

Therefore, when Gao Xian learned that everything was ready and emerged from the ancestral hall, he was met with such a sight: thousands of people with eyes shining brightly in the darkness, all gazing at him.

"?"

Although somewhat puzzled, Gao Xian focused his attention on refining the Elixir.

He sat cross-legged before the large cauldron in the center of the plaza. With a flick of his sword finger, the Azure Dragon Sword, embedded in the serpent's head, began to hum.

Gao Xian drew the sword, and the sealed serpent's blood shot into the sky like a river.

General Donkey immediately spewed forth flames, merging with the serpent's blood.

Water and fire mingled, like yin and yang, swirling and dancing in the sky.

The villagers from the surrounding areas had never witnessed such a spectacle. Waves of astonished cries erupted, and everyone stared at the scene in the sky, mesmerized.

"It truly is an Immortal refining an Elixir here! This is an auspicious omen, a great omen!" The Brocade-robed Elder from before was, in fact, the local County Magistrate. He was so excited that his beard trembled. Such an auspicious event in his jurisdiction could be considered a significant achievement, potentially leading to a promotion in the next performance review.

The great serpent's blood was continuously refined, transforming into blood essence that washed down into the cauldron.

As the serpent's blood was drained, the entire great serpent lost its luster. Its silvery scales turned dull, devoid of its former ferocity.

Gao Xian then struck the large cauldron. One by one, materials were extracted by the divine fire, turning into spiritual essences that fell into the cauldron.

Gao Xian slammed the ground, and a heavy lid sealed the bubbling cauldron.

Using the blood of a monstrous beast and various medicinal ingredients, the divine ability's fire purified impurities.

Although the Elixir was not yet complete, the cauldron was now filled with spiritual essence, evident from its constant vibrations.

It was as if the giant serpent was thrashing about inside.

This miraculous Elixir refining technique left the villagers sweating profusely, their excitement making them dance with joy. At this moment, they had no doubt about the Immortal before them.

"So this is how an Elixir is refined."

"That Spirit Medium used to scare people with the River Demon all the time. She was nothing compared to a true Immortal."

"The Immortal must have been sent from heaven. Heaven knew the Spirit Medium had done too much evil, so it sent an Immortal to help us in the ten-mile radius slay the River Demon."

The cauldron simmered under the fierce flames, and the bronze cauldron gradually calmed down.

Then, a fragrance permeated the air.

This scent did not enter through the nose or mouth but seemed to seep directly into everyone's minds. Everyone felt that the most wonderful fragrance in the world could not compare to this.

In an instant, everyone, inside and out, fell silent, as if immersed in the aroma.

It wasn't until the Elixir was formed and the cauldron was reopened, filled with radiant light, that everyone snapped back to reality.

"What's going on? I feel full of energy." Everyone felt remarkably well, as if they had an inexhaustible supply of strength.

"It really is an Elixir. Even the immortal aura has such an effect."

In an instant, everyone prostrated themselves before Gao Xian, shouting various slogans in a chaotic manner.

"Thank you, Immortal, for your blessings."

"Thank you, Immortal, for your blessings…"

At this point, Gao Xian had already collected the Rejuvenation Pill from the cauldron and approached the three children sitting in front of the ancestral hall. He placed the three pills into their mouths.

The eyes of everyone present followed the white light flowing beneath the skin of the three children, and then a steaming heat emanated from their bodies.

After a long while, the three children, who had been sickly and pale, instantly became full of life. They jumped off the table and were embraced by their overjoyed families, one by one.

"Wonderful!"

"They've been saved!"

"Saved."

Despite their envy and jealousy, many of those present were also happy for the three families.

Gao Xian dismissed the three families who were holding their children and constantly expressing their gratitude. He carefully tucked the box full of Rejuvenation Pills into his embrace and summoned a few village elders.

Although the problems with the three boys were resolved, Gao Xian was not at ease.

This method of refining human spiritual essence to feed strange beasts was no ordinary feat; it was definitely not something an ordinary person from the martial world could accomplish. He had a nagging feeling that this matter was not as simple as it seemed.

It was a pity that the Spirit Medium was already dead, and Gao Xian had found nothing useful on her. He suspected everything of value was likely within her old lair.

Gao Xian inquired about the Spirit Medium, and the village elders exchanged glances before speaking one after another.

"This old man doesn't know the full details either. This Spirit Medium has been passed down from generation to generation for at least a hundred years. However, in the past, she was just an ordinary Spirit Medium. It was only about a few decades ago that she truly started forcing us to make sacrifices to the River Demon."

"That's right. That year, the great river breached its banks, and our area was devastated. The Spirit Medium claimed the River God was angry and demanded sacrifices to him, promising good weather in return."

Another elder, dressed in a long gown, said, "This Spirit Medium has always lived in Ping'an Township, where there is a River God Temple."

"Moreover, her disciples are not from our surrounding villages; they come from Jiangting Commandery city. She never accepts anyone from our villages as a disciple, so she likely has connections with certain individuals in the city."

Gao Xian nodded. He had let those black-clothed men go earlier precisely to lull them into a false sense of security, making them believe he wouldn't deal with them, and then capture them all at once.

The Daoist turned his back and sighed, speaking with a compassionate tone, "These people are acting as henchmen for evil, and their martial arts are extraordinary."

"If I were still here, I could suppress them. But if I leave, you might face retaliation."

"It seems that to eradicate evil, one must be thorough."

The village elders, who had been worried about this matter, were overjoyed to hear this.

"This old man will immediately organize the people from the surrounding villages to go to the River God Temple tonight and capture them all."

The Daoist nodded. "The strong men under the Spirit Medium have all practiced martial arts. You might not be their match and could suffer greatly if you go."

"General Donkey, you go and bring back all those people from the River God Temple."

"General Donkey obeys!" With that, the donkey trotted forward eagerly. The donkey had been itching to go out and have some fun.

Without Gao Xian restraining him, the donkey felt like a fish in the ocean, with boundless skies above and vast seas below.

Don't let its timid demeanor under Great Immortal Kongchen fool you; this creature is a genuine ferocious god. Unleashed, it is a peerless demon capable of wreaking havoc upon the world.