A Huge Order

With a flash of green, Lin Xiao rushed into the Pill Qi Lingxiao Hall. The hall was filled with elders of the Great Luo Pill Dao in purple and light purple robes. Disciples like Lin Xiao, wearing apricot-yellow daoist robes, were rare, with only two disciples in charge of the bells and gongs, who were seasoned disciples who had formed their Golden Cores past the age of a hundred. Lin Xiao, flustered and panicked, stumbled into the great hall, immediately drawing several astonished gazes.

Inside the spacious Pill Qi Lingxiao Hall, Daoist Danling sat in the center. Beside him sat an old daoist with a youthful face and white hair, his two yellowed long eyebrows drooping to his chest. The old daoist wore a coarse linen white daoist robe, with a small jade whisk tucked into his collar. A white ponytail hung down behind his head, blending with his slightly messy long hair. The old daoist was barefoot, and his feet, a foot and a half long, were smooth as jade and white as ivory, appearing quite divine. But what shocked Lin Xiao the most was the vertical eye on the old daoist's forehead.

This vertical eye on the old daoist's forehead was two inches long, extending from his brow to his hairline. A purplish-gold iris spun erratically within, with wisps of golden lightning flowing, exuding an imposing aura. The old daoist merely glanced at Lin Xiao, and Lin Xiao felt as if a bolt of heavenly lightning had struck his face. He lost his footing, and after just entering the hall, he stumbled backward more than ten steps.

Behind the old daoist stood five young men, dressed as scholars, daoists, monks, merchants, and farmers. Each was full of vigor, their eyes shining with sharp light, and they were all astonished as they sized up Lin Xiao. Their cultivation was far superior to Lin Xiao's, so they naturally saw at a glance that Lin Xiao had already formed his Golden Core. However, Lin Xiao's age was indeed too young.

The old daoist cleared his throat and smiled at Daoist Danling, "Sect Leader Danling, may I ask who this young friend is?"

Daoist Danling smiled slightly and nodded reservedly at the old daoist, "Senior Jiang, this is Lin Xiao, the disciple of my junior brother Dan Fusheng. Yes, as Senior can see, he is only eighteen years old this year, yet he has already formed his Golden Core. This is also a great joyous occasion for our Great Luo Pill Dao, we just haven't had the time to announce it to all our fellow cultivators yet."

Eighteen years old, forming a Golden Core!

If it were in the cultivation world thousands of years ago, many exceptionally talented prodigies could have achieved this. But in the current cultivation world, where spiritual energy is scarce, forming a Golden Core by the age of a hundred is considered a stroke of luck. For those with good aptitude, good fortune, and a sect willing to invest heavily in their cultivation, forming a Golden Core by sixty is already an extraordinary achievement. Lin Xiao forming a Golden Core at eighteen is something that hasn't happened in thousands of years! The old daoist Jiang stared at Lin Xiao in shock, and a golden light shot out from his vertical eye towards Lin Xiao.

The golden light was extremely fast and struck Lin Xiao head-on. Lin Xiao's mind moved, and the Scattering Light Scarf flew out from his storage bracelet, transforming into a cascade of colorful mist that protected his entire body. The golden light collided with the mist, immediately emitting crisp cracking sounds. The colorful mist formed by the Scattering Light Scarf was suppressed by the golden light, shrinking into a thin halo that clung to Lin Xiao's body. The halo trembled, seemingly on the verge of being shattered by the golden light at any moment. Lin Xiao instinctively let out a roar, and a surge of true essence flowed into the Scattering Light Scarf. Instantly, mist rose again, and a lively, agile colorful mist surged up to a height of ten feet, forcing the golden light back by three feet.

"Enough! I, Demon Subduing True Man Jiang Zizai, have actually suffered a loss at the hands of a junior!" The old daoist Jiang chuckled heartily, glanced at Lin Xiao in astonishment, and nodded, "Good child, indeed a good child. Well, it's not good for my reputation to bully a junior, especially when I've suffered a loss. This 'Black Tortoise Ring' is also a protective magical artifact, and its quality is a bit better than this handkerchief. Well, child, take it and play with it!"

The old daoist casually tossed it, and a black light shot into Lin Xiao's hand. Lin Xiao felt his palm sink. The black ring, no thicker than a teacup mouth, that the old daoist had thrown weighed over a hundred pounds, clearly a remarkable magical artifact. Lin Xiao briefly examined the black ring. It was glossy black, with a relief carving of a Black Tortoise divine beast. The Black Tortoise's long neck stretched out, in a posture of roaring at the sky. The ring was neither gold nor jade, and it was unclear what material it was forged from. It was incredibly deep within, and a faint, moist aura seeped out.

Before Lin Xiao could discern the mysteries of the Black Tortoise Ring, Daoist Danling, with a face full of smiles, loudly exclaimed, "Xiao'er, why don't you quickly thank Senior Jiang?"

Lin Xiao hurriedly stepped forward and bowed to the old daoist Jiang, "This junior, Lin Xiao, thanks Senior Jiang."

The old daoist Jiang waved his hand casually and chuckled heartily, "This is your prize for winning, so you don't need to thank this old man. I'm ashamed, ashamed. My 'Golden Light Thunder Divine Eye' suffered a slight loss for the first time today, and I still lost to a mere child who just reached the Golden Core Stage. Hahaha, if I don't give him a little something to cover my embarrassment, I won't be able to walk in the cultivation world anymore."

Daoist Danling quickly smiled, "This is Xiao'er's luck, and also Senior's kind favor. Who in the cultivation world doesn't know the power of Senior's Golden Light Thunder Divine Eye?"

The old daoist Jiang stroked his long eyebrows and chuckled heartily, his laughter filled with joy.

Only Dan Fusheng, standing to the side of the hall, tilted his head and glanced askance at Daoist Danling, his face full of displeasure. Dan Fusheng was a bit jealous that Daoist Danling called Lin Xiao "Xiao'er" so affectionately. Lin Xiao was clearly his disciple, Dan Fusheng, and Lin Xiao forming his Golden Core was a matter of his own prestige. Even if Daoist Danling wanted to address Lin Xiao, "Nephew" would have sufficed, but why call him "Xiao'er"! Could it be that Daoist Danling harbored some improper intentions towards Lin Xiao? Dan Fusheng's guard was immediately raised.

Daoist Danling seemed to sense Dan Fusheng's thoughts. He turned his head and grinned at Dan Fusheng before quickly turning back to ask the old daoist Jiang, "May I ask Senior Jiang, what brings you here today?"

Lin Xiao had already gotten up and was standing obediently behind Dan Fusheng. The old daoist Jiang's five disciples were still constantly observing Lin Xiao, clearly wondering how he managed to form his Golden Core at the age of eighteen. Compared to the composed old daoist Jiang, his five disciples were clearly far inferior in their mastery of composure.

Dan Fusheng, however, transmitted a message to Lin Xiao, explaining the old daoist Jiang's background.

It was said that Demon Subduing True Man Jiang Zizai was a master from Daoist Danling's grand-master's generation. His extremely powerful Golden Light Thunder Divine Eye had slain countless demons and monsters, making him one of the three renowned independent cultivators in the cultivation world. Jiang Zizai was known for his generosity and righteousness, his chivalry and loyalty. All these wonderful words could be attributed to Jiang Zizai. His actions were always open and upright, just and fair. Even the friends and relatives of the demons and monsters he killed had to admit that those he killed had it coming.

It was precisely because Jiang Zizai had arrived that Daoist Danling had ordered the ringing of the golden bells and jade chimes, summoning all disciples of Spring Return Valley who had cultivated to the Golden Core Stage or above, as a sign of respect for Jiang Zizai. Naturally, the elders of the "Qi," "Ling," and "Xiao" generations of the Great Luo Pill Dao, who had already gone into seclusion, would not appear. They had long been in closed-door cultivation in their secret chambers and had no interest in worldly affairs.

Lin Xiao finally understood the situation. Jiang Zizai's status and prestige were enough to warrant the appearance of all the "Dan" generation disciples of the Great Luo Pill Dao to welcome him, given his seniority. Since his sect's elders were too lazy to greet guests, it was up to the juniors to make up for quality with quantity, to show respect and importance to Jiang Zizai.

Daoist Danling was asking Jiang Zizai why he had come to Spring Return Valley. Jiang Zizai, however, sat there smiling, stroking his long eyebrows. After a long while, he slowly nodded, "Your sect has been able to cultivate a disciple who formed his Golden Core at eighteen, which indicates that the art of alchemy of the Great Luo Pill Dao has made great progress. I have come at the right time today."

Daoist Danling's back straightened. He opened his mouth and launched into a lengthy boast, attributing all the credit for Lin Xiao forming his Golden Core to the pills of the Great Luo Pill Dao. From laying the foundation, drawing in qi, condensing qi, to opening up the meridians throughout the body, attracting the spiritual marrow of heaven and earth to form the Golden Core, then using pills to remove inner demons, and using pills to replenish vital energy and stabilize the foundation, and so on. Daoist Danling's speech was so animated that it was as if the Great Luo Pill Dao had completely mastered the method of artificially creating Golden Core Stage experts in a short period of time.

The old daoist Jiang listened, stunned. His five disciples behind him exchanged bewildered glances, speechless for a long time. Forming a Golden Core was such a difficult matter in the current cultivation world, yet in Daoist Danling's words, it seemed so effortless? As if it were as simple as drinking a glass of water, the Golden Core was formed?

After Daoist Danling had boasted for a while, he finally concluded, "In short, no matter what Senior Jiang needs, finding our Great Luo Pill Dao is always the right choice. The pills of our Great Luo Pill Dao are absolutely the best in the entire cultivation world. If you say there are other sects whose pills can compare to our Great Luo Pill Dao, I ask, do they have any eighteen-year-old Golden Core Stage disciples in their sect?"

His face twitched, and the old daoist Jiang quickly waved his hand, "No, no, absolutely not. The pills of the Great Luo Pill Dao are naturally top-notch in the cultivation world. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to visit today." After a moment of contemplation, the old daoist Jiang smiled at Daoist Danling, "I have come today for this very matter. Disciples, bring out the prepared medicinal ingredients."

The old daoist Jiang's five disciples immediately sprang into action. They walked to the center of the Pill Qi Lingxiao Hall and took out a huge quantity of rare medicinal ingredients from their storage rings. Thousand-year-old Fire Lotus, Snow Lotus, He Shou Wu, Ginseng, and Purple Ganoderma were considered common items. There were even seven stalks of spiritual herbs and medicinal plants that had matured for ten thousand years! Ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines! In this era of scarce spiritual energy, ordinary spiritual medicines, lacking sufficient nourishment from spiritual energy, would be remarkable if they reached three to five hundred years of age. Yet here were seven ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines!

Ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines! Even in the era thousands of years ago when the cultivation world was rich in spiritual energy and experts were everywhere, they were extremely rare and precious items. How much more so now?

Daoist Danling's eyes widened. He stared fiercely at the pile of medicinal ingredients, which formed a small mountain about ten feet high, and panted heavily.

The dozens of elders of the Great Luo Pill Dao in the hall had their eyes gleaming green. Their gazes flickered between the pile of medicinal ingredients and the master and disciples of the old daoist Jiang. Lin Xiao had the illusion that these old daoists might want to kill and rob them, keeping the six of them, master and disciples, in Spring Return Valley to monopolize this batch of medicinal ingredients.

After a full incense stick's worth of time, Daoist Danling finally recovered from the sight of the mountain of precious medicinal ingredients. He coughed somewhat sheepishly and bowed to the old daoist Jiang, "Senior Jiang, these medicinal ingredients, what are your intentions with them?"

The old daoist Jiang had already noticed the strange expressions of the elders of the Great Luo Pill Dao. Stroking his long eyebrows, he smiled faintly and said calmly, "This old man plans to establish a sect at the 'Floating Sea' and recruit many disciples. Therefore, I need a large quantity of pills for preparation. I will trouble all of you fellow daoists. Please refine all the basic pills required for establishing a sect. As for the precious high-grade pills, please refine a few for me as well, if you are able to!"

"This is a very easy matter," Daoist Danling replied casually, then suddenly realized, "What? You're going to establish a sect?"

Whoosh, all the daoists in the hall simultaneously turned to look at the old daoist Jiang. Demon Subduing True Man Jiang Zizai was going to establish a sect? This renowned independent cultivator, one of the three great independent cultivators, was going to establish a sect? The Floating Sea? It was only two interstellar teleportation arrays away from the planet where the Great Luo Pill Dao was located, considered a close neighbor. However, wasn't the Floating Sea occupied by a powerful demonic sect leader, 'Black Bone Monk'? How could the old daoist Jiang establish a sect there?

"Could it be! You've already...?" Daoist Danling looked at the old daoist Jiang in horror.

"Indeed, the Black Bone Monk has already perished under this old man's sword!" The old daoist Jiang laughed proudly. The golden eye on his forehead flickered, and wisps of electric light shot out nearly a foot, creating a fearsome spectacle.

Daoist Danling and the other daoists of the Great Luo Pill Dao simultaneously stood at attention and cupped their hands to the old daoist Jiang, "Senior has once again performed immeasurable merit. Congratulations, congratulations!"

The old daoist Jiang smiled slightly and nodded, "Likewise, likewise. Such evil demonic fiends should not exist in the human world. This time, this old man obtained an ancient exotic treasure, which broke through the naturally formed 'Profound Yin Water Fiend' restriction of the Floating Sea. Only then did I charge into the Black Bone Monk's lair and slay him. These few ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines were discovered in the deepest sea eye of the Floating Sea."

Before Daoist Danling and the others could offer further pleasantries, the old daoist Jiang waved his hand, "Help me refine pills. I plan to recruit about a thousand disciples in the first batch. The spiritual energy of the Floating Sea can barely support a thousand people. You are the experts on what pills need to be refined, so you decide! Half of the medicinal ingredients on the ground will be your reward!"

Half of the numerous spiritual ingredients on the ground as reward?

Heavens! A massive pie fell from the sky, leaving Daoist Danling, Daoist Danyu, Dan Fusheng, and the others dizzy!

Daoist Danling stared blankly at a "Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi" among the seven ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines, his heart trembling, "A ten-thousand-year-old Thousand-Leaf Lingzhi! It can be refined into a 'Three Lights Nascent God Pill'. Such a large stalk can yield about seven pills! Our sect will have seven more Nascent Soul Stage experts!"

Daoist Danyu, with a salivating gaze, looked at a blood-red ten-thousand-year-old Blood Lotus Root. His body tensed and trembled intermittently. He pondered, "What kind of pill would be best to refine this piece of blood-red lotus root with? The 'Calamity Dispelling Pill' that can heal a Nascent Soul? The 'Tribulation Transformation Pill' that can repair a Primordial Spirit? Or the 'Nine-Nine Form Casting Powder' that can treat a damaged physical body?"

Dan Fusheng also wanted to let his imagination run wild, but Danxia reached out and pinched a tender piece of flesh on his soft spot with great force. The intense pain made him open his mouth and roar silently, but he no longer had the mind to fantasize about what amazing pills could be refined from these few ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines!

Danxia's eyes shone as she looked at a "Purple Tassel Herb" among the seven ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines, almost drooling from the corners of her mouth.

"Year Solidifying Pill, Year Solidifying Pill! Once consumed, eternal youth and agelessness! The Year Solidifying Pill!" Danxia's fingers tightened their grip, and Dan Fusheng's face gradually turned pale and then green, his mouth twitching.

Seeing Dan Fusheng's pitiful state, Lin Xiao cautiously took a step back.

Suddenly, the alarm bells rang throughout Spring Return Valley, and the cries of countless disciples echoed, "Disaster! Disaster! The back mountain is on fire! Quick, come and help!"

"Heavens, over a dozen mountain peaks in the back mountain are on fire at the same time! Someone hurry and help put it out!"

"Master, Master, the back mountain is on fire!"

"Sect Leader Uncle-Master, the entire back mountain is on fire!"

The back mountain of Spring Return Valley is on fire?

The Daoists in the main hall looked at each other, unsure of what had happened.

Danxia instinctively turned to look at Lin Xiao and suddenly noticed the empty scabbard on his back. Danxia asked in alarm, "Xiao'er, where is your Crimson Dragon Sword?"

Lin Xiao instinctively replied, "Senior Sister Yao'er took it to the back mountain to catch wild chickens!" Cold sweat suddenly drenched Lin Xiao's back, soaking his clothes.

"What?"

The elders of the Great Luo Pill Dao exclaimed in unison, "Yao'er took the Crimson Dragon Sword to the back mountain? Quick, quick, go put out the fire!"

With a whooshing sound, the elders of the Great Luo Pill Dao scattered from the main hall, leaving only Lin Xiao standing foolishly in place, staring blankly at Jiang Zizai and his disciples.

With a rumble, thunder suddenly sounded in the sky above Spring Return Valley. Some Daoists had already begun performing rituals to summon rain to extinguish the mountain fire.

Slowly, the heavy rain began to pour down. (To be continued)