Seeking a New Peak

"There's no impenetrable wall in this world! I have my own channels to learn these things."

Huang Shanyu saw this and smiled smugly.

From the very beginning, he had known quite a bit about the recent situation at Heavenly Medicine Mountain and had roughly guessed the reason for Su Hao's worried expression. He had deliberately waited until now to reveal it.

"But he was in seclusion before, how could he suddenly offend… Right, someone died suddenly at Heavenly Medicine Mountain before, those mummified corpses looked miserable. I heard it was due to Essence Absorption. Someone wants to absorb my Master's essence, right!"

Su Hao exclaimed in surprise.

"Heh heh, you've misunderstood.

Only a few female disciples on Joy Peak don't follow the rules and leave to hunt servants or cultivators.

But they wouldn't target Alchemist Lin. After all, alchemists are rare in the Outer Sect, and they might need Alchemist Lin's help in the future.

Therefore, without a deep-seated hatred, no one would deal with Alchemist Lin.

Someone being absorbed for essence at Heavenly Medicine Mountain was likely the work of Liu Mei. This woman is the most beautiful on Joy Peak, nicknamed the Crimson Moon Fairy.

Her seductive arts are peerless. With every frown and smile, even her senior disciples with higher cultivation might not be able to resist her.

Lin Zhi Shan is concerned about his reputation. If he were to stumble upon this matter, he might act against Liu Mei to save face.

Whether it's a Medicine Slave or that Lin Miao, they aren't worth the two of them taking serious action!

Liu Mei's fame for her beauty is widespread, with countless admirers. She is an object of admiration for the young female disciples of Joy Peak, and she is quite protective of her own.

However, I heard that one of Liu Mei's junior sisters died. If Lin Zhi Shan killed her, then it would make sense."

Huang Shanyu took a sip of tea and analyzed slowly, with a hint of smugness, as if he had seen through everything.

Su Hao listened quietly, occasionally showing a look of bewilderment.

In his heart, he breathed a sigh of relief. What Huang Shanyu knew was limited to the information Su Hao had revealed to Huang Jiao and others.

Most likely, Heavenly Medicine Mountain had his informants.

"So, the person who injured my Master is Liu Mei?" Su Hao frowned deeply.

His expression was constantly observed by Huang Shanyu.

There was anger and fear in it.

Huang Shanyu's attitude became more casual, "It's certain. In my opinion, your Master must have been thinking about it more and more these past few days, fearing that Fairy Liu would find some backers or suitors to trouble him, so he simply went out to avoid the storm."

"Ah? Is there a place safer than the Sect? If worst comes to worst, Master could completely find connections and negotiate this matter. Leaving the Sect would make him even more vulnerable."

Su Hao asked doubtfully.

"There's always someone stronger. If Liu Mei is truly determined and uses her influence to deal with Alchemist Lin, even if Alchemist Lin's alchemy skills were several times higher, it would be difficult for him to protect himself!

Of course, using influence and finding backers is less likely. As far as I know, Liu Mei is arrogant. Someone once joked that she was already claimed by an Elder from the Inner Sect, and that person died that very night, hanging from a pillar in the plaza.

To deal with Lin Zhi Shan, she probably wouldn't go to the Inner Sect for connections or influence.

But for Lin Zhi Shan, it concerns his life and safety. Even a sliver of possibility is enough to make him lose sleep.

If I were him, I would definitely find a way to avoid her sharp edge and temporarily leave the Sect secretly, concealing my whereabouts. It's the most sensible approach."

Huang Shanyu pondered and analyzed.

He hadn't expected the situation to be so serious; it might even affect Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's pill business.

"This is acceptable? If Master doesn't dare to come back in the future, what's the difference between that and betraying the Sect? Would the Sect let him off?" Su Hao continued his act.

"Whether his departure constitutes betraying the Sect is not something you or I can judge. Besides, you can think of this, can't your Master?

He has his own connections. After hiding for a while and when Fairy Liu's anger subsides, he can find a respected mediator to negotiate. At most, he'll pay a heavy price as compensation and apologize, and the matter will be settled.

This cultivation world, it's all about human relationships and influence!"

Huang Shanyu lectured.

"I see… According to you, Fairy Liu has a very strong background and deep connections. She must be a descendant of an Inner Sect Elder. But what does 'claimed' mean?"

Su Hao's every move made him seem more and more like a novice just starting out.

Huang Shanyu's confidence grew as he watched his performance, though his expression became a bit more serious. "This is not a topic you and I can discuss."

He changed the subject, "If I were you, I should be thinking about how to protect myself now!"

"What do you mean by that?" Su Hao feigned ignorance.

"Think about it, your Master has left the Sect to avoid trouble, but you, as Lin Zhi Shan's disciple, are still in the Sect.

If Fairy Liu recovers and leaves seclusion, what do you think she will do?" Huang Shanyu showed a gloating smile.

"..."

Su Hao's mouth twitched.

If he hadn't considered this point, why would he have come to find Huang Shanyu today!

"Hahaha, scared, aren't you?" Huang Shanyu burst into laughter.

"Of course. I'm just a cultivator at Qi Refining Level 3, I've only been cultivating for a few days, and my cultivation is entirely built on pills. Forget someone like Fairy Liu, even any official disciple at Qi Refining Level 1 could kill me like swatting a fly."

Su Hao said helplessly.

Huang Shanyu glanced at him and shook his head in dissatisfaction, "There's nothing I can do about that. Who told you your Master killed a female disciple from Joy Peak? Sigh... that guy is really muddled!"

"Besides, you used your Master's name to come to my Heavenly Treasure Pavilion back then, taking pills and borrowing 200 spirit stones interest-free. There's no such thing as taking advantage without taking any risks. Now, just consider yourself unlucky!

Phew, luckily I was a bit more careful. When you took the pills for your Master back then, I gave Alchemist Lin pills equivalent in value to his recent profit share.

Otherwise, I would have been implicated too."

He said this, feeling a surge of annoyance.

Lin Zhishan wouldn't be back anytime soon, and leaving Su Hao at Heavenly Medicine Mountain clearly meant abandoning him to his fate. There was no affection between master and disciple.

In other words, Su Hao had no value and had already been discarded as a pawn!

All his previous goodwill had been wasted! His favors were all for nothing!

There was no need to be so polite to Su Hao anymore!

"Old Huang, you have to save me," Su Hao pleaded.

"How can I possibly save you? I'm just a shopkeeper, relying on the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's name and the protection of its owner.

Once I step outside this door.

Liu Mei could kill me without any consequences. How could I possibly have the right to protect you?"

Huang Shanyu waved his hand, preparing to see him out.

"How about I join Heavenly Treasure Pavilion?"

Su Hao, as if not noticing Huang Shanyu's change in attitude.

This was the solution he had painstakingly come up with these past few days.

Without Lin Zhishan to draw hatred, he either had to act himself and reveal his strength, or find a backer. The only person he could talk to was the shopkeeper of Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

"You? Heavenly Treasure Pavilion isn't a place you can just join.

Let alone you, even disciples at Qi Refining Level 8 or 9 need connections and background to join Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. The waiting list is booked until the year after next."

Huang Shanyu glanced askance at Su Hao, just a novice who wasn't even considered an alchemy apprentice, and hadn't even touched the Pill Dao. There was no need to waste time on him!

He picked up his tea again, took a sip, and slowly gestured with his chin, "Su Hao, you should go. Don't bother seeing me out."

"I... I can refine pills!"

Su Hao pondered for two seconds and said very seriously.

"You can refine pills?!" Huang Shanyu burst into laughter, "You were almost refined into a medicine slave by Lin Zhishan yourself. You got lucky."

"He discovered you had some talent in the Pill Dao or something he appreciated, so he took you as a formal disciple. But there are countless Outer Sect disciples, and there are more than just you with talent in the Pill Dao. Your Master spent twenty to thirty years, and indeed has outstanding talent in alchemy, to achieve what he has today."

"How long have you been a disciple? It's fine if you've mastered many pill recipes, but it takes at least three to five years to refine independently. As for refining a pill like the Pure Qi Pill, achieving a success rate of thirty percent would be at least ten years from now.

Moreover, we have a few alchemists of that caliber at Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. Do you think Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's pill business is solely supported by your Master?"

Huang Shanyu became more and more impatient, waving his hand, signaling a servant to escort him out.

"These are the pills I refined these past two days. Old Huang, please take a look before you decide!"

Su Hao, unfazed by the other's attitude, held a white, lustrous pill in his right palm.