Li Yang's Petty Mind and Old Daoist Qi Yuan's Impending Social Death

"Senior Brother, be careful!"

"Boom!"

On Lesser Qiong Peak, in the alchemy room, the furnace toppled. With Li Yang's cry of alarm, the furnace exploded, its lid flying off violently and slamming Li Changshou against the wall.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk!"

Li Yang clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Senior Brother, I told you to be careful—how did you still end up like this?"

Li Changshou landed on the ground, twisting his neck, his face dark as thunder.

"My good Junior Brother, tell me—whose exploding furnace only sends the lid flying? And a hundred and eight times at that? Are you trying to piece together the Circulating Star Dou for me?"

Li Yang's eyes widened as he shouted, "Senior Brother, what are you doing? What are you saying? Are you doubting your Junior Brother?

The reason our furnace only blows its lid off is precisely because the furnace's quality is good enough!

How dare you suspect me?"

The Senior Brother had long known that Li Yang was petty-minded. "Then tell me—whose furnace explodes a hundred and eight times in a row? Are you, an alchemist who never has furnace explosions, a fake? Dare you say this isn't you getting back at me?"

Li Yang: "Nonsense! How am I someone who never has furnace explosions? That's just because you weren't there when mine exploded, Senior Brother. I've had plenty.

Besides, for a new pill, a mere hundred and eight explosions is all just accumulating experience. What's wrong with a few blasts?

And who's getting back at you? Have you ever offended me? When?"

Neither of them bothered to explain much, just firing off a string of counter-questions.

But Li Changshou was fuming. This Junior Brother really was... really was...

"Forget it. Give me the Immortal Solace Grass. I'll refine it myself."

Li Changshou decided he wouldn't take this crap anymore. The formation was already set up anyway; he might as well do it himself.

"It's gone!"

Li Yang clutched his Storage Pouch, staring at his Senior Brother warily.

"Gone?"

Li Changshou looked at Li Yang with an expression that said, "Do you take me for a fool?" But Li Yang didn't fall for it. Instead, he put on a look of grievance and caution, pulling a jade box from his Storage Pouch.

"Senior Brother, look—this is the Melting Immortal Pill."

Li Changshou was stunned for a moment, then quickly snatched the jade box and opened it. Inside, a single pill sat carelessly in the center.

He gently picked it up and sniffed it.

"It really is a Melting Immortal Pill. But Junior Brother, when did you refine it?"

From the moment Li Changshou had given Li Yang the Immortal Solace Grass, the alchemy had been under his watchful eye. He'd seen every one of the hundred and eight furnace explosions clearly.

There was no way Li Yang had smuggled the grass away.

Li Yang's tone was puzzled. "From that last batch just now?"

"Didn't it explode... Wait."

Li Changshou caught on, staring hard at Li Yang.

"Don't tell me you only got one Melting Immortal Pill from two stalks of Immortal Solace Grass."

Li Yang grinned and gave his Senior Brother a thumbs-up.

"Senior Brother, you guessed it exactly right."

"I..."

Li Changshou nearly choked on his breath, then roared at Li Yang.

"Getting back at me is one thing, but even your alchemy kickback isn't this outrageous! How many did you actually refine??"

Li Yang gave a sheepish, guilty laugh, then pulled out another jade box.

"Just two!"

Li Changshou stood expressionless, silent, just holding out his hand with a look that said, "Do you really think I believe that?"

Helpless, Li Yang compromised and brought out another jade box.

"This one's for Ling'e. Really, that's all."

Seeing Li Yang's earnest expression, Li Changshou knew the guy still had plenty stashed away.

But three Melting Immortal Pills were enough. More would be useless.

"Fine. I'll trust you for now."

Putting away the Melting Immortal Pills, Li Changshou signaled the matter was dropped, while Li Yang cheerfully did the math in his head.

'Two stalks of Immortal Solace Grass, yielded eighteen Melting Immortal Pills. Gave away three, fifteen left over. Profit!'

Just as Li Yang was basking in his gains and Li Changshou was about to leave, Lan Ling'e burst through the door.

"Senior Brother, why have you been giving me so many pills these days? I can't even finish them all!"

Li Changshou's body stiffened slightly, and a gentle voice sounded in Lan Ling'e's ears.

"Junior Sister, how many times has Junior Brother given you pills these past few days?"

"One hundred and seven times!"

Lan Ling'e answered without a second thought, completely oblivious.

Li Changshou whipped his head around, staring at the stiffened Li Yang, and slowly rolled up his sleeves.

After all, he had personally raised Lan Ling'e and Li Yang—the momentum he unleashed now was enough that even an immortal like Li Yang would struggle to withstand it.

"Heh!

Exploding Furnace, is it?"

Li Yang stepped back, raising his hands in explanation.

"Senior Brother, listen to my sophistry... explanation."

"Ah!!!"

After the roughhousing, Li Changshou sent Li Yang and Lan Ling'e off to prepare the Mage Birdcage, while he went to invite their master.

He had prepared several steps for his master's tribulation. The first step—preparing the Melting Immortal Pill—was already complete.

The second step was to boost his master's own strength as much as possible, deepening his comprehension and understanding of the Dao.

So what he called "inviting" was really just guiding his master into meditation by posing difficult cultivation questions.

"Master! Your disciple wishes to consult you on a few cultivation doubts! I deeply regret disturbing your quiet cultivation!"

The wooden door opened quickly. Old Daoist Qi Yuan walked out with a smile and waved at Li Changshou.

"Come, let's go to the lakeside. These past few years, I've been remiss in teaching you."

Li Changshou sighed inwardly. He could be certain—his master had opened the door so fast that he clearly hadn't been meditating at all.

'Already unable to enter meditation?

It seems the heavenly tribulation is truly right around the corner.'

With this judgment, Li Changshou quickened his pace, laying out the confusions he'd encountered during cultivation for Old Daoist Qi Yuan.

Soon, stumped by the questions, the overly responsible Old Daoist Qi Yuan sank into deep thought, then entered meditation.

Meanwhile, Li Changshou, Li Yang, and Lan Ling'e went back to testing and setting up the Mage Birdcage.

After several hundred experiments, the Mage Birdcage was finally ready, and Old Daoist Qi Yuan happened to wake up.

But the awakened Old Daoist Qi Yuan was not pleased. Instead, his forehead was lined with black creases.

The once grassy, scenic lakeside clearing had turned into a black crater. His two disciples were squatting at the bottom, fiddling with an oversized birdcage...

"What are you three doing?" Old Daoist Qi Yuan sighed wearily.

"Master, Senior Disciple Brother made you a treasure to resist the heavenly tribulation! We've struck it with lightning dozens of times, and the fish inside are still alive!"

Lan Ling'e pointed at the cage, showing off. Even the soot on her face made her look adorable.

"Oh?"

Old Daoist Qi Yuan's expression shifted. He wanted to see what treasure his three disciples had cooked up this time, but the moment he moved, his face changed drastically. He looked up, staring at the eastern sky.

A patch of gray-black clouds was racing toward the Immortal-Degree Sect.

"The heavenly tribulation is here!"

Those four words wiped the smiles off Li Changshou and Lan Ling'e's faces. But Li Yang's expression turned very interesting.

It was a strange look—wanting to act sad but unable to pull it off, wanting to laugh but not daring to. He wasn't worried about his master's tribulation at all.

Because...

Master's ultimate cringe-worthy scene was about to unfold.