"Uncle-Master, you said last time that my tea wasn't good. I've remembered that ever since. Try this Cliff Spirit Tea."
Lei Qingyang looked unusually relaxed. He personally poured Chen Xian a cup of fragrant spirit tea.
Chen Xian lifted the teacup and took a sip, then glanced sideways at him. "Come on, what great news have you heard? I don't usually see you this happy."
"The sect has taken in another exceptionally talented disciple today. It's truly a blessing for the sect."
Lei Qingyang clapped his hands and chuckled, joy practically spilling from his brows.
Chen Xian stroked his beard. "Looking at you, I'd say it's not just because this old man brought back a promising Talisman Dao disciple, is it?"
Lei Qingyang didn't keep him guessing. His expression turned serious. "You know me well, Uncle-Master."
"The Seventy-Three Hanging Sword Array just sent back news of a great victory. The Blood Demon Sect's scum have been thoroughly routed by our sect! Our disciples are now hot on their heels, counterattacking their strongholds. It's truly satisfying!"
"That's wonderful news."
Chen Xian set down his teacup and lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingertips. "But over in Ask-Dao City, the Qian Family has been making quite a stir."
At the mention of the Qian Family, Lei Qingyang's smile faded, replaced by a grave expression.
Though they'd won a great victory on the front lines, it was clear the Blood Demon Sect's target wasn't limited to one Hanging Sword Formation.
They'd only uncovered a single thread and still hadn't glimpsed the whole picture. Until they resolved the matter completely, they couldn't let their guard down.
Chen Xian recounted every detail of the drinking party at Ask-Heaven Pavilion in Ask-Dao City, including how Qian Yue had tried to lure him with King Shou'er Tea and recruit him as an inside man to plant Qian Family disciples in the tournament.
"You're saying... the Qian Family plans to use your help to send their disciples into the sect during next month's Grand Sect Tournament?"
"No. It might not be just Qian Family disciples. This could well be one of the Blood Demon Sect's plans."
A cold glint flashed in Lei Qingyang's eyes. Dao Power stirred faintly around him, making the candles in the hall flicker.
"That's right. Qian Yue thinks I'm desperate to extend my life, so he tried to use King Shou'er Tea to hook me."
Chen Xian gave a cold laugh. "Hmph. He even said he'd introduce me to some big shot who could give me a younger body."
"Give you a new body? That's just a nice-sounding way to describe the forbidden art of body snatching! Uncle-Master, don't fall for it. Qing Yang will find a way to seek out another means of extending your life!"
Lei Qingyang sprang to his feet, his voice icy. "The Qian Family really has become the Blood Demon Sect's covert operation in Ask-Dao City."
"Don't get worked up. Of course I have no use for evil arts. Besides, birth, aging, sickness, and death are only natural. If my time truly comes, I'll accept it."
Chen Xian patted Lei Qingyang on the arm, offering comfort. That Grade 6 Life-Prolonging Pill was enough for him.
"Uncle-Master..." Lei Qingyang was deeply moved.
"Listen to me. We can use this opportunity to uncover the mastermind hiding behind the Qian Family." Chen Xian paused to consider, then shared his idea.
"Uncle-Master, this is indeed an excellent chance to uproot the tumor. But with your current cultivation... confronting the Blood Demon Sect head-on would be far too dangerous."
"We can take our time and plan it out."
Lei Qingyang pondered for a moment, then flipped his hand. A jade tablet appeared in his palm, its surface entirely green, with faint streaks of lightning coursing through it. He handed it to Chen Xian.
"I sealed three strands of Thunder-Fire Sword Qi inside this jade tablet."
Lei Qingyang explained, "It's no secret treasure, but at a critical moment, it can withstand three full-strength strikes from someone in the Dao Sect Realm. It can even cancel out a full-strength strike from someone in the Dao Venerable Realm."
"Keep it close, Uncle-Master. If you're in danger, crush the tablet. I'll sense it and rush to your aid."
Chen Xian didn't stand on ceremony. He accepted the tablet, cool to the touch.
He stowed it in his storage space, drained his tea, and rose. "All right, I accept your kindness. But iron must be forged while it's hot, and strength comes from within. I need to hurry back and cultivate in seclusion, temper these old bones a little more."
"Please take care of your health, Uncle-Master," Lei Qingyang reminded him with concern.
After bidding Lei Qingyang farewell, Chen Xian didn't return to his secluded little courtyard. Instead, he turned and headed for Pill Peak.
He'd only just entered the third stage of the Dao Disciple Realm and urgently needed to condense his Dao Consciousness. The most effective pill for that was the Consciousness Returning Pill.
Since he was preparing to cultivate in seclusion, he might as well buy plenty.
The moment Chen Xian stepped into Hundred Herbs Hall on Pill Peak, he spotted a familiar figure—Tang Yu.
Tang Yu, usually so refined and gentle, had his brows knitted in worry as he absentmindedly fiddled with medicinal herbs.
"Granduncle..." Seeing Chen Xian, Tang Yu froze with a herb in his hand and hurriedly bowed.
Worry clouded his features so deeply, it looked as if it could be wrung out of him.
"What is it? Still thinking about that mess between your Junior Sister Zhou and Lin Xiaoyan?" Chen Xian found a rattan chair and sat down as if he had all the time in the world.
Tang Yu sighed, his face full of guilt. "I really don't understand why Wanru insists on treating me this way..."
"Every time I run into Junior Brother Xiaoyan now, it feels like there's a mountain weighing on my heart."
"Granduncle, tell me, what should I do about this?"
"All right, when you get down to it, this has nothing to do with you." Chen Xian waved a hand. "You can't control who falls for you."
"If you like Zhou Wanru, you can accept her advances. If you don't, then what is she but a wildflower by the roadside?"
Chen Xian had almost called her a stray dog, but decided that wasn't very elegant and changed his wording.
"If you have feelings, speak them early. If you don't, she's like a wildflower," Tang Yu murmured, lost in thought.
"Get me ten bottles of Consciousness Returning Pills, plus ten bottles each of Qi Induction Pills and Foundation Building Pills."
Seeing that Tang Yu looked a little less troubled, Chen Xian explained why he'd come.
Tang Yu came back to himself, found the Consciousness Returning Pills in the medicine cabinet behind him, and packed ten bottles into a finely crafted jade box before handing it to Chen Xian.
Chen Xian watched Tang Yu in confusion. He was about to ask about the Qi Induction Pills and Foundation Building Pills when Tang Yu's face clouded over.
"Granduncle, the Qi Induction Pills and Foundation Building Pills are basic Grade 1 pills... Pill Peak is completely out of stock."
"If you need them, you'll have to wait a day or two for us to refine enough."
"Out of stock?"
Chen Xian frowned. "How could a whole Pill Peak run out of basic pills?"
"The fighting on the front lines is intense!"
Tang Yu gave a bitter smile and pointed at the medicine cabinets behind him, more than half of them empty. "The elders just gave us strict orders. To support the counterattack, all Grade 1 to Grade 3 supply pills are being sent to the disciples on the front lines first."
"Right now, aside from pills for Dao Consciousness and Realm-Breaking Pills used for breakthroughs, you won't find a single Qi Induction Pill anywhere on Pill Peak."
"Why not take a look at the sect market? You might still be able to buy some that people have in private stock."
Chen Xian's heart gave a jolt.
How could they have run out?
"But since I can't buy them..."
Chen Xian glanced at the softly glowing [Masterful Pill Crafting (Mystic)] entry on his System Panel. His eyes shifted as a bold idea came to him.
"Tang Yu, if you don't have finished pills, do you have plenty of the ingredients for making Qi Induction Pills and Foundation Building Pills?"
Tang Yu was taken aback. "We've got mountains of raw ingredients. Bitter Cold Grass and Origin Spirit Leaf aren't rare. What do you need herbs for, Granduncle?"
"Give me fifty batches of each, and a pill furnace. I've been bored lately, so I thought I'd set up a furnace and practice making pills."
Chen Xian stroked his beard and smiled mysteriously.
Tang Yu stared at him in astonishment, then laughed and shook his head. "Granduncle, don't tease me. The Alchemy Path requires years of painstaking work for every step—identifying herbs, controlling the flame, forming the pill. Pill refining... isn't something to fool around with."
"Enough talk. I've got money. Just tell me if you're selling or not." Chen Xian glared at him.
"Of course, of course. How could I refuse to sell to you?"
Tang Yu reluctantly packed up the herbs, thinking Granduncle was probably just in a playful mood. "These herbs aren't worth much, but pill refining isn't a game. Please keep your distance. If the furnace explodes, don't singe that precious beard of yours."
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
After paying the Contribution Points, Chen Xian asked Tang Yu for a shoulder pole. He loaded it with bulging bundles of herbs and ambled down Pill Peak.