Furnace-Watching Elder

As Feng An's back turned cold, he found Han Dong's actions impossible to understand.

"Han Dong really is a madman. He killed so many sect disciples—is he really not afraid of being held to account? Is he really not afraid of death?"

But Feng An did not dare question him further at the Enforcement Hall's entrance. He could only shoot Kong Jiao a meaningful look.

"Junior Brother Kong Jiao, we still haven't turned in Lingyu Pavilion's herb-gathering mission. Junior Sister Zhou said she was waiting for you."

"Let's go settle that matter first."

Kong Jiao naturally understood that Feng An had many questions he wanted to ask in detail. He nodded imperceptibly.

Along the way, Feng An's curiosity about what had happened at Frostmoon Altar was exceptionally intense.

After all, it had been the greatest calamity he had ever experienced.

Kong Jiao merely repeated the same account he had given the Enforcement Hall. He ended it by saying that Han Dong had been severely wounded by an expert within the sect and fled.

When he mentioned the words "an expert," Kong Jiao deliberately glanced at Zhou Tingyu beside him.

The latter stuck out her tongue and did not reveal Huangfu Wuqin's name.

She had presumably received the same instructions as Kong Jiao.

After half an hour of walking, the three arrived at Lingyu Pavilion.

The one receiving them was still that senior sister, Sun Feiyuan.

Seeing that three of the only survivors from the herb-gathering party sent to Frostmoon Altar had arrived, the senior sister responsible for assigning missions at Lingyu Pavilion revealed a rare trace of emotion.

The events at Frostmoon Altar had not yet spread widely through the Cangwu Sect, and very few people knew the details.

Yet Sun Feiyuan, who had registered the herb gatherers for that mission, clearly knew.

"You three truly have deep blessings and good fortune." Sun Feiyuan congratulated them on their safe return in veiled terms.

Kong Jiao, Zhou Tingyu, and Feng An exchanged smiles without saying much.

At Kong Jiao's prompting glance, Zhou Tingyu, who was in charge of storing their haul, immediately handed Sun Feiyuan the spirit herb pouch containing the Moonfrost Ice Lingzhi. With a sweet smile, she said, "Senior Sister, please count them. These are the gains of the three of us."

Sun Feiyuan accepted the spirit herb pouch and looked inside. For the second time, her expression shifted with emotion, clearly startled by the number of Moonfrost Ice Lingzhi within.

But duty demanded it, so she carefully counted the spirit herbs before saying, "There are twenty in total."

"Setting aside the sect's required collection quota of three per person, there are eleven extra."

There had actually been twenty-two. Back in Frostmoon Altar Gorge, Kong Jiao and Feng An had each consumed one to ease the side effects of the Qi-Bursting Pill.

But even twenty stalks was an impressive harvest.

One had to know that when collecting Moonfrost Ice Lingzhi at Frostmoon Altar, it was already difficult for each person merely to complete the quota of three. Spirit herbs were not so easy to find.

"What would you three like to do with the remaining eleven? Turn them over to the sect, in exchange for compensation of ten Spirit Crystals and five contribution points per additional stalk, or keep them for yourselves?" Holding the spirit herb pouch, Sun Feiyuan sought their opinions according to sect rules.

"Let's turn them all in. They're useless if we keep them anyway. We should trade them for some contribution points—they'll be of great use in the future." Feng An spoke quietly to Kong Jiao, voicing his opinion. "Contribution points aren't easy to earn. They're far more valuable than Spirit Crystals."

How could Kong Jiao distrust Feng An? If even someone who had struggled in the outer sect for so many years said contribution points were greatly useful, he naturally had no objections.

"Let's do as Senior Brother Feng says."

"I'm fine with anything!" Zhou Tingyu shrugged indifferently.

Once the three had reached a consensus, Kong Jiao turned to Sun Feiyuan and politely said, "Then we'll trouble Senior Sister to exchange the extra Moonfrost Ice Lingzhi for Spirit Crystals and contribution points."

As he spoke, all three took out their respective outer sect disciple badges and handed them to Sun Feiyuan.

After a round of operations, she returned the badges to them. Along with the badges came one hundred and ten Spirit Crystals.

"The sect's base reward for this assignment is twenty Spirit Crystals and ten contribution points per person."

"The extra Moonfrost Ice Lingzhi you turned in amounts to fifty-five contribution points and one hundred and ten Spirit Crystals in total. The contribution points have already been recorded on your respective badges. Each of you received twenty-eight contribution points in total. Divide the Spirit Crystals among yourselves."

Amid Sun Feiyuan's soft laughter, this gathering mission came to an end.

Kong Jiao and the other two each received twenty-eight sect contribution points.

As well as roughly fifty-six Spirit Crystals each.

Of course, compared to what the three had truly gained during this trip to Frostmoon Altar, these rewards were nothing much.

Zhou Tingyu still had a Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi, capable of becoming a second-grade spirit herb, tucked away in her pocket.

The three bade Sun Feiyuan farewell without drawing attention, found a secluded place, and began discussing how to handle the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi.

"A second-grade spirit herb is too significant. If we handle it poorly, it may draw the covetous eyes of other fellow disciples." Feng An spoke in a low voice. "My suggestion is to take it to the Spirit Market outside the sect, sell it for a good price, then quietly return. I know a merchant who's fairly honest."

Kong Jiao did not trust the Spirit Market outside the sect quite so much and voiced his concern. "The only reason they were honest was because what Senior Brother Feng brought them back then wasn't worth their dirty tricks. The value of the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi is enough to make experts of the Wheel-Ascension Realm covet it. There's no telling whether people in the Spirit Market might grow greedy. Our cultivation is too low—I'm afraid we can't protect such wealth."

After hearing Kong Jiao's words, Feng An's aged face grew grave as well, his brows deeply furrowed, for he could not refute him.

Wealth stirred people's hearts. Fellow disciples could turn against one another at Frostmoon Altar over a few stalks of Moonfrost Ice Lingzhi, let alone Moonfrost Ice Lingzhi of even greater value.

How to deal with the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi was a troublesome matter too.

"Alas!" Kong Jiao sighed, his face equally troubled and his head aching.

At the end of the day, they were simply too weak. If they possessed the strength of the outer sect's first tier, how could they still be so hesitant and worried at every turn?

Suddenly, Kong Jiao caught sight of Zhou Tingyu blinking innocently beside them.

An idea stirred in his heart. Should we have Zhou Tingyu ask around?

The thought made Kong Jiao's eyes light up. This little girl usually kept herself hidden, but she had been able to invite Huangfu Wuqin. There had to be some power behind her.

Having her ask would be best.

Thus, Kong Jiao turned toward Zhou Tingyu and asked, "Junior Sister Zhou, what do you think?"

When Feng An heard Kong Jiao asking Zhou Tingyu, he merely pursed his lips. Although he was grateful to Zhou Tingyu for treating his injuries, he normally discussed matters with Kong Jiao when trouble arose.

In his eyes, Zhou Tingyu was still just a little girl. What good idea could she possibly have?

Who would have thought that Zhou Tingyu would tilt her head slightly, ponder for a moment, then say, "I do have an aunt from my clan working in the Alchemy Pavilion."

Feng An immediately grew interested and asked, "What position does your esteemed aunt hold in the Alchemy Pavilion?"

"I think she's a furnace-watching elder." Zhou Tingyu said excitedly. "Oh, right, her name is Zhou Shangxiang."

"A furnace-watching elder! Zhou Shangxiang! She's your aunt?" Feng An's jaw nearly dropped.

A furnace-watching elder was the final decision-maker responsible for determining whether all pills refined in every pill furnace throughout the Alchemy Pavilion met the standard. Aside from the Alchemy Pavilion's master, she held the greatest authority.

Leaving aside her status within the Alchemy Pavilion, even the sect's other elders had to greet a furnace-watching elder with smiling faces.

Who did not have occasions when they needed pills refined? Sooner or later, everyone would need to ask her for help.

No matter how Feng An looked at Zhou Tingyu, she did not seem like someone with an aunt holding such great authority. He could not help sighing, "Junior Sister Zhou, why didn't you say so earlier?"

"I was just about to tell you, but you never asked me!" Zhou Tingyu scratched the back of her head in confusion.

Kong Jiao did not expose Zhou Tingyu's identity as a second-generation immortal either. He merely laughed and said, "Haha, don't dwell on it. Let Zhou Tingyu handle the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi. Her aunt is a furnace-watching elder, so handling a second-grade spirit herb will be no problem. I believe she won't embezzle her own niece's belongings."

"Once we confirm its value, we'll divide it."

"Junior Sister Zhou, no problem, right?" As he spoke, Kong Jiao symbolically sought Zhou Tingyu's opinion.

"Oh, then I'll go ask. It's just that Aunt is currently overseeing the refinement of a rather valuable batch of pills, so she may not come out of seclusion for another month or two." Zhou Tingyu spoke honestly. "We can go then."

"Fine. A month or two won't make a difference." Kong Jiao nodded.

In the end, the matter of how to handle the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi was settled.

After agreeing to meet again another day, the three went their separate ways.

Because the Frostmoon Altar storyline has already concluded.

It's time to transition into the next plotline. This thread is the main storyline.

I need to carefully polish the plot and write a small outline. That's the only way to ensure the later story doesn't fall apart.

So the past two chapters have leaned more toward daily life.

Please don't be impatient, everyone. Better stories will be written.

Also, I'd like to ask for some votes and bookmarks.

Once I've made the outline solid, I believe the story presented will definitely satisfy everyone.