Poison Pill (A 4,000-Word Mega Chapter—Please Vote and Bookmark)

Kong Jiao had guessed correctly.

Just as he approached the cave residence, before he had even left the Chaotic Stone Grounds, Feng An—who had been waiting eagerly at the entrance for a long time—had already spotted him emerging from the rocky terrain.

Without wasting time on pleasantries, Feng An hurried forward and said delightedly, "Junior Brother Kong, come with me quickly. Elder Zhou has come out of seclusion. Junior Sister Zhou has already arrived at the Alchemy Pavilion, so let's head over now."

"Alright!" Kong Jiao beamed and readily agreed. There was no reason to refuse.

The two hurried toward the Alchemy Pavilion, one after the other.

Ever since Kong Jiao had returned from Frostmoon Altar, the Alchemy Pavilion had remained closed.

Thus, they had never had the chance to enter it.

Today, Kong Jiao and Feng An both came to the Alchemy Pavilion.

Its gates, sealed for nearly two months, finally opened.

The two disciples guarding the Alchemy Pavilion merely gave Kong Jiao and Feng An a cursory glance. Without stopping them, they let the pair enter.

Elder Zhou must have already sent someone to notify them.

Kong Jiao and Feng An were spared the trouble of explaining themselves.

The moment they entered the Alchemy Pavilion, a rich medicinal fragrance rushed at them. Kong Jiao rubbed the tip of his nose, clearly unaccustomed to it.

Whether it was him or Feng An, this was their first time visiting a place dedicated to refining pills.

In the past, whenever they bought pills, they only needed to go to the sect's designated supply hall. Unless one had come to commission a particular alchemist to refine a specific pill, no one would come here.

Thus, the two stood at the entrance, somewhat at a loss.

It was not until a young boy dressed as a medicine attendant walked up to them and politely asked, "Are you Senior Brothers Kong Jiao and Feng An?"

"That's us." Feng An nodded courteously, forcing out his trademark kindly smile.

"Come with me. Elder Zhou has been waiting for you two for quite some time." The boy returned Feng An's smile. After speaking in a crisp voice, he trotted ahead.

Kong Jiao and Feng An followed at an unhurried pace.

After winding through countless turns, they were brought deep into the Alchemy Pavilion, into an elegant courtyard.

Various spirit herbs grew inside the fences on both sides of the courtyard. Compared to the medicinal fragrance of the Alchemy Pavilion, the herbs here carried an even more vibrant, flourishing vitality.

Kong Jiao took two deep breaths of the fresh air and felt utterly refreshed.

The three stopped at the doorway. The boy halted, then respectfully cupped his hands toward the screen blocking the entrance and said, "Elder Zhou, the two senior brothers have arrived."

"Leave us." A lazy, mature woman's voice reached Kong Jiao's ears from behind the screen.

Then Zhou Tingyu's carefree, cheerful voice rang out from behind it. "Senior Brother Kong, Senior Brother Feng, come in."

Hearing that familiar voice, Kong Jiao's heart settled. After exchanging a glance with Feng An, he silently walked around the screen and entered.

Behind the screen was an elegant, pristine room.

Zhou Tingyu was sitting there with a smiling woman in medicinal robes, whose features carried an air of nobility.

The woman appeared fairly young, yet her bearing was dignified and graceful. A trace of weariness and the vicissitudes of life lingered in her phoenix eyes.

The fatigue must have been worn into her by two months of secluded pill refinement.

Even so, it could not conceal the innate nobility about her.

She merely sat there and glanced lightly in his direction, yet the unintentional majesty in her gaze made Kong Jiao bend slightly at the waist, not daring to meet her eyes.

Together with Feng An, he bowed to the woman.

"Outer sect disciple Kong Jiao!"

"Feng An!"

"We pay respects to Elder Zhou."

"No need for formalities. Take a seat." Zhou Shangxiang forced a smile and invited them to sit in a gentle voice.

Then she said warmly, "Tingyu just told me about the two of you. Thank you for looking after her during the journey to Frostmoon Altar."

"It was nothing. Junior Sister Zhou entered the sect in the same batch as I did. We merely supported each other," Kong Jiao replied politely, not daring to put on airs because of it.

"Rather, this disciple was injured and received Junior Sister Zhou's care. It should be this disciple thanking Junior Sister Zhou." Feng An was even more cunning and worldly-wise, answering fluently.

Zhou Shangxiang smiled without speaking. Her gaze shifted to her niece, and the warmth on her face faded as she said reproachfully, "You never cultivate properly, and even now you are only at the third level of the Wheel-Nourishing Realm."

"You could fool around in the outer sect all you wanted. At least the sect was safe, and no one forced you to cultivate."

"But this time, you went too far. With so little strength, you still dared to run around outside. You nearly caused a catastrophe. Do you know how dangerous this trip to Frostmoon Altar was?"

Zhou Tingyu, who had been so cheerful only moments ago, immediately wilted like an eggplant struck by frost upon hearing her aunt's lengthy lecture. Lowering her little head, she muttered, "I know I was wrong!"

"No, you were not wrong. I was wrong. Your aunt should never have agreed to your mother's request and brought you into the outer sect." Even when Zhou Shangxiang was scolding someone, her tone barely fluctuated. Like a monk reciting scripture, she went on and on.

"The things I gave you to protect yourself have been sitting with me for two years, and you never came to collect them. Are you trying to anger me to death?"

"Since I cannot manage you, I can only tell your mother about this."

"No, no, no! Auntie, I really was wrong! In all my life, I have never understood my mistake so clearly. I truly, truly won't dare do it again!" Zhou Tingyu shook her head like a rattle-drum, her voice even taking on a pitiful, tearful tone.

Kong Jiao's head ached just listening. No wonder Zhou Shangxiang had been angered so badly. With a niece like this, even the most composed person would stomp their feet in fury.

Sure enough, although Zhou Tingyu was admitting her fault aloud, she secretly met Kong Jiao's eyes and even found time to stick out her tongue at him mischievously.

Kong Jiao's cheek twitched. He knew Zhou Tingyu would do it again.

He understood this little girl far too well. She was the sort who remembered the meal but forgot the beating.

How could Zhou Tingyu's behavior escape Zhou Shangxiang's notice? But with outsiders present, she could not rebuke her too harshly, so she simply pretended not to see it.

She picked up the clear tea on the table and took a light sip to moisten her throat. Her voice softened again.

"Regarding the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi you picked during this trip, Tingyu has already shown it to me. Its medicinal potency is abundant. It truly qualifies as a second-grade spirit herb and is of great use to me."

"You have done Tingyu a favor, so I will not take advantage of you."

"Whether you want Spirit Crystals or something else, feel free to ask. So long as your request is not excessive, I can satisfy it."

Feng An bowed and asked sincerely, "Elder Zhou, if the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi were converted into Spirit Crystals, how much would it be worth?"

Kong Jiao glanced at Feng An and understood his intention. Feng An was assessing the value of the Ice Lingzhi.

Most likely, he did not want Spirit Crystals.

"Though the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi is only second-grade, it is exceedingly rare. Compared with other second-grade herbs, its price is slightly higher." Zhou Shangxiang indeed did not deceive them. She laid out the value of the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi in full before adding, "Converted into Spirit Crystals, it would be worth three thousand."

Gasp! Kong Jiao and Feng An both sucked in a breath upon hearing the quoted price of that spirit herb.

"Three thousand. Even divided among the three of us, that would be one thousand each." At that number, Kong Jiao felt his breathing quicken.

One thousand Spirit Crystals was an amount outer sect disciples in the Wheel-Nourishing Realm might need more than a decade to accumulate.

Perhaps because the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi was worth far more than Kong Jiao and Feng An had expected, both fell silent, seemingly considering what they could exchange its value for with Zhou Shangxiang.

Elder Zhou did not rush them. Holding her teacup, she took another sip, and the exhaustion on her face became even more apparent.

Two months of pill refinement without sleep or rest.

She was truly tired. And she still had this troublesome niece of hers to educate.

If not for the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi being of great use to her, she would never have summoned Kong Jiao and Feng An until tomorrow.

After a long silence, Feng An was the first to speak. Raising his aged head and looking at Zhou Shangxiang, he said in a trembling voice, "Elder Zhou, this disciple does not want Spirit Crystals. I boldly ask Elder to grant me a Spirit-Nourishing Rejuvenation Pill."

Kong Jiao watched Feng An's constantly trembling body and could tell that he was genuinely excited.

Thinking of how Feng An had previously said that a setback in his youth had left him in this neither-man-nor-ghost state.

Such a condition was not beyond cure.

After striving for so many years, all he had wanted was to purchase a pill that could cure his affliction.

Could the Spirit-Nourishing Rejuvenation Pill be what Senior Brother Feng mentioned before? Kong Jiao secretly guessed.

Upon hearing the name Spirit-Nourishing Rejuvenation Pill, Zhou Shangxiang gave Feng An a rare, close look. Seeing his greatly aged appearance, she seemed to discern something.

After all, as an elder of the Alchemy Pavilion, what ailment could she not see through at a glance?

Under Zhou Shangxiang's gaze, Feng An trembled, scarcely daring to breathe. It was not that he feared this elder.

Rather, he feared Zhou Shangxiang would deny him, deny that the Spirit-Nourishing Rejuvenation Pill could save him.

If Feng An's nearly twenty years of effort were denied by Zhou Shangxiang, he likely would not be able to endure it.

After all, she was a furnace-master elder, one of the foremost figures in the Cangwu Sect's pill dao.

If even she denied it, then it would practically mean there was no cure.

"You have injured your origin." Amid Feng An's anxious unease, Zhou Shangxiang pondered for a moment before smiling. "The Spirit-Nourishing Rejuvenation Pill can indeed make withered wood bloom again."

Receiving Zhou Shangxiang's confirmation, Feng An trembled even more fiercely.

On the other side, Zhou Shangxiang swept her long sleeve.

Whoosh!

An exquisite jade box appeared before Feng An.

"The Spirit-Nourishing Rejuvenation Pill is valued at one thousand. Your request is granted."

"Thank you, Elder Zhou!" Feng An picked up the jade box with trembling hands.

He hurriedly opened it and finally saw the pale pink-and-white pill lying quietly inside—the thing he had dreamed of.

Two streams of hot tears rolled uncontrollably down his gaunt cheeks.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Feng, on having your long-cherished wish fulfilled after so many years," Kong Jiao softly congratulated him.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Feng. May your future cultivation path rise straight into the clouds," Zhou Tingyu said as well, seemingly forgetting her unhappiness as she offered her sweet congratulations.

Feng An smiled foolishly. Usually the slickest of men, he did not know how to respond for a moment.

But there was still another person present, and Elder Zhou Shangxiang's voice sounded again. "Kong Jiao, what is your request? Do you want Spirit Crystals, or something else?"

Kong Jiao raised his head and happened to meet Elder Zhou's gentle yet noble gaze.

He found himself in a difficult position.

The Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi was immensely valuable, yet he could not think of what he wanted.

A pill to improve his cultivation? He now had the Moon Wheel Seal, and his cultivation speed was no longer what it had once been. There was truly no need to exchange the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi at such a great cost for something like that.

As for magical artifacts, he had the superior artifact formed by combining the Moon Palace Taiyin Scripture and the Frostfall Fragmentary Scripture.

Along with the Bronze Battle Halberd, which was also a superior artifact.

He had more than enough magical artifacts.

As for cultivation techniques, he was now cultivating the Moon Palace Taiyin Scripture, an ancient inheritance of the Moon Palace. There was no better cultivation technique than that.

Thus, there was no need to exchange for a cultivation technique either.

He had even less need for dao techniques. He possessed the Moon Wheel Seal and the Moon-Soul Citybreaker Halberd.

It seemed he lacked nothing at all.

Zhou Shangxiang did not hurry him, allowing Kong Jiao to think.

Perhaps I should exchange it for something that can save my life? Kong Jiao considered. Having witnessed the dangers outside the sect, he deeply understood that human lives were as cheap as grass.

More than a hundred herb gatherers at Frostmoon Altar had vanished just like that.

Who knew whether another disaster beyond human control would descend on his head again?

Something to preserve his life was naturally the first choice.

With that thought, Kong Jiao made his decision.

He immediately bowed and respectfully said, "This disciple's cultivation is low. I wish to ask Elder for an item that can save my life."

Upon hearing Kong Jiao's request, Zhou Shangxiang fell silent briefly. Her gaze seemed to be searching her memories. Only after a moment did she answer, "I do have something."

As she spoke, she turned her palm over, and a black pill sealed in an unknown white wax appeared in her hand.

Kong Jiao's gaze immediately locked onto Zhou Shangxiang's palm.

At the same time, Zhou Shangxiang's voice rang out. "This pill is a poison pill I refined from the venom sac of a Black Marsh Mystic-Scaled Python that had half a foot in the Wheel-Ascension Realm."

"Tear away the wax and throw it, and poisonous miasma will instantly envelop an area of a hundred zhang. Even cultivators at the ninth level of the Wheel-Nourishing Realm will fall if they do not flee quickly enough. Anyone below the ninth level of the Wheel-Nourishing Realm will be melted into a puddle of foul water by the poison."

"A poison pill refined from a venomous python with half a foot in the Wheel-Ascension Realm!" Kong Jiao's eyes lit up the moment he heard that.

When he heard that it could threaten the lives of cultivators at the ninth level of the Wheel-Nourishing Realm, longing showed plainly on his face.

Even Feng An's expression changed after hearing it.

In his view, if Kong Jiao possessed this thing, he might truly be able to ambush and kill a cultivator at the ninth level of the Wheel-Nourishing Realm.

Kong Jiao was a ruthless man who had dared to kill someone at the sixth level of the Wheel-Nourishing Realm while only at the fourth level himself.

"I want it!" Kong Jiao answered Zhou Shangxiang in a firm voice, almost without hesitation.

"Very well. I will also give you an antidote pill. Once you take it, the miasma will not affect you." Though the poison pill was powerful, it was nothing much in the eyes of a furnace-master elder like Zhou Shangxiang.

Thus, she showed no reluctance. After placing the poison pill and a green pill into a jade vial, she flicked her sleeve, and the vial appeared before Kong Jiao.

The latter carefully put away the pills.

A sinister smile had already appeared on his face.

With this poison pill, if he encountered a vicious man like Han Dong again, he would have the means to protect his life.

Having given away both a Spirit-Nourishing Rejuvenation Pill and a poison pill, Zhou Shangxiang—who had already gone nearly two months without sleep—was somewhat weary. She gently said to Kong Jiao and Feng An, "If there is nothing else, leave separately. This elder is somewhat tired."

Kong Jiao had long noticed Zhou Shangxiang's fatigue. How could he and Feng An refuse?

They immediately stood, bowed to Zhou Shangxiang, and obediently walked out of the room.

Before leaving, Zhou Tingyu, who had been pretending to be a good little girl at the side, finally could not keep up the act.

"Senior Brother Kong, wait for me!" With a sweet cry, Zhou Tingyu stepped forward, intending to follow the two.

But Zhou Shangxiang's cold voice froze her in place.

"I did not say you could leave!"

Zhou Tingyu turned back with a smile uglier than tears and coquettishly said, "Auntie!"

"Starting today, you will enter seclusion in my courtyard. Until you reach the fourth level of the Wheel-Nourishing Realm, you are not allowed to leave."

Hearing the exchange between the aunt and niece before he left, Kong Jiao could only shake his head.

"Only Elder Zhou can probably keep Zhou Tingyu under control."

Before the Alchemy Pavilion.

Kong Jiao and Feng An stepped out together, looking at the bright spring scenery of the outer sect beyond.

Having both obtained satisfactory pills, the two were in exceptionally wonderful moods.

"Junior Brother Kong, I'll take my leave first." Feng An did not linger long. After saying farewell to Kong Jiao, he hurried away.

Kong Jiao did not stop him, because he knew what Feng An was going to do.

"After waiting so many years, he finally obtained the Spirit-Nourishing Rejuvenation Pill. If I were Senior Brother Feng, I would not be able to wait even a moment either."

Watching Feng An take three steps as two, eventually even breaking into a run, Kong Jiao laughed heartily.

He was happy for that old fox as well.

Only after Feng An's figure disappeared into the distance did Kong Jiao, with his hands behind his back, slowly leave the Alchemy Pavilion.

The gains exchanged for the Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi had finally given him a measure of confidence.

"Unfortunately, the poison pill is only a single-use item. I need to plan carefully how to maximize its use. If I do not kill a couple of ninth-level Wheel-Nourishing Realm cultivators, I will have let down my Twin-Stem Ice Lingzhi." Kong Jiao's sinister cackling echoed along the road.