How could a gift from the master be ordinary?

On Servant Disciple Peak.

Over ten thousand servant disciples stood rooted to the spot, anxiety written across their faces.

They had all studied the sect rules thoroughly. The final page stated that when the Heavenly Dao Bell rang nine times, every servant disciple had to remain where they stood. Without orders, they were forbidden to move, even if they stood there until they died.

Even Qian Laifu, the steward, stood there with his large belly sticking out, worry in his eyes.

He had no idea what grave incident had occurred. Despite having spent many years in the Heavenly Dao Sect, this was his first time hearing the Heavenly Dao Bell ring nine times.

Though he was only a lowly steward of Servant Disciple Peak, with a status barely equal to that of an outer disciple, Qian Laifu could honestly say that he was content with his circumstances and did not want anything to happen to the sect.

Heavenly Dao Peak.

A group of elders stood there, their faces clouded with worry.

Before them, the seventh elder was examining Nangong Yao and Liu Xuan Yin's injuries.

Liu Yunjian asked hoarsely, "Seventh elder, how are the sect master and second elder?"

The seventh elder, Jin Huashan, was the Heavenly Dao Sect's most accomplished elder in the art of alchemy. For now, helping Nangong Yao and Liu Xuan Yin recover fell to him.

After feeding each of them several pills, Jin Huashan stood up, shook his head, and sighed.

"The sect master and second elder should awaken soon, but their injuries are severe. I fear they will need several years to recover fully."

Everyone drew a deep breath. They had already expected such an outcome, but the fury in their hearts surged ever higher.

Thinking of the third elder, whose soul lamp had gone out and who had not returned with them, they found their grief even harder to bear.

What exactly had happened?

"Cough... cough."

Just then, they saw Nangong Yao cough and slowly open his eyes. They hurriedly gathered around him.

"Sect master!"

Nangong Yao fell silent for a moment before saying weakly, "The Great Evolution Demonic Sect set up the Nether Snake Dragon-Suppressing Grand Formation on White Fox Ridge beforehand. We could not escape. The third elder detonated himself, forcing Ji Wucang to withdraw the formation at the cost of his life. Only then could the second elder and I break free."

What?!

Nangong Yao's explanation was brief, but Liu Yunjian and the others trembled all over, their eyes turning red.

They had considered that the third elder might have died in battle, but never that he had died by detonating himself!

"Sect master! First, the Great Evolution Demonic Sect abducted two hundred and forty of our disciples, and now they have driven the third elder to his death! We cannot share the same sky with them!"

Liu Yunjian growled.

The other elders clenched their fists tightly as well, feeling unbearably stifled.

Now that the sect master and second elder were gravely wounded and the third elder was gone, what could they possibly use to exact revenge on the Great Evolution Demonic Sect? They would only suffer a crushing defeat.

Nangong Yao gritted his teeth slightly. "Ji Wucang and his three elders are not much less injured than the second elder and I!"

At those words, everyone's spirits lifted!

They looked toward Nangong Yao, awaiting his orders.

Nangong Yao drew a deep breath, a fierce glint appearing in his eyes. "We must rescue Jingyao and the other disciples, and avenge the third elder... Five days. Once the second elder and I have had some time to recuperate, we will point our swords at the Great Evolution Demonic Sect in five days!"

Though the situation in Northern Mystic was dire, after what had happened on White Fox Ridge, after witnessing the third elder's death with his own eyes, Nangong Yao no longer intended to endure it!

As sect master, Nangong Yao had always been rational and considered the bigger picture. This time, however, he could not remain rational no matter what.

This time, even if the fish died and the net tore, he would strike!

The third elder had been willing to die for the sect without regret.

Then, as sect master, he too was willing to give everything for the third elder!

"Yes!"

The elders were deeply moved. Some wanted to persuade him otherwise, but the warmth in their hearts left them unable to speak. Since the sect master had made up his mind, they would stand beside him.

Even if they died and their cultivation vanished in the end, they would not shrink from it.

"First elder, prepare the disciples and elders at once. In five days, assemble outside the sect gates!" Nangong Yao said.

"As you command!"

Liu Yunjian nodded and had just taken out a talisman, preparing to send word to the various peaks.

Just then, a figure walked slowly inside.

The elders froze and turned around, about to rebuke whoever dared enter without permission. But when they saw the newcomer, their hearts jolted, and they hurriedly bowed, calling out:

"Master."

The newcomer was naturally Chen Xun.

Seeing him, Nangong Yao startled and struggled to get up to offer his respects.

Chen Xun extended a hand and gently pressed him back down from a distance. "In your condition, there is no need."

Nangong Yao smiled bitterly. "Please forgive me, master."

Chen Xun smiled. "It is no matter."

"Please sit, master."

Liu Yunjian brought a chair from nearby and placed it behind Chen Xun.

Chen Xun nodded, sat down, and said, "While I was outside just now, I heard you discussing pointing your swords at some demonic sect in five days?"

Everyone lowered their heads and pressed their lips together.

"Master, what happened was..."

Nangong Yao was about to explain the whole affair when Chen Xun raised a hand to interrupt him. "I have a general understanding of what happened. There is no need to recount it."

At this, the expressions in Nangong Yao's and the others' eyes shifted slightly. How had the master learned of it?

Oh, right. He must have heard everything they had just said from outside.

Nangong Yao could only say quietly, "You are right, master. In five days, we will point our swords at the Great Evolution Demonic Sect. This grudge must be avenged."

Chen Xun glanced over the core elders. Once there had been nine; now there were eight.

Nangong Yao often brought these elders to the Thatched Cottage, so Chen Xun naturally knew them.

Jiang Bailu's death had stirred little in Chen Xun's heart. After all, he had witnessed far too much life and death.

Chen Xun nodded slightly and said softly, "In my view, there is no need for you to go to that demonic sect."

Everyone was startled!

Nangong Yao sat up a little and said hoarsely, "Master, do you wish me to consider the bigger picture because the situation in Northern Mystic is so dire? Master, two hundred and fourteen disciples of our sect have been abducted, and now the third elder has lost his life. If I continue to cower and hesitate, I will fail our many disciples and elders, and a heart demon will take root within me. We must go to the Great Evolution Demonic Sect. Please do not stop me, master."

Amused, Chen Xun smiled. "Why would I stop you? Do not misunderstand me. What I mean is that you need not go to that demonic sect. They will come to your Heavenly Dao Sect themselves, and it should be soon."

Nangong Yao and the elders exchanged glances, but soon their expressions changed slightly as they realized something.

Earlier, hatred had blinded them, and they had not thought that far ahead. Now, with the master's reminder, they understood.

Seeing everyone deep in thought, Chen Xun yawned and slowly rose. Turning his hand over, he offered them two pills and said:

"I have two pills for treating severe injuries. Their efficacy is passable, so I will give them to you."

"All right, I am getting a little sleepy. I will head back to bed."

Nangong Yao accepted them in a daze. He wanted to rise and see Chen Xun off, but his injuries were too severe, so he had to abandon the idea. Then he thought of Jiang Bailu again. In the end, he swallowed the words he had wanted to say. "Farewell, master."

The elders bowed, intending to escort Chen Xun out.

"Stay here."

Chen Xun waved a hand, then walked outside with his hands clasped behind his back. With each step, his figure grew more ethereal until it gradually vanished.

Everyone stared in shock at the sight, as though watching an immortal descended to earth.

Only after a long while did they snap out of it and hurriedly say, "Farewell, master."

Nangong Yao took it fairly well, but this was the elders' first time seeing such a thing. It was impossible not to be shaken.

"Cough, cough."

Nangong Yao's cough brought the elders back to their senses.

"We were too caught up in the situation to see clearly. Fortunately, the master reminded us. Now that I think about it, Ji Wucang ambushed us on White Fox Ridge to weaken our sect's senior fighting strength, then follow up with an all-out assault. With You Sha dead, even if he is burning with rage himself, he must be thinking that he might as well finish what he started. While Northern Mystic is in chaos, he intends to whet his blade on our Heavenly Dao Sect! As expected of Ji Wucang. He has nerve."

Nangong Yao spoke gravely.

Hearing this, the elders were enraged.

"Sect master, did you not say that Ji Wucang and his three elders were gravely injured as well? Then..." Liu Yunjian asked in confusion.

Nangong Yao pressed his lips together. "Ji Wucang will not want to miss such a fine opportunity. He will probably join forces with other demonic sects and come here."

The elders were immediately horrified, their nerves suddenly stretched taut!

Recalling that the master had just said they should arrive soon, Liu Yunjian asked anxiously, "Sect master, what should we do next? If it were only the Great Evolution Demonic Sect, that would be one thing. Fighting on our own ground, we would naturally have no fear. But if it is more than the Great Evolution Demonic Sect... I fear our Heavenly Dao Sect will not be able to withstand them."

Nangong Yao dared not be overconfident. Without hesitation, he said, "Send word of this to the other righteous sects and request their aid."

"Yes!"

Liu Yunjian bowed in acknowledgment, then turned and hurried outside.

Nangong Yao added, "First elder, also have the elders and disciples of every peak prepare for battle."

Liu Yunjian paused, said he understood, and left.

Only then did Nangong Yao open his palm before the elders, revealing the pills Chen Xun had bestowed.

"Sect master, may I examine these pills?"

The seventh elder, Jin Huashan, asked earnestly.

In his view, pills bestowed by the master had to be supreme treasures that could greatly shorten the sect master's and second elder's recovery.

As an alchemist, Jin Huashan naturally did not want to miss this opportunity.

When Nangong Yao nodded, Jin Huashan immediately took the two pills and examined them.

Seeing this, everyone remained silent, eager to hear Jin Huashan's appraisal of the pills the master had bestowed.

"That is strange."

Jin Huashan held up his palm, inspecting them from every angle and sniffing them repeatedly. Frowning, he said, "Not only do these two pills lack any scent of medicinal herbs, they do not even have pill patterns. No matter how I examine them, they are utterly ordinary pills."

For certain reasons, Jin Huashan had already phrased his assessment very tactfully. Otherwise, in his eyes, these two pills would not even qualify as low-grade.

Oh?

Nangong Yao and the others were surprised and found it rather hard to believe. How could something bestowed by the master be ordinary? Yet they knew Jin Huashan's accomplishments in alchemy.

"Since the master bestowed them, I refuse to believe they are ordinary."

Nangong Yao took the pills back and added, "Even if they are ordinary, they still represent the master's kindness."

With that, supported by an elder, Nangong Yao sat up and crossed his legs. He placed a pill in his mouth and brought his hands together to gather his energy. Just as he was about to circulate his cultivation to refine it, he discovered, to his astonishment, that unlike the pills he had taken before, it melted the moment it entered his mouth!

While Nangong Yao was still dazed, the pill's power had already spread through his limbs and every part of his body, beginning to repair his injuries at an unbelievable speed!

Under the elders' increasingly astonished gazes, color visibly returned to Nangong Yao's pale face!

Nangong Yao felt everything happening inside his body. It was like a divine miracle, and his very soul trembled!

An immortal pill... an immortal pill!

Smack.

Nangong Yao pushed aside the elder supporting him and abruptly stood up. He clenched his fists, his face filled with shock!

The elders were utterly dumbfounded.

Had the sect master not been struggling even to turn over just moments ago?

How had he suddenly...

"Sect master, y-you, you, you!"

P.S. Please send some free "Generate power with love" gifts. Thank you, everyone!