Descending the Mountain

He Pingsheng was deeply sorrowful, but he had no time to grieve.

If he did not make a choice today, he believed that sooner or later, Senior Brother Hao's tragedy would repeat itself with him.

Become an alchemy boy, a servant in the Alchemy Hall?

Sooner or later, someone like Linglong on Bamboo Peak would beat him to death.

He Pingsheng was only a Servant Disciple. His transfer had nothing to do with the Immortal Sect; the leader of the Servant Class could decide it.

And if he no longer wanted to be a Servant Disciple, he could descend the mountain and find another job in the outer sect.

For He Pingsheng, that was not difficult.

But what was difficult?

The difficult part was getting his belongings down the mountain.

These immortal cultivators, their mouths full of righteousness and virtue, spent all day indulging in wild dreams of finding fortuitous opportunities in dark gutters.

They searched people at the slightest excuse and even brazenly entered their rooms to rummage through everything!

Why?

Was it not all for a fortuitous opportunity? What if they turned up something good?

It was easy to imagine, then, how difficult it would be for He Pingsheng to take his jade bottles and pills down the mountain.

Besides the jade bottles and pills, there were also two books.

The Thirty-Six Alchemy Formulas!

The Basic Breathing and Qi-Guiding Method!

Given the way everyone on Bamboo Peak behaved, if He Pingsheng descended the mountain, someone would surely search and question him a thousand times over.

What should I do?

Bury them here?

Then he might never be able to return for them in his lifetime, let alone use them.

Take them now?

Don't be ridiculous!

Although He Pingsheng had not yet entered the cultivation world, he still understood some basic common sense.

If he dared swallow the Supreme Qi-Gathering Pill, the spiritual energy within it would probably burst him apart in moments.

All right!

Back to the matter at hand!

What should I do?

How can I get my belongings down the mountain?

He Pingsheng undid Hao Yun's outer robe.

There were seven wounds across his abdomen and chest, all sword wounds made by a sharp blade.

Two were especially long, with the organs inside clearly visible.

He Pingsheng drew a deep breath. "Senior Brother Hao Yun... I'm sorry!"

He stuffed the two jade bottles and two books into Hao Yun's wounds.

Then he fetched a large needle and thick thread and stitched those two wounds closed.

After fastening Hao Yun's clothes again, he hoisted him onto his back and went out.

Although He Pingsheng was only fourteen, he was very strong. Carrying water had been no trouble for him before, so carrying a person now was naturally easy as well.

"Little He... what are you doing?"

"Is that Senior Brother Hao Yun?"

"It's Senior Brother Hao!"

"Senior Brother Hao!"

Boss Zhang led a group over and surrounded He Pingsheng.

"Little He... we've all heard about what happened to Senior Brother Hao... honestly, we're upset too, but... there's nothing we can do!"

"If you need any help, just tell me!"

For some reason, Boss Zhang had suddenly become easy to talk to.

Perhaps it was the fox mourning the rabbit's death.

"Boss Zhang!" With Hao Yun on his back, He Pingsheng said to him, "Uncle-Master Jade Virtue told me to take Senior Brother Hao Yun to the outer sect and find somewhere to bury him. I may have to keep vigil for him for a while!"

"I probably won't be able to keep working for the Pill Hall!"

"That's fine!" Boss Zhang waved his hand. "I'll find someone else later!"

"Go take care of it!"

"All right..." He Pingsheng continued onward with Hao Yun on his back.

After walking down a stretch of mountain path, he reached the Teleportation Plaza!

The sun shone down from the middle of the sky.

The entire Teleportation Plaza was as silent as death.

There were only two people here.

One was the disciple guarding the Teleportation Array.

The other was Linglong.

She was kneeling here again.

The only difference was that last time, she had been sentenced to three days of Reflection Punishment; this time, it was a few days longer. That was all.

When He Pingsheng passed Linglong with Hao Yun's remains on his back, the woman actually glared at him and shouted, "Get lost... stay away from me!"

"You wretched thing!"

"Damn you... you all deserve to die... you've made me suffer punishment here!"

He Pingsheng stopped, gave her a long, searching look, then stepped forward again and left.

"Sorry..." The disciple guarding the Teleportation Array stopped He Pingsheng. "The Teleportation Array is for Inner Disciples only!"

"No one who isn't an Inner Disciple is allowed to set foot on it!"

He Pingsheng naturally knew this rule.

"Over there!" The guarding disciple pointed nearby. "There's a path down the mountain over there. Go back and take that way!"

"Wait!"

"As usual, everyone going down the mountain must be searched!"

Just as I expected!

He Pingsheng's expression darkened to the extreme, but he still cooperated with the disciple's search.

The disciple searched not only He Pingsheng but even Hao Yun's corpse, feeling it over from head to toe.

Only after finding nothing suspicious did he allow He Pingsheng to take Hao Yun down the mountain.

The path down was long!

He Pingsheng walked for more than half a day before finally reaching the foot of Bamboo Peak!

The Great Void Sect's outer sect was a designation for an area outside the sect proper. Although the spiritual energy there was thin, it still had lovely mountains and clear waters.

He Pingsheng found a place where the mountains met the water, dug through the earth and stones, and buried Hao Yun.

There was no coffin!

But nothing could be done about that!

He had nowhere to get such a thing.

Of course, before burying Hao Yun, He Pingsheng had already removed the two pill bottles and two books from his body, wrapped them in cloth, and buried them in the ground not far from him.

Afterward, He Pingsheng split off a piece of stone and erected a gravestone for Hao Yun.

By the time everything was done, He Pingsheng was so exhausted that he slumped to the ground. Holding a pitch-black axe, he could not help marveling, "Things enhanced by the Treasure-Gathering Basin really do defy the heavens. Splitting stone is actually like slicing tofu!"

"Heaven-defying, truly heaven-defying!"

After resting briefly, He Pingsheng buried the two axes near Hao Yun's grave as well, then rose and began climbing the mountain.

It was midnight by the time he reached the Alchemy Hall.

He still slept at the Alchemy Hall that night.

The night wind was cold, howling without pause until dawn. He Pingsheng barely managed a little sleep, and nightmares jolted him awake several times.

When he got up in the morning, he was limp and listless. He carried a battered black clay basin out the door.

Inside the basin were his few pieces of clothing and two pairs of shoes!

There was nothing else.

After saying goodbye to Boss Zhang, He Pingsheng left straightaway.

At this moment, he actually felt that someone like Boss Zhang already counted as a good person on Bamboo Peak.

"Stop right there!"

Linglong, kneeling in the Teleportation Plaza, saw He Pingsheng and shouted, "He Pingsheng... get over here!"

Naturally, He Pingsheng could not afford to offend her, so he could only walk over with his basin.

"Come closer!"

Once He Pingsheng was close, Linglong suddenly opened her mouth and spat straight at him.

Fine flecks of spittle sprayed all over He Pingsheng.

Had he not shielded his head, his face would not have escaped either.

"Get lost..."

Linglong cursed again in a voice that tore at her heart and lungs.

Holding his battered basin, He Pingsheng left without hesitation.

He shook his head. This woman really is beyond saving. She killed someone and was only sentenced to a few days of Reflection Punishment, yet she's still this furious?

Ah...

Senior Brother Hao... rest assured!

Once I've made progress in my cultivation, I will kill her and avenge you!