Xuanzhenzi listened quietly to Bai Tianqi. Bai Tianqi had said a great deal, yet had never mentioned why he had asked him here today, leaving Xuanzhenzi somewhat puzzled.
"Sect Master Bai, if there is anything this humble Daoist can do for the Huaqing Sect, please give your instructions." Xuanzhenzi had lived many years, after all. Although Bai Tianqi had not stated what the matter was, after hearing so much from him, Xuanzhenzi understood that Bai Tianqi probably wanted to ask him for something.
"You put me to shame, truly. I must say, Daoist, your accomplishments in pill refining leave me prostrate in admiration," Bai Tianqi said with a smile.
"You flatter me, Sect Master Bai. This humble Daoist has merely spent a little longer studying pill refining, which is why I can refine a few pills. Who knows how many people in Jianghu surpass me?" Xuanzhenzi said.
"Senior Brother Xuanzhen, you are being too modest. Your junior brother knows how skilled you are at pill refining. Those Origin-Nourishing Pills and Origin-Enhancing Pills are pills that people in Jianghu dream of obtaining," Hu Guyi said.
"This humble Daoist's success rate in refining those pills is very low, so it is essentially a matter of luck. Besides, I can only refine a few low-grade pills. Anything a grade higher is beyond me," Xuanzhenzi said with a smile.
"Low-grade?" Bai Tianqi asked. "Aren't you being too modest, Daoist?"
"What do you mean by that, Sect Master Bai?" Xuanzhenzi asked, raising his brows.
"Senior Brother Xuanzhen, as far as your junior brother knows, you are currently refining a batch of first-grade pills, Sixty-Year Pills, aren't you?" Hu Guyi suddenly said.
"Sixty-Year Pills!" Zhang Ming suddenly exclaimed. Realizing he had lost his composure, he hurriedly apologized.
Bai Tianqi said nothing, merely turning his gaze toward Xuanzhenzi.
In fact, all three people present turned their gazes toward Xuanzhenzi.
Zhang Ming was deeply shocked. Hu Guyi had come to see him today, acting mysteriously and insisting on paying his respects to his master, saying he had an important matter to report. Although he had dealt with Hu Guyi several times, he had never thought much of him. Who was he? He was Bai Tianqi's eldest disciple, the designated next sect master of the Huaqing Sect. With his standing, how could he have anything to do with Hu Guyi?
Naturally, he had initially refused Hu Guyi's request. He had wanted to know exactly what the matter was, but Hu Guyi simply would not say. He said that if Zhang Ming's master was dissatisfied after he reported the matter to him, he could atone with his life.
Seeing Hu Guyi swear such a solemn oath, Zhang Ming began to take the matter seriously. Could there really be something important? Thus, he made an exception and allowed Hu Guyi to see his master.
What followed was Bai Tianqi instructing Zhang Ming to invite Xuanzhenzi over.
Only now did Zhang Ming finally understand why Hu Guyi had insisted on seeing his master, confident of success and unafraid of Bai Tianqi blaming him. It had all been for the Sixty-Year Pill.
Zhang Ming looked at Xuanzhenzi before him. Of course he remembered Xuanzhenzi; indeed, he was fairly familiar with him. After all, the Green Ox Gate offered quite a few pills as tribute every year. Yet he had never imagined that Xuanzhenzi could actually refine Sixty-Year Pills.
The Sixty-Year Pill was a first-grade pill, and the people in Jianghu capable of refining such pills could be counted on one's fingers. Moreover, the Sixty-Year Pill was prepared specifically for first-class experts.
The greatest effect of the Sixty-Year Pill was to help second-class experts break through to the first-class level-in other words, to surpass sixty years' worth of internal power. Of course, if a first-class expert took a Sixty-Year Pill, it could still increase their internal power.
Such a pill was millions upon millions of times more precious than the second-grade Origin-Enhancing Pill. Although second-class experts were already rare in Jianghu, first-class experts were few and far between. With a Sixty-Year Pill, however, a second-class expert's chances of becoming a first-class expert could reach nearly eighty percent. How many people in Jianghu struggled for that? A pill like this could absolutely whip up a storm of bloody wind and crimson rain throughout Wulin.
Yet never mind a second-class sect like the Huaqing Sect-even those first-class sects and renowned great sects might not be able to find someone capable of refining such pills. Only a handful of great sects with long histories could refine them, and the ingredients were exceedingly difficult to assemble. Even with all the ingredients at hand, the success rate was extremely low. Thus, first-grade pills were exceptionally rare, and even those renowned great sects did not dare give them away lightly.
Almost none of these pills ever found their way into Jianghu. Whenever one did, countless people fought over it, and rivers of blood flowed every time.
"Junior Brother Hu, you must not make such reckless claims!" Xuanzhenzi said sternly.
"Senior Brother Xuanzhen, you personally told me about this several years ago. How could I be making reckless claims?" Hu Guyi insisted.
"Sect Master, this humble Daoist has indeed heard of the first-grade Sixty-Year Pill, but to say that I can refine it is truly absurd," Xuanzhenzi said, shaking his head.
"Daoist Xuanzhenzi, I spent two years in seclusion this time, yet still failed to break through to the first-class realm. I understand that, given my aptitude and cultivation methods, it will probably be difficult for me to do so in this lifetime," Bai Tianqi sighed.
"Sect Master Bai, surely it will not be long before you enter the first-class realm. You must not belittle yourself," Xuanzhenzi hurriedly said.
"Daoist, I will stop beating around the bush about why I invited you here and open the skylight to speak plainly. I only want one Sixty-Year Pill. Name whatever conditions you wish. As long as the Huaqing Sect can fulfill them, we absolutely will not refuse. Even if we cannot do so immediately, we will make every effort to accomplish it," Bai Tianqi said.
Xuanzhenzi sighed. He truly had not expected this to be Bai Tianqi's reason for summoning him. Moreover, it all seemed to be because of Hu Guyi.
"Senior Brother Xuanzhen, it is only one Sixty-Year Pill. If you give it to the sect master, he will be able to break through, and he will not treat you poorly. What is there to hesitate over?" Hu Guyi urged.
"Junior Brother Hu, you have known this humble Daoist for so many years. I do not believe I have ever wronged you, have I?" Xuanzhenzi asked.
"No. Over these years, I have received quite a few benefits from you, Senior Brother, especially pills," Hu Guyi answered.
"Then why are you doing this?" Xuanzhenzi asked evenly.
"If a man does not look out for himself, heaven and earth will destroy him," Hu Guyi sighed. "I have been trapped at the second-rate middle grade for many years, unable to break through. The Iron Sword Sect's cultivation methods cannot help me break through, and I have taken many pills as well, so improving my cultivation through pills is essentially impossible unless I can obtain a first-grade pill. But first-grade pills are so precious that I naturally cannot obtain one. Five years ago, however, you told me that every sect leader of your Green Ox Gate refines a first-grade pill. That pill is prepared for the next sect leader, to ensure that the successor has sufficient strength."
"I never imagined those words would lead you to harbor crooked thoughts," Xuanzhenzi said, finally understanding.
He had indeed mentioned such a thing to Hu Guyi back then. He had never imagined that this single remark would bring mortal danger upon him, or even the calamity of his sect's destruction.
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