Immortal Mortal

As Mo Wuji walked down the round altar, he opened the gold silk bag in his hands; there were a total of 51 jade bracelets inside. These were the keys to enter the Five Elements Desolate Domain; each jade bracelet signified a placing in the desolate domain.

On the stage, Pill Master Ming Ning was still reporting the names, but it no longer mattered to Mo Wuji.

It took a total of one hour for Pill Master Ming Ning to award all 100 pill refiners, and present them with their jade bracelets.

The Five Elements Desolate Domain square erupted with noise and activity. Crowds started to form and the sects and powers which won placings were among the noisiest in the crowd.

Pill Master Ming Ning increased her volume, ”Everyone, quiet down.”

Even though everyone was eager to obtain the desolate domain placings through trade or transaction, they were halted by the authority of Pill Master Ming Ning’s words. In a short time, the bustling crowd quietened down; a few had to forcefully suppress the eagerness in their hearts and listened to the final words of Pill Master Ming Ning.

”This pill competition has officially come to an end. Congratulations to all pill refiners who obtained a placing, as well as their sects. Three days later, the transfer array for the Five Elements Desolate Domain will be activated. To enter, one must wear the bracelet and must not be more than 50 years in age.

This Five Elements Desolate Domain trial will last for three months. Anything found there will belong to you. Three months later, you will need to find your own way out. The Heaven Seeking Palace will not be held responsible for anyone who failed to come out.” With the end of Pill Master Ming Ning’s announcement, the whole square instantly bustled up.

The crowd became loud and messy, with no sense of order.

On the other hand, Mo Wuji was still thinking puzzledly. If a person doesn’t leave after the three months, won’t he be able to obtain more spiritual herbs?

At the first possible moment, Zhen Shaoke and Zhen Shaoru arrived by Mo Wuji’s side, ”Wuji, congratulations. Ha ha, I just knew that you wouldn’t disappoint me. Come, let’s go back and talk.”

Mo Wuji hurriedly said to Yan Qianyin, ”Senior apprentice sister Yan, I will wait for you at the Nine Moons Pill House.”

As there were far too many people here, it would not be convenient for him to simply pass Yan Qianyin the bracelets.

Just as Mo Wuji finished that sentence, the human traffic had squeezed him out to the side. He hurriedly followed Zhen Shaoke to leave this human mess.

…

”Mr Zhen, there’s a huge harvest ah. I don’t need so many Five Elements Desolate Domain bracelets. I can give you as much as you need.” After returning to the Nine Moons Pill House encampment, Mo Wuji elatedly placed the gold silk bag on the table. Even he did not expect that he would have obtained so many placings.

Zhen Shaoke stood up and bowed to Mo Wuji, ”Wuji, I roughly need 20 placings. You really helped me out this time. I also won’t be courteous now; these are things I’ve prepared to exchange for your placings. Even though it’s a bit lacking, but we’re friends after all.”

With that, Zhen Shaoke retrieved a small cloth bag and pushed it in front of Mo Wuji. He was genuinely grateful towards Mo Wuji; with Mo Wuji’s 20 bracelets, he could definitely topple the Second House Master’s regime. In the pill house, which elders and pill refiners wouldn’t have descendants and disciples who would want to enter the desolate domain?

Mo Wuji hurriedly rejected him, ”Shaoke, you helped me when I was facing crisis, and the rights to participate in this competition was also granted by you. How can I accept your things?”

Even though Zhen Shaoke was borrowing his abilities, he did not use any underhanded schemes, but openly seeked Mo Wuji’s friendship. Mo Wuji also changed to address Zhen Shaoke as ’Shaoke’ to truly recognise him as a friend.

Hearing Mo Wuji’s change in address, Zhen Shaoke was elated. He smiled and pushed Mo Wuji’s hand back, ”Wuji, these are things you need. You just need to take a look to know.”

Mo Wuji seemed to suddenly think of something, and he immediately grabbed the small cloth bag into his hands. He discovered that the opening of the bag seemed to be blocked by some complex lines.

How familiar.

In an instant, Mo Wuji finally understood what was going on and asked excitedly, ”Shaoke, is this…”

Zhen Shaoke nodded, ”That’s right, this is a storage bag. This was the largest storage bag I could find. There are even some spirit stones inside for you to use in your cultivation.”

”How do I use it?” Mo Wuji asked hurriedly. He could reject other things, but he definitely couldn’t reject the storage bag. He had far too many things he needed to carry. Just the drug refining equipment alone was already an inconvenient baggage.

”You control it using your will. With your will, you can freely retrieve or store things inside. If your will isn’t strong enough, you can wait till you’ve advanced to the Spirit Building Stage to use it. Additionally, you can bind with this storage bag so that it only allows your will to open it…”

Zhen Shaoke had not even finished speaking but Mo Wuji had already used his spiritual will to see what was inside the storage bag. A mountain of crystal clear spirit stones, clearly of the Xuan grade. At the same time, there were also many orange firestones. Mo Wuji had used orange firestones before, and he knew that it was a level higher than red firestones. What surprised Mo Wuji the most was an intricately carved pill furnace placed at a corner of the storage bag. With all these items, the storage bag still had close to two cubes of space.

”Shaoke, this is too extravagant…” Even though Mo Wuji knew that the things inside were things he needed, he still felt that it was far too extravagant and excessive. After all, his competition rights were given by Zhen Shaoke in the first place.

”Wuji, you can casually see the things inside?” Zhen Shaoke asked in pleasant surprise, and soon came to an understanding, ”That’s right, you’re a pill refiner, so it’s natural for your will to be stronger. If not, you wouldn’t be able to concoct Tier 3 pills. But Wuji, even though these things are worth a lot, it’s worthless compared to the treasures within the Five Elements Desolate Domain. Your 20 bracelets are the keys to obtaining those treasures. I’m not exaggerating when I say this.”

As he said this, Zhen Shaoke started to whisper, ”Wuji, don’t think that the Five Elements Desolate Domain only has the Flower of the True Gods. Actually, there are are valuable and priceless treasures there. You might even find the immortal cave of a fallen expert; finding one would actually equate to finding the legacy of a huge sect.”

With Zhen Shaoke speaking so much to persuade him, Mo Wuji no longer declined his intentions. He retrieved 25 jade bracelets and passed it to Zhen Shaoke, ”Shaoke, you can take these. I just hope that you can help me with one more favour. I wish that you can help me keep a lookout for anyone who finds the Immeasurable Soul-forging Crystal in the Five Elements Desolate Domain.”

”Don’t worry, Wuji. Even if you didn’t remind me, I would have done that. When you’ve entered the desolate domain, do help me take care of Shaoru if you meet him. You know that Shaoru is a muscle head, and he is very straightforward, so he might get taken advantage of. Regarding these bracelets, I won’t be overly courteous with you.” Shen Shaoru kept the 25 jade bracelets. Since Mo Wuji had treated him as a friend, acting too courteous would just be hypocritical.

Mo Wuji asked doubtfully, ”Shaoke, you’re not going in?”

Zhen Shaoke shook his head, ”I need to win over the internal elders of the pill house; this is the biggest opportunity I have to officially obtain the position as the main house master. Also, there’s also Yan’Er and your friends. With me here, you wouldn’t need to worry about them.”

Mo Wuji was just thinking about the situation with Yan’Er when he enters the Five Elements Desolate Domain, but with Zhen Shaoke’s words, he was immediately reassured.

”Pack your things up. I believe that you would soon be very busy. Don’t casually sell these bracelets away; everyone of them is extremely valuable. Oh, please don’t sell them to the Second House Master.” Zhen Shaoke was worried that Mo Wuji did not know the value of the bracelets and sold them away at dirt cheap prices. Thus, he specially reminded Mo Wuji.

”I know.” Mo Wuji nodded. Even if Zhen Shaoke didn’t remind him, he wouldn’t have sold the bracelets to that overbearing lady from the pill house. ”Oh right, Shaoke, I heard from Pill Master Ming Ning that we would have to leave by ourselves after three months. But if we choose to stay, wouldn’t we be able to reap bigger harvests?”

Zhen Shaoke smiled gently, ”You’re overthinking it. The reason why the pill competition can only be held once every three years, and the reason why they chose this three months, is because this is the period where the Five Elements Desolate Domain is relatively safe. The huge demonic beasts will roam into the deeper regions of the domain, and the poisonous fog would be dispersed. If you don’t leave after three months, you would definitely end up dead…”

”There’s poisonous fog in the Five Elements Desolate Domain?” Mo Wuji asked flabbergastedly.

Zhen Shaoke was just about to continue, but the attendant standing outside Mo Wuji’s door called out, ”Young House Master, the pill house’s elders and pill refiners wish to see you…”

Zhen Shaoke hastily stood up, ”Wuji, I would give you a book entailing all the dangers in due time. I’ll head off first.”

With that, Zhen Shaoke hurriedly left. This was his most key and critical moment.

Just as Zhen Shaoke left, and Mo Wuji had yet to delve into his storage bag, Fei Bingzhu entered, ”Senior apprentice brother Mo, Pill Master Yan is here.”

Mo Wuji enthusiastically stood up, ”I’ll fetch her.”

By the door, Yan Qianyin’s voice called out, ”Junior apprentice brother Mo, I’m already here.”

Mo Wuji eagerly brought Yan Qianyin in, and poured her a cup of tea, ”Senior apprentice sister Yan, please take a sit.”

Mo Wuji genuinely felt that it was a waste that Yan Qianyin did not manage to obtain within the top 100. He felt that with her abilities, not only could she enter the top 100, she could even be within the top 20.

”Thank you.” Yan Qianyin sat down, and spoke in an apologetic tone, ”Junior apprentice brother Mo, if not for your luck, I would have really let you down.”

Mo Wuji waved it off, ”Let’s just forget about the past.”

Yan Qianyin did not truly let him down; in fact, she gave him a huge deal of help. Mo Wuji was a person who cherishes old favours; he would definitely not be stingy to people who had helped him before. Yan Qianyin was indeed acting on her own self-interests, but who wasn’t like that? Yan Qianyin and him also did not have any special relationship; the help she had rendered him was already very terrific.

Mo Wuji’s living principle was to not ask too much of others. He would usually keep people who request for too much at arm’s length. He can interact with such people, but he wouldn’t befriend them.

”Senior apprentice Yan, I still have many placings here. Feel free to take as much as you want.” Mo Wuji went straight to the point.

Yan Qianyin did not immediately respond. Instead, she retrieved a piece of paper and passed it to Mo Wuji, ”Junior apprentice brother Mo, I believe that you would need this.”