Stealing Immortal

Chapter 65: Chapter 64: Souvenir

Inside the Alchemy Room, besides the candlelight, a faint golden glow lingered in the air. The rich, medicinal fragrance wafted over in waves, teasing their senses.

For any elixir, once it surpassed Tier Three, its profundity undoubtedly ascended to a whole new level. And now, Chen Qingyang had crossed that threshold.

Liu Tao gently cradled the three elixirs in her hand, examining them over and over. Only when she finally decided to store them away in a Jade Box did the unusual aura they produced completely vanish.

”Sigh... this is my first time seeing a Tier Four Elixir, too. Who would’ve thought Four Golden Peaks would be such a desolate place, especially for the Alchemy Dao!”

Chen Qingyang voiced a long-held doubt, ”Senior Sister, is there really no one on Four Golden Peaks who can refine a Tier Four Elixir?”

Liu Tao smiled. ”Those with the ability don’t bother studying the Alchemy Dao, and those without it naturally can’t succeed. I’d say a Foundation Establishment Master could do it, but it’s not like we’d ever get to see one!”

”True enough.”

When Liu Tao glanced over, her eyes were sparkling and clear, like a hidden spring. ”You know, you’re not such an old-timer after all. From the first moment I saw you, I felt you were different... Of course, it’s also possible that after two hundred years of not interacting with anyone, plus being influenced by the Great Soul Scripture, I was... well, a little abnormal back then!”

In her pink dress, with her delicate and lovely face, Yanyan looked to be in the bloom of youth, no older than sixteen.

Chen Qingyang didn’t dare meet her gaze, instead turning his head to look at the elixirs. ”It’s true. Senior Sister, you’ve changed a lot since then!”

Liu Tao continued, ”I’d say you’ve changed quite a bit yourself. Especially producing Tier Four Yang Replacement Powder on a whim—three in a single batch, no less. We can celebrate, but there are a few things I still need to tell you.”

”Please, Senior Sister, go on.”

”Your skills are certainly shocking on Four Golden Peaks, but you must remember that there’s always a higher mountain to climb and a stronger person to meet. We don’t know what things are like on Cyan Bamboo Peak, so you must be cautious in the future. Some people... if they can’t do something themselves, they can’t stand to see others succeed!”

Every word Liu Tao spoke was reasonable and true, but someone as experienced as Chen Qingyang had understood this principle long ago.

”Alright, I’ll listen to you, Senior Sister. There’s one more thing I haven’t had a chance to tell you about.”

As he spoke, the Gold Coin Sword lay in his palm. It had no shimmer, no Qi Mechanism, appearing like a lifeless object.

But Liu Tao saw its extraordinariness at a glance and was immediately astonished. ”Why does this have my master’s aura on it? Where did you get this?”

’As expected,’ he thought. ’My Cultivation is nothing compared to hers. She saw through the object’s strangeness in an instant.’

”Senior Sister Leng gave it to me...” He immediately recounted everything he had seen that day, including Leng Yueru’s instructions.

After hearing him out, Liu Tao handed the Bronze Sword back to Chen Qingyang. ”Senior Sister truly leaves nothing to chance. If she were determined to investigate, forget everything else, even the truth of how Qi Xiuyuan died would be difficult to hide... But since she said she’ll no longer concern herself with it, the matter is truly over. By giving this to you, she’s showing that she wants to protect your life.”

This time, as Liu Tao looked at Chen Qingyang, her eyes held a great deal more relief. ”Ah, Junior Brother, you’ve finally stopped hiding things from me and told me everything from beginning to end.”

Chen Qingyang said, ”Senior Sister, you misunderstand. There are some things I have never hidden from you!”

Liu Tao didn’t press the issue.

Neither of them noticed that just as Chen Qingyang took the Gold Coin Sword and put it away, a flash of clear, white light glinted on its surface.

It was faint, almost imperceptible.

Having been delayed until midnight, going back down the mountain now would be a waste of time. Instead, he simply laid out a cushion in the Alchemy Room and meditated until dawn.

Once some of his Primordial Energy was restored, he began refining elixirs again. With the experience from last time, he handled the raw materials with practiced ease. By the time the sun was about to set, another three elixirs were ready.

”Mm, the heat control is identical to yesterday’s. Not Lower Rank at all!”

After inspecting them, Liu Tao carefully stored them in the Jade Box. ”It’s just a pity I have so few boxes. At most, I can only store... hmm, maybe forty or fifty...”

As she smiled, Liu Tao covered her mouth in surprise. ”Ten days... At this rate, it will only take ten days to have enough!”

But Chen Qingyang had a different idea. ”I think we should wait twenty days. Let’s trade for a really good one!”

Liu Tao’s face beamed with joy. ”Alright! But doing this will completely empty out the nest egg I’ve saved up over all these years to pay for the Alchemy Raw Materials... Oh well, it’s fine if it’s emptied. I can always save it all up again!”

「By the time he descended Golden Summit, night had fallen.」

It was growing warmer with each passing day, and the brazier in his room was no longer needed. Chen Qingyang simply lit a candle and tidied himself up a bit.

”Master, have you been at Liu Tao’s place refining elixirs these past two days?” Xu Baoling floated over and asked. Not having seen him for two days, she was naturally a little curious.

”That’s right.”

Chen Qingyang handed her three Jade Flower Spirit Dew Pills. Xu Baoling accepted them with a graceful bow. ”Thank you for your gift!”

With that, she went off to begin her refinement.

Chen Qingyang also began to meditate and cultivate, his focus primarily on studying the One-Origin Sword.

Neither the man nor the soul noticed the Gold Coin Sword in his robes quietly flash with light once more. Then, something seemed to stir and shoot out from it, heading for the heavens.

「In the blink of an eye, several more days passed.」

Refining the Tier Four Yang Replacement Powder consumed a great deal of True Essence, and even with Chen Qingyang’s Cultivation, he could barely keep up. Thus, his daily meditation to recover was essential.

He pushed open the window. Outside, birds chirped on the branches, and a pleasant spring breeze drifted by.

The old locust tree on the cliff’s edge was bursting with new life. The slope behind his small courtyard was gradually turning a vibrant green, and blades of grass could be seen sprouting from the cracks between the bricks and stones underfoot.

He had shed his padded winter clothes for lighter garments. The two youths across the way were also growing accustomed to this routine, waking earlier and earlier. Whether it was cultivating or heading to their tasks, they were becoming more and more diligent.

”Senior Brother Zhang, do you think Lin—”

Before Li Sheng could finish, Zhang Ping, who was busy working under the eaves, chuckled. ”I know what you’re going to say. Junior Sister Lin has been up the mountain for half a month now. She ought to have sent you some news, right?”

Perhaps used to it, Li Sheng ignored his teasing. ”Yeah, it’s been over half a month. She should be familiar with things up there by now!”

Seeing Chen Qingyang approach, Li Sheng hurriedly asked, ”Senior Brother Chen, why hasn’t Junior Sister Lin sent a letter back to you? Didn’t she say she’d let us know once she was settled in?”

Miscellaneous Task disciples were not entirely without freedom. On the contrary, if you happened to be assigned to a senior brother or sister with a detached personality, focused solely on the Immortal Dao, you could have far more freedom than those on the mountainside once your daily chores were done.

However, considering that the Outer Disciple in question was Zhang Wenyuan, who served under Master Xuan Gui, it was hard to say for sure.

”I reckon it’ll be soon. Just wait a little longer. No matter what, given Junior Sister Lin’s personality, she’ll send word.”

”Yeah, I hope so.” He still sounded unconvinced, but there was nothing he could do.

...

「Up on Golden Summit.」

At the entrance to the Pill Institute, beneath the green willow tree, a figure stood timidly. A gentle breeze rustled her green robes, making them sway like the willow leaves. Her already slender frame looked even thinner, her face had grown pale, and her former tranquility had been replaced by a deep, bone-weary exhaustion.

It was Lin Qingxuan. If someone were to say she was faring well on Golden Summit, Chen Qingyang would never have believed it.

”Senior Brother Chen!” The energy in her voice was not as strong as before; that quiet, graceful girlish air about her was gradually fading.

’I don’t know what kind of technique this lineage uses to transfer the consequences of lifespan-draining arts onto others,’ Chen Qingyang thought. But he had no desire to ask.

”Junior Sister Lin, just this morning Zhang Ping and Li Sheng were asking how you were doing on Golden Summit and why you hadn’t sent a letter. And here you are!”

Chen Qingyang smiled warmly.

Lin Qingxuan managed to force a smile, and a bit of life seemed to return to her weary eyes. ”Everything’s fine. I’m slowly getting used to things up here. Oh, right, this is a letter for them. Could I trouble you to give it to them, Senior Brother Chen?”

Two sheets of yellow paper were folded together. There was no envelope, and the ink from within was faintly visible through the back. Chen Qingyang took them and tucked them into his robes.

”Are you... sure you’re doing alright?”

He couldn’t help but ask. ’If she pours out all her grievances, won’t I just be asking for trouble?’

But Lin Qingxuan’s reaction was no different from how she usually was. ”Yes, thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Chen. Everything is fine. There are many Miscellaneous Task disciples like me under Senior Brother Zhang. We all study our Cultivation Techniques, and we get along well with each other. The environment is nice, too... Basically... I have nothing to worry about!”

She mentioned the other disciples, the environment, the food and drink... everything, in fact, except Zhang Wenyuan himself.

”Alright, I understand. I’ll deliver your letter for you.”

”Thank you, Senior Brother Chen!”

After bowing, Lin Qingxuan turned to leave. Chen Qingyang thought for a moment, then called out again, ”Wait a moment. This is a Qi Gathering Pill. Taking it will also help replenish your qi and blood and nourish your vital essence. Use it when you’re halfway down the path, and don’t let anyone see you!”

Lin Qingxuan immediately became flustered. She knew that no matter how carefully she had tried to hide it, the man before her had seen right through her.

She shook her head like a rattle. ”No, no, no, this is... it’s too valuable...”

Allowing no refusal, Chen Qingyang pushed it into her hand. ”I’ve never been short on these things.”

Unable to refuse, she took it and quickly ran off. ’If only Leng Yueru would make her move sooner,’ he thought. ’Then perhaps this girl could escape with her life, at least for a while.’