Stealing Immortal

Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Divine Dao

「The next day.」

Out of curiosity, Chen Qingyang glanced into Xu Yong’s room. He wasn’t there.

’What exactly is the Profound Light Association? Who founded it, and what is its purpose? And what about Xu Yong? Was his talk of reconstructing one’s Dantian to achieve a breakthrough real, or just a Blinding Technique?’

The questions swirled in his mind for a moment before he pushed them aside. Chen Qingyang had to focus on his own affairs.

「Four Golden Peaks.」

「Golden Summit.」

「Liu Tao’s Alchemy Room.」

”How’s it going? Have you made any progress with that bitch? You’ve already fed her eight Elixirs. We’re just letting that slut get them for free...”

Liu Tao fumed. After all, the ingredients were hers, the Pill Furnace was hers, and Chen Qingyang was practically her man. Yet, the Elixirs he refined were being handed over to someone else.

So, the first thing she did every day upon seeing Chen Qingyang was ask about Xu Baoling.

”Yesterday, she told me I don’t need to find her on the path anymore. Instead, I’m to go to her Alchemy Room near the Golden Summit.”

Liu Tao narrowed her eyes, displaying an unnatural calm. ”That Alchemy Room is very secluded. It’s where she usually does her Cultivation, and very few people ever go there. What do you think she means by this?”

”If she wanted to kill me, she wouldn’t have to go to such lengths. It seems that after feeding her Elixirs for so long, she’s convinced of my skills. She also knows we don’t get along and wants to pull me over to her side!”

”Good, good! The little bitch has finally taken the bait.” Liu Tao fumbled in her sleeve and pulled out a palm-sized Purple Gold Gourd. ”The Star Meteor Powder is in here. Remember, only add half a mace. Mix it in with the other ingredients during Alchemy. Don’t add too much, or she’ll definitely notice!”

Chen Qingyang took the gourd and was about to start the Alchemy when Liu Tao grabbed his hand.

”What is it now, Senior Sister?”

”Aren’t you afraid? What if that bitch lures you into her Alchemy Room and tests you with the Brahma Sound of the Righteous Great Divine Dao again? What will you do then?”

Having cultivated the Great Soul Scripture every night recently and experienced her technique a few times, Chen Qingyang was somewhat confident.

”What else can I do? I’ll just have to play along like before. The key is to not defy her, so she doesn’t see through me!”

Liu Tao snorted, seemingly annoyed with Chen Qingyang. ”I’m worried you’ll get to that Alchemy Room and be unable to resist her charms. The moment you fall into her trap and tell her everything, you’re a dead man, and I’ll be dragged down with you! Remember, that woman is a venomous viper. You absolutely cannot give in to her beauty!”

Her words were tinged with both jealousy and a genuine warning.

”I know, Senior Sister.”

Liu Tao watched from the side as Chen Qingyang began the Alchemy.

He first processed the raw materials, then loaded them into the herb box according to the correct proportions. After double-checking everything, he brought out a small scale and added exactly half a mace of Star Meteor Powder before feeding the mixture into the Pill Furnace.

Only then was Liu Tao satisfied. ”Now, thanks to that little bitch, neither of us will have any Qi-Introducing Pills!”

When poisoning an Elixir, you couldn’t refine three pills at once. By the time this batch was complete, there wouldn’t be enough time to start another.

Besides, Xu Baoling was a Pill Master herself. The Elixir for her had to be refined fresh daily; otherwise, if she spotted any flaws, all their efforts would be for naught.

Chen Qingyang was meticulous and cautious when it came to such matters.

His approach was as systematic as his Fire Control.

Alchemy was a process of extracting the essence from raw materials, stripping away impurities, and allowing them to react. If one could ”discard the dross and retain the essence” with perfect precision, the result would be a flawless batch of the highest possible tier.

For an Elixir like the Qi-Introducing Pill, which used basic ingredients but required a difficult technique, the upper limit was Tier Three. Reaching Tier Four required a different class of pill entirely.

He worked quickly today, and the Elixir was ready by evening.

Chen Qingyang didn’t leave right away. He waited until it was dark, around the same time as the previous day, before heading toward Xu Baoling’s Alchemy Room.

”Remember to be careful!”

Liu Tao called out another reminder as he left.

Chen Qingyang nodded in response.

The air was chillingly desolate, and a cold wind howled.

Darkness enveloped the surroundings, broken only by the swaying shadows of the trees lining the path. An incessant rustling filled the air.

After a short walk, he saw a few wooden cabins ahead. The one in the middle glowed with a brilliant light.

Xu Baoling’s stunning silhouette was framed in the window.

”Senior Sister Xu, I’ve come to deliver the Pill.”

After a brief pause, a single word came from within. ”Enter!”

He pushed the door open. Instead of the expected scent of herbs, he was met with the faint fragrance of orchids.

The Alchemy Room was surprisingly large. Aside from the usual furnishings and a Pill Furnace, Xu Baoling was reclining on a couch. Her thin, sheer robes did little to conceal her allure, and Chen Qingyang was captivated after a single glance.

Her robes revealed the skin beneath, open at the chest to where they barely covered her peaks. Below, a slit ran from a few inches beneath her navel, just enough to conceal what lay between her two smooth, jade-like legs, which were pressed tightly together. Her whole body glowed with a golden light, giving her skin the texture of White Jade.

His gaze was instantly drawn to her. His blood rushed like a surging True Dragon, pooling in his lower body. Chen Qingyang frantically tried to compose himself. ’This is bad,’ he thought.

”Come further inside. And close the door.”

Her voice was hypnotic, capable of pulling one’s thoughts into the shimmering world of the Red Dust. He could feel himself falling under the sway of the Righteous Great Divine Dao once more.

His mind was already ensnared, and now he felt even more dazed and groggy.

A sense of reverence and shame, a deep-seated yearning, coiled around his thoughts, impossible to shake off.

He tried to pinch himself, his hand hidden in his sleeve, but the pain barely registered.

’Just a few days ago, I could resist her somewhat with the Great Soul Scripture. Why is my Divine Soul crumbling like a clay statue now? I can’t even look away!’

He considered secretly circulating the Great Soul Scripture to resist, but the very thought sent a cold sweat down his back.

’Xu Baoling’s Cultivation is far higher than mine. She’d spot the flaw in an instant, and all my previous efforts would be wasted.’

Seeing that Chen Qingyang had fallen for her trick, Xu Baoling stood with a faint smile. Her figure seemed to grow taller, more radiant. She left much of her skin exposed for him to see, yet her expression was majestic and solemn, like a towering, righteous deity.

”Tell me,” she said, ”how do I compare to that old hag?”

”You’re a ser...”

Chen Qingyang gritted his teeth, struggling to stop the truth from spilling out.

Xu Baoling pressed closer, her voice a seductive whisper. Her towering form brought her peaks almost to his face, and a strange fragrance tickled his nose. ”A serpent... what?”

Panic seized Chen Qingyang. He finally understood Liu Tao’s warning: anyone with a trace of lust in their heart could never escape Xu Baoling’s clutches.

”...Besides Li Qianxue, you are the most beautiful person I have ever seen in the Tai Xu Sect, Senior Sister!”

”Heh. To be compared to Li Qianxue... it seems I hold a very important place in your heart.”

A golden light shone from Xu Baoling’s face, and lotuses seemed to bloom from her body. The hypnotic sound descended from the highest heavens, forcing its way into Chen Qingyang’s mind.

”Are your words true or false?”

”True or false?”

”True... or false?”

The question echoed in his mind, over and over, like a dejected wanderer lost in regret, making him want to tear out his own heart to find the single truest thought within.

From that moment on, Chen Qingyang’s gaze roamed her body, but all lust had vanished from his heart. All that remained was faith in a true god.

”Liu and I...”

A sense of guilt washed over him. His mouth moved, seemingly of its own accord, about to confess, ’Senior Sister Liu and I want to harm you.’

Xu Baoling savored the moment, casually flicking her long hair. ”Go on. What about you and Liu Tao?”

”My relationship with Senior Sister Liu Tao is just business—I do Alchemy for her. Of course, you are better, Senior Sister Xu.”

After forcing out those words, Chen Qingyang felt as if he’d expended all his strength.

His consciousness was on the verge of slipping into another state, one entirely beyond his control.

Liu Tao had been right. If he hadn’t been tempted by her beauty, he wouldn’t have fallen into her trap. But he had been stunned from the moment he walked in; only his sheer willpower had allowed him to hold on this long.

Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Xu Baoling spun around. The thin gauze fluttered, revealing her lower body to be almost completely bare, before she draped a green Daoist Robe over her shoulders. All her curves were concealed, and only a divine aura remained.

”It seems you truly do like me. You, with your gloomy aura, have only managed to reach this level of Cultivation. Meanwhile, I, a peerless beauty, have never been seen like this by any man. You’re a lucky one!”

With her True Skill withdrawn, Chen Qingyang’s mind gradually cleared. His face was as expressionless as old tree bark, but he couldn’t stop the cold sweat that drenched his body. He certainly didn’t feel lucky.

”I’ll be honest with you. That old hag is my mortal enemy. By performing Alchemy to help her with her Cultivation breakthroughs, you are slowly killing me. Could you bear to see me die?”

Chen Qingyang feigned surprise. ”How could that be?”

”You know it’s true just by looking at that old hag’s temperament. If you perform Alchemy for me instead, I’ll recommend you to my master. You’ll become a true Outer Disciple, and the path to the Great Dao will open for you. But first, I need you to help me eliminate Liu Tao. Do you dare?”

’She’s tested me this far,’ he thought. ’If I dare to say no, they won’t even find my bones tomorrow.’

”Of course I dare!”

”Haha!” Xu Baoling looked at him with growing satisfaction. ”What I need you to do is actually quite simple. She needs your Qi-Introducing Pills, doesn’t she? Just find a chance to poison her daily until she slowly wastes away and dies.”

’This...’

Chen Qingyang knew he shouldn’t hesitate, but he did.

’If I’m poisoning Liu Tao, that means every pill I make will be a Poison Pill. How am I supposed to get Xu Baoling to take one then?’

”What? You’re not willing?”

Xu Baoling’s eyes narrowed, her expression turning cold.

”Of course I’m willing! A hundred times over! It’s just... Senior Sister Liu prepares all the ingredients herself, and she’s very guarded around me... I don’t think I’ll get an opportunity anytime soon!”

Xu Baoling’s expression changed, and she chuckled. ”I’m not telling you to do it right now. What’s the rush? Besides, your Elixirs are excellent, and I’m about to break through to the Qi Refining Ninth Realm myself. Just take your time, earn her trust, and then administer the poison. Once it’s done, there will be a reward for you. Understand?”

She swayed her body gently, the nature of his ”reward” being self-evident.

Chen Qingyang let his gaze linger on her graceful figure. ”Then I’ll follow all of Senior Sister’s instructions.”

”Haha...” Xu Baoling laughed heartily. ”Just an old hag, trying to compete with me. It’s pure delusion!”

With that, Chen Qingyang dutifully presented the Poison Pill. He then departed, feigning reluctance.

’Even now, Xu Baoling still wants me dead.’ Chen Qingyang was more convinced than ever that he had made the right decision: act decisively, ally with Liu Tao, and eliminate Xu Baoling.

He still hadn’t taken a single one of the Qi Gathering Pills Xu Baoling had given him. ’If Liu Tao has something like Star Meteor Powder,’ he reasoned, ’then Xu Baoling must have something similar.’

The rest of his journey down the mountain was uneventful.

As he reached the gate of his small courtyard, an image suddenly surfaced in his mind: it was Xu Baoling’s face, with the Stealing Immortal hovering over her head, siphoning away a wisp of white Fire.

Star Meteor Powder affected one’s Cultivation. Taking it would obstruct her Immortal Path.

And thus, he could perform Stealing Immortal Seedling.

[Chen Qingyang]

[First Realm of Qi Refining]

[Tai Xu Energy-Introducing Technique: (8/200)]

[Tier One Qi-Introducing Pill: (24/100)]

[Great Soul Scripture (Incomplete): (3/100)]

[Available Immortal Seedlings: 31]

’To get so many at once... she’s worthy of her status as a Qi Refining Eighth Realm Cultivator with decent talent.’

’If I just killed Xu Baoling and completely severed her Immortal Path, I wonder how many Immortal Seedlings I could steal?’

’But if I don’t kill her and just keep this up... would the Immortal Seedlings keep regenerating?’

’That’s a good idea. If I get the chance, I should give it a try. What you harvest might be more than what you can snatch all at once.’

He had nearly failed today under the power of the Righteous Great Divine Dao. Chen Qingyang didn’t hesitate any longer. He immediately used 27 seedlings, bringing his Great Soul Scripture up to 30.

Instantly, the feeling of his Divine Soul strengthening was palpable. The muddled state of his mind vanished, replaced by perfect clarity.

’The limit is 100. I wonder what kind of changes will occur once I reach it?’