Stealing Immortal

Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Nine Deaths

In the end, seeing the two Tier Two Qi-Introducing Pills placed before her and hearing Chen Qingyang whisper that she would soon reach Essence Condensation, Liu Tao mustered her courage.

She decided to face her once-feared master directly, and she spent some time carefully pondering what she needed to say.

...

The hut was tiny, with only a single, small window.

Even with the sun high in the sky, the interior was dim and gloomy.

Chen Qingyang called out, and Lü Yunshen entered. He sat down behind the long table and began to poke at the charcoal in the brazier.

A gentle warmth soon began to radiate from it.

”What was said when you saw Hu Kai yesterday?”

Lü Yunshen had been waiting for the question. He hurriedly set down the fire tongs. ”He... seemed to zone out for a moment, then just said, ’Understood.’ After that, he didn’t say anything else... Ah, Senior Brother Chen, the impression I got was that it’s a good thing this person is gone. Does this mean there’s internal strife within the Profound Light Association?”

’The man’s aptitude was nothing special, but after so many years studying the classics, his mind was sharp and he had a keen understanding of human nature. His intuition was probably correct.’

”Anything else?”

Lü Yunshen thought hard. ”That was it. What does Xu You’s disappearance have to do with us, anyway? It doesn’t affect my joining the Profound Light Association, so there’s no need for you to trouble yourself over it, Senior Brother.”

Chen Qingyang chuckled. ”What makes you think I’m troubling myself over it?”

Lü Yunshen faltered, then shook his head. ”No, Senior Brother. Not at all.”

”Right. If it has nothing to do with us, let’s just ignore it. But tell me, how has your cultivation been lately?”

At the mention of this, a look of delight invariably spread across Lü Yunshen’s face. ”Ah, I’ve considered myself clever my whole life—I became a Scholar at sixteen, after all—but compared to you, Senior Brother Chen, I’m just an ant gazing at the sky. More than twenty years of burying my head in bitter cultivation can’t compare to a pleasant quarter of an hour with you... Thanks to the Qi Gathering Pills, my cultivation is naturally advancing by leaps and bounds!”

’Even a scholar’s flattery had its own unique style. Still, that line about a ”pleasant quarter of an hour with you” sounded a bit familiar.’

”Enough. Don’t say such things again. When the time is right, you’ll naturally have a chance to repay me. It’s too early for that now.” As he spoke, he handed a Poison Pill to Lü Yunshen.

In recent days, he had been fed a steady supply of Qi Gathering Pills by Chen Qingyang. He was now visibly overflowing with Essence Qi, and his foundation had become much more solid.

Moreover, something like a Qi Gathering Pill was a rare treasure that a servant disciple could only hope to stumble upon. With Chen Qingyang’s now-unlimited supply, perhaps in a year or two, he could use the Profound Light Association’s methods to help Lü Yunshen break through.

’His aptitude may be average, but once he steps into the First Realm of Qi Refining, he should be able to contribute forty or fifty Immortal Seedlings, at least.’

’At this thought, Chen Qingyang felt a pang of envy for the Profound Light Association’s Magical Artifact. If he could get his hands on it, wouldn’t he be able to mass-produce cultivators in the First Realm of Qi Refining by combining Elixirs with the Magical Artifact?’

’As a mere servant disciple, hanging around the Golden Summit was somewhat dangerous. Only by acquiring more Immortal Seedlings could he secure a better future.’

Lü Yunshen was overjoyed. ”Ah, even Senior Brother Hu Kai was surprised when he saw me yesterday! He said my cultivation has been progressing very quickly and that I could break through within a year or two. Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother Chen.”

”Mm. Take it.”

After bowing his head in thanks, Lü Yunshen swallowed the Poison Pill. As he began to meditate, his form appeared in Chen Qingyang’s mind.

This time, he gained only a single Immortal Seedling.

’Yet this single seedling satisfied Chen Qingyang. It showed that the impact on Lü Yunshen’s foundation was minimal, and the interval between taking the Poison Pills was long enough. This would allow him to use the Profound Light Association’s methods to break through to the Qi Refining Cultivation realm.’

”Continue!”

”Yes, Senior Brother Chen.”

Afterward, Chen Qingyang gave him another pill—a Qi Gathering Pill from Liu Tao. By the time Lü Yunshen swallowed it and began to meditate, Chen Qingyang was already gone.

Today, instead of going to the Hongling Token, he headed straight for the Golden Summit.

’He had advised Liu Tao yesterday to hurry and visit her master. By now, there should be some results.’

He ascended at a slow pace. Despite his cultivation at the Third Realm of Qi Refining, he was still slightly out of breath.

He was constantly mimicking the breathing patterns of someone who hadn’t yet reached Qi Refining. His imitation was now perfect and difficult to expose. The only problem was controlling his own Qi Mechanism; as before, he knew he couldn’t fool a truly high-level Cultivator.

Just then, a scene suddenly appeared in his mind.

It was the terrified, pained, and distorted face of Qi Xiuyuan. Xian’Er floated above his head, drawing in a wisp of white Fire.

’Things are moving this quickly?’

He quickly checked. This time, he had stolen a total of 107 Immortal Seedlings.

’That’s so many, far more than Chen Qingyang had imagined. Could it be that Master Yun Ci, in her anger, had used some vicious means to punish him?’

’It seems the enmity with Qi Xiuyuan is now a matter of life and death.’

Instead of continuing up, Chen Qingyang found a spot under a pine tree and sat down. He channeled all the newly acquired Immortal Seedlings into his One-Origin Sword, filling more than a quarter of its current progress limit.

In that instant, the True Essence in his Dantian surged. The Meridians throughout his body pulsed with activity, drawing in the surrounding Spiritual Qi and stirring up a gentle breeze.

He guided his Qi Mechanism through one Circulation after another. By the time he stopped, his theory was confirmed. As long as the One-Origin Sword broke through this time, he could advance to the Fourth Realm of Qi Refining.

「In the Alchemy Room.」

Liu Tao’s expression was grim. Lost in thought, she didn’t even greet Chen Qingyang when he entered. Her behavior was a stark contrast to the windfall of Immortal Seedlings he’d just received.

”What’s wrong? Did things not go well?”

Liu Tao sighed, her expression dazed. ”It went smoothly. So smoothly that it unnerves me. I’m still shaken by it.”

Before Chen Qingyang could ask, Liu Tao paused, then continued, ”Master used the Nine Deaths Treasure Mirror. I never thought she would do something like that to Qi Xiuyuan!”

Chen Qingyang was unfamiliar with the name and didn’t know what it was.

”Most people only know that the Masters of our Tai Xu Sect use Elixirs and other methods to help disciples with lesser talent. But for those who are gifted yet lack a firm will, there’s the Nine Deaths Treasure Mirror. I saw it for the first time today. It’s a palm-sized, glittering gold object. When Master began the Sacrificial Refinement, it burrowed into Qi Xiuyuan’s flesh. He just screamed and screamed, begging, ’Master, spare me...’”

It was clear that Liu Tao was terrified; she was even stammering as she spoke. ”...But Master paid no attention to his pain. After Qi Xiuyuan passed out from the agony, she warned me, ’This artifact can plant the Heart-Eating Bone-Burning Fire within your Divine Soul. It burns day and night, subjecting you to constant, unbearable agony. You must dedicate yourself completely to meditation just to cope. Each twelve-hour period is a tribulation, and success is only achieved after nine consecutive tribulations. This is how we temper the will and solidify one’s Dao Heart.’”

After hearing the description, Chen Qingyang couldn’t help but feel a chill. ”If you endure it, your cultivation will naturally advance by leaps and bounds, and your Dao Heart will be stable. But if you can’t endure it, you’ll develop a Heart Demon, live every day in terror, or even go mad and be completely crippled.”

As a fellow disciple under the same master, Liu Tao couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathetic dread. ”Exactly. That’s why I’m afraid.”

Chen Qingyang comforted her, ”Doesn’t this just mean that Master Yun Ci is even more convinced by your words?”

Liu Tao finally snapped out of her daze. ”Master said a lot more, but I can’t recall it all clearly. I just remember her saying that Qi Xiuyuan was good-for-nothing, that he’d completely wasted his talent. He failed to break through to Essence Condensation in a timely manner, which even affected the fortunes of our entire lineage. She also said Xu Baoling’s death was inseparable from him... That’s why she inflicted such a heavy punishment.”

Chen Qingyang asked, ”Did she say anything about you?”

”She didn’t say a single word about me.”

”Then that’s good. Don’t worry. The most important thing right now is to remain calm.”

Liu Tao pondered for another moment, her gaze fixed on Chen Qingyang. ”You’re right. I can only be at ease once I break through and satisfy Master. Junior Brother Chen, my only hope rests on you now! You’re the only one I can talk to about this!”

She lived a secluded life and rarely interacted with others. The person she had spoken to most in recent days could only be Chen Qingyang.

”Don’t worry, Senior Sister. So, do you think Qi Xiuyuan will endure it, or will he fail?”

Liu Tao said, ”It’s hard to say. People are different when they’re pushed to their absolute limit.”

’The situation was clear. If he endured it, he would become a major enemy, spelling inevitable trouble in the future. If he couldn’t, not only would I harvest Immortal Seedlings, but the grudge would be settled once and for all.’

Compared to Liu Tao, Chen Qingyang was clearly less sentimental. He was only thinking about what came next.

’In such a ruthless Immortal Sect, one must only pursue what is beneficial!’

”Then is there any way we can make him fail?”

Liu Tao shook her head decisively. ”Don’t even think about it. He’s in seclusion not far from Master, so no one can get near him. Besides, with the Nine Deaths Treasure Mirror that Master planted in his body, she can perceive the slightest change. The Divine Powers of a Foundation Establishment Master are ever-changing. We must not underestimate them.”

Chen Qingyang mulled it over for a moment. ”Understood. But there is one thing you still need to pay attention to, Senior Sister. You need to keep a close watch on Qi Xiuyuan’s situation. I’m afraid he’ll cause trouble for us again when he gets out.”

After saying that, he went to practice Alchemy.

Liu Tao nodded slightly behind him.

’Ever since his Alchemy Dao had broken through to the level of Tier Two Qi-Introducing Pills, he hadn’t spent any Immortal Seedlings on it. All his progress had come from his own painstaking efforts. In a few more days, he could attempt to produce a standard yield of three Elixirs from a single furnace.’

’This would undoubtedly speed up Liu Tao’s breakthrough. And from the looks of it now, her successful breakthrough would be very beneficial to him.’