“I like you, Ah Yan.”
“…”
After a suffocating standoff lasting thirty breaths, a street vendor child cleverly approached them.
“Seniors, would you like to buy some sweet crabapples? They’re good for soothing the throat and relieving eye strain.”
Qi Yang shifted his gaze and bought a pack of crabapples. He led Nan Yan to lean against a white jade railing by the roadside. “Want some?”
Nan Yan silently accepted the pack. After a while, she stammered, “If we hadn’t separated that year, and you said this now, I’d probably be quite happy.”
“Why can’t it be now?” Qi Yang asked.
Nan Yan popped a crabapple into her mouth and looked up at the swaying osmanthus flowers overhead. “It’s fine, no problem. Buddhists love all living beings. Even if you’ve strayed from the right path, this humble nun must help you pull back from the brink. Come, let me tell you a Buddhist story to cleanse your soul…”
Qi Yang interjected, “Vinayaka?”
“Choose another one!” Nan Yan exclaimed.
“The Blissful Buddha…” Qi Yang suggested.
“Are you trying to pick a fight with me in the street?” Nan Yan retorted.
Qi Yang sighed wistfully, “I miss how clingy you were as a child.”
Nan Yan seriously recalled their past interactions and replied, “I also miss how well-mannered you used to be.”
She reflected that while Shao Cang had occasionally been distant back then, he had felt genuine. Now, though not necessarily worse, his desire to get close was overwhelmingly intense.
Dao cultivators cultivate their “original self,” while demonic cultivators pursue their “true self.” Most cultivators on the demonic path can’t suppress their desires. He had never hidden what he wanted, but he was more patient than ordinary demonic cultivators, always treading the edge of her boundaries.
Nan Yan knew that if he used even a fraction of the effort he spent on her to manipulate others, few could resist.
As she pondered this, she felt like she was losing hair from worry. Suddenly, people on the street began to make way, with cultivators being pushed to the sides. Some hot-tempered ones complained loudly.
“This is Dragon City! Who dares to have such a grand procession?!”
Yet, there was someone with such grandeur. The white jade pavement began to emit a faint glow, and celestial music could be heard from afar.
Amidst a shower of red flowers, a giant three-headed mechanical bird strode forward. Each step made the ground tremble thrice, even causing nearby three-zhang-tall elephant spirit beasts to cower.
“A three-legged golden crow? The visitor must be the Lu family from You State, leaders of the mechanist sect.”
As onlookers marveled at this distinguished guest, another wave of exclamations arose from down the street.
A massive brocade snake appeared, even larger than the golden crow. Its head was protected by thick armor and controlled by three chains. Surprisingly, it carried a three-story building on its back.
“That’s the Bai Apricot Tower, known for housing the best medical cultivators from Hai State.”
As the Bai Apricot Tower passed, many low-level cultivators caught a whiff of medicinal fragrance. Even Nan Yan felt her body lighten and some hidden injuries begin to heal.
More renowned figures from other states continued to appear.
“What’s the occasion? Why are so many important people here?” someone asked.
A loud-voiced cultivator answered, “Don’t you remember? The Dragon Lord invited them to celebrate the Imperial Son’s birthday!”
This revelation caused a commotion, as everyone had forgotten about this amid the recent conflict between the Dragon Lord and Mu Zhanting.
Nan Yan, watching the Bai Apricot Tower pass, said, “I heard my brother caused trouble in Yin State, absorbing the lifespan of many Nascent Soul cultivators and making many enemies.”
Qi Yang nodded, “I heard. He went too far.”
Nan Yan continued, “I also think it was excessive. But I didn’t know he had become so powerful after obtaining the Great Sun Fire Essence, able to kill Nascent Soul cultivators above his level.”
Qi Yang replied, “It is indeed impressive.”
Nan Yan turned to him with a strange look, “Your brevity makes me nervous. You weren’t involved in what my brother did in Yin State, were you?”
Qi Yang answered, “I was secluded in Si State at the time. How could I have secretly gone to Yin State to share his fate?”
Nan Yan threatened, “If you keep imitating his way of using idioms, I’ll fight you right here.”
Concerned about Mu Zhanting’s condition after being beaten by the Dragon Lord, Nan Yan, and Qi Yang headed to the medical hall.
The best medical cultivators in Dragon City resided in the southern part, next to the spirit herb shops. Dragon City greatly favored medical cultivators, providing cavern dwellings and support to all ranked medical cultivators.
Among them was a famous ninth-grade medical cultivator. In the cultivation world, ninth-grade pill refiners were called “Pill Kings,” and there were fewer than ten in the entire realm, all treasured by various states.
Mu Zhanting had been sent to this Pill King surnamed Sun after being beaten by the Dragon Lord.
The medical cultivators’ district was vast. After much inquiry, Nan Yan finally found a white jade pill tower. Beneath it was a huge pond with clear water emitting a faint glow. Upon closer inspection, she saw purifying pearls embedded in the pond, constantly purifying and nourishing the water.
Nan Yan was once again amazed by Dragon City’s extravagance. Even a gourd of this pond water would be enough to elevate a Qi Refining stage cultivator’s realm.
Two Foundation Establishment cultivators stood guard at the entrance. Nan Yan thought she might need to talk her way in, but Qi Yang simply showed them something, and they smiled and made their way.
“So you’re a sixth-grade pharmacist! Please enter. If you’re willing to accept Dragon City’s support, we’ll send a young attendant to guide you later.”
Nan Yan: “…”
After entering, Nan Yan whispered to Qi Yang, “Now I fully believe you’re a discarded disciple of Dao Sheng Tian.”
Qi Yang: “Oh? Why?”
“I met someone in the Red Emperor’s Jade Palace who was in seventh grade in pills, artifacts, and formations. He even gave me an age-preserving pill. I kept wondering, are such difficult skills so easy for Dao Sheng Tian’s people that they don’t need to cultivate?”
A strange smile appeared on Qi Yang’s face. “What was that person’s name?”
“Mo Xingzheng. Do you know him?”
“Oh.” Qi Yang smiled but didn’t answer. Instead, he said, “Let me see the age-preserving pill he gave you.”
Being a product of a seventh-grade pill maker, Nan Yan had carefully preserved the pill in jade wax and a medicinal wooden box. She took it out for Qi Yang to examine.
After looking at it for a while, Qi Yang asked, “Have you taken any other pills from him?”
“No,” Nan Yan replied, growing wary. “Did he poison me?”
Qi Yang shook his head. “This pill isn’t poisonous. It’s of excellent quality. However, he might be particularly concerned about you. He planted soul-fusing incense in this pill. It’s not toxic, but when your emotions fluctuate, your body will emit a unique fragrance undetectable to ordinary people. If he has a spirit beast like a scent-tracking marten, he could find you without your knowledge.”
Nan Yan lamented, “How treacherous! I thought Brother Mo was a good person.”
…Xingzheng is indeed a good person, but he might have grown suspicious or held onto the hope of finding me through you.
Looking at the pill, Qi Yang said, “He probably didn’t expect that you, Ah Yan, wouldn’t immediately take it like most would. It’s fine, don’t eat his. If you want an age-preserving pill, I can refine one for you.”
As they spoke, they hadn’t avoided others. A nearby elder, also wearing a sixth-grade pharmacist jade pendant, coldly snorted, “Young fool, you’re a mechanism cultivator. How dare you speak so lightly of the difficulty of pill refinement? Young man, even with a beauty by your side, doesn’t forget a healer’s code of conduct.”
Traditional pill refiners advocated specialization in one path. Once becoming a pharmacist, one wouldn’t dabble in other fields for life. Seeing the young couple together, the elder assumed Qi Yang was boasting to impress his lover and was quite biased.
Qi Yang didn’t argue. He nodded slightly and said, “Indeed, I spoke rashly. Please forgive me, Master. We are friends of the Imperial Son and heard he was sent here to Longzhi Pavilion for treatment. We came to visit him.”
Seeing his humble attitude, the elder’s expression softened. “So you’re friends of the Imperial Son. No wonder you’re so impetuous… Well, the Imperial Son only has some external injuries. He’s on the seventh floor now and should be fully recovered by afternoon.”
Qi Yang thanked him and was about to go upstairs when suddenly, there was a commotion above. Someone came tumbling down, cursing as they ran.
“Old Sun! Our grudge is clear, but why did you put seven-leaf golden thread in my medicine?! And it’s three thousand years old! Doesn’t golden thread cost spirit stones?!”
An old man’s voice boomed from upstairs, “Guards below, block the door! Don’t let the Imperial Son leave until he finishes his medicine!”
Recognizing Mu Zhanting’s fluent use of idioms, Nan Yan, out of sibling love, stuck out her foot to trip him as he came racing down.
Mu Zhanting was running too fast and was injured. He didn’t notice and flew right out.
Unfortunately, a group of pharmacists from other states had just entered through the entrance formation. They were immediately knocked down by the flying person.
“Ah! Pill King!!!” The visiting pharmacists cried out, hurriedly helping up a long-eyebrowed middle-aged man in the center. They looked at Mu Zhanting in horror. “The Dragon Lord invited us with great courtesy to aid the Qitian Yuan frontline. Is this how Dragon City treats our Hai State Pill King?!”
The people from Longzhi Pavilion helped up the dazed Mu Zhanting.
“We apologize. The Imperial Son has been injured recently. He accidentally collided with you. Please, let’s discuss this upstairs.”
“Are you bullying us lower state medical cultivators? Our state’s Pill King is highly esteemed. This welcoming gesture is far too disrespectful!”
Watching the chaos below, Nan Yan slowly retracted her foot and asked Qi Yang, “My fault?”
“You can’t outdo Zhanting in these matters.”
Still feeling guilty, Nan Yan thought about how the Dragon Lord had specially invited these pharmacists. Ruining it with one kick seemed inappropriate. She went downstairs and said, “I’m sorry. I was trying to stop the Imperial Son and accidentally caused you to fall. Please blame me.”
The visiting pharmacists, dressed in apricot-scented robes with autumn-colored jade belts and pill-refining gourd jade pendants (the lowest rank being fourth grade), scoffed at her words.
A cold-eyed fifth-grade pharmacist nearby said, “Don’t try to find a scapegoat. This is Chen State’s territory. Whatever happens here is Chen State’s responsibility. What does it matter if he’s the Imperial Son? Our Hai State won’t accept this invitation! Let’s see who will preside when your Chen State Pill King’s lifespan ends!”
Chen State’s Pill King was now over 900 years old. Centuries ago, he had refined a hundred furnaces of Blood Flood Dragon Pills for Chen State. He was the most senior pill-refining expert among all states. However, he was now stuck at the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm. Although Chen State constantly searched for life-extending treasures for him, they had only managed to extend his lifespan by 500 years. He would reach the end of his life within a few years.
The Hai State Pill King from Bai Apricot Tower had been invited with great courtesy by Dragon City to find a successor for their Pill King position.
Mu Zhanting, now awake, shrugged off those restraining him and angrily said, “I apologize for bumping into you, but what do you mean by insulting our Chen State Pill King?”
“Am I not speaking the truth? Your Chen State is in a fierce battle with Si State. Without a Pill King, the impact on the war effort goes without saying.” The Hai State pharmacist, clearly here with an agenda, arrogantly continued, “We know of Master Sun’s great reputation. Our Master Jiang has always admired him and came specifically to receive Master Sun’s ‘Pengyun Herbal Notes’. By the way, our Master Jiang also has high requirements for spirit water. To get accustomed to the environment, please vacate this Longzhi Pavilion for us.”
This statement angered the original pharmacists of Longzhi Pavilion, and Nan Yan’s gaze also darkened.
Although Mu Zhanting often clashed with the pavilion’s Pill King Sun, he was the first to anger when outsiders tried to take over Master Sun’s pavilion. “We’ve built new pill pavilions for you, but you insist on taking Master Sun’s Longzhi Pavilion? Do you think Chen State has no one of worth?”
As tensions rose, the sound of a cane tapping the floor came from upstairs. An old man with kind eyes and a gourd hairpin slowly descended, saying, “Zhanting, don’t be rash. We pharmacists have our way of settling disputes.”
His slow, measured voice silenced everyone.
Even the initially arrogant Hai State Pill King turned to face the old man respectfully. “Junior Jiang Daoyu greets Master Sun.”
Master Sun stroked his beard and said, “Reaching ninth-grade Pill King at mid-Nascent Soul stage is indeed remarkable. I’ve lived in this Longzhi Pavilion for many years. If you want it, you can have it, but we’ll settle this the pharmacist way.”
A pill duel!
Everyone held their breath. In a pill duel, pharmacists refine the same pill and the one with higher quality wins.
The Hai State Pill King, Jiang Daoyu, smiled slightly. He didn’t care about Longzhi Pavilion; he came to make a name for himself by defeating Master Sun. He said, “Since we’re on Master Sun’s turf, what pill would you like to wager on? I’m game for anything!”
Master Sun stroked his beard, his gaze passing over Mu Zhanting, and said, “How about… the Immortal Spirit Pill?”