Make some arrangements.
Qin Chuan’s mind stirred, recalling Old Tang’s earlier words. He offered no resistance, but remained quietly vigilant. Soon, as the mist enveloped everything, silence reigned, and the entire space became a pale blur. Within his sight, only he and Old Tang remained.
A sense of awe welled up within him. He could not fathom what technique this was, able to place the two of them in a relatively “independent” space.
Before he could fully grasp the intricacies, Old Tang pointed a finger into the void. Ripples spread, revealing a jade slip that floated before Qin Chuan.
He took it and probed its contents, discovering only a few words inside.
“Cautious, indeed.”
Qin Chuan sighed inwardly. He understood that the events he had witnessed today in Wu Chen Pavilion were reasonable—merely measures to protect the information of their clients.
No wonder Liu Fengshan had subtly praised Wu Chen Pavilion in his jade slip; it truly possessed remarkable qualities. The secrecy of its information was impeccable, leaving guests with no worries.
Following the instructions, Qin Chuan branded the words “Blood Pill” and “Complete Information” onto the jade slip, then gently tossed it forward with precision, landing it in Old Tang’s hand.
A few moments later, Old Tang examined Qin Chuan’s jade slip among more than ten others. His brow furrowed imperceptibly, surprise flickering in his gaze.
He gathered the slips, repeated his technique, and pointed into the void.
A jade slip floated toward Qin Chuan, who took it and read:
“Please come to the secret chamber for a detailed discussion. The reward will be determined according to the completeness of your information.”
Upon reading this, he felt little surprise, having anticipated such an outcome.
After some time, as the mist dissipated, he realized that the inner hall was empty, leaving only himself and Old Tang.
Old Tang looked at Qin Chuan, momentarily stunned, seemingly not expecting the source of the blood pill information to be him.
“Young friend, please enter the secret chamber for a detailed discussion.”
With that, he performed several intricate hand seals and produced a jade token, which he flashed toward the wall.
A rumbling sound echoed, and the wall revealed a passageway.
Qin Chuan frowned, hesitating to proceed. If Wu Chen Pavilion harbored ill intentions, entering this passage would surely spell certain death.
Old Tang sensed his wariness and smiled. “Young friend, you need not worry. Wu Chen Pavilion would never tarnish its reputation over you.”
His gaze swept over Qin Chuan, the light within his eyes now carrying a sense of ancient depth.
Qin Chuan felt a chill run through his body, as if doused in cold water, utterly exposed. Alarmed, he almost instinctively tried to flee, but forced himself to remain still. Through the black gauze, he looked at Old Tang, pushing his Dust Pill to its utmost.
Though terrified, he knew Old Tang would not harm him—at least not here.
He stubbornly gambled that the Dust Pill would hold sway. The origins of the Dust Pill were extraordinary; even Xiang Yin had been obsessed with it.
He wagered that Old Tang was merely feigning, unable to see through the Dust Pill.
A faint aura enveloped him, but Old Tang merely laughed heartily.
“No need to be nervous, young friend!”
“I have absolutely no intention of harming you!”
He emphasized “absolutely” with heavy deliberation. His gaze, filled with uncertainty, seemed to regard Qin Chuan as an equal.
“Please.”
Qin Chuan did not feign hesitation. He knew there was no avoiding this matter; if he wanted enough spirit stones, he had to take a risk. Without further delay, he strode confidently into the passage, which ended in a stone chamber.
Old Tang worked his magic, opening the chamber.
It was not large; whale oil lamps lit themselves, unaffected by any breeze, illuminating every corner with clarity. A square stone table was part of the chamber, with four cushions arranged around it—simple, yet complete.
“Please.”
The stone door closed with a rumble, sealing off all sound from the outside.
...
When Qin Chuan left Wu Chen Pavilion, his tense expression gradually relaxed, cursing the old monster under his breath. Had he not spoken cautiously and weighed every word, he would have fallen into many traps.
After ensuring he was not being followed, he found a secluded spot, removed his conical hat, changed his clothes, and strode boldly toward the Pill Stone Cliff.
“Grandfather, grandfather?”
Tang Huiyi gently tugged at Old Tang’s sleeve, pulling him from his thoughts.
“What is it, child?”
Old Tang returned to himself, banishing Qin Chuan’s image from his mind, sighing at how inscrutable young people had become.
“Grandfather, do you have any news of Xiao Zhuang?” Tang Huiyi’s eyes sparkled with anxious anticipation.
“What, are you still worried about that child?”
The ancient gaze met her bright eyes, noting that her stubborn nature was inherited from her mother.
“Fine, I concede. I don’t have news of Xiao Zhuang, but I do have something you might find interesting.”
“Oh? What is it?”
Old Tang handed her a jade slip. He intended to pat her head as in childhood, but his hand paused mid-air.
“Ah, the child’s grown up—taller than her grandfather now...” he sighed softly, turning away.
Tang Huiyi did not notice Old Tang’s unusual behavior, absorbed in the information within the jade slip.
“Qin Chuan of Green Mountain Sect, hmm?” As soon as she saw these five words, her attention was captured.
Upon reading the whole jade slip, her heart began to race.
Qin Chuan had come to Jade Bamboo Mountain? And he sought Pear Moon Wood!
Liu Fengshan of the Liu family wished to befriend him, and so, using his position, organized a special task.
Her expression shifted repeatedly, at times shocked, at times delighted.
“If I were to deliver this man’s head to Xiao Zhuang, I would surely earn his favor!” At this thought, excitement flushed her cheeks.
“Cuihua!”
“Your servant is here.”
“Follow my instructions, and arrange...”
...
Qin Chuan had no inkling he was about to be ensnared, his thoughts racing as he considered his own affairs.
He had sold the secret of refining blood pills using a Tianxin Sect counterfeit puppet’s hand to Wu Chen Pavilion.
The profit was far greater than expected—perhaps because he remained calm and forced Old Tang to be wary with the Dust Pill.
Or perhaps the blood pill information was worth more than he had imagined—who could say?
Long ago, Qin Chuan had been troubled by his lack of spirit stones and pills; today’s events were merely a planned step in his strategy. His preparations were meticulous, the details flawless and vivid.
Anything concerning himself was carefully erased. Unless confronted by Yu Ce directly, outsiders would find it nearly impossible to implicate him.
Though there was some risk, the thought of the spirit stones in his storage pouch dispelled all hesitation.
He passed a fork in the road, turning left as his internal compass dictated.
According to his calculations, in another half a cup of tea’s time, he would reach Pill Stone Cliff.
This trip was not only to refine enough pills but also to improve the Yin-Yang Thunder Pearl.
The current version was too weak; when activated, it only matched a second-level Qi Refining cultivator’s full strike. It was barely effective against ordinary beasts or cultivators, let alone pose any threat to someone like Yu Ce, a postnatal Qi Refining cultivator.
Qin Chuan’s vision was excellent. From a distance, he could see a massive stone wall stretching across, like a giant beast slumbering among the mountains.
At its base, countless figures moved about.
Due to the tense battles in the north of Jade Bamboo Mountain and the shortage of pills, this place was far less leisurely than other parts of the city.
Below the stone wall, clusters of pill masters gathered, drawing earth fire. Waves of heat devoured all traces of vegetation. Occasionally, an exploding furnace would trigger a chain reaction, leaving everyone wailing.
This was the outermost area for pill masters, where many earth fires were newly excavated, making conditions for pill refining extremely harsh.
When Qin Chuan arrived, seeing the pill masters coming and going, he was at a loss for how to proceed.
Taking a few steps, his casual gait contrasted sharply with those around him. Passersby glanced at him, surprised, but quickly moved on.
He walked along the street, gazing idly at the shops on either side, and wandered into a relatively secluded corner.
After a moment, he suddenly twisted and retreated, falling back more than ten meters in an instant. His right hand lifted, and the Bright Moon Sword was already in his grasp.
He flashed back to the side of a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy, pressing the sword to the youth’s throat. The boy’s face turned pale as he staggered back, trying to evade.
Yet with every step he took, the sword seemed to lengthen, its tip barely touching his skin. The boy’s cultivation was low, only at the second level of Qi Refining. He was thin, his eyes lively before, but now filled only with terror.
“Why are you following me? You have only one sentence to explain yourself,” Qin Chuan said, his long grey robe and calm demeanor belying the deathly shadow cast upon the boy.
The cold and pain from the sword’s sharp edge kept the boy’s nerves taut.
“I have connections—whether buying, selling, or refining pills, I can save you much trouble!” he said, tense and terrified, quickly. He believed Qin Chuan’s words: he had but one chance to explain.
If he said too much or failed to clarify, Qin Chuan would surely kill him, even here in Jade Bamboo City.
Qin Chuan glanced at him without speaking, but the boy was quick-witted, sensing Qin Chuan’s thoughts and hurriedly continued.
“My name is Ji Xin. Though I was born to mortal parents, I’m very familiar with Jade Bamboo Mountain, especially Pill Stone Cliff.”
“Since you entered this area, I’ve been watching you. I confirmed you’re here for the first time and need a guide, so I followed, hoping to recommend myself.”
“It only costs twenty spirit stones—no, just ten! I can save you much time, and I know a bit about things beyond pill refining as well.”
He finished quickly, anxiously watching Qin Chuan. He had not lied, but the shadow left by the encounter had not faded. He had done this before, but never met someone like Qin Chuan; it felt as if his life was not his own.