Stealing Immortal
Chapter 35 - 34: Master

Chapter 35: Chapter 34: Master

Just as Chen Qingyang had predicted.

The next day, the image of Qi Xiuyuan in his mind had improved compared to the day before. He had even regained some of the flesh and blood he had lost. Beneath his withered arms, prominent green veins throbbed, startlingly vivid.

’This is an increasingly bad omen!’

He glanced at the small golden characters again. They showed that his Immortal Seedling count had increased by 121 today. Although it wasn’t much less than yesterday, it was still a sign.

In the Alchemy Room on the Golden Summit.

Seeing Chen Qingyang arrive a bit earlier than usual, Liu Tao was beaming. She had been like this every time she saw him lately, attributing her progress in Cultivation to him, her lucky star.

"Junior Brother, yesterday’s Elixir was excellent! With my increased Cultivation, the True Essence Qi Blood drained by the Fire Control Three Acupoints has started to recover. Even my breathing exercises feel much smoother. I should be able to break through to Essence Condensation faster than I expected—within a year, I’d say."

Liu Tao had originally said it would take two or three years, but that was because she had underestimated the speed of Chen Qingyang’s progress.

"What if I had a Tier Three Qi-Introducing Pill to take?"

At that thought, Liu Tao covered her mouth and giggled nonstop. "If things were really that good, it might not even take half a year... No, no, maybe even three months... Oh, anyway, it would be really fast!"

Chen Qingyang was silent for a moment. "In that case, tell me: what is a Chief Steward of the Golden Peak Pill Institute?"

He was just a few Immortal Seedlings short of being able to refine the Tier Three Qi-Introducing Pill. At his current rate, he would definitely have enough by tomorrow, no matter what.

Liu Tao grew curious. "Weren’t you uninterested in this before?"

"I wasn’t interested before because the position of Chief Steward was too far out of reach for you, Senior Sister. But now, it’s getting closer and closer..."

Liu Tao didn’t understand. Chen Qingyang continued, "Perhaps tomorrow, I can try my hand at the Tier Three Qi-Introducing Pill."

"Hmph, you’re teasing me again..." Liu Tao put her hands on her hips, skeptical at first. But when she saw how serious Chen Qingyang looked, she gave him a light shove and leaned in close. "For real?"

"Senior Sister, I’ll say it again: when have I ever lied to you? Haven’t I always done what I promised?"

Liu Tao paused for a moment, then her expression turned to one of joyous surprise. A few hot tears even welled up in her eyes.

"Oh!" When one is overcome with joy, it’s often hard to laugh. All that comes out is a sigh, a release of breath that relaxes the body and soul, tinged with the memory of past hardships. "I believe you. I believe all of it. You wouldn’t lie to your Senior Sister... Okay, I’ll answer your question first."

Chen Qingyang sat quietly behind the round table, pouring a cup of tea for himself and another for Liu Tao.

"I have to explain this to you in detail. Ever since the Tai Xu Sect was founded, the Sect has valued not only a Disciple’s Cultivation in Daoist Techniques but also their studies in the Seven Arts. The relationship is like that of a tree’s trunk and its branches. A strong trunk can nourish the branches, and in turn, the branches can sustain the trunk."

"Take me, for example. When I couldn’t find a breakthrough with the Fire Control Three Acupoints, I was able to find one through Elixirs. People even use Arrays to alter the feng shui and fortune of their Cave Mansions, Refine Jade Talismans for Seizing Celestial Opportunities, share their life force with Spirit Beasts... or even shatter all techniques with a single sword."

Chen Qingyang nodded in understanding, and Liu Tao continued. "That’s why the Sect established the Seven Institutes, dedicated to the study of the Seven Arts of Immortal Cultivation. Later, a branch institute was set up on each peak to uncover disciples with potential. Even a barren place like the Four Golden Peaks has its own Pill Institute."

"So, you see, it’s quite simple. If I reach Essence Condensation and leverage my ability to make Tier Two Warm Sun Pills, I can become one of the seven Chief Stewards of the Four Golden Peaks Pill Institute. From then on, I won’t just be a disciple of my Master’s lineage; I’ll be intrinsically linked to the Pill Institute. It’s a matter of status, you understand?"

This was indeed the first time Chen Qingyang had heard any of this. Back when he was with Li Qianxue, things hadn’t been so complicated.

"So you’re saying you’d have a say in all matters related to Alchemy on this peak, Senior Sister? You could even get me unrestricted access to Pill Formulas from the Cloud Scripture Jade Pavilion?"

Liu Tao said, "Exactly. And if you want to participate in Alchemy competitions in the future, you’ll need a recommendation from our peak’s Pill Institute. If you do well, it will bring glory to the Pill Institute, too."

Chen Qingyang was hoping to hear if there was a way to protect himself from Qi Xiuyuan’s threat. For now, it seemed there wasn’t.

"In that case, Senior Sister, do you think it’s better for me to find a Foundation Establishment Master now and join the Outer Sect, or should I wait and take a chance later to find our Master on Cyan Bamboo Peak?"

This was a decision Chen Qingyang had always planned to make on his own; he had never sought anyone else’s opinion before.

Liu Tao thought about it very seriously. "Well, in the past, I would have said it’s better to stay here for the sake of stability. But now? You should wait. Find a Master who is more accomplished in the Alchemy Dao, and you’ll have a limitless future. What kind of future is there on the Four Golden Peaks? Even the Spiritual Qi is scarce here. Besides..."

Her tone held a hint of maturity now, lacking its usual girlishness, as if she were giving Chen Qingyang important advice. "You only get one chance to choose a Master when you enter the Outer Sect. After that, you have to wait until you break through to Foundation Establishment. The masters of Outer Disciples are all at the Foundation Establishment level. Only when you also reach Foundation Establishment can you be free from your Master’s control."

"The Tai Xu Sect has never really cared about ’respecting one’s master.’ If you can surpass them, you can become their master in turn. All that talk about a master’s grace, about having an immortal’s bearing, about Cultivation being a path to purify the heart... it’s just nonsense storytellers in the mortal world use to fool people. If they didn’t make us sound so mystical, why would anyone yearn for this life?"

Chen Qingyang already knew all this. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have held back for so long after his breakthrough.

’This is the most philosophical thing I’ve ever heard Liu Tao say. It must be a reflection of what she’s seen and heard in her four hundred years of Cultivation.’

There was indeed some truth to her words. For mortals, living to seventy is a rarity. With such small, fleeting lives, they are the ones who value concepts like morality, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and integrity. When you’ve grown accustomed to seeing loved ones die before you, when even the bloodline you left behind in the human realm has been severed, what does the Red Dust have to do with you anymore? All that remains in your heart is the pursuit of the Dao.

"Then I’ll work hard to help you break through sooner, Senior Sister. If Qi Xiuyuan really does show up, I’ll have to rely on your prestige to save my own skin!"

Liu Tao chuckled. Although her appearance and figure had improved, her mouthful of broken teeth remained the same.

Refining three Elixirs at once, compared to two, was more a matter of controlling the heat.

For Chen Qingyang, who was on the verge of mastering the Tier Three Qi-Introducing Pill, this was hardly a problem.

He had come earlier today, so he finished earlier as well. While Chen Qingyang was practicing Alchemy, Liu Tao meditated and cultivated by his side.

She would only come over when a batch of Elixirs was ready, consume one, and then continue her meditation.

The moment of breakthrough was drawing ever closer.

...

It was dusk when he descended the mountain.

The weather was poor, so there was no light. The sky was gloomy, and a cold wind howled.

In the past, it took him an hour to go up or down the mountain. Now, even though he hadn’t learned the Wind Control Skill or anything similar, a quarter of an hour was enough.

’Right, one has to wait until entering the Outer Sect for a Master to teach these common Minor Magics.’

Back in the small courtyard, the others who had gone to work had not yet returned.

Chen Qingyang first lit the charcoal fire and then cooked a warm bowl of noodles in the pot.

Ever since his Cultivation entered the Fourth Realm of Qi Refining, he could eat one meal every two days and feel full. As long as he kept meditating, even taking an Elixir could substitute for a hearty meal.

This showed that his body was transitioning from subsisting on the essence of grains to feeding on nature’s spiritual energy.

The first to return to the courtyard was Xu Yong, who busied himself with starting a fire and cooking in his own room. Lü Yunshen returned later. He crept stealthily to Chen Qingyang’s door, called out softly, and after entering and glancing around, shut the door behind him.

He was worried about being noticed by Xu Yong.

"Senior Brother Chen, you tasked me with looking into Gong Yueshu’s background. I didn’t get much of a chance today. I only know that she’s been working as a Miscellaneous Task disciple for an Outer Sect senior brother on the Golden Summit. I’m not sure what she does specifically. However, I did make some progress watching that kid Xu Yong!"

"Oh?" Chen Qingyang poked the charcoal fire. Lü Yunshen didn’t notice the spark that shot from his fingertip, causing the fire to CRACKLE to life. "What did you find?"

Lü Yunshen sounded almost indignant. "Hah, I don’t know what he used to bribe the Steward, but they’ve been really lenient with Xu Yong lately. For several days in a row, he’s left before work was even over. One of the junior brothers saw him frequently visiting a small courtyard to the west. I happened to get off work early today too, so I went to check it out. Sure enough, I saw him. And Senior Brother Chen, guess what else I saw?"

Ignoring his dramatic pause, Chen Qingyang busied himself with boiling water. Lü Yunshen had no choice but to continue, "I accidentally saw a senior sister in moon-white robes. She seemed to recognize me and even nodded in my direction. I had to pretend it was the first time I’d seen her and return the courtesy. This senior sister has long hair, looks to be in her forties, but is still quite beautiful. I wonder if that was Gong Yueshu?"

’When it comes to this kind of snooping, Lü Yunshen is actually quite capable.’ Chen Qingyang had only given him the task this morning, and he already had results.

"Not bad, not bad at all." Chen Qingyang nodded at him repeatedly and tossed him a Qi Gathering Pill. This time, it wasn’t poison.

"Take it back and begin its Refinement. You did a good job. Keep observing him. As for Gong Yueshu... never mind. You won’t be able to find out much about an Outer Disciple’s affairs anyway. We’ll leave it for now."

Lü Yunshen was overjoyed as he accepted the Elixir, looking as if he wanted to propose right then and there that Chen Qingyang become his godfather. "Senior Brother, thank you, Senior Brother... I’ll head back now!"

As he was leaving the room, he finally noticed Xu Yong’s gaze, which had been fixed on them through the window the entire time.

"Senior Brother Lü, did Senior Brother Chen give you something good? You look awfully pleased with yourself."

Lü Yunshen ignored him and walked straight back to his room.