Slowly, a group of monks trickled into the area, their curiosity piqued by the resounding explosion that had reached their ears.
They had purposefully come to investigate the source of the commotion.
As they laid their eyes upon the shattered remains before them, reduced to nothing more than a billowing cloud of smoke, they couldn't help but be taken aback.
Astonished, they exclaimed, "Goodness gracious, the entire house has collapsed! What sort of mystical technique could have caused such devastation?" Perplexed, they wondered aloud, "What on earth could have transpired here?"
Not long after, members of the Bamboo Leaf Gang arrived on the scene as well.
The sight of the ruins left them equally dumbfounded, unable to fathom the events that had unfolded just moments before.
Observing this, Ren An stepped forward to offer an explanation.
He revealed that, under the cover of darkness, four undercover agents from Black Iron Villa, all in the late stages of Qi refining, had launched an attack on Ava Zen's residence.
Him as a neighbor had witnessed the incident and had guided the four assailants to his own home, where they were met with a meticulously planned explosion, courtesy of a multitude of explosive talismans.
Ren An added that their bodies were now buried in a tunnel within the house, and if not obliterated by the blast, they could still be retrieved with some effort.
The gang wasted no time and immediately began their excavation of the tunnel.
In a remarkably short span of time, they unearthed four bodies that were charred and disfigured.
Upon further investigation, it was confirmed that these corpses belonged to the monks from the Black Iron Villa.
"You claim to have killed these four undercover agents from the Black Iron Villa, all of whom were at the advanced stage of Qi refining, using a substantial number of explosive talismans?" The elder from the Bamboo Leaf Gang, who was leading the team, asked with suspicion.
Ren An nodded in affirmation and added, "Indeed, my neighbor and fellow Daoist, Ava, can vouch for my statement."
Upon hearing this, the elders of the Bamboo Leaf Gang turned their gaze towards Ava Zen. Sensing the need to cooperate, Ava followed Ren An's lead and confidently stated, "What Alchemist Ren said is absolutely true."
Despite Ava's support, the elders of the Bamboo Leaf Gang remained doubtful.
They questioned the sheer power of the explosive talismans that could eliminate four Qi refining monks and obliterate an entire building.
Could a second-tier talisman truly possess such immense force?
Each monk holds their own mysteries, and it is considered disrespectful to inquire about secrets in the realm of immortal cultivation.
Once the situation became clear, the elder of the Bamboo Leaf Gang wasted no time in rewarding Ren An and Ava Zen for their commendable actions, aiming to motivate the casual cultivators in attendance.
"You successfully eliminated four Black Iron villa spies in the late stage of Qi refining, you will receive eight months of rent exemption."
However, due to the damage caused to two houses during the operation, two months of rent exemption will be deducted as compensation, leaving a total of six months of rent exemption.
"You are free to divide these six months of rent exemption between yourselves as you see fit.
Once the allocation is complete, come to the law enforcement hall to register with me." With these instructions, the elder of the Bamboo Leaf Gang left with the four charred bodies. Meanwhile, conversations filled the air.
"Six months of rent exemption is like receiving 600 low-grade spirit stones as a reward. It's truly something to envy."
"I wonder what kind of weapon I should forge. Perhaps I should find a way to uncover the Black Iron Villa's spies."
Participate in the excitement as a refiner who is only at the midway point of Qi refining.
Has no one mentioned to you that the undercover agents from the Black Iron Mountain Villa are in the advanced stage of Qi refining?"
"..."
Before long, the monks who had gathered to observe dispersed and went their separate ways, leaving the area to return to its peaceful state.
During this time, numerous monks approached Ren An to inquire about the situation in detail.
They sensed that Ren An had held back earlier and hadn't revealed the whole truth or may have intentionally concealed something.
Ren An paid little attention to them, but ignoring them completely was impossible.
He could only briefly repeat what he had just explained to the elder of the Bamboo Leaf Gang.
Once everyone had departed.
Ava turned to Ren An and, wearing a puzzled expression, asked, "How did you manage to create that enormous explosion earlier?"
She knew that it was forbidden to inquire about someone's secrets.
Yet, her curiosity got the better of her, leading her to break the rules without hesitation.
Seeing Ava's expression filled with curiosity, Ren An realized that he had regained his composure.
The woman appears to be partially cooked already.
"I possess knowledge of a spell, one that can generate an explosion out of thin air using a specific formula."
Ren An made up this information.
Regrettably, Ava Zen's interest has been thoroughly piqued by this encounter, leaving her unable to distinguish fact from fiction. She eagerly inquired, "What is the name of this spell?"
"High School Chemistry."
"What does 'high' mean, and what exactly is 'high school'?"
"My dear friend Ava, I am willing to disclose the formula for this spell, but only if you answer a question truthfully."
"Very well."
Ava agreed without hesitation.
In this moment, satisfying her own curiosity takes precedence above all else.
Recognizing her eagerness, Ren An leaned in close and whispered into her ear, "Helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, argon, potassium, and calcium.