Deep into the night, atop Mount Pingding, a profound silence reigned, the light of the two bright moons shining upon the square.
In the grand hall, a crevice slowly opened within the stone wall, and Jin Guang peered out hesitantly before stepping out.
In the end, he chose to come out.
The pool of flesh mire had long since rotted away, with no chance of making any useful discoveries from it.
Besides...
Surviving off leftover medicinal herbs every day, he couldn't bear it any longer.
The pill furnace had also exploded, making it impossible to refine any elixirs.
There had been no sounds in the night, which meant that the lad Song Yin was likely not in the vicinity, thus he could come out.
However, as soon as he stepped out of the Elixir Room, his gaze faltered. The dilapidated buildings in the grand hall seemed as if they had been replaced with new ones. The broken pillars had been restored, and the cobwebs he had seen for over a decade were long gone. Apart from the half-completed statue, everything else was as good as new.
Jin Guang looked outside; the buildings in the square had also been repaired as if they were newly constructed, including the hole in the square that Song Yin had created upon his arrival, which had been filled in as well.
Compared to before, the place now resembled a true Sect.
"Master..."
Suddenly, a voice unexpectedly rang out.
Jin Guang shuddered, instinctively looking toward the direction the voice came from, and his bearing became relaxed and proud.
"Ah, it's Fei Xuan..." he said indifferently.
Out of the shadows, a figure appeared, dressed in brocade garments with a fan hanging at the waist, handsome and distinguished, yet his eyes bore a hint of nefarious charm, resembling one who frequently dallied with amorous affairs.
He approached Jin Guang, bowed, and said, "Master, you have finally come out."
"Hmm..."
Jin Guang slightly nodded, then looked around and hesitated, "That Song Yin... has he gone to sleep?"
"Big Senior Brother... no, Song Yin is currently engaged in alchemy."
Just the thought of Song Yin caused Zhang Fei Xuan's body to tremble.
He had just suffered not long ago, and not only that, but he was also going to ignite the elixir fire for Song Yin later.
"Alchemy? What elixir is he refining? He has learned it so quickly?"
It had only been a few days!
After taking his "Great Golden Immortal Elixir Decree," Song Yin already knew how to refine elixirs?
Zhang Fei Xuan immediately knelt down with a grief-stricken face, "Master, that Song Yin is truly not human, tormenting us daily in the name of the Human Elixir Technique, and requiring us to build structures for mortals, teach them survival skills—tasks we have never done. Every day is filled with suffering, and every night with exhaustion."
Jin Guang exhaled deeply, "You've indeed been through a lot. I was secluded, researching the Wu Liang's offering, which allowed him to become presumptuous."
Upon hearing this, a flicker of contempt flashed in Zhang Fei Xuan's eyes.
It sounded better than it looked. Qi Refining Realm practitioners did not need seclusion, and what Wu Liang's offering... those Members of Armored Sect would have decayed by now, still trying to study whatever nonsense.
However...
Zhang Fei Xuan pursed his lips and resumed his lament, "Master, with Song Yin present, it's not easy for us to act against mortals. Why don't you pass the Human Elixir Technique to me, and I'll escape down the mountain to collect materials for you to refine the Human Elixir?"
As these words left his mouth, Jin Guang's eyes narrowed, observing Zhang Fei Xuan intently.
The latter was not intimidated and raised his head, saying, "Master, your disciple is wholeheartedly sincere. That Song Yin does not walk the same path as us. With the Senior Disciple gone, you lack someone to handle affairs by your side. As the second disciple, it's my duty to do these tasks."
Immediately, the atmosphere turned silent.
One standing, the other kneeling, they stared at each other, Jin Guang's eyes emanating a dangerous light, whereas Zhang Fei Xuan was unconcerned, maintaining eye contact with him.
"Disciple..."
Jin Guang's gaze softened, revealing a strange and elusive smile, "What are you saying? Can't your master leave the mountain himself?"
Zhang Fei Xuan also smiled, "Master is jesting. After all, I've been with you for so long, I'm aware of a few things... Besides, the Human Elixir Technique is the highest true technique of the Jinxian Sect, and who wouldn't want to learn it?"
"You are quite forthright. So be it..."
Jin Guang's eyes sparkled with an indiscernible light, "What you said is not wrong; Song Yin's emergence is my oversight. With him around, it is indeed inconvenient to get things done. In that case..."
He flipped his hand, and a pill the size of two fingers appeared in his palm, the elixir completely crystal clear yet with a tinge of deep green amidst its radiance.
"Resentful Poison Elixir—I refined it years ago using the Corpse Poison Wraith and the remains of a Great Demon. Find a way to make Song Yin consume this pill."
If Song Yin does not die, I really can't refine living people anymore, especially since he's on the brink of Foundation Establishment, and it's too late to start from scratch.
And...
Jin Guang glanced at the courtyard outside the hall, where the side halls that housed the disciples were...
"Once Song Yin is dead, you will be my Senior Disciple, and I will teach you the Human Elixir Technique. Together, master and disciple, we will achieve True Immortality."
"This..."
Zhang Fei Xuan looked at the pill in his hand, but also dared not take it.
"Hm? Do you have concerns, my disciple? Or do you no longer listen to your master's words?" Jin Guang's eyes flashed with dangerous light.
"Yes! Master."
Zhang Fei Xuan held out his hands, allowing Jin Guang to place the elixir in his palm, then knelt down to kowtow, firmly stating, "I will relieve Master of your worries and difficulties."
"Hmm... good disciple, I will continue my retreat then. I await your good news," Jin Guang said with a chuckle.
"Thank you for nurturing me, Master!"
Zhang Fei Xuan kowtowed once more, then remained still.
But when he had waited for quite a while without Jin Guang leaving, he lifted his head again, looking at him with confusion.
"Ah... Fei Xuan."
At this moment, Jin Guang tugged at the corner of his mouth, "Do you have any food on you? I've been in retreat for several days and am somewhat hungry."
So you came out because you were hungry all along, huh...
Zhang Fei Xuan blinked his eyes and pulled out a pill from his robe, "Master, this is the Yecai Elixir refined by Song Yin, it can satisfy hunger."
Jin Guang took the elixir and entered the Elixir Room without looking back, sealing the wall behind him.
Only when no more sounds came from behind the wall did Zhang Fei Xuan rise to his feet with an expressionless face, revealing a cold smile, "Old fox..."
He makes me give the pill, rather than someone else, to avoid stirring Song Yin's suspicions, right.
But it also clarifies one thing...
"It seems you're no match for him either, Master..."
Zhang Fei Xuan stepped out of the hall, gazing at the moonlight, clenching the pill in his hand, his eyes showing complexity.
The pill's quality was that of a potent poison that would kill upon ingestion. On this point, Jin Guang surely wouldn't deceive.
However...
The side halls are quiet, and it seems the fellow sect members are also tired and are sleeping soundly.
And those mortals, some of them seem to be awake; I can still hear people's laughter.
The side hall where Song Yin is located is faintly emitting blue smoke, as if diligently refining pills in preparation for the next day's food...
Peaceful and harmonious...
His gaze became hazy as he stared blankly at the moonlight.
It's different, whether it's the days when he was a mortal or the days of cultivating his way; it's just not the same as now.
It's not the kind of world where mortals all need to worship, nor is it like after he entered the Jinxian Sect where it was full of deceit, bloodshed, and the constant fear of being slain by others...
How can mortals and those cultivating the way live together?
How could a cultivator like Song Yin shelter mortals so?
But now...
Thinking of all that Song Yin has done, this unheard and unseen scenario, he became somewhat lost.
"Are Immortals truly once mortals..."
If it were before...
Zhang Fei Xuan opened his eyes, clenched the pill in his hand, and gritted his teeth, "It would be too late already! Only the Human Elixir Technique can resolve the worries in my heart!"