Crack—
A withered foot stepped out from inside the coffin and landed on a piece of charcoal, snapping it in half.
Gu An saw that it was a disheveled woman in tattered clothes. Her body was so emaciated that it seemed as though her flesh and blood had been drained away, leaving her robes, which were barely identifiable as white, torn at the sleeves and pant legs as she staggered out like a ferocious ghost.
Jiang Qiong slowly lifted her face, which was just as withered, her eyes deeply sunken and bulging, looking very frightening.
Her gaze fell on Gu An, who hastened to bow his head in fright.
"My good great-grandchild, thanks to the pills you've helped me refine over the last five years, I have recovered very quickly..." Jiang Qiong forced a smile, which was even more terrifying, with a foul breath escaping her mouth.
She no longer referred to herself as 'this seat' but as 'I,' bringing their relationship much closer.
Gu An suppressed his discomfort and said, "This is what a grandchild should do, but there are things that puzzle me."
"Ask."
Jiang Qiong replied while tremblingly walking toward the Pill Furnace.
Gu An, looking at her, asked, "Since pill refining helped you recover faster, why didn't you let my master help you refine pills before?"
Cheng Xuan Pill believed Jiang Qiong had been dead for seventy years, meaning she had been hiding here for seventy years without Cheng Xuan Pill ever realizing she was still alive.
Jiang Qiong, with a hollow laugh, said, "Because I do not trust him. Your master was forced to become my disciple, his heart is unstable, who knows when he might betray me... half of the disciples he collected are buried in these coffins."
Gu An remained silent.
He believed Jiang Qiong spoke the truth, as Meng Lang had met such a fate.
Jiang Qiong sat in front of the Pill Furnace, waving her hand as the piled herbs flew into the furnace.
"Five years have passed, what level of the Foundation Establishment Realm have you reached now?" Jiang Qiong asked.
Gu An's outward cultivation level was the fifth level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, but Jiang Qiong determined he was of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Gu An answered, "Almost at the third level."
"Too slow, don't neglect your daily cultivation. When I, your Ancestor, was eighteen, I attained the Foundation Establishment, and at forty, Core Formation. If not for years of delving into the Alchemy Dao and formation spells, I would already be at the Nascent Soul Realm. Have you ever heard of the Nascent Soul Realm?" Jiang Qiong said casually, staring at the Pill Furnace.
Gu An hurriedly nodded, "The Nascent Soul Realm, that's for Immortals. It's rare to see them in the Outer Sect."
"Humph, 'Immortals' are just stronger cultivators. Once I fully recover, I will find a place to attempt the Nascent Soul Realm. Then, you'll have the support of a Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse. How does that excite you?" Jiang Qiong spoke proudly toward the end.
Her voice was coquettish, starkly contrasting her terrifying appearance.
"Thank you for your care, Ancestor. Is there anything you need my help with?" Gu An stepped forward and asked.
Jiang Qiong replied, "Just stay by my side and watch how I refine pills, and we can chat a bit."
She gestured with a hand slap for Gu An to sit beside her.
Gu An sat down, maintaining a distance from her, while remaining vigilant inside.
No matter how kind Jiang Qiong was to him, he would never let his guard down until she left.
Meng Lang was a lesson from the past, likely never suspecting Cheng Xuan Pill before his death.
Jiang Qiong asked about his background and he didn't hide it, roughly explaining his first half of life, but he didn't mention the Ji Family, only stating he was a house servant who entered the Supreme Sect after his Spirit Root was detected.
After chatting for half an hour, Jiang Qiong finally allowed Gu An to leave, instructing him to come for the next three nights, promising a great reward upon successful completion.
Gu An arrived as promised.
The third night came.
Gu An meditated across from the Pill Furnace, holding the Yin Yang Technique, occasionally questioning Jiang Qiong.
Jiang Qiong, annoyed by his questions, couldn't help but scold, "You're not trying to trick me, are you? Reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm at such a young age, how can you be so slow-witted?"
Gu An said pathetically, "Alchemy is alchemy, Qi Absorption is Qi Absorption."
Jiang Qiong suddenly didn't know what to say, and suddenly, her attention was drawn to the Pill Furnace.
More and more steam began to emerge from the furnace, and the steam holes in the furnace lid turned a dark green, looking very eerie.
Gu An shivered, watching her refine an elixir. What kind of pill could it be? It felt like a Poison Pill.
Excitement flickered in Jiang Qiong's eyes, and she fell silent, her gaze fixed firmly on the Pill Furnace.
Time ticked by, second by second.
Gu An stayed on guard, ready to fend off any sudden attack from Jiang Qiong.
Time passed without notice.
A muffled sound came from within the Pill Furnace, and a grim smile appeared on Jiang Qiong's face, uglier than a cry.
She raised her right hand, probing with two fingers, and the furnace lid flew off. Her right hand then snatched a Pill flying out from the furnace, which she immediately tossed into her mouth.
So fast!
As if fearing Gu An might snatch it.
After swallowing the Elixir, Jiang Qiong immediately sat cross-legged and started Cultivating Energy, and within three breaths, wisps of white vapor began to rise from her body.
Gu An stood up, slowly backing away to increase the distance between them.
More and more white vapor appeared, swirling around Jiang Qiong, blurring her form, making her look like a zombie shrouded in mist at first glance.
Gu An began constantly monitoring her Life Span, bracing himself for her sudden advancement to the Nascent Soul Realm.
Jiang Qiong's current Life Span began to increase, Gu An witnessing such a rise in Life Span for the first time presented in numbers, was quite astonishing.
He suddenly became very interested in Jiang Qiong's elixir. What was this miraculous medicine?
Not only was Jiang Qiong's Life Span increasing, but her aura was also intensifying, soon surpassing the aura of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
A true Core Formation Realm cultivator!
Gu An keenly noticed that Jiang Qiong's physical body was recovering, her body continuously becoming thicker, much like a balloon being inflated.
A bit impressive!
He patiently waited.
Gradually, Jiang Qiong's breathing resounded within the cave, growing heavier, until at last, it resembled the roar of a wild beast.
A long time passed.
Jiang Qiong's heavy breathing abruptly stopped. Gu An noticed her realm hadn't broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm, so he wasn't too nervous.
Amidst the white fog, Jiang Qiong stretched lazily, displaying her graceful figure, which was completely different from before.
She walked out of the white fog, still with disheveled hair and tattered clothes, but beneath her worn garments was fair skin that made Gu An's face heat up in the dim cave, compelling him to avert his gaze.
"It's been a long time since I walked like this."
Jiang Qiong said with a nostalgic tone, walking up to Gu An, leaning forward, brushing her hair aside with her hands, and asking, "How about it, my good disciple, does your Ancestor look beautiful?"
Gu An stole a quick glance. Despite the dirt on her face, her features were indeed those of a rare beauty. In his estimation, only Ji Xiaoyu of the Ji Family and the Outer Disciple Li Xuanyu could compare in terms of looks.
"Ancestor is indeed unparalleled in beauty, but your disciple is more concerned about your health. Are your injuries healed?"
Gu An asked with a clasped fist, his words sincere.
Her injuries better heal quickly so she can leave!
"It's still early for a full recovery; I need to rest for another five years," Jiang Qiong laughed. Her bright eyes studied Gu An, curious what he was thinking.
Whoosh!
She suddenly struck towards Gu An with her palm, swift as lightning, stopping it right in front of his chest, the resulting strong wind fiercely pulling at his robe.
Jiang Qiong asked with a half-smile, "Why didn't you dodge?"
Gu An's expression stiffened, "I didn't react in time..."
In reality, that wasn't the case. In his eyes, Jiang Qiong's movements were too slow. In an instant, his Dragon Force could have countered her Spiritual Power.
She hadn't spared Gu An's life, she had spared her own.
Jiang Qiong couldn't help but chuckle, eventually bursting into laughter so hard that she held her stomach.
Gu An watched her laugh, not speaking to interrupt.
After laughing for a while, Jiang Qiong turned and walked towards the Pill Furnace, saying, "Don't worry, I won't kill my own disciple's grandchild. Even when Cheng Xuan Pill wanted to betray me, I spared his life, and with his protection, I hid within the Supreme Sect. As long as you honor me, I will not let you down. If someone bullies you, I will not stand idly by."
Gu An, hearing this, couldn't help but laugh as well.
Jiang Qiong, standing before the Pill Furnace, turned to look at Gu An and said, "Leave a set of new clothes; you can go back now. Come back tomorrow night, and I will teach you a spell."
Gu An immediately took out a set of his own white robes from the Storage Pouch, gently placed it on the ground, then raised his hand to salute Jiang Qiong and took his leave.
After he disappeared into the darkness, Jiang Qiong turned around only then. She approached the white robe, lifted her hand to grab it from a distance, sniffed its scent, and chuckled softly.
...
At dawn, Gu An was leading the Medicine Valley folks in practicing drills.
A person approached from the mouth of the valley.
It was Li Ya.
Li Ya was still dressed in black, and compared to five years ago, he radiated a vigorous, strong aura.
His arrival immediately attracted everyone's attention.
"It's Brother Li Ya!" Xiaochuan exclaimed excitedly.
Gu An walked over to Li Ya immediately and instructed everyone else to continue their drills.
As he reached Li Ya, just about to speak, Li Ya beat him to it: "Let's talk upstairs in your tower."
Hmm?
Something urgent?
Gu An instantly tensed up. What could be so urgent that Li Ya would come in person?
He quickly led Li Ya to the loft, and after climbing upstairs and entering the room, he closed the door.
Li Ya walked to the table, gestured with his hand, and a Cang Teng Fruit appeared on the table, catching Gu An off guard.
"Four years ago, a Cang Teng Fruit appeared in the Outer Elixir Hall, I purchased it. However, due to my busy schedule, I never had the chance to give it to you," Li Ya smiled.
Gu An looked bewildered.
Li Ya asked, "What's wrong?"
Gu An felt he couldn't hide the truth, so with a cough, he said, "I sold that fruit to the Elixir Hall."
He had sold it at a low price to remove suspicion, earning praise from the Elder at the Elixir Hall for his gratitude towards the Sect.
Gu An had dared to sell it because Li Ya had mentioned that Cang Teng Fruit wasn't rare in the Supreme Sect; although it wasn't found in the Outer Sect, the Inner Sect had plenty, to be exact, the Inner Sect had various Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.
He never expected Li Ya to buy it back...
Li Ya helplessly said, "This has become quite a mess... This fruit can enhance Qi-Blood, a very rare Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure. How could you sell it? How many Spirit Stones did you get?"
"Twenty Middle Grade Spirit Stones..."
"What? I spent ten Top-Grade Spirit Stones!" Li Ya's eyes widened.
One Top-Grade Spirit Stone was equivalent to one hundred Middle Grade Spirit Stones.
Both fell silent.
In fact, Gu An felt it wasn't a loss. Thanks to the Cang Teng Fruit, he had established a good relationship with Zhu Qinglu at the Elixir Hall, who took care of him in various ways over the next four years. Facing Li Ya, though, he felt a bit embarrassed.
Li Ya said softly, "Let's just consider it a contribution to the Sect. Besides this fruit, there's another matter I need to discuss with you."