Chapter 100: We Can’t Leave Empty-Handed
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
Visiting the Pill Sect had been a spur-of-the-moment decision instigated by You Bu Yu, with no specific mission in mind. After the meal, the group was led to the courtyard behind the Jade Balance Hall.
The Pill Sect was known for not hosting outsiders, nor did they maintain guest accommodations. The dozen rooms here had been vacated by disciples in anticipation of their arrival. The lingering scent of medicine—emanating from unremoved copper furnaces and fire fans within—was invigorating.
When Ji You stepped into his room, he remained unaware that Senior Sister Pei had already boosted his favorability with someone else’s prospective match. Instead, he noticed You Bu Yu’s increasingly sullen gaze and Yuan Cai Wei’s eyes softening like spring water.
“Ru Long, lick the bricks. Maybe you’ll find some residue from top-grade spiritual medicines,” Ji You teased.
“Huh?” Bai Ru Long frowned. “You’re not fooling me. I’m not stupid.”
Top-grade spiritual medicines were rare. At best, the residue here would be from high-quality ones. Still, he crouched to inspect the ground out of curiosity.
Meanwhile, Ji You heaved open a cauldron nearly his height and mused aloud, “What if I jumped in? Could it forge me into copper skin and iron bones, maybe even fiery eyes?”
Bai Ru Long shrugged. “Probably.”
Ji You chuckled. “Alright, then you get in first. I’ll test it out on you.”
Yuan Cai Wei, having arranged the group’s lodging, stood in the courtyard and glanced at Ji You, who was still engrossed with the room’s furnace. Her lashes trembled slightly as her thoughts wandered.
Since returning from the Heavenly Script Academy, her emotions had been a tangled web. At her age, marriage had become an inevitability. Her original plan was to marry a young talent from a minor aristocratic clan. Whether love followed or not, she would walk the path of pill refinement together with her partner, growing old with snowy temples.
Her declaration on Qiling Mountain that those at the peak of the Lower Three Stages were unworthy was no lie. At sixteen or seventeen, she had envisioned herself marrying an elegant son of a great Immortal Sect. Her pride would not allow her to settle for just anyone. Thus, she had delayed—until her father began warning her that if she waited any longer, she might be left with no choice at all.
For all her determination, finding the right person had proven elusive. Young men from minor clans were often too pragmatic, their conversations revolving around spiritual pills. Scions of great families posed a different threat, with ambitions that might jeopardize the Pill Sect’s future.
Then came the incident at Qiling, where a rogue cultivator achieved ascension. Her father, anticipating a chaotic era ahead, sought an alliance with greater forces, choosing You Bu Yu as her match.
A direct disciple of the Auspicious Hall Master and a Dao Fusion Stage expert, You Bu Yu’s future seemed destined for greatness. Breaking into the Heaven Resonance Stage was virtually guaranteed, and he even had a chance at the Boundless Martial Stage. By all accounts, he far exceeded her expectations. She should have been satisfied.
Yet, the day Ji You invited her to eat, she had inexplicably shed her pill robe and dressed herself as a noble maiden. Since returning to the Pill Sect, fleeting thoughts of Ji You had often disrupted her focus.
[Sometimes, choices have little to do with cultivation levels or family status. Even I can’t explain why.]
The current group—You Bu Yu included—complicated matters further. Representing the Heavenly Script Academy’s prestige and her intended match, he was not someone she could openly avoid. Moreover, her father had just praised You Bu Yu, hinting that the young man had taken an interest in her.
[If only…]
[If only I had listened to my younger brother during the incident at Qiling.]
A memory of their leisurely days at the Ningcheng Courtyard of Leisure came to mind, along with visions of Yan Shu Yi from Spirit-Mirror Mountain, who constantly hovered around Ji You.
[Could it be that my judgment isn’t as good as hers?]
After watching Ji You for some time, Yuan Cai Wei returned to her small loft. She retrieved an unfinished painting and resumed her strokes, the rustling of willow leaves outside her window her only company. Her brush moved swiftly, detailing a narrow alley of black bricks, seven spirit swords hovering in midair within the frame.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed. The bamboo door behind her creaked open, and an exuberant voice called out:
“Sis, where’s my brother-in-law?”
Startled, Yuan Cai Wei hastily covered her painting and faced the intruder. It was her brother, Yuan Chen. Trying to feign calmness, she snapped, “Stupid brother, can’t you knock?”
Yuan Chen, oblivious to his elder sister’s subtle movements, spoke with a hint of frustration, “The other day, while I was refining pills, I got caught reading a serialized tale. Father punished me with two days of confinement. I just got out and heard that Brother-in-law came to the mountain. Is that true?”
“Yes, he’s here,” Yuan Caiwei replied, her tone casual. “He’s staying in the back courtyard of the Jade Balance Hall, in the T-shaped chamber.”
“Oh, oh, I’ll go find him then…” Yuan Chen declared, already stepping out. But just as his front foot crossed the threshold, he hesitated and turned back, his expression strange as he looked at his sister.
He had suddenly recalled that among the disciples from the Heavenly Script Academy this time was You Bu Yu—the one who had once participated in a matchmaking event with his sister.
“Sister, you do know which Brother-in-law I’m talking about, right?”
Yuan Caiwei froze for a moment, her cheeks flushing slightly as she turned her head aside. “Go on already, if you’re going, just go.”
“Do you really know or not…” Yuan Chen muttered as he jogged off toward the back courtyard of the Jade Balance Hall, seeking the T-shaped chamber.
Inside, Ji You was crouched in front of an alchemy furnace, arranging firewood. He was saying to Bai Ru Long, who was squatting inside the furnace, “Bear with it. Just seventy-seven days, and it’ll all be over.”
Yuan Chen was bewildered. “Brother-in-law, what exactly are you doing?”
Hearing the voice, Ji You turned and spotted Yuan Chen. Waving the firewood in his hand, he explained, “I heard that if you throw someone into an alchemy furnace and refine them for seventy-seven days, they’ll gain iron-hard skin and fiery eyes capable of seeing through anything. I thought I’d give it a try with Ru Long.”
Yuan Chen looked up at Bai Ru Long inside the furnace. “You… you actually believe him? Don’t you have a sister too?”
Bai Ru Long poked his head out. “At first, I didn’t believe it, but Brother Ji said fiery eyes can see through anything!”
“?”
Bai Ru Long and Qian Yun Xiao were the type who prized clear-mindedness above all else, yet their willingness to jump into Ji You’s schemes rivaled Ji You’s love for silver coins. Even when they knew it was a trap, they couldn’t resist.
However, upon hearing Yuan Chen’s warning that someone might actually die, Bai Ru Long prudently jumped out of the furnace.
“Father told me,” Yuan Chen began, “that Brother-in-law’s visit to Cinnabar Mountain is just a stopover. Your real destination is Spirit Sword Mountain to seek enlightenment, isn’t it?”
“Correct.”
Yuan Chen gave Ji You a knowing glance before lowering his voice to ask, “Are you going to see the young Master Mirror Master?”
“?”
Back at the courtyard in Ningcheng County, Yan Shu Yi had a habit of stepping on Ji You’s feet whenever they dined together. Ji You thought no one else had noticed, but Yuan Chen’s pointed remark seemed to expose his hidden secret. Ji You frowned, thinking this was something no one should have known.
“Brother-in-law?”
Ji You snapped out of his thoughts. “I’m going to observe the art of the sword, to see if I can glean some insights. After returning from Qiling, my swordsmanship has hit a bottleneck. I need to find a way to make my sword stronger.”
This was no lie. With the Demon Clan crossing into human territories and the Barbaric Tribes attacking Cold Iron Pass, even the great immortal sects were rife with unseen currents. Ji You’s hunger for power had only grown stronger. Seeking out Spirit Sword Mountain was part of this ambition.
Otherwise, he could have met the young Master Mirror Master at Mount Void and spared himself the risk of having his legs broken while seeking enlightenment.
As an ancient saying from the Azure Clouds Dominion went: “Mastery in many skills burdens no man.” Ji You’s cultivation speed had always been astonishingly fast, and he was always willing to explore even minor techniques for self-preservation. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have rushed into dual cultivation of martial and Daoist arts when he first entered the Heavenly Script Academy.
His current method of refining himself by repeatedly breaking his spiritual essence was inspired by his fight with the Demon Clan on the streets, where he had keenly felt the astonishing toughness of their bodies.
Turning his thoughts back to the present, Ji You asked suddenly, “I heard your Pill Sect has several medicinal pools that can strengthen the body and nourish the meridians?”
“Brother-in-law, how do you know about that?”
“You Bu Yu told me. He wouldn’t stop chattering about it the entire way.”
The group from the Heavenly Script Academy had originally planned to head straight to Spirit Sword Mountain but detoured to Cinnabar Mountain due to You Bu Yu’s personal agenda. To avoid rumors among the disciples, You Bu Yu had exaggerated the treasures of the Pill Sect, describing it as if every corner brimmed with spiritual treasures. His expression was almost as if he had already become the son-in-law of the sect.
But the medicinal pools of the Pill Sect were real. These pools, filled with the remnants of pill refining, were said to contain traces of even the finest spirit pills. Coming to Cinnabar Mountain empty-handed already felt a bit awkward for Ji You. Leaving empty-handed was simply out of the question.
Yuan Chen lowered his voice, “The medicinal pools are only open to the disciples of the Inner Court. Outer Court disciples aren’t allowed in, but if brother-in-law wants to go, I can sneak you in.”
“Brother-in-law, I knew I could count on you!”
“Let’s go, brother-in-law!”
Ji You turned his head and looked at Bai Ru Long. “Ru Long, want to go for a soak?”
Bai Ru Long immediately sat upright, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “The medicinal pools?”
“Exactly. Go call Senior Brother Ban while you’re at it.”
Ji You then turned to Yuan Chen. “Are they separated by gender?”
Yuan Chen nodded. “Of course, men and women are kept apart.”
“Can we also bring along Senior Sister Pei and Senior Sister Wen?”
“Naturally! They’re all one of our own.”
By now, the sun had sunk near the horizon, and the soft cloak of evening was slowly descending. The group moved stealthily along the mountain path, eventually arriving at a spiritual qi-infused pool. Steam wafted over its surface, carrying the faint aroma of herbs.
The bottom of the pool was lined with medicinal ingredients and lower-grade pills, left to steep and dissolve over the course of a hundred years. The result was a crystalline liquid that could rival the finest broth.
Even from a distance, Ji You and the others could feel the intense flow of spiritual qi emanating from it.
Ban Yang Shu opened his mouth in astonishment. “As expected of the Pill Sect…”
Ji You turned to him. “Senior Brother, remember, no word of this when we leave.”
“Of course,” Ban Yang Shu replied, glancing at him. He couldn’t help but recall how, on the way here, You Bu Yu had boasted endlessly about the Pill Sect’s medicinal pools, as if introducing his own treasures. Yet when You Bu Yu had asked Yuan Cai Wei if they could visit the pools, he’d been politely declined.
[Junior Brother, oh Junior Brother, no wonder the rumors say you’re the true son-in-law of the Pill Sect.]
Unaware of Ban’s thoughts, Ji You removed his boots and loosened his robes. His unhesitating actions left Ban Yang Shu and the others momentarily stunned, interrupting their chatter.
Ji You noticed their hesitation. “Why aren’t you undressing? Not interested?”
Ban Yang Shu and Bai Ru Long exchanged glances and gestured toward a nearby wooden hut. “Uh, we’ll go change over there…”
Meanwhile, Yuan Chen held his breath, marveling. [My sister’s husband is truly blessed. If my actual sister saw this, she’d regret missing out for the rest of her life…]
[But alas, she’ll likely never get the chance.]
From the neighboring pool designated for women, the sound of water splashing could be heard, signaling that Senior Sister Wen and Senior Sister Pei had already entered.
Without further delay, Ji You stepped into the medicinal pool. As the warmth enveloped him, a soothing energy surged through his body, spreading to every corner and washing away his fatigue. He could clearly sense a refreshing clarity rising along his spine and into his mind, leaving him invigorated.
[If one were to ponder the Dao while soaking here, the benefits would surely multiply.]
[Unfortunately, only the Pill Sect could afford such extravagance.]
Ban Yang Shu and Bai Ru Long soon joined him, likewise feeling the pool’s potent medicinal effects seeping into their bodies. They sighed in awe and seated themselves at a distance, quietly absorbing the benefits.
Nearby, Yuan Chen stared at a flickering bamboo cottage in the distance. After a moment’s hesitation, he spoke up, “Brother-in-law, to be honest, this is the most basic pool. The medicinal properties aren’t particularly strong. If you keep going, there’s a smaller pool with far greater potency. Would you like to try it?”
“Is it far?” Ji You asked.
“Just beyond that small bamboo grove.”
Ji You glanced at the grove, then waved dismissively. “Forget it. What if Senior Sister Wen calls me over to scrub her back, and I don’t hear it?”
Yuan Chen hesitated before replying, “That pool is worth its weight in gold. A single soak could rival ten thousand silver taels.”
“…”
Ji You’s eyes narrowed, his expression suddenly serious. “Worth that much? Well then, let’s go take a look.”