Archfiend

Chapter 135: Legion Inauguration Ceremony (6)

A loss of honor and respect? Unimportant… Moral integrity? Also unimportant. To an old monster like Thousandedge who had lived for over a hundred years, his realm was the most important! In order to forge ahead in his cultivation, he could accept the Black Kill Order. At this moment, he could likewise suppress his heart filled with killing intent and act amiably for a lost technique.

Xu Yangyi took in Thousandedge’s entire face in his eyes. In Thousandedge’s mental lapse, the man’s facial changes could be said to be plenty. He studied Thousandedge like so for a full several seconds. Catching sight of the killing intent within Thousandedge’s eyes almost solidifying, he then smiled faintly. “I do.”

The killing intent in the branch master’s eyes completely dispersed. At the same time, his breathing immediately became rough and heavy!

Too many medicinal pills couldn’t be eaten; each medicine was poisonous to a degree. However, there were some medicinal pills that a cultivator simply couldn’t avoid! Medicinal pills for breaking limits… Medicinal pills for advancing realms. In legend… there were even famous pills without secondary side effects!

In this moment, Thousandedge’s heart was in upheaval. And yet, after he waited for a few seconds, the present scene was a silent domain.

Xu Yangyi didn’t make the slightest indication. If he was asked, then he would answer. It was that simple.

Just one fucking word, and you’re done?! Right now, Thousandedge wished that he could turn Xu Yangyi into mincemeat with a palm strike! Use his spiritual sense to ignite him into a sky lantern! I’m the provincial lord of the Featherwood Guard. The meaning of asking these words is to get you to take out the pill, so I can look at it! Not if you have an answer! [1]

Thousandedge clearly understood. This pause… was Xu Yangyi waiting for him to ask! To make him beseech! Xu Yangyi wanted to get him, a magnificent Foundation Establishment cultivator, to ask! His killing intent and expectation madly weaved together with a plethora of other emotions. Oddly, his face formed… a smile?

“Hehehe…” he forcibly squeezed out hollow laughter. In the air, he was like an owl. Afterwards… he descended! He descended… He...

Everyone was stunned. A Foundation Establishment cultivator had taken the initiative to be fair and impartial in attitude. Moreover, it was the provincial lord who undoubtedly disliked Xu Yangyi. At this moment, ever so fairly and softly, he landed on the floor.

Thousandedge disregarded everything around him. From the beginning he heard the words “I do”, he really did wish to slap Xu Yangyi to death. However, he would unconditionally stake his life against anyone who dared to touch his target!

“Young friend…” He maintained the forced smile on his face with the utmost effort. “Wouldn’t it be better to take it out to look at?”

Xu Yangyi laughed. “Alright.” His hand swiped over his storage ring, and a black medicinal pill leaped into his palm.

Thousandedge didn’t even move. Rather, perhaps it should be said that the instant this object appeared, the only thing left that could move was his eyes. His soul had been pulled away. A Foundation Establishment cultivator’s spiritual sense far transcended a Qi Condensation cultivator’s. The moment this medicinal pill emerged, he immediately swept over it and came to a clear understanding.

There were four kinds of medicinal effects… yet they were harmoniously formed into one whole. A medicinal aroma flooded the whole floor… This was a medicinal pill. 

His hand couldn’t hold back from softly trembling. Never had he anticipated that here, in his Mingshui Province, such an item would present itself! Lost for almost two centuries, the Dao of Pills had risen once more!

In the blink of an eye, this news would become a heavy bomb for the cultivation world! Its explosion would leave no part of modern Cultivation Civilization intact! The responsibility was too great… so great that he dared not imagine it!

Bang bang bang!

Pow pow pow!

“Old Zhou! You’re squeezing me!”

“What? It’s obvious that you’re the one forcing me aside!!!”

At this instant, a wave of disorder rang out from the entrance. Followingly, over a hundred people stormed in! A while ago downstairs, all clan elders, deputy clan elders, and the representatives of the great powers had acted with civility and posh tones. But now, they simply lacked a trace of a cultivator’s appearance. Instead, their eyes were reddened, and over a hundred pairs of these eyes nailed rigidly into Xu Yangyi’s body. 

To be precise, it was his hand. The spherical medicinal pill in his hand. In a flash, over a hundred scorching spiritual senses brushed over this medicinal pill. Xu Yangyi smiled, not obstructing them, but releasing all restrictions. He allowed everyone to gaze at it.

The floor was silent. A silence like death. The Legion Inauguration Ceremony ought to have been an exchange of glasses and goblets between everyone, a testament of a legion commander’s future prospects. But now, it was so quiet that even a falling needle could be heard. 

An atmosphere so hot that everyone couldn’t help themselves from licking their lips silently bubbled in the crowd. Each person realized that this was called thirst. And yet, not one person took a step forward, but it wasn’t at all because of Thousandedge ahead. Presently, Thousandedge’s short silhouette—but grand enough to awe Mingshui Province—had unconsciously faded away from their eyes.

Every person locked onto the medicinal pill. The longing in their eyes was almost tangible. They didn’t advance, dared not approach. They feared that if they took more than one step forward, everything in front of them would transform into a mirage and vanish. 

“The Featherwood Guard…” Thousandedge now said in a raspy voice. He couldn’t NOT speak. The scene seemed tranquil, but in fact, it had early on become a powder keg! All that was needed was a faint spark to set it aflame! With his status, he was the one that couldn’t tolerate firestarters the most. After all, Xu Yangyi was his subordinate!

“I’m willing to put forth 10,000 medium-grade spirit stones to purchase all the medicinal pills in young friend’s hands!” No hesitation! Not a sliver of apprehension! Thousandedge understood that in no way could they scramble over the Dao of Pills, that which had appeared in the world after a non-existence of almost two centuries. This time… there was an enormous probability that the Core Formation masters would take action!

Perhaps the Dao Masters wouldn’t personally come, but their assistants and first secretaries were bound to take their masters’ commands and head to Mingshui Province! Once the auction convened… it would become a Core Formation killing floor!

No! It wasn’t limited to this!

Thousandedge’s gaze suddenly twinkled. Just now, he had only considered humanity’s Core Formation masters. This time… perhaps even the demonkind’s three great Core Formation masters, Daomaster Blackmount, Daomaster Droughtbringer, and Daomaster Mountainruler would hurry over with their incarnations!

They, who had lived for several centuries, had experienced the age of medicinal pills. Demon lifespans were longer than human one, and they moreover understood the function of medicinal pills! To the extent that as they returned to their countless midnight dreams, they possibly cherished the memory of the spirit pill that aided them transcend the world several centuries prior!

The incarnations of three Core Formation Greater Demons… The upper-lower presidents duo of China’s great Cultivation Court and the proxies of five human Core Formation Dao Masters! Great cultivators at least above the middle stage of Foundation Establishment!

If Thousandedge didn’t contend now, how could he possibly do so in the future?!

“Senior Thousandedge!” Just as his voice fell, an old man surnamed Zhou stepped out of rank without the slightest hesitation. “A rare treasure finds home with the fated! The Zhou Clan is untalented, but we are ready to pay a high price! We seek to purchase the medicinal pill in Fellow Daoist Xu’s hand! We’re willing to pay any price to collaborate with the pill concoctionist themself!”

A single medicinal pill’s appearance was bound to cause a tremendous stir! However, how was this not a titanic opportunity?! This opportunity wasn’t only to grant them a link with the medicinal pill. This chance… was to give it to everyone!

Even if wasn’t the field of pill elixirs or spirit plants, there was some connection! The difficulty of the transformation! Now that the lost craft of medicinal pills had reappeared, any clan, so long as they weren’t idiots, would be capable of seeing it—the abandonment of the past foundation. All Xu Yangyi had to do was nod, and pills would be revived in a few days!

At this instant, in comparison between revival and braving the immense danger of offending Thousandedge’s status as a Foundation Establishment Senior, tens of clans had to steel themselves and summon their courage!

“Junior…” Thousandedge’s gaze had already reached a degree of deep anxiety. “Say that again.”

“Senior…” Old Man Zhou shivered from head to toe, his sweat pouring out like broth. Without any pause, he kneeled and touched his head to the floor. “Before Junior entered, I contacted my clan elder…”

“Isn’t he in death seclusion?” In the crowd, someone suddenly yelled but then said nothing more.

Idiot! 

In their hearts, everyone scoffed. Death seclusion? The Dao of Pills had re-emerged. What the hell was death seclusion? The dead could come back to life!

Old Man Zhou seemed not to have heard anything and said shakily, “Clan Elder has already put into motion the Zhou Clan’s Cloudred Flying Sword. He is hurrying over in a cultivator ship channel… Maybe… he’s sure to arrive within an hour…”

Damn it… DAMN IT!!! Thousandedge’s hand swiftly wrung itself into pieces. The first Foundation Establishment cultivator was rushing over… After that, there would be a second… Thousandedge understood that among the present clans with Foundation Establishment cultivators, there were no less than five!

Nonetheless, after a few seconds, his hand paused. On his face, a wisp of a grim, penetrating smile came into view. After his fury had reached the zenith, a sliver of clarity arose in his heart. He thought of an even more pivotal question.

That’s right… There’s you. But perhaps you haven’t anticipated it. The Dao of Pills has reappeared after a disappearance of close to two centuries, and you are its sole contact. To you, this a tremendous opportunity, yet at the same time… it is also a tremendous danger!

This is an enormous benefit to a one-man power stirring the almost 200-years-old pill-elixir craft. A transformation to push forward the cultivation world through a single person’s power. The greatness of the encountered resistance is beyond difficulty in imagination! 

How many clans and organizations make a living on pill elixirs? As the only cultivator that can contact the pill master, if those authorities haven’t contacted the pill master, and if those big shots don’t obtain an appropriate answer… as the sole connection… how can you only care for yourself without thought to others?

“Hehe…” Thousandedge’s gaze ran over Xu Yangyi a few times like he was looking at a dead man. He said nothing more. Wait… Junior. With the fire you’ve sparked, perhaps I am not personally needed to move a hand to turn you into ashes.

“Junior means no disrespect, but I have already notified the clan elder and deputy clan elder!” At the same time, an old woman kneeled on the ground without the slightest delay. Her hoarse voice carried extreme excitement. “Panshan’s Meng Clan is the top clan in Beisan Province. Our clan has three at the Great Circle of Foundation Establishment. They have already used Phaseshift Talismans and are coming here!”

Thousandedge gasped coldly. In his heart, an ugly air stormed away. The Meng Clan… Three Foundation Establishment cultivators in one clan. Three at the Great Circle! Beisan Province’s top clan! He… still couldn’t afford to offend them.

The old woman stared tightly at Xu Yangyi. The smile on her face was to flatter and fawn, a supreme effort to curry favor. With great effort, she constructed a mood of “terrible benevolence”. “Fellow Daoist Xu, the three Seniors have already explained on the phone to agree to all the pill master’s demands. Everything.”

“Liaoyuan Province’s Kang Clan’s pharmaceutical company! We’re willing to offer the Xingtian Legion all funding! We only seek a meeting!!!”

“Mingshui Province’s Greatpeak Spirit Vegetation Conglomerate! We’re willing to provide all future spirit plants for the Xingtian Legion! We only wish to give the pill master a whole-hearted cooperation opportunity!”

“Liaoyuan Province’s Feng Clan bids 888 medium-grade spirit stones! We only request a meeting with the pill master! Just one meeting!” [2]

In a flash, the seething cauldron of voices became a competition of whose voice was louder and whose attitude was more sincere. However, at this time, a cold and quiet voice rang out.

“The Qin Imperial Court. Ten… supreme-grade spirit stones.” Everyone suddenly went silent. “I hope we can meet with the pill master.” 

All gazes fell on a middle-aged woman. A supreme-grade spirit stone! Such an item… couldn’t even be regarded as a spirit stone! It could be said to be a heavenly treasure! A conversion into low-grade spirit stones yielded 10,000 pieces! However, 10,000 low-grade spirits stone couldn’t be exchanged for a supreme-grade spirit stone by any measure!

A supreme-grade spirit stone’s usage didn’t lay in assimilation. Some apex talismans or formations needed this item. It was even a resource… prohibited in circulation by the cultivation world!

Everyone knew of this conglomerate. This company was quite wealthy, but in no way had they expected that they were THIS wealthy!

“You’re not a cultivator!” a cultivator snorted coldly all of a sudden. “This is a cultivator’s business!”

“I am only executing Chairman Feng’s secret directive.” The woman bowed neither overbearingly nor humbly. “Seniors, I hope you can please forgive me.”

Where had this house fly come from?! So nauseating that she couldn’t even pay for it with her own life! What the hell are you saying that your mortal corporation is so committed to cultivation?! What are you doing?!

Xu Yangyi didn’t pay attention to any of this. His gaze faintly rippled because there were still some matters he wasn’t done talking about. 

“Fellow Daoists, please calm down and relax,” he said. Just as his voice fell, the audience came to a strange quietness. Old and young faces wore an incredibly burning fervor as they looked at him. “First of all, I want to declare that the pill master clearly stated that he can currently only refine Qi Condensation pills. Moreover, before he achieves Grand Completion in the Dao of Pills, he will absolutely not meet with anyone whatsoever.”

Everyone heard this and turned a deaf ear. If they couldn’t meet this pill master, then the benefits weren’t adequate. Once the benefits were enough, an immortal would descend among the masses! What connection was there with only being able to refine Qi Condensation pills? Leaving aside that the bulk of cultivators in the modern era were Qi Condensation, how could a pill master not advance even if there was a Qi Condensation majority? This was no justification to not see the pill master!

“Besides, this is his first work. He only entrusted our Xingtian Legion to auction it.” He leaned his head back and sighed. “I once had the grace of saving his life. As for karma and retribution, I never once thought about it.”

Hehehe...

Everyone’s faces strained to carefully listen, and they stomped about enviously in their hearts! This cause was the size of a rice grain, but the born fruit was a golden melon weighing tens of thousands of catties! 

You’re keen on saving face! Who are you giving that helpless expression for?!

Say it! Aren’t you laughing rottenly in your heart?! Don’t brag! Bragging will provoke lightning to strike!

1. Sky Lantern. This is the second time this word has appeared in this story. Without being very familiar with certain ancient terms/phrases it’s easy to misinterpret something. Celestial Lantern/Sky Lantern refers to an ancient method of torture. A criminal would be soaked overnight in oils and then in the morning, they would be hung on a pole. Afterwards, they would be lit on fire.

2. I have mentioned previously the significance of numbers in Chinese. In Chinese, 8 is considered the lucky number. It is because the actual character, 八, is an idea of one’s luck ever increasing. As we can see from this character, the luck just keeps getting greater.