Chapter 232: A Formal Attestation of Abilities

"What the chamber master meant to say was that he wants the pills, but he doesn't want to pay." A man dressed in a sturdy black garment said with a grim expression. "Do you three understand?"

"Understood!" Chu Liang and the other two said.

At this moment, they stood outside a valley shrouded in thin mist, within which loomed a gloomy mountain manor.

To understand why they had come here, the story must start from when Enchantress Liu visited the White-Bone Mountain.

While meeting with the Elder of White-Bone Mountain on behalf of her teacher, Enchantress Liu mentioned some personal matters. In response, the Elder of White-Bone Mountain instructed her to seek General Hei Yu's assistance, granting her permission to assign any task.

Enchantress Liu wanted to find someone capable of refining a batch of Eternal-Youth Pills.

For female cultivators, eternal youth was often more important than anything else. Aging was inevitable for all cultivators within the first six realms, and only those who had reached the Dao Attainment Realm could evade this fate. Although the aging process for cultivators within the first six realms was much slower, it was still happening.

Previously, Chu Liang had encountered Wenren Mo of the Sea King Sect attempting to use Youth-Retaining Beauty-Preserving Pills to deepen his relationship with female cultivators. Among the pills developed by the righteous sects, the Youth-Retaining Beauty-Preserving Pill was considered one of the more effective anti-aging pills.

While the Youth-Retaining Beauty-Preserving Pill was effective, it was inferior to the Eternal-Youth Pill. The Eternal-Youth Pill was a type of diabolical pill, concocted through sinister means by cultivators of the diabolical sect.

After spending considerable effort, General Hei Yu managed to find an alchemist skilled in refining the Eternal-Youth Pills and expressed his intention to purchase such pills.

The Eternal-Youth Pills wouldn't increase one's cultivation energy and wouldn't elevate one's cultivation level. Yet, they were incredibly valuable.

When Enchantress Liu asked him to find an alchemist, she naturally left him a substantial amount of money that was more than enough for the pills. However, General Hei Yu wanted both the pills and the money.

Coincidentally, he needed to test a few new recruits. And so, he assigned this task to Chu Liang and his companions.

The man in the sturdy black garment was named Cang Ying. He was General Hei Yu's right-hand man and the one leading this operation.

"I'll be watching your every move from the shadows, but I won't intervene. If I need to step in, it means you have failed this mission," Cang Ying said coldly.

With a raise of his chin, he instructed, "Off you go."

Upon acknowledging the order, Chu Liang, Luo Yao, and Pushan flew towards the mountain manor with serious expressions.

This mission would be like a formal attestation of their abilities, and they needed to excel.

Knock-knock, knock-knock.

Monk Pushan stepped forward and knocked on the huge door of the mountain manor.

An enchanted formation was set up within the mist. If the people inside the mountain manor refused to open the door, they would never be able to barge inside.

"Who is it?" The voice of a child sounded inside.

"Subordinates of Hei Yu." Chu Liang answered in a low voice.

Creak

—

A tiny figure pushed the door open.

It was a child with a topknot hairstyle. He had rosy lips and white teeth, appearing rather adorable.

Chu Liang couldn't help but cast a few extra glances at the child.

"Please come in. My teacher has been waiting inside for a long time," said the young Daoist apprentice. His voice sounded clear and crisp.

The child turned around and led the three into the mountain manor. Along the way, they encountered peculiar flowers and special plants, their delightful appearance adding to the refreshing fragrance in the air. They then arrived in front of the main hall that was connected to the courtyard.

The reality was that this alchemist was not part of any diabolical sects. He had built this mountain manor and formed a faction of his own. In the world of immortality cultivators, he was rather famous.

If Chu Liang and the others hadn't learned through the diabolical sect that he was selling the Eternal Youth Pill, they wouldn't have expected that a renowned alchemist would be secretly refining diabolical pills.

...

A middle-aged alchemist dressed in pristine white robes sat quietly in the main hall. Upon seeing them, he smiled and greeted, "The Eternal-Youth Pills are ready. Have you brought the agreed-upon amount of Vermillion-Bird coins?"

In the world of immortality cultivators, transactions that didn't involve direct bartering were mostly conducted using the currency of Taotie City. After all, Taotie City was where resources were most concentrated, which was why its currency became the most widely accepted.

"I have the money," Chu Liang said as he took out a jade slip. He then asked, "Where are the pills?"

The alchemist clapped his hands gently, and the young Daoist apprentice brought over a red gourd, placing it carefully on the table.

"I have refined these Eternal-Youth Pills many times, and there is definitely no issue," he chuckled, saying confidently.

Chu Liang stared at the pills and fell silent for a moment...

There must be over a dozen human lives in this gourd.

He thought to himself.

Chu Liang suddenly asked, "Are the people who purchase these pills all members of diabolical sects?

"Diabolical sects?" Upon hearing this, the alchemist was taken aback. He then shook his head and said with a smile, "There aren't that many female cultivators in diabolical sects. Most of the people who buy these pills are high-ranking officials, nobles, and renowned figures from the righteous path. Ordinary people would never be able to afford them."

Chu Liang nodded, then with a flip of his hand, he stowed the jade slip away.

"

Eh?

" The alchemist's pupils dilated.

"The chamber master meant to convey his hope to befriend you," Chu Liang said.

"Of course, I'm fine with being friends, but what's the meaning of this?" the alchemist asked, glaring at him with a hostile expression.

"Friends should not talk about money," Chu Liang answered.

"

Heh.

" The alchemist was so angry that he started laughing. He said coldly, "I have investigated your chamber master. With eight hundred chambers in the White-Bone Hall, he hardly holds a significant rank. Even so, he still has the guts to scheme against me? If anyone were to make a move, it would be the Elder of the White-Bone Hall. General Hei Yu alone lacks the qualifications, especially with his mere lackeys dispatched..."

The fact that the alchemist has been dealing with both the good and evil working on such a business that couldn't be publicly known meant that he was someone with tricks up his sleeves. As soon as he spoke, the mist outside the hall thickened.

Boom!

As the wind howled and thunder clapped, the entire hall instantly felt like an isolated island. It seemed as though the spiritual qi within this area was boiling!

The peculiar flowers and plants in the courtyard burst forth, transforming into demonic creatures!

Roar!

The moment this major formation activated, Chu Liang, Luo Yao, and Pushan also sprung into action.

He raised one finger and summoned the Crimson Executioner. Instantly, he drew several yin-nature talismanic scripts and suddenly launched an attack towards the side hall!

Prick!

The intense yin qi left a trail of icy frost wherever it passed. However, unlike the talismanic script of ice, it emitted more than just bone-chilling coldness; it also carried a heavy aura of death.

Pierce!

The sword attack resembled a yin-nature dragon, piercing through the wall and unveiling the ultimate target ahead.

It was that young Daoist apprentice!

Upon seeing the powerful strike, the young Daoist apprentice stood stunned. Amidst his panic, he managed only to hastily form a finger seal to block the attack.

Boom!

Instantly, an apparition of a deity materialized before the young Daoist apprentice. With hands clasped together, it assumed the stance of seizing the yin-nature dragon barehanded.

In this life-or-death moment, the young Daoist apprentice, appearing to be only a few years old, unexpectedly unleashed powerful cultivation energy!

Nevertheless, the brief moment of delay had resulted in the Crimson Executioner slashing through his body.

With the attack enhanced by the righteous sword, how effective could the unprepared and sudden block be against the attack?

Chu Liang's move had not only surprised the alchemist and the young Daoist apprentice, but also Luo Yao and Pushan. They had no idea why Chu Liang had suddenly made a move against this child.

However, the moment they saw the outburst of cultivation energy coming from the young Daoist apprentice, they figured out Chu Liang's intention.

Swish!

As the Crimson Executioner recoiled, the young Daoist apprentice collapsed to the ground, his eyes reflecting intense hatred and an unwillingness to accept defeat.

He had no idea what had revealed his identity.

"How... how did you know he's the actual alchemist?" The alchemist trembled as he stood up.

When the young Daoist apprentice died, the alchemist started panicking. His anxiety intensified as he realized that Chu Liang's power far surpassed his expectations.

"

Heh

," Chu Liang sneered, offering no response.

The first glimpse of the young Daoist apprentice triggered an intense reaction from the Crimson Executioner. Thus, Chu Liang realized that the child before him exuded a blood-stained aura.

Yet, upon seeing the alchemist, the Crimson Executioner was silent, displaying no reaction whatsoever.

Something was obviously wrong.

Upon seeing the three drawing closer and closer, the alchemist hastily said, "You can take the pills. I won't collect the money. My teacher is dead... I... Just let me go please! We can be friends!"

Prick.

Without a moment's hesitation, the sword light pierced through his body.

Chu Liang's gaze appeared cold and indifferent.

It would be ideal to use this opportunity to erase this darkness concealed within the light.

After Chu Liang killed the alchemist, he searched the alchemist's body and found a storage tool that he could open. However, there was nothing valuable inside.

He then turned his attention to the young Daoist apprentice, running his hands around the waist until he discovered a small jade gourd.

This small jade gourd was also a storage tool, but of a more advanced level, requiring a special inscription seal.

Since Chu Liang wasn't in a hurry to open it, he decided he would seek out professionals to unlock it when he returned to Mount Shu.

The three then searched around and found some alchemical tools and rare spirit plants. They also discovered a substantial amount of human skin and bones in the many underground lairs hidden within the hill at the back.

"Damned him!" Luo Yao cursed softly.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

When they returned to the main hall, Cang Ying also entered. Ever since the enchanted formation in the vicinity was activated, he couldn't observe the situation unfolding inside. The fight ended swiftly. He waited for a while before daring to step in.

Upon witnessing what had occurred inside, he was quite surprised.

He didn't expect the three to resolve this in such a clean and straightforward manner.

General Hei Yu had intended to send them here for a test. Despite declaring all chamber members as brothers, it was evident that he intended to use these new recruits as cannon fodder.

When Cang Ying saw the bodies on the ground, a hint of approval gleamed in his eyes.

Quite ruthless. They didn't even spare the child.

Cang Ying thought to himself.