Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation Chapter 29
Cultivation and enjoyment need not be at odds.
With access to resources and residing in a prosperous area, what could be more delightful?
Deacon Xu had a specialty. He didn’t need to fight and risk his life outside the sect to pursue the Dao. By running a Xu Family Pill Shop, he was doing relatively well among the outer sect Foundation Establishment Deacons.
The pill shop wasn’t far from the Xu Residence, only two streets away. If not for the no-fly restriction on Qi Refining cultivators inside the Blood Reversal Ten Peaks, it would take only a few breaths to get there.
After all, there were too many Qi Refining cultivators. Without such restrictions, the skies would be filled with silhouettes, disrupting the sect’s environment.
Hurrying along the way, when Wang Yu arrived near the Xu Residence, he ran into an unexpected person.
Su Qingshan.
He was also at the gate, though not entering from the main entrance. Instead, he was slipping in through a side door, hidden in the shadows, making it hard to see clearly. Wang Yu only recognized him by sensing his aura.
"Senior Brother Su."
Su Qingshan was clearly startled, hastily pushing the door halfway shut.
From a distance, Wang Yu observed that the side door was completely blocked by some plump thing. Su Qingshan's hand was rummaging around for something.
Pop pop pop...
It sounded like the rushing of an underground river. Wang Yu didn’t dare go closer and instead called out from a distance.
"Senior Brother Qingshan, may I ask if this is Deacon Xu’s residence?"
"Yes..."
For some reason, Su Qingshan sounded like he was gritting his teeth, and his arm was still trembling.
"I heard that the Xu Family Pill Shop recently hired four First Rank Alchemists at a rate of two hundred spirit stones per month. I wanted to ask if that was true."
Wang Yu played it smart. He didn’t mention that he had already signed a contract. The situation was turning complicated, and who knew what kind of relationship Su Qingshan had with Deacon Xu.
Right then, a loud voice came from inside, one that sounded fat and overbearing.
"Two hundred per month?"
"Who dares set that kind of price? I’ll skin them alive!"
Well, things just got more troublesome.
Su Qingshan, on the other hand, seemed more interested in Wang Yu’s intentions.
"Junior Brother Wang, why are you asking about this? Spirit Slaves don’t have any place to learn alchemy."
"Senior Brother Qingshan misunderstands. I heard about the Xu Family Pill Shop opening from Deacon Tantai’s herb garden and came to see if they were recruiting apprentice alchemists. I figured it’d be good to learn some skills."
"That’s true. Newcomers should explore more, gain some experience, and toughen themselves up."
As the conversation went on, Wang Yu was almost certain something was wrong with the pill shop. He now had only one path forward.
On the other hand, Su Qingshan’s relationship with the young miss of the Xu Residence was... intriguing. She had just referred to herself as this young miss, and had spoken in the tone of a master. Her identity was obvious.
"It’s getting late. If Senior Brother Qingshan has matters to attend to, go ahead. I won’t disturb you further."
Su Qingshan looked like he wanted to say something but kept silent. Only after Wang Yu had walked far away did he speak in a low voice.
"Jiaojiao, he definitely saw it."
"Ah... ha..."
"Lucky brat. Go gouge his eyes out."
"Now?"
"Tomorrow."
With a cry of surprise, Su Qingshan was grabbed and dragged inside by a huge meaty palm, like a chick being caught. His tear-filled eyes looked helplessly at the bright moon above.
He missed his mother.
...
...
As for Wang Yu, he didn’t return to his residence. Instead, he turned toward the Law Enforcement Hall. The pair of man and woman back at the gate had been so impatient to fool around that he couldn’t bear to watch. It was just disgusting.
At the same time, he mentally marked Deacon Xu as someone not to approach again.
Thinking back to when Su Qingshan had tried to lure him into ambushing Zhao Shang, a faint thread seemed to connect the two incidents.
As he walked, Wang Yu suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Tantai Chan?"
Right, he was just a small outer sect disciple in the early stage of Qi Refining. What right or qualifications did he have to be targeted? It could only be due to his six months working in the Herb Garden.
Many people knew that Deacon Xu was pursuing Tantai Chan. It had even become gossip, spreading everywhere.
Was it because of that?
Didn’t seem like it. Thinking about the benefits tied to Tantai Chan, there were only a few.
The Herb Garden, her identity as an alchemist, pills… beauty might count too.
"Four possibilities… Su Qingshan being involved, could it be to help his future father-in-law? If that’s the case, then my joining the Xu Family Pill Shop would be like delivering myself to the door."
No, that can’t be right.
If that were really so, Deacon Xu would have come looking for him immediately. Why didn’t he come to the pill shop? So the problem must lie with the Zhu family grandfather and grandson.
The Medicinal Herb Garden was a spiritual ground secured with the help of Cold Blood Peak. If there was to be a dispute, it should be Evil God Peak making a move. The Zhu family wasn’t qualified. As for alchemy skills, Deacon Xu’s own abilities weren’t bad, unless they were seeking a higher-rank alchemy technique.
Does Tantai Chan have that?
Uncertain. In terms of pill refining, she had only produced one furnace in half a year, which was a bit suspicious. That guess might hold some weight.
Unconsciously, he arrived at the Law Enforcement Hall. Wang Yu straightened his robes and cleared his mind of distractions. He had official business to handle first. He would think more about this later.
The Xu Family Pill Shop contract had three copies. That was Wang Yu’s opportunity to maneuver.
According to procedure, Wang Yu met with a Foundation Establishment stage law enforcement cultivator. He looked young, had refined features, but a sickly pale complexion. At this moment, he was glaring impatiently at him.
This is bad.
He almost forgot that all the positions here were held by second-generation disciples with strong sect backgrounds. Doing night duty meant they were on rotation. But his own second-generation identity was a bit shaky.
Cursing internally, Wang Yu stepped forward and respectfully said:
"Outer sect disciple Wang Yu greets the honored deacon."
"If you’ve got something to say, say it quick… Coming to bother me in the middle of the night. If you can’t give me a good reason, I’ll skin you alive."
Zhuo Shouqing looked extremely annoyed. Three months ago, while playing a flower-and-jade drinking game with fellow second gens, he made a boastful bet. To his misfortune, he was the first to lose, and now had to take night shifts at the Law Enforcement Hall for the rest of the year.
Every time he thought about it, he hated his own weakness. So naturally, he didn’t look kindly on Wang Yu.
But rather than worry, Wang Yu was secretly pleased. Emotion was good.
What he feared was someone like a venomous snake, cold and calm. Emotions could be used.
With a thud, Wang Yu collapsed to the ground, as if frightened senseless.
"I dare not lie. It’s the Xu Family Pill Shop. They tricked me into signing a slave contract. They’re treating me, a one-armed alchemist, like a beast. They’re inhuman.
"Even so, I could endure. But that steward is even worse. He’s been squeezing the four alchemists in the shop, extorting tens of thousands of spirit stones in profit. My brother Zhou Tao coughed blood from over-refining, and they still forced him to continue.
"He said that in the Blood Reversal Sect, his Zhu family is heaven. That the Law Enforcement Hall is nothing but their dogs."
The more Wang Yu made up, the smoother he became. He rattled off a full string of outrageous claims. Zhuo Shouqing, however, only picked up on one phrase—tens of thousands of spirit stones. His eyes instantly turned fierce like a wolf's.
"Outrageous."
"Audacious beyond belief."
"Even the Zhuo family wouldn’t dare claim to control the entire sect. What is this Zhu family, some backwater chicken clan? You, Come with me."
"Name is Wang Yu, as you command sir."
"Someone, prepare for a raid. I want to see what kind of sect this family thinks they own."