The Violet Qi Division and the East Pill Division of the Violet Fate Sect were both in shock. A disciple who had forsaken the Sect and then become a Grand Elder of the Dao of alchemy in the Golden Frost Sect, Eternal Mountain, had returned. For the first time in four hundred years… he stepped foot into the Violet Fate Sect!

Along with him had come one of the Golden Frost Sect’s two Dharma Protectors, Tang s.h.i.+cang [1]. The other was a Nascent Soul Elder. Each of these individuals had practiced Cultivation for more than seven hundred years. Despite being only at the Nascent Soul stage, they were experts in magic, and together could destroy ten thousand enemies.

In addition to this, they were followed by a large group of Golden Frost Sect disciples, including Fatty. He looked very complacent, standing there at the forefront of the group of disciples, right next to Tang s.h.i.+cang.

The Golden Frost Sect’s arrival, especially the presence of Grandmaster Eternal Mountain, provoked the appearance of the Violet Qi Division’s Dao Protector Wu Dingqiu [2. Wu Dingqiu is the same guy who had the bet with Eccentric Song back in the State of Zhao, and then threw the spear into the wall in the Violet Qi Division], as well as several Nascent Soul Cultivators. On the peak of one of the mountains located on the border between the Violet Qi Division and the East Pill Division, was a large public square, where the ceremonies would take place.

Two Violet Furnace Lords from the East Pill Division were also present. One was An Zaihai. The other was clearly superior to An Zaihai both in position and in age. In fact, he was the most senior of the Violet Furnace Lords of the East Pill Division. His skill in the Dao of alchemy was at the peak level, and he could be considered sub-Grandmaster. This was Lin Hailong. [3. Lin Hailong’s name in Chinese is 林海隆 lín hǎi lóng - Lin is a surname which also means “forest.” Hai means “sea” or “ocean.” Long means “grand” or “eminent”]

At the moment, the Violet Qi Division’s Outer Sect disciples, as well as the apprentice alchemists of the East Pill Division, were congregating down at the foot of the mountain. They settled their Qi and calmed their minds, looking up toward the square at the peak of the mountain. Their hearts filled with speculation as to the purpose of Grandmaster Eternal Mountain’s visit.

Some of the Inner Sect disciples and master alchemists proceeded up toward the top of the mountain. However, not many were qualified to do so. The entire mountain was sealed tightly, and many who attempted to get closer were turned back.

Meng Hao arrived at the mountain with the rest of the crowd. He stood off some distance away, observing. As far as Grandmaster Eternal Mountain, he had heard quite a few stories about the man throughout his years in the Violet Fate Sect.

As he looked over the scene, he suddenly saw several beams of colorful light shooting through the air. His eyes glittered. The beams shot directly toward the public square at the peak of the mountain. Within were Cultivators of the East Pill Division, all of whom were Furnace Lords.

One of them was Chu Yuyan.

After thinking about it for a moment, Meng Hao’s body flashed, and he shot forward. Just as he neared the mountain, he caught sight of Li Tao. Their eyes met, and they proceeded together up toward the top of the mountain.

There were some who attempted to block their way, but Li Tao simply flashed his identification jade slip, whereupon they gave way with respectful looks on their faces. After the auctioning of the Foundation Establishment Day in the Pill Auction, Li Tao’s name had also risen to prominence. Were it not for the appearance of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, his name would most likely have become even more well known.

Li Tao gave Meng Hao a meaningful look, and then, his voice low, said, “Grandmaster Eternal Mountain forsook master and the Sect. It’s said that he hasn’t stepped foot back inside for four hundred years. I wonder why he’s back…. Brother Fang, do you think it might have something to do with Grandmaster Pill Cauldron?”

Meng Hao smiled slightly, shaking his head and saying nothing. Soon, they reached the mountain peak, where they stood off to the side. Meng Hao looked over at Fatty, and then Chu Yuyan.

All of the Furnace Lords, including Chu Yuyan, stood respectfully behind the Violet Furnace Lords, looking forward at the Cultivators from the Golden Frost Sect.

Chu Yuyan glanced at the Golden Frost Sect Cultivators and yawned. Then her gaze fell upon Fatty, and it seemed as if she wanted to give him a good thras.h.i.+ng. A cold look gleamed in her eye. After all, this Fatty Li Fugui was the cause of the entire scandal with Meng Hao.

The Golden Frost Sect had brought no small amount of Cultivators to this meeting. However, less than ten people actually qualified to sit down at the table. The rest of the Inner Sect disciples, like Fatty, could only stand behind them.

Sitting in the foremost position were two people. One was Dharma Protector Tang s.h.i.+cang. He appeared to be middle-aged, but his Cultivation base was at the mid Nascent Soul stage, and few people in the Southern Domain would dare to look down at him. If he made a bit more progress, he would reach the late Nascent Soul stage. In the current age, in which only a few Spirit Severing Cultivators appeared in the Cultivation world of the Southern Domain, this would place him at the pinnacle of his generation.

At the moment, he was laughing and chatting with Wu Dingqiu over some trivial matters.

Sitting next to him was a white-haired old man. He had been sitting there the entire time, his eyes closed. He seemed as if he did not belong in Heaven and Earth. In fact, anyone who looked at him for too long would begin to feel as if their eyes were burning, as if his entire body were some type of fearsome furnace.

Even more shocking, as he sat there with his eyes closed, green gra.s.s slowly began to sprout up from within the limestones around him. It seemed that this old man’s aura was capable of causing living things to spontaneously grow.

This was none other than one of the three Grandmasters of the Dao of alchemy of the Southern Domain, Eternal Mountain.

Compared to him, the rest of the Golden Frost Sect Cultivators seemed to be there for nothing more than a supporting role. Even the Nascent Soul Cultivators were clearly lessened by his presence.

Meng Hao and Li Tao stood off to the side, along with quite a large group of other disciples who encircled the square. Meng Hao looked at Grandmaster Eternal Mountain, and the gra.s.s slowly growing up around him. His eyes narrowed.

“What realm of the Dao of alchemy is this?” he thought. “He can cause medicinal plants to grow up from the limestone. That’s creating life out of nothing….”

Then, he caught sight of An Zaihai, and felt anger welling up in his heart as he suddenly remembered his 200,000,000 Spirit Stones.

On the Violet Fate Sect side, An Zaihai smiled as he and Wu Dingqiu chatted courteously with Tang s.h.i.+cang and the three other Nascent Soul magic experts.

The most senior of the Violet Furnace Lords, Lin Hailong, sat there expressionless, staring icily at Eternal Mountain.

The square seemed to be filled with both fire and ice. On the one hand, harmonious chatting could be heard, on the other hand, an icy wind full of frost seemed to be blowing.

“Hahaha!” laughed Tang s.h.i.+cang, looking at Wu Dingqiu. “Fellow Daoist Wu, please stop asking. I’m just here out of courtesy to accompany Grandmaster Eternal Mountain. As far as the details of our visit, I’m afraid I can’t really say.”

It was at this moment that Grandmaster Eternal Mountain suddenly opened his eyes. When he did, they were staring directly into Lin Hailong’s icy glare.

He was quiet for a moment, and then said, “Long time no see, Elder Brother Lin.” His voice was archaic, and filled with a strange power. As his words rang out, the green gra.s.s around him fluttered. Instantly, the entire square grew quiet. Regardless of who was speaking, Tang s.h.i.+chang, Wu Dingqiu or An Zaihai, they all instantly closed their mouths. All eyes fell onto Grandmaster Eternal Mountain.

“You flatter me with the words ‘Elder Brother,’” Lin Hailong said coolly. “Have some self-respect, Grandmaster Eternal Mountain.”

Eternal Mountain was quiet for a long moment. Finally, he said, “The purpose of my visit is to pay respects to Grandmaster Pill Demon. Fellow Daoist Lin, could you please make an introduction for me?”

“Master is busy at the moment,” replied Lin Hailong, his voice cold. “Please leave.” Although Lin Hailong’s Master was not offended by Eternal Mountain’s past actions, Lin Hailong would never be able to forget that he himself had recommended him to join the Sect. Furthermore, he had unselfishly provided him with much a.s.sistance. He had never imagined that because of his talent in the Dao of alchemy, that he would eventually become a Violet Furnace Lord, and then forsake Master and Sect. To this day, he had never been able to dispel the negative feelings in his heart.

Eternal Mountain was again silent for a long moment. After the s.p.a.ce of about ten breaths pa.s.sed, a glow filled his eyes like that emitted by a pill furnace.

“If Grandmaster Pill Demon has no time, then I would very much like to meet the person the whole Southern Domain is talking about: Grandmaster Pill Cauldron of the East Pill Division!”

Hearing this caused Chu Yuyan’s eyes to s.h.i.+ne brightly. In fact, the eyes of all the surrounding Violet Fate Sect disciples began to glimmer. After all, Grandmaster Pill Cauldron’s ill.u.s.trious name was what everyone was talking about recently.

Meng Hao’s face was expressionless. He had long since become used to his alternate ident.i.ty. Seeing the reverent look in Chu Yuyan’s eyes caused him to suddenly come up with some very wicked ideas.

“You want to meet Grandmaster Pill Cauldron?” said Lin Hailong, a cold smile turning the corners of his mouth. “He’s here in the Sect. If he wants to meet with you, then naturally he will step forward. But I have no way to force him to do so.”

“Why be this way, Elder Brother Lin?” said Eternal Mountain. “You treated me so well all those years ago, as did the entire East Pill Division. When drinking water, one must bear in mind the source. I will never forget your kindness.”

“Kindness?” cried Lin Hailong gruffly. His eyes s.h.i.+ned with coldness. “If there was kindness, then why would you forsake the Sect?! Do you know that after your betrayal, Master sat on the East Mountain for three days, looking at the pill you had concocted?!”

Eternal Mountain said nothing. After a long moment, he sighed. “It was because my Dao of alchemy differed from that of Master’s. If I stayed in the Sect, then I would not have my own Dao of alchemy, and therefore, no path to tread. Perhaps after many years, I would become another Pill Demon. However… that is not me. Elder Brother Liu’s decision was the same as mine. Our decision was made three hundred years apart, but we both chose to leave the Sect.” He looked at Lin Hailong. “Elder Brother Lin, I respected Master, and I respected the Sect. After all these years, I haven’t changed. I wish to pursue the Dao of alchemy, not just concoct pills. My Dao is not that of Elder Brother Liu with his poison pills, but rather… magic pills! The pills I concoct are not to be consumed; instead, they fuse magic with the Dao of alchemy! The pills concocted by Eternal Mountain are treasured pills!”

He waved his hand, and immediately a gold-colored medicinal pill flew out. As soon as it appeared, it filled the surroundings with a shocking pressure. A medicinal aroma filled the air, but even stronger was the sense that this was a magical item!

The medicinal aroma was like that of the glow of a magical treasure. Its l.u.s.ter was as blinding as that of the sun.

Meng Hao’s heart trembled. Having heard Eternal Mountain’s explanation, he looked at the pill treasure, and his mind spun. Seeing this pill had opened up a new door in his mind regarding the path of pill concoction.

Meng Hao murmured to himself, seemingly enlightened: “There are millions upon millions of paths in the Dao of alchemy, much the same way that there are countless variations among plants and vegetations….”

“This pill cannot be consumed,” said Eternal Mountain, “because it is indestructible. It is a pill treasure which I personally concocted, the glow of which can absorb spiritual energy. The plant and vegetation interactions within the pill become their own Heaven and Earth. You could also say that this is not a pill, but a magical item that can never be destroyed! Elder Brother Lin, could you please appraise this item?” With the flick of a sleeve, he sent the medicinal pill shooting toward Lin Hailong.

Lin Hailong grabbed it.

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This chapter was sponsored by Robert Zhang