Two pairs of eyes were exchanging glances.

Ning Tao said lightly, “It's very simple. Either give me the skull fragment and tell me what happened or I'll leave and you can watch after that piece of skull fragment and half the flying sword and we'll never cross paths again.”

Reverend Miexin stayed silent before saying, “You fix the flying sword first and I'll give you the skull fragment.”

Ning Tao snickered. “You think I'm a three-year-old who you can fool? Just now, I've just fixed half of the flying sword and you've already brought a huge group of people here. If I had fixed the entire sword, would you still give me the skull fragment?”

Reverend Miexin said, “Will you still fix the flying sword for me after you've acquired the skull fragment?”

Ning Tao said, “I'm different from you. I cultivate the way of Heaven, I will do as I have promised. If you still aren't a.s.sured, you can take me to look at that skull fragment and tell me about Zhu Hongyu's story, then I'll fix your flying sword. You can give me the skull fragment after that.”

The skull fragment did not actually matter. He only had to remember the elixir prescription on it.

Reverend Miexin fell into silence again then said, “Follow me.”

Ning Tao then secretly heaved a sigh of relief and followed Reverend Miexin.

On the way, Reverend Miexin broke the silence between them, “I cannot understand. That prescription is an object of omen and could even be a threat to the world. Why are you so persistent on attaining it no matter what?”

Ning Tao thought before speaking, “If a man used a knife to murder, then is it the fault of the knife or the person? I don't know how Master arrived at the conclusion that Ancestor-seeking Elixir is an object of omen but I think that as long as we use it appropriately, then it will never disrupt the world. It could even benefit this world. And as I said, I can treat epilepsy and paralyzed patients using the deficient Ancestor-seeking Elixir I made.”

Reverend Miexin was made silent again.

Ning Tao was not expecting that his words would instantly convince someone like Reverend Miexin. He followed Reverend Miexin and they arrived at the Mahavira Hall on the highest point of the hill after traveling for a distance.

“Please enter,” Reverend Miexin spoke politely.

Ning Tao nodded politely then followed Reverend Miexin into the Mahavira Hall.

The Shakyamuni Buddha idol sits cross-legged on the lotus throne, so grand, majestic, benevolent. It was so high up, looking down on Ning Tao. Its gaze did not change at all, and it was impossible to change. To Ning Tao, the face on the good-evil tripod was actually even more “deific” because it was able to judge goodness and evilness.

“Please sit.” Reverend Miexin sat cross-legged on a futon then pointed at the futon beside her.

Ning Tao followed after her and sat cross-legged on the futon.

Reverend Miexin said, “You want to listen to what happened back then. I'll tell you.”

Ning Tao looked at Reverend Miexin, appearing to be very focused.

Reverend Miexin organized her thoughts and said, “In 1637, a demon named Hu Ji appeared in the world of cultivation. We didn't know where she came from and only knew she was a fox spirit. She searched around for cultivating doctors like you to get them to make her a type of elixir and that elixir was Ancestor-seeking Elixir…”

Ning Tao was shocked but tried his hardest to maintain a calm composure.

Reverend Miexin continued, “That Hu Ji was violent and cruel. If the cultivating doctors she found had refused to obey her, she would kill them immediately. She is in possession of the 'Picture of the Six Samsara Realms' which was ranked seventh in the top ten most evil magic tools. Her demon powers were also unparalleled, n.o.body could beat her. And even for the cultivating doctors who had submitted to her power, they would be immediately killed once they failed…”

“The world of cultivation was instantly hurled into desolation. All the cultivating doctors were in fear. n.o.body refined pills or treated illnesses during that time. There was even a risk of cultivating doctors dwindling in numbers. Master Fakong started the campaign to slay the demon and every righteous pract.i.tioner volunteered. They set a bait to lure Hu Ji out. Indeed, she appeared and we surrounded her. She was heavily injured but still managed to escape with the help of 'Picture of the Six Samsara Realms'…”

“The demon-slaying alliance searched everywhere but there was no news of her. It was then that the rumors of Ancestor-seeking Elixir had started spreading, claiming that it was an elixir of immortality belonging to a deity of the magic ancient age. Once the elixir is completed, that elixir will awaken that deity and harm the world. There were even versions which claimed that that deity was the culprit of magic ancient age's end. Unfortunately, hearsays are only hearsays. There is not one version which mentioned the name of that deity…”

Magic tools had tool souls, elixirs of immortality had elixir souls.

Ning Tao had already witnessed tool souls, the soul of Soul-devouring Urn and “Picture of the Six Samsara Realms”, but he had never seen elixir souls.

What would they look like?

Immediately, the image of that lady in red surfaced to Ning Tao's mind. Could she be the elixir soul of Ancestor-seeking Elixir?

“Cultivation circle had already fallen into chaos before the Ancestor-seeking Elixir was completed, leading to the carnage of war. If it were really completed, wouldn't this world descend into complete unrest? That Hu Ji had been severely injured by us and disappeared without a trace. The elixir prescription of Ancestor-seeking Elixir was also gone. We couldn't find it anywhere, until 1689, a woman named Zhu Hongyu appeared…”

“There were pract.i.tioners who had received intel saying that Zhu Hongyu was Hu Ji's daughter, and inside her head contained the prescription of Ancestor-seeking Elixir. After Hu Ji was injured by us, she married Crown Prince Zhu San, hiding her ident.i.ty and name, giving birth to Zhu Hongyu. She used Buddha incense to inscribe the Ancestor-seeking Elixir prescription on Zhu Hongyu's skull…”

“And thereafter, Zhu Hongyu's whereabouts were discovered, she fled to the western province. We tracked her down all the way. On the way, we found out that a few villages of herding communities were slaughtered, including the elderly and children. Lastly, we stopped Zhu Hongyu at the Holy Mountain. She had already turned into a demon and those herders were killed by her…”

“That Zhu Hongyu's powers and status could not compare with her mother at all, so we killed her very easily. A pract.i.tioner cut open her skull and indeed, had found the prescription to Ancestor-seeking Elixir. That pract.i.tioner split Zhu Hongyu's skull into seven pieces then gave them to different people to guard and I'm one of those people…”

With that, Ning Tao was finally getting some clue. He already has Yin Molan and Zhu Hongqin's skull fragments and the one from Florence, which made three in total. Now, he was about to get a fourth one. If Nicholas Conway and the powers behind Genesis Biotech Company each had one piece, then there were six pieces that had appeared. Only one last one was needed to complete the prescription!

a.s.suming that either Nicholas Conway or the powers behind Genesis Biotech Company was in possession of two skull fragments, it would mean that the elixir prescription was already completed. Ning Tao would only have to get the skull fragments from them and he would have the complete prescription!

But this was only a hypothesis, Nicholas Conway and the powers of Genesis Biotech Company very possibly only had one skull fragment. Even if they had two, getting any of them would be very difficult.

“Do you think this is the end of the story? It's not.” Reverend Miexin lamented, “Just when that pract.i.tioner had split Zhu Hongyu's skull fragment into seven pieces, the world suddenly dipped into pitch-black darkness and someone attacked us, we lost many people. Pokong, my flying sword was damaged in this battle. At the end of the battle, only one piece of Zhu Hongyu's skull fragment was left and it is the one I have now…”

Ning Tao could not help but ask, “Who was it that attacked you all?”

Reverend Miexin shook her head. “No clue.”

“No clue?” Ning Tao was shocked. Reverend Miexin and Master Fakong were leading figures of the modern cultivation world. If they did not even know who had attacked their demon-slaying alliance, just how powerful was that person?

Reverend Miexin smiled wryly. “I know you don't believe me but this is the truth. This is Zhu Hongyu's story. Are you sure you still want her skull fragment after listening to this story?”

Ning Tao stayed silent for a moment before saying, “Reverend Miexin, the seven skull fragments have mostly all appeared. It will not bring you any good to keep the one guarded by Emei Sect. You can still reject me now that I'm here today but can you reject the person who had attacked you back then? Also, there is a rising figure in the West named Nicholas Conway who had combined cultivation and technology together. He is very powerful and is in control of the famous mercenary company, Black Fire Company. If he brought those technological magic tools and mercenaries here, will you be able to reject him?”

Reverend Miexin's expression immediately turned sullen.

Ning Tao continued saying, “What will come will come. You cannot escape it. Give me the skull fragment and I will announce to the world that it's with me. In the future, if that person and Nicholas Conway want it, they can only take it from me. That's all I have to say, I'll leave master to think over it carefully.”

“You'll die,” Reverend Miexin said.

Ning Tao smiled coolly, “If you were to look for someone in the cultivation circle who is always living their life on the edge, then it's definitely me. If I don't take the risk then who will?”

“Well said. For that and your help in fixing my flying sword, I will give you the skull fragment. ” Reverend Miexin stood up and walked to the back of the Shakyamuni Buddha.

Ning Tao did not follow. He had already done everything he could. He only had to wait for the results now.

A few minutes later, Reverend Miexin returned and pa.s.sed an old wooden box to Ning Tao.

Ning Tao reached out to take the box with lightly trembling hands.

The wooden box was opened, a skull fragment lied inside. On it was the prescription carved with Buddha incense.

Reverend Miexin said, “You may return. I will get Ci'en to send the necessary materials for fixing the flying sword to your room later.”

Ning Tao was not able to observe more carefully. He closed the lid of the box. “Then I shall return. You may wait for my good news.”

Reverend Miexin said again, “You must remember your promise to me. You will take away this skull fragment and announce to the whole world that it is with you.”

A smirk appeared on Ning Tao's face. “This is not my promise to you. It's my promise to everyone here.”

For example, Cixin and those nuns whose hometowns were unknown.

“Amitabha,” Reverend Miexin chanted.

Ning Tao strode away.