Ancient Gods - V1C14
Prologue: Farewell, Fourth Elder
1: A remaining mark
2: The Star Emperor Tower
3: Lingxu's Hostage
4: A Bunch of Hypocrites
5: Su Fei
6: The Duel
7: Dao of Divine Pills
8: Beauty Pill
9: Mastering Alchemy
10: Xu Xin and Su Fei Are Denied
11: No Meat, No Soup, No Cooking
12: The Extraordinary Tianxuan Realm
13: A Salted Fish Turns over
14: Those Elders Have No Shame
15: The Yangchun Pill
Chapter 14
Those Elders Have No Shame
At Wood Peak, Mo Yang had already finished his business for the day.
He moved all the medicinal raw ingredients he had exchanged for Medicinal Pills into his Star Emperor Pagoda, creating another small mountain of various materials. Excitedly rubbing his hands, he circled around the goods, feeling proud of his cleverness. In just one day, he had accumulated a substantial amount of raw ingredients for preparing other Medicinal Pills. If this trend continued, he wouldn't have to worry about sourcing medicinal materials.
In the days that followed, Wood Peak buzzed with activity as many disciples confirmed the miraculous effects of the Medicinal Pills. Those who had consumed both the Marrow Cleansing Pill and the Youth Preservation Pill felt rejuvenated and transformed. Furthermore, several Sect disciples successfully advanced their cultivation by using Juyuan Pills, leaving the Elders of the Lingxu Sect astonished and delighted. Even the Grand Elder had not anticipated such results. Numerous disciples entered seclusion in the cultivation rooms, and nearly 10 more reached the second level of the Spirit Connection Realm overnight.
Curiosity got the better of Qi Heng and Xu Xin, leading them to ascend Wood Peak. The reports of some disciples experiencing a slight boost in their cultivation after using Marrow Cleansing Pills were too tempting to resist. They selfishly felt no shame about their eagerness.
Time flew by, and in just five or six days, the Second Layer of the Star Emperor Pagoda was stacked high with assorted medicinal herbs, their quantity likely surpassing what the Lingxu Sect's Apothecary held. Through continuous alchemical practice, Mo Yang not only gathered a wealth of medicinal herbs but also sharpened his Alchemy skills at a rapid pace. He now found it easy to refine Marrow Cleansing Pills, Juyuan Pills, and Youth Preservation Pills, producing five or six pills in a single Pill Furnace.
After organizing the herbs, he sat down to cultivate quietly, as he had been preoccupied with Alchemy lately, leaving little time for his cultivation. While meditating in the Star Emperor Pagoda, the structure suddenly began to tremble after an unknown period. Mo Yang opened his eyes in excitement, feeling joy at the tower's long-awaited change!
Light flickered across the once-stone walls, and golden patterns resembling dragons danced around before slowly coalescing into ancient characters. Mo Yang recognized this scene, as it mirrored the appearance of the First Layer of the Star Emperor Sutra's Mind-cultivation Technique.
He focused intently on the characters, but soon confusion arose within him—this was not the Second Layer of the Mind-cultivation Technique. Concentrating harder on his comprehension, Mo Yang’s expression shifted as he realized that what he was witnessing was actually a movement technique—entitled the Xing Zi Scroll!
This secret movement technique seemed tailor-made for the Star Emperor Sutra. As he focused on grasping it, he felt a deep, indescribable harmony with the Xing Zi Scroll through the operation of the Star Emperor Sutra's Mind-cultivation Technique. After some time spent understanding the technique, Mo Yang opened his eyes, feeling a rush of excitement.
This Mind-cultivation Technique was both profound and incomprehensible. If the cultivation method were truly as described, mastering it would grant one the ultimate speed of heaven and earth.
As a cultivator, everyone understood the significance of movement techniques. In combat, these techniques could provide a crucial advantage, and even if one found themselves outmatched, they could be used to escape and preserve one’s life. In many ways, these techniques offered cultivators a second chance.
However, secret movement techniques were exceedingly rare on the Xuantian Continent. Major factions often regarded them as their most vital secrets, keeping them from being shared.
"This Star Emperor Pagoda is definitely a treasure!" Mo Yang exclaimed. Every item here, whether it was the Star Emperor Sutra, the Xing Zi Scroll, or the Creation Pill Furnace, was extraordinary.
In that moment, Mo Yang couldn't help but speculate whether the Star Emperor was a long-deceased Great Emperor, considering the multitude of treasures hidden within this tower. Great Emperors were revered figures, few and far between in history, and now they existed only in legends. He could still recall the deep respect in Fourth Elder's eyes when recounting those tales about Great Emperors, as if they were deities.
Mo Yang focused his mind, understanding that mastering this movement technique could grant him an additional means of survival. For the next few days, he set aside Alchemy to immerse himself in the Xing Zi Scroll within the Star Emperor Pagoda.
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Meanwhile, at Wood Peak, the small courtyard was bustling with Lingxu Sect disciples. Many had gathered here for several days, waiting to collect the necessary medicinal herbs in exchange for their coveted pills, only to find Mo Yang missing. He hadn't been seen for days, which even prompted the Second Elder and the Grand Elder to make secret visits.
Though they felt somewhat guilty about their past decisions, the need for Mo Yang's help in their cultivation made them swallow their pride.
"That boy holds grudges. Now that we require his assistance, will he take this chance to make things difficult for us?" The Second Elder whispered from the shadows, glancing at Mo Yang’s small courtyard.
The Grand Elder's expression turned sour as he regretted making things hard for Mo Yang, realizing he should have recognized the boy's Alchemy skills sooner.
"Su Fei and Mo Yang seem to have formed a bond recently. Perhaps we should ask Fei'er to approach him," pondered the Grand Elder, after a moment of thought.
The Second Elder agreed, and the two quietly departed.
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Unaware of the situation outside, Mo Yang continued grappling with the Xing Zi Scroll, but after several days, he still struggled to find that moment of clarity. The ancient characters danced in his mind like fleeting shadows. The cultivation technique was too intricate, and with his current level of cultivation, understanding it in a short timeframe proved challenging.
Mo Yang sighed, feeling a sense of impatience creeping in. He decided to take a break from his meditation and left the Star Emperor Pagoda. As he opened the door, he was taken aback.
The small courtyard was filled with Lingxu Sect disciples, packed to capacity.
"Junior Brother Mo, you're finally back! Wait, where did you come from?" one disciple exclaimed, first beaming with excitement, then looking confused.
They had been waiting in the small courtyard; when did Mo Yang return to his room?
"Junior Brother Mo, I want to exchange for two Youth Preservation Pills!" A female disciple squeezed forward, shaking the bag of medicinal herbs in her hand, wishing she could stuff the medicinal herbs directly into Mo Yang's arms.
"I want Juyuan Pills..."
"I want two Marrow Cleansing Pills!"
Mo Yang felt disoriented, a headache forming. He stated, "Come back at noon. I'm not doing any exchanges right now!" With that, he turned and entered the room, slamming the door shut behind him.
The other disciples were left in confusion, many gazing at the bright red sun rising on the horizon with puzzled looks. It was getting dark, so which noon was he referring to?
After hurried discussions, the disciples had no choice but to leave. The Medicinal Pills were in Mo Yang's possession, and whether he chose to exchange them was entirely up to him. They certainly couldn't just take them, right?
The crux of the matter was Mo Yang's cultivation; even Qi Heng couldn’t match his strength. Attempting to steal from him would undoubtedly lead to a fate far worse than what had happened to Qi Heng in the past.
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In the evening, the Second Elder and the Grand Elder couldn’t refrain any longer. They decided to invite Su Fei and went to Wood Peak together.
Inside Mo Yang's room, the atmosphere was tense and awkward. He was pretending to practice calligraphy with a wolf-hair brush, looking extremely focused and not even glancing away.
Once Su Fei arrived, Mo Yang understood that the two elders were likely there with a request. His ability in Alchemy had become known, so they were probably asking him to help with that. If it were merely about exchanging Medicinal Pills, their presence wouldn't be necessary.
The Second Elder kept signaling to Su Fei to speak up, but she hesitated, feeling uncomfortable around Mo Yang after their previous awkward encounter.
Eventually, after an ambiguous amount of time had passed, Mo Yang finally set down his brush, leisurely picked up his tea for a sip, and addressed the Grand Elder and the Second Elder.
"May I ask what brings the Grand Elder and the Second Elder here? Surely you didn’t come just to watch me practice calligraphy."
The Grand Elder and Second Elder exchanged awkward glances and quickly turned their attention to Su Fei, urging her to take the lead. They worried that if they spoke first, Mo Yang might refuse outright, which would be way too embarrassing.
“Brother Mo Yang, the Grand Elder and Second Elder wish to ask for your help in refining two types of Medicinal Pills!” Su Fei finally gathered her courage and spoke softly, her cheeks slightly flushed. The embarrassing moment replayed in her mind when she had previously bathed in private here, and Mo Yang had caught her by surprise, making her wary of returning to Wood Peak.
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