Chapter 1706: News and the Choice

Hearing this, Fairy Ning Ke nodded.

“Regarding the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass, I know of no such item among the treasures recently slated for auction or sale in the major marketplaces. After reflecting with Senior Brother Shi, the last time we heard of this immortal herb was approximately three thousand years ago. Of course, this is only based on the information we have gathered. It certainly may have appeared during this interval, but we are not true Great Luo Golden Immortals; we cannot know everything under heaven. Therefore, we will continue to inquire for you, and the scope of our search will be much broader this time. However, you must still be mentally prepared.”

“If luck is not on our side, waiting for several hundred or even a thousand years would be considered fortunate. If the wait stretches to several millennia, this young lady’s lifespan will likely not last that long. Fortunately, this is the Immortal Spirit Realm. If I utilize my techniques to place her in a state akin to being sealed, it will be no problem to delay things for at least another thousand years. But I remain pessimistic. Even if she wakes up then, she must reach the Spirit Transformation stage as quickly as possible because she will effectively be breaking through a seal. In such circumstances, the time remaining to her will be scant, and she is currently only at the initial-stage of Nascent Soul…”

Fairy Ning Ke paused here, her beautiful eyes sweeping over Li Yan. Li Yan naturally understood her meaning—if the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass was found too late, it would be useless. He spoke up immediately.

“That is the worst-case scenario, the maximum time we have planned to find the herb. But perhaps we can find it sooner? I believe such a possibility exists! Furthermore, if after two thousand years the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass still has not been found, it should still be in time to ask Martial Aunt to rebuild her Consciousness Sea then!”

Li Yan still intended to search for the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass first. He planned to consider rebuilding Bai Rou’s Consciousness Sea only when all hope was truly lost. The group nodded upon hearing this; although they had presented several outcomes, this was the consensus they had reached after a brief discussion.

Suddenly, Fairy Ning Ke asked Li Yan a question.

“I heard that your constitution is one of the three great poison bodies of the Wangliang Sect?”

“Replying to Martial Aunt, I do indeed possess the Fragmented Poison Body.”

Though Li Yan did not know why she was asking, he answered immediately.

“Can you manifest the strongest of your poisons? Let me see,” Fairy Ning Ke said calmly.

Li Yan pondered for a moment before extending a single finger. A thin thread of black Qi appeared at his fingertip.

“Martial Aunt, this poison is called Maggot to the Bone. The Fragmented Poison Body does not have a single ‘strongest’ poison; rather, each has a different effect. Once inhaled, this poison transforms into several threads of black Qi as hard as refined steel. They rapidly coil around the head several times, constricting it tightly. While they corrode the flesh and bone, the black threads pull tighter and tighter. As the bone is eroded by the poison, it becomes incredibly fragile, and the entire skull is quickly crushed into countless fragments.”

As Li Yan spoke, even though the three elders were people of immense experience, interest sparked in their eyes upon hearing of such a bizarre poison. Without another word, Fairy Ning Ke reached out and beckoned, drawing the thread of black Qi toward her.

The moment the black Qi touched her slender, jade-like finger, it acted like a strange little snake, desperately trying to lift its head toward her face. Fairy Ning Ke held it firmly at her fingertip. Her Divine Sense swept over it meticulously before she relaxed her spiritual power, allowing the black Qi to enter her nose directly.

Instantly, a flash of black Qi appeared on her face before vanishing. She then quietly closed her eyes. Standing below, Li Yan showed no sign of nervousness, nor did he speak to stop her. He did not for a moment believe his Fragmented Poison could affect a Tribulation Transcendence old monster; that would be a joke.

Sure enough, after three breaths, Fairy Ning Ke’s beautiful eyes opened again. She showed no signs of distress as she spoke plainly once more.

“It truly lives up to its reputation. I have long heard of the wonders of the Wangliang Sect. The toxicity of this poison is already quite overbearing; even a late-stage Void Refining cultivator would be unable to neutralize it relying solely on their own strength.”

She spoke simply, but beside her, a strange light flickered in Shi Ligui’s eyes.

‘Does this not mean that besides using the Kui Water True Scripture to kill enemies above his level, Li Yan has another means to easily poison enemies an entire major realm above him? Furthermore, he has cultivated a top-tier body-refining technique…’

Upon hearing Fairy Ning Ke’s words, a smile appeared on Dong Fuyi’s face. His disciple’s methods had long since exceeded the scope of a normal Five Immortals Sect disciple.

Fairy Ning Ke continued, “Can these poisons in your body manifest in forms other than mist? Such as a liquid state?”

“They can be condensed into liquid, or even into pills without any issue,” Li Yan replied truthfully, sensing she had a deeper purpose for asking.

His control over the Fragmented Poison Body had reached an astounding level after centuries of research; he had even given pills to Mu Guyue and her son previously.

“Since you have such skill, there may be another opportunity ahead. Although the appearance of the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass is rare, since your Master asked me to speak, I do have another feasible method. However, this method likewise depends on fortune.”

“I know of a place where the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass might appear. However, that place cannot be taken by force. Even for those of us at the Tribulation Transcendence stage, taking action would be quite troublesome and might provoke a powerful enemy for our sect. Therefore, it is best not to resort to force if we can avoid it. That place is called Huangqi Valley, a top-tier alchemy sect. Even your Second Martial Uncle’s alchemy skills would not be considered preeminent there. That sect also possesses Grand Ascension and Tribulation Transcendence cultivators, but they have always focused solely on researching alchemy. Though they know of the Five Immortals Sect’s existence, they have not become our enemies out of greed for our techniques. We have only clashed with them during past travels, but that was merely normal sparring. For such a sect to remain uninvolved regarding the Five Immortals Sect is already quite good. We are not mad dogs that bite everyone we see or view everyone as an enemy…”

Fairy Ning Ke’s eyes fixed on Li Yan, carrying a warning.

“Junior Sister, you can say those words to other disciples. For Li Yan and Pei Buchong, you only need to point out the vital interests involved. Compared to us, besides their insufficient cultivation, they are not lacking in experience. In some aspects, because of their low cultivation, they are only more cautious.”

As she looked at Li Yan, Dong Fuyi’s voice drifted over. He was now very familiar with his disciple, not to mention he had spent a long time with Pei Buchong. To expect Li Yan or Pei Buchong to provoke a major sect of their own accord would require them to be fools; these two were shrewder than ghosts.

When he had envied Senior Brother Qianchong in the past, it was because he had seen Pei Buchong and felt jealous, which made him somewhat dissatisfied with Li Yan. But now, he was exceptionally pleased with Li Yan. If Pei Buchong was capable of schemes, Li Yan was likely on par with him. These two had traversed many continents in the lower realms, and Li Yan had even made a name for himself alone in the Immortal Spirit Realm. He had turned a fourth-rate sect into a third-rate one; the main credit went to him and his demon wife. Would such a person ignore the big picture and stir up trouble?

“If he is truly like Buchong, then he should be quite capable!” Shi Ligui added, his eyes narrowing slightly. They had heard some things about Li Yan from True Lord Qianchong.

After Dong Fuyi returned, he hadn’t spoken in detail about Li Yan’s past, only giving general accounts. But they had interacted with that little fellow Pei Buchong for a while. True Lord Qianchong’s pride and Pei Buchong’s conduct during that time had long made them realize that their own disciples might be played to death by those two while still counting spirit stones for them.

“Martial Aunt, are you saying that the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass exists within Huangqi Valley? If it does, can it be purchased or exchanged for treasures? Please advise me!” Li Yan scratched the back of his head as the three of them stared at him. Was his cheap Master praising him or calling him cunning? He quickly bowed and asked for guidance.

Though Martial Aunt Ning Ke hadn’t finished, she clearly implied the herb was in Huangqi Valley but force wasn’t an option. This was massive news; she wouldn’t mention it unless she was somewhat certain.

“I cannot be entirely certain. Huangqi Valley possesses an eighth-grade pill called the Seven Spirit Pill, which is quite effective for tempering Divine Sense. You likely already know that any pill related to the cultivation of Divine Sense and souls is a closely guarded secret of an alchemy sect. It is as difficult as ascending to heaven for their own disciples to obtain them, let alone outsiders! Even we have only heard of the Seven Spirit Pill. It is said that only their Body Integration stage and above cultivators have the authority to use them. However, I know that among the ingredients for the Seven Spirit Pill is the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass. Furthermore, at least half of the sources for this news are reliable. As for whether it can be purchased—that is a top-tier alchemy sect. Do you think they lack spirit stones? Exchanging treasures for the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass, which is a raw material for an eighth-grade pill, is out of the question; its rarity and value are self-evident.”

Fairy Ning Ke paused, and Li Yan’s heart sank. If she said such things, the hope was likely extremely slim. But then a thought surfaced.

‘Martial Aunt didn’t say the Seven Spirit Pill can no longer be refined. Does this mean they cultivate the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass or have a place to obtain it?’

Seeing the change in Li Yan’s expression, Fairy Ning Ke continued.

“Correct, just as you guessed. It is said that within Huangqi Valley, there is an Inheritance Ancient Hall. It is rumored to house many spiritual plants that have already gone extinct in the outside world, and the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass should be there. However, that Inheritance Ancient Hall is only open to their own disciples, and only core elite disciples are qualified to enter. Huangqi Valley is not a sect that practices medicine to save the world; they are more focused on seeking the Great Dao of Longevity. Thus, they naturally possess powerful defensive measures to guard these treasures. Simultaneously, these measures are used to protect their own lives. Therefore, they also refine various strange pills, including various poisonous pills, liquids, and mists, as well as detoxification pills. Since you understand basic alchemy, I have a way to get you into Huangqi Valley. But this requires you to take a risk. Whether you go or not depends on whether your Master nods his head first.”

Fairy Ning Ke did not hesitate this time and spoke of the other method directly. There had already been an argument among the three of them regarding this. After learning of it, Dong Fuyi had pondered for a long time before deciding to let Li Yan know.

However, Shi Ligui had sternly criticized his junior brother, calling him reckless. Even if Li Yan sneaked into Huangqi Valley, what could he do? Leaving aside whether the herb truly existed, how could a Spirit Transformation cultivator covet alchemy materials of that grade? It was essentially gambling with his disciple’s life. Their Kui Water branch only had two successor disciples; how could they afford such recklessness?

After saying this, the normally honest Shi Ligui had cast a dissatisfied glance at Fairy Ning Ke. Such unfeasible matters shouldn’t even be mentioned. But he knew that Fairy Ning Ke shared everything with this junior brother; after others had left the sect one by one, only the two of them remained, and they communicated the most.

Fairy Ning Ke completely ignored Shi Ligui’s gaze, her expression unchanging. In the end, she also advised Dong Fuyi that they should just keep this matter among themselves. Later, she would find a way to see if she could trade for a Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass from the other party. However, she also felt that even with past favors, the other party might not be willing to trade such a sect treasure.

Dong Fuyi listened silently to their warnings and advice before saying plainly, “I know it is dangerous, and I will do my best to persuade him not to go. But if I do not tell him, then if the young lady is fine later, all will be well. If something happens to Miss Bai, Li Yan will not only become dissatisfied with me but with the sect as well. You do not know his temperament, nor do you know what he is capable of for his loved ones! Simply put, for his family, he could leap into the barrier between two continents, or as a Nascent Soul, drag a Spirit Transformation cultivator down with him… And Miss Bai was injured so severely because she saved his child. He has been working tirelessly for this. I cannot withhold a useful lead!”

Inside Li Yan’s cave residence:

“Li Yan, what your Martial Aunt Ning Ke said is very clear. First, we cannot truly confirm if Huangqi Valley has the Hazy Moon Purity Immortal Grass. Second, we do not know the situation inside that Inheritance Ancient Hall, but the defense of such raw materials is surely strict. Third, none of us want you to go because you know how hard it was for me to find you. As a sect disciple, you must know what is important!” Dong Fuyi’s voice was low as he laid out his thoughts.

Li Yan felt the three gazes upon him and fell silent for a time. He immediately understood a few things. From Dong Fuyi’s tone, he realized this matter wasn’t originally meant for him to know; his Master had wanted him to know.

After several dozen breaths, Li Yan looked up.

“Martial Uncle, Master, Martial Aunt—this disciple is very grateful for the love of my elders. I never imagined such powerhouses would act on my behalf. Since entering the sect, Martial Uncle and Martial Aunt have treated me with great kindness, making me feel uneasy. But I must try any method that can cure Senior Sister Bai.”

“This is not just for Senior Sister Bai’s kindness; her Ancestor also saved this disciple’s life. Before his ascension, he asked me to look after the Wood Flow Sect. Senior Sister Bai is currently the best and only successor of the Wood Flow Sect, yet because of me, that legacy might be cut off. I am a successor of the Kui Water branch, and Senior Sister Bai is the successor of the Wood Flow Sect. I have no reason not to give my all. Furthermore, I am only doing my best; I am not seeking death. If something is impossible, I will likewise cherish my life. As long as one is alive, there is hope until the end! If I die, I cannot save Senior Sister Bai anyway. I know what is important and will not act recklessly. Martial Aunt, how difficult is it to sneak into Huangqi Valley? What dangers might I encounter there?”

Li Yan spoke slowly, expressing his thoughts. Martial Aunt Ning Ke had said much; he knew that even though the three before him were people who could stir up storms in the Immortal Spirit Realm, he could not beg them to force the Five Immortals Sect to provoke an enemy they didn’t want. He wanted to know how he could hide his identity so that if he were exposed, he wouldn’t implicate the Five Immortals Sect!

The three of them looked at Li Yan. Shi Ligui, who had been about to speak, suppressed his words and fell into deep thought.