Chapter 357: Chance Encounter

Chapter 357: Chapter 357: Chance Encounter

Bai Mo looked at the two Pills, which were giving off a faint golden glow.

After a moment of thought, he recalled that they were from his own practice, created using the technique of refining qi into a Pill.

What he had refined into the Pills was the beast qi from a piece of Ancient Bone—hardly anything precious or rare.

Elder Gai spoke with a warm smile, "This is the technique of refining qi into a Pill. It’s a very old style, not what’s popular today."

"I wondered what quality of Pills could possibly be found in that little shop, and the result is quite good."

"This Pill was just sitting there brazenly on a shelf. The shop assistant said it was for Bone Tempering."

In terms of efficacy, the Pill was indeed just for Bone Tempering.

Only in the hands of a renowned master of the Alchemy Dao could its alternative value be perceived.

"Brother Bai, have you by any chance read ancient manuals on the Alchemy Dao?"

"I have indeed had some fortuitous opportunities."

The two elders came to a sudden understanding and asked no further questions.

Before long, the three of them were whispering again, discussing matters of alchemy.

For now, it was merely a discussion; they couldn’t yet see the true depths of his skill.

They would have to wait for all five masters from the Pill Sect to arrive and watch Bai Mo begin his work before a final judgment could be made.

However, the other three were traveling from afar, and there was no telling what they might encounter on their journey. They had yet to arrive.

Thus, Bai Mo chose a day and paid a visit to the West Pole Sect’s local station.

The West Pole Sect was the one that had commissioned Bai Mo and the others to capture the Pill Ghost.

The sect operated a merchant guild in Celestial Mountain City that sold Alchemy materials.

When Bai Mo arrived, he found the merchant guild was not small in the least. It stood majestically in the center of the street, with a never-ending stream of people coming and going.

Stepping inside, he was assailed by a chaotic mix of smells.

The fragrance of herbs and plants mingled with the foul stench of demon blood. Anyone not accustomed to it would likely vomit on the spot.

The man watching the floor saw Bai Mo enter, and his expression changed. He immediately hurried off to report to his superiors.

The head of the merchant guild came out with a cold expression, but his steps faltered when he saw Bai Mo. The tension in his face melted away like ice in the spring, becoming animated.

The man turned to give a few instructions, dismissing those around him, and approached Bai Mo alone.

"Might I ask if you are Cultivator Bai?"

Bai Mo inclined his head.

"I am."

"My name is Yin Lang. I have been waiting for you for a long time, Cultivator Bai. Please, follow me."

The two of them headed deeper into the merchant guild.

Bai Mo observed that though the man wore fine silks, his expression was tense and his gaze constantly shifted. He moved with a swift, practiced agility.

He seemed less like a Shopkeeper and more like one of Lanshan’s men.

They arrived at a private room where Yin Lang ordered tea. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Bai Mo, he got straight to the point.

Conveniently, neither of them was the type to beat around the bush.

"Regarding the commission, what are your thoughts, Cultivator Bai?"

Bai Mo mulled it over for a moment.

"Since Brother Shui has spoken on your behalf, I naturally have little to object to."

"However, those seniors with me have come a long way, and they don’t want any unnecessary trouble. Your side needs to give us a proper explanation."

Hearing this, Yin Lang offered a slight smile.

"Our Sect Leader’s son cultivates at the Xuandao Sect. He’s also an Inner Sect Disciple and is on good terms with Brother Shui, which is how we were able to call in this favor."

"If you’ll permit me, Cultivator Bai, allow me to explain the origins of this Pill Ghost."

Amid the fragrant steam of the tea, Yin Lang collected his thoughts for a moment before speaking slowly.

"Our Sect Leader was once an Inner Sect Disciple of the Xuandao Sect as well, but he was one of those who never found success there."

"I won’t bore you with the convoluted details, but later, our Sect Leader came upon the inheritance of the West Pole lineage, which led to the founding of the West Pole Sect as you see it today..."

’It seems the West Pole Sect didn’t want its new lineage to die out, but also didn’t want to be absorbed by the Xuandao Sect. That explains the current situation.’

’And by all appearances, the West Pole Sect is doing quite well for itself now.’

"That Pill Ghost originates from a secret land tied to our West Pole Sect’s inheritance. It was left behind by an unknown master of the Alchemy Dao who borrowed our land for his Alchemy long ago."

Yin Lang described the situation in the secret land, then added:

"You only need to capture the Pill Ghost. All other matters will be of no concern to you and your companions."

"If you are willing to lend your aid, in addition to the previously agreed-upon Spirit Stones, we are prepared to offer an additional gift: a classic text on the Alchemy Dao."

"It is an heirloom of the West Pole Sect, titled, *Fire Department Celestial Artisan*."

Bai Mo considered it for a moment, then accepted the task.

If for no other reason, the Pill Ghost itself made the trip worthwhile.

As for why they hadn’t gone directly to the Xuandao Sect, Bai Mo had his suspicions.

’With a foundation as large as the West Pole Sect’s, it’s only natural that not everyone would be friendly toward the Xuandao Sect. A little apprehension is to be expected.’

After leaving the merchant guild, Bai Mo wandered the streets for a bit and happened to spot a few burly men from Immortal Arrival City.

They were members of a Demon Hunting Team and regular customers at his old shop. They were just coming out of a furrier.

They recognized Bai Mo the moment they saw him, but hesitated, shrinking back, too intimidated by his new status to greet him.

In a city as vast as Celestial Mountain City, it was a rare pleasure to run into familiar faces.

Bai Mo, however, didn’t mind at all. He approached them with a relaxed smile.

"Why so hesitant, gentlemen? Not even a hello?"

The three hulking men scratched their heads and grinned sheepishly.

"We heard you’ve risen high in the sect, Alchemist Bai. We didn’t want to be presumptuous."

Bai Mo shook his head.

"There’s no need for that."

It occurred to him that he hadn’t seen Lanshan and the others for a long time.

"How are things back in the city?" Bai Mo asked.

The three men glanced around before spotting a nearby teahouse.

"We’re actually a bit hungry. How about we grab a bite, Alchemist Bai? We can talk while we eat."

"Alright."

The teahouse was doing good business.

They found a corner table. Amidst the din of conversations about alchemy, they began telling him about what was happening in Immortal Arrival City.

Lanshan and his group had made a trip to the Jade Plate Secret Realm and had indeed come away with quite a haul.

The thirty or so of them had pooled together everything they could remember and managed to piece together a general manual for Body Tempering.

One of the men grumbled in a low, rumbling voice.

"So much for that. We were all hoping to get a look at the profound arts of a major sect, but we’re still just a bunch of hard-working blockheads."

"Sounds like you’re complaining about a good thing," Bai Mo said. "The things you obtained in that Secret Realm are far from simple."

"Yeah, Brother Lanshan and the others know that. That’s why they knew there was no way they could protect it on their own."

As he spoke, the man glanced nervously at Bai Mo.

"When we heard you’d become an Inner Sect Disciple of the Xuandao Sect, we... uh... sort of flew your flag."

"It’s fine." Bai Mo wasn’t opposed to the idea.

As long as they didn’t use his name to cause trouble, it wouldn’t affect him much.

And from what he remembered, Lanshan and his men had been through enough hardship to know where the line was.

"I thought I heard the various Demon Hunting Teams were banding together to sell their goods and do business. Why are you..."

The man waved a dismissive hand.

"You might not have heard, Alchemist Bai, but things are different now."

"Our Demon Hunting Teams have gotten bigger and bigger, and more people are flooding in from the outside. You could say we folks from Immortal Arrival City have finally made it out into the wider world."

"Some of the business we do earns a bigger profit if we bring it to the outside, so we come out on trips every now and then."

"Tsk, look at our prospects now! They’re much better than before. I don’t know what those people from the Miaofa Sect were even doing..."

The three men chattered on, telling Bai Mo all sorts of things.

They also had a few complaints to share.

"...a lot of people in the city are colluding with outside powers, and it’s ruined a lot of business for the brothers..."

Bai Mo stayed with them in the teahouse for about an hour before bidding them farewell.

Lanshan and his men were much stronger now and venturing deeper into the Celestial Barrier Mountain. This was a good thing for him.

If he needed anything in the future, he could send word for them to find it in the mountains.

When he returned to the Swift Swan Inn, he found Elder Gai and the white-haired elder sitting across from each other in the main hall.

There was a third person at the table.

Bai Mo’s heart skipped. He stepped forward and saw the person’s robes were stained with a considerable amount of blood.

The bloodstains hadn’t yet turned completely black.