Novel Full Chapter 1705: 1802: Qi Liansheng
Chapter 1705: Chapter 1802: Qi Liansheng
In the deep and shadowy depths of the ocean, the old acquaintances of the Pill Saint Palace finally crossed paths once again.
Fang Lin admitted his identity as Pill Sovereign Fang Lin, causing the elderly woman to break into uncontrollable sobs, her choking cries akin to those of a child.
Watching the elderly woman’s overwhelming emotion, Fang Lin’s heart grew heavier with sorrow.
What was once a thriving Pill Saint Palace had vanished so abruptly, leaving only a few scattered remnants who were nearly extinct.
Many times, Fang Lin would ponder—if there came a day he too perished, then the Pill Saint Palace would truly be no more, and no one in the world would remember it.
Despite the occasional mentions of the Pill Saint Palace in the ancient texts of alchemy, the Palace would only exist as a fleeting reference in historical manuscripts, remembered by none.
After a long while, the elderly woman finally calmed down; Fang Lin could sense that the aura of old age surrounding her had grown heavier than before.
“Are you truly Pill Sovereign Fang? But didn’t you fall during the refinement of the Life and Death Reincarnation Pill?” The elderly woman approached Fang Lin, her tone still tinged with skepticism.
Fang Lin gave a bitter smile: “Even I don’t know how I survived; perhaps heaven chose not to forsake me.”
The elderly woman nodded lightly. Though Fang Lin’s resurrection startled and puzzled her, his survival was, undeniably, the best possible news.
“This old one, Yu Cuilian, seventy-ninth-generation disciple of the Pill Saint Palace, pays homage to Fang Lin, Pill Sovereign Fang!” All of a sudden, the elderly woman bowed deeply toward Fang Lin in salute.
Fang Lin did not evade and accepted the bow with equanimity. If he were to refuse, this salute might linger as a troubling matter in the woman’s heart.
“You are of the seventy-ninth generation?” Fang Lin asked, a trace of astonishment crossing his face.
The elderly woman, Yu Cuilian, nodded in confirmation.
Fang Lin smiled: “I am of the seventy-eighth generation. It seems that during my time at the Pill Saint Palace, you must have entered the sect as well.”
Yu Cuilian’s face took on an expression of reminiscence, her tone growing animated as she said, “This old one was still youthful back then and once caught a glimpse of Pill Sovereign Fang from afar.”
Pausing for a moment, Yu Cuilian added, “Now that I have seen Pill Sovereign Fang, my heart can finally rest. It appears the legacy of the Pill Saint Palace may yet endure; having Pill Sovereign Fang is enough.”
Fang Lin’s expression grew solemn as he asked, “Besides you, are there any other old members of the Pill Saint Palace still alive?”
Mentioning this, sorrow darkened Yu Cuilian’s face.
Yu Cuilian shook her head, her demeanor heavy: “They are all gone. Aside from me, everyone else has perished—some unable to withstand the passage of time, succumbing to old age here in the depths of the ocean, while others were killed at the hands of others. In the end, I alone remain.”
Fang Lin fell silent, his fists unconsciously clenched, an intense desire rising within him to drag out that black-robed woman and slay her on the spot.
If not for the black-robed woman’s rampage, perhaps today he could reunite with more former members of the Pill Saint Palace. Tragically, now only Yu Cuilian remained.
If he had arrived even a moment later, Yu Cuilian might have died of old age here as well.
Fang Lin’s heart raged with hate; were it not for the shred of rationality reminding him that the black-robed woman still had her uses, he might very well have killed her before Yu Cuilian to console the spirits of those from the Pill Saint Palace who had died at her hands.
“This old one truly doesn’t have many years left. Though I’ve reluctantly reached an Immortal cultivation level, my physical body is gradually withering in the tides of time. Were it not for crafting Beast Transformation Pills to disguise myself, I fear I would have long since fallen to that woman’s hands,” Yu Cuilian said.
It was only then that Fang Lin understood why Yu Cuilian had previously transformed into a black sea fish to observe him secretly—it was due to ingesting the Beast Transformation Pill.
The Beast Transformation Pill was extraordinarily peculiar, utterly the opposite of the Transformation Pill. The latter allowed demon beasts to quickly assume human form, unrestricted by their cultivation levels.
On the other hand, the Beast Transformation Pill was ingested by humans, allowing them to assume the bodies of demon beasts and completely suppress their aura.
This Beast Transformation Pill was considered highly obscure and rarely refined; few would bother making it since hardly anyone would voluntarily choose to transform into a demon beast.
Moreover, excessive use of the Beast Transformation Pill would subtly harm the user’s body over time, developing into an incurable affliction.
From Yu Cuilian’s appearance, Fang Lin could discern that in order to survive in the deep sea, she must have frequently used the Beast Transformation Pill, leading her physical body to wither and suffer from lingering maladies—likely leaving her with only twenty years of life remaining.
Of course, while ordinary people would rejoice at the prospect of living twenty additional years, to those who had attained Immortal status, twenty years and twenty days were hardly different.
“What happened to the Pill Saint Palace after that?” Fang Lin asked.
Yu Cuilian understood that Fang Lin was inquiring about what occurred after his supposed demise. With a brief pause to collect her thoughts, she replied, “After you were gone, Pill Sovereign Fang, the Old Palace Master also passed away abruptly. The Pill Saint Palace was left leaderless, but fortunately, the Great Elder was still present, and morale within the sect did not collapse. However, later Qi Liansheng was exiled after stealing the Star Universe Furnace left by the Old Palace Master. What truly led to the downfall of the Pill Saint Palace was the calamity that followed; it was simply too terrifying.”
“Qi Liansheng dared steal the Old Palace Master’s Pill Furnace?” Fang Lin frowned.
Yu Cuilian nodded: “The Great Elder abolished Qi Liansheng’s cultivation and expelled him from the Pill Saint Palace. Since then, he vanished completely; he’s likely dead by now.”
Fang Lin remained silent. Qi Liansheng was someone who had entered the Pill Saint Palace at the same time as Fang Lin, a talent in alchemy whose age exceeded Fang Lin’s by three years. The aptitude he exhibited in the art of alchemy matched Fang Lin’s in brilliance.
The two had been peers, heralded by the elders of the Pill Saint Palace, who believed that the future of the sect could rest upon Fang Lin and Qi Liansheng’s shoulders.
Eventually, both ascended to the level of Masters of Pill, but it was only then that their paths began to diverge.
Fang Lin, like a child of destiny, progressed seamlessly without hindrance, quickly leaving behind his peers to the point where others of his generation could no longer catch sight of his shadow.
Qi Liansheng, however, stagnated in his progress. Instead, he sought to defy convention, returning to the very basics to explore alchemy from the ground up once more.
This act surprised the elders of the Pill Saint Palace, many of whom criticized Qi Liansheng for being overly ambitious and wasting his talent.
But Qi Liansheng stubbornly adhered to his path, rewalking the foundations of alchemy, which led to a growing divide between him and others of the same age who rapidly surpassed him.
Only the Old Palace Master praised Qi Liansheng’s lofty aspirations and held great expectations for him.
Indeed, Qi Liansheng proved remarkable; despite the challenges, he eventually reached the same heights as Fang Lin after retracing the alchemical path.
In the end, the two stood upon the precipice of a singular question—who could rise further and achieve that unprecedented step beyond?
ps: First chapter complete, continuing to write—don’t forget to vote, everyone!