Mortal Saint

Fire Kiln, Medicine House.

Huddled by the furnace, Huang Xuan’s face was grim. He was refining a Ninth-Grade Pill, a process that was not only incredibly intricate and complex but also extremely time-consuming. His lips were pressed into a thin line.

Beside him, the group of medicine boys assisting him were as silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to make a sound.

The medicine boys who had been at the Medicine House for a while all knew.

This Pharmacist Huang had a habit.

Every two or three days, after all the orders were filled, he would close the doors to all visitors and focus single-mindedly on refining a type of Ninth-Grade Pill that no one else understood.

As soon as he finished refining them, no matter how many there were, he would swallow the entire batch in one go.

With every pill he ate, a bit of color would return to his face.

But the longer they stayed, the more the apprentices and medicine boys began to notice...

He was consuming more and more of these pills, and his ability to refine them was clearly flagging.

He even had to go into the county to other medicine shops, like those belonging to the Three Great Gangs, to place orders with other pharmacists. He had to procure huge batches just to meet his daily needs.

No one knew what effect they had.

BANG!

Suddenly, a pungent odor erupted from the pill furnace, blasting Huang Xuan with a cloud of soot. A brown and gray paste splattered across his face and hair.

CLANG!

The sound of the Pill Furnace being knocked over echoed through the room!

Furious, Huang Xuan kicked over the small golden furnace, its clatter echoing as his chest heaved with rage.

"This isn’t working! It’s not working! I’ve spent too long refining these Cold-Relieving Pills and Hundred Herbs Pills."

"And this damned ’malady’ this body left me with forces me to swallow ten to twenty of them every single day!"

"It used to be that three to five pills a day were enough to maintain myself, but now..."

"I can’t possibly refine enough on my own!"

His eyes burned with anger as he stared at the failed concoction—an entire double-hour of work, wasted.

Alchemy, especially when it came to Ninth-grade Pills, was a fickle art.

A high level of Alchemy Skill didn’t guarantee success.

Even for a master who had achieved Great Success, the success rate was typically only sixty to seventy percent.

The only exception was if one broke through the Shackles of the Mortal Realm and reached the level of a Qi Dao Pill Master, who could perceive with their thoughts and manipulate fire with their Qi.

Otherwise, anyone, no matter how skilled, risked failure and a ruined furnace.

’But... Ji the kid’s innate talent for Alchemy Skill is truly extraordinary!’

’I’ve spent ten days pouring my efforts into training and observing him. In the last two days, his pill success rate has reached an unbelievable eighty to ninety percent.’

’And I’ve been intentionally increasing the heat and the dosage to get more pills per batch, yet the kid still manages to produce several pills in a single go...’

His eyes flickered.

’The path of life and destiny should not be sought from others.’

’My frequent trips to the county to purchase large quantities of Cold-Relieving Pills and Hundred Herbs Pills have probably been noticed by now. Someone has likely figured out that my body has a lingering illness.’

’Rather than buying them from outside—which is like drinking poison to quench thirst—it would be better to invest more in training him...’

’I was planning to talk to him about this today.’

’But why hasn’t the kid shown up?’

Pacing back and forth in the Pill Room, Huang Xuan grew anxious as he watched the time tick by.

’Forget it. I’m not waiting for him today. I’ll just go to the shops run by the Lion Hall, Tiger and Leopard Hall, and Eagle Falcon Gang and buy some.’

’I’ve bought too much from the Four Great Halls’ medicine shops already. I’ve probably attracted some unwanted attention, so I can’t go back there.’

With this thought, Huang Xuan, his face dark, ordered a medicine boy to clean the Medicine House. He then quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes.

Lion Hall, Tiger and Leopard Hall, Eagle Falcon Gang!

These were the "Three Great Gangs" part of the commonly known "Three Great Gangs and Four Great Halls" of the five-hundred-mile Anning County!

These gangs were all local bullies from the mountain towns and manors along the five-hundred-mile mountain pass, entrenched powers who had banded together and were known as the ’Invaders of Anning’.

Eventually, they twisted into a single rope, and under the command of their leaders, they transformed into one of the county’s major powers.

The bosses of the Three Major Professions were businessmen. They retained guests and strengthened their bodies, but ultimately, it was all for the sake of making silver.

In Anning County, the Three Major Professions, with their Fist, Spear, Saber, and Sword, held the upper hand.

But when it came to true martial prowess and the power to influence the areas surrounding Anning County...

Outside Anning County...

The Lion, Leopard, Eagle, and Falcon reigned supreme, their power blotting out the sky!

Clutching his clothes, Huang Xuan hurriedly drove a carriage to the medicine shop run by the Lion Hall.

But when he inquired about pills like the Cold-Relieving Pill and the Hundred Herbs Pill... he was told that he had to be on the registered list and pass a check to even qualify to purchase them.

Other items, even Eighth Grade Bone Tempering Pills... had no such requirement!

Upon learning this, Huang Xuan narrowed his eyes and left without a word.

He then went to the medicine shops at the headquarters of the Tiger and Leopard Hall and the Eagle Falcon Gang.

The result was exactly the same.

"Was this set up specifically for me?!"

This time, Huang Xuan could no longer contain his fury, grinding his teeth in anger.

Those bastards had finally found his weakness—the Achilles’ heel of the so-called "foremost alchemy expert" in the five-hundred-mile Anning County!

Seething, Huang Xuan stormed out without another word. But just as he crossed the threshold of the Eagle Falcon Gang’s medicine shop...

A tall figure in a black cloak raised a hand to stop him.

"Elder Huang, a moment please."

Those few simple words caused Huang Xuan to extend his withered, claw-like hand as his eyes turned cold.

"And you are..."

His entire body tensed, ready to spring forth like an arrow loosed from a bow and launch a deadly strike at any moment!

Pill Masters were all wealthy; money was never an issue.

Even by just consuming pills, they could achieve a respectable level of martial arts—let alone a Seventh Grade Pill Master like him!

"Elder Huang, don’t be hasty."

"I have simply come to hire you."

The figure hidden beneath the black cloak and hood offered a friendly smile.

"Moreover..."

"I can cure the ’Pill Devouring Poison’ in your body."

His tone was earnest, causing the veins on Huang Xuan’s forehead to bulge.

"Im-poss-ible!"

"Once that thing is planted, it gradually spreads. Unless you use an Earth Treasure to refine a Spirit Pill, there is no other way..."

"No Mortal Pill in this world can cure it!"

"And I know my place. I’m just a stray dog, a disgraced disciple who stole his master’s Pill Secret. I’m not worthy of such treatment."

"Unless you’re..."

SWISH.

A cold wind blew.

The black-robed man’s clothes fluttered, revealing a jade token inscribed with the words ’Central Yellow Taiyi’.

Huang Xuan’s pupils contracted violently, and his heart trembled.

’The Central Yellow Taiyi Sect? The heretical sect aligned with the Outer Dao Divinities that has been stirring up trouble in Jiangyin Prefecture for the last twenty years?’

’I heard that not long ago, the prized disciple of a certain nobleman in Jiangyin Prefecture was bewitched by them, stole a great treasure, and fled to escape punishment. To this day, he still hasn’t been captured...’

The old man lowered his gaze, feigning ignorance. He tightened his collar and said flatly,

"You seem to know quite a lot, young friend."

"But I only stopped being someone’s dog a few days ago. I haven’t had my fill of this leisurely life yet."

"Thank you for the kind offer."

With that, he walked away hastily, heading in the direction of the Fire Kiln Lu Manor.

Only the man in the black robe remained, silently staring after him. He pulled down his hood, revealing a cold face with sharp, blade-like eyebrows.

"Lord Han, perhaps we should..."

Behind him, the shopkeeper from the Eagle Falcon Gang’s store, who seemed to know the man, approached respectfully, a glint in his eye.

But the young man just smiled and shook his head.

"It’s alright. Elder Huang has had a hard life. Why make things more difficult for him?"

"But his Alchemy Skill shouldn’t be left to waste."

After speaking, he gently tucked away the token that hung from his waist.

He lowered his gaze, his eyes reflecting his thoughts.

’Huang Xuan, hah.’

’He spent his whole life as someone’s dog, yet he couldn’t even cross the threshold to become a Qi Dao Pill Master.’

’His old rival obtained an Earth Treasure, received a Pill Chapter from the master, and ascended to the rank of Qi Dao Pill Master. Then he cast Huang Xuan down into the ninth mire, branded him a criminal, and inflicted him with pill poison...’

’How pathetic.’

’The weight of one’s lineage is like a great mountain.’

’But on the other hand...’

’One only needs to worship the Divine Beings, build Divine Shrines, and offer pious reverence daily to receive an anointment, ascending to godhood through the Martial Dao. It gives everyone under heaven, regardless of their station, a chance to open the gates...’

’Isn’t that far fairer than the mud-legged peasants who must scheme and struggle just to get a foothold!?’

’Immortals, Pure Lands, Celestial Humans, Divine Beings...’

’Master, the Outer Dao aren’t demons; the world just crushes people!’

’The Great Xuan has already reached its first millennium, and it’s already swaying like a tree in a storm. How much longer can it last?’

’I will prove that you were wrong.’

’And that I... am right!’

The young man’s eyes were deep and filled with a mad fervor.

His whispers faded as he melted into the shadows and disappeared.

...

「Fire Kiln, Lu Manor!」

At that same moment, inside the main hall.

When Lu Hongyu arrived in a hurry with Ji Xiu...

They saw—

At the head of the hall, besides the grand chair belonging to Lu Chengfeng, the Manor Master of Fire Kiln Lu Manor, two other chairs had been placed neatly beside it, both of them now occupied.

One man wore a purple robe embroidered with cranes. He was tall, with long, elegant eyebrows.

The other was barrel-chested, with thick eyebrows, a full beard, and shrewd eyes.

As soon as he stepped inside and looked up, Ji Xiu glanced around and saw that not only were the three main chairs filled, but the entire hall was packed with people.

He did a quick count; there were roughly a hundred people present.

’Purple-robed Crane, Butcher’s Saber!’

Seeing the two men beside Lu Chengfeng, Ji Xiu matched their appearances to the monikers of two of Anning County’s ’Ten Great Experts’ and immediately felt a chill!

The Purple-robed Crane was Xuu Manor, the Chief Steward of the Chai Market. He was known to be a pretentious scholar, always dressed in exquisite clothes embroidered with cloud cranes. It was said he was from a side branch of some clan in Jiangyin and had some minor connections.

And Butcher’s Saber.

That referred to Wei Dinchang from the Cattle and Sheep Market. He had started as a common butcher, rallying more than a dozen men to his side with two cleavers in hand.

He built his enterprise from chopping meat and selling offal, then went to Jiangyin to learn fist-fighting, and eventually monopolized the entire butchery business in Anning County—a classic example of a man who fought his way from one end of town to the other!

’These are all ruthless men...’

Ji Xiu had just been thinking this to himself when Butcher’s Saber Wei Dinchang let out a laugh.

"Brother Lu, is this the kid you’re recommending for the position of Vice Hall Master of the Medicine Hall, one of our Wind and Cloud Association’s Seven Great Halls?"

"At his age..."

"I’m afraid he’s not quite up to snuff."

...

「Meanwhile.」

Huang Xuan, his face dark, rushed toward Lu Manor in a fiery rage.

"You little bastard! I spent ten days training you, and you cost me so much damn silver in the beginning."

"The moment you start showing some results, you just disappear?"

"I had the misfortune of running into an Outer Demon and getting targeted by those guys. It’s fine here in this small county, but if the Northern Garrison Command catches wind of it..."

"The pain of this poison in my body is nothing compared to the cruelty of their tortures!"

"What could possibly be so important at this damn manor? I’m going to see for myself..."

Hong River was yawning. After learning that Ji Xiu wouldn’t be needing the carriage, he had come back to the manor to watch the gate.

He had just arrived and had barely opened his eyes when he saw that master from the Medicine House—the one who almost never left his post—charge up and slap him right across the face, leaving him completely stunned.

"You, get out of the way!"