2025-12-27 07:28:25When he arrived at the contribution hall, Mu Qiu found that there were many disciples gathered both inside and outside.
After all, aside from himself, there is no one who is not active in getting the elixirs.
Mu Qiu didn't squeeze in with the other disciples, but waited until most of the disciples had finished collecting before leisurely walking in.
The person in charge of dispensing the elixirs that day was a middle-aged man.
With a goatee, he was named Sun Dahai.
At this moment, Sun Dahai had just dispensed the last batch of elixirs and was about to wait for the disciples to leave before checking how many elixirs he had pocketed. Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of him.
"Elder Sun, my elixirs."
"Hmm? Mu Qiu?" Sun Dahai furrowed his brows, wondering to himself why this man, who hadn't fetched his elixir for the past two years, would suddenly come today.
"Yes, Elder Sun," Mu Qiu replied.
Looking at Sun Dahai's expression, a sigh escaped Mu Qiu's heart. Back when he had been a prodigy, Sun Dahai would personally deliver his elixir, catering to him in every possible way. But now, it was clear that the man's attitude had taken a negative turn.
True enough, Sun Dahai waved his sleeve dismissively, sneering, "You want an elixir? We're out!"
"The sect rules state that every outer disciple can collect a rank-one low-quality elixir each month," Mu Qiu retorted calmly, asking with a smile, "Why? Why does everyone else get one and I don't?"
"Because you're a waste of space," Sun Dahai replied with disgust. He waved his hand dismissively and said, "You, whose Dantian has been shattered, what would you need an elixir for? Don't tell me you plan to sell it off in the secular world at the foot of the mountain?"
Hah!
Talk about a big hat!
"Worthless?"
Mu Qiu's lips curved in a slight smirk as he looked at Sun Dahai.
Stroking his goatee, Sun Dahai chuckled, "Are you not?"
Pausing briefly, he scorned, "Mu Qiu, if you can prove you're not useless, I will not only give you an extra pill but also three spirit stones."
With that, he spun around and nonchalantly flicked his robe, coldly stating, "But, if you can't prove it, get lost at once!"
"How should I prove it?" Mu Qiu replied, his face mirroring an expression between a smile and a frown.
"Oh? You really want to prove it?" Glancing sideways at Mu Qiu, Sun Dahai pointed with his raised hand towards the Xuan Ironstone standing grand outside the hall, sneering, "Genius Mu, see that? Strike a crack into that piece of Xuan Ironstone, and I'll admit you're not useless."
Nodding, Mu Qiu remained silent.
Turning his head, he looked at the Xuan Ironstone.
Then, he stepped towards the outside of the hall.
Some disciples outside the hall had not dispersed yet, and gathered around spontaneously.
They were there for the spectacle.
They pointed and sneered at Mu Qiu, laughing coldly and dismissively.
A man whose Dantian had been destroyed, why was he picking a fight with Sun Dahai?
Soon, wouldn't he just end up breaking his own hand?
Silently, without uttering a single word, Mu Qiu walked up to stand in front of the mysterious iron stone, disregarding everyone around him.
Taking no notice of the crowd behind him, Mu Qiu took a deep breath, and started up the power of the Ancient God within him.
"Heh!"
With a light grunt, he punched forward. His fist landed mightily on the jet-black stone in front of him.
The air instantly fell silent.
Sun Dahai and those disciples who were waiting to ridicule Mu Qiu had their sarcastic smiles frozen on their faces, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads!
Pulling back his fist, Mu Qiu turned around without the expected cries of broken bones.
Instead, visible cracks started to appear on the mysterious iron stone with soft crack sounds.
In the end, they heard a thunderous "Bang." The mysterious iron stone, as tall as two persons, actually shattered into pieces, scattering all over the ground.
"It...embrittled?"
"Even someone on the sixth level of martial arts wouldn't possess such strength, right?"
"Did you all see? When Mu Qiu struck the mysterious iron stone, there weren't any fluctuations of internal energy at all!"
The disciples were all dumbfounded, their faces pale in disbelief.
It felt as if they had seen a ghost wandering about.
Their faces began to feel hot, as if they had just been slapped fiercely!
"Butler Sun, where is the Elixir?" After rubbing his slightly reddened fist, Mu Qiu pushed through the crowd in front of him and walked to Sun Dahai. He chuckled and said, "Don't forget the three crystal stones you promised."
"Eh..."
Sun Dahai was startled, awakened from the shock he had just experienced.
"I admit, I really underestimated you!" After giving Mu Qiu a gloomy look, Sun Dahai calmly said, "However, according to the sect rules, each disciple can only receive one Elixir per month, not two, and certainly not crystal stones."
Such duplicity!
It seems Mu Qiu had already anticipated this. He merely nodded and smiled, "Butler Sun, consider the extra Elixir and the crystal stones as your lost bet to me."
"The gambler must accept their loss!" Mu Qiu stepped forward slightly and said softly, "If you cannot even do this, what right do you have to be the steward of the Hengshan Sect? How can you gain the respect of others? If the Sect learns about this..."
The implied threat was clear in his words.
"You!"
Sun Dahai's face changed.
Becoming the outer sect steward was not easy; it took him many years of hardship to get this position.
If Mu Qiu really made trouble in the Sect, it would certainly do him no good.
He had only himself to blame for inviting trouble by provoking Mu Qiu.
However, regret came too late as his words had already left his mouth.
I've heard rumors about Mu Qiu's dedicated training over the past three years.
Unexpectedly, it has indeed paid off.
By now, I certainly won't ruin my reputation for some elixir.
In the future, I should keep my distance from this madman!
After a moment of contemplation, Sun Dahai stroked his goatee, "Tell me, what elixir do you want?"
"Vitality Nurturing Pill."
"Vitality Nurturing Pill?"
Sun Dahai was slightly surprised, but then he considered that it was reasonable.
With his Dantian destroyed, consuming any amount of other elixirs would be futile.
Among all the elixirs, only the Vitality Nurturing Pill would be somewhat useful for Mu Qiu's body training.
"We don't have Vitality Nurturing Pill prepared for today!" Just as he finished saying this, Sun Dahai quickly took out some herbs and three crystal stones from his waist and tossed them onto the table in front of Mu Qiu. "However, I do have some ingredients for crafting Vitality Nurturing Pill on me. Take them!"
"Thank you, Elder Sun!" Mu Qiu acknowledged with a faint smile as he collected the crystal stones and herbs, and said nothing more.
He turned to leave.
"Wait..."
As if wanting to say something more, Elder Sun raised his hand.
"What is it?"
Mu Qiu halted in his tracks, yet he didn't turn around.
Tilting his head slightly to one side, a hint of a smile tugged at his lips.
After a moment of silence, Sun Dahai slowly began, "Next month, I'll assist you in applying for a Vitality Nurturing Pill."
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Chapter 213
The Lord of the Spectral Soldiers came right up to him. For some reason, Mu Qiu actually caught a flicker of approval in those eyes. He curled his lip — had to be an illusion. Instinctively, he clutched the waistband of his pants.Perhaps noticing the small gesture, the Lord of the Spectral Soldiers again wore that same skin-deep, mocking half-smile. Mu Qiu couldn't stop a shiver. This would probably haunt him for life.For no clear reason — maybe the spectral soldiers' passage always chilled the air — the old man who normally slept like the dead suddenly woke. He sat up, glanced at the burly Lord of the Spectral Soldiers, and chuckled lazily, "Knew you old bastard wouldn't sink so easy. Looks like your mind's crawling back. Good news — I won't have to spend my days running from you anymore!"At that, the Lord of the Spectral Soldiers' eyes actually showed a trace of guilt. Apparently it could still feel plenty. Mu Qiu, however, didn't consider that a good sign. Without thinking, he t
Chapter 212
The texts claimed the past ten millennia had been remarkably calm. The only events worth noting were the wars between men and demons, the sea-beast rampage off the Southern Sea, and the occasional unsealing of forbidden zones."In the Three Thousand Realms, who can say — but here in the Kunling Realm, it's been quiet," Mu Qiu said, his face unreadable.The slovenly old man's expression twisted, disbelief plain. He actually smoothed his tangled beard — something he almost never did — while a pensive look crept across his face."Kunling shouldn't be calm at all," he muttered. "This was the closest land to that fortress, the most vital pass. How could it stay so peaceful?"Mu Qiu couldn't quite catch the old man's mumbling. Yet his ears still snagged one lethal keyword — Xiongcheng. Back then, the Talisman Lord had warned him: "If fate ever takes you into the Primordial God-City, tread as though every step could be your last." Could the Xiongcheng the old man just mentioned be that very
Chapter 211
The old man snorted coldly, a hint of mockery threading his words. His sharp gaze saw right through Mu Qiu, though the young man's expression remained unruffled — even as he spoke with righteous conviction. But that was indeed the case. Since he had come all this way, he couldn't possibly leave empty-handed. When geese fly by, pluck their feathers; when beasts pass, take their hides. In short, returning with nothing was absolutely out of the question. That just wasn't his style.And so, Mu Qiu made no attempt to hide his intentions. Besides, by doing this, he could actually ensure that the legacy of the fallen Demon Emperor would live on in the mortal world. The mere thought of it made Mu Qiu feel rather noble. His spine straightened instantly, rigid as a sword."Exactly! To revive the lost wisdom of the sages is to pave the way for eternal peace!" His words rang out with resounding conviction. He was even moved by his own declaration. After enduring countless hardships — all for the
Chapter 210
Yet these were the resting places of the demon race's past emperors. Suddenly, Mu Qiu remembered — earlier, the old man had mentioned that these demon emperors, once revered for their great deeds, had all met with ill omens in their twilight years. A chill crept down Mu Qiu's spine. He shook his head sharply, as if to dislodge the thought. His curiosity was getting the better of him — and that never ended well.However, the moment he pondered deeper, a bone-chilling dread crept through his entire body. He dared not think further. Trembling fear. Burning curiosity. Two conflicting emotions tangled within him, tearing him apart."Hey, kid." The disheveled old man — who had been focused on scattering dirt ahead — suddenly halted and turned around. His voice was soft but deliberate. "Take a look at this soil. Doesn't it strike you as unusual?"Snapping back to reality, Mu Qiu froze for a moment. The old man had actually spoken to him first. This was unexpected — Mu Qiu had grown accustome
Chapter 209
The vicissitudes of time. Mu Qiu felt as though an eternity had passed.As he stepped out of the wooden cabin, just like any other day, his clumsy figure suddenly froze.Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?Endless questions flashed through his mind. A glimmer of clarity pierced through his long-dulled vacant eyes. His gaze sharpened, growing clear once more."How did I end up here?"Mu Qiu lowered his head, murmuring to himself. A pensive expression settled over his face. And in that very moment, Mu Qiu — who had been numb and indifferent for so long — finally awoke. His three ethereal souls and seven earthly spirits seemed to snap back into place at once. A turbid breath escaped his lips. A sharp glint flashed from his eyes.Before him, reality blurred into illusion, as if he were drifting through clouds. He saw things that had once been invisible to him. Like those spine-chilling graves — before, they had merely appeared as ordinary mounds of earth. But now, squinting, he noticed
Chapter 208
By the time the slovenly old man's movements roused him again, it was already daylight the next day. Mu Qiu followed the old man down over a dozen different paths, witnessing no fewer than a thousand graves of demon emperors. Yet all these tombs shared one common trait — even the newest headstones had been erected tens of thousands of years ago. In the last fifty millennia, not a single new grave had appeared.After trudging along various paths for over ten more days with the disheveled old man, this time the elder finally didn't lead him down a new route. Not that he was really leading Mu Qiu — because Mu Qiu was starting to suspect that the scruffy old man genuinely hadn't noticed his presence. Following the elder onto a familiar path, Mu Qiu recognized every single tombstone along the way. Was he doomed to repeat the same tedious routine?Sure enough, the old man resumed his monotonous tasks — scattering soil where it was due, ranting when the mood struck. A flicker of frustration
