Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 341 Mysterious Elixir
When the cultivators of the Chu Kingdom discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of the younger generation, they subconsciously exclude Song Yan from the list of "younger generation".

Therefore, although the Nangong sisters, Wang and Shu, had heard of Song Yan's name, they did not immediately think of him when Li Yi mentioned his fellow disciple.

Only now, after learning from Li Yi, did I finally realize the truth.

"The little girl we met at the ninth level of Qi Refining in Jiangxian Pass a few days ago was named Ju Luyi. She is Junior Brother Song's disciple."

Li Yi said, "I originally intended to go myself that day, but I happened to run into her, so I asked her to deliver the message on my behalf."

As he spoke, he stroked his chin: "Strange thing."

"If Miss Ju had returned to the sect, she would have immediately informed Junior Brother Song of this matter. Given his speed, he should have arrived by now."

Nangong Shu lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought, and remained silent.

Nangong Wang said, "No rush, no rush. The grand banquet is still quite some time away. Perhaps Fellow Daoist Song is still in seclusion and hasn't come out yet, or perhaps something else has delayed him for a while."

She spoke these words to Li Yi, but her mind was already filled with a thousand thoughts.

Father should have been informed of this matter sooner.

Nangong Shu's mind was already racing. Most of the younger generation in Chu had heard of Song Yan's name, but not everyone had seen his face.

The sword in the clouds on Dragon Pool Mountain, though astonishing, was obscured by the clouds and sword light, making its appearance unclear.

I've heard from many female cultivators who have actually seen Song Yan that he has an ethereal and beautiful appearance. Now I'll have a chance to see him properly.

Li Yi was talking to Nangong Wang when suddenly an idea struck him, and he took out the communication talisman from his Qiankun bag.

"Haha, look, speak of the devil and he appears."

He casually put away the halberd, took the cloak from the stone, put it on casually, and walked out of the Nangong family's residence.

“Brother Li, such an honored guest has come to my Nangong family. Naturally, it is up to the Nangong family to treat him well,” Nangong Wang said.

To her surprise, her younger sister, Nangong Shu, who always disliked meeting unfamiliar guests, actually chimed in, "Yes, Senior Li Yi, let's go with you."

"Okay, let's go."

The three chatted as they arrived outside the Nangong clan's territory.

“My two sisters, my junior brother Song is not only exceptionally strong and handsome, but I also hear that he is skilled in chess.”

Li Yi said, "It's not like a boring, taciturn person like me."

As they were talking, a voice came from behind: "Senior Brother Li, I shouldn't show off my mediocre chess skills in front of other fellow Daoists."

The three looked up and saw a sharp rainbow descend from the clouds. By the time they noticed it, it was already close by.

Clouds surged and the sword light dissipated, revealing a figure within.

This person wore a black and gold sword robe and carried a long box on his back, from which black and white spiritual light surged.

The sword energy around him dissipated, and he slowly walked towards the three of them.

It was a Song banquet.

"Junior Brother Song, it's been a long time."

"Senior Brother Li, how have you been?"

The two brothers reunited and reminisced, while the two sisters standing to the side both focused their attention on Song Yan.

"Ah Shu, this Song Yan is indeed as beautiful as the rumors say..."

Nangong Wang secretly transmitted his voice.

"..."

"Ashu?"

Nangong Shu was in a state of confusion and remained silent for a moment.

Isn't this Song Yan the kind fellow Daoist who let me eat for free when I had no money for a meal in Fufeng County, Central Region?!
Is there really such a coincidence in the world?
Seeing that she was motionless and lost in thought, Nangong Wang thought that his younger sister had been blinded by her beauty.

He chuckled inwardly, thinking, "What a spineless coward."

With a calm expression and dignified demeanor, she stepped forward and curtsied: "Brother Song, your presence is an honor to our humble abode."

"I am Nangong Wang, and my younger sister Nangong Shu, on behalf of my father and the Nangong family, respectfully welcome you, fellow Daoist."

Nangong Wang's words and actions carried the elegance and sense of propriety unique to noble ladies from aristocratic families.

Nangong Shu, who was standing to the side, also quickly followed suit and bowed, but her bright eyes swept over Song Yan's face.

"Miss Nangong, you're too kind."

Song returned the greeting with a calm and unpretentious tone: "I, Song, came at the invitation of Senior Brother Li. I am sorry to have bothered you."

"You flatter me. This Jiangtian Night Banquet is an invitation from our clan to young talents from all over the world. It is an honor for the Nangong family that Brother Song could grace our humble abode with his presence. My father will surely be delighted to hear of your arrival."

In just a few words, Nangong Wang could sense that Song Yan was humble and had no arrogant air about him as he had imagined.

She breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "I will go and inform my father and prepare lodgings for you, senior."

She was meticulous and had already planned it out.

Li Yi lived alone in a secluded mountain valley villa, so Song Yan, whose status and strength seemed to be even superior, naturally deserved a more grand reception.

She turned to Li Yi and asked, "Brother Li Yi, what do you think of Lan Yue Ju near Ting Tao Valley? The scenery there is serene and the spiritual energy is abundant. It would be perfect to be your neighbor, and it would also be convenient for you to cultivate in peace."

Lanyue Residence is one of the villas used by the Nangong family to entertain distinguished guests, and it is of extremely high standard.

However, Song Yan shook his head slightly as soon as she finished speaking, his tone gentle and indifferent: "Miss Nangong, you've gone to so much trouble. There's no need for such trouble. I'm used to being easygoing and don't need any special preparations."

"This……"

Nangong Wang was slightly taken aback, somewhat surprised.

She subconsciously looked at Li Yi.

"Haha!" Li Yi laughed loudly, "I knew there was no need to be so polite, why bother with all that formality!"

"Tingtao Valley is very spacious. It can accommodate not only Junior Brother Song, but also eight more people."

"Junior brother, you'll be living with me! We haven't seen each other in ages, so let's take this opportunity to have a good spar!"

A strong fighting spirit had already flashed in his eyes. Clearly, the thought of sparring with Song Yan was far more important than arranging any villa.

Song Yan said to Nangong Wang, "Let's do as Senior Brother Li says. It will save us a lot of trouble and make it easier to talk."

Seeing that the two were determined and that their relationship was indeed close and unusual, Nangong Wang did not insist any further.

Her mind was racing. Song Yan refused to stay in a separate courtyard and chose to live with Li Yi. His simple and casual lifestyle showed his carefree nature and indifference to material possessions. It seemed that what Brother Li Yi said was true.

This may not necessarily be a bad thing for the Nangong family.

It was a pleasant surprise to be able to establish good relationships with the two most outstanding young disciples of the Dongyuan Sect.

"Since the two fellow Daoists have made their decision, I will naturally comply."

Nangong Wang bowed gracefully, her demeanor impeccable: "If anything is lacking in Tingtao Valley, please let me know immediately."

She then looked at her younger sister, who was still somewhat absent-minded, and said, "A-Shu, let's go, let's not bother you any longer."

Nangong Shu snapped back to reality and hurriedly replied, "Yes, elder sister."

Before leaving, she quickly glanced at Song Yan, then followed her sister to bow and bid farewell to Song Yan and Li Yi.

In fact, Song Yan also recognized this person.

Although the woman was dressed as a man in the restaurant in Fufeng County that day, under the influence of her powerful divine sense, it was no different from her not being dressed at all.

At that time, Lin Qing and I had just arrived in Maoling Market and were having dinner with Xiao He at Luohua Restaurant, so we did not change our appearance.

Unexpectedly, this person was the second young lady of the Nangong family.

However, Song Yan wasn't worried about anything, since he had already returned from the Central Region.

Watching the two sisters disappear into the distance, Li Yi finally dropped the formalities and patted Song Yan on the back with a hearty laugh: "Come on, junior brother, let me show you the place I chose. It's by the river and backed by the mountains, with a wide view. It's perfect for practicing martial arts and sparring!"

"By the way, didn't Xiaohe come?"

"Oh, she's gone on a long trip to visit her parents."

"What a pity, what a pity. The Jiangtian Night Banquet is sure to be a lively and extraordinary event. I was hoping she would enjoy it."

As they talked, the two arrived at Li Yi's temporary residence. Tingtao Valley truly lived up to its name.

A secluded valley, where the villa is located, offers a direct view of the rushing Lingyang River.

The sound of the river lapping against the shore could be faintly heard.

The valley is lush with trees, and while its spiritual energy is slightly less than that of the sect's cave dwellings, it is more secluded and open.

Although Li Yi had previously been clamoring for a friendly spar, he was not in a hurry at this moment. Instead, he led Song Yan into the villa.

Strangely, Song Yan remained silent.

The soundproof barrier was opened.

Li Yi's smile gradually faded as he looked at Song Yan: "Junior Brother Song, the pills are here."

With a casual glance, Song Yan took the pill in his hand and examined it closely.

In the message talisman that Xiao Ju had brought to Song Yan earlier, in addition to the usual information about the Jiangtian Night Banquet, there was also a message about the Qin family.

The key lies in this one pill.

"Senior brother, are you sure this pill came from the Qin family?"

Song Yan asked, "What did Qingfeng say?"

Li Yi pondered for a moment and said, "Several years ago, Junior Brother Song, you reported to the sect about the appearance of demonic cultivators in the Southern Territory. At that time, you also found that they were related to the Qin family."

Song Yan nodded.

At that time, Xiao Ju was traveling and encountered her own inner demons that had led her to run away.

After Song Yan finished dealing with the matter and returned to his sect, he reported it to the sect and then left it at that.

"At that time, Junior Brother Li Qingfeng had just established his Dao Foundation and was sent by the sect along with several other Foundation Establishment cultivators to the Southern Territory to investigate the matter."

Li Yi explained to Song Yan, "I was the leader back then."

"Later, the Qin family severed ties with that person, and all the demonic cultivators were executed, so the matter was considered closed."

"But at the time, Junior Brother Li Qingfeng said he had found some clues, so after the mission ended, he seemed to have been investigating on his own."

"I help out occasionally."

“A few days ago, he sent me a message saying that the Qin family was going to harm the eldest daughter of the Nangong family and asked me to save her.”

"On that day, I killed three cultivators and found this pill in the Qiankun bag of the youngest one of them."

"Neither my junior brother Qingfeng nor I have ever seen this before. He said that you have some knowledge of alchemy, and since your master is Elder Qin Xijun, he came to ask you about it."

Li Yi, Li Qingfeng, and others were aware that Elder Qin Xijun came from the Qin family and was at odds with them.

"Where's Qingfeng?" Song Yan frowned as he examined the pills in his hand.

"He said he had some things to take care of, but he should be able to come to the Jiangtian Night Banquet in a few days."

Upon hearing this, Song Yan nodded.

Actually, he didn't recognize this kind of elixir either.

This is completely different from the chaotic and disordered nature of the previous Spirit Transformation Blood Pill and Spirit Sacrifice Blood Pill.

Although this pill also has a bloody smell, it is very pure.

Song Yan didn't recognize him and naturally knew nothing about it.

But the moment the thought crossed his mind, almost instantly, the words Qin Xijun had spoken to him many years ago flashed into his mind.

“In recent years, a kind of ‘miracle pill’ has appeared in the family that can enhance the disciples’ cultivation talent.”

"..."

Looking at the pill in his hand, Song Yan had no evidence to prove that it was the kind that Granny Qin had mentioned, but for some reason, he had a feeling about it.

This must be it, right?

Taking it can improve one's cultivation aptitude...

Granny Qin once said that Qin Ying's cultivation speed was so fast because he took this kind of elixir.

Judging from Qin Ying's current Foundation Establishment stage cultivation, this pill is different from the two types of blood pills and should have no side effects.

Or rather, there are no side effects related to cultivation.

He activated his sword energy, and golden light shone from his eyes, revealing the spiritual essence within the pill in its entirety.

This sight startled Song Yan.

He had intended to see what was needed to refine this pill, but he found that beneath the outermost rounded pill coating, the contents were completely different from the other solid pills.

The cinnabar-colored garment was wrapped in a flowing liquid, resembling blood but not quite, yet it had an extremely strong bloody smell.

However, in the very center of these liquids, there was the shape of a skull.

Upon closer inspection, it is a skull shape composed of many white, special spiritual substances, not a real skull.

Is this really a medicinal pill?
Song Yan had never seen a pill like this before, and was momentarily dazed.

After much deliberation, he shook his head and said, "Senior Brother Li Yi, this pill is a bit strange, and I'm not sure about its effects."

"Why don't we wait until the banquet is over, and then I'll take it back to the sect and show it to Master?"

Li Yi nodded without hesitation: "Okay."

Li Yi then began to tell Song Yan about the Jiangtian Night Banquet held by the Nangong family.

……

The Nangong clan's territory, the ancestral home.

The master's study.

"Song Yan..."

The middle-aged man pondered the name.

This person is Nangong Ming, the current head of the Nangong family.

He had certainly heard of this name; it had risen to prominence in the Chu Kingdom in recent years and had almost been deified by many Qi Refining cultivators.

"Daddy?"

Seeing that his father remained silent for a long time, with his eyes shifting uncertainly, Nangong Wang couldn't help but speak up to remind him.

Nangong Ming snapped back to his senses, instantly concealing the complex emotions in his eyes.

He looked at his two daughters, his gaze sweeping across Nangong Wang and Nangong Shu's faces, a fleeting, almost imperceptible, weighing of options flashing across his face.

"Great! It's truly a pleasure to have you here, young friend Song."

“Wang’er, Shu’er, since Song Xiaoyou is staying in Tingtao Valley with Li Yi, you should treat him with even more care.”

"There must be no slightest negligence. Show sincerity in all matters, but also be natural."

Many young talents share a common problem: they have an inflated sense of self-importance and dislike those who are overly flattering.

"Don't be too deliberate, lest it backfire."

"My daughter understands!"

"Go ahead." Nangong Ming waved his hand, indicating that his daughters could leave.

After the study door closed, Nangong Ming leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath.

Lady Nangong looked at him with some worry: "Husband, you..."

Nangong Ming didn't speak, he just waved his hand.

The Nangong family has a history spanning a thousand years.

Now, if he, as the head of the family, makes a single wrong move, the entire family will perish at his hands.

But he had no choice but to bite the bullet and keep going.

(End of this chapter)