From slave trader to the Immortal Lord of Ten Thousand Laws

"According to Xu Qingyue..."

"It seems that the Third Madam's intention in having me work in the treasury was for the sake of this cultivation technique."

Inside the room, Jiang She listened to what was said and suddenly realized that the Third Madam had insisted on making him a gatekeeper to watch over the treasury so that she could make plans to find this martial arts technique as soon as possible.

However...

Why didn't she just charge in and search?

Could it be for the "qi" of the Qi Refining Immortal Path?

The Third Madam's vision was truly limited, which resulted in Jiang She knowing very little about matters of the immortal path after selling her.

"Xu Qingyue is a prodigy, yet she cannot cultivate the Xu family's techniques. Could it be that these techniques require individualized instruction?"

Jiang She frowned, unable to figure it out for a moment.

Thinking of this, Jiang She extended his divine sense, passing through windows and houses. In an instant, the pavilions, towers, corridors, and courtyards on both sides all rushed backward, turning into patches of black.

Shortly after, his consciousness came to a standstill.

In the secluded depths of the Xu residence, the courtyard walls stood tall, built of bluestone, and the doors were heavy, each inlaid with a beast head. The beasts resembled Yazi, with copper rings passing through their noses and adorned with green rust.

"So this is the treasury?"

Jiang She's divine sense seeped through the crack in the door.

But then they saw a small hut inside the courtyard, which was the storehouse. It was shaped like a cellar with only one entrance. After descending the steps for about a hundred steps, they found that the interior was spacious and deep, about two zhang high and unknown in depth. There were no windows on any side, only copper lamps that burned eternally in the niches along the wall. The flames were bluish-white and cold, as if mixed with shark fat.

Within the repeat line.

The layout of the warehouse is well-organized.

Near the entrance, piles of gold and jade were displayed, with more than a dozen large iron chests open, filled with gleaming gold ingots and snowflake-shaped silver bars, piled up like hills. There were also pearls, agates, coral trees and other items, their precious light dazzling the eyes.

Further inside, treasures are displayed on shelves. Sandalwood display cases stand along the wall, with items categorized in various ways: precious medicinal herbs are displayed in jade boxes, their fragrance lingering; rare ancient books are wrapped in brocade covers, each word a gem; there are also paintings and calligraphy from previous dynasties, as well as official kiln porcelain, all of which are priceless treasures.

Jiang She's divine sense slowly advanced, sweeping over these worldly treasures, its gaze lingering uncertainly.

Suddenly, his gaze froze.

Under the sweep of divine sense, a hidden compartment was found in a corner that was not easily noticed. Pushing open the compartment, the wall slid open, revealing a dark and gloomy altar. There was nothing else on the altar except a sandalwood box, which was simple and ancient in shape. The box was spotless, which contrasted sharply with the dust on the surrounding treasures, indicating that it was often maintained.

"This is it!"

Jiang She's mind stirred slightly, and he reached into the box himself.

However, there were no jewels or precious stones inside the box, only a remnant of an old silk scroll with slight creases at the edges. Jiang She probed the silk scroll with his divine sense and felt that it was slightly cool to the touch, like a jade pendant in his hand.

He watched for a while.

But I can't understand it.

"No wonder no one in the Xu family has been able to cultivate this technique. It turns out that this technique... is written entirely in esoteric script."

The Dharma should not be passed on lightly. The original texts of Taoist books written by cultivators are mostly unique copies, all written in coded language. This coded language is like Morse code in the cultivation world, with a thousand interpretations for each word. Naturally, Taoist books translated by different people will also be different.

Even the "Qi-Inducing Scripture of the Last Month" that Jiang She obtained from the members of the Money Gang was not entirely written in secret text. Jiang She relied on the Third Madam's knowledge to half-guess and half-understand it, and still spent a lot of effort to integrate the two "Qi-Inducing Scriptures of the Last Month" into a single Daoist book suitable for furnace cultivation.

This was only because both were "The Qi-Inducing Scripture of the Last Month," containing some cryptic text, which Jiang She was able to understand.

now...

The Xu family's martial arts are not of the same origin or lineage as it, so they cannot understand or decipher them.

Jiang She searched for a while and found a boxing manual among them, which was a training method to select those who would practice this skill.

"Xu Qingyue and the others are probably going to have worked for nothing."

Jiang She frowned slightly. Although this boxing manual was a training method, it was not very useful for cultivating this skill. If you couldn't understand it, you couldn't understand it. It was not like what Xu Qingyue and the others thought, that learning the training method would make you a dragon among men who could cultivate immortality.

Do not!

Perhaps some people are dragons and phoenixes, but if they cannot understand the coded text, they have already blocked their path to immortality.

...

a few days later.

Sunrise and sunset, how many days have passed?

The smoke from the fire in the rear hall of the dilapidated temple came and went intermittently.

Jiang She went to the back hall and saw a man refining elixirs according to his destiny.

That man was none other than Ma Laosi.

Old Ma was emaciated, with sunken eyes. His black robe looked even more oversized, hanging loosely over his body. When he saw Jiang She approaching, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was hoarse like a broken gong.

"Master, my lord, I have been working tirelessly for the past few days and have refined more than three hundred pills."

He swallowed hard, his eyes bloodshot, revealing deep exhaustion and drowsiness.

Jiang She nodded and asked:

"And tell me, how toxic is this elixir?"

"But it takes no more than ten to be fatal."

"Ten...that's enough."

"It should last the master for a while."

Ma Laosi glanced at Jiang She, only to see the other man follow his gaze with a sly smile:

"That's not enough!"

"What I need are a thousand pills. A mere three hundred or so are just a drop in the ocean, not even enough to fill a tooth gap."

"A thousand...a thousand?!"

Old Ma's eyelids twitched, and he exclaimed:

"Master, my lord, alchemy is not as simple as making mud balls. It requires expending one's life force as a catalyst. Refining these three hundred pills has already consumed most of my life force. If I were to forcibly refine a thousand more, I fear that before the pills are even finished, my life force... will be scattered."

"At that time, I will be a cripple, unable to refine pills anymore, and will be of no use to my master!"

His voice was filled with sorrow and tears, as he tried to persuade his heartless master with the promise of gain or loss.

Jiang She ignored him.

He knew that Ma Laosi could refine a thousand pills.

Hearing his excuses now, I naturally didn't believe him.

"Destiny?"

Jiang She chuckled: "If fate is scattered, then so be it. I'll only ask you once: compared to this life of yours, which is more important?"

He paused briefly, letting each word be imbued with murderous intent:

"If fate is gone, it's gone. But if you lose your life, no matter how mysterious your fate may be, what does it have to do with you?"

"Complete the refining of the elixir obediently, and I might spare your life. But if you dare to hesitate again, don't blame me..."

boom!

Before Jiang She could finish speaking, he simply waved his sleeve, and the ripples of his magic power spread out, crashing into a large wall with a bang.

Ma Laosi's face was ashen, his lips trembled, and he couldn't close his legs. The image of his brother's tragic death was still vivid in his mind, and his own life and death were completely in the hands of others, leaving him powerless to resist.

Yes, what's the use of clinging to a destiny that allows you to refine pills if you've lost your life?

Struggle, resentment, and fear all surged onto his face, ultimately leading to his complete defeat and surrender to death.

Ma Laosi slumped down, his shoulders collapsing completely, as if all the bones in his body had been removed in an instant.

His voice was low, barely audible, carrying a deathly stillness born of resignation, as he said:

"I...I understand..."

As Ma Laosi spoke, Jiang She had no intention of sparing his life. He simply waited for the pills to be refined before killing him.

However, he was particularly concerned about Xu Qingyue's furnace.

Everything is ready now, except for a catalyst.

...

"Hahaha! It's done! It's done!"

far away.

The mountains are verdant and the caves are secluded and tranquil.

The old Taoist priest Liu Tuo lifted the lid of the furnace, only to find that there were no pills inside, but a pool of viscous liquid resembling gold.

He pulled a jade bottle from his sleeve. The bottle was warm and smooth, and inside were talismans. With a flick of his fingers, the liquid gold rose up and transformed into fine golden threads that trickled into the bottle's mouth.

As the last drop of golden liquid disappeared into the bottle, the old Taoist priest swiftly took out a wooden stopper and, with a "pop," sealed the bottle tightly.

Holding the jade bottle in my hand, it felt warm and heavy, as if I were holding a heart, still pounding inside.

The old Taoist priest pressed the jade bottle close to his chest, unable to suppress a low, sinister laugh: "Hehehe! The elixir is complete! The elixir is complete! Xu Qingyue's superior-grade alchemy vessel will soon be mine!"

After saying that, he slapped a speed talisman on his thigh and traveled with incredible speed, arriving at the Xu family residence in no time.

He dispersed the fog, but did not leave; he waited outside the courtyard.

Before long, footsteps approached from afar in the corridor, hurried yet orderly. Xu Qingyue led the way, her dress fluttering slightly, her steps quick yet her posture still elegant and graceful. Behind her followed Qiao'er, her uncle, and a group of maids and servants.

Seeing the old Taoist priest standing with his back to her, seemingly admiring the flowers and trees by the door, Xu Qingyue's eyes lit up. Suppressing the myriad thoughts in her mind, she curtsied, stepped forward, and said:

"Immortal Master's journey has been arduous. Qingyue and the entire family are worried day and night, praying that you will be safe and sound."

Xu Ningyuan also stepped forward, bowed, and clasped his hands in greeting:

"Immortal Master, you have traveled far and wide; I wonder if you have found the elixir to cure my elder brother..."

"Hahaha!"

Before he could finish speaking, the old Taoist chuckled and took out a jade bottle from his sleeve. As soon as the bottle appeared, a strange fragrance wafted out, neither orchid nor musk, but refreshing and invigorating, making everyone around him tremble.

"I have successfully completed my mission."

The old Taoist priest held the bottle in his palm, his tone tinged with pride, and fabricated a story: "The 'Six-Leafed Double-Petaled Flower' and the 'Bodhi Fruit' grow in the spiritual aperture of the cliff. I went to great lengths to finally obtain them. With these two spiritual herbs as a guide, Master Xu's chronic illness can be cured."

What he said is true.

Taking Ren Dan (a traditional Chinese medicine) does indeed show signs of improvement.

But it's just a sign...

The elixir contained an innocent soul. After Master Xu took it, his illness was cured, but he was no longer himself.

But Xu Qingyue had no idea about any of this.

Upon hearing this, her eyes instantly filled with tears of emotion, her delicate body trembled slightly, and she took half a step forward, almost bursting into tears:

"Is what you say true, Immortal Master? Is there really hope for my father?"

"That's certainly true."

The old Taoist priest stroked his beard and smiled, his voice filled with absolute certainty. He said, "This bottle contains the essence of the 'Six-Petaled Paris Flower' and the 'Bodhi Fruit.' Just let it sit overnight, and by the time of Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow, the golden liquid in the bottle will condense into a pill. At that time, dissolve it with Rootless Water and slowly feed it to your father. The medicinal power will penetrate directly into his lungs and internal organs, and he will surely be cured."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Xu Qingyue's ecstatic face, then glancing at Xu Ningyuan, whose expression still held a hint of caution, before adding:

"It's just that alchemy is exhausting, and I've been traveling a long way, so my magic power is also depleted. I need to rest quietly tonight, but I'll have to trouble Miss Xu to prepare a guest room. I apologize for disturbing you."

"Alas! What are you saying, Immortal Master!"

Xu Qingyue immediately turned to the side and instructed Qiao'er, who was standing beside her:

"Qiao'er, quickly prepare a room for the immortal to rest in."

"Yes."

Qiao'er led the old Taoist priest to the guest room.

Xu Qingyue returned to her study, dismissed the servants, and spoke softly to Xu Ningyuan:

"Uncle, you were too cautious just now."

"We should keep our suspicions to ourselves and remain vigilant in private. We must not show them on our faces. If that old Taoist priest notices something amiss and thinks we are full of suspicion, or even suspects that his elixir is fraudulent, and he turns hostile and starts a fight, who in our household can stop him?"

"Yes."

Xu Ningyuan sighed softly, his eyes revealing a hint of approval and heartache. He said gently, "Yue'er, you are the one who can keep your composure. Just now, your expression and words showed how anxious you were, as if you were desperately hoping he would come to save your life."

Xu Qingyue looked worried and said in a distressed voice:

"I desperately hope he's truly coming to save my father, but I fear he... harbors ill intentions..."

"It's alright."

Xu Ningyuan suddenly waved his hand and said seriously:

"I have already asked Prince Jing to borrow some experts from the Black Army, who are secretly stationed at my home. I also have a fourth-rank martial artist who can travel far and wide on the wind and kill anyone who has refined his qi. I'm here to see if this old Taoist is a dragon or a worm."

"If he truly intends to harm my family, then a fourth-rank expert from the Black Court will come to our rescue."