Chapter 162: The Demon Lord's Good Deed

The attendant only delivered enough materials for her to refine three batches.

According to her, the Dragon Heart Marrow and Blazing Sun Flower used in the pill formula are extremely precious Earth-Tier items; even a large merchant association like Wanbao Tower sometimes cannot gather enough raw materials for one batch in a year.

The materials from the previous few years had already been refined by the Second Floor Master, and what had been saved up in recent years was only enough for three batches.

Ruan Xing nodded indifferently, "That will do."

Based on her ability, refining two batches would yield more than ten pills; as per her custom, she pocketed five as wastage and handed eleven Infant Transformation Pills to Wanbao Tower.

However, this time, Cen Zhong did not send the Spirit Stones directly to her.

Instead, he said that precious items like Infant Transformation Pills would be auctioned off at Wanbao Tower branches in various towns from time to time, and after the auctions concluded, she would be given a certain percentage of the proceeds based on the auction prices.

Ruan Xing currently had enough Spirit Stones on hand and was not short of money for the time being; the Breaking Boundary Pills she had refined previously had already had the cost of raw materials deducted, and her share had been delivered.

She stretched and looked up at the sky.

After an exchange meeting, she had been cooped up in her room refining pills for nearly two months.

She felt like she was going to grow mushrooms.

Calculating the time, if she hurried back now, she should be able to make it in time for Ruan Tao's Golden Core formation.

Taking advantage of the time when Cen Zhong came over to inventory the pills for storage, Ruan Xing spoke to him directly.

"I have already finished refining this year's quota of pills. I will be leaving for a while in a few days. Also, when will you send me the Sixth-Tier pill formula?"

Cen Zhong's movements paused, and he said calmly, "You want to leave?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Ruan Xing felt a bit baffled, "The contract doesn't seem to say that my personal freedom is restricted, right?"

"That's not it." Cen Zhong weighed his tone, "You might not know... previously, due to an accident, the tower experienced a gap in alchemists. We didn't have a single Fourth-Tier or Fifth-Tier alchemist, which caused Wanbao Tower's reputation at auctions to weaken significantly. After this exchange meeting ended, Wanbao Tower publicized your existence, letting all the forces in the Five Prefectures know that our Wanbao Tower has a new Fifth-Tier alchemist."

"So...?" Ruan Xing processed the information Cen Zhong had released.

Her appearance and identity information were completely different from when she was at Xuanbing Sect; apart from the name being the same, there was almost no resemblance. However, her name was also very common; a search on a browser could yield thousands of people with the same name.

Although it was very annoying that Wanbao Tower had publicized her information without her consent, she didn't think it would make anyone associate her with that little girl from Xuanbing Sect.

Seeing that Ruan Xing had misunderstood, Cen Zhong hurriedly explained, "We didn't publish any of your information. The Second Floor Master arranging for you to live alone was also to prevent other alchemists from leaking the news when they went out. The outside world only knows that Wanbao Tower has a new Fifth-Tier alchemist. However, it is well known that alchemists do not have high cultivation levels. Now, there are already some cultivators watching outside the headquarters. If you go out rashly, it is very likely that someone will harbor evil intentions."

"The Second Floor Master said your Magic Art is extremely profound, to the point that even she cannot see any flaws. But those people outside didn't know what you looked like in the first place. No matter how you change, as long as you leave from Wanbao Tower, you will be watched." Cen Zhong added cautiously, "Of course, if you must go out, we will not stop you. Or, if you have a need, the tower can also send people to protect you."

Ruan Xing had worried about the problem Cen Zhong mentioned before, which was why she had never dared to expose her true level in front of others, fearing that because her cultivation was low, she would be targeted and captured to refine pills day and night.

But it was different now; she already had the ability to protect herself. Cen Zhong did not know her true cultivation level, so he naturally thought this was a problem.

She politely declined Cen Zhong's kindness, and Cen Zhong did not try to persuade her further, only telling her to be careful.

The next day, Ruan Xing was led by an attendant and left the Wanbao Tower headquarters.

She wore a light green Dharma robe inside, covered by a black cloak, and a veil over her face; the whole person looked mysterious.

As soon as she stepped out, she hadn't gone far before two auras, different from ordinary people, appeared behind her.

Ruan Xing naturally knew that her attire would attract attention, but she hadn't expected that the two little tails behind her would both be at the Golden Core Mid-stage.

However, the two of them did not seem to be in the same camp; there was a distance between them, and they seemed to be wary of each other.

It seemed there was more than one force that had taken a fancy to her.

Ruan Xing didn't even need to act herself; with a shift of her mind, Sword Lai, who was hiding by her side, flashed away. A surprise Heart-Plucking Claw from behind left the two tails with no time to leave even a single word before they met their regrettable end.

After exiting Canghai City, Ruan Xing changed her height, appearance, and cultivation level again before summoning the Shuttle Spirit Boat to head toward Nanzhou.

With her Nascent Soul Stage Divine Sense, she did not discover any more cultivators following her.

Those cultivators with higher cultivation than her were, after all, True Monarchs of their own regions and would not stoop to following her.

Ruan Xing leaned lazily against the cabin, took a plate of Spirit Crystal Grapes from her Storage Bag, and Sword Lai and Cai Jiao sat by her side.

Cai Jiao's eyes were a bit bright, "Brother Sword Lai... just now, killed bad guys..."

"Mm, yes, there were some bad guys who wanted to deprive me of my freedom, and they were killed by Sword Lai." Ruan Xing stroked Cai Jiao's head and answered her question.

"I also want to... kill bad guys... protect Big Sister..." Cai Jiao said intermittently through the mental link, looking at Ruan Xing with expectant eyes.

Hearing this, Ruan Xing lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment, but still shook her head.

She had considered this issue before. Since Cai Jiao already had spiritual intelligence, she couldn't treat her like an object and keep her in the Storage Bag forever. Even with intelligence, that would be like being in prison, and keeping her stupid would go against her original intention.

But Cai Jiao was also truly too weak. The Yin energy in her body was not enough to support her in using Magic Arts; even a rookie cultivator at the first or second level of Qi Refining could press her to the ground and rub her into the dirt.

Ruan Xing could only let Cai Jiao out for some air when she thought it was relatively safe.

If she changed Cai Jiao to a new Puppet Body and let her practice in some places with heavy Yin energy for a period of time, even if she couldn't compare to Sword Lai, she would probably have some strength.

However, she had promised Cai Xueshi that she would not let Cai Jiao do dangerous things.

So she could only refuse Cai Jiao.

Her temperament was like that of a young child; she just thought Sword Lai was powerful and felt envious, not knowing that the things Sword Lai did were also very dangerous. To protect Ruan Xing, his Puppet Body had been damaged several times in fights, and he could only let Ruan Xing repair it for him.

Cai Jiao was visibly disappointed; she pursed her lips and lowered her head.

By the way, upon returning this time, she had to find an opportunity to ask Cai Xueshi if he had learned any useful information at the Six Suns Study over the past year or so. The Transmission Talisman she left for him had never shown any messages coming through.

Thinking of this, Ruan Xing changed the subject, "A Jiao, do you remember Grandfather?"

Cai Jiao tilted her head, "Grandpa...?"

"Yes, this time when we go back, I can let you reunite with Grandpa for a few days," Ruan Xing promised.

Children are quick to forget; Cai Jiao soon became happy again.

Ruan Xing breathed a sigh of relief and turned to consider how to arrange things after returning to Nanzhou. Two days later, the Shuttle Spirit Boat sailed into the territory of Nanzhou amidst the Cloud Sea.

She then opened the Real-scene Simulation. Returning this time, she deliberately avoided the Xuanbing Sect, took a detour, and went straight to Yunyang City.

Yunyang City was peaceful, just as it had been three years ago; one still had to pay one Spirit Stone as an entry fee to enter the city.

Ruan Xing:...

She was already at the Nascent Soul Stage, so why did she still have zero privileges?

However, those guarding the city gates were basically low-level cultivators or even mortals who knew martial arts; they were just following orders and could not discern the cultivation level of those entering the city.

Ruan Xing was considering whether to bypass it and enter the mountain pass leading to the Mortal Dynasty directly, when she suddenly sensed the positions of the Demon Lord and the fairy through the mental link.

She was stunned; that wasn't right... at this distance, she shouldn't have been able to sense their location.

Could it be that the two of them had come out?

Ruan Xing reverted to the appearance of a little girl, took back Cai Jiao and the Shuttle Spirit Boat into her Storage Bag, patted Sword Lai on the arm, and had Sword Lai carry her into the Invisibility Channel to continue their journey.

With the sound of rushing water in her ears and Sword Lai running at high speed, Ruan Xing clearly sensed that the positions of the Demon Lord and the Fairy were closer.

At this moment, they were right inside the mountain pass!

Because of the concealment of the channel, Ruan Xing and her companion did not attract the attention of any Monster Beast in the mountain forest, and they reached the location where the Demon Lord and the others were.

Only after she arrived was she even more dumbfounded.

It was a natural limestone cave half a person tall, with a space of several dozen square meters inside, and the surroundings emitted a bloody scent carried by Monster Beasts.

Not only the Demon Lord, the Fairy, and Hu San, but also nearly a hundred Qi Refining stage disciples were all here.

She appeared from the channel and walked to the entrance of the cave with pursed lips.

On a towering tree at the entrance, the branches swayed, and a man pushed aside the leaves blocking his face, lowered his head, and curled his lips into a slightly evil smile, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, "Yo, Sect Master is back?"

The Demon Lord was lying halfway on a tree branch, swinging his legs leisurely as if the matter had nothing to do with him.

Ruan Xing didn't answer, but instead looked toward the Fairy's position; she was sitting on another tree with a cold face and her arms crossed.

She said with a headache: "What is going on? Why have you all come out of the barrier?"

When she left, she had given strict instructions not to come out unless necessary, because she had nowhere to settle these people in the current world of Cultivation.

The Fairy glanced sideways, "The Demon Lord's good work."

Great, the thing Ruan Xing worried about most had happened.

The Demon Lord had been restless inside the barrier, and the trouble he caused was too big to suppress.

She sighed silently; the master was weak and the subordinate was strong, she couldn't suppress the Demon Lord, and placing the Demon Lord in a Mortal Dynasty was a last resort.

Fortunately, she had anticipated this and had not used high-quality materials for the Demon Lord's Puppet essence, suppressing both of their strengths to the Golden Core Stage.

Ruan Xing released the restrictions on her Mask Artifact, and the might of the Nascent Soul Stage radiated from her, which she carefully controlled so that it did not affect the inside of the cave in the slightest.

The Demon Lord's originally nonchalant smile suddenly froze, "It seems the Sect Master has had a fortuitous encounter."

Although he had known this day would come since the day he became a Puppet, this was too fast, wasn't it? It hadn't even been three years!

When he first became Ruan Xing's Puppet, they were barely in a cooperative relationship, each taking what they needed; that transaction ended after they parted ways, but he found this mortal world interesting, and since there was no place for Demon Cultivators in the current world of Cultivation, he had stayed behind.

He hadn't expected that Ruan Xing's cultivation would reach the Nascent Soul Stage so quickly.

The Demon Lord's tone weakened a fraction, but after all, he was a Spirit Severing big shot in his previous life; it wasn't easy to make him bow his head completely, and Ruan Xing didn't expect that either, just hoping they could avoid causing trouble for each other.

He said with a smile: "Sect Master, don't be in such a hurry to get angry. I have a big discovery; want to know?"

Since things were already like this, Ruan Xing couldn't change anything and could only solve the current situation first, "Tell me."

The Demon Lord had been curious about the mysterious creature under the National Teacher Palace for a long time and had secretly gone to study it several times, but luckily he hadn't been discovered.

And this time, when he snuck into the National Teacher Palace, he discovered something unusual; although he escaped smoothly, he disturbed the barrier.

Now the National Preceptor could no longer pretend that nothing had happened.

He knew that whoever could enter and exit the barrier freely while avoiding everyone must be a Cultivator, and a high-level one at that.

Of course, he couldn't guess that the reason the Demon Lord could enter and exit freely was that he was currently a corpse, considered a dead object, and not restricted by the barrier.

But it still caused the National Preceptor to make a big fuss and search the whole country.

It would be fine for the Demon Lord alone; he could just find a Coffin and lie in it, and the National Preceptor certainly wouldn't be able to find him.

But what about so many low-level Cultivators under Hu San? If the National Preceptor took one look and saw that the Six Suns Study had raised so many bottom-level Cultivators in its territory, the Six Suns Study would definitely take countermeasures.

With no other choice, Hu San could only take the group of people and leave the barrier.

They had wanted to find a place to settle in the world of Cultivation, but Ruan Xing hadn't given them any Spirit Stones, and they couldn't even enter Yunyang City now; moreover, such a large group of bottom-level Cultivators suddenly appearing in Yunyang City would easily attract attention, so they could only hide in the mountain pass for the time being, and it had already been two days.

The mountain forest was dense with Monster Beasts, and these hundred-plus people couldn't sleep scattered on the ground either; it would be troublesome if one went missing.

So the Demon Lord found a Monster Beast's lair and forcibly snatched the place for himself.

"You said before that the Cultivators of the National Teacher Palace are replaced every thirteen years, and there will only be one such Golden Core Cultivator in the entire kingdom at the same time; I have verified this, and it is wrong." The Demon Lord narrowed his eyes, biting a leaf in his mouth, with his hands behind his head.

He continued: "I told you last time that the creature underground is in a dormant period and won't wake up easily; this is also wrong."

"It has already woken up. That night, I saw six Golden Core Cultivators quietly open the barrier and enter the National Teacher Palace, and they stayed inside for a long time. I wanted to get closer to see what they were doing, but unexpectedly I was discovered by one of them. He activated the enemy-encounter facility in the barrier, but the Binding Array was ineffective against me, so I came back overnight to tell Hu San about this."

Hu San was, after all, his disciple, and he still had some sense of responsibility.

Otherwise, he wouldn't tell anyone, and the entire Fengling Yueying Sect might be wiped out without even knowing what happened.

The Demon Lord looked at Ruan Xing and said softly: "Before that person activated the barrier, I sensed the creature's emotions, which were very different from when it was in its dormant period."

Thanks to Yu Rong Dian Chun Chi for the tip~ Thanks to book friend 20221105115602675 for the monthly ticket~ Thanks to Yu Rong Dian Chun Chi for the monthly ticket~ Thanks to _Panda Jun_ for the monthly ticket~ Thanks to Ge Beiliya for the monthly ticket~ (End of chapter)