Chapter 19: Going Down the Mountain

He Pingsheng felt deep sorrow, but he had no time to grieve.

If he didn’t make a choice today, he believed that one day, Hao Yun’s tragedy would replay itself on him.

Become a Dan tong, a kitchen assistant in the elixir hall?

He’d be beaten to death someday by people like Linglong on Xiuzhu Peak.

He Pingsheng was merely a kitchen disciple; his transfer had nothing to do with the immortal sect—only the kitchen team leader could decide.

And if he didn’t want to remain a kitchen disciple, he could go down the mountain and find another job in the outer sect.

For He Pingsheng, that wasn’t hard.

But what was hard?

What was hard was how to take his belongings down the mountain.

These immortal cultivators who spouted righteousness and morality spent their days fantasizing about finding opportunities in dark crevices.

They’d routinely search your body, then boldly rummage through your room!

Why?

Just to find opportunities—what if they stumbled upon something valuable?

One could imagine how difficult it would be for He Pingsheng to take his jade vials and elixirs down the mountain.

Besides the jade vials and elixirs, there were two books.

Thirty-Six Elixir Formulas!

Basic Breathing and Qi Absorption Method!

Given the nature of everyone on Xiuzhu Peak, if He Pingsheng went down the mountain, someone would interrogate him a thousand times.

What to do?

Bury them here?

Then he might never return, and they’d be useless.

Eat them now?

Don’t joke!

Although He Pingsheng had never stepped into the immortal world, he still understood some basic knowledge.

If he dared swallow this supreme Qi-accumulating pill, he’d be shattered instantly by its spiritual energy.

Fine!

Back to the matter at hand!

What to do?

How could he take his belongings down?

……

He Pingsheng undid Hao Yun’s outer robe.

Seven wounds marred his abdomen and chest—all from sharp sword strikes.

Two of the wounds were especially long, revealing internal organs clearly.

He Pingsheng took a deep breath: “Senior Hao Yun… I’m sorry!”

He shoved the two jade vials and two books into Hao Yun’s wounds.

Then he took thick needle and thread and sewed those two wounds shut.

He re-tied Hao Yun’s robes, then picked up the body and walked out the door.

Though only fourteen, He Pingsheng was strong—he’d carried water without trouble before, so carrying a person now was easy.

“Little He… what are you doing?”

“Is this Senior Hao Yun?”

“This is Senior Hao!”

“Senior Hao!”

Zhang Da and his men surrounded He Pingsheng.

“Little He… we heard about Senior Hao’s fate… to be honest, we’re saddened too—but there’s nothing we can do!”

“If you need help, tell me!”

For some reason, Zhang Da suddenly became cooperative.

Perhaps it was the fear of being next.

“Zhang Da!” He Pingsheng, carrying Hao Yun’s body, said: “Master Yude ordered me to take Senior Hao Yun to the outer sect and find a place to bury him—I’ll need to guard his spirit for a while!”

“I probably can’t continue working in the elixir hall!”

“No problem!” Zhang Da waved his hand. “I’ll find someone else later!”

“Go ahead!”

“Ah…” He Pingsheng kept walking, still carrying Hao Yun.

After descending part of the mountain path, he reached the teleportation square!

The sun shone directly from overhead.

The entire teleportation square was deathly silent.

Only two people were there.

One was the disciple guarding the teleportation array.

The other was Linglong.

She was kneeling there again.

This time, unlike before when she was punished for three days, she’d been given a few more days—nothing more.

When He Pingsheng carried Hao Yun’s corpse past Linglong, she glared at him and shouted: “Get… away from me!”

“You’re bad luck!”

“Damn it… you’re all damned… you made this princess suffer here!”

He Pingsheng stopped, stared at her deeply, then walked on.

“Sorry,” the array guardian blocked He Pingsheng. “The teleportation array is only for inner sect disciples.”

“Non-disciples are forbidden to step on it!”

He Pingsheng naturally knew this rule.

“Over there!” the guardian pointed. “There’s a path down the mountain—take that route!”

“Wait!”

“By regulation, everyone going down must be searched!”

Of course!

He Pingsheng’s face turned grim, but he cooperated as the disciple searched him.

The disciple searched not only He Pingsheng but also Hao Yun’s corpse, running his hands over every inch.

He found nothing suspicious, so he let He Pingsheng take Hao Yun down the mountain.

The path down the mountain was long!

He Pingsheng walked for half the day before finally descending from Xiuzhu Peak!

The outer sect of Grand Void Gate was a designation—it occupied a place outside the sect, where spiritual energy was thin but the mountains and rivers were clear and beautiful.

He Pingsheng found a spot where mountain met water, dug through soil and rock, and buried Hao Yun.

No coffin!

But there was no choice!

He had no way to get one.

Of course, before burying Hao Yun, He Pingsheng had retrieved the two elixir vials and two scrolls from his body, wrapped them in cloth, and buried them in the earth not far from Hao Yun’s grave.

Then he chopped a stone slab and erected it as Hao Yun’s tombstone.

When all was done, He Pingsheng collapsed onto the ground, exhausted, holding a pitch-black axe. He sighed: “Things strengthened by the Treasure Basin are truly incredible—chopping stone is like cutting tofu!”

“Incredible, incredible!”

After a short rest, He Pingsheng buried the two axes near Hao Yun’s grave, then rose and began climbing back up.

He reached the elixir hall by midnight.

He slept there that night.

The night wind was cold, howling endlessly—he barely slept half the night, waking several times to nightmares.

When he rose in the morning, he looked drained, carrying a worn black clay basin.

Inside the basin were his few clothes and two pairs of shoes.

Nothing else.

After greeting Zhang Da, He Pingsheng left directly.

At this moment, he felt that even someone like Zhang Da was already a good person on Xiuzhu Peak.

“Stop right there!”

Linglong, kneeling on the teleportation square, saw He Pingsheng and shouted: “He Pingsheng… come here!”

He Pingsheng couldn’t afford to offend her, so he walked over, basin in hand.

“Come closer!”

When He Pingsheng drew near, Linglong suddenly opened her mouth and spat directly in his face.

Fine spittle sprayed all over him.

If he hadn’t protected his head, his face would’ve been hit too.

“Get out...”

Linglong screamed again, heart-wrenching.

He Pingsheng picked up the broken basin and left decisively.

He shook his head: This woman is truly beyond saving—she killed someone, got only a few days of solitary confinement as punishment, and still flew into such a rage?

Sigh...

Brother Hao... don’t worry!

When I’ve cultivated to mastery, I will kill her and avenge you!