Chapter 303

Shooting stars pierce the sparse water, the wandering moon goes against the drifting clouds.

At nightfall, the thick night shrouded Pill Mountain.

The pill appreciation meeting temporarily held by the Pill Sect ended hastily, and countless uninvited Immortal Sect members were invited to the Wanyuan Courtyard at the back of the mountain to rest.

The subsequent mountains then entered a state of tranquility, with only the chirping of insects and birds between the gusts of mountain wind.

This should have been a night of good sleep, a dream of Huaxu, but in reality, countless Pill Sect disciples returning from the pill appreciation meeting were filled with terror.

Then some of them began to pack their things in preparation to send them home, while others began to light lamps to write letters to their loved ones.

On everyone's face was written unease about tomorrow.

Hong Zhen, Wen Bin, and other high disciples under the Abbot were all sitting in the pavilion of the disciple quarters at this time, holding cold medicinal tea, but their eyes were always looking at the rows of quarters.

Under the dim lamp light, figures moved from time to time, coming and going, panicked and uneasy, and not a single person fell asleep even as the night deepened.

They all knew the Pill Sect's dark history and also knew what happened to those Pill Sect alchemists who were kept in captivity.

Whipping, locking in water dungeons, refining pills without sleep or rest...

They originally thought that was just the history of their predecessors, which should be buried with the dust and remembered only as a lesson, but they never expected that one day they would face such a situation.

"Have Master and the elders come out of the Yuheng Hall?"

"No."

"Are there any instructions?"

"None."

Hong Zhen was silent for a long while after hearing this: "Does Master really want to see them tomorrow?"

Wen Bin raised his eyes after hearing this: "The Kaiyang Hall has already begun to be arranged. I think Master should be receiving the major Immortal Sects there tomorrow."

"Master... will he refuse?"

"Master will definitely refuse; he won't hand us over."

"That's right, Master won't send us out. As long as he is firm, the Pill Sect will be calm."

Lu Ze, one of the six disciples under the Abbot, muttered a sentence, then echoed it himself, but after finishing, there was endless silence.

The current situation concerns the survival and continuation of the Pill Sect. At such a juncture, whether the Abbot finally refuses or agrees, they actually have no bottom in their hearts.

At the same time, Yuan Caiwei was bathing in the Pill Sect's medicinal pool.

The medicinal soup with the fragrance of flowers flowed over her continuous curves, constantly washing her white and delicate body.

However, she did not wash for too long before she could not help but rise and leave the pool, change into clean clothes, and walk back to her bamboo building.

The Pill Sect is now facing disaster, and she is somewhat unable to calm her heart.

However, what surprised her was that when she returned to the courtyard, Ji You, who was still drinking tea, was no longer at the table, and lamp light had lit up in her own boudoir.

"Where is Young Master Ji?"

Jiyue was tidying up the tea table and looked into the room after hearing this: "The son-in-law went into the young lady's room to rest..."

Yuan Caiwei was stunned for a moment, then nodded slightly, blinking her eyes as she walked toward the small building, a trace of shyness appearing in her eyes.

The Qingyun world has always valued offspring, because passing on the family line is the foundation of the continuation and development of families, and no one can avoid the custom.

Although he said it didn't matter, he knew that not being pregnant was probably a bit disappointing, so even though the Pill Sect was facing disaster and the timing was not very good, it was only right for him to want to try again.

The daughter of the Pill Sect gently pushed open the door while pondering, then her brows froze, and a trace of bewilderment appeared in her expression.

The room was very quiet, with only the sound of even breathing.

Ji You had not even taken off his clothes or shoes, but had already fallen asleep on her bed.

Practitioners do not need long sleep, and even if they want to sleep, they would not be unable to take off their clothes in time.

The daughter of the Pill Sect stared at him for a long while, then gently extended two fingers and placed them on Ji You's wrist, her long, curled eyelashes trembling.

The spiritual energy in Ji You's body was empty, and his spiritual sense was weak to the extreme; he must have gone through an intense consumption.

Upon thinking of this, she suddenly remembered the sentence he said during their chat in the evening, which she had ignored because it was too light and breezy: "I was cultivating in Central Province, and I rushed over as soon as I received the letter."

Central Province to the Pill Sect is separated by an entire major province.

After a long silence, Yuan Caiwei suddenly noticed a note left on the table, on which some things were written that Ji You wanted her to prepare.

The daughter of the Pill Sect read it carefully, then rose and headed outside the building.

In the silent night, the stars and moon rotated until the moon set and the sun rose.

Some slept soundly, while others were restless all night.

Until the first ray of dawn bypassed the floating sea of clouds, illuminating the peaks of the Pill Sect with golden light.

The practitioners who stayed at the Wanyuan Courtyard last night went out early and gathered at the Danxia Terrace.

The swords that had been unbuckled were tied back to their waists, and some who had worn casual clothes when going up the mountain had also changed into the immortal robes of their respective Immortal Sects.

Looking down from the high slope, the Asking Dao Sect, Spirit Sword Mountain, Mountain Sea Pavilion... piece by piece, an oppressive feeling was already revealed invisibly.

Yesterday's leisure and sightseeing were just to ease the atmosphere, wanting the Pill Sect's Abbot to put himself in their shoes and think carefully about the pros and cons.

They were not trying to dismantle the Pill Sect, just wanting to take back a dozen or twenty Upper Five Realm alchemists each; it wouldn't really hurt the Pill Sect's foundation. How to choose was an obvious matter.

And today, what they wanted was the result the Pill Sect had decided on, so naturally, they needed to be tough.

This gathering lasted until noon, when the Kaiyang Hall doors were thrown wide open, and all the Immortal Sect members were invited into the hall.

The Pill Sect's fifty-plus elders had all appeared at this time, standing on both sides of the main hall, arranged in a figure-eight shape.

Accompanying them on the sides were the Pill Sect's Upper Five Realm alchemists, on both sides of the main hall.

As for Patriarch Yuan Li, who claimed to be bedridden, he had changed into his abbot's immortal robe and was sitting on the throne in the hall, quietly waiting for all those Immortal Sect visitors to enter.

"Master Yuan, is your health well?"

"Many thanks to everyone for your concern, but I am already old and truly cannot resist the erosion of time. I am truly sorry for failing to come out to see guests immediately."

Shang Que, Elder of the Asking Dao Sect, chuckled after hearing this: "The Abbot is busy with a thousand tasks and is quite exhausted. My own abbot also said it is understandable."

Patriarch Yuan Li smiled lightly and nodded: "Did everyone enjoy the pill appreciation meeting yesterday?"

"The Pill Sect's pill techniques are the best in the world; it truly opened our eyes."

"And how was the rest?"

"The rest was also very good. The fragrance of medicine filled the mountain; just smelling it for a night made me feel clear-minded."

The major Immortal Sects did not start off aggressively, and their responses were quite appropriate.

So after the pleasantries, Patriarch Yuan Li waved his hand lightly toward the back, and then several disciples were seen coming out from the back hall, all holding medicine boxes in their hands, arriving in front of these Immortal Sect members.

Sensing that it seemed to be a gift, everyone reached out one after another to take the medicine boxes, and then Patriarch Yuan Li's voice sounded in the main hall.

"Our Pill Sect recently produced a batch of elixirs with excellent efficacy, which can make the spirit clear and enhance perception. This is a parting gift for everyone."

Patriarch Yuan Li waved his hand lightly, a faint smile on his face.

Hearing this, the people from the five major Immortal Sects could not help but look at each other.

The Pill Sect of the past had always been unfathomable, and the elixirs they refined were priceless and hard to find in the world.

Even Immortal Sect disciples could not find a way to seek medicine privately.

Who would have thought that today, they would be rushing to send them out.

But unfortunately, that was not their purpose.

Huo Yu, Elder of the Mountain Sea Pavilion, stepped forward and stroked his long beard: "Master is truly polite, but we did not come here this time to seek pills, but to invite Pill Sect disciples to visit our sect. I wonder how Master has considered it."

Patriarch Yuan Li's hand rested lightly on the armrest of the throne: "Our Pill Sect had ancestral teachings early on that disciples cannot be lent out. Your sect's invitation truly puts me in a difficult position."

"Master Yuan, the seven major Immortal Sects have always been harmonious. Even if your sect's disciples go to our dojo, they will definitely be treated with courtesy. Master really doesn't need to worry."

"I understand what Elder Huo said, but ancestral teachings are ancestral teachings; how can they be changed because of me? If you want any elixirs, just state it clearly."

After Patriarch Yuan Li finished speaking, he smiled softly: "It just so happens that our Pill Sect's eight-hundredth anniversary is approaching, and it is fine to gift them to everyone as a return gift, but let's forget about borrowing Pill Sect disciples."

The seven major Immortal Sects were all founded by sages a thousand years ago. According to reason, their establishment time should all be over a thousand years.

But the only difference is the Pill Sect.

Because the Pill Sect has two hundred years of history, almost all spent in slavery, existing in name only.

It was not until the alchemists were almost dead that the other six major Immortal Sects woke up like a dream and returned their freedom.

Therefore, the Pill Sect's history is only eight hundred years.

Patriarch Yuan Li mentioning the eight-hundredth anniversary in public at this time is actually hinting at this matter.

As the words fell, the complexions of those practitioners from the major Immortal Sects instantly turned gloomy.

"Master..."

"I have considered this matter clearly; there is no need for further discussion. I ask everyone to understand."

After hearing this sentence, the Kaiyang Hall suddenly fell into silence.

Then those Immortal Sect elders cupped their hands slightly forward, took the accompanying disciples, and left the main hall, walking outward without saying a word.

Seeing this scene, those elders standing below the main hall raised their eyes to look at Patriarch Yuan Li one after another, but the Pill Sect's Abbot did not say anything more, instead rising from the throne and stepping out of the Kaiyang Hall as well.