Chapter 70: Spirit-Extinction Pill

The cave’s location was on the right side of that central immortal mountain, atop a much smaller hill.

Ji You and the others sneaked in from below; based on distance calculations, they had reached the mountain’s interior, and ahead lay the only space.

Before the two of them now appeared a specially carved alchemy chamber, housing a massive bronze furnace.

This furnace was nearly as grand as the one Laojun used to refine Sun Wukong.

But the furnace was not in active use—the lid had long been blown off, and when it fell, it had crushed someone beneath, reducing the body to unrecognizable pulp.

Ji You’s spiritual energy shot beneath his feet, launching him upward in a leap; his feet landed on the furnace with heavy thuds.

To his surprise, the furnace’s interior was empty, only scorched marks remaining.

Seeing this, his eyes flared with golden light, then he drew a deep breath.

Immortals possess heightened senses and can perceive minute details; though he knew nothing of herbs, he could discern the furnace was filled entirely with herbal fragrance, not a trace of blood.

No infants…

Ji You’s expression turned grim; he planted his longsword downward, anchoring himself atop the furnace, his gaze deep and unreadable.

Since the Qiu family incident at the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, he had known immortals practiced human alchemy.

Upon learning that large numbers of infants had been sent here and an alchemist had been abducted, it was only natural he assumed those infants had been turned into pills.

But now it seemed the matter was not so simple.

According to Luo You’s wife, infants had cried in the mountains every night for three years—so many, yet where had they gone?

At the same time, his gaze dropped to see a slender, beautiful young woman lying motionless behind the furnace.

From Ji You’s viewpoint, her hair was scattered, blood trickled from her lips, her face was darkened, and she was saturated with death’s aura.

Yuanchen also saw this, his face pale as he rushed forward.

Ji You’s heart sank; he was about to say the dead could not be revived, to bear grief with composure, when Yuanchen cut him off.

“Brother-in-law, quickly take my sister—we must leave at once.”

“?”

“She’s not dead. My sister took the Spirit-Extinction Pill.”

Ji You froze, thinking: What new wonder is this I’ve never heard of?

Yet seeing Yuanchen’s determined gaze, he sheathed his sword and reached for his belt…

Yuanchen blinked in shock: “Brother-in-law, even though I’ve already betrothed my sister to you, you don’t need to be so eager!”

“Move aside.”

“Then I’ll guard outside…”

Ji You cursed under his breath—guard your sister?—then hoisted the woman onto his back and tied her fast with his belt.

Though they’d encountered no danger on the way in, he couldn’t guarantee none awaited them on the way out.

He had only two hands—one to wield, one to control—and both were needed for his sword, so this was the only way.

After securing her, he jostled her twice and felt a soft, springy pressure against his back.

Hmph, human nature is truly base.

“Let’s go!”

Yuanchen snapped back to reality, realizing his brother-in-law had no intention of planting seeds here, and hurried after him.

Ji You carried the young female alchemist as he ran, muttering under his breath: “Payment settled, goods delivered, payment settled, goods delivered…”

From entering Hongshan Mine, to entering Qiling, then the ruins, to this so-called central divine mountain—this was Ji the Bandit’s most primal motivation.

Now, if he could just get her out, it would truly be payment settled, goods delivered.

At this moment, brilliant light flooded the ruins as several top-tier cultivators descended, each step covering ten zhang as they raced toward the mountain.

Ji You veered far away and saw a powerful slash of blade qi soar down from the peak, cleaving the world open, obliterating everything below, followed by wild, raucous laughter from the summit.

Shanhai Pavilion, Lingjian Mountain…

After countless figures landed on the mountain, moments later, their auras changed drastically.

One of those auras even doubled in strength.

Ji You still felt no connection to the Dao, so he frowned, instinctively adjusting the firm, rounded curve behind him, and walked away without looking back.

As the three moved along the mountain’s outer ridge, Yuanchen suddenly halted Ji You.

“Brother-in-law, I need to remove the Spirit-Extinction Pill from my sister!”

“Can’t you wait until we’re out?”

Ji You’s spiritual sense was fully unleashed, his golden pupils spilling spiritual energy—he sensed the previous malevolent aura growing stronger by the moment.

These auras had been weak when they first entered the mountain, but now, over time, they had overflowed.

He wanted no prolonged stay, feared further accidents, and only wished to complete the transaction swiftly.

Yuanchen rushed forward two steps: “The Spirit-Extinction Pill cannot be left in her too long—if it is, my sister will truly die, and you’ll lose your bride.”

“Don’t curse like that, or you’ll get kicked.”

Ji You lowered the woman onto a broken wall, tightened his belt, and finally saw her face.

Yuanchen hadn’t lied—his sister was indeed breathtakingly beautiful, her features exquisitely carved, delicate yet striking.

She was a few years older than Lingjian Mountain’s young Mistress Jian, both at the age when women first mature.

But compared to her, Ji You still thought Yan Shuyi was more beautiful.

Thinking of that kick-happy little immortal, he couldn’t help but worry.

After so long in the mountain, he’d met many Lingjian disciples, even fought some—but he’d never seen her.

According to Zhuo Wanqiu, she’d been sent to search for missing disciples—so where was she now?

Throughout his journey, Ji You had constantly extended his spiritual sense, sensing heaven and earth, partly to confirm whether she’d entered the mountain.

The wilderness was thick with malevolent energy; the sky above flickered erratically between light and dark.

At this moment, Yuanchen continuously channeled pill energy into his sister’s body; soon, the blackness on her face faded, her skin regained its soft luster.

The Spirit-Extinction Pill was an elixir not sold outside Yu Danzong—it induced a deathlike state, one of countless survival techniques developed by the alchemy sect.

They did not cultivate the Dao, nor wield destruction, yet they had endured a dark age of enslavement.

Afterward, Yu Danzong created various survival arts; the jade disc used earlier to search was one such technique.

After a long while, Yuan Caimei slowly opened her eyes, her blurred vision gradually clearing.

Then she saw the familiar face—recognized her brother—and her complexion turned pale.

“Younger brother, you… how are you here?”

Yuanchen pulled out a Qi-Replenishing Pill and placed it in her mouth: “Sister, the sect sent many to find you, but found no trace. I grew desperate and ran out—what happened? Why were you brought here?”

After swallowing the pill, Yuan Caimei regained some strength, then furrowed her brow.

The Spirit-Extinction Pill had placed immense strain on her body, leaving her mind blank.

She remembered only that Yu Danzong had been invited to refine a supreme-grade pill, meant for delivery to the Heavenly Book Academy.

But due to its instability, she’d been assigned to escort it with pill energy—then she’d seen a flood of demonic seeds surging across the mountain…

Yuan Caimei’s eyes flew wide: “Alchemy—I’ve had my alchemy techniques stolen!”

“What?”

Ji You blinked: “You carried all the alchemy texts on your person?”

As soon as he spoke, he seemed to realize something—his face darkened instantly.

Only a present-day Lin Immortal could forcibly plunder a soul’s memories…

What kind of mess is this? Even a Lin Immortal has come—am I, a mere bottom-tier cultivator at peak, supposed to get involved?

Ji You immediately snatched up his sword and bolted away.

Yuanchen sprang to his feet: “Brother-in-law, don’t leave my sister behind!”

Yuan Caimei, still shaken, froze at her brother’s address: “Yuanchen, what are you babbling about?”

“Sister, I forgot to tell you—he’s Ji You. Only because of him could I find you.”

Yuan Caimei looked up at the retreating figure, her heart sinking.

He was merely a bottom-tier cultivator at peak—how could her brother dare follow him in? It was sheer suicide.

Such cultivation might pass as a prodigy in an outer sect, but outside, it was utterly insignificant.

She couldn’t imagine how many near-death experiences her brother had endured to find her—and yet she was furious at his recklessness.

Yuanchen, unaware of his sister’s gaze, continued: “On the way here, I’ve already betrothed you to him.”

“?”

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(End of Chapter)