Chapter 156

Chapter 156

The people of the mythical mountain, detached from worldly affairs for long, mostly still lived as they did centuries ago.

When they first arrived in the secular world, many were unaccustomed to the murky yin energy outside, but it didn’t take long for them to start enjoying it.

Though the spiritual energy was weaker, there were many novel things to discover, like cars and games that dazzled them. Most importantly, people outside the mountain treated them with great respect and reverence.

Just by offering some pills, they could exchange them for substantial amounts of money and treasures.

If not for the elders and Sect Master Yun Jiyong keeping them in check, the disciples of the mythical mountain might have even forgotten about cultivation.

For them, the day they besieged the Gu family was their greatest setback… If not for Yun Jiyong advocating for a long-term strategy, they would have acted recklessly much sooner.

While harboring frustration, the disciples of the mythical mountain noticed that recently, fewer people came to flatter them, and even the revenue from their shop had significantly decreased.

Concerned about their profits, the people from the mythical mountain grew restless: “What’s wrong with those mortals? Send someone to investigate if anything happened.”

Soon, the dispatched investigators returned: “Elder, those despicable mortals opened a shop selling pills too!”

The people of the mythical mountain exchanged glances, then scoffed: “With their capabilities, what kind of pills could they possibly make? Those people are insane to forsake our superior pills for their inferior ones.”

The investigating disciple was also baffled: “But for some reason… those damned mortals prefer buying their inferior pills and no longer visit our shop.”

The elders exchanged glances, growing increasingly restless.

Since returning from the Gu family, Sect Master Yun Jiyong had been in closed-door cultivation, leaving several elders in charge. They slammed the table in anger: "I must see who dares to compete with us!"

All the elders, accompanied by their trusted disciples, set off majestically to the pill-selling shop.

Upon arriving at the rival shop, everyone was shocked, especially the haughty elders, their faces turning livid with anger: “Such a small place took away our business!”

Since their emergence, the mythical mountain had attracted many in the esoteric community to flatter and please them. They were even offered a large, bright store on Antique Street, fully equipped and lavishly decorated.

In contrast, the shop before them was less than a fifth of their size, barely decorated, exuding an old-fashioned aura, with even the name seeming carelessly chosen.

“Just a little shop,” an elder scoffed, “With such a name, what quality of pills can they sell!”

The shop was simply named “A Small Shop.”

Annoyingly, this seemingly insignificant shop was packed with customers, each beaming with satisfaction, creating a lively atmosphere.

Even at the opening of their own shop, the mythical mountain had never seen such a crowd.

One elder signaled a disciple, who squeezed into the crowd, struggling mightily before emerging disheveled.

“Master, I managed to get a pill and a talisman!” The disciple's face was red with exertion and excitement.

“Not bad,” the elder nodded in approval, disdainfully pinching the pill bottle and talisman handed over by the disciple, and remarked after a brief inspection, “Crude.”

The mythical mountain's pills were stored in exquisite small jade bottles, far more sophisticated than the simple wooden box.

Upon opening the box, everyone present was stunned.

A lustrous, white pill lay inside, emitting a faint fragrance and surrounded by wisps of spiritual energy, conveying its potency even before consumption.

And this was just a basic Rejuvenation Pill.

The expressions of those present turned sour, and they fell silent for a long time.

“Master, it’s just a simple Rejuvenation Pill,” the disciple who secured the pill muttered, trying to reassure his master, “These worldly cultivators, having lost their heritage, only know how to make these basic pills.”

"They've refined the Rejuvenation Pill thousands of times over, which is why it's the only pill that catches their eye. Any more complex pills, these bumpkins probably haven't even heard of."

The elder holding the pill, upon hearing this, finally relaxed his tense expression: "True, you're right. It's just a matter of practice."

"If you ask me, being able to refine a Rejuvenation Pill to this extent shows talent. It's a pity though..."

The other elders chuckled: "You seem to value talent so much, why not take this alchemist as your disciple?"

"To become your disciple, this alchemist would probably cry tears of joy."

Amid their banter, they had already made up their minds.

The possibility of being rejected never even crossed their minds.

Striding forward arrogantly, their conspicuous group drew surprised glances from onlookers, who parted ways with peculiar expressions.

Oblivious to the public's reaction, the people from the mythical mountain were smug: truly befitting their awe-inspiring status.

Entering the shop, the elders carried themselves haughtily, not uttering a word as their disciples spoke on their behalf.

“Who is the alchemist of this shop? Tell him that he has caught the eye of an elder from the mythical mountain Penglai and wishes to take him as a disciple.”

“Have him come out quickly to pay his respects and accept the apprenticeship.”

Hearing the disciples’ words, the surrounding cultivators widened their eyes in surprise, exchanging looks of disbelief.

After waiting for two minutes with no response, a disciple from the mythical mountain complained, “This alchemist dares to show such disrespect to an elder, truly lacking in reverence…”

Before he could finish, a snicker came from the back of the crowd, and a man leisurely made his way through: “Such grandeur indeed.”

Initially infuriated, the people from the mythical mountain recognized the newcomer and their expressions shifted dramatically, turning a mix of green and black.

“Shen Wang! How can it be you!”

Shen Wang’s smile brightened: “Why can’t it be me? You come here to throw your weight around, without even inquiring whose shop this is.”

The elder who had spoken of taking a disciple flushed red with anger, glaring fiercely at his disciple responsible for gathering information.

The onlookers cast amused glances; the people from the mythical mountain, unaccustomed to such humiliation since their emergence, took note of the faces around them before leaving with a flick of their sleeves.

Behind them, scattered laughter began, soon erupting into a roar of amusement.

The faces of the mythical mountain group darkened further, their eyes filled with undisguised malice.

Shen Wang felt their murderous intent but remained indifferent. Being lifelong enemies, adding a bit more enmity seemed even more thrilling.

“Shen Bro is awesome! Putting those arrogant folks in their place.”

“Give them a taste of their own medicine, show them that our esoteric community isn’t to be trifled with!”

“The look on their faces as they left was hilarious.”

Ever since the people of the mythical mountain appeared, they had been haughtily dismissive, leading some in the esoteric community to try and curry favor with them, while others clearly disdained them.

Unfortunately, the esoteric community lacked strength, and despite their dissatisfaction, they had no choice but to swallow their grievances.

Now, with Shen Wang and Gu Dongting's return, their immediate face-slapping of those people was immensely satisfying!

Amidst everyone's mocking and jesting, someone suddenly popped up with a question: “Does Shen Wang have any more of those space talismans? Can I place a preorder?”

At this, everyone's attention shifted away from the people of the mythical mountain.

“Yeah, can we preorder? I’m willing to pay extra!”

“Such stuff of legends, and Shen Bro, you’ve actually made it! Truly incredible, Shen Bro!”

“If there are no space talismans, stocking up on more pills is also fine…”

Seeing everyone so excited, Shen Wang smiled and obliged: “Space talismans are challenging to make and in limited supply, but I can refine more pills.”

“Hooray! Long live Shen Bro!”

The crowd cheered, looking at Shen Wang as if he were a deity.

Everyone knew Shen Wang was famous for his talisman skills, and he was also adept in formations, and now, even in pill making... Truly an all-rounder, Shen Bro.

“Is there anything Shen Bro can't do?” someone wondered aloud.

“Well, he surely can't give birth.”

To that, someone retorted: “With Shen Bro’s abilities, who knows? He might even figure out a way for men to give birth.”

“...To think he might even master childbirth, truly an all-powerful Shen Bro!”

Everyone was thoroughly impressed.

Busy attending to guests, Shen Wang didn't hear these over-the-top remarks, and even if he did, he wouldn't have taken them seriously.

However, on the outskirts of the crowd stood a man and a woman, both looking uncomfortable with the scene and the cultivators' adoration of Shen Wang.

These two were Tang Jiu and Gu Manting.

After hearing that the elders from the immortal mountain had come to investigate the business usurpation, they knew these long-entrenched elders would surely cause trouble and hurried over.

By the time they arrived, the elders had already left.

But what infuriated them was that the shop that had taken the business from the immortal mountain belonged to Shen Wang.

Tang Jiu's face darkened immensely. Since he began his cultivation journey, Shen Wang had become an insurmountable mountain over him, and no matter what he tried, he couldn’t escape Shen Wang's shadow.

Now, even with the support of the immortal mountain, Shen Wang still stood in his way.

It seemed like neither the Tang family, nor his own father, nor even the immortal mountain could compete with Shen Wang.

In the beginning, Shen Wang was just a lowly character he trampled underfoot!

Tang Jiu, watching Shen Wang exuding confidence in the crowd, gritted his teeth with hatred.

Gu Manling, standing beside Tang Jiu, didn’t harbor such intense hatred towards Shen Wang, but ever since her betrayal of the Gu family, she constantly faced disdainful glances wherever she went.

She knew people looked down on her betrayal.

But who knew the pain she endured living in Gu Dongting's shadow.

She thought by aligning with Tang Jiu and his backing from the immortal mountain, Gu Dongting would disappear completely. Yet, to everyone’s surprise, almost half of the metaphysical world supported Gu Dongting.

Even the usually neutral state, rarely involved in the metaphysical community's affairs, had intervened.

Now, Gu Dongting was living well, while she had become a laughingstock to everyone.

Filled with repressed bitterness, Gu Manling looked at Shen Wang, close to Gu Dongting, radiating satisfaction. She saw in Shen Wang the same complacency that Gu Dongting likely felt.

Tang Jiu and Gu Manling exchanged a glance, both recognizing the jealousy in each other’s eyes, their gaze shifted subtly.

“Yun Jirong said not to move against him for now,” Gu Manting said to Tang Jiu, her tone mocking. No one hated Shen Wang more than Tang Jiu, and no one wanted to kill Shen Wang more than he did.

Tang Jiu sneered, "Given the temperaments of those elders, they definitely won't have an easy time with Shen Wang... Now, there are a few more people who want Shen Wang dead."

The immortal mountain spoke of saving the world, but in reality? They didn't care about the people, nor about Gui Chenzi's death.

Only when they themselves are humiliated, will they truly wish to kill Shen Wang by any means necessary.

Gu Manling smiled: "At least, we have a few more allies now, don’t we?"

Now that Gu Dongting is protected by the special department and the state, they can't touch him, but there's still Shen Wang.

They must act before Yun Jirong finishes his retreat.