Chapter 53

Chapter 53

The next day, they set off for the Heavenly Pill Valley.

Qian Shu and his group had already left ahead of them.

After the incident with Mu Shan, Ning Yuzhou had new plans for the Covert Scale Guards. He intended to nurture them into a secret force that would operate stealthily in the Central Continent, to be used as a trump card in crucial moments.

Therefore, it was not suitable to have the Covert Scale Guards follow them around. Instead, he allowed them to develop independently.

Qian Shu was also sent away. Ning Yuzhou allocated most of their resources to the Covert Scale Guards, instructing Qian Shu to lead them in hiding within the Central Continent, secretly expanding their influence.

After leaving Cangwu Town, Qin Hongdao produced a flying vessel.

It was an Earth Rank Spiritual Artifact, resembling a small boat. It swiftly expanded in mid-air, its body a lustrous silver with sleek, elegant lines. Its delicate design seemed more appealing to female cultivators than something Qin Hongdao would typically use.

"Senior Martial Sister, this flying vessel is really beautiful. It doesn't seem like something you'd use. Where did you get it?" Sheng Yunshen asked with interest.

Qin Hongdao replied straightforwardly, "Fellow Elder Fu gave it to me when I left the sect."

Sheng Yunshen exclaimed, his face filled with indignation. "Why did Elder Fu give you a Tier 3 flying vessel but nothing to me? That's so unfair! I'll have to talk to Elder Fu about this when we get back!"

Ning Yuzhou replied, "Go ahead and try. As long as you can gift him a Heaven Rank alchemy material, not only will he craft you a Tier 3 flying vessel, but he'll even make you a Heaven Rank one."

Sheng Yunshen fell silent at once.

Only Qin Hongdao had such influence, able to casually gift away Heaven Rank alchemy materials. This was because Qin Hongdao was an restless person who believed that isolating oneself for cultivation was not beneficial. Unlike other cultivators who frequently secluded themselves for practice, she often ventured out for experiences and braved dangerous situations. Though her adventures were fraught with peril, the rewards were immense, and she would often find high-quality resources.

She was also generous, readily giving away items she didn't need to those in need without expecting anything in return. She didn't hoard valuable possessions, making Qin Hongdao the most beloved figure in the sect, admired by both seniors and juniors alike.

Compared to these material possessions, Qin Hongdao preferred to hone herself, believing that only with sufficient strength would supplementary items become irrelevant.

With just a sword at her side, Qin Hongdao roamed the Continent in a carefree and stylish manner, setting an example for many female cultivators.

Next, Qin Hongdao gestured for Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao to board, then grabbed Sheng Yunshen's collar and roughly lifted him onto the flying vessel.

Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou followed suit, leaping onto the vessel.

Carried onto the flying vehicle, Sheng Yunshen couldn't help but complain, "Senior Sister, don't do this again in the future. I'm still a man, after all."

Due to his poisoning, Sheng Yunshen couldn't easily mobilize his essence energy, let alone engage in combat. He could only be protected like a good-for-nothing. This made him feel extremely frustrated, but he dared not risk his own health. Even getting on the flying vehicle required his senior sister to lift him up like a chicken chick.

Qin Hongdao casually replied, "I know, you're a big man who's heavily poisoned." Then, she addressed Ning Yuzhou and Min Xiaorou, "Mr. Ning, Miss Min, it'll take about ten days for us to reach the Heavenly Pill Valley at this speed. There are ten rooms on board. Feel free to choose one to rest in. I'll wake you up when we arrive at the Heavenly Pill Valley."

Ning Yuzhou didn't decline her offer. Instead, he thanked her and went with Wen Qiao to find a room to rest.

The space inside the room was quite spacious, likely due to spatial technology. As it was her first time on a flying vehicle, Wen Qiao was very curious about it. She walked around the room with Wen Tuzi and said to Ning Yuzhou, "Big Brother Ning, this flying vehicle is really great. It's much faster than a Fierce Gale Beast, isn't it, Wen Tuzi?"

Her sweet voice was as sugary as honey when she called him "Big Brother Ning".

Wen Tuzi echoed her sentiment with a grind of its teeth.

Both the girl and the rabbit stared at their "Big Brother Ning" with wide eyes.

Even though Ning Yuzhou had a strong will, he couldn't help but waver under the gaze of these two adorable creatures.

He shook his head and chuckled. Then, he beckoned the girl over and pinched her soft cheeks, saying warmly, "Once I gather enough materials for forging, I'll forge a flying vehicle for you, alright?"

"Wen Qiao, thank you, Brother Ning. You're so kind," she said happily, leaping into his arms for a hug.

Wen Tuttu also hopped onto his shoulder, rubbing its furry body against him affectionately.

Ning Yuzhou found himself sandwiched between a cuddly creature in his embrace and another on his shoulder, a situation that left him both amused and touched. He couldn't help but hold the young girl in his arms tightly for a while before letting go.

Next, Ning Yuzhou set up several layers of barriers around them. The couple then entered the spatial realm with Wen Tuttu in tow.

The spirit herbs within the space were lush and vibrant, their spirits high. The Stone Gold Python Vine encircled the edge of the area, its thick, stone-colored vines hidden beneath the foliage, resembling the robust body of a python, hinting at their incredible strength.

Wen Qiao transformed into a tiny sprout, taking root in the spirit field. She began cultivating and nurturing the spirit herbs there.

Ning Yuzhou glanced at the sprout, the rabbit, and the spirit herbs in the field swaying gently in the windless environment. He smiled slightly, retrieving an old alchemy furnace from his storage bag. Using his Essence Spirit Energy, he activated a few talismans, tossing them into the furnace.

The talismans ignited, emitting a soft, mystical flame.

Ning Yuzhou spun the furnace to preheat it. Once it was sufficiently heated, he added a portion of spirit herbs into the furnace and began to concentrate on refining the pills.

His speed in pill refinement was astonishing. For low-level yellow-grade pills, he could produce a full batch of ten within just a quarter of an hour, each one a premium-grade pill.

However, Ning Yuzhou still found the pace too slow. He took out another alchemy furnace and began dual-alchemy with both furnaces.

When Wen Qiao awoke from her cultivation, she saw her husband simultaneously operating two alchemy furnaces, each concocting a different type of spirit pill. She couldn't help but feel admiration for his prowess.

Though she was ignorant about alchemy, she had heard stories. The ability to multitask like this was unheard of.

If not for the limitation of his Essence Spirit Energy, she believed Ning Yuzhou might have attempted even more furnaces at once.

The sheer quantity of spirit pills produced in a day was astounding.

Once he replenished his stock of Yellow Rank pills, Ning Yuzhou moved on to crafting Mystic Rank pills.

***

Ten days passed in a blink.

Qin Hongdao came knocking. When the door opened, the scent of medicinal herbs filled the air. Upon seeing Ning Yuzhou, who seemed enveloped by a rich herbal aroma, as if he had ascended in some way, Qin Hongdao knew that he had spent these days in constant alchemy.

Both Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao were in high spirits, warmly greeting Qin Hongdao.

Qin Hongdao glanced at the two and chuckled. "Young Master Ning, Miss Min, we're almost at Heavenly Pill Valley."

The duo thanked her for the reminder before stepping out of the room and heading to the front of the flying vessel, where Sheng Yunshen was seated, gazing outside.

Spotting the couple, Sheng Yunshen said joyfully, "Young Master Ning, Miss Min, we're almost at Heavenly Pill Valley. This is your first time here, isn't it?"

Ning Yuzhou smiled. "Indeed, it's our first visit. After leaving Nanshen, we first headed to Cangwu Mountain. We're not familiar with many places in the Central Continent."

Wen Qiao shot a glance at her husband. He really sounded like they were from Nanshen; she nearly believed that they were truly from there.

Wen Qiao understood Ning Yuzhou's intention behind hiding their origins. Dongling was remote, and its land was barren of essence energy. The cultivators there generally had low strength. If they provoked any formidable cultivators outside and drew their wrath upon Dongling, the cultivators of Dongling would be powerless to resist.

They wouldn't expose Dongling to the Central Continent's cultivators until they had grown strong enough to disregard all schemes and plots.

The flying vessel landed ten miles away from Heavenly Pill Valley.

Qin Hongdao leaped down from the vessel with Sheng Yunshen in tow, followed by Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao. Wen Tutu calmly perched on her sister's shoulder, stealthily manipulating the surrounding wind to gently cushion their landing, making their descent graceful and light.

Qin Hongdao sensed something and turned to look at the seemingly harmless little rabbit on Wen Qiao's shoulder, unable to help but chuckle. "Not bad at all."

Wen Qiao stroked Wen Tuantuan's fur, softening her aloof expression.

After putting away the flying vehicle, the four of them headed for Heavenly Pill Valley.

There were many other flying vehicles around, all carrying alchemists and their accompanying cultivators who had come to participate in the Five Cities Alchemy Congress. After disembarking, they also made their way towards Heavenly Pill Valley.

With the arrival of the Five Cities Alchemy Congress, cultivators from all corners of the Holy Martial Continent flocked to Heavenly Pill Valley. Most of them had specific objectives: first, to watch the congress; second, to obtain the spirit pills crafted by the alchemists during the event; third, to establish connections with powerful alchemists for future requests to have pills refined...

In short, the Five Cities Alchemy Congress had always been highly esteemed by the inhabitants of the Holy Martial Continent.

Upon reaching the entrance of Heavenly Pill Valley, they saw a towering stone nearly a hundred feet tall with three bold, swirling characters carved on it: Heavenly Pill Valley.

Patrolling cultivators stood guard beside the stone, along with attendants collecting fees for entry.

Each cultivator entering the valley was required to pay twenty Yuanjing. In addition to the twenty, those willing to pay an extra hundred Yuanjing could receive a token of Heavenly Pill Valley.

Possessing such a token entitled one to not only enjoy discounts when purchasing spirit pills within the valley but also allowed access to some of the precious spirit herbs preserved by Heavenly Pill Valley.

After Qin Hongdao paid the entrance fee, he requested two tokens, keeping one for himself and giving the other to Ning Yuzhou and the others.

Wen Qiao glanced at the tokens and thought that the Sky Pill Valley was indeed skilled in doing business.

Upon entering the Sky Pill Valley, Qin Hongdao led them with familiarity to a place where they could lease cave abodes. He generously rented two high-end ones.

The expenditure in Yuanjing was substantial, but Qin Hongdao seemed wealthy enough not to flinch at the cost.

It was right before the Five Cities Pill Gathering, so the valley was bustling with people. Every inn was fully occupied, even those tucked away in secluded alleys. If one wished to stay in the Sky Pill Valley, leasing a cave abode was the only option. Most cultivators participating in the Pill Gathering wouldn't stay long in the valley, and the price of renting a cave abode was exorbitant, making it unprofitable. Hence, few cultivators were willing to rent, especially high-end ones.

Of course, this didn't apply to affluent high-ranking alchemists or disciples from prominent sects.

After settling down in the Sky Pill Valley, Qin Hongdao took the list of spirit herbs needed for the third treatment, written by Ning Yuzhou, and dashed straight for the marketplace.

True to its reputation, the Sky Pill Valley offered a wide variety of spirit herbs. In just half a day, Qin Hongdao managed to collect nearly five hundred required herbs and returned to the high-end cave abode.

Sheng Yunshen was once again immersed in the bathtub, beginning another medicated bath.

"This time will take longer. It's best to soak for three full days," Ning Yuzhou said.

Qin Hongdao set aside his long blade and sat down authoritatively, guarding the bath tub. He addressed them, "I'll keep watch. It's your first time in the Heavenly Pill Valley, and there are quite a few spirit herbs here. You might want to go out and explore."

Ning Yuzhou shared this sentiment. After giving them some precautions, he and Wen Qiao left the high-end cave abode.

Though the Heavenly Pill Valley was called a valley, its terrain was extremely spacious, akin to a medium-sized cultivation city.

The valley's aura was more concentrated than the outside world. Aside from bustling markets and cave abodes, the open areas surrounding the valley were dotted with patches of spirit fields. These fields were tended by the Danmeng's members from the Five Cities, and the spirit medicines they cultivated weren't easily sold. Most were used for the Pill Assembly or as rewards for the assembly.

After leaving the high-end cave abode area, the pair entered a lively marketplace. Along both sides of the street, multi-story taverns stood tall with their eaves reaching out. A rich aroma of liquor wafted out from the taverns.

There were so many taverns that it was overwhelming for newcomers.

"A'zuo, which tavern should we go to?" Ning Yuzhou left the decision to his wife.

Wen Qiao inhaled the air, pointing at the fifth tavern down the street. "Let's go there."

The fifth tavern was called "Nine Spirit Fragrance Tavern." When they entered, the distinct, mellow yet crisp scent of spirit wine grew stronger. Even Wen Tuzi couldn't resist twitching its nose to take a whiff.

Despite being a vegetarian rabbit, Wen Tuzi also enjoyed spirit pills and spirit wines, since they were all refined using spirit medicines.

In the first-floor hall, many cultivators were enjoying their drinks, savoring spirit wines while discussing the upcoming Five Cities Alchemy Gathering.

Ning Yuzhou found a spot to sit down, and a waiter promptly approached with enthusiasm.

"What signature spirit wine do you have in your establishment?" Ning Yuzhou asked.

The waiter chuckled. "Of course, it's our Nine Spirit Fragrance. It's brewed using nine rare spirit herbs, combined with hundreds of other spiritual plants. Many who come to the Heavenly Pill Valley are drawn here specifically for this Nine Spirit Fragrance."

"Then bring us a jug of Nine Spirit Fragrance, along with some appetizers," Ning Yuzhou said after glancing at the menu. He then added a few more dishes and a bucket of Purple Spirit Rice.

After jotting down their orders, the waiter swiftly descended and returned with several platters of cold appetizers and a jug of wine.

Wen Qiao fetched three wine cups and poured the drink.

The light bamboo green liquor flowed into the white jade cups, creating an aesthetically pleasing contrast of white and pale green. The crisp aroma of the wine wafted up, intoxicating even before a sip was taken.

Wen Qiao took a mouthful of the Nine Spirit Fragrance and narrowed her eyes slightly.

Finishing her cup, she couldn't help but exclaim, "It truly is delicious."

Not only was its taste exquisite, but the wine also carried a subtle aura that replenished the body's spiritual energy, making its effects quite evident. No wonder it came at such a high price.

Just this small flask of Spirit Wine required a thousand Yuanjing.

Wen Turtledove crouched there and drank the entire cup in one gulp. Its cheeks puffed up as its fluffy tail shook vigorously, indicating its fondness for the Spirit Wine.

Ning Yuzhou smiled warmly. "If you like it, drink more."

The rules of the Nine Spirit Fragrant Tavern were peculiar. Patrons could only enjoy the wine on-site and were not allowed to take it away. One had to come to the tavern if they wished to savor it.

Wen Qiao shook her head. "No, thank you. It's too expensive."

Although they weren't lacking in Yuanjing now, Ning Yuzhou worked hard to support the family through alchemy. Wen Qiao didn't want him to be overly exhausted.

Understanding her intentions, Ning Yuzhou's eyes shimmered with tenderness. His gaze was luminous as he spoke in a gentle voice, "Since Ah Chu likes it, I'll find some Spirit Wine recipes when we get back and brew some for you, so you'll never run out."

Wen Qiao was delighted. She never doubted Ning Yuzhou's words. In her mind, whatever her husband said, he would always make it happen. This belief had become deeply ingrained without her realizing when it started.

Gladly, she said to Wen Turtledove, "Wen Turtledove, your brother is going to make us Spirit Wine. Are you happy?"

Wen Tuttu was, of course, delighted. She promptly rolled over, exposing her soft belly, inviting Ning Yuzhou to pet her as a gesture of gratitude.

Ning Yuzhou barely glanced at the little rabbit. Once the waiter brought their food, he served Wen Qiao a large bowl of Purple Spirit Rice, and the two began their meal.