The dust had settled.
Although City Lord Xin’s side lost, they were also very gracious. They cupped their hands one after another. City Lord Xin said: “Since we lost, we’ll only send out one person during the following mid-level pharmacist pill battles.”
Xu Lingxiu raised his eyebrows: “Could it be the third young master Xin Bailin?”
Xin Bailin cupped his hands again. His smile was gentle: “I hope that Brother Xu will be generous with his teachings during the pill battles.”
The corner of Xu Lingxiu’s mouth curled into a sneer, and he absent-mindedly nodded his head.
What a hypocrite! Xu Lingxiu clearly lost to this person just then, but Xin Bailin still asked him to be “generous with his teachings”? Humph.
On the contrary, Gu Zuo didn’t feel the same way as Xu Lingxiu, where Xin Bailin had a vulgar personality. He only felt that the atmosphere between these two people was slightly rigid. He also saw that Xu Lingxiu was unhappy about Xin Bailin. But after thinking about them for a bit, this little prince wasn’t someone who would bear grudges because he lost. In that case, was it incompatible qi fields?
Whatever. Making friends was up to fate.
Over yonder, Xin Bailin opened his mouth: “Which two people will the noble Sect choose for the pill battles?”
Xu Lingxiu swept his eyes over the few other people there: “Gu Zuo, you’ll go with me.”
When Qiu Qian and Zhu Hong heard this, they were somewhat dejected.
However, they also understood that, when it came to strength, they really were a bit weaker than these two teenagers who were even younger than them. Granted that Zhu Hong won and Qiu Qian tied, there wouldn’t be any exceptions.
Hence, they quickly adjusted their moods, and didn’t raise any objections to this matter.
— After all, the Sect’s prestige was even more important than their own hopes and expectations.
Seeing the reactions of the two, Li Yunquan inwardly nodded in satisfaction.
Powers like Qingyun Sect and the City Lord’s Mansion of Danyun City didn’t fight with other pharmacists over the ranks of the low-level pharmacist pill battles. This was considered the intent of giving even more pharmacists some opportunities. This was because the rewards received from the low-level pharmacist pill battles were ones that were easily obtained through their own forces. And it went without saying that the number of high-level pharmacists was very sparse. The great majority served their own powers around the clock. As such, no more than one would be taken out from the Sect to go participate in the pill battles.
As a result, the ones who came in the highest numbers were the mid-level pharmacists.
Mid-level pharmacists were the backbone of the Sect’s strength. Coming to take part in their first pill battle, even if it was merely as a spectator, would give lots of experience. In the future, they would also be in service to the Sect. During the spars with the City Lord’s Mansion, what needed to be chosen was the number of mid-level pharmacists.
Because of this, not only did the mid-level pharmacists being brought out each time have to be high in strength, they also had to have good moral qualities. Otherwise, if they didn’t take the big picture into consideration while outside the Sect, they might cause a scene when they weren’t chosen. The one to lose face would then be the Sect.
This time around, they picked Zhu Hong and Qiu Qian, and they hadn’t made an error in judgment. This was very good.
— The matter was settled just like this.
Following that, everyone began to make exchanges with each other. Only, this time, it was through words and not actions. They discussed various kinds of pill refining techniques and swapped pointers about different pill refining methods. They had all squeezed headlong into the world of pill refinement.
Gu Zuo had never spoken with so many people before. At this time, he also felt it was a bit interesting. Hence, while the discussions were underway, he published some viewpoints that didn’t take things too far. He welcomed some admiring exclamations, as well as a mellowing of Xu Lingxiu’s mood.
After it got late, everyone returned to their rooms to sleep or consolidated their newly-derived knowledge in their own medicine refining rooms. The next day, everyone got together again to discuss things and spar…
Such operations continued right until the start of the Pill Battling Assembly.
The relationship between the pharmacists of the City Lord’s Mansion and Qingyun Sect was one of rivals and friends. Each other’s harvests also weren’t small.
On that day was when the Pill Battling Assembly officially began.
Gongyi Tianheng stood before the manager of the Inner Sect Task Hall, holding a missive in his hand. His gaze faintly flashed and his expression was hooded: “This honorable manager means to say that this is my mission?”
The flesh of that manager’s fat face trembled. He resolutely and decisively stated: “All the missions of the Inner Sect disciples are sequenced one by one. The mission which is Junior Sect Brother Gongyi’s turn to do just so happens to be this one.” After pausing, he continued to speak, “Because this mission is rather dangerous, Junior Sect Brother Gongyi can also bring nominal disciples with him… Completing the mission doesn’t take any methods into account. You only need to complete it within the following three months.”
Tianheng looked at that manager, and the corner of his mouth hooked up: “And if I don’t complete it?”
The manager said: “If you don’t complete it, this Junior Sect Brother can only go back to the Outer Sect.”
In the manager’s mind, however, he was thinking that if this disciple went to do this mission, it was tantamount to a ninety percent death-rate. Unless he immediately escaped halfway through and retreated, it would undoubtedly be certain-death. Yet, he was discussing the consequences of finishing or not finishing the mission? This youngster had the bad luck of offending someone.
Although the manager didn’t know how this mission got assigned here, since it was assigned, there was nothing to be done. It was the Sect Regulations. When received, one would have to do it. That Junior Sect Brother could only blame himself.
Tianheng also didn’t speak much more with the manager. While still holding the missive, he turned around and left the Inner Sect Task Hall in large strides.
As expected, that Lu Jiusi had acted…
Once he returned to the valley, Tianheng flipped his hand and stored the missive within his inter-spatial tool. After looking at the various kinds of medicaments that filled his inter-spatial tool, the edge of his lips showed a smiling expression. Immediately following which, this smile halted.
He didn’t know how his little pharmacist was doing right now.
Gongyi Tianheng’s complexion deepened slightly.
In the future, it was better that he didn’t let him wander too far away.
After thinking things through, Tianheng called out: “Tianyang, Tianhe, Tianyin.”
Off to the side, the three of them were in the middle of sparring and sharpening their martial skills. Currently, they were all already Meridian Condensing stage two martial artists. Their progress was swift. Under the hastening of all kinds of top grade medicinal pills, it was almost like there weren’t any bottlenecks at all. Their strength rose rapidly.
Hearing Tianheng’s call, the three of them stopped what they were doing and went over together.
“Big brother?”
“Cousin, what have you called us for?”
Tianheng glanced at the three, and stood with his hands clasped behind his back. He said: “Soon, I’ll need to go out to do a mission. Tianyang and I will be going. Tianhe and Tianyin, you two will stay in the valley and watch over Mingxia. You can’t rashly leave the valley. Even if you’re looking for other people, you must bring the Tianlong Guards to journey together. You must be careful in all respects. Do you understand?”
Tianyang’s expressionless features were suffused with traces of joy. It was only natural that he responded immediately: “Many thanks, big brother!”
Meanwhile, Tianyin and Tianhe were somewhat disappointed: “You sure we can’t we go with cousin…”
Tianheng looked at them acting this way. He also didn’t wish to hurt them, and said: “This time’s mission is very dangerous. It would be fine if I only brought Tianyang because I’d still be able to seek victory amid danger, but if I bring the three of you, I won’t be able to keep all of you safe.”
When Tianyin and Tianhe heard this, they could only obediently do as they were told.
On the contrary, Tianyang couldn’t help asking: “Big brother, what’s the mission?”
Tianheng’s gaze was serene and hidden: “Eliminate the Mount An Bandit Gang.”
The three Gongyi Clan children suddenly stared blankly. Shortly after, they exhaled low breaths: “Eliminate a bandit gang? How many people does that bandit gang have?”
Tianheng said: “The Bandit Master is a Xiantian stage nine powerhouse. Below him, there are two Xiantian stage eight and five Xiantian stage seven bandit leaders. The remaining Xiantian bandits number thirty-eight, and there are as many as several hundred Houtian bandits.”
When these words were spoken, the Gongyi Clan children couldn’t help feeling a chill run down their spines.
— Wouldn’t, wouldn’t this kind of mission have a one hundred percent death-rate?!
T/N: Thanks for the correction, Charysa.
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