Chapter Thirty: Yuan Yibai Is Gravely Injured

“Does that mean we’ll soon be able to attend their Daoist wedding ceremony?” Yan Qingye picked up a spirit peach and was about to take a bite when Yuan Yibai’s voice reached him.

“I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.”

The three turned toward the source of the voice and saw Yuan Yibai, clad in black, his lips pale.

“You…” Yan Qingye looked Yuan Yibai up and down in surprise. “Don’t tell me…”

“Yes.” Yuan Yibai walked over slowly and sat down. “I took a palm strike from Mu Sanbing.”

“Mu Wanrou’s father, Mu Sanbing?” Ye Linyi spoke with admiration. “Brother, you survived a blow from an Immortal Lord? And lived?”

Yuan Yibai pressed his fist to his lips and coughed twice. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

“…Even so, you’re not resting at home but here joining the festivities?” Yan Qingye, rarely impressed, could not help but remark.

Ming Chenyu handed him a pill made from the horn of the Xuanling Rhinoceros. “It’s of immortal grade; it should make you feel better.”

Yuan Yibai glanced at it and waved his hand. “No need, thank you.”

Seeing Yuan Yibai refuse, Ming Chenyu raised his eyebrows and put the pill away.

“Hey, what’s with you? Chenyu offered it out of kindness, and you won’t even take it?”

Yan Qingye leaned on the stone table and stood up, ready to argue with Yuan Yibai.

Yuan Yibai leaned back to avoid him and began coughing loudly.

“Hmph…” Yan Qingye, both annoyed and helpless, furrowed his brows at Yuan Yibai. “You’re in this state, what’s the point of acting tough?”

Yuan Yibai swallowed, forcibly suppressing his cough. “It’s nothing.”

“I won’t bother with you then.”

Yan Qingye sat down in frustration, turning away from Yuan Yibai.

About a quarter of an hour passed in silence, when Jun Yang pushed open the door and stepped out.

“I haven’t forbidden you from speaking—what’s with today? So quiet.”

It was rare; no one responded, not even Yan Qingye, usually the most talkative and lively.

Jun Yang glanced around curiously, and when he saw Yuan Yibai, his brows furrowed.

Yuan Yibai met Jun Yang’s gaze, then quickly looked away.

You Xiyue nudged Jun Yang from behind. “Don’t block the doorway.”

“Oh, right—”

Jun Yang hurried forward into the courtyard.

Seeing You Xiyue emerge, everyone except Yuan Yibai stood up.

“Little Ancestor.”

You Xiyue sat down and placed a small bottle in front of Yuan Yibai.

“Dreamshade Yin-Yang Pill.”

Yuan Yibai stared in disbelief at You Xiyue for a moment.

But You Xiyue had already begun grooming Snow Jade’s fur.

Eventually, Yuan Yibai took the bottle of Dreamshade Yin-Yang Pill.

Yan Qingye snorted, deliberately loud. “So you look down on Chenyu’s pill for being lower grade, huh?”

“Qingye.”

Ming Chenyu called Yan Qingye’s name and shook his head, indicating he should drop it.

Yuan Yibai lowered his eyes and stayed silent, offering no defense.

Ye Linyi, ever curious, asked, “Little Ancestor, what grade is the Dreamshade Yin-Yang Pill?”

“Sage-grade, tier eight.”

Pills and magical artifacts were categorized by quality, but pills also had tiers. Quality was fixed, but tier depended on the alchemist’s skill; the more pill veins, the higher the tier, with nine being the maximum.

“Eight… eight tier?!”

Ye Linyi’s mouth fell open in shock.

Only a Pill Sage could refine sage-grade pills, so one who could craft tier-eight sage-grade pills was an eighth-level Pill Sage.

To Ye Linyi, such people simply didn’t exist; how could one possibly have the skill to refine eight pill veins? Each vein summoned ten thunder tribulations—eight veins, eighty bolts. Even a Great Immortal Pill would be shattered.

In the Five Great Families, the highest-ranked alchemist was Ming Zhu, a third-level Pill Immortal, revered by all the upper realms. It was precisely because of Ming Zhu that the Ming family became the foremost of the Five Great Families.

Yan Qingye, forgetting his earlier annoyance with Yuan Yibai, stammered, “Little Ancestor… is there really someone who can refine eight-tier pills? And sage-grade?”

The higher the tier, the harsher the lightning strikes. Sage-grade pills were already exceptionally advanced.

“There was, but he’s dead.”

“Dead?!” Even Ming Chenyu, always steady, was shocked. “How could someone like that die?”

You Xiyue offered no explanation, calmly continuing to groom Snow Jade.

Yuan Yibai glanced at the jade pendant at You Xiyue’s waist, then looked up at her, his right hand gripping the pill bottle tightly, as if to crush it, holding back something.

Jun Yang coughed, drawing everyone’s attention to himself.

Yuan Yibai also withdrew his gaze, less reckless now, but inwardly flustered, as though something had been seen through.

Jun Yang glanced at You Xiyue; seeing her composed, he said nothing.

“Today, I’ll provide the ingredients.”

“Huh???” Yan Qingye and Ye Linyi were indeed distracted, looking toward Jun Yang.

“What’s huh? What, you object?”

“No, no!!” Yan Qingye and Ye Linyi shook their heads like rattles.

No one dared complain!

Jun Yang snorted, and with a wave of his sleeve, everyone was transported to the place where heavenly pepper flower roast chicken was served.

Along with them came Feng Qinghe, who had been meditating in his own room and was now clearly bewildered.

He stared blankly for a moment before rising. “Master, Senior Jun Yang.”

“Come, I’ve brought you all something delicious today.” Jun Yang grinned slyly.

A Violet Flame Blue Ox appeared before them, its massive head covering half a mountainside.

Ye Linyi grabbed Yan Qingye and instinctively stepped back. “This… is a Yellow-rank divine beast?!”

The Violet Flame Blue Ox, once a corpse, responded to Jun Yang’s spell with two snorts and slowly stood up.

“It’s… alive?” Yan Qingye’s tongue tied itself, dread creeping in.

Sure enough, Jun Yang sent a gust of palm wind, tossing the four—excluding Yuan Yibai—along with the newly “revived” Violet Flame Blue Ox together.

You Xiyue snapped her fingers, and a divine-grade Immortal Confinement Array rose from the earth.

The four and the ox were trapped inside.

“Little Ancestor! Are you serious???” Yan Qingye asked, incredulous.

You Xiyue blinked with utter seriousness. “Weren’t you the ones who wanted me to teach you?”

!!!

“Little Ancestor, you agreed?!” Yan Qingye pressed against the barrier of the confinement array, excited. “No, it’s Little Master!”

“You four, defeat it.”

The four exchanged glances, their initial trepidation replaced by sudden resolve.

“Yes, Master!!”

“Yes, Little Master!”

They retreated to the edges, each guarding a side, weapons appearing in their hands as they prepared for battle.

The Violet Flame Blue Ox stood tall again, shook itself, flames blazing in its eyes, its hind hooves kicking furiously.

Ming Chenyu, seeing the ox’s head aimed at Feng Qinghe, warned, “Qinghe, be careful!”

“Right!” Feng Qinghe drew his Golden Phoenix Feather Fan, stepping back with one foot, ready for combat.