116: Chapter 116 The Uninvited Guest in the Alchemy Room

[Azure Cloud Sect Logistics Camp, Grade A Alchemy Chamber.]

[The afternoon sun was somewhat lazy, casting mottled light and shadows on the bluestone floor through the carved window lattice.]

[The air here was permeated with the scent of aged medicine, the smell left behind after countless Spiritual Plants had been tempered in flames.]

[Compared to the Giant Temple that had just collapsed and was likely reduced to nothingness by now, this place was so peaceful it felt like another Universe.]

[Several low-level Alchemists in gray robes were gathered around a furnace of Medicinal Pill emitting black smoke, looking dejected.]

[The furnace fire was not very strong, clearly because the operators were distracted.]

["Sigh, the heat is overdone again."]

[A chubby boy with a round face sighed and stuffed the Dragon Beard Grass he hadn't yet thrown in back into his sleeve.]

["It's all Tang Xun Senior Brother's fault; he promised to guide us, but now he's nowhere to be seen."]

[A tall, thin person beside him curled his lips, looking very displeased.]

["He's been missing for days now, no idea where he ran off to."]

["Shh, keep your voice down."]

[The chubby boy glanced nervously at the door and lowered his voice.]

["He is Elder Liu's favorite, he can skip work if he wants to, is it our place to worry?"]

["We're just idle here; Tang Xun Senior Brother is probably hiding somewhere sleeping, or maybe he's off trying to curry favor with Elder Liu."]

[The tall, thin person grew more enthusiastic as he spoke, tapping his fire tongs against the Pill Furnace with a clanging sound.]

["If you ask me, he's just lucky to have latched onto a powerful backer..."]

[Just as he was preparing to expound on his high theory about "eating soft rice with a hard attitude."]

[Without any warning.]

[Not even the flow of air changed in the slightest.]

[In the center of the Alchemy Chamber, on the previously empty, thin-dust-covered meditation cushion.]

[Abruptly, there was one more person.]

[It was Tang Xun, having returned to the marker point via Time-Space Reversal (Purple).]

[The moment he appeared, he removed the disguise of Thousand Faces (Green) and restored his original appearance.]

[Tang Xun remained in a cross-legged sitting position, his face pale as paper, his chest heaving violently, and his clothes had several charred holes.]

[He had just appeared out of thin air.]

[As if he had been sitting there since the beginning of time.]

[The tall, thin person's words came to an abrupt halt, his mouth agape, and a strange "clucking" sound emanated from his throat.]

["Who is speaking ill of me?"]

[Tang Xun's voice was a bit hoarse, as if he had swallowed a handful of rough gravel, carrying a scent of blood.]

["Ah—!!!"]

[The chubby boy's hand trembled, and the heavy fire tongs smashed directly onto his foot.]

[A pig-slaughtering wail echoed throughout the entire Alchemy Chamber.]

[The others looked as if they had seen a ghost, their eyeballs ready to pop out of their sockets.]

[They pointed rigidly at Tang Xun, their fingers trembling as if they had Parkinson's.]

["You... you you you..."]

[The tall, thin person was so scared he sat down on the floor, scrambling backward.]

["Tang Xun Senior Brother?!"]

["When were you there? No! You were definitely not there a moment ago!"]

["Ghost!"]

[Tang Xun ignored this group of terrified newbies.]

[He just wanted to put on an inscrutable smile to maintain his dignity as a "Senior Brother."]

[However, a rush of metallic sweetness suddenly surged up in his throat.]

["Cough, cough, cough—"]

[He bent over, covering his chest with one hand, and began to cough violently.]

["Pfft."]

[A trace of dazzling blood overflowed from between his fingers, dripping onto that dusty meditation cushion and blooming into a sorrowfully beautiful plum blossom.]

[The Alchemy Chamber fell silent instantly.]

[Even the chubby boy holding his foot and screaming forgot the pain, staring blankly at this scene.]

[Tang Xun Senior Brother... spat blood?]

[How severe was his injury?]

["Senior... Senior Brother, are you okay?"]

[The tall, thin person swallowed his saliva and asked, emboldened.]

["Did you... suffer from Qi Deviation?"]

[Tang Xun took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the churning Qi and blood in his body.]

[He casually wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, the movement as nonchalant as wiping away a grain of rice.]

[Then, he raised his head.]

[On that pale face, he managed to squeeze out a calm and detached smile.]

["Making a fuss over nothing."]

[His voice regained some steadiness, though it still sounded somewhat weak.]

["I was just too immersed in Alchemy earlier, wandering into the void, and it went to my head a little."]

["This is called... Qi and blood attacking the heart, understand?"]

["Just had a few hallucinations, standard procedure."]

[The Disciples looked at each other, their expressions colorful and varied.]

[Alchemy?]

[What kind of Alchemy is that!]

[The furnace is almost out, and you're telling me you spat blood from doing Alchemy?]

[And what the hell is wandering into the void? Isn't that a method only a Nascent Soul True Lord has?]

[But looking at Tang Xun's "you haven't seen the world" expression, no one dared to say anything.]

[After all, this guy is a favorite of Elder Liu.]

["Alright, stop crowding around."]

[Tang Xun waved his hand, as if shooing away flies.]

["Go do what you need to do, don't delay me... in contemplating the Dao of Alchemy."]

["Oh, right."]

[He suddenly remembered something, and those eyes that were originally somewhat dull instantly became sharp.]

["As for seeing me spit blood earlier, if anyone dares to go out and gossip..."]

[Tang Xun narrowed his eyes and made a throat-slitting gesture.]

["I will let him taste what true 'Dao of Alchemy backlash' is."]

[The chill in that tone was more biting than the cold wind outside.]

[Several Disciples shivered, their heads nodding like chicks pecking at rice.]

["We wouldn't dare!"]

["Rest assured, Senior Brother, we didn't see anything!"]

["Yes, yes, yes, we were blind just now!"]

[The group scrambled out of the Alchemy Chamber, fearing they would be silenced if they were a step late.]

["Bang."]

[The heavy stone door was slammed shut.]

[The Alchemy Chamber returned to a deathly silence once again.]

[After confirming that the Formation had been activated, isolating everything from outside detection.]

[The smile on Tang Xun's face instantly collapsed.]

[He looked as if his spine had been pulled out, collapsing onto the meditation cushion, gasping for breath.]

[Cold sweat rolled down his forehead, soaking the clothes on his back.]

["Damn... that was close."]

[He looked down at his palms, which were still trembling slightly.]

[The combined strike of those twelve Mahayana Stage phantoms, even if it just grazed him, was enough to kill him a hundred times over.]

[If he hadn't run fast, he would have been reduced to dust by now.]

[However...]

[Tang Xun's lips slowly curled up again.]

[The arc grew larger and larger, finally turning into a silent, maniacal laugh.]

[Wealth is sought in danger.]

[The ancients did not deceive me.]

[He pressed his trembling hand against the Storage Pouch at his waist.]

[There, quietly lying, was a still-beating heart exuding the aura of Chaos.]

[heart of the world.]

[Even through the Storage Pouch, he could feel that life force, so vast it was suffocating.]

[It was the Origin treasure capable of supporting the operation of a Small World.]

[It was a divine object that countless Nascent Soul Old Monsters and even Soul Transformation powerhouses would fight tooth and nail for.]

[Now, it belongs to Tang.]

["This haul is a massive profit."]

[Tang Xun muttered to himself, the greed in his eyes undisguised.]

["Forget spitting a little blood; even if I spat out half a lung, it would be worth it."]