237: If only I had known

Inside Dao Seeking Sect!

On a mist-shrouded peak on the right side of the Sect.

Chen Xuan reclined against a naturally formed bluestone, with soft animal hide padded beneath him, and his fishing rod line dangling into the clear, cold pool below the peak.

Dressed in a moon-white Daoist robe that fluttered gently in the breeze, his brows and eyes carried a hint of leisure, giving him the air of a transcendent Revered Master from beyond the world.

Playing chess was still too boring; it was better to experience the feeling of a fisherman.

At this moment, Chen Xuan was fishing on a peak below the mountain gate, experiencing the flavor of being a fisherman.

"Revered Master? Revered Master!" A crisp voice pierced through the thin mist, accompanied by light footsteps. Shu Shichan, her hair styled in a Waduo Bun, came skipping over to find him. She held two lustrous celadon green bottles in both hands and handed them to Chen Xuan with her small head tilted up.

"The Medicinal Pills you instructed your Disciple to refine have been successfully completed! These are two soul refining primordial pills."

Chen Xuan turned his head and reached out to take the porcelain bottles. They felt slightly cool to the touch. With a gentle shake, he could clearly sense the thick and sticky liquid inside.

Then, with a flick of his finger, he pulled out one of the stoppers. A pungent odor instantly surged out. Chen Xuan's brow furrowed immediately, and he instinctively turned his head away: "Why is... the smell so strong?"

This smell was tricky and irritating, giving off a vague sense of déjà vu like toilet cleaner. No, it was probably several times more intense than that, rushing straight into his nasal cavity.

Shu Shichan hurriedly explained, "Revered Master, I used Blazing Sun Flowers as a supplementary material. Its effect on nourishing the Divine Soul is much greater than ordinary medicinal herbs, but it has a fiery nature. It's normal for the smell to be a bit strong!" As she spoke, she patted her developing chest and guaranteed with a look of certainty:

"Revered Master, don't mind these trifles. I guarantee the medicinal effect has absolutely no issues!"

Chen Xuan sighed softly to himself. Forget it; anyway, these Medicinal Pills weren't for his own use.

Thinking about it, that fellow Number Four had been suffering from Divine Soul injuries for many days and was already miserable. He certainly wouldn't care about these trivial details.

He casually placed the two bottles of Medicinal Pills into his storage ring and waved his hand: "Alright, go back and Cultivate."

Shu Shichan didn't move. Her small hands gently grasped the hem of her skirt, her peach blossom eyes soft as water, and she said in a soft, coaxing voice, "Revered Master, refining these two soul refining primordial pills cost your Disciple quite a lot of energy."

She changed her tone, becoming exceptionally sincere: "Of course, it is my duty to resolve Revered Master's worries."

"But... Revered Master, you also know how complex the refining process for an eighth-grade elixir is. It consumes countless mental energy and medicinal materials. For me, it was like going through two cross-realm battles..."

Chen Xuan listened to her chatter for a long while, but he only heard one sentence:

Old geezer, give me some benefits!

He shook his head helplessly and then said, "Have Elder Xiao Yun select twenty capable Disciples to assist you in refining medicine."

Hearing this, Shu Shichan's eyes instantly lit up. The corners of her mouth could no longer hold back a smile, and her eyes were full of joy.

With people to test the medicine, she could learn to make other Medicinal Pills.

"Thank you, Revered Master! Revered Master is busy with a myriad of affairs, so I won't disturb your fishing. I'll take my leave first!"

She gave a deep bow, her voice crisp: "I wish Revered Master a bountiful catch and a return with a full load today!" After saying that, she skipped away.

After Shu Shichan left, Chen Xuan instantly returned to the room behind the Sect Main Hall.

He took out that Black Jade Fragment to complete the long-agreed-upon transaction... Inside Guiyan Inn in Yunxi City!

After bidding farewell to Zhao Jingchen and his two Disciples, Ye Hao and Li Pingan returned to Pingquan Village to visit that Elderly Woman living alone. After helping with chopping wood, carrying water, and doing some simple chores, they returned to the inn as dusk fell.

Li Pingan picked up the celadon teacup on the table and poured himself a cup of warm tea, contemplating the various events of the day in his mind.

Although he was not a man of many words, he still used his brain to think things through.

With a "creak" sound!

The door was pushed open gently, and Ye Hao stepped inside, sitting directly on the wooden stool opposite him.

He had just come from Su Yue's room next door. Thinking about that girl's situation, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. A Cultivator at the Qi Refining Second Layer... her life was truly a bit miserable. Living from meal to meal without a single Spirit Stone on her person was truly lamentable.

"Junior Brother," Li Pingan was the first to break the silence, "Was that woman with a human head and a snake's body in Pingquan Village today really the Revered Master Miss Su has been searching for so hard?"

Ye Hao heard this, and his brow instantly knit into a tight frown. His expression was solemn as he nodded heavily:

"It's almost certain."

"I just really can't figure out why a perfectly fine Cultivator would turn into such a Half-human, Half-demon beings appearance."

"Then... did you tell Miss Su?" Li Pingan pressed.

Ye Hao shook his head.

"That's exactly what I'm worried about; I'm afraid it might be hard for her to accept."

This Miss Su had traveled all the way from the Flame Continent to this Rain God Continent to find her Revered Master, braving the elements and facing numerous dangers. If they hadn't happened to meet on the ferry, she might have actually been thrown off.

But if she knew the Revered Master she had been searching for so hard had become a Half-human, Half-demon beings anomaly, who knows how she would feel.

Listening to this, Li Pingan also fell silent. He understood Ye Hao's concerns; such a cruel truth was indeed difficult to speak of.

After a moment of mutual silence, Ye Hao suddenly spoke, "Senior Brother, do you remember what happened when we met in Suifeng Ridge on the Flame Continent?"

Li Pingan's pupils constricted instantly as several scenes flashed through his mind.

"You mean, those Half-human, Half-demon beings..."

Looking at it this way, the "Demonic Beasts" they had killed back then in Suifeng Ridge might very likely have had another hidden story?

But the Flame Continent and the Rain God Continent were thousands of miles apart. Why would such Half-human, Half-demon beings appear in both places? Could it be that the Chusheng Sect behind it all had already extended its reach so far?

Both of them were thinking about these questions simultaneously.

Ye Hao narrowed his eyes slightly, and the peculiar marks on the backs of those Half-human, Half-demon beings uncontrollably surfaced in his mind—Slave Seal!

"It seems this matter is far more complex than we imagined."

"Senior Brother, tomorrow I plan to visit the Demon Suppressing Tower."

Li Pingan took a sip of tea and then asked, "Do you plan to start investigating from the Yao Race?"

"And is there any news from Zhao Xu's side?"

"Yes." Ye Hao nodded and explained in a low voice, "Do you remember the conversation between that Half-human, Half-demon beings woman and the Chusheng Sect Elder today? That Elder explicitly said she escaped from the Demon Suppressing Tower. Since he said that, there might be relevant clues hidden in the Demon Suppressing Tower. Perhaps we can find out the reason for her transformation or even uncover the Chusheng Sect's movements."

"As for Zhao Xu's side... I've already asked someone to pass on a message. But after all, Zhao Xu is a Chusheng Sect Disciple. If we can contact him, it would be best to get some inside information."

He changed his tone and continued, "But if we can't contact him, or if he's unwilling to cooperate, then in the end, we'll have to investigate this matter ourselves step by step. We can't rely on others."

Hearing this, Li Pingan nodded slowly, having no objection.

He set down his teacup, but the scene from today involuntarily came to mind.

Those two Half-human, Half-demon beings women had clearly seen him appear and had chosen to flee without hesitation, not staying for even a moment.

Thinking of this, Li Pingan couldn't help but sigh softly, feeling somewhat annoyed: "If only I had known, I should have restrained my aura more when I acted last time."

If he hadn't displayed such sharp methods in front of them back then, perhaps he could have spoken directly to that woman today. He wouldn't have had to investigate in such a roundabout way, and it would have saved a lot of trouble.