Chapter 124: Chapter 121: Putting the Greater Good First

Following Liu Bufu, Li Heshan arrived at the entrance of a hidden cave.

After twisting and turning, they finally reached the depths of the cave.

What on earth needs to be hidden in such a place?

Li Heshan cast a suspicious glance around.

“Immortal Li, please take a look.”

Liu Bufu pointed to several huge “stone coffins” inside the cave and three stone boxes beside them, saying, “These are all entrusted to me by Immortal Hu and the others.”

“The things inside seem to be alive, and I didn’t dare to open them to look, not knowing what they are.”

Li Heshan nodded, approached one of the stone boxes, carefully pushed open a corner, and peeked inside.

“Blood Toad!?”

Noticing the blood toad inside the stone box with five golden stripes on its body, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, followed by confusion, then shock and anger!

Pei Yuwan had already told him about what happened in Yunzhong County.

Li Heshan was also planning to send the relics acquired back to the Sect and, upon returning, conduct a thorough investigation.

After all, the family behind a Sect disciple being exterminated demands that Qiyun Valley investigates.

Otherwise, other Immortal Sects would consider Qiyun Valley weak, and the Sect disciples would be disheartened.

Pei Yuwan mentioned that Shen Wenxing concluded the attacker was an Immortal Sect disciple, and Li Heshan had a few suspects in mind.

But he never once suspected his own disciples!

The Xu family in Chunshui Town and the Huang family in Huangyan Town are families that raise blood toads.

Qiyun Valley excels in Alchemy Dao, and the shedding of a blood toad over a hundred years old makes great alchemy material for them, let alone the golden eggs from those over five hundred years old.

He closed the stone box and turned to check the several huge “stone coffins,” opening them one by one.

Indeed, there were blood toads over a hundred years old, numbering in the hundreds.

Such ironclad evidence in front of him sufficiently proved that the Immortal Sect disciples who exterminated the Xu family and attacked the Huang family were from Qiyun Valley’s Cliff Mountain Courtyard.

Upon thinking of this, an inexplicable fury surged in Li Heshan’s heart, and a strong intent to kill slowly emitted from him!

In that instant, he developed the intent to kill Liu Bufu and the other members of the Liu family behind him!

This matter is too significant!

If leaked, Qiyun Valley’s reputation would be in ruins.

Disciples of the Sect, for the sake of treasures, secretly exterminated the entire family of a fellow brother.

Li Heshan couldn’t even imagine the Cultivation Realm in Danzhou would view Qiyun Valley if the matter was exposed.

In the cave, Liu Bufu and the Liu family disciples suddenly felt a strong killing intent locking onto them as if they had fallen into an icy pit in the frigid winter.

“Immortal Li, spare us!”

Liu Bufu suppressed the fear within his heart, knelt and kowtowed, saying, “We have seen nothing!”

“We will not speak a word of this!”

“We are willing to swear, even swear to our ancestors!”

Liu Bufu kept kowtowing until his forehead was a bloody mess.

Behind him, although the Liu family members did not know exactly what was happening, they were terrified and knelt, not daring to make a sound after seeing their Patriarch like this.

Li Heshan pondered for a long time and finally slowly retracted his killing intent.

Although only the dead can keep secrets, killing these Liu family members wouldn’t solve the problem.

The Liu family’s clans were numerous, and Liu Bufu came with him under many watchful eyes. If anything were to happen to him, the other Liu family members would definitely know what had transpired.

Unless he exterminated the entire Liu family.

But such actions would create too much slaughter, and he didn’t have such a murderous intention.

Casting a glance at Liu Bufu, Li Heshan said coldly, “Bring them all over.”

Liu Bufu’s body trembled, not daring to resist, and promptly called over a dozen Liu family disciples inside the cave.

A flash of light appeared in Li Heshan’s hand, and he took out a porcelain bottle.

“Each of you takes a pill from here.”

Though reluctant, the Liu family complied.

After taking the pill, they closed their eyes, awaiting death.

However, after the pill entered their mouths, aside from a warm current in their meridians, they didn’t feel anything else.

The group exchanged glances.

Li Heshan spoke plainly, “These pills usually have no effect, but if someone tries to speak of today’s events, the medicine’s power will act immediately, even Immortals won’t be able to save you.”

Upon hearing this, the Liu family kowtowed in terror, repeatedly assuring not to reveal a word of today’s events.

Li Heshan looked back at the stone coffins and stone boxes containing the blood toads, hesitated for a moment, and said, “Find some cloth to cover them, and carry these to the Cloud-Piercing Shuttle.”

Liu Bufu hurriedly bowed.

The Cloud-Piercing Shuttle slowly ascended, heading towards Danzhou.

“Master brother, what are those things?”

At the front of the shuttle, Pei Yuwan, seeing Li Heshan looking out at the clouds with a complicated expression, approached and asked.

Li Heshan came back to his senses and shook his head slightly.

He did not plan to tell Pei Yuwan about this; otherwise, given the grudges between the two courtyards, Hidden Cloud Courtyard would certainly take the opportunity to challenge Cliff Mountain Courtyard.

Since the last flood dragon tribulation event, he noticed that the Spiritual Qi in Yangnao Land was gradually recovering.

It won’t be long before other Immortal Sects notice this as well, and then who knows what upheavals the scramble for Yangnao Land will cause.

At such a critical juncture, Qiyun Valley absolutely cannot become internally chaotic.

“Junior Sister Pei, there is something I need to discuss with you.”

After thinking for a moment, Li Heshan spoke.

Pei Yuwan was momentarily stunned and said, “Please speak, Senior Brother.”

Li Heshan glanced at the distant blue sky and sighed, “As for the matter of Zhang Yuan and the others attacking the Shen family… let it be.”

“After returning, I plan to report to the Sect, just saying that Zhang Yuan and the five did not heed advice and died in the ruins.”

Pei Yuwan looked incredulously at him as if seeing a stranger.

Meeting her gaze, Li Heshan smiled bitterly and helplessly, “I know this is unfair to Junior Brother Shen and the Shen family.”

“But everything must be prioritized for the Sect’s interests.”

He patiently explained the current situation and potential future changes of Yangnao Land, then added, “With Master Pei’s temperament, knowing this, he definitely wouldn’t rest until there was a resolution.”

“By then, with two of our four courtyards in conflict, how can we compete with other Immortal Sects?”

“Junior Sister, you don’t wish to see Qiyun Valley in decline, do you?”

Pei Yuwan did not speak.

She knew Li Heshan’s analysis was very accurate.

But at the thought of Cliff Mountain Courtyard’s actions, an inexplicable fury surged within her.

“Junior Sister Pei, rest assured, although this matter will cause some grievances to Junior Brother Shen and the Shen Family, I will strive to secure the benefits they deserve.”

“Moreover, I will personally offer some additional compensation.”

“I hope Junior Sister can consider the bigger picture.”

Li Heshan said as he bowed and clasped his hands in salute to Pei Yuwan.

Pei Yuwan hastily stepped aside.

She always respected Li Heshan as her own elder brother.

This time, she also understood his difficulties.

“Alright, alright!”

After an internal struggle, Pei Yuwan waved her hand in frustration, “Master Brother, you decide on this matter.”

“But!”

Looking at Li Heshan, Pei Yuwan said, “The cultivation technique Shen Wenxing wants must be secured by Master Brother!”

Li Heshan nodded, “Rest assured on this matter, Junior Sister.”

“As for the Body Tempering Pills, Junior Brother Wen’an asked for a thousand, I am planning to give him two thousand, this account…”

“Master Brother will find a way to balance it.”

“And…”

Pei Yuwan was about to say more, but Li Heshan smiled wryly, “Junior Sister, that’s too much.”

“Not to mention I am just a candidate for Sect Leader, even Master has to face constraints from the Elders on many matters.”

“Junior Sister knows well the temperament of those elders in the Sect, please don’t make it difficult for me.”

Pei Yuwan pouted reluctantly and did not say anything further.

After a moment of silence, Pei Yuwan suddenly spoke again, “When returning from the Sect this time, we must thoroughly investigate the culprit who wiped out the Xu Family. I cannot rest easy if we do not vent this anger.”

Hearing this, Li Heshan sighed inwardly once more.

The attack on the Shen Family by Cliff Mountain Courtyard could be easily brushed off, but the extermination of the Xu Family and the attack on the Huang Family was another big trouble.

After all, this matter involves Luoxia Mountain.

If something is discovered at that time, it will still be difficult to handle.

Thinking about this, Li Heshan couldn’t help but feel a headache.

This Cliff Mountain Courtyard really knows how to stir trouble!

Black Water Pool, Shen Family.

Shen Yuan sat upright in the Black Water Pavilion, holding the Alchemy Master’s Manual brought back by Shen Wenxing, with a peculiar expression on his face.

He now seriously suspected that this so-called Alchemy Master’s Manual was a fraud!

Can Pills really be refined like this?

In his impression, Alchemy should be like ancient alchemists, using a large pill furnace, putting in various herbs and materials, paying attention to the fire, with complicated steps, slowly refining, and eventually creating Immortal Pills.

But the method for refining the Body Tempering Pill described in this manual completely overturned his understanding of Alchemy!

According to the manual, the refining method for the Body Tempering Pill is to mix twelve types of herbs together, boil them with mountain spring water, simmer over a low fire for an hour, retaining the decoction; then remove the herbs, dry them in the shade, grind them into powder; add the decoction, stir, mix like dough, and directly shape into pills by hand or with molds.

Afterward, dry with gentle heat.

Seeing this, Shen Yuan was dazed for a long time.

“Wen’an.”

Coming to his senses, he called out towards the upper floor.

After a moment, Shen Wen’an came down from above.

“Wen’an, come.”

Calling Shen Wen’an over, he handed him the Alchemy Master’s Manual.

Shen Wen’an glanced curiously and looked at him with puzzlement.

“Is this how the Body Tempering Pill is refined?”

Shen Wen’an shook his head, “I don’t know.”

He had never come across any Alchemy Dao or pharmacology knowledge during his years in Qiyun Valley.

Shen Yuan helplessly waved him off, allowing him to continue cultivating.

Continuing to browse that Alchemy Master’s Manual, he suddenly noticed something amiss.

“Fetal Breathing Chapter?”

Spotting the three small words at the top of the manual, he immediately flipped to the first page, and sure enough, there were also three small words in the upper right corner.

Qi Cultivation Chapter.

“So, could it be that the elixirs needed for the Qi Cultivation Stage are refined this way?”

Shen Yuan muttered to himself, as he just noticed while seeing the Fetal Breathing Chapter, that some of the elixir refining methods for the Fetal Breathing Realm were indeed similar to what he had imagined.

Not only did it require a pill furnace but also a pill formula, and even some special elixirs needed specific geographical environments, seasonal climates, and the like.

While he was engrossed in studying the Alchemy Master’s Manual, the door before him was suddenly pushed open.

“Ah Die.”

Shen Wenxing walked in with an excited expression.

Shen Yuan nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the book in his hands.

After sitting down, Shen Wenxing took out two jade tokens from his chest and carefully placed them on the desk.

“This is…”

Shen Yuan glanced at the jade tokens, feeling a bit familiar.

“Cultivation Technique!”

“A cultivation technique that can be practiced to the perfection of the Fetal Breathing Realm!”

“Given by Fairy Wei of Luoxia Mountain!”

Hearing this, Shen Yuan quickly put down the Alchemy Master’s Manual in his hands, picking up one of the jade tokens.

“No wonder it feels so familiar, it’s similar to the ’Supreme Mysterious Sword Scripture’ that Wen’an took out last time.”

His Divine Sense slowly touched the jade token, and a vast amount of profound and mysterious information poured into his Sea of Consciousness!

“Moonlight Pine Mountain Technique!”

After a long while, Shen Yuan’s Divine Sense withdrew from the jade scroll.

“Ah Die, how is it?”

Shen Wenxing eagerly asked.

Shen Yuan nodded slightly, “It is indeed a complete cultivation technique.”

As he spoke, a smile appeared on his face.

Then he picked up the other jade scroll, wishing to see what exactly this second cultivation technique was.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep