Chapter 222: The End of Floor 205, Part 1

Brazier Room, Cave Mansion No. 134.

“Today’s lecture ends here, do you have any questions?” Daoist Qingyou’s expression was cold, waving the duster in his hand occasionally.

The reason simply being Zhang Ying, recently, has been asking increasingly bizarre and tricky questions, difficult to answer, making him somewhat uneasy at the moment.

In fact, he wanted to leave immediately, but the hall master specifically instructed him to give Zhang Ying more guidance.

With no choice, he could only comply.

Zhang Ying and Chui Xi sat side by side on the futons, each holding a notebook specifically for taking notes.

Upon hearing this.

Zhang Rongfang quickly spoke up.

“Excuse me, Alchemist, you just talked about the combination of the properties of three different herbs and their roles, but such a combination of properties is too simple.

Sometimes we need to amplify the properties of certain herbs, but these properties contain inherent conflicting changes.

The by-products of these changes have a new impact on the properties of other auxiliary herbs…”

He rattled off a bunch of words, leaving Chui Xi beside him completely bewildered, unable to understand what he was saying at all.

Qingyou also looked helpless.

This level of difficulty is already truly alchemist-level, far beyond the scope of an ordinary alchemist’s apprentice.

Immediately, he began to explain carefully.

One spoke while the other listened, and in the blink of an eye, half an hour had passed.

Qingyou spoke until his mouth was dry. Seeing Zhang Rongfang about to speak again, he felt a sudden jolt, hurriedly got up.

“Today’s lecture ends here, I’m tired, come back tomorrow.”

“Yes,” said Zhang Rongfang and Chui Xi, bowing their heads.

Qingyou got up and almost fled, darting out of the cave mansion with a bunch of porcelain bottles filled with pills, disappearing instantly.

Chui Xi couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“You’re really amazing.” She looked at Zhang Rongfang with a hint of admiration.

“Not really, as long as you study diligently, you can master these things quickly too,” Zhang Rongfang said earnestly.

He wasn’t lying, even though these were all attribute points added up.

But after all, they were things he learned through serious study.

The attribute points accelerated time, through diligent study and practice, wasn’t it still him?

Chui Xi was immediately motivated anew.

“A few days ago, I saw some herbs you bought placed beside the pill furnace. Have you started trying alchemy yourself now?”

“Yes. I’m preparing to practice on my own.”

“Do you need me to find some herbs? My family is somewhat in the herbal business, with many aged herbs, very skilled. Anyway, you don’t seem to be short of money, do you?” Chui Xi smiled playfully.

Several times, she had seen Zhang Rongfang giving money to Qingyou.

Naturally, she knew his financial situation was good.

“Aged herbs? A hundred-year-old Red Reishi, can you get it?”

Zhang Rongfang immediately asked.

Red Reishi is common, but those over a hundred years old are rare.

Or rather, they are in demand but not in stock.

The purchase price in the market is high, but as soon as the goods come out, they are immediately snapped up.

He asked Zhang Qingzhi about it and confirmed that there was only one with the highest age of sixty years, nothing else.

“A hundred-year-old Red Reishi, we do have some. My father happens to have two, but the price will be a bit over the market.” Chui Xi’s eyes twinkled, smiling.

“No problem, as long as the quality is good, we can discuss the price.” Zhang Rongfang smiled.

He needed a hundred-year-old Red Reishi as the main ingredient for the second layer of Golden Toad Skill Hidden Moon.

He was just thinking about where to find this, and unexpectedly, Chui Xi’s family had it.

Zhang Rongfang didn’t want to go directly to his master since he had just promised to only practice the First Layer of Golden Toad Skill.

They agreed that once Chui Xi went home and talked it over with her father, they would then set a time and place for the transaction.

After parting with Chui Xi, Zhang Rongfang strolled around the Celestial Treasure Palace, taking a break.

The entire Celestial Treasure Palace covers a vast area, practically owning all the nearby mountain peaks.

The various Dao Palaces, each with a different style, some imposing, some solemn, some exquisitely crafted.

Nestled among white Qinghua trees that cover the hills.

Even though the heavy rain had knocked down many blossoms, large patches of branches still swayed in the wind.

As Zhang Rongfang walked out of the Pill Hall and passed through the forest path between two Dao Palaces,

he unexpectedly heard a faint sound resembling a kiss.

With sharp senses, he looked towards the sound.

Through the gaps in the flower branches, he vaguely saw, in the forest on the right side of the path, a man and a woman were tightly embracing, like dry sticks on fire, touching each other non-stop.

“Xiaohao, come, turn around!” The man had a tall nose and wore luxurious clothing, not seeming like someone from the Daoist Sect.

He was handsome and androgynous, with a somewhat flippant demeanor.

The woman was pretty and cute, with large eyes, giving off an impression of innocence and cleverness.

But at this moment, she cooperatively turned around and bent over.

Zhang Rongfang didn’t continue to watch; they were engaged in their own intimate affair, and it wasn’t proper for him to spy on them with his sharp sight.

Continuing forward, he soon arrived at Yuanqing Hall.

The disciples of Yuanqing Hall specifically handled repairs and maintenance around the Celestial Treasure Palace.

This place was always bustling, quite lively.

The renovation team of Yuanqing Hall was top-notch, frequently entering and leaving different Dao Palaces, making them well-informed.

Zhang Rongfang came here, not only to stroll and rest but also to gather some news from the outside world.

During this period, he tried his hand at alchemy in the Fire Gathering Basin, and refined many common pills, which he then sought to sell externally through a brother from Yuanqing Hall to recoup some costs.

This brother’s name is Zhou Yan, who frequently visits the Fire Gathering Basin and specializes in purchasing various common pills from different caves and reselling them.

Of course, there are quite a few people like him.

However, Zhang Rongfang found Zhou Yan to be more sincere compared to others, so he connected with him.

Soon, he asked a few disciples from Yuanqing Hall for directions, and after a few minutes, found Zhou Yan hanging clothes under a Qinghua tree grove.

This guy’s clothes clearly weren’t washed properly, still stained with faint grease marks, but he didn’t care, casually twisted some water out, and hung the daoist robe on the rope.

“Brother Zhang Ying! Long time no see! Looks like you’ve become more robust!” Zhou Yan turned to see Zhang Rongfang and immediately laughed, walking up and patting his arm.

The skin and flesh on the sturdy arm rebounded, making Zhou Yan’s palm ache.

“Tsk, tsk, your martial cultivation is really impressive. I’ve seen many martial cultivators, but rarely anyone as formidable as you.” Zhou Yan praised.

“I just practice casually, it’s nothing worth mentioning.” Zhang Rongfang replied modestly.

“This time I’ve come to inquire with brother about the current situation outside?”

Zhou Yan shook his head.

“The rules of Celestial Robe Pavilion have been set, and soldiers are patrolling everywhere outside. Many merchants have been caught and flogged, the number is so high that even the execution grounds are insufficient, and the authorities have opened a large area outside the city for mass flogging.”

“Furthermore, the Bright Temple you asked me to inquire about, it’s gone now.” He said gravely.

“Gone!?” Zhang Rongfang was stunned. “What do you mean?”

The Great Brightness Temple was the strongest main force of the Eastern Sect and the birthplace of Imperial Tutor Damir.

It was precisely because the Imperial Tutor hailed from this place that the ordinary Bright Temple had transformed into the Great Brightness Temple, moved to the Great Capital, and achieved the reputation as the greatest temple in the world.

It’s said that the Great Brightness Temple occupies a larger area than the Celestial Treasure Palace. With thousands of monks, sandalwood permeates everywhere, Buddhist chants echo all day, and lights are bright from dawn till dusk, with continuous chanting through the night.

But now… such a large temple… gone?!

“A few days ago, the Great Brightness Temple suddenly caught fire; some of the high monks were burned to death, some disappeared, and the whole temple was utterly destroyed, burned down to nothing.” Zhou Yan spread his hands.

Zhang Rongfang knew immediately that there was something amiss.

The Buddhist Ancestral Court of the Eastern Sect, which the Imperial Tutor hailed from, could be destroyed so simply?

Where were the top experts of the Eastern Sect? Even without spiritual veins, would strong figures like the Celestial Maiden stand by and watch the Great Brightness Temple burn down?

It can be imagined that the complex conflicts and disputes involved are absolutely difficult to calculate.

“Also, the Yunwu Manor you asked me to inquire about is finished too. The entire manor was massacred, including those who previously came to us seeking medicine.

They were killed after returning. Not a single one was spared.” Zhou Yan, saying this, lowered his voice, expressing regret.

“I always feel that things have been particularly chaotic lately. Anyway, remember to clearly understand the clothing regulations when you go out, to avoid bad luck and breaking rules.” Zhou Yan advised.

“Thank you, brother.” Zhang Rongfang nodded.

Then he further inquired about the clothing regulations, carefully memorizing the rules.

Although, as someone from the Daoist sect, he only needed to wear a daoist robe and didn’t have to think much.

If thoroughly implemented, it could distinguish different people’s identities and classes through external attire.

*

*

*

Under candlelight.

Xiao Ling quietly waited in the inn room.

He wore a black veil, resting a long knife on his knees, closing his eyes to focus.

This was inside an ordinary inn outside the palace.

And his trip was naturally to complete the secret mission ordered by Princess Qianye.

Creek…

The door was suddenly pushed open slowly.

A hulking figure slowly entered the room, locking the door behind.

“Brother Xiao, has mother dispatched orders?” The figure walked into the candlelight, revealing a dignified, square face.

It was the current rare expert of the Eastern Sect, Golden Wing Pavilion Master Cheng Hui.

“Yes.” Xiao Ling rose from the bed, standing up. Carefully observing Cheng Hui before him.

“To be honest, we’ve heard some rumors about you these days… unpleasant rumors.”

Silence.

Cheng Hui’s face remained unchanged but did not speak.

He waited, believing the other party deemed him still trustworthy since they invited him here.

Otherwise, there was no need to do this.

Sure enough, after waiting ten-plus seconds.

Xiao Ling finally raised his hand, opening his palm to reveal a delicate brown iron box.

“This is what Her Highness asked me to give you to complete the task. You will deliver the three items inside to three individuals.”

Cheng Hui’s eyes slightly changed.

He recognized the identity of this item.

Gold Ring!

Absolutely the true Gold Ring.

What the Sensing Sect supposedly snatched from the Bright Temple’s Grandmaster was likely counterfeit…

He reached out to take it.

Swish.

Xiao Ling suddenly retracted his hand. His gaze was sharp, staring at him, seemingly trying to discern something deeper from his eyes.

Cheng Hui’s expression remained calm.

“If you don’t trust me, you can take it back.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep