Chapter 64: Walking on The Poisonous Path

　　At the mention of Pill Tripod Peak, Li Changshou was most interested in the new Pill Furnace that he was about to obtain. Secondly, he was interested in Wan Linyun, a master of concocting poisons.

　　Most of the knowledge that Li Changshou had now about poison-refining theories and nearly half of his poison formulas were obtained from Wan Linyun.

　　Wan Linyun was an Elder of the sect and a Heaven Immortal of Pill Tripod Peak who liked to refine and concoct poison. His competency could not be judged by his cultivation level or his Dharma treasures.

　　When Li Changshou’s Little Junior Sister went to the East Ocean to kill the prawn demons, Li Changshou considered using her poisonous powder to attract the attention of this elder

　　After all, he was an expert in the sect. Although he had taken away the poisonous powder that Li Changshou had refined, he didn’t do much afterward…

　　Li Changshou did not dare to take the initiative.

　　As a disciple of the sect, he would definitely seem like a malicious person who was planning to murder his enemy, if he were to take the initiative to seek guidance from the elder who had the best poison-refining techniques in the sect.

　　However, if an elder in the sect, who liked to refine poison, insisted on teaching his disciple how to refine poison, others would have a better impression of Li Changshou…

　　The slight difference between taking the initiative and being passive was obvious.

　　When rushing to Pill Tripod Peak on a cloud with Jiu Wuyun, Li Changshou was deep in thought. It was not easy for him to get a chance to go to Pill Tripod Peak. He wondered if he should arrange for an “encounter” with that poison-refining master.

　　He could not be too deliberate or too casual about it.

　　It would be great if he could obtain some poisonous pills and Poison Sutra from Elder Wan Linyun. Even if he could only get some attention, it would be worth it.

　　The white clouds passed through two mountains and Jiu Wu said smilingly with his hands behind his back, “Look, that’s Pill Tripod Peak.”

　　Li Changshou smiled and nodded. He looked at the wine pot-shaped mountain peak in front of him, his eyes filled with anticipation.

　　Let’s see if I can meet Senior Wan Linyun this time. Some things will be ruined if they’re forced.

　　There was a caster and an alchemist on Pill Tripod Peak.

　　There were not many people who refined Qi on this peak— There were only a hundred-odd of them.

　　There were three Immortal Elders, thirty-odd Perfected Immortals, Essence Immortals, and more than ten disciples. The rest were all disciples who performed miscellaneous chores.

　　Li Changshou and Jiu Wu landed in the small courtyard on the mountainside of Pill Tripod Peak, where a handyman disciple led the way and served tea.

　　Soon, a male Perfected Immortal dressed in a blue robe and a crown with an Eight Trigram arrived. He was slightly chubby and looked rather well-supplemented.

　　He seemed to have… suffered the side effects of consuming too many pills.

　　“Junior Jiu Wu, why haven’t you been visiting frequently in the past few years?”

　　Jiu Wu sighed and said, “Sigh, I’m always sent to travel around and I don’t have time to rest at all.”

　　“That’s because the people in the sect find you trustworthy, Junior!” the round-faced Immortal said with a smile. He looked at Li Changshou and gestured for him to enter. “The Hundred Mortal Hall has already given me the order. There are a few Pill Furnaces that are free for use. I’ll take you guys there to pick one out.”

　　Li Changshou stood behind Jiu Wu. Although he was much taller than his Uncle-Master Jiu Wu, he still looked rather insignificant.

　　Jiu Wu also made an introduction for Li Changshou. The round-faced Immortal was called Liu Feixian. He was also an executive of the sect, just like Jiu Wu, and was usually in charge of handling the miscellaneous affairs of Pill Tripod Peak.

　　Li Changshou bowed and addressed him as ‘Uncle-Master’. Liu Feixian smiled and gave Li Changshou some words of encouragement, after which he stopped talking.

　　The three of them rode away from the small courtyard on the clouds and drifted towards a secluded valley.

　　Liu Feixian and Jiu Wu chatted along the way. Li Changshou stood behind them and observed them instead of looking at the surrounding scenery.

　　There was a huge array outside the secluded valley. It blocked the detection of immortal senses and had a certain protective effect.

　　Inside the array formation, the fragrance of flowers wafted up into their noses and the sounds of birds drifted into their ears, while immortal light was emitted in all directions.

　　There were dozens of houses that seemed to have decorated the forest. At that moment, most of them had activated the array formation outside the house. The immortals and disciples inside were probably cultivating.

　　Laughter could be heard in the forest, along the path leading to the ethereal area.

　　Compared to his Little Qiong Peak, the place was indeed… much more ostentatious.

　　After following the two Perfected Immortals, they arrived at a large house that was covered by an array formation.

　　Liu Feixian quickly closed the array formation and opened the door. There were thick layers of dust all over the place and a few ten-feet-tall Pill Furnaces were placed in a corner. There were also some other miscellaneous items.

　　Li Changshou immediately selected one of the Pill Furnaces.

　　The material of the Pill Furnace was not as good as that of the violet-gold one that he had repaired. However, it was a brand-new treasure which did not lack any of the necessary restrictions. The overall power of the Pill Furnace was slightly higher than the one in the blast furnace.

　　This was not bad. After all, he was a disciple on Void Return, on the surface, and did not need an excellent Pill Furnace…

　　At the side, Jiu Wu smiled and chided, “Senior Liu, aren’t you being a little too stingy by giving me these Pill Furnaces? Apprentice-Nephew Changshou had contributed greatly this time. The sect has also decided to reward him by letting him come to Pill Tripod Peak to select a furnace. On the way here, I’ve already gone all out and decided to be thick-skinned, so don’t think of getting rid of him so easily!”

　　Liu Feixian’s expression was slightly awkward. He quickly said, “Junior, you should have said so earlier. Come, let’s go to another place.”

　　Li Changshou thanked Jiu Wu from the bottom of his heart. Just as he was about to say that the furnaces there were good enough, he suddenly heard a soft gasp from outside.

　　“Changshou? Are you the disciple of Little Qiong Peak?”

　　Jiu Wu was stunned and so was Liu Feixian but Li Changshou was delighted.

　　A gust of breeze blew past, and a thin old man appeared outside the door with a walking stick.

　　The walking stick was wrapped in a layer of bronze. The old man’s wrinkled face was a little cold and austere, but his eyes were bright and energetic. His grayish-white hair fluttered in the wind, and the Daoist robe that he was wearing gave off a pungent smell…

　　Elder Wan Linyun!

　　Liu Feixian and Jiu Wu hurriedly bowed.

　　Jiu Wu quickly sent a voice transmission to Li Changshou. “This is the elder of Pill Tripod Peak! You can just call him Granduncle-Master.”

　　“I’m Li Changshou, a disciple of the Little Qiong Peak. I hereby pay my respects to you, Granduncle-Master.”

　　The old man nodded in response. The corners of his mouth quivered as he tried to put on… a sinister smile.

　　Liu Feixian and Jiu Wu shuddered and subconsciously took two steps back.

　　They wondered How did we offend this Poison Immortal who rarely goes out?

　　Wan Linyun did not make any small talk. He pointed at Li Changshou and asked, “How do you refine the Fox Heart Pill?”

　　The event that I foreshadowed years ago has finally happened!

　　Li Changshou remained silent and thought about it for a while. He hung his head low and maintained his posture. His speech was clear but he was slightly nervous.

　　He said, “In terms of the ratio of herbs, three portions of blood from the heart of the Spirit Fox, one portion of muddy grass, two portions of the honey-black Soul-Breaking Herb, one portion of Hongyu grass, a small portion of water, and a small amount of non-sooting powder… The Fox Heart Pill will be obtained after 12 hours of condensation with cold fire.”

　　Elder Wan Linyun nodded slowly while the smile on his lips turned even more… frightening!

　　“If I add two portions of withered orchid powder and refine it for 12 hours, what would I get?”

　　Li Changshou answered, “The Dark Fox Heart Pill.”

　　“If I remove the honey-black Soul-Breaking Herb, add three portions of Danyang Lotus Powder, two portions of Snow Sand, refine it for 24 hours with White Fire, what do I get?”

　　Li Changshou pondered for a while. This time, he took a little longer.

　　Jiu Wu, who was standing at the side, immediately became anxious. He shot Liu Fei a look.

　　However, Liu Feixian kept shaking her head, hinting for Jiu Wu to not speak…

　　This elder could kill two Perfected Immortals effortlessly!

　　Standing outside the door, Elder Wan Linyun’s smile turned colder. He squinted slightly as his eyes glistened.

　　Jiu Wu pondered over his words. He was not familiar with Wan Linyun, but judging from his expression…

　　No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like he was going to melt Li Changshou!

　　However, Li Changshou replied, “A useless pill.”

　　The corners of Jiu Wu’s mouth twitched, and he was about to beg for mercy.

　　However, Elder Wan Linyun’s smile disappeared at that moment. He looked serious and asked, “Why is it useless?”

　　“The medicinal properties have been neutralized.” Li Changshou frowned and continued, “The White Fire was originally a gentle, and neutral fire. Now, the temperature in the pill is neutral, and the medicinal properties of the herbs are offset…

　　“Although a pill can be formed, it will be useless.”

　　“Oh?” Wan Linyun took half a step forward with his walking stick.

　　Jiu Wu hurriedly stepped forward and bowed. “Elder, this young junior is highly regarded by my master. If I offend you, please forgive me on account of my master!”

　　Wan Linyun glanced at the short Daoist Jiu Wu and remained silent. He continued looking at Li Changshou and asked, “You said medicinal properties, but these are obviously poisonous.”

　　Li Changshou had a slightly nervous expression. However, he lowered his head and bent down to say the words that he had been waiting to say for decades. Given the things that the Elder Wan Linyun had done in his life, he felt that the words he was going to say would most likely pierce Wan Linyun’s heart.

　　“Poison is a type of medicine, just like how culinary dishes can be sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy. It’s the same for herbs.”

　　Everyone in the house fell silent. Liu Feixian turned to glare at Li Changshou, his eyes filled with anxiety.

　　What kind of nonsense was that?

　　How can he classify poison and medicine as the same thing!?!

　　The short Daoist, Jiu Wu, sensed that a pair of eyes was staring at him from above. He looked up and happened to see Wan Linyun’s narrow eyes and… Wan Linyun sneered coldly.

　　The elder said, “Can I borrow him for a few days?”

　　“Please, go ahead.”

　　“Okay.” Wan Linyun nodded and said to Li Changshou, “You, follow me.”

　　Li Changshou lowered his head and acknowledged. After bowing to Jiu Wu and Liu Feixian, he slowly left the place and followed behind the elder.

　　Before he could take more than ten steps, Elder Wan Linyun turned his head and asked, “How do you refine the Dark Jade Pill?”

　　“I only know the remnant formula. The main ingredients are three portions of Nether Water and two Eagle Orchids that are between a thousand and three thousand years old…”

　　“Why do the Eagle Orchids have to be between a thousand to three thousand years old?”

　　“Even if the medicinal properties don’t clash with each other, they can’t help but affect each other. If it’s too old, the medicinal properties will be too strong. That would easily break the balance of the pills. I read a sutra that says that it’s not true that the older the pill, the better. It’s most important for it to be of an appropriate age.”

　　“Where did you see that sutra?”

　　“In the outer hall of the Dao Repository. There are a few bookshelves there that contain a lot of sutras regarding alchemy. I have read them carefully and pondered over many things… Could it be that you have written those sutras about poison?”

　　“Hehe, not bad.”

　　While they were chatting amidst the breeze, the two of them disappeared on a narrow road.

　　“Phew…”

　　Jiu Wu heaved a sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat off his forehead.

　　The Heaven Immortal Elder did not show any signs of being a Heaven Immortal just now. However, the fact that he had poisoned a Heaven Immortal was really hair-raising…

　　The slightly chubby immortal came over and asked, “Where… is this junior from? I’ve never seen such an amiable Uncle-Master before!”

　　“You call that amiable?”

　　Jiu Wu glared at Liu Feixian and was about to reply when he suddenly thought of something and shook his head. “Don’t ask me. I can’t say anything.”

　　Liu Feixian tilted his head and frowned.

　　…

　　Half a month later…

　　In the evening, Li Changshou rode on a white cloud and left Pill Tripod Peak calmly to head towards Little Qiong Peak.

　　There were no hiccups along the way. When he returned to the Little Qiong Peak, Youqin Xuanya was already gone.

　　Upon returning to the Pill Chamber, he took out a twenty-feet-tall black Pill Chamber from his Dharma treasure that doubled as a storage space. His expression did not change much.

　　After he activated the various array formations around him, he switched the beams and used paper effigies to guard the place. He then entered the secret underground chamber and sat behind the desk with a stern expression.

　　He brushed his left hand across the table and placed some jade pendants and jade bottles all over the table…

　　Li Changshou smiled and felt emotional.

　　Finally, he had squeezed everything out of the Elder’s… Poison Sutra!

　　He even obtained a large number of poisonous pills from the elder!

　　However, he also owed him a huge favor because of that. In the future, he had to find an opportunity to return the favor and sever the karma.

　　Those poisonous scriptures were very important to Li Changshou.

　　The poisonous pills that the Elder Wan Linyun had asked him to bring back as samples were even more important!

　　That could solve a huge problem for Li Changshou— giving an explanation to the sect about where the poisonous pills that he might use, and could kill Heaven Immortals had come from!

　　He could just say that they were given by Elder Wan Linyun.

　　There was no such thing as a free-for-all opportunity in this world. It was nothing more than a plan that would span across years and decades.

　　This toxic Immortal Elder…

　　The elder’s signature cold smile appeared in Li Changshou’s mind, and Li Changshou grinned widely.

　　Actually, his personality was quite cute. He was focused on refining poisonous pills and wasn’t too scheming.

　　Suddenly, Li Changshou felt something… itching between his legs.

　　It was similar to the itchiness that would often appear in his armpit lately.

　　Hiss…

　　What the hell?

　　Li Changshou tilted his head and quickly stopped thinking about the poison-refining elder. He carefully observed his condition and confirmed that there was no problem with his sexual orientation.

　　He was shocked. He thought that he had suddenly developed some strange fetish after looking at the “Aged Beauties” painting.

　　Li Changshou frowned.

　　What’s wrong with me? My body has been behaving strangely lately.

　　He felt that he had to strengthen his immortal foundation after becoming an immortal.

　　…

　　A moment ago…

　　In the Moon Elder Hall of the Heavenly Courts.