The Sect Master was stunned repeatedly, momentarily at a loss for words. He had just been busy calculating how to manage the wedding, and now he was being told that wasn't the case at all?
At this moment, the other elders rushed into the small courtyard. Upon hearing Mo Yang’s words, they stood rooted to the spot, their faces masks of confusion.
"You still dare to quibble? Tell us, where did you get these medicinal pills?" the First Elder barked coldly.
***
Chapter 17: An Incredible Breakthrough
To say nothing of Mo Yang, even the entire Lingxu Sect would only go out to purchase medicinal pills once a year. Furthermore, because of the sky-high prices, the quantity bought each time never exceeded thirty pills.
The key was that the pills they were able to purchase were merely ordinary ones.
Yet the two types of pills Mo Yang had just mentioned were by no means ordinary. They didn't know much about the Beauty Preservation Pill, but they all knew of the Marrow Cleansing Pill—a precious treasure used to refine one's constitution. It was priceless and in high demand, something even major sects would fight over.
Leaving aside the fact that it was impossible to buy, even if it were available, Mo Yang would have no ability to afford it. The astronomical price alone was something no ordinary disciple could bear.
Mo Yang gave a cold snort and said, "As for the truth, wait for Su Feier to wake up, and you can ask her the full story yourselves. As for the pills, why should I tell you anything!"
The First Elder’s face turned livid with rage. Just as he was about to retort, a wave of energy suddenly erupted from inside Mo Yang’s room, cutting him off mid-sentence.
"Could it be that Feier has broken through?" the Supreme Elder asked in surprise. That ripple was clearly caused by a breakthrough in cultivation.
Following that, an aura of the Level 3 Spirit Awakening Realm radiated from the room.
Even the Sect Master’s eyes revealed a trace of joy. He knew Su Feier’s cultivation level better than anyone, and now that she had reached the Level 3 Spirit Awakening Realm, it was clearly a breakthrough.
However, before anyone could speak, the expressions of the elders froze as the aura shifted. The aura of the early Level 3 Spirit Awakening Realm gradually began to transition toward the mid-level, growing increasingly powerful.
"What is... happening? How... how can cultivation rise like this?" The Second Elder looked on, his expression one of disbelief; he stared at the room behind Mo Yang, his speech stammering.
Though Mo Yang was also somewhat surprised, he was not shocked.
Su Feier had consumed so many Marrow Cleansing Pills at once; while it nearly cost her her life, the benefits were unimaginable. After such a thorough cleansing of her marrow and bones, it was akin to a rebirth. With her potential unleashed, a breakthrough in cultivation was only to be expected.
"Mid-level 3 Spirit Awakening Realm, this..." The Sect Master couldn't help but exclaim. Having cultivated for so many years, this was his first time seeing cultivation rise in such a manner.
Moreover, the aura continued to grow, only settling once it neared the peak of Level 3.
The Supreme Elder could no longer hold back; he dashed toward the room, only to stop abruptly at the doorway. He looked back at Mo Yang and asked, "Boy, is Feier dressed yet?"
The Sect Master, who had been following close behind, also stumbled, hurriedly stopping in his tracks to look back at Mo Yang.
The other elders did the same, their gazes all fixed on Mo Yang. At this point, they couldn't even be bothered to pursue the topic of the pills.
Mo Yang: "..."
His face turned as black as the bottom of a wok. It seemed he was destined to be the scapegoat; no matter how he explained it, it made no sense.
Everything he had said before seemed to have been cast before swine.
Feeling those probing gazes, Mo Yang said decisively, "I did not take her clothes off!"
"I will say it again: I did nothing! I didn't eat the meat, I didn't drink the soup, and I didn't cook anything!"
The Supreme Elder hesitated for a moment before saying, "You dense boy, I’ll settle accounts with you later!"
The group of elders filed into the room. Mo Yang shook his head helplessly and then left the courtyard, not daring to get tangled up with those old men any longer.
It was late, and the setting sun cast a vibrant glow across the sky.
Looking up at the vast expanse, a sense of indescribable loneliness welled up in Mo Yang’s heart. In the past, even if the other elders and disciples of the sect looked down on him, there had always been one person who stayed by his side and encouraged him. He had never felt alone.
But now, it seemed he was the only one left in the whole world.
The Xuantian Continent was vast and boundless. Lingxu Sect was merely an ordinary sect in the western region of the continent, and even that region alone housed countless sects. It was said that on this vast land, there were also ancient holy grounds with extremely long legacies.
"Xiao Yang, Master has never left the western region of the continent in his entire life. In the future, you must go out and see the world; that is where the true arena of geniuses lies."
The Fourth Elder’s words still seemed to echo in his ears. Now that the Fourth Elder was gone, Mo Yang’s heart was no longer here either.
He planned to leave once the time was right—not only to become stronger, but also to find some answers.
He harbored too many secrets. It seemed that some powerful entity had manipulated him, and to this day, he hadn't even heard the name "Star Emperor." He had scoured the ancient texts in the library but found not a single mention of it.
Not until nightfall did Mo Yang return to Wood Peak, guessing that the elders would have left by then.
He walked into the courtyard with his hands behind his back, only to find the candles flickering in the room—clearly, someone was inside.
Mo Yang was speechless. Could those old men still be waiting for him?
He pushed the door open, but the scene before his eyes made him freeze instantly. The candlelight flickered, and a wooden tub was filled with steaming water—the crucial point being that there was someone inside it.
The tub was one Mo Yang usually used for bathing. Because he had been taking Marrow Cleansing Pills recently, he had to discharge impurities from his body, so he kept the tub in the room.
The person in the steaming tub was none other than Su Feier.
As the door opened, Mo Yang stood rooted to the spot. Even though he had never entertained any thoughts about Su Feier, his body’s instincts were not things he could easily control. His eyes drifted involuntarily toward certain areas.
At his age, his vitality was at its peak. After just a moment of stunned silence, his breathing quickened, and his blood felt as if it were racing through his veins.
Su Feier was also stunned. In the past, whenever Mo Yang went missing, he would be gone for a long time before returning. Furthermore, after waking up today, she had discovered a foul odor radiating from her body and had decided to bathe quietly, never expecting Mo Yang to return so soon.
After a few seconds of shock, a scream pierced the night sky.
The scream was like a curse. Terrified, Mo Yang’s expression changed drastically. He hurriedly turned around, closed the door, and fled in a panic, running out of the courtyard without looking back.
It wasn't until the middle of the night that Mo Yang cautiously returned. After observing from the shadows and realizing Su Feier had left, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Back in his room, he entered the Star Emperor Pagoda. The true qi within him was growing steadily and becoming difficult to suppress; he had to prepare for a breakthrough.
The Heaven Profound Realm was different from the previous three stages. It was not divided into three levels, but into nine distinct tiers.
This realm was like a watershed for cultivators. After breaking through to the Heaven Profound Realm, one had to open the profound meridians within the body—like unlocking nine internal treasures, connecting the entire body. Once achieved, the spiritual roots would be fully opened, and one’s combat power would be vastly superior to previous realms.
***
Chapter 18: Heaven Profound Realm
In the second level of the Star Emperor Pagoda, Mo Yang sat silently. After regulating his breath for several hours, he consumed a Gathering Origin Pill he had prepared in advance.
With a thought, the golden true qi in his dantian surged forth. Under the drive of the Star Emperor Scripture, it circulated madly through his meridians. The true qi exiting his body flowed like golden dragons across his skin. The second level of the Stone Pagoda shook as the heaven and earth essence in this space was continuously drawn toward him.
Soon after, a wave of energy erupted from Mo Yang, accompanied by a powerful surge of cultivation volatility that rippled in all directions.
Heaven Profound opened, the nine stages turned—the cultivation barrier had been broken.
His body trembled violently. His dantian was instantly widened by more than double. The golden true qi flowed back from his meridians, converged, and rushed through a meridian.
The Heaven Profound Realm had nine stages, and each stage required the opening of a profound meridian. Now that he had reached the first stage of the Heaven Profound Realm, he had to open the first profound meridian.
Regarding this realm, the Fourth Elder had previously taught Mo Yang much martial knowledge. While normally one opened one meridian per breakthrough, it was a choice left to the cultivator. It was rumored that heaven-defying geniuses could open two or more at once, and naturally, there was a vast difference in combat power.
"The dantian itself is the largest profound meridian. If I use it as the first meridian and open it again, would there be any difference?"
As Mo Yang contemplated this, the true qi flowed back with his intent. Driven by the Star Emperor Scripture, the violent energy was forced into his dantian in an instant.
"Ah..."
Mo Yang let out a scream of agony. His dantian was instantly ruptured, nearly shattering completely.
A mouthful of blood welled up in his throat, and a streak of red immediately overflowed from his lips.
Mo Yang had never experienced such pain. In that instant, it felt as if his tendons were being pulled and his bones broken, as if he were being carved by a thousand blades. His consciousness blurred, and he nearly fainted.
Mo Yang had not realized the severity of the consequences. No one had ever used this method before, because according to the laws of opening meridians in the Heaven Profound Realm, no one would ever attempt to open their own dantian.
However, the scripture continued to run, and his ruptured dantian seemed on the verge of total collapse under the onslaught of the violent true qi.
The true qi within him was in total chaos, completely beyond his control.
"Boom..."
At that moment, Mo Yang felt the entire Stone Pagoda tremble. The patterns on the surrounding walls shimmered, emitting blinding light as rays converged upon him from all directions.
Mo Yang faintly heard the sound of the Great Dao, resembling a Buddhist chant.
He kept his eyes tightly closed, his expression pained, his consciousness drifting. He didn't notice the changes on the surrounding walls, where divine radiance glowed and ancient characters emerged, releasing immense sonic waves.
The Star Emperor Scripture within him operated automatically, resonating with the pagoda. His ruptured dantian was stabilized and then, miraculously, began to reshape and heal.
He gritted his teeth and persisted for a long time, but eventually, he could hold on no longer. His consciousness sank, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
He didn't know how much time had passed before Mo Yang finally woke up. He felt as though his entire body was still in agony, as if every inch of his skin had been sliced by knives.
He opened his eyes; the interior of the pagoda was calm once more. He hurriedly checked his dantian and discovered that it was completely intact and even a size larger than before. Only his meridians had suffered some degree of damage due to the loss of control over the true qi.
However, Mo Yang wasn't worried about the meridian damage; the Intermittent Restoration Pill he had previously refined was specifically for healing.
"That was close. I nearly caused a disaster!"
Recalling the scene, Mo Yang still felt lingering fear. Before he had passed out, he had faintly sensed the pagoda’s massive movement, the roaring of the Dao sounds, and the mysterious connection that had formed between him and the structure.
"It seems this Star Emperor Pagoda is even more mysterious than I imagined..."
Without further thought, Mo Yang sat down to regulate his breath. His internal injuries were not light, and he had to heal them as quickly as possible.
He spent two days in the pagoda, during which he took three Intermittent Restoration Pills. Only when his meridian injuries had recovered by seventy or eighty percent did he stop.
With his breakthrough, Mo Yang felt a strength in his body he had never known before. The Heaven Profound Realm was indeed entirely different from the previous stages. He channeled his true qi, pointed a finger, and a ray of sword qi shot out, instantly piercing through a stone stool in the courtyard.
"Truly, things are unpredictable. In less than two months, I have actually reached the Heaven Profound Realm. This realm I once dreamed of is now within my grasp..."
Mo Yang couldn't help but sigh. Two months ago, this was a level he wouldn't even have dared to imagine.
He had no idea how many people had visited the courtyard over the last two days. Su Feier’s cultivation had broken through overnight, leaping from the peak of the Level 2 Spirit Awakening Realm to the peak of Level 3. It was simply the stuff of legends.
Such a thing couldn't be hidden, and the rumors spreading mentioned that it all had to do with one of Mo Yang’s medicines.
After the news broke, many disciples couldn't help but come to Wood Peak, especially those who had long been stuck at their own bottlenecks, all hoping to obtain that medicine from Mo Yang to achieve a breakthrough.
But Mo Yang was nowhere to be found, and no one in the sect had seen a trace of him.
After this incident, it was the elders who truly felt it was unbelievable.
After repeated questioning from the Supreme Elder and the Sect Master, Su Feier had no choice but to confess that Mo Yang knew how to refine pills, and the medicinal herbs she had taken from the treasury were for him.
To the elders, this was earth-shattering news.
More than anything, they were bewildered. They could not understand it.
Although Mo Yang had been with the Fourth Elder on Wood Peak, he had effectively grown up under their eyes all these years. How could he possibly know how to refine pills?
The key was that even the Fourth Elder knew nothing about alchemy. Where had Mo Yang learned it?
Each elder frowned in deep thought. They pondered carefully: not just the Fourth Elder, but in the entire history of Lingxu Sect, there had never been an alchemist.
"This boy must be hiding secrets that no one knows!" The Supreme Elder had been keeping a close eye on Mo Yang recently. Ever since Mo Yang revealed his cultivation, it had been breaking through constantly, which had completely overturned his existing understanding.
"No wonder he had such a massive demand for herbs... To think he knows alchemy. He really is a treasure..."
The Supreme Elder muttered while frowning in thought. As if thinking of something, his face darkened again, and he said with a hint of bitterness: "He won't even eat the meat served on a plate. You blockheaded child, just how many secrets are you hiding..."
The matter regarding Mo Yang and Su Feier seemed to have become the Supreme Elder’s biggest knot; the problem was that Mo Yang never played by the rules.
***
Chapter 19: Crazed for Pills
Recently, the changes in Mo Yang had been so startling that they made the elders feel as if he were a complete stranger.
The Supreme Elder, in particular, had been unusually depressed lately. The more he paid attention to Mo Yang, the more he felt he didn't understand him—he was becoming increasingly unreadable.
Having lived for so many years, he knew there must be a reason for Mo Yang’s recent changes, especially the alchemy. Mo Yang had likely encountered a master; without guidance, these things were completely inexplicable.
In the following few days, the entire Lingxu Sect was abuzz. Many disciples were talking about Mo Yang, and many even speculated that the reason for Mo Yang’s powerful cultivation was that very medicine.
Mo Yang, however, was extremely annoyed, as the peace of Wood Peak had been shattered. Many disciples had come up seeking medicine.
There were even quite a few female disciples who had come for other reasons.
Because Su Feier had seemed like a different person lately—not only had her cultivation soared, but her entire being seemed to have acquired a spiritual charm. Her figure had become more slender and graceful, and her skin had become as delicate and fair as a newborn's. Clearly, Mo Yang’s medicine did more than just aid in cultivation.
In the second level of the Star Emperor Pagoda, Mo Yang sat before the Creation Pill Furnace, muttering to himself: "It seems the matter of the pills cannot be hidden. If that's the case, I might as well make a clean break of it!"
Since one has to look out for oneself, Mo Yang certainly couldn't just give the pills away for free. With his alchemy skills improving, his demand for herbs was growing, and trading pills for herbs was the best method.
In the Xuantian Continent, while pills were extremely expensive, common herbs were cheap and affordable for the disciples.
As for the elders of Lingxu Sect, if he didn't squeeze some profit out of them, Mo Yang felt he would be doing himself a disservice.
"Since my cultivation has broken through to the Heaven Profound Realm, I should calm down and settle for a while. Chasing speed blindly will only lead to losses."
That day, a piece of news exploded throughout the entire Lingxu Sect.
Mo Yang announced that any disciple of the sect could bring herbs to Wood Peak to exchange for pills. At the same time, a list began to circulate among the disciples, featuring three types of pills: the Gathering Origin Pill, the Marrow Cleansing Pill, and the Beauty Preservation Pill.
Even their corresponding effects were noted clearly, followed by the specific types and quantities of herbs required for the exchange.
The entire sect was in an uproar. Previously, because the elders had intentionally hidden it, the disciples only knew Mo Yang had "medicine," but they didn't know they were medicinal pills. Now that the news was out, it was earth-shattering.
"Trading herbs for medicinal pills? Is Mo Yang an alchemist?"
"The Marrow Cleansing Pill alone is priceless! Where did he get so many? Could he have encountered some heaven-defying fortune..."
"Forget it, let’s just gather the herbs and exchange for one to try! If we’re late, we might not even get a taste of the soup!"
...
For a time, countless disciples left the sect. Naturally, they didn't dare to target the sect’s treasury like Mo Yang, so they had to purchase the herbs from shops in the cities outside the sect.
Mo Yang opened the gates of his courtyard wide and set up a table and chair. He laid out bottles of pills on the table and sat there like a doctor, looking the part.
Wood Peak became incredibly lively. Disciples arrived in droves, clutching herbs bought from shops, and even late at night, the stone path to Wood Peak remained crowded with disciples.
Many female disciples even sold their jade hairpins and jewelry just to trade for herbs to exchange for pills.
In the main hall, the elders looked at each other.
What on earth was this? Mo Yang was actually running a shop on Wood Peak. In just a single day, business was booming, and the entire sect felt like a marketplace.
"This is outrageous! How can the sect just let him run wild like this?" the Second Elder complained indignantly.
The First Elder also spoke in a deep voice: "Our Lingxu Sect is a cultivation sect, not a pharmacy or a market! With him causing such a stir, how can the disciples focus on their training?"
He continued, "He took so many herbs from the treasury, and now, he’s turned around, refined them into pills, and is doing business within the sect! I think those pills should be confiscated by the sect!"
The Third Elder laughed, "If you two old men want to exchange for pills, just go. Why make so many excuses? While the herbs were taken from the sect treasury, that isn't the point. The point is that he can refine them into pills, and it is the sect’s disciples who are benefiting. I, for one, find this little fellow Mo Yang rather interesting!"