“Huh? Are you new here?”
Xiao Liuzi beamed as he looked at Shui Miao. “Hi, I’m Xiao Liuzi. Everyone calls me that.”
Xiao Liuzi approached Shui Miao, grabbed one of his fingers playfully, shook it, and then mischievously darted away to grab a gourd and start filling it with pills. The supervisor had transformed into this child, Xiao Liuzi, and it was really quite ridiculous. He looked only seven or eight years old, with a round face, dimpled smile, and two little tiger teeth that made him look incredibly cute and adorable.
“Hi, I’m Shui Miao. Nice to meet you,” Shui Miao replied politely.
Any little Daoist apprentice who managed to get here was definitely no ordinary person!
Shui Miao smiled politely, but inwardly, he was on high alert. Something felt off.
How could such a major immortal sect allow someone like him, a complete newcomer who had barely exchanged ten sentences with anyone, to enter such a crucial area as the Pill Storage Hall? It was highly unusual—there must be some hidden plot!
Shui Miao picked up a gourd and began imitating Xiao Liuzi, filling it with pills.
Meanwhile, he subtly sensed everything around the Pill Storage Hall…
Everything here felt real!
The pills were real, the gourds were real, and even the immortal energy was genuine and unproblematic.
Suddenly, Xiao Liuzi grabbed a pill and popped it into his mouth, crunching it like beans. As he chewed, the pill released a thick wave of pure immortal qi. Shui Miao barely inhaled a bit of it, but it surged into his spiritual perception, flowed back into his dantian, and rapidly replenished his inner energy.
“Xiao Liuzi… you’re sneaking snacks!?”
Shui Miao looked at him in surprise.
Xiao Liuzi looked up at Shui Miao and winked, then smiled sweetly. “Oh! You didn’t know? These are meant to be eaten. They’re not valuable pills anyway—they’re just everyday pills handed out to inner disciples as food. If you want to eat, go ahead!”
As he spoke, Xiao Liuzi grabbed a few more pills and stuffed them into his mouth, crunching loudly.
Shui Miao didn’t dare to eat…
But he really wanted to…
Seeing Shui Miao hesitate, Xiao Liuzi paused and asked, “Brother Shui Miao, don’t you like them? If you don’t, I can show you some better ones.”
“No thanks.”
Shui Miao shook his head, but secretly quickened his breathing to absorb more immortal qi and restore his energy.
“Brother Shui Miao, you’re just afraid someone might see, right?” Xiao Liuzi ran over and tugged on Shui Miao’s finger. “Come with me, Brother. I had one extra Dragon Soul Pill last time, and I hid it in a corner. I’ll give it to you now. Come on… it’s a top-grade pill that nourishes the soul. After eating it, your soul will become incredibly powerful, so no one can destroy it. I heard it’s a special pill our Yuxu Sect made especially for high immortals.”
Xiao Liuzi led Shui Miao to a gray wall. He stomped his foot, and the wall split in two, revealing a luxurious chamber filled with top-grade pills. Shui Miao could sense the powerful, soul-piercing pressure radiating from some of them. Especially eye-catching was a golden gourd on a jade table. Its surface was carved with a golden dragon, exuding a mysterious force that unconsciously drew Shui Miao closer.
Xiao Liuzi took a small box from a nearby cabinet. When he turned around and saw Shui Miao staring at the golden gourd, his heart skipped a beat. He quickly rushed over, grabbed Shui Miao’s hand, and handed him the Dragon Soul Pill.
“Quick, Brother, eat this Dragon Soul Pill…”
Xiao Liuzi deliberately positioned himself between Shui Miao and the golden gourd.
Shui Miao glanced at the Dragon Soul Pill—it looked like white jade, about the size of a lychee.
But he was curious about the pill inside the golden gourd and asked, “What’s that? Can you tell me?”
“This? This is a Foundation-Building Pill, meant for high immortals. If we little Daoists eat it, the medicinal power would be so strong it would kill us.” Xiao Liuzi pointed at the Dragon Soul Pill in Shui Miao’s hand. “Hurry up and eat this. It’s best for you. After eating it, your soul will grow much stronger.”
“…”
Shui Miao looked longingly at the golden gourd for a moment, then brought the Dragon Soul Pill to his nose. Strangely, the pill seemed ordinary—its immortal energy was only slightly stronger than usual. He felt no real desire to eat it. However, the pill inside the golden gourd on the jade table stirred a strong craving within him. He didn’t know why, but he really wanted to eat it—as if it had some kind of enchanting power.
“Forget it. I won’t eat it. This is too valuable. Can I just take a look?”
Shui Miao handed the Dragon Soul Pill back to Xiao Liuzi.
In truth, Shui Miao still had some doubts about Xiao Liuzi’s intentions. There was no such thing as a free lunch. He didn’t believe he was so lucky.
Seeing Shui Miao refuse, Xiao Liuzi looked disappointed.
This Pill Storage Hall was the most secret in the Ninth Heaven of Yuxu Sect. The supervisor had transformed into Xiao Liuzi, hoping to trick Shui Miao into eating the Dragon Soul Pill. Then, he would revert to his original identity and punish Shui Miao for stealing an expensive pill, forcing him to join the sect to resolve the matter. But Shui Miao remained unmoved, which surprised the supervisor.
Inside this secret pill chamber, apart from the Dragon Soul Pill, the supervisor dared not touch any other pill. Especially the pill inside the golden gourd on the golden box—the Yuanhun Golden Pill, which had been refined for three hundred years especially for the sect leader.
The Yuanhun Golden Pill was the pinnacle of all pills, a sacred medicine even the Great Immortal Lords of the Golden Immortality craved.
The Yuanhun Golden Pill had absorbed all the spiritual energy of the world, all the immortal power. And within it, Shui Miao could find the Spirit Devouring Force he so desperately sought.
“Let’s not look anymore. If the supervisor finds out I opened the secret chamber, he’ll kill me for sure!” Xiao Liuzi said anxiously, looking at Shui Miao.
Shui Miao scratched his head. “Just let me smell it once! Just once!”
“Okay then…”
The supervisor inwardly cursed—this Shui Miao had an uncanny nose and had immediately found the best pill.
But a few whiffs wouldn’t hurt.
True to his word, Shui Miao deeply inhaled the scent of the Yuanhun Golden Pill once, then immediately left the chamber and returned outside, where he began filling his gourd with pills without hesitation.
On the surface, Shui Miao was focused solely on filling the gourd.
But in reality, he was sensing the changes within his spiritual perception. After inhaling the Yuanhun Golden Pill’s scent, all the immortal energy inside his perception condensed into a tiny, sesame-sized object. Shui Miao didn’t know what it was, but he knew it was something valuable. Because after this small black object formed, he felt an immense surge of strength in his soul.
Seeing Shui Miao unmoved by the pills, the supervisor felt frustrated.
He thought to himself: Missing out on such a talent was a shame. Perhaps he should try again with some slightly inferior pills from the chamber?
“Hmm? Are you new here?”
Xiao Liuzi smiled warmly as he glanced at Shui Miao. “Hello, my name is Xiao Liuzi. That’s what everyone calls me.”
Xiao Liuzi walked up to Shui Miao, grabbed his finger, gave it a playful shake, then quickly darted away to pick up a gourd and began filling it with pills. The supervisor, who had transformed into Xiao Liuzi, was quite the character—he looked no more than seven or eight years old, with a round little face, two small dimples when he smiled, and a pair of adorable little fangs. He was incredibly cute and endearing.
“Hello, I’m Shui Miao. Nice to meet you.”
Any young apprentice who could make it here was definitely not ordinary!
Shui Miao smiled politely, but inside, he was on high alert. Something felt off.
A major immortal sect like this allowing someone like him—a first-time visitor who hadn’t even exchanged more than ten words with anyone—into such an important place as the pill room was highly unusual. There had to be some kind of scheme at play!
Shui Miao also picked up a gourd and, imitating Xiao Liuzi, began placing pills inside.
Quietly, he attuned his senses to everything within the pill room…
Everything felt real!
The pills were genuine, the gourds were real, and the immortal energy—everything seemed normal.
Just then, Xiao Liuzi suddenly grabbed a pill and popped it into his mouth, crunching on it as if it were a bean. As the pill was chewed apart, a vast amount of incredibly pure immortal spiritual energy wafted out. With just one whiff, Shui Miao felt a surge of immortal power flood into his consciousness. This energy then flowed back into his dantian, rapidly restoring the immortal power within his body.
“Xiao Liuzi… you’re sneaking a bite!?”
Shui Miao stared at him in surprise.
Xiao Liuzi looked up, blinked at Shui Miao, and suddenly said with a grin, “Oh! You didn’t know? These are meant to be eaten. They’re not particularly great pills anyway—just something prepared and distributed to inner disciples as daily meals. If you want some, help yourself!”
As he spoke, Xiao Liuzi grabbed a few more pills and stuffed them into his mouth, crunching loudly.
Shui Miao didn’t dare eat any…
But he really wanted to…
Noticing Shui Miao’s hesitation, Xiao Liuzi stopped and asked, “Brother Shui Miao, don’t you like them? If not, how about I take you to try some better ones?”
“Better not!”
Shui Miao shook his head but secretly quickened his breathing, trying to absorb as much immortal spiritual energy as possible to restore his power.
“Brother Shui Miao, you must be worried about being seen, right?” Xiao Liuzi ran over to Shui Miao, grabbed his hand, and said, “Come with me! Last time I was preparing pills, I had an extra Dragon Soul Pill left over. I hid it in a corner—perfect to give to you now. Come on… This is a top-tier soul-nourishing pill. After eating it, your soul will become incredibly powerful. No one will ever be able to destroy it. Rumor has it, this is a pill our Yuxu Sect specially refines for high immortals.”
Xiao Liuzi led Shui Miao to a gray wall. With a stomp of his foot, the wall split open, revealing a magnificent interior filled with exquisite pills. Shui Miao could sense that some of these pills emitted an overwhelming, soul-stirring pressure. Particularly eye-catching was a golden gourd placed on a jade table, engraved with a golden dragon. It exuded a mysterious force that drew Shui Miao unconsciously toward it.
Xiao Liuzi took a small box from a nearby cabinet. Turning around and seeing Shui Miao staring intently at the golden gourd, his heart skipped a beat. He hurried over, took Shui Miao’s hand, and handed him the Dragon Soul Pill. “Brother, quickly, eat this Dragon Soul Pill…”
Xiao Liuzi deliberately positioned himself between Shui Miao and the golden gourd.
Shui Miao glanced at the Dragon Soul Pill. It was jade-white, about the size of a lychee.
But he was far more curious about the pill inside the golden gourd. “What’s this? Can you tell me?”
“This… this is a Foundation Establishment Pill, meant for high immortals. If a minor disciple like us were to eat it, the potent medicinal energy would surely overwhelm and kill us.” Xiao Liuzi pointed at the Dragon Soul Pill in Shui Miao’s hand. “Hurry up and eat it. This is the best thing for you. It will multiply the strength of your soul many times over.”
“…”
Shui Miao glanced reluctantly at the golden gourd, then brought the Dragon Soul Pill to his nose for a sniff. Strangely, it felt rather ordinary to him—just slightly more potent in immortal energy. He felt no desire to eat it. However, the pill inside the golden gourd on the jade table—that was something he desperately wanted. For some reason, he felt an intense, almost magical craving for it.
“Never mind, I better not eat it. It’s too precious. Can I just take a look?”
Shui Miao returned the Dragon Soul Pill to Xiao Liuzi.
Truth be told, he still harbored some suspicion about Xiao Liuzi’s motives. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and Shui Miao didn’t believe he could be this lucky.
Seeing Shui Miao refuse, Xiao Liuzi looked somewhat disappointed.
This pill room was the most secretive one in the Ninth Heaven’s Yuxu Sect. The supervisor had transformed into Xiao Liuzi with the intention of tricking Shui Miao into eating the Dragon Soul Pill. He planned to revert to his supervisor form afterward, accuse Shui Miao of consuming an extremely valuable pill, and then pressure him into joining the sect to resolve the matter. Shui Miao’s lack of interest came as a great surprise to the supervisor. In this secret pill room, aside from the Dragon Soul Pill, the supervisor didn’t dare touch any of the other pills. Especially the pill inside the golden gourd—that was the Primordial Chaos Golden Pill, refined over three hundred years for the sect leader.
The Primordial Chaos Golden Pill was the pinnacle of pills, a divine medicine even Great Luo Golden Immortals dreamed of obtaining.
Its creation had gathered all the spiritual and immortal energy of the world, and within it lay the Spirit-Devouring Power that Shui Miao yearned to acquire!
“Better not look. If the supervisor comes and finds out I opened the secret treasury, he’ll surely kill me!” Xiao Liuzi said anxiously, looking at Shui Miao.
Shui Miao scratched his head. “How about this—I’ll just take one sniff. Just one!”
“Alright then…”
The supervisor cursed inwardly. This Shui Miao really had a nose like a hound—he’d zeroed in on the best pill right away.
Still, a few sniffs wouldn’t hurt much.
True to his word, Shui Miao took a deep breath of the aura emanating from the Primordial Chaos Golden Pill, then immediately walked out of the treasury. Without another word, he returned to the outer room and began filling gourds with pills.
On the surface, Shui Miao was fully focused on his task.
But in reality, he was sensing the changes within his consciousness. That one breath of the Primordial Chaos Golden Pill’s aura had caused all the immortal energy in his consciousness to condense into a tiny, strange object no bigger than a sesame seed. Shui Miao didn’t know what it was, but he was certain it was something extraordinary. The moment this small, dark object formed, he felt his soul brimming with power.
Seeing that Shui Miao remained unmoved by the pills, the supervisor felt unwilling to give up.
He thought to himself, it would be a shame to let such talent slip away. Why not try again with a slightly inferior pill from the treasury?
Taking matters into his own hands and using pills from the treasury was no small offense.
But if it meant recruiting a once-in-a-millennium genius for the sect, the supervisor believed the sect leader wouldn’t just overlook it—he might even reward him.
As long as he didn’t touch the Primordial Chaos Golden Pill, it should be fine! After some deliberation, the supervisor gritted his teeth and decided to take the risk. Suddenly, he exclaimed excitedly, “Oh, right, Brother Shui Miao! I just remembered—I once hid a Yin-Yang Five Elements Immortal Pill. It’s perfect for you. Come, let me find it for you!”
“Okay!”
Shui Miao grunted in agreement and followed the supervisor, still in the form of Xiao Liuzi, back into the treasury. This time, however, while Xiao Liuzi was searching for the pill, Shui Miao leaned in close to the Primordial Chaos Golden Pill, opened his mouth, and took two deep breaths of its aura…
Still, if he could recruit a once-in-a-millennium genius for the sect, the sect leader would surely commend him rather than punish him.
As long as he didn’t touch the Yuanhun Golden Pill, it should be fine.
The supervisor made up his mind, gritted his teeth, and decided to take the risk. Excitedly, he called out, “Oh, right, Brother Shui Miao! I just remembered—I once hid a Yin-Yang Five Elements Immortal Pill. It’s perfect for you. Come, let me find it for you!”
“Mm.”
Shui Miao grunted and followed the supervisor, now in Xiao Liuzi’s form, back into the chamber. But this time, while Xiao Liuzi was searching for the pill, Shui Miao took the opportunity to lean close to the Yuanhun Golden Pill and opened his mouth wide, inhaling its scent twice…
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