Chapter 1320: Ending. Killing Intent
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
After the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed, nothing caught Yi Yun's eye again. From that point on, he was only at the auction as a spectator.
Instead, there were a few items that Su Boyang produced that caught Yi Yun's attention.
For instance, the medicinal pills known as Youth Regaining Pills.
"These pills…"
Before the auction began, Yi Yun had heard King Yi mention the Youth Regaining Pills. King Yi had even specially requested Su Boyang to put a few Youth Regaining Pills aside for him.
Su Boyang had taken out a few Youth Regaining Pills for auctioning, and a bidding war ensued between King Yi and another old freak. In the end, King Yi obtained four pills while the other old man received two. Each pill reached the price of seven million.
This price was, of course, nothing compared to Yi Yun's Red Lotus Seed. However, it still far exceeded Yi Yun's expectations.
"So these are the so-called Youth Regaining Pills…" Yi Yun stroked his chin and said with a hint of surprise.
"Sect Master Yi, you know of them too?" Jing Yuesha asked in amazement. Even if Yi Yun was knowledgeable, it couldn't be such a coincidence that he knew everything, right?
Yi Yun gave a faint smile. A portion of the divine alchemist's heritage that he inherited was shared with the Pillheart Sect, so how could he not recognize it?
The so-called Youth Regaining Pills were indeed recorded in the divine alchemist's notes. They seemed to be some sort of fake Longevity Extending Pills.
Typical sacred medicine used to lengthen one's longevity, such as the Nine Revolutions Azure Fruit, could extend a person's lifespan by tens of thousands of years. But that was a divine treasure that was exceedingly rare to chance upon.
However, the Youth Regaining Pills did not have such effects. They actually had a little toxicity to them. They were like a basin of cold water that doused the user's flames of vitality.
For young geniuses, to be weakened like that would be a form of destroying one's foundation. Taking the pills would be severing their own cultivation paths. However, the old freaks that had little life in them had already expended all their vital potential, and there was no way for them to make new breakthroughs. They were not afraid of having their flames of vitality weakened. On the contrary, the more their flames of vitality were weakened, the longer they could live for.
The concept was akin to a pile of timber. If it burned too intensely, the timber would quickly be reduced to ashes. But if it was slowly burned, it could burn for much longer.
"No wonder. I previously noticed how King Yi's body was filled with a deadly air, as though he had half a foot in a coffin. It's because he has eaten too many Youth Regaining Pills, causing his flames of vitality to weaken so drastically. It accentuates the cadaveric aura in his body."
Upon coming to this realization, Yi Yun sighed. Such was the horror people had towards the thought of death.
The old fogies who were nearing their end naturally knew the side effects of the Youth Regaining Pills. They weakened their flames of vitality, destroyed their foundation, and would even cause their strength to decline. However, they could double or triple the little lifespan they had left.
They were willing to accept it because they treasured their lives.
"The divine alchemist's notes have records of the Youth Regaining Pills. The divine alchemist had even improved some of the pill recipes, producing effects that are much better than the original Youth Regaining Pills. If I were to refine them, I could even produce some that have characteristics of Longevity Extending Pills. However… according to the divine alchemist's notes, the Youth Regaining Pill recipe requires the main herb known as Unwithering Grass. It's extremely rare and, although it's not expensive, the divine alchemist had noted it as 'seldom encountered.' Yet, the Pillheart Sect is able to sell these Youth Regaining Pills en masse. That's odd…"
Based on his knowledge, Yi Yun knew that it was extremely difficult to switch the main ingredient in a pill recipe. Perhaps, the Pillheart Sect had found a way to grow Unwithering Grass.
The Pillheart Sect did seem quite capable. The source of their heritage was definitely not limited to the divine alchemist. It also stemmed from other alchemy grandmasters from ancient times.
…
The auction continued for more than half a day before it finally ended. When Yi Yun left the venue, his eyes met Su Boyang’s. Su Boyang had an extremely cold expression. He pretended not to see Yi Yun and directly brushed past him.
At that instant, Yi Yun suddenly felt something odd.
A tracing mark!?
Yi Yun had the Purple Crystal in him, so he was extremely sensitive to energy fluctuations. However, he could not find evidence of any tracing mark. He did not notice anything on Jing Yueyin, who wasn't that far from him, either.
Perhaps, it was a mystic technique of the Pillheart Sect.
If there were any tracing incense, Yi Yun would not dare claim that he could definitely identify it. The divine alchemist dedicated his life to seeking the Elixir of Immortality and Elixir of Resurrection. As such, he steered himself towards the path of longevity and was not interested in unorthodox means at all.
And given the Pillheart Sect's varied means and Su Boyang's cultivation level, it was quite normal that he could not detect any tracing incense.
"Brother Yi Yun, take care. Hahaha."
Prince Boundless Heaven happened to pass by Yi Yun as he made a snarky comment.
Princess Redjoy was beside him and although she hated Yi Yun, she did not feel that he deserved death.
"It's all your fault for being so arrogant, afraid that others might not know how rich you are. Serves you right! If it were me, I would give up all the divine treasures I obtained out of sheer luck in the ruin. Perhaps, you can hire an expert to escort you back and ignore whatever is left of the Heavenly South Peaks Meet. Quickly return to that backwater Calm Sea of yours. Maybe you can still live."
Princess Redjoy taunted Yi Yun. Although her words were vicious, her intentions were not nefarious. It was a disguised way to give Yi Yun a way out of his predicament.
"Hmph! We don't need your concern!"
Jing Yuesha and Princess Redjoy were not people to be messed with. The moment they saw their sworn enemy, Jing Yuesha immediately gave tit for tat.
"What a waste of my good intentions. I don't care if you people have a death wish. Just don't blame me when you end up as ghosts."
After Princess Redjoy was done, she flicked her hair and left.
Jing Yuesha was left behind, staring with her beautiful eyes. She was still infuriated. "Master, what do we do?"
At that moment, all Jing Yuesha could do was seek her master, Jing Yueyin's help.
Jing Yueyin was famous in the Calm Sea. Although she was not illustrious in the Heavenly South Great World, she was still considered an expert not to be ignored.
Jing Yueyin knitted her brows slightly. She would not be afraid if it were only Su Boyang. She could protect Yi Yun completely then. But most critically, the enemy was an ancient sect that had a long heritage. Furthermore, Yi Yun's fortuitous encounter was related to this sect. The opponent was definitely not one to be underestimated. It was a tough conundrum.
It was not that she did not want to protect Yi Yun but that she likely lacked the strength to do so.
"Master, is there nothing you can do either?"
Jing Yuesha blinked her eyes as she looked helplessly at Jing Yueyin. She was feeling anxious but Yi Yun had stirred this trouble for himself. What could she do? All she could do was look towards her master as a straw to clutch at.
Jing Yueyin fell silent for a moment as she looked at her disciple. She said, "The Pillheart Sect will require some time to muster their troops. If we forget the Heavenly South Peaks Meet and leave tonight, using some concealment techniques of mine, we can rush to the spatial node quickly and cross the void. I estimate we might have a forty to fifty percent chance of escaping safely. If we continue participating in the Heavenly South Peaks Meet, however, there is no way we can leave once the experts from the Pillheart Sect arrive."
Forget the Heavenly South Peaks Meet?
Jing Yuesha was taken aback when she heard that.
The Heavenly South Peaks Meet was something she had been looking forward to for a long time. When she received the invitation to the Heavenly South Peaks Meet she thought of nothing but being able to flex her muscles at the meet. She believed that the chance to face elites would be a great way to temper herself, a once in a lifetime opportunity!
Now, after going to painstaking lengths to get to the Heavenly South Great World, she had to give up the Heavenly South Peaks Meet?
She was completely aware that it was impossible for her to stay behind alone to participate in the Heavenly South Peaks Meet. Once her master escorted Yi Yun away, the Pillheart Sect's revenge was not something she could withstand alone.
Upon coming to this realization, it was impossible for Jing Yuesha to feel anything but disappointment.
She was in a daze for a moment. She began envisioning the consequences of drawing a fine line separating her from Yi Yun. That way, the Pillheart Sect would not make things difficult for her and she could participate in the Heavenly South Peaks Meet smoothly.
However, she faltered at the idea. Firstly, she felt it was beneath her. Furthermore, the choice seemed to make her feel a baffling sense of melancholy.
"Yi Yun got into this mess because he exposed the secret of the beautification pill for my sake. I cannot abandon him."
Jing Yuesha had such a thought in mind as she gritted her teeth. Just as she wanted to say something, Ren Yunzong suddenly spoke up.
"Clear Lunar Island Lord, Sect Master Yi, Zijian previously mentioned that he would like to buy a treasured artifact. He would like to patronize a store. Shall we split up for now? If Clear Lunar Island Lord is interested as well, would you like to join me and take a look?" he said with a chuckle.
Xia Zijian was taken aback. He had never mentioned anything about a treasured artifact, right? However, he soon understood his master's intentions.
It was an excuse for them to part and go their own ways!
Ignoring the thought of abandoning of the Heavenly South Peaks Meet, just the idea of traveling with Yi Yun to leave the Heavenly South Great World was something Ren Yunzong was unwilling to do!
They would face the pursuit of the Pillheart Sect, but since the Pillheart Sect's target was only Yi Yun, why should they be his aegis?
Ren Yunzong had made his intentions clear. It was Yi Yun's trouble. There was no reason for them to be implicated as a result.
Ren Yunzong had asked for Jing Yueyin's decision. There were two choices. She could follow him to the artifact store and if Yi Yun was even slightly cognizant, he would know that he had been abandoned. He would not follow them just to end up being snubbed.
She could also choose to stay behind and protect Yi Yun. In that case, Jing Yueyin was a fool.
Jing Yueyin obviously knew the outcome of either choice. She fell silent and looked at her disciple, Jing Yuesha.
"Yuesha, do you want to look at treasured artifacts?"
When Jing Yueyin asked the question, Jing Yuesha noticed that Xia Zijian was looking hopefully at her.
The choice was on her, and her master's stand was very clear. She would abide by her choice.
Instantly, Jing Yuesha became confused. She did not place too much thought on herself, because she was not the only person there from the Clear Lunar Island. There were also her sisters from Clear Lunar Island that would be affected by her decision.
How could she be selfish in such circumstances?
"Junior Sister Yuesha, let's go look at treasured artifacts. The scale of the stores in Cloud Pool City far exceeds that of the Calm Sea."
Xia Zijian noticed Jing Yuesha's hesitation. He slowly walked over and said this with a friendly chuckle.
He then looked at Yi Yun and said, "I believe Sect Master Yi wouldn't be interested. Sect Master Yi, why don't you stay here and take in the scenery of Cloud Pool City? We wouldn't be joining you."
As Xia Zijian said that, he felt the joy of having obtained revenge. Previously, he had accidentally bowed at Yi Yun and it made him very uncomfortable.
However, Xia Zijian never expected Yi Yun to shake his head and say, "I'm actually very interested in that. But, Martial-Nephew Zijian, while shopping for treasured artifacts is nice and all, the treasured artifact store that caught your eye is just too low-class. Whether a treasured artifact store is good or not can be determined by the surrounding nomological fluctuations. I wouldn't want to enter such a treasured artifact store. Cloud Pool City is quite a bustling city and I do plan on traveling around. I heard that in the city center, there's a treasured artifact store named Tian Yuan Loft. They sell highly prized items and there are only about a dozen treasured artifacts for sale. Even the cheapest one starts at thirty million mid-grade Spirit Jade. However, this price is something you probably cannot…"
Yi Yun did not finish his sentence but Xia Zijian nearly choked when he heard that.
He was hoping to use the opportunity to put Yi Yun down, but he ended up being degraded by Yi Yun.
This bastard was sick!
The Pillheart Sect was already at his throat, with the bunch of old monsters grinding their knives, waiting to place him on a chopping board. Yet, here he was mentioning the prices of the treasured artifacts of the various stores? Was thirty million that impressive?
Alright… it was truly impressive. Just the thought of his own wealth made Xia Zijian shrink back. Although it was not difficult for the Heavenly Pivot Chapter to produce thirty million, it would not spend even ten million on a junior like Xia Zijian. He could not afford to look at such treasured artifacts.
Xia Zijian looked at Ren Yunzong, who had a sullen expression. Ren Yunzong was wondering if he had minced his words too much. Did the young bastard really not understand what he was implying? He felt that Yi Yun was definitely not a fool. He had reached the position of sect master at such a young age after all. How could he not understand his insinuations?
Ren Yunzong sneered and said, "Sect Master Yi, you truly are stubborn as a mule. I already warned you during the auction that there are consequences for being overly arrogant. Sect Master Yi, you don't seem to have a good memory but whatever. There is a price needed to grow up. I shall not bother in your affairs any longer!"
When Ren Yunzong said that, he began to lead the members of the Heavenly Pivot Chapter away.
Yi Yun was also planning on leaving. He cupped his fists at Clear Lunar Island Lord and said, "Thank you, Senior for keeping me in your thoughts. I can go alone. I bid you farewell."
With that said, Yi Yun turned to leave. Upon seeing this scene, Jing Yuesha turned anxious.
"Master, I'll go with Sect Master Yi."
Jing Yuesha was momentarily at a loss as to what to say. She could not make the decision for the Clear Lunar Island Lord but she could make decisions for herself. She sped up and followed Yi Yun.
Upon seeing Jing Yuesha leaving, Jing Yueyin's gaze turned heavy as she sighed lightly.
"Are you worried about the child?" Fairy Ping's voice transmission rang in Jing Yueyin's ears.
"Yes…" Jing Yueyin nodded. Jing Yuesha had yet to realize it, but subconsciously, her concern for Yi Yun had far exceeded the scope that a stranger deserved.
Perhaps, it was still a favorable impression that could not be defined at present. But in the future, it could slowly sprout.
…
"You shouldn't have followed me."
Yi Yun strolled down Cloud Pool City's streets and spoke softly.
Jing Yuesha followed behind him with an embarrassed expression.
She did not know why she had rashly chased up to him. Perhaps… she could not bear the sight of seeing Yi Yun depart alone?
That was an explanation Jing Yuesha gave herself. But just some thought was enough to know that it wasn't the case. If the person who had departed alone was someone else, such as Xia Zijian, would she have followed?
Upon realizing this, Jing Yuesha felt depressed. What did it have to do with her?
She did not know what to say to Yi Yun. All she could do was follow behind him. As she looked at the youth in front of her, Jing Yuesha suddenly felt that his back looked lonely, emaciated but forceful.
Perhaps, he was never bothered by Ren Yunzong's verbal drawing of a line…