Chapter 165: Some Things are Difficult to Grant

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Zhang Yang’s venomous, snake-like eyes looked as if he wanted to eat Qin Haoxuan. He muttered to himself with bitter resentment, “Qin Haoxuan is so clueless. Eating such good Qi-Circulating Pills is a waste. If those pills fell into my hands, I could definitely catch up to Li Jing!”

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Li Jing, Qin Haoxuan calmly returned to his own room. He was preparing to start practicing the art of talisman crafting. The first step was carving. Different inscriptions had to be carved onto a jade talisman, which would then be refined and infused with spiritual energy to create a complete spiritual talisman. Of course, this was easier said than done. The first step alone, carving, had stumped countless people, including Qin Haoxuan.

He held a piece of black iron, about the size of two fingers, in his hand, and a special carving knife in the other. He began to carve according to the method for the Thousand-Mile Talisman, but his clumsy movements quickly ruined the first piece. He tossed it aside and picked up another. This black iron was a hard, spiritless metal used by beginners for practice. Qin Haoxuan had bought a large pile of it for this purpose. After all, the Azure Light Jade needed for the actual talisman was not cheap. If he were to practice on it directly, he would probably go bankrupt before he even got the carving right.

One after another, the ruined pieces of black iron were tossed aside. He would quickly pick up another and continue. According to The Great Art of Talismans, there was no shortcut to carving; proficiency could only come through practice.

He practiced from morning until afternoon. After ruining countless pieces of black iron, he finally carved his first usable piece. With a pained heart, he took out a low-grade spirit stone and attempted the infusion process. He set up a small, simulated infusion array and began to channel spiritual energy into the black iron.

As the array activated, the piece of black iron lifted three feet off the ground and floated silently. Beneath it, a pale red flame appeared, heating the iron. This was a crucial step in talisman crafting: expelling the impurities from the talisman’s body. Although Qin Haoxuan felt that his finger movements had become quite skilled from his previous practice, when he truly began to control the infusion, he felt a sense of sluggishness. The flame in the array was also very difficult to control. In less than three breaths, the carved piece of black iron melted into a lump and was ruined.

Qin Haoxuan was not discouraged. He quietly lowered his head and thought for a long time, then quickly picked up another piece from the pile and began to carve again…

This time, the Sect Master had summoned Xu Yu not to his personal residence, but to a side hall of the Taichu Grand Hall. Although it was a side hall, its luxury was in no way inferior to a mortal emperor’s palace.

When Xu Yu walked in, the Sect Master was already seated. She respectfully bowed. “Disciple Xu Yu pays her respects to the Sect Master.”

Sect Master Huanglong had a warm smile on his face. He extended his hand in a lifting gesture. “Xu Yu, sit.” As he did, Xu Yu’s body was lifted up, and she took a seat nearby. Just as the Sect Master was about to speak, an attendant’s voice came from the door. “Sect Master, Hall Master Su of the Hundred Flowers Hall requests an audience. Will you see her?”

The Sect Master glanced at Xu Yu, then towards the door, his expression as calm as an ancient well. “Let her in.”

After Hall Master Su Baihua entered, she looked at Xu Yu with a pleased expression and then bowed to the Sect Master. “Su Baihua pays her respects to Uncle-Master.”

The Sect Master smiled faintly. “Sit.” With that, he turned his gaze, which was both gentle and majestic, back to Xu Yu. “Xu Yu, do you know why this seat has summoned you today?”

Xu Yu did not relax because of his smile. She said respectfully, “This disciple does not know.”

“This seat has long heard of the Qi-Circulating Powder you refine. Especially since you began selling it, the number of disciples in our sect who have made breakthroughs has sprung up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Because of your powder, the overall strength of the sect has increased, and there are signs of a great revival! This seat is very pleased.” After speaking, he glanced at Su Baihua again. “For this reason, this seat has decided to reward you, as an encouragement.”

Huanglong beckoned with his finger, and an attendant immediately understood, handing a red paper to Su Baihua. “Since Hall Master Su is also here, you may look over these rewards this seat has drafted and see if they are appropriate.”

Su Baihua respectfully accepted the reward list. After a single glance, her expression changed dramatically. She thought to herself, The Sect Master has always been generous to the disciples, but what is on this list today can no longer be described as generosity. Has he taken out a portion of his own coffin money?

Of course, she did not dare to voice her doubts. She handed the list to Xu Yu. “Xu Yu, this is the reward from the Sect Master. Quickly, give your thanks.”

Xu Yu immediately rose to bow but was stopped by Huanglong’s gesture. “Don’t be in such a hurry to give thanks. See if you like these rewards first.”

Seeing his smiling face, Xu Yu’s heart actually grew more uneasy. When her eyes fell upon the list, her expression was just as shocked as Su Baihua’s had been. “One hundred mu of first-grade spirit land, ten thousand low-grade spirit stones, five hundred stalks of Qi-Circulating Grass, ten bottles of Bone-Changing Pills…”

After reading it, she placed the list on the table and once again bowed to the ground. “Xu Yu thanks the Sect Master for his great kindness. This reward is too valuable. I am unworthy of it.” In the Taichu Sect, while spirit stones were not easy to earn, the rewards of grass and pills were not excessive. But one hundred mu of first-grade spirit land was terrifyingly generous. After “Entering the Mortal World,” this land would be the very foundation of her survival and cultivation in the sect.

Huanglong once again lifted her up. “With your great contribution of refining the Qi-Circulating Powder, you are fully deserving of these rewards.”

After she sat down again, Xu Yu asked, “Sect Master, for you to give me such a great reward, is there something you require of me?”

The moment she finished speaking, Su Baihua’s equally suspicious gaze fell upon the Sect Master’s face. Even for someone of his status, he couldn’t help but blush slightly. He cleared his throat awkwardly and praised, “You are indeed intelligent. Besides rewarding you, there is one other matter I wish to inform you of today.”

“Please speak, Sect Master.”

He said in an even kinder tone, “Over the past half a month, this seat and the elders of the Elder’s Council have repeatedly examined Zhang Kuang. We have found that there is no so-called demon possession within him. His current achievements are all due to his own good aptitude and comprehension.” He paused, but Xu Yu did not reply. He knew it wouldn’t be that simple.

The atmosphere grew stagnant. “This seat has heard of a matter,” he said, breaking the awkward silence, “and I wish to confirm it with you today.”

Xu Yu knew the main event was coming. “Please be direct, Sect Master.”

“This seat has heard that you once declared that if anyone were to resell or give your Qi-Circulating Powder to Zhang Kuang, you would stop selling it altogether. Is this true?”

“Yes,” Xu Yu admitted without hesitation. “That is true.”

Huanglong’s brow furrowed slightly. Because of her decree, no one who had tasted the benefits of her powder dared to sell it to Zhang Kuang. If they did, and she cut off the supply, they would incur the public wrath of the majority of the sect’s disciples, which was far more terrifying than offending a single Purple Seed. Even he, the Sect Master, did not dare to buy the powder for Zhang Kuang, as it would alienate Xu Yu and cause the sect’s overall cultivation speed to drop again.

He considered for a moment, then said, “This seat has heard of the discord between you and Zhang Kuang. I have counseled him many times, and he has expressed that he will not trouble you in the future. If the two of you could coexist peacefully, it would be a great fortune for our sect.”

Xu Yu still did not speak.

He continued, “Zhang Kuang is also a Purple Seed. If he could obtain your powder, his cultivation speed would surely be even faster. This would be a good thing for you, and for the sect. This seat would like to discuss with you, would it be possible to sell some of your powder to him?”

When he mentioned selling the powder to Zhang Kuang, Xu Yu decisively shook her head, her face resolute. “My Qi-Circulating Powder will never be sold to Zhang Kuang!”

Seeing such a determined light shining from her seemingly gentle face, Huanglong was greatly surprised. He had thought that, as the Sect Master, after summoning her, giving her such a generous reward, and appealing to both emotion and reason, she would surely agree. He never expected her to refuse so firmly.

Beside her, Su Baihua was growing anxious, but she was helpless.

“Since Zhang Kuang has already promised not to be your enemy, what are you still worried about?” Huanglong asked, his voice still pleasant.

Xu Yu replied, “I am refusing to sell to him not because he is my enemy, but because he is the enemy of my friend, Qin Haoxuan. He has tried to kill Brother Haoxuan many times. Therefore, I will absolutely not sell to him.”

Her answer left Huanglong somewhat stunned. He had heard that Zhang Kuang had been giving trouble to a weak seed disciple that Xu Yu was friendly with, but he had not paid it any mind. A mere weak seed. He never imagined that Xu Yu’s loyalty to that weak seed was so strong that it was now affecting the cultivation of another Unsurpassed Purple Seed.