Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

"I will issue the Blood Kill Order at once. I swear they’ll die without a grave!" Jiang Shuming said grimly, clasping his hands in a salute.

A chilling murderous intent flashed in Luu Yuming’s eyes. He nodded. "Go. Put up five million Low-Grade Spirit Stones’ worth of Pills as the bounty."

Five million Low-Grade Spirit Stones, just like that. This was a testament to the resources the Hundred Herbs Hall had accumulated over thousands of years. Luu Yuming would make the Vast Alliance understand just how foolish it was to provoke the Hundred Herbs Hall. He would crush them, even if it meant burying them under the sheer weight of his wealth!

Just as Jiang Shuming was preparing to take his leave, Luu Yuming suddenly spoke up. "While you’re at it, handle the matter with our young friend from the Song Clan. We owe the world an explanation."

Jiang Shuming had only just returned and didn’t know what had transpired. He was surprised by the command, thinking something had happened to Song Changsheng, and quickly hurried away.

After he was gone, Luu Yuming asked out of the blue, "Do you think Nephew Jiang could be the mole?"

Bai Wuming was startled. "Master, you’re worrying needlessly," he said at once. "Senior Brother would never betray the sect."

"Hmm..."

Luu Yuming hummed softly, his expression unreadable as his fingers drummed a random rhythm on the armrest of his chair.

Just as cold sweat began to bead on Bai Wuming’s brow, Luu Yuming finally spoke again in a low voice. "How is Fire Tripod City?"

Bai Wuming let out a visible sigh of relief. "We’ve determined that someone released a type of microscopic toxic insect in Fire Tripod City. The creature enters the body through the facial orifices. Infected individuals experience full-body redness, rashes, and an unbearable itch.

Over eighty percent of the city’s population is infected, and there have been some casualties. The entire city is now under lockdown while we research a countermeasure."

Luu Yuming nodded slightly. ’As long as we know the source of the affliction, finding a solution shouldn’t be difficult.’

"Until this is completely resolved, no one is to enter or leave the city. You may go. I am weary."

He waved his hand, dismissing Bai Wuming. Soon, he was the only one left in the vast hall.

The sound of his fingers tapping on the armrest echoed through the empty hall. In that moment, the murderous intent in Luu Yuming’s heart swelled to its peak...

Looking from the mangled corpse on the ground to Song Changsheng standing beside it, Jiang Shuming couldn’t help but shake his head and give a wry smile.

The other guests had already departed, leaving only Song Changsheng and Zhuang Yuechan behind. After all, an heir to the Lieyang Sect had died on Fire Tripod Mountain. No matter how you looked at it, the Hundred Herbs Hall owed the world an explanation.

"Fellow Daoist Song, what happened here?" Jiang Shuming sighed, rubbing his throbbing temples as he asked wearily.

"Hex Tang tried to use the chaos to ambush me. I killed him in self-defense," Song Changsheng stated plainly. "Fellow Daoist Zhuang can attest to this."

"That’s right. Hex Tang brought this upon himself. Changsheng was only acting in self-defense," Zhuang Yuechan said, resolutely siding with Song Changsheng.

Aside from those directly involved, no one else knew the full story. Onlookers had only seen them engaged in Magical Combat from afar, but it was unclear who had struck the first blow.

Jiang Shuming took a deep breath. "I understand. Hex Tang disregarded the laws of our Hundred Herbs Hall and brazenly attacked someone on Fire Tripod Mountain, for which he was killed. I will ensure you receive a satisfactory resolution, Fellow Daoist."

Hex Tang was already dead, and dead men tell no tales. Therefore, Song Changsheng’s version of events was the truth.

After careful deliberation, Jiang Shuming looked at Song Changsheng and said, "All factions in the Daqi Cultivation World at or above the Purple Mansion realm have a fixed Pill quota with our hall, which is allocated every five years. As a punishment, how about we transfer the Lieyang Sect’s quota for this cycle to the Song Clan?"

This was a pleasant surprise. While Song Changsheng knew the Hundred Herbs Hall wouldn’t take action against him, he hadn’t expected any form of compensation. After all, he had killed someone and caused trouble for them.

He was well aware of what the Hundred Herbs Hall’s Pill quota entailed. It concerned a batch of Tier Three Pills that the hall refined every five years. The various major factions would use their allotted shares to purchase them, but demand always outstripped supply.

For a faction without a Tier Three Alchemist, this was a stable and reliable source of crucial resources. Jiang Shuming’s move was sure to be a painful blow for the Lieyang Sect.

Faced with Jiang Shuming’s blatantly biased decision, the surrounding Hundred Herbs Hall disciples simply stared at the tips of their own noses, pretending not to have seen or heard anything. Anyone with the slightest inside knowledge knew that Song Changsheng had once saved Jiang Shuming’s life.

The fact that the Hall Master had sent Jiang Shuming to handle this matter was a clear indication of his own stance.

After a moment’s thought, Song Changsheng lowered his voice and asked, "Elder Jiang, was this attack related to the Vast Alliance?"

Jiang Shuming nodded. "It is. The Vast Alliance’s power is far greater than we first imagined. Fellow Daoist Song, be wary of the Loose Cultivators around you, lest you fall into their traps."

"Thank you for the warning, Elder. In that case, I will take my leave now," Song Changsheng said, cupping his fists to bid Jiang Shuming farewell.

Not long after they descended the mountain, the Hundred Herbs Hall’s "Blood Kill Order" swept through the entire Daqi Cultivation World like wildfire. Word of it even reached several neighboring kingdoms.

The terms were simple: anyone who killed a person on the list would receive a handsome reward. The offer was valid indefinitely.

With enough money, you can make even ghosts turn your millstone—and the Hundred Herbs Hall was just that wealthy. A storm immediately began to brew, kicking off a frenzy to hunt down the Vast Alliance.

If these people were initially motivated by wealth, the news of the Celestial Fire Cauldron drove them into an absolute frenzy. A Spiritual Treasure! It was an artifact that even Golden Core Masters would kill for!

They had gone completely mad!

However, all of this had nothing to do with Song Changsheng. This was a feeding frenzy for the great powers, and the Song Clan was not yet strong enough to participate. They could only pray they wouldn’t get swept up in the chaos.