Stealing Immortal

"Senior Brother Lu, you’re an Alchemy Master renowned throughout the Sect. Why don’t you take a look at this elixir as well?"

Smiling, the green-robed man handed the elixir to Lu Jinzhang. Lu Jinzhang took it and glanced at it just once before his expression turned ugly, his previous elegant demeanor vanishing.

"However..." He frowned, his thoughts apparently turning to something else.

But before he could speak, the green-robed man’s laughter interrupted him. "It’s come to this, and you’re not going to pull some nonsense about my elixir having no effect, are you? Or maybe some joke about Chen Qingyang not being an Outer Disciple, but a Miscellaneous Task disciple? Surely the great Separation Dragon Pill Institute isn’t so petty?"

"You..." Lu Jinzhang, unable to win the argument, suddenly burst out laughing. "Of course not! I was just amazed that Junior Brother Liu managed to concoct such a powerful elixir. My compliments, my compliments!"

After speaking, he refused to spare the green-robed man another glance and fixed his gaze on Chen Qingyang. "Four Golden Peaks... and a Miscellaneous Task disciple, no less... You’ve done well!"

His expression was a perfect example of a dagger hidden behind a smile.

’Cutting off someone’s livelihood is like killing their parents,’ Chen Qingyang thought. He understood that he had made a bitter enemy. He was always offending Foundation Establishment Masters; it was as if he had a death wish.

His expression remained unchanged as he bowed with clasped hands. "Thank you for the praise, Master. I was wondering about the Separation Huo Dragon Pearl..."

Lu Jinzhang stroked his long beard. "It is yours, naturally."

With a gentle push of his left hand, the Separation Huo Dragon Pearl drifted into Chen Qingyang’s grasp. It was warm to the touch, but he didn’t know how to use it, so he simply tucked it into his robes, planning to study it in detail later.

"Thank you for the reward, Master Lu!"

After receiving it, he made sure to thank him again, but Lu Jinzhang ignored him and addressed the crowd. "Today’s victor is Chen Qingyang!"

No one in the crowd hesitated this time. There were cheers, sighs, and even looks of jealousy. It was easy to understand. If Lu Qing had won, no one would have said a thing. But when an underdog with no background suddenly took the prize, most people started to think, ’I could have done that too.’

"Junior Brother Chen, congratulations!"

Across from him, Lu Qing offered his congratulations reluctantly before sighing and departing. For the moment, it seemed his grace was greater than Lu Jinzhang’s.

At that moment, Lu Jinzhang spoke up. "Chen Qingyang, my offer to take you as my disciple still stands. Are you willing?"

’Anyone would understand that you should never place yourself in the hands of someone you’ve offended, let alone become their disciple.’

"Haha!" The green-robed man laughed loudly again. "Senior Brother Lu, you really spare no effort. Trying to get that Separation Huo Dragon Pearl back in the end, are you? After all these years, you haven’t matured at all... Chen Qingyang, I must warn you, be very careful of this man. He’s petty and holds a grudge!"

This time his voice wasn’t loud, and only those nearby could hear him clearly. Chen Qingyang could tell these two had a history of conflict.

He replied to the green-robed man, "Thank you for giving me the pill formula just now, Master Liu. This pill is so wondrous, I’ve truly never heard of anything like it. I was wondering where the Master is from..."

He had intended to find out more before asking to become his disciple, but Lu Jinzhang gave Chen Qingyang a light shove, cutting off the rest of his words.

"Junior Brother Liu, are you going to interfere even when I show my appreciation for such talent? Fine, if that’s how it is, I won’t take him as a disciple. Why don’t I just give him to you, Junior Brother Liu of Cyan Bamboo Peak? That should satisfy your craving for the Dragon Pearl."

The moment he said this, Chen Qingyang knew things were about to go south.

It was true the green-robed man was from Cyan Bamboo Peak. But given his righteous personality, being framed so maliciously by Lu Jinzhang meant the matter of discipleship was now impossible.

As expected, he remained defiant and laughed heartily. "Hmph, if even Senior Brother Lu is afraid of wagging tongues, how could I dare? People would break my back with gossip. I see a boundless future for this Chen Qingyang. Someone will naturally take him as a disciple!"

With that, he rode the wind and departed without a backward glance, leaving Chen Qingyang frozen on the spot. Now, only Lu Jinzhang stood before him.

"Haha." Lu Jinzhang looked completely confident. He stroked his long beard and gazed down at Chen Qingyang. "Are you... still hesitating? Do you not intend to become my disciple?"

’If I don’t go, he’ll still have to save face as a Master. Even if he wants to move against me, he’ll have to be discreet. But if I go, I’ll be like a fish on the chopping block.’

At this point, Chen Qingyang would rather go knock on Cyan Bamboo Peak’s door himself than linger here any longer.

"This matter is of great importance. Before I came, another Master from Four Golden Peaks instructed me to report back to her first. I must consider the Master’s kind offer very carefully!"

Lu Jinzhang narrowed his eyes, as if trying to discern the truth of Chen Qingyang’s words. "And which Master would that be? There are many Masters there, but only two or three I would deem worthy of my notice!"

Chen Qingyang said, "This Master is a woman, a prodigy in Cultivation, renowned and first in combat prowess!"

"It’s her!"

Indeed, Master Yun Ci’s name was a powerful tool. Her reputation as the strongest in battle wasn’t just for show.

"Very well. I shall wait for you here. If you wish to make a name for yourself in the path of elixirs, you have no choice but the Separation Dragon Pill Institute. You must understand this truth. Don’t take a single wrong step, or all your steps will be wrong!"

His words were thick with threat.

Chen Qingyang bowed with clasped hands once more. "Thank you for your generous offer, Master!"

This way, at least for the short time it took to return to Four Golden Peaks, he would be free from Lu Jinzhang’s influence.

...

After the champion was decided, all that remained was idle chatter and networking.

However, because of this, everyone was intimidated by Steward Lu Jinzhang’s power, and Chen Qingyang found himself somewhat isolated. That was fine. It meant he could leave early.

Liu Tao had clearly been waiting for him. The moment she heard footsteps outside, the door to her room swung open.

"How did it go? Tell me, quick!" She looked so anxious she nearly threw herself at him.

Chen Qingyang took out the Separation Huo Dragon Pearl and showed it to her. Liu Tao took it, her expression shifting from confusion to astonishment. "What a treasure! I heard the Pill Institute has something called the Separation Huo Dragon Pearl, and that it’s incredibly wondrous. Junior Brother, did you really win first place?"

"Mhm." Chen Qingyang first nodded, then gave a bitter smile and recounted the day’s events from beginning to end.

But Liu Tao was completely unfazed. "What are you worried about? Worst case, you just join my Master’s tutelage. Why would you be afraid of some Lu Jinzhang? If you can’t go to the Separation Dragon Pill Institute, then we’ll just figure things out on our own. With your talent, are you afraid you won’t succeed?"

Chen Qingyang shook his head decisively. "Senior Sister, if I just stay at Four Golden Peaks, I’ll soon run out of pill formulas to study. Besides, when I saw the green-robed man’s pill formula today, I felt like my world had been turned upside down. I definitely don’t want to stay at Four Golden Peaks."

Liu Tao said, "But given your current situation, you absolutely cannot join the Pill Institute now. You’ll definitely be suppressed, and you can forget about having any future prospects!"

Chen Qingyang narrowed his eyes. "So... if Cyan Bamboo Peak’s door won’t open for me, then I’ll just go knock on it myself!"

Liu Tao hesitated for only a moment. "Alright, Junior Brother, I’ll listen to you. When the time comes, I’ll take you there myself. With the title of alchemy champion, I don’t think we need to worry. They might even fight over you!"

She was truly good to him, no doubt about it.

Having made their decision, the two sat down to meditate and rest. They had to travel at dawn.

Liu Tao continued to cultivate her Nine Flavors True Fire, while Chen Qingyang began to study the pearl in detail.

He had only given it a cursory glance before and hadn’t noticed anything unusual. Now, he released his Conscious Fish, letting it circle around the Separation Huo Dragon Pearl.

Wisps of fiery heat, a powerful aura, and even the faint roar of a True Dragon all flooded his mind. Compared to the Warm Jade Scroll, it was on a completely different level.

Chen Qingyang tried to slowly permeate the Separation Huo Dragon Pearl with his Conscious Fish. The method proved effective. A scene suddenly appeared in his mind.

A vast world, all of it flame.

Amidst barren mountains, lava erupted, and a massive, fire-colored dragon soared out from within. The Conscious Fish seemed to merge with this world of fire. As Chen Qingyang’s thoughts shifted, a speck of flame appeared on his fingertip.

The flame took the shape of a dragon. Its power was not insignificant. Using an Alchemist’s Fire Control Skill, he made the flame dance on his fingertip.

Lu Jinzhang hadn’t been lying. Besides assisting in forming pills, this item truly had a self-defense function.

Ever since losing the Warm Jade Scroll, he had been lacking just such an item. Fearing he might startle Liu Tao if he continued, Chen Qingyang put it away.

「The next day.」

The two had packed up and were preparing to leave when they heard a knock on the door. Standing outside was a Miscellaneous Task disciple.

"Excuse me, are you Senior Brother Chen, who won the competition yesterday?"

News traveled fast. In just one night, even this Miscellaneous Task disciple knew about it.

Chen Qingyang stepped forward. "I am."

The disciple secretly sized him up. "Senior Brother Chen, there is someone downstairs asking to see you!"

Liu Tao immediately became alert. "What kind of person? Could it be a steward from the Separation Dragon Pill Institute or someone like that?" She was worried Lu Jinzhang was here to cause trouble.

The disciple shook his head. "I don’t know. I only know that he is an old man. Just let me know if you will see him or not, Senior Brother Chen!"

Liu Tao said, "Why don’t we just leave quickly? There’s no need to stir up more trouble. Let’s wait until we’re back at Four Golden Peaks!"

But Chen Qingyang had a different opinion. "Don’t worry, Senior Sister. I’ll be right back. It might not necessarily be trouble."