A smile played on Bai Qiuyuan’s lips as he spoke.
“My name is Bai Qiuyuan, and I am certainly no Old Ancestor. As for my cultivation, it is truly beneath mention.”
At his words, Han Qianqiu immediately turned her head, fixing him with a subtle, discerning gaze.
[Your cultivation isn’t worth mentioning?]
Bai Qiuyuan, however, selectively ignored Han Qianqiu’s gaze.
Though puzzled, the elder dared not speculate further. He merely assumed Bai Qiuyuan was being modest, thus not taking his words entirely to heart.
He then bowed respectfully to Bai Qiuyuan with a smile, stepping aside to wait with the two for his own Old Ancestor.
Not long after, a woman dressed in plain grey robes, with light makeup adorning her delicate features, entered the main hall.
From a considerable distance, Bai Qiuyuan detected the rich, herbal fragrance wafting from the woman.
[A medicinal fragrance? Has she been… marinated?]
This newcomer was none other than Situ Ling, the esteemed Old Ancestor of the Pill Pavilion!
Situ Ling’s gaze swept from Bai Qiuyuan to Han Qianqiu at his side. After two moments of silence, she addressed Han Qianqiu.
“Little Sister Han, who might this be?”
Hearing her, Han Qianqiu replied with a radiant smile.
“Allow me to introduce you! This is Bai Qiuyuan! He’s my fiancé!”
At this revelation, Situ Ling’s brows immediately drew together, and she pivoted to face Bai Qiuyuan.
Situ Ling then strode up to Bai Qiuyuan.
Bai Qiuyuan: [‘Don’t come any closer… you’re practically on top of me…’]
Situ Ling looked down at Bai Qiuyuan, who was seated in the chair, and after taking a step back, she pulled out a bottle of pills from her chest, saying.
“This,” she declared, “is a Nine-Orifice Golden Pill, an eighth-grade elixir. Upon consumption and refinement, it offers an eighty percent probability of elevating an ordinary person directly to Golden Core cultivation, valued at a staggering ninety million high-grade spirit stones.”
Bai Qiuyuan: “?”
As Bai Qiuyuan remained utterly bewildered, Situ Ling continued.
“Here’s the pill for you. Now, stay far away from my Qianqiu.”
With that, she extended the pill bottle towards Bai Qiuyuan.
A profound silence immediately descended upon the grand hall.
[‘Is this… is she treating me like a pretty boy with no cultivation?’]
Just as Bai Qiuyuan wrestled with his confusion, a telepathic message from Han Qianqiu resounded in his mind.
“I forgot to tell you, Situ Ling used to really like me. The kind who confessed her feelings.”
Bai Qiuyuan: “Huh?”
This revelation caused Bai Qiuyuan to freeze in his seat, his gaze fixed on Situ Ling for a full second.
Situ Ling, assuming Bai Qiuyuan’s silence stemmed from hesitation or even temptation, watched as a mischievous grin suddenly spread across his face.
Then, Bai Qiuyuan turned his head to Han Qianqiu, saying.
“Come here for a moment.”
At his words, Han Qianqiu, bewildered, rose and approached Bai Qiuyuan.
As Han Qianqiu pondered why Bai Qiuyuan had summoned her, he suddenly seized her hand!
Unprepared, Han Qianqiu lost her balance, spinning around to land directly on Bai Qiuyuan’s lap!
He pulled her into his embrace with a swift motion!
Han Qianqiu: “!?”
[‘What just happened???’]
Situ Ling: “!?”
[‘How dare this brat touch my Qianqiu with his filthy hands!?’]
In a corner, Elder Zhao, who had been single for over a century, exclaimed: “!?”
[‘Holy crap!! What kind of move is that??’]
As Han Qianqiu regained her senses, her face flushed crimson, and she tried to get up!
But before Han Qianqiu could move, she felt a hand settle on her head!
Bai Qiuyuan stroked Han Qianqiu’s head, smiling as he looked at Situ Ling.
“My apologies, she’s mine now.”
Just as Elder Zhao expected Han Qianqiu to erupt in fury and give Bai Qiuyuan a good beating, he witnessed a scene that would be etched in his memory forever!
Han Qianqiu, with a flushed face, sat docilely in Bai Qiuyuan’s embrace, allowing him to stroke her head!
[‘Heavens! That little ancestor is actually so well-behaved!?’]
The thought of Bai Qiuyuan taming the arrogant demoness from his memories made Elder Zhao feel that Bai Qiuyuan’s image in his mind instantly surpassed that of his own Pavilion Master!
Situ Ling: “?!?!!”
[‘He’s actually provoking me!?’]
[‘It seems I offered too little!’]
[‘Even if it means losing everything today, I will make Qianqiu see this guy’s true colors!’]
But just as Situ Ling thought this, she saw Bai Qiuyuan pull a jar from his sleeve.
He tucked it into Han Qianqiu’s arms and said.
“I’m not short on ‘candy pills’ like these.”
Situ Ling and Han Qianqiu were both stunned.
Han Qianqiu opened the jar and immediately saw it filled to the brim with Nine-Orifice Golden Pills!
Upon seeing this, Elder Zhao beside them gasped sharply again!
[‘Rich! So incredibly rich!’]
Situ Ling: [‘This script isn’t right?!’]
[‘Where did he get so many Nine-Orifice Golden Pills!?’]
Situ Ling, refusing to believe it, pulled out another bottle of pills from her chest and said.
“This is an eighth-grade Bone-Refining Spirit-Nourishing Pill!…”
Before Situ Ling could finish, Bai Qiuyuan produced another jar and handed it to Han Qianqiu.
It was also a full jar of Bone-Refining Spirit-Nourishing Pills!
Situ Ling: “…”
[‘Today, I’ll let you witness the financial power of an alchemist!’]
[‘I refuse to believe you have more!’]
Bai Qiuyuan watched Situ Ling, chuckling inwardly.
[‘Want to compete? As long as you can name it, if I can’t produce it, I lose!’]
“Heaven-Mending Pill!”
Bai Qiuyuan produced a jar.
“Spirit-Recovery Purple Pill!”
Bai Qiuyuan produced a jar.
“Golden Marrow Valley-Confluence Pill!”
Bai Qiuyuan held four pills between the fingers of each hand, crossing his wrists in front of him to display them to Situ Ling.
Situ Ling: “I still have more!”
In Bai Qiuyuan’s embrace, Han Qianqiu silently accepted the pills he offered, storing them in her spatial ring…
****
—A few minutes later—
Situ Ling wiped the sweat from her face with a hand, looking at Bai Qiuyuan with a forced smile.
“You… are quite rich, aren’t you?”
Bai Qiuyuan smiled, his arms wrapped around Han Qianqiu, who was still seated on his lap, and with his head resting against hers, he chuckled.
“Just average, merely the best in the world.”
Situ Ling: “…”
Seeing the intimacy between Han Qianqiu and Bai Qiuyuan, Situ Ling’s eyes nearly bulged with jealousy, and she fumed inwardly.
[‘Damn it, how does this guy have so many eighth-grade pills…?’]
Bai Qiuyuan smiled at Situ Ling.
“If you agree to our marriage, I’ll give you a few ancient pill recipes, complete with their refining methods.”
Everyone: “?!!!!”
Situ Ling swallowed, then, after two seconds of contemplation, smiled.
“Are your words true?”
“Of course.”
Bai Qiuyuan chuckled.
With that, Bai Qiuyuan again pulled several pill recipes from his sleeve and handed them to Situ Ling.
Situ Ling glanced at them, instantly confirming that these were indeed ancient pill recipes!
She quickly became engrossed, simulating the refining process in her mind.
Situ Ling originally didn’t want to agree to the marriage, but alas, what Bai Qiuyuan offered… was simply too much!
Han Qianqiu quickly turned to Bai Qiuyuan, excited, and transmitted a message.
“Ancient pill recipes?! The value of these recipes is no less than your previous betrothal gifts, is it?!”
Bai Qiuyuan replied with a smile.
“Giving her the recipes is, on one hand, to get her to agree to our marriage.”
“On the other hand, it’s to thank her.”
Han Qianqiu: “Thank her?”
Bai Qiuyuan chuckled.
“A single chair, upon which one sits, grants the favor of the Sword Pavilion’s Old Ancestor and a smooth path to success.”
“Why, then, have only a handful of people sat on that chair over several centuries?”
Han Qianqiu: “Hmm?… You mean!”
Bai Qiuyuan nodded, looking at Situ Ling, who was gazing at the pill recipes in her hand with a delighted grin, and chuckled.
“I’m afraid she used some means to drive most people away.”
Bai Qiuyuan wasn’t entirely clear on the specific methods, as he had only arrived in the Upper Realm a few days prior.
Initially, Bai Qiuyuan had thought that the chair remained mostly empty for centuries because Han Qianqiu lacked charm, but after meeting Han Qianqiu, he suspected someone had been meddling.
After all, Han Qianqiu possessed perfect looks, formidable cultivation, and a noble status; it was inconceivable that no one would have dared to try sitting in that chair.
If Bai Qiuyuan’s guess was correct, it was likely Situ Ling, the woman before him who was willing to use countless pills to deter him, and who had always, then and now, harbored feelings for Han Qianqiu.
Han Qianqiu looked at Bai Qiuyuan, falling into a brief contemplation.
However, she quickly said no more, instead smiling as she lifted Bai Qiuyuan’s arm, allowing him to embrace her.
Bai Qiuyuan, in turn, smiled, awaiting the outcome of Situ Ling’s verification of the pill recipes.
****
—Meanwhile—
—Somewhere near the Pill Pavilion, within an ancient forbidden land—
“Bai Qiuyuan,” wielding the Duanmo Sword, walked with a look of utter boredom along a muddy path strewn with withered trees.
[A Nascent Soul Stage ninth-level cultivation puppet, a clone refined by Bai Qiuyuan with his divine sense attached.]
Bai Qiuyuan gazed at the unchanging scenery around him, sighing inwardly.
[‘As expected of an ancient forbidden land, there’s not a single animal apart from demonic beasts.’]
[‘Anyone below Nascent Soul cultivation who stumbles in here probably wouldn’t be able to leave, would they?’]
“Hiss!”
From beneath the ground, a crimson centipede demonic beast suddenly burst forth!
Bai Qiuyuan didn’t even spare it a glance, shattering the centipede beast’s head and upper body with a single strike from the sheathed Duanmo Sword!
The beast’s blood immediately splattered onto a nearby withered tree!
The withered tree was instantly corroded over a large area!
Bai Qiuyuan continued along the path, observing the surrounding red mist, and thought.
[‘Poisonous gas? Too bad I’m a puppet; I don’t need to breathe.’]
This clone was a puppet body that Bai Qiuyuan had refined using methods from the ‘Basic Guide to Artifact Forging,’ combined with countless rare materials transmuted by his ‘Modifier.’
However, due to insufficient time, Bai Qiuyuan had only managed to raise the puppet’s cultivation to the ninth level of the Nascent Soul Stage.
The anomaly that occurred when the “key” was transferred to Yang Xueqing had made Bai Qiuyuan suspect that these keys were connected to his identity.
Thus, plans had to adapt to unforeseen changes.
Bai Qiuyuan temporarily abandoned his plan to slowly cultivate Yang Xueqing, allowing her to grow powerful in the future and search for the remaining keys on his behalf.
Instead, he dispatched his self-refined clone to the ancient forbidden land.
Bai Qiuyuan worried about encountering unexpected situations that might cause too much commotion in the ancient forbidden land, leading to unnecessary suspicion.
Therefore, that morning, Bai Qiuyuan had planned for his main body to accompany Han Qianqiu on a tour of the Upper Realm.
To create an alibi for himself.
But… what Bai Qiuyuan hadn’t anticipated was that Han Qianqiu would bring his main body to the Pill Pavilion, the closest location to the forbidden land where his clone was!
****
—A quarter of an hour later—
Bai Qiuyuan quickly located a deeply hidden underground tomb within the forbidden land, guided by a map drawn by his ‘Modifier.’
Since the clone wasn’t as powerful as his main body, Bai Qiuyuan approached with utmost caution, directly entering the tomb.
However, Bai Qiuyuan soon discovered that the palace contained no traps or mechanisms.
Only various treasures were displayed in different rooms.
Bai Qiuyuan paid no mind to these treasures, heading directly for the main hall.
Upon entering the main hall, Bai Qiuyuan saw a dilapidated stone-carved throne.
Seated upon the throne was the decayed corpse of an old Daoist.
The old Daoist’s body seemed to have been there for centuries.
However, the corpse had not completely turned to bone, indicating that this old Daoist possessed extremely powerful cultivation during their lifetime.
Bai Qiuyuan then noticed that a long black blade pierced through the old Daoist’s corpse, pinning it firmly to the throne!
It appeared that the fatal wound that led to the old Daoist’s demise was inflicted by this very long blade!
The moment Bai Qiuyuan saw the long blade, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
[‘Hmm? Why do I feel like this long blade is somewhat familiar?’]
Bai Qiuyuan, looking puzzled, stepped forward, preparing to examine it closely.
But as he drew near, a wisp of residual soul flew out from the old Daoist’s corpse!
It then materialized into an old man with white beard and hair, wearing an old Daoist robe, and squinting eyes.
After a few seconds, the wisp of residual soul did not attack Bai Qiuyuan but spoke on its own accord.
“Since you were able to find this place, it indicates your extraordinary strength and exceptional fortune.”
“I wish to entrust this blade to you.”
“This blade, named [Zhongsheng] (TL Note: Meaning ‘All Living Beings’), is a peerless killing weapon. Its use will affect the host’s temperament.”
“It also absorbs the host’s vital essence to grow, making it extraordinarily strange…”
The squinting old Daoist explained, looking at Bai Qiuyuan.
However, the old Daoist quickly looked up, clearly saw Bai Qiuyuan’s appearance, and fell silent.
Old Daoist: “?”
Bai Qiuyuan: “Hmm?”
Instantly, the old Daoist’s pupils constricted sharply! He widened his squinting eyes, pointing at Bai Qiuyuan with a horrified expression, shouting.
“It’s you! It’s actually you!!!”
“You’re still alive!!”
“No! This blade absolutely cannot fall into your hands!”
Bai Qiuyuan was startled by this.
[‘Hmm? He knows me?’]
[‘It seems he really does have clues about my identity.’]
“Why are you still alive! Why!?”
But before the old man’s residual soul could even begin to attack, it started to fade due to instability, gradually disappearing.
Bai Qiuyuan was immediately speechless.
“What a waste of my emotions.”
Having said that, he directly dispersed the last wisp of that person’s divine soul and approached the throne!
The moment Bai Qiuyuan drew near, the long blade impaled in the old Daoist’s body emitted an excited hum!
Bai Qiuyuan grasped the hilt, asking in confusion.
“Are you waiting for me?”
The long blade, which had just calmed down, immediately vibrated with renewed excitement!
*Thwack!*
Bai Qiuyuan firmly gripped the hilt and pulled the long blade out of the old Daoist’s corpse!
After tossing it into his spatial ring, Bai Qiuyuan collected some of the most valuable treasures, along with the old Daoist’s corpse, and immediately departed from the ancient forbidden land…