Chapter 10

Lu Yang bid farewell to Zhou Lulu and came to Dan Ding Peak. As soon as he reached the foot of the mountain, he smelled a strong medicinal fragrance.

"Truly worthy of Dan Ding Peak, even the air is filled with fragrance. The legendary paradise and immortal mountain islands are no more than this."

Lu Yang couldn't help but take a few more deep breaths, feeling his body become light, as if he were about to ascend to immortality.

"Junior Brother, don't breathe it in!"

A voice called out from not far away. The owner of the voice became even more anxious when he saw Lu Yang take a few more deep breaths.

"Junior Brother, quickly use the Turtle Breath Technique. Oh, you seem to be a mortal, so quickly cover your nose. The smell is from a failed attempt at refining medicine, which has released toxic fumes..."

This was the last thing Lu Yang heard before he fainted.

"What a strange place, even the smell is toxic..." Lu Yang muttered, feeling unsteady, as if the whole world was spinning. Then his vision went black, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

It turned out that a fragrant smell doesn't necessarily mean it's non-toxic.

When Lu Yang woke up again, he saw a large face blocking his view, which startled him awake.

The man chuckled awkwardly, "Junior Brother Lu, you're awake. Are you feeling better?"

The jade pendant clearly identified Lu Yang's identity.

Lu Yang blinked, feeling sore all over, as if he had been kneaded into a ball and then flattened with a rolling pin.

This was a refining room, filled with a strong medicinal fragrance and much warmer than the outside. In the center of the room was a large refining furnace, surrounded by shelves holding bundles of herbs and white porcelain bottles, which likely contained successfully refined pills.

On the ground were piles of sketches detailing the methods of refining pills and cages containing white mice. It was hard to find a place to stand for those unfamiliar with the area.

The refining room had only one bed, the one Lu Yang was lying on.

"My name is Wu Ming. I'm sorry, Junior Brother. When I was refining pills, I got distracted and didn't control the fire properly, turning the pills into toxic fumes."

"But you don't need to worry. Although I often fail and produce toxic fumes, I've never killed anyone." Wu Ming was quite proud of this.

...That makes me even more worried.

Lu Yang struggled to sit up, moved his buttocks, and leaned against the corner of the bed and the wall, which made him feel better.

Lu Yang's head itched. He touched the back of his head and, after a moment of silence, asked, "Since I just inhaled the toxic fumes, why is my head wrapped in bandages?"

Wu Ming explained awkwardly, "When I was moving you, I got distracted again, and your head hit the ground. Don't worry too much; as long as you're alive, we can cure you on Dan Ding Peak!"

"The pills I have are too potent for you to take. During your unconsciousness, I specially refined pills that mortals can take." Wu Ming proudly offered Lu Yang two pills.

The pills were golden yellow with three concentric rings, which Lu Yang knew represented the high quality of the refined pills.

Lu Yang still didn't dare to eat them.

He had only come to Dan Ding Peak to ask for a few辟谷丹 (grain-repelling pills), and now he was lying in bed with a bandaged head.

If he ate anything else, even the King of Hell would praise him for his recklessness.

"They're not toxic, really." Wu Ming assured him repeatedly.

Seeing that Lu Yang still didn't believe him, Wu Ming found a white mouse to demonstrate.

The white mouse seemed to know its fate and squeaked wildly when Wu Ming picked it up, as if saying goodbye to its family.

The white mouse took the pill, fell to the ground, and stopped breathing. Its family cried mournfully, as if they saw their own future.

Lu Yang: "......"

Wu Ming: "......"

"Accident, all accidents. The white mouse is small, so a little bit of poison can kill it. It will definitely be different for humans. I know what went wrong. Wait a moment, I'll refine a new batch for you."

Lu Yang quickly diverted Wu Ming's attention: "Senior Brother, you said you got distracted because you were thinking about something. What were you thinking about?"

Wu Ming indeed shifted his focus and summarized, "Pills, pills, the key is in the 'medicine' part. Pills are naturally for treating and saving people, but why is a grain-repelling pill also considered a pill if it's not for patients?"

"If a grain-repelling pill is a pill, then pills are not just for treating and saving people but also for eating as food."

"If a grain-repelling pill is not a pill, then what is it?"

Lu Yang thought that one would have to take their brain out and roast it in a refining furnace for three days and three nights to come up with such a question.

"Speaking of grain-repelling pills, the only ones a mortal can take are grain-repelling pills. They come in strawberry, apple, and watermelon flavors. Do you want some? They're not toxic." Wu Ming took out a handful of colorful candy beans.

Thinking of the King of Hell's eager anticipation, Lu Yang did not accept Wu Ming's gift. Many people on Dan Ding Peak were practicing refining grain-repelling pills, and no matter who it was, they were safer than Senior Brother Wu Ming.

"Junior Brother, if you need any pills, remember to find me. It's free." Wu Ming warmly saw Lu Yang off as he left.

Lu Yang limped and quickened his pace.

The next day, the seven elders of Dan Ding Peak learned of Lu Yang's tragic encounter and brought him real pills that could cure mortals, as well as a gourd of grain-repelling pills.

Lu Yang recovered.

...

In the following month, Lu Yang's life was very fulfilling. He cycled between the Scripture Hall, Yan Chuan Peak, and his cave dwelling, greedily absorbing the cultivation knowledge he had never encountered before, like a traveler in the desert finding a spring, thirsty and eager.

A month later, everyone was successfully apprenticed to the various elders. Meng Jingzhou was apprenticed to the Third Elder, Man Gu to the Fourth Elder, Li Haoran with the Fire Spirit Root to the Fifth Elder, and Tao Yaoye with the Immortal Body to the Sixth Elder...

This puzzled Lu Yang. He thought Man Gu would be apprenticed to the Third Elder, who was a famous physical cultivator in the cultivation world, unmatched in close combat, and most suitable for teaching Man Gu, who had ancient barbarian blood.

On the other hand, the Fourth Elder was a scholarly cultivator, well-versed in knowledge but not known for strength. It was unclear why Man Gu chose the Fourth Elder as his master.

The Fifth Elder was skilled in refining artifacts, and Li Haoran, with the Fire Spirit Root, was a good fit.

Lu Yang had never met the Sixth Elder but heard that she was a breathtakingly beautiful woman with a body similar to Tao Yaoye's.

The most noticeable was not Man Gu's apprenticeship to the Fourth Elder but Lu Yang's own, to the mysterious Sect Master.

It was said that the Sect Master hadn't taken an apprentice for over a hundred years and lived a carefree life. The disciples were puzzled as to why the Sect Master, who was still in seclusion, would take Lu Yang as an apprentice.

Under the envious gazes of everyone, Lu Yang was led to Tian Men Peak, where the Sect Master resided, by Senior Sister Yunzhi.