Xihe hadn’t expected such a grand commotion. The Nine Heavens Mystic Pill was truly difficult to refine, and she had already burned through a considerable amount of medicinal ingredients.
This was the first batch that showed any sign of success…
Watching the soaring seven-colored pill radiance, Xihe’s initial surprise quickly turned to joy. It seemed her efforts during this time hadn’t been in vain.
Since she was already in the spotlight, she might as well make the most of it. Perhaps she could even earn some bragging rights.
Immediately, she cradled the pill furnace and burst through the roof, bathing in the pill radiance and absorbing the pill spirit energy.
Dijun and Taiyi arrived with their demon generals in tow.
Taiyi exclaimed in shock, “Brother, Xihe actually succeeded in refining it!”
Dijun nodded with a smile. “Indeed. The Nine Revolutions Mysterious Pill can directly enhance Daluo cultivation. Although we, as Quasi-Saints, no longer need it, our subordinates…”
All the demon generals’ faces turned green with envy, their gazes toward Xihe so intense it seemed they could devour her alive.
Kunpeng’s eyes were also filled with greed. He had been stuck at the Great Perfection of Daluo for a long time. If he could consume a Nine Revolutions Mysterious Pill, he might directly advance to Quasi-Saint…
But he also knew of the enmity between Xihe and himself. He likely wouldn’t get to taste this pill. In that case… this woman was of no use to him alive. The killing intent in Kunpeng’s heart grew stronger. While he couldn’t act personally, he wasn’t the only one who bore a grudge against Xihe.
“Hum!” The pill furnace trembled. With a radiant smile, Xihe opened the furnace and retrieved nine pure white pills engraved with Great Dao pill patterns.
When refining other pills, Xihe could produce hundreds or even thousands per batch. However, the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Pill was exceptionally difficult to refine. Producing nine pills already satisfied her greatly.
“They’re all top-grade! How is this possible?”
Before Xihe could store away the nine pills floating before her, a horsetail whisk swept past, attempting to take them all.
Xihe’s expression darkened as she swiftly channeled her magic power to counter the move. “Scram!”
Although this collision allowed her to retrieve the pills, Xihe’s face paled. Not good—it was a Quasi-Saint!
“Who dares to act recklessly in our Celestial Court!”
Fortunately, she wasn’t alone. The Golden Crow Dijun quickly arrived by Xihe’s side, and together they forced out the small, elderly figure holding the whisk.
Laozi retreated several zhang before stopping, now surrounded by demon generals.
He hastily bowed in apology. “A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! Greetings to both Your Majesties. This old Daoist is merely obsessed with the art of pill refinement and acted impetuously. I beg for forgiveness from both Your Majesties and Fellow Daoist Xihe.”
After all, he was a Sage’s disciple and had offered an apology. Though reluctant, Dijun and Taiyi eased their expressions and waved for the demon generals to withdraw.
Taiqing Laozi then turned his fervent gaze toward Xihe. “Fellow Daoist, I have devoted my life to pill refinement but have never produced a pill imbued with the aura of the Great Dao. Might I borrow a look at that Nine Revolutions Mysterious Pill?”
“No.” Two crisp words of refusal left Taiqing Laozi frozen in place.
Xihe sneered. “You relied on your Quasi-Saint cultivation to seize my pills. The Heavenly Emperor may be magnanimous and not hold it against you, but I never said I forgave you. What does your obsession with pill refinement have to do with me? If you can’t refine it, that’s your own stupidity. Why should I let you study my work? Teaching an apprentice only to starve the master—such foolishness is not something I would ever do!”
“You…” Perhaps encountering such a direct and face-slapping rejection for the first time, Taiqing Laozi’s face alternated between green and pale for a while before he managed to reorganize his words.
“Fellow Daoist, you are far too selfish and self-serving. The Great Dao is vast and endless. We should discuss and progress together. Since you are on good terms with my junior brother Tongtian, I thought we were fellow travelers. I never imagined you would be so arrogant!”
Xihe calmly said, “Who the hell is on good terms with Tongtian? Which eye of yours saw that, making you spout such nonsense? It’s precisely because of loose-lipped people like you in the Primordial World that rumors run rampant.”
“As for mutual progress, that’s even more of a joke. Since you’re so generous, why not lend me the Taiji Diagram the Saint gave you for a few tens of thousands of years? In return, I’d be willing to let you take a look at my elixirs. Would you agree?”
“Outrageous! How dare you covet the treasure bestowed by the Saint!”
Xihe retorted angrily, “You’re the one being outrageous! How dare a petty scoundrel like you presume to observe my alchemy techniques?”
“Fine, fine, fine! As expected of Taiyin Xihe, who dared refuse to become a Saint’s disciple. Such a rebellious individual—I wonder how long you can remain so arrogant in this Primordial World?”
Seeing that Taiqing Laozi was about to storm off in anger, Xihe quickly deployed her killing weapon: “You old bastard really have thick skin. Even after being insulted like this, you still won’t make a move. Are you impotent, not a real man?”
No matter how calm a person might be, encountering Xihe’s sharp tongue would shatter their composure.
Sure enough, Taiqing snapped. Before he could even gather his senses, he hurled his alchemy furnace at her. But when he saw Xihe’s beaming face, his heart sank—oh no!
Just as expected, a golden flash of lightning flickered between Xihe’s brows, and dark clouds immediately gathered in the sky, unleashing golden thunderbolts out of thin air.
Ignoring Taiqing’s defenses, the thunder struck him directly.
Golden cracks immediately appeared on Taiqing’s body, his face turning deathly pale. These were injuries inflicted by Merit Golden Thunder, which could not be healed by medicine or magic alone—only by seeking merit could they be slowly repaired.
But is merit so easily obtained?
Taiqing shot a cold, venomous glare at Xihe, retrieved his alchemy furnace, and flew away.
[Congratulations, Host, for refining the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Pill. Reward: Chaos Cauldron.]
[Congratulations, Host, for completing the daily show-off mission. Reward: Three drops of Kirin Ancestral Blood.]
Xihe, completely unconcerned with her image, laughed triumphantly.
“During the Witch-Demon Tribulation, I am invincible. How exhilarating!”
The two Golden Crows: “…”
The Demons of the Celestial Court: “…”
Four Nine Revolutions Mysterious Pills flew before Dijun and Taiyi. Just as they were about to politely decline, Xihe cut them off.
“Without the Celestial Court, Xihe would not have refined the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Pill so quickly. This is Xihe’s token of gratitude to the two Heavenly Emperors—no need for modesty. Xihe plans to break through to the late Daluo stage within the Celestial Court before heading to the Purification Battlefield. Afterward, for any elixir purchases, simply have Yao Marshal Bai Ze contact Xihe!”
Bai Ze, whose name was mentioned, flickered his eyes slightly but did not refuse.
Dijun also withdrew his polite words, his gaze toward Xihe growing increasingly tender.
He stepped forward and ruffled Xihe’s hair, saying, “In that case, as your elder brother, I will not decline. This palace shall be your residence, and the gates of the Celestial Court will forever remain open to you.”
A ripple of emotion shimmered in Xihe’s eyes. She casually acknowledged his words and retreated into seclusion once more.
Alone in her residence, as she toyed with the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Pill, preparing to swallow it, she couldn’t help but inwardly curse Dijun for his cunning move.
She knew full well that Dijun treated her specially because of their intertwined interests, but this was an open scheme.
Regardless of the underlying reasons, when someone treats you well, it plants a cause. As long as she remained valuable for a lifetime, he could treat her well for a lifetime. How could she possibly stab him in the back if he never turned against her?
Such a thing was simply not in her nature, which was precisely why Dijun’s move was so brilliant.
Utterly sinister!
Perhaps one day, if she fell into ruin, Dijun might kick her while she was down. But the key point was—how could she ever allow herself to fall into ruin?
Thus… this open scheme was unsolvable.
Dijun’s attitude grew increasingly gentle, even going so far as to say that the gates of the Celestial Court would always be open to her. From now on, who in the Celestial Court would not show her respect—except for Kunpeng.
But with these Karmic Ties deepening, and the Witch-Demon Tribulation leading both clans to mutual destruction, her original plan of remaining a bystander was likely no longer feasible…
Damn it, better not dwell on it—it’s giving me a headache.
For now, cultivation is what truly matters; everything else is just nonsense. Without cultivation, one is nothing but an ant.
Swallowing the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Pill, Xihe quickly refined it. The spiritual energy carried by the Great Dao flooded her entire body—ah, what bliss! It was no different from an enlightenment transmission!