"Greetings, Uncle Li."
"Oh, Lan Suoya, you're here too." Li Qu Zhi smiled and nodded, his tone gentle.
In that moment, Pi Guang finally recognized the first familiar voice; it was Li Tang, the instructor from the Guanzhaozong sect. Yesterday, when he saw Lan Suoya accompanying Pi Guang, there was a hint of jealousy in his eyes that was hard to conceal.
Li Qu Zhi then said loudly, "You're lucky today, the Golden Butt have arrived to retrieve the Soul Pill."
After speaking, he stepped aside, and the servants around him also retreated. A figure slowly turned around in the halo of light - it was Pi Guang.
Li Tang's expression changed dramatically as he looked at Pi Guang's face, his heart shaken. How could it be him? Or why couldn't it be him? The name Pi Gu, combined with his confident demeanor yesterday, and the calm and steady aura; this person was definitely not ordinary. He was even the oldest and might be the most unpredictable existence in this hall.
Thankfully, he hadn't been too rude to Pi Guang yesterday; it had been his foolish disciples. Once he returned to the sect, he would make them run a thousand laps up and down the mountain for their ignorance.
He quickly bowed and said, "Junior Li Tang, paying respects to Senior Pi Guang."
Ha! Now he's calling me 'senior'? Pi Guang thought to himself, smiling inwardly, but his expression remained calm.
His gaze lightly swept over Lan Suoya, who did not seem surprised that he was the one who had exchanged infinite merit points for the Soul Pill. Rather, she looked proud. In her eyes, there was sincerity and admiration.
Her great-grandfather had highly esteemed Pi Guang, often saying that this person's destiny was different from others, and one should not underestimate him. It seemed that it was indeed true.
Pi Guang nodded slightly to her, acknowledging her respect.
At this moment, Li Qu Zhi turned to Li Tang, looking surprised, "You, Jia Yi's son. You know the Golden Butt? Senior Pi Guang?"
Li Tang replied respectfully, "We only met briefly at the Guanzhaozong sect while training the disciples."
Li Qu Zhi listened and became even more respectful. Anyone whose mere day of instruction could be considered so valuable, his level of cultivation and wisdom must be unimaginable.
"Good, good!" he said sincerely, his eyes filled with admiration.
Li Tang smiled slightly and cupped his hands together, saying, "Why not stay and have a cup of tea with us?"
The patriarch, Li Quzhi, nodded in approval, secretly praising Li Tang's suggestion.
Pi Guang glanced at Lan Suoya and noticed that she seemed slightly uncomfortable when Li Tang made that suggestion, her expression was subtle. Perhaps it was due to her feminine intuition or his own lack of intention to stay for long. After all, the Soul Pill was still in his sleeve, and he couldn't wait to be alone with it.
He cupped his hands together and said calmly, "I have some matters to attend to and won't be able to stay for long. Please forgive me, everyone."
The crowd was taken aback, but they didn't insist on keeping him. Li Quzhi, however, suddenly spoke up, "Since that's the case, why not take some dry provisions with you on your journey? My wife got up early this morning and steamed some buns, which should be ready by now."
Pi Guang's heart was moved and he was tempted. He hadn't eaten since early morning, and if he were to faint due to hunger on his way back, it would be unbecoming of him.
He smiled and nodded, "In that case, thank you for your kindness, Clan Leader. I'll take some buns and rice."
Soon, steaming hot buns and fragrant raw rice were brought out and placed in a clean food box. The clan members bowed and bid him farewell, their expressions respectful like those of honored guests.
Pi Guang took the food box, cupped his hands together in gratitude, and took his leave. His robes fluttered, and his steps were steady, the Soul Pill hidden in his inner sleeve. It was like even the wind showed reverence to him.
©
Pi Guang hastily returned to his small cloth made hut as soon as he entered the Guanzhaozong sect's mountain gate.
Along the way, he devoured the steamed buns given to him by the Li family, feeling an unusual sense of satisfaction. He couldn't even remember the last time put such a rich food into his stomach.
However, his heart was truly preoccupied with the Soul Pill.
Upon returning to his hut, he subconsciously tidied up the dilapidated room: sweeping away dust, laying out the grass mat neatly, and placing the broken clay furnace in its proper position. Although the room was still cold and drafty, it seemed to have a mystical aura surrounding it, thanks to the black jade-like pill with lightning patterns in his hand.
He sat cross-legged on the grass mat, placing the Soul Pill on a flat surface and gazing at it intently.
The pill was entirely black, but its surface had golden patterns resembling lightning, which seemed to move and roar like a dragon. As he slowly brought his small food bowl near to place the pill in it, the lightning patterns flashed briefly, and a faint dragon's roar could be heard!
"This... is no ordinary object."
Pi Guang's eyes filled with reverence.
Although he was not from a noble family and didn't study much, he had heard rumors that the Soul Pill was formed from the essence of the Spirit Bond's water, containing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and carrying the true intent of thunder.
Over a hundred years ago, countless cultivators had fought to obtain this pill, staining the mountains and rivers with blood. And now, this divine pill was in his palm?
"I... cannot just keep it. I can barely sense the Qi energy of nature, can't teach students how to cultivate, then how can I protect it when thieves come to steal it?"
He whispered to himself, "If I don't cultivate my body and refine my qi, keeping it will bring disaster upon me. Unfortunately, cultivating my body will take me forever."
According to legend, the second Soul Pill was hidden in the belly of the Azure Dragon, where the dragon's bones had dissolved, and its spirit had become eternal. He could just swallow the pill as well and let it rest in his belly just like the Azure Dragon.
Pi Guang was foolish for thinking it would be that easy but he didn't care. He took a deep breath, retrieved a drop of Holy Spring water from the pot, and carefully dripped it onto the pill.
As the golden light shone, the lightning patterns wriggled like a snake. Carefully, he slid the pill into his mouth, swallowing it and washing it down with a drink of the holy spring water.
But the Pill didn't seem to be just entering his throat but piercing his soul.
In an instant, Pi Guang felt his internal organs being devoured, his chest and abdomen becoming empty and hollow, leaving only a skin bag. His head felt light, his consciousness surged, and it was as if a thousand dragons were soaring into the sky, and ten thousand spirits were roaring!
He didn't have time to cry out before his eyes turned pitch black, and he fell onto the mat.
The Soul Pill had entered his body.