Mu Qiuhan did not recognize the person before her, nor could she fathom his attitude, so she hadn’t planned to speak. Thus, the man opposite her spoke first.
He cupped his fists and bowed to the old man.
“Elder Xuan Kong, this disciple has always kept the rules of the Scripture Pavilion in mind. However, it was this junior sister who attacked first. This disciple was merely defending himself.”
Mu Qiuhan sneered upon hearing this.
Some defense. He actually has the nerve to say that. Truly shameless.
Because she wasn’t sure of this person’s cultivation level, Mu Qiuhan had held back on her first strike.
Yet he, a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, had still attacked with full force after knowing she was a mid-stage Gold Core disciple. He clearly had murderous intent.
If it had been anyone else today, they would probably have already fallen by now.
Mu Qiuhan glanced at the man but did not expose him.
She believed that if Elder Xuan Kong opposite her was truly without personal bias, he would not fail to see the truth.
But if he was determined to be partial, it would be useless even if she argued until the sky fell.
She said lightly, “I was practicing peacefully in my room, and this senior brother seems to have a problem with his head.”
The unspoken meaning was to remind the elder not to forget who the true instigator of this incident was.
The elder named Xuan Kong looked at Mu Qiuhan, whose expression was growing increasingly indifferent, and suddenly laughed heartily.
The Sect Master and several of his martial brothers had been in fluctuating health recently.
A few days ago, Elder Shang had come to the Scripture Pavilion to search for medicinal formulas, and he had accompanied him.
He happened to see this young girl registering with a disciple in the pavilion, wishing to borrow a cultivation room.
He saw the girl was dressed in green yet chose a fire-attribute cultivation room, which made him curious.
When he saw clearly that she entered the room Wei Liangfeng usually used, he found it even more interesting.
These past few days, he had also frequently visited the pavilion, helping Elder Shang find treatments for the Sect Master and his martial brothers, and he would also pay some attention to the activity in that cultivation room.
Coincidentally, Wei Liangfeng also came today.
He had actually noticed when the conflict between the two first started.
With the attitude that young people should resolve their own matters, he hadn’t interfered.
But seeing the two start fighting and the situation escalating, he could no longer stand by and do nothing.
He was very familiar with Wei Liangfeng.
An outstanding figure among the younger generation of Danxia Ridge, Wei Liangfeng would soon be able to break through the Nascent Soul stage and enter the Soul Transformation stage.
But what truly surprised him was this unfamiliar-looking young girl before him.
Although this girl was only at mid-stage Gold Core, she could withstand Wei Liangfeng’s full-powered attack, which was truly impressive.
And her fire control technique, seemingly simple, was actually incredibly exquisite.
His martial nephew Yu Ping from Danxia Ridge was likely inferior in comparison.
Thinking carefully, perhaps only Senior Brother Xuan Ling, who was still in seclusion, could truly compare to her within the sect.
At the thought of Senior Brother Xuan Ling, the old man sighed, and the trace of doubt that had suddenly arisen in his heart was forgotten, cast to the nine heavens.
The sight of these two young people competing yet refusing to yield to each other suddenly reminded him of the time he and Senior Brother Xuan Ling had dueled.
He was momentarily lost in thought.
It was Wei Liangfeng’s cold snort that brought him back to his senses.
The old man looked at the indifferent girl and the sulking boy before him and, for once, decided to be a peacemaker.
He glared at Wei Liangfeng.
“Stop arguing! In my opinion, you are in the wrong.”
Seeing Wei Liangfeng still seemed unconvinced, his tone suddenly turned cold.
“Forcing your way into someone’s cultivation room is one thing, but to use lethal force against your own sect mate? Is this how your master Yu Ping taught you?!”
Hearing this, Wei Liangfeng’s face instantly paled.
Harming a sect mate was no small matter.
Although this Elder Xuan Kong was usually only in charge of the Scripture Pavilion and didn’t have much real power, with Elder Xuan Ling currently in seclusion, he was temporarily overseeing the affairs of the Disciplinary Hall.
If this serious accusation were to stick, the matter would become severe.
Wei Liangfeng became a little anxious.
“Elder Xuan Kong, please see clearly!”
“This disciple thought that with so many seniors managing the pavilion, junior sister would definitely not come to such harm, so I was a bit heavy-handed for a moment. I didn’t really intend to hurt her!”
As he spoke, he anxiously watched the elder’s reaction.
Elder Xuan Kong only hummed, seeming to be pondering something.
He thought for a moment and finally said to Wei Liangfeng, “That’s not entirely false. However, regarding today’s matter, you were ultimately in the wrong first.”
“How about this: your junior sister’s spiritual energy is currently depleted. Give her that Fire Spirit Pill you obtained a few days ago as an apology. What do you think?”
Although Elder Xuan Kong’s words were directed at Wei Liangfeng, when he spoke the last few sentences, he was looking at Mu Qiuhan, clearly seeking her opinion.
Mu Qiuhan had observed for a long time and already knew that this elder handled matters quite fairly.
Although she didn’t think much of the Fire Spirit Pill, she understood the principle of quitting while ahead, so she nodded accordingly.
Who knew that Wei Liangfeng would be unwilling.
He was heard saying, “Elder Xuan Kong, this disciple prepared this Fire Spirit Pill to use when breaking through to the Soul Transformation stage. Can I exchange it for something else?”
Wei Liangfeng knew Elder Xuan Kong’s usual temper well and understood that he was bound to suffer this loss today.
He simply stopped arguing and instead took out a pile of medicinal pills from his storage ring, placing them before Mu Qiuhan.
“Junior sister, the Fire Spirit Pill is very important to me. Could junior sister perhaps choose something else?”
“I have many pills here. Although they can’t compare to that Fire Spirit Pill, if junior sister is willing, you can pick more than one.”
Mu Qiuhan’s gaze swept over the bottles and jars before her.
Although the pills Wei Liangfeng took out were not of poor quality, they were too ordinary for her.
If she didn’t even care for the Fire Spirit Pill, let alone these other ones.
Perhaps I can try asking him for something else.
Mu Qiuhan calculated in her mind for a moment and suddenly asked, “Senior brother, you often refine pills, so you must have a good stock of various spiritual herbs. May I ask if you have these?”
She listed about ten types of spiritual herbs, causing Wei Liangfeng to frown.
“What does junior sister want these spiritual herbs for? Could it be that you want to refine a Fire Spirit Pill yourself?”
Wei Liangfeng sneered at this point, “This Fire Spirit Pill is quite difficult to refine even with my late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation. Surely junior sister isn’t thinking of refining it herself?”
Mu Qiuhan saw the flash of disdain in Wei Liangfeng’s eyes and smiled instead.
“No need for senior brother to worry. However, I believe that since senior brother is unwilling to give me the Fire Spirit Pill, using the ingredients for one Fire Spirit Pill as an exchange would be fair.”
Hearing this, Wei Liangfeng’s expression turned serious. “That may be so, but Dipsacus Herb and Cedar Fruit are quite precious. I don’t have them.”
“In that case, does senior brother have Horsebit Grass or Gastrodia?”
Wei Liangfeng thought for a moment. “I do have both of those. If junior sister is willing to substitute them, I can give you two stalks of each.”
Mu Qiuhan nodded.
She didn’t really need the Dipsacus Herb and Cedar Fruit, nor did she want to refine a Fire Spirit Pill.
Her real goal was the Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Pill.
This body’s spiritual roots were too poor; sooner or later, they would become an obstacle.
When she was in the Demonic Realm, she had obtained a cultivation method for tempering spiritual roots, and cultivating this method required the Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Pill as a supplement.
But she couldn’t reveal her true purpose.
Three ingredients in the Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Pill were the same as those in the Fire Spirit Pill, so she conveniently listed those dozen or so spiritual herbs to make Wei Liangfeng mistakenly believe she wanted to refine a Fire Spirit Pill.
As expected, it successfully diverted his attention.
Afterwards, because Wei Liangfeng couldn’t produce the Dipsacus Herb and Cedar Fruit, Mu Qiuhan proposed to exchange them for Horsebit Grass and Gastrodia.
In this way, Mu Qiuhan had already gathered five of the twenty-odd spiritual herbs needed to refine the Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Pill.
She pondered that after leaving the Scripture Pavilion later, she would need to make a trip to the Fragrant Grass Courtyard.
She planned to exchange all the remaining Qingling Grass and surplus spiritual herbs she had on hand, striving to gather the other ingredients for the Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Pill as soon as possible.
As for the two most precious main ingredients, Dragon’s Gall Flower and Golden Lingjiao, the Demonic Realm had one stalk of the former in its collection, but the Golden Lingjiao would probably have to be sought in the Yao Realm.
Thinking of this, even with Mu Qiuhan’s usually calm temperament, she couldn’t help but frown.
After Wei Liangfeng handed the pile of spiritual herbs to Mu Qiuhan, he kept watching her expression.
Seeing her frown, he thought she was dissatisfied with exchanging the more precious Dipsacus Herb and Cedar Fruit for Horsebit Grass and Gastrodia, so he took it upon himself to add a stalk of Purple Leaf Costus for Mu Qiuhan.
Mu Qiuhan, of course, wouldn’t refuse.
Although Purple Leaf Costus was very common, she was more than happy to have one less spiritual herb to search for on her list.
Having gained an advantage, she naturally became a bit more courteous verbally.
“Senior brother,” she cupped her fists at Wei Liangfeng.
“I was also in the wrong regarding today’s matter. I hope senior brother can forgive me. We shall meet again.”
After speaking, she bowed to the elder.
Seeing she was about to leave, Elder Xuan Kong quickly stopped her.
“You are a disciple from Jade Dragon Ridge, Qiuhan?”
Hearing this, Mu Qiuhan’s expression tensed.
That day, in front of the Violet Sun Hall, this elder had appeared.
Could it be that he still remembered her true appearance, and thus her appearance-changing technique made him notice something amiss and become suspicious?
