In the eighth month of the Feima Gathering, the sky was clear just a moment ago, but in the blink of an eye, it was pouring rain.
The rain came swiftly and departed just as quickly.
In no time, the clouds dispersed, leaving behind fresh air but muddy and difficult paths.
Zhu Qiuniang formed hand seals and displayed the Wind Control Technique, her figure becoming light and graceful amidst the shimmering spiritual light.
Although Wind Control Technique seemed similar to Feather Flying Technique, it was entirely different.
Feather Flying Technique allowed one to float like a feather but lacked speed.
Wind Control Technique enabled cultivators to travel with the wind, the stronger the cultivator, the faster the speed.
Zhu Qiuniang practiced Body Cultivation and disliked the sluggishness of Feather Flying Technique, thus Wind Control Technique suited her better.
Along the way, Zhu Qiuniang borrowed force from various places, gracefully gliding over the muddy ground without a speck of mud on her shoes.
Arriving at a crossroads, Zhu Qiuniang saw a black dried corpse lying on the ground.
Several cultivators surrounded it, pointing and discussing, fear evident on their faces.
Zhu Qiuniang knew these were cultivators killed by evil spirits, their essence and vitality drained, turning them into charcoal-like dried corpses.
She had heard that the evil spirit with half a head had resurfaced, causing harm throughout the Feima Gathering.
During this period, over ten wandering cultivators had been killed, causing anxiety among them.
Some wandering cultivators had sought out the steward Li Shuanglin, requesting him to eliminate the evil spirit.
Li Shuanglin was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and the manager of the Lianyun Sect in the Feima Gathering.
With the evil spirit rampant, wandering cultivators naturally turned to Li Shuanglin for help.
It was said that Li Shuanglin had promised to deal with the evil spirit as soon as possible.
Zhu Qiuniang only heard bits and pieces of this and was not particularly concerned.
Her Primordial Golden Body was formidable, making these low-level evil spirits no threat to her.
"It's just that the evil spirit is killing people everywhere. I wonder if timid Gao Xian will be frightened..."
When Zhu Qiuniang arrived, Gao Xian was practicing Iron Dragon Hands in the courtyard.
During this period, his progress in Iron Dragon Hands was rapid, and he had begun to enjoy the sense of fulfillment from practicing it.
The Five Elements Technique, Iron Dragon Hands, and other spells like Fire Control Technique could not be upgraded using humane spiritual light; he had to practice diligently on his own.
The Five Elements Technique was a cultivation method that trained one's qi, spirit, and body, complex and profound.
Progress could only be determined daily through the Fengyue Treasure Mirror.
However, Iron Dragon Hands were different.
After each practice, he could clearly feel the powerful sensation in his muscles and bones, sensing his own progress distinctly.
This was the difference between internal and external cultivation.
Watching Gao Xian practice Iron Dragon Hands, Zhu Qiuniang nodded and said, "Your practice is already very proficient. Well done."
She had practiced Iron Dragon Hands for several years, but she was not as skilled as Gao Xian, showing how quickly he had progressed.
Gao Xian was delighted.
Although Zhu Qiuniang was kind to him, she would not praise him casually.
So, for her to say this meant his progress was indeed significant.
He also understood that his progress was mostly due to the Thunderbolt Dragon Hands and partly because of the Dragon Bone Pill.
Zhu Qiuniang said, "I have nothing more to guide you on regarding Iron Dragon Hands. Just keep practicing well."
Handing Gao Xian a pillbox, she said, "These are fifty Dragon Bone Pills."
Gao Xian eagerly accepted them, saying, "That's great, thank you, Qiuniang. You're spending money on me again."
During his practice of Iron Dragon Hands, Gao Xian realized the essential role of pills as supplements.
No wonder alchemists made money; progress required taking pills.
Dragon Bone Pills were quite special, and he could not refine them himself, relying solely on Zhu Qiuniang.
Fortunately, he could also provide Tian Gui Pills and offer health services to Zhu Qiuniang.
Their cooperation was mutually beneficial, and he felt justified in taking the Dragon Bone Pills.
"That half-headed evil spirit has resurfaced recently, and it seems to have grown stronger," Zhu Qiuniang reminded Gao Xian. "You must be careful and always carry a Yang Symbol with you."
Gao Xian's face showed surprise. "That evil spirit is back?"
He had severely injured the opponent with a True Yang Spear last time, but he did not expect the evil spirit to revive so quickly.
This news weighed heavily on his heart, causing immense discomfort.
"The more essence and blood the evil spirit consumes, the stronger it becomes," Zhu Qiuniang shook her head slightly. "If it is not dealt with quickly, the evil spirit will become increasingly powerful."
Seeing Gao Xian's troubled expression, Zhu Qiuniang comforted him, "The evil spirit won't specifically come after you. There are Foundation Establishment cultivators like Li Shuanglin to handle it, so you don't need to worry too much."
She paused and added, "The real trouble lies with Lao Zhu."
"Hmm?"
Gao Xian looked puzzled. "What's wrong with Boss Zhu?"
Zhu Qiuniang explained, "Lao Zhu recently found that the business at the medicine shop has declined. He sent people to investigate and discovered that Tian Gui Pills and Deer Antler Powder are selling very well, snatching his business. He already suspects you..."
Gao Xian was shocked. "Ah!"
He looked uneasy at Zhu Qiuniang, "He found out so quickly?"
The alchemy furnace belonged to Zhu Hong'an, and his master had signed an alchemy contract with Zhu Hong'an, stipulating a minimum of fifteen hundred pills to be refined for him monthly.
The contract did not specify who the additional pills should belong to, as neither party had considered this issue.
The original owner of this body was a low-level alchemist, barely able to complete the monthly task, let alone have spare energy to refine other pills.
He could refine Deer Antler Powder with extra medicinal materials because alchemy materials typically had a surplus of one-third.
Low-level alchemists could not succeed with every pill, so a one-third surplus was normal loss.
With the help of the Fengyue Treasure Mirror, his alchemy skills had advanced rapidly, allowing him to utilize the medicinal materials to the fullest, with almost no loss.
Gao Xian knew about the alchemy contract and Zhu Hong'an's greed.
If he found out about the exquisite refinement of Deer Antler Powder and Tian Gui Pills, he would not let it go.
By having Zhou Ye and Huang Ying act as agents, Gao Xian thought he could avoid this problem.
Yet, the Tian Gui Pills were discovered by Lao Zhu in less than a month?
Seeking help, Gao Xian looked at Zhu Qiuniang, "Qiuniang, what should I do?"
Deer Antler Powder and Tian Gui Pills were the foundation of his earnings.
If Zhu Hong'an took them away, he would not be able to turn things around for several years.
Cultivation required not only humane spiritual light but also various pills, magical tools, and other resources, all of which required a large number of spirit stones.
Currently at the Qi Refinement Second Layer, he needed Blood Dragon Pills from Zhu Qiuniang to significantly increase his cultivation speed.
It was clear that the higher the cultivation level, the more resources were needed.
Without spirit stones, where would the resources come from?
Zhu Hong'an held the contract, had a strong background in the Lianyun Sect, and knew his master.
In both public and private matters, Gao Xian could not compete with him.
Gao Xian was now feeling a bit confused, unsure of how to handle the situation.
Although Zhu Qiuniang and Zhu Hong'an had a poor relationship, they had been together for so many years, and she understood Zhu Hong'an well, so she should have a plan.
Zhu Qiuniang looked deeply at Gao Xian and calmly said, "I've already told you the solution. It's simple, kill Lao Zhu."
"Erm..."
This time, Gao Xian did not rush to refuse; he fell into deep contemplation.
(End of chapter)