Xu Ming stepped into Lingxu's sky jade gate. He walked at a steady pace toward his residence, Qingxu Hall. Around him, any disciples he met immediately parted to give him way. They would bow and salute him too.
Xu Ming ignored all of this. He was used to it. It didn't mean anything to him—not anymore, but he still enjoyed the way the disciples' eyes looked at him. Full of awe and admiration. Some even had that infatuated look when they saw him.
His appearance was one of his greatest assets. He would exploit it until it couldn't be exploited anymore. He would never stop using it to his advantage. He had lost too much to care. He would use everything he had to succeed.
A man in dark green robes was approaching him. Xu Ming saw him in his peripheral vision. Qin Lingyi, the new Head of Divine Elixir Peak, replacing Tie Yanfang.
Xu Ming sighed inwardly. Tie Yanfang. It's been five years, yet he was still bitter about Tie Yanfang's death. Not because he liked or cared about that crazy old man—he didn't care for anyone but himself. He was bitter because he had used many resources to cultivate Tie Yanfang until he was proficient in pill-making. Then he had to cultivate another person. Such a waste of precious resources.
"Xu Ming Shengzun." Qin Lingyi bowed and saluted. Xu Ming didn't stop. He kept walking forward. Qin Lingyi followed him, his posture a bit hunched, his head still bowed.
"Have you captured…" Xu Ming's gaze silenced him. "Of course you have. How can I be that stupid."
Soon, they entered Qingxu Garden. It was filled with many different types of flowers, all blooming as if welcoming the master of the residence. The fragrances didn't contradict each other. In fact, they blended into one perfect fragrance—and it belonged to Xu Ming.
Qin Lingyi continued to follow Xu Ming to the doors of Qingxu Hall.
Xu Ming stopped before entering his residence. He turned his head slightly to Qin Lingyi behind him. "Wait for me at the alchemy room." Then he entered without waiting for Qin Lingyi's answer.
The door closed behind him.
Qin Lingyi bowed, "Yes, Shengzun." Then he scurried away.
Qin Lingyi was ecstatic when Xu Ming appointed him as the new head of Divine Elixir Peak. He was Tie Yanfang's first disciple and one of the most talented disciples in Lingxu in the art of pill-making. He was a High Immortal One when his Shizun died, and just a few months ago, he broke through to Sainthood.
Qin Lingyi was very grateful to Xu Ming. He considered himself Xu Ming's right-hand man. Who else in Lingxu had received such support from Xu Ming Shengzun? In five short years, his cultivation had leaped from High Immortal One to Saint. Everyone was green with envy.
Qin Lingyi hurried to the alchemy room. He didn't want to make a single mistake.
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Xu Ming was standing in his immense bathroom. In front of him was a huge pool filled with hot, steaming flower water. Its fragrant steam rose and filled the room until it was misty.
A woman and a man appeared at his right and left sides. They helped him remove layers of his robes and clothing until he was stark naked.
If his face was perfection, his body was like white sculpted snow jade—ripped muscles in all the right places, his eight-pack abs hard and solid.
He stepped into the pool slowly, elegantly. Xu Ming never moved in a rush; his movements flowed like wind and water.
He submerged himself until the water reached his beautifully chiseled chest, then leaned back against the wall of the pool.
The same pair—man and woman—crouched down and began removing all of his hair accessories.
Xu Ming closed his eyes, enjoying the pampering.
"Ruo'er, get in," Xu Ming said in a low, calm, melodic voice.
Shuang Ruo, the female servant who was combing Xu Ming's wet hair, immediately stood up, undressed quickly, and entered the water.
Xu Ming lifted his right hand toward Shuang Ruo, eyes still closed. "Wash my hands clean. I touched something unclean."
"Yes, Shengzun," Shuang Ruo replied gently.
"Rui'er, once you've finished with my hair, massage my shoulders."
"Yes, Shengzun," Shuang Rui replied gently.
Xu Ming sighed. These twins are the best investment I have ever made.
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Xu Ming was standing in front of his full-length mirror. Shuang Rui and Shuang Ruo were circling him, busy with his clothes, hair, and accessories. His appearance would always be perfect. The twins were responsible for that.
Once they were finished, they took a step back, admiring their work.
Shuang Ruo looked up to Xu Ming, who was half a head taller than her. Her gaze was filled with nothing but admiration and love. "Perfect, Shengzun."
Shuang Rui had just finished brushing Xu Ming's shoes, got up, and also took a step back. He looked at Xu Ming up and down, checking for imperfections one last time, until he was satisfied he didn't find any flaws. He also said, "Perfect, Shengzun."
Xu Ming nodded. "Thank you, both of you." Xu Ming extended an arm to each of them. "Your work is also perfect."
Both of them took Xu Ming's hands and kissed them gently, their hearts full of love. "It is our life for your perfection, Shengzun," they both said in unison.
Xu Ming left his residence, looking impeccable, as always.
When he entered the alchemy room, Qin Lingyi was already waiting inside. He stood up abruptly to welcome Xu Ming.
Xu Ming stepped into a large hall with a high ceiling. Five large pill furnaces stood in the center of the hall.
The clanking of chains and cries of terror filled the room as Xu Ming entered. Xu Ming stopped in front of the furnaces, glanced at the walls, where rows of people were chained.
He took out the blood orb. The room went quiet.
"Yes, this is your escaped friend."
Gasps and cries were heard.
Xu Ming had a calm and kind expression on his face, like he didn't have a demon blood orb hovering above his palm.
He extended his free hand to all five furnaces and opened their lids with his spirit energy.
Qin Lingyi immediately added ingredients into the furnaces.
Xu Ming added a few drops of demon blood into each furnace and closed the lids.
Qin Lingyi circulated his spirit energy, produced spirit fire, and ignited all five furnaces simultaneously. He needed to maintain a steady spirit fire for one incense stick's time. It wasn't an easy feat. The key to pill refinement was the spirit fire. Ingredients were important too, but not as important as the quality of spirit fire produced by a cultivator.
Xu Ming was standing there, watching Qin Lingyi's spirit fire. This was Qin Lingyi's third time refining Fanjing Pills. Xu Ming needed to ensure he could really do it without Xu Ming's help. Maintaining the same quality spirit fire for one incense stick's time across five furnaces required a lot of spirit energy.
Soon, a tangy herbal aroma wafted out from the furnaces. The spirit fire changed color from orange to purplish blue. At this phase, the pills required a more powerful spirit fire.
Close to one incense stick's time, the lids of the furnaces began to tremble. Qin Lingyi poured more of his spirit energy into the furnaces, the spirit fire now turned into purple spirit fire. Sweat formed on Qin Lingyi's forehead. The pills were in the last stage, the most fragile phase. If he failed to maintain the spirit fire, everything would be useless.
At exactly one incense stick's time, the lids suddenly shot up and reddish-brown pills flew out of the furnaces. The pills landed on Xu Ming's open palm.
"Twenty-five pills." Xu Ming counted, looked at Qin Lingyi and nodded. "Not bad, Shengzun."
Qin Lingyi was panting. He was spent. He'd need to recuperate for a few days before he could do it again. But at Xu Ming's praise, he was grinning like an idiot.
He struggled to bow and salute Xu Ming. "Thank you, Xu Ming Shengzun, for the kind praise. Lingyi doesn't deserve it. It was all thanks to Xu Ming Shengzun's magnanimous heart."
Xu Ming handed the pills to Qin Lingyi. He then flicked his hand, and the lids hovered above the furnaces once again.
"I'm going to make Shengtian now."
The people on the walls became restless again.
Without looking, Xu Ming raised his hand toward the wall, and five Immortals flew out, their arms torn by the chains.
"Argh!" They were yelling in pain.
Xu Ming ignored them, and they all hovered horizontally in front of him, blood dripping from where their arms should have been.
With his left hand behind him, Xu Ming extracted five Immortal Cores with his right hand.
"ARGH!"
Screams of pain and terror filled the room.