Chapter 355: An Audience

Chapter 355: Chapter 355: An Audience

Once he had everything packed and ready, Bai Mo boarded his Flying Ship and departed the inner sect.

WHOOSH!

The Flying Ship plunged into the wall of clouds. Bai Mo closed his eyes, steering it straight ahead.

When he emerged a quarter-hour later, he was covered in moisture, but the wind quickly blew it away.

The atmosphere of the outer sect was, after all, different from that of the inner sect.

Soaring through the air, he could see disciples below. Some were engaged in arduous cultivation, while others gathered in twos and threes, leisurely discussing the Dao, free and relaxed.

’So unlike the urgent, relentless pace of the inner sect.’

The Flying Ship continued on without pause, heading straight out of the sect.

Having ridden Spirit Beasts from Beast Taming Peak many times, Bai Mo was already familiar with the route.

He got his bearings, infused the Flying Ship with Spiritual Qi, and shot toward Celestial Mountain City in an instant.

The mountains and rivers of the vast land rushed by below. Traveling alone had a unique charm, and so five or six days passed.

「On this day.」

Bai Mo brought his Flying Ship to a halt, stopping in mid-air.

Below, in a desolate stretch of wilderness, several Cultivators were hunting a Demon Beast. Dark blood and black fur flew through the air amidst billowing dust.

SHINK!!

A moment later, as a long spear pierced its skull, the ape-like Demon Beast, which stood over ten feet tall, finally collapsed.

"Cough, cough!"

The lead disciple spat out a mouthful of bloody foam, retrieved the long spear, and tossed it back to his companion.

"Get the carriage! We’re taking this thing back to the sect. The reward for this will be substantial!"

Hearing this, the other disciples’ faces lit up with irrepressible excitement.

"We’ve been trailing this beast for half a month. We finally got it!"

"It’s a shame about that sect brother from before... He was all alone when this thing took his life."

As they were speaking, they suddenly noticed a Flying Ship descending.

The lead disciple’s gaze sharpened, and he called out in a loud voice,

"Which friend is passing by?"

They had just fought a grueling battle for half a day, were nursing various injuries, and had their prize lying right beside them.

Under the circumstances, approaching them was considered extremely rude.

"It is I!"

Bai Mo leaped down from the Flying Ship and gave a slight salute.

"Brother Jin, long time no see."

The lead Cultivator was one of the very men who had helped him search for an opportunity in the Alchemy Dao within the Jade Plate Secret Realm.

This was the man who had been the first to consume the Pill, turning into something neither human nor ghost. He had fought valiantly and had also been the first to die in the Secret Realm.

Brother Jin, momentarily stunned, breathed a sigh of relief as a smile spread across his face.

"Ah, it’s Junior Brother Bai!"

"You’re part of the inner sect. How do you have the leisure to come out here?"

Bai Mo shook his head.

"Just a few things to take care of."

"Speaking of which, I promised to refine two Pills for each of you, but to this day, no one has come to find me."

This was the reward they had agreed upon.

Brother Jin rubbed his hands together.

"We can talk about that later. We don’t have a use for them right now."

They chatted for a moment, and Bai Mo casually tossed out a few Healing Elixirs before turning his gaze to the fallen Demon Beast.

"What is this...?"

Brother Jin’s expression darkened.

"It’s a Demon Beast that came from who knows where. It’s highly intelligent and has been roaming around causing trouble. It’s done a lot of evil... it even abducted women and violated them."

He shook his head slightly.

"Some of the sect’s disciples were also killed, so I accepted this mission to bring my junior brothers and sisters out here and eliminate it."

"The beast is good at escaping and uses simple stratagems. It took a great deal of effort to finally bring it down today."

’Such high intelligence is indeed rare.’

After exchanging a few more words, Bai Mo boarded his Flying Ship again and vanished into the distance in an instant.

Brother Jin clapped his hands and announced,

"Stop gawking! Hurry up, let’s get this Demon Corpse ready to go."

His junior brothers and sisters snapped out of their daze and quickly got to work.

"Brother Jin, is that the senior brother you mentioned? The one who’s incredible at the Alchemy Dao?"

"Commanding a Flying Ship, coming and going as he pleases from up high... It’s so enviable!"

Brother Jin nodded.

"Just keep at it. Things will be better once you get into the inner sect."

"Then you’ll be able to be just as carefree."

The faces of his junior brothers and sisters filled with yearning.

Unaware of the conversation behind him, Bai Mo continued to pilot his Flying Ship. After half a month, he finally arrived at Celestial Mountain City.

The city was just as he remembered it. Cultivators from all over came and went, and the weathered marks on the city walls remained unchanged.

Burly laborers moving goods, Alchemy Dao novices here for the Pill Master evaluations, merchants with worried expressions...

When it came to liveliness, Immortal Arrival City still fell far short of this place.

Even Foundation Establishment Cultivators had to obediently enter through the city gate. After putting his Flying Ship into storage, Bai Mo followed the flow of people into the city.

When the disciple guarding the gate saw Bai Mo’s Token, he trembled and respectfully handed it back.

Bai Mo smiled and followed the stream of people inside.

The streets were lined with shops, and a rich Pill Fragrance filled the air.

Bai Mo walked slowly, but he couldn’t remember where the Jinghong Inn was located.

The second senior of the Alchemy Dao to arrive was staying at the Jinghong Inn.

"Heh, Celestial Mountain City is a vast place. Are you lost, friend?"

A courteous, blue-robed Cultivator approached from the side and offered him an invitation.

"This is a Pill Token for my Jingyue Commerce Association. When you have some free time, you can bring it to our Pill Assembly. Several prominent Pill Masters will be in attendance..."

This person had been watching Bai Mo frequently from the side of the road, presumably drawn by the Pill Qi about him, and had finally stepped forward.

Bai Mo, knowing this full well, simply smiled, accepted the Pill Token, and asked for directions before bidding the man farewell.

The blue-robed Cultivator returned to his stakeout spot by the roadside.

Bai Mo, for his part, headed toward the Jinghong Inn.

Along the way, he saw many people discussing alchemy, and several more enthusiastic Cultivators pressed Pill Tokens into his hand.

’The Pill Master evaluations are starting up again, no wonder...’

The Jinghong Inn was situated on a street corner. It wasn’t a prime location, nor was its decor particularly impressive, standing only two stories high.

It was dwarfed by the towering inns and commerce association buildings on the street, its fame being its only grand quality.

Even so, at this crucial time, its rooms were already fully occupied.

The main hall was filled with chattering Cultivators exchanging insights on the Alchemy Dao, but in Bai Mo’s eyes, their attainments were not particularly profound.

In truth, only two or three of them were even passable, and whether or not they could pass the evaluation would still come down to luck.

In a corner of the hall, an old man in hemp clothes sat alone. Before him were two small side dishes and a bowl of white rice.

The old man’s face was deeply aged, his hair was snow-white, and his movements were clumsy. He ate slowly, chewing each mouthful with care.

The moment Bai Mo stepped into the hall, however, the old man paused and looked up toward the entrance.

Bai Mo, in turn, looked toward him.

Smiles bloomed on both of their faces.

Bai Mo strode over and took a seat opposite the old man.

"This junior, Bai Mo, greets you, Senior."

The old man put down his chopsticks and said with a serious expression,

"The Alchemy Dao has a worthy successor. To see such a promising young talent... it’s enough to make an old man like me feel ashamed of my own achievements."

"Others call this old man Baitouweng; I’ve long since forgotten my original name. You and I are kindred spirits on the same path, so don’t let our difference in age make you feel constrained."

Bai Mo acknowledged this and then asked,

"Senior, why have you washed the Pill Qi from your body?"

Baitouweng waved his hand dismissively.

"Back where I’m from, there are plenty of cities where the Alchemy Dao flourishes. People are always shamelessly coming up to me for pointers. It’s endlessly annoying."

"I came out this time to meet a friend, and I refuse to let anyone spoil my mood!"

Bai Mo understood. He then remembered the other senior, the one who had visited Immortal Arrival City, and asked,

"There is another senior who arrived many days ago. Have you seen him?"

Baitouweng picked up his chopsticks again.

"I tried to find him, but he’s the type who comes and goes like the wind, never staying in one place for long."

"Every time I think I’m just about to catch his trail and hurry to a location, he’s already vanished."

Bai Mo broke into a helpless laugh.

"No matter. We’ll all be able to meet eventually."

Baitouweng picked up a vegetable heart with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

"Indeed, indeed."

"Just let me finish my meal, and then we can have a nice long chat, young man..."