Chapter Seventeen: Refining the Essence Pearl

One hundred thousand taels of silver, eight chests of yellow jade, two boxes of land deeds, twenty-four three-foot corals, and, in addition, a single white jade-like coral standing seven feet four inches tall, its branches full and spreading gracefully like a canopy.

In a hidden treasury behind the main hall.

Chen Heng didn’t bother with a key. He simply struck the sealed door with his fist, smashing it open to reveal the wealth that Daoist Yangshan had accumulated over many years.

The disciples of Yangshan, who had been following him from a distance, all gasped in shock, unable to keep from whispering among themselves. The silver alone amounted to a hundred thousand taels—dozens of large chests stacked so high that they towered above a man.

In these times, a mu of fine paddy land fetched no more than thirty taels at best in prosperous years. During years of famine or drought, even ten or eight taels, or less, would suffice to purchase a mu.

Those who came to Yangshan to study the Way were disciples in name only; in truth, they were little different from hired hands or servants, sold off by their families out of poverty and hunger, having already signed contracts of servitude for life.

At the sight of so much wealth—beyond even their wildest dreams—their hearts nearly stopped, thinking they must be trapped in a dream.

“Master, now that you’ve taken Yangshan, what will happen to us?” one bold voice called out suddenly.

“Sir, why not keep a few of us to serve your side? I’m skilled in all eighteen household arts—cooking, tending horses, standing watch, sweeping—there’s nothing I can’t do. Please let me stay and serve you!”

His words set off a chorus, and the other disciples began clamoring to prove their loyalty as well.

“Young master is a member of the Chen clan, a noble family! If he needs servants, there are plenty of clean-born house servants to command. Who do you think you are, making such a racket?” one of the Chen family’s servants who had carried the sedan chair up the mountain snapped in annoyance. “Get out of the way! Do you want to stand here being an eyesore?”

The rebuked disciple shrank back, but the more he endured, the angrier he became, and finally muttered a sullen retort.

Thus, the two sides descended into loud argument, the scene devolving into chaos.

“Enough!” Chen Heng’s voice cut through the din, silencing everyone. “There’s no need to argue. I don’t require anyone to wait upon me.”

“But, young master,” one of the Chen family stewards protested anxiously, “Yangshan has considerable lands, and wild beasts may roam here, disturbing your cultivation. Why not allow me to leave a few vigilant retainers behind? Not only for protection—even for your daily meals, it would be more convenient to have someone on hand.”

“Would a practitioner of innate breathing techniques fear wolves or tigers? As for food, dried meat and fruit are quite sufficient.”

“But, young master, you shouldn’t have to eat such lowly fare—”

The steward tried to argue further.

Chen Heng merely cast him a glance, and instantly the steward felt as though plunged into snow and ice, shivering uncontrollably.

“Lowly fare? What do you think I ate on Little Gan Mountain?”

Chen Heng could not be bothered to speak further. “I understand your concerns. Rest assured, I reward merit. The wealth left by the Daoist of Yangshan includes your share.”

He turned to Xu Zhi. “Is there anything you like, senior brother? Take whatever you wish—today’s success could not have been achieved without you.”

Xu Zhi shook his head with a gentle smile. “What use have I for worldly gold and silver? Such things are of no value on Little Gan Mountain. However, I see that these Yangshan disciples are not evil men, merely poor. Could you not give them some silver as well?”

“Is that so?” Chen Heng glanced at Xiao Yu. “What of their character?”

“They are poor, that is true, and have not been here long... As for those who had done evil, Duan Bao already took them to your house. None returned—were they not killed by you?” After a long moment, Xiao Yu seemed to awaken from a trance.

Her pale, thin face twisted with a kind of madness as she spoke softly, almost tenderly, “But in this den of ghosts that is Yangshan, even good people, if left long enough, will become monsters. Better to kill them all!”

Suddenly, she burst out in wild laughter, each note piercing as though weeping blood. “Burn this whole mountain! Tie people and beasts together, and let the fire cleanse all to nothing!”

Her voice was as sharp as an owl’s cry in a lonely forest on a cold night. The crowd shuddered, feet chilled, even Xu Zhi tightening his grip on his broken sword for courage.

“Understood. No crimes committed,” Chen Heng said impassively. He instructed the Chen family steward, “There are still many women in the mountain who were abducted for Yangshan’s pleasure. Distribute silver and gold to them as well. No embezzlement—understand?”

The steward quickly agreed, sweat breaking out on his back before he realized it.

Chen Heng, his interest fading, withdrew his gaze from the treasury, looking no longer. As Xu Zhi had said, worldly wealth meant little to those who followed the Way. Should they crave earthly luxury, a simple Five Ghosts Transport spell would bring them endless riches, more than a lifetime could exhaust.

“I’ve obtained three talismanic artifacts and the foundation of Yangshan—this journey was not in vain.”

He weighed the Qiankun Pouch taken from Daoist Yangshan’s corpse, his expression shifting slightly.

This pouch was the true prize of the trip. It possessed the ability to store the vast within the minute, containing its own space for storing objects—a talismanic artifact in its own right.

Inside, there should be ample resources for a cultivator, but with so many people present, Chen Heng refrained from examining it directly.

After Chen Heng turned away,

The expression on Xiao Yu’s face shifted from frenzy and resentment to numbness and confusion.

“Why... didn’t you come sooner...” she murmured to herself.

Deep within her eyes, a flicker of mad murderous intent flashed and vanished.

...

...

Five days later.

Deep within the mountain, in the quiet chamber where Daoist Yangshan had once secluded himself.

Chen Heng sat cross-legged, wisps of white breath streaming from his mouth and nose, steadily washing over a red-and-white essence pearl suspended in his chest and abdomen.

After half a stick of incense’s time, Chen Heng suddenly opened his eyes, inhaling the white breath back into his core.

“Contract!” He formed a seal with his hand, bit his tongue, and spat a mouthful of vital blood onto the red-and-white pearl in his chest.

As the blood struck, his face turned pale, his body swaying.

But the red-and-white essence pearl, struck by the blood, flared with dazzling light, filling the entire chamber with brilliant red and white hues, beautiful and strange. The radiance lasted for dozens of heartbeats before slowly fading.

“At last, I’ve refined the Thunderfire Essence Pearl. Daoist Yangshan was indeed at the sixth stage of Qi Refinement—his blood imprint was truly troublesome.”

With a wave of his hand, the pearl, about the size of a pigeon’s egg, leapt into his palm like a bird returning to its nest. At his command, it darted left and right, up and down, lively and obedient.

“At last, a protective artifact of my own.”

A smile appeared on Chen Heng’s face.

...

...