Chapter 279: Heart of Justice

The sky hung heavy with oppressive clouds that shrouded Medicine King City.

After the conclusion of the Alchemy Grand Assembly, the crowds that had gathered in Medicine King City began to disperse.

Chen Luo, the City Lord of Medicine King City, and three seasoned alchemists from the city made their way toward the highest alchemy chamber in Medicine King City.

Boom!

Muffled thunder rumbled through the skies, as if someone were drumming in the clouds.

A breeze swept across the ground, lifting dried leaves and carrying the earthy fragrance of soil. The yellow leaves on the trees swayed in the wind, their branches shedding leaves that fluttered down in spirals after several unsteady movements.

A footstep on a dry leaf produced a crisp cracking sound.

“We’re almost there,” one of the alchemists said.

The group continued to the innermost alchemy chamber. This was the core area of Medicine King City, where the Third-Tier Spirit Vein converged. Walking here, one could clearly feel the air thick with active spiritual energy.

“This alchemy chamber is the best in Medicine King City,” the City Lord explained. “It’s connected to a natural Earthfire Grand Formation. The flame’s peak temperature surpasses even that of a Core Formation cultivator’s pill fire. Medicinal liquids refined with this earthflame contain extremely low impurities. When refining third-rank or higher pills, the success rate increases by twenty percent.”

The City Lord led the way, pushing open the stone door ahead.

The moment his palm touched the door, a wisp of spiritual energy emerged from his hand. The dense network of restrictions dissipated, opening a path.

The Immortal Sect Leader’s mind provided the assessment.

After the heavy sound of stone doors, the Alchemy Chamber’s entrance swung open. The City Lord of Medicine King City entered first, followed by the others. Chen Luo scanned the surroundings, confirming his retreat route before joining the group.

Beyond the stone doors lay a narrow, elongated stone passage. The uneven walls on both sides bore black incantations—formation script, distinct from the writing found on spirit talismans.

As they progressed, the temperature began to rise. Scorching heat radiated from within, the light gradually shifting to a dark crimson as wave after wave of heat assaulted them.

“We’re here.”

The City Lord of Medicine King City, who had been leading the way, halted.

Their vision suddenly opened up.

Before them lay an enormous cavern. No torches or night pearls illuminated the space—the only light came from the churning magma at the center. Black lines densely covering the surrounding stone walls converged at the magma’s mouth, forming a circular, radiating pattern.

A circular platform of specially treated bluestone surrounded the magma vent, upon which stood a bronze pill furnace encircled by pitch-black iron chains. Even at a distance, one could feel the heat radiating from the furnace.

“We request Elder Chen demonstrate the Starlight Fire Pill Refining Technique,” said Elder Lu.

Elder Lu produced a gourd containing Guiyuan Pills and handed it to Chen Luo. The City Lord of Medicine King City and the remaining two elders stepped back.

Chen Luo accepted the free pills without hesitation and ascended the bluestone platform.

This was his first time seeing such a grand alchemy chamber. As expected of a cultivation sect renowned for pill refinement, alchemists here truly enjoyed top-tier treatment.

As he climbed the bluestone steps, the temperature became even more extreme. His feet touched the ground, and black smoke rose from the surface.

“This heat…” Chen Luo looked down. Activating his Foundation Establishment Spirit Body, he instantly dispersed the black smoke.

In this place, the minimum requirement for pill refinement was Foundation Establishment. Immortal Cultivators in the Qi Refining realm would be burned to ashes by the overflowing heat.

The massive bronze pill furnace stood over three meters tall. At this stage, the pill furnace was enveloped in a rich medicinal aroma, similar to the one from Chen Luo’s pill furnace but noticeably less potent. This made Chen Luo appreciate the true value of Elder An’s pill furnace even more.

“Does Elder Chen have any medicinal materials?” one elder inquired.

The temperature in the Earthfire Alchemy Chamber was extraordinarily high, so those who came to refine pills here would prepare their spiritual materials in advance.

“I have three sets of spiritual materials for the Qi Blood Pill assessment. Elder Chen, please take these for your demonstration of fire control techniques.”

Three sets of spiritual materials flew out, heading toward Chen Luo.

“Thank you.”

Chen Luo didn’t catch the materials. As they flew toward him, he waved his sleeve, redirecting the materials into the Pill Furnace. True Person Gu Yue’s mind began to turn, a familiar frequency emerging. The City Lord of Medicine King City, who had been observing Chen Luo, felt a flicker in his eyes.

He saw Chen Luo lift his hand, two fingers moving rapidly. Each time they touched down, a starlight flashed. A starfire ignited beneath the Pill Furnace, spreading across its base. Each ‘starfire’ burned at a different temperature, precisely refining the three sets of materials that had been simultaneously thrown into the furnace, merging them together.

This motion…

The City Lord of Medicine King City recalled that familiar old friend. From Chen Luo, he saw the shadow of that old companion.

In no time, the three portions of spiritual materials were completely refined, and the pills were successfully concocted. All three pills were top-grade spiritual pills. For Chen Luo now, producing First-Tier Pills was as effortless as plucking a leaf, with no possibility of error. With so many accumulated brains aiding in the process—three Second-Tier Pill Refiners assisting, and the main refinement guided by True Person Gu Yue’s Third-Tier Pill Refiner brain—it was like using a cannon to swat a mosquito, such was the extravagance of the setup.

Chen Luo flicked his index finger, and the Pill Furnace lid opened. Three freshly refined pills flew out, landing before the City Lord of Medicine King City.

“Indeed, it’s the Starlight Fire Pill Refining Technique,” the City Lord said with admiration, observing the three pills. The three Elders beside him also showed flickers of excitement.

“Truly, the heavens favor Medicine King City,” one Elder couldn’t help but remark.

Chen Luo’s eyes flickered momentarily, but he remained silent. From the moment they met, he’d sensed something off about these people. While the Starlight Fire Pill Refining Technique was rare, it shouldn’t warrant such extreme reactions. At its core, it was merely a pill-refining method. As a Third-Tier Pill Refiner at the Core Formation Stage, even without knowing the Starlight Fire Pill Refining Technique, the City Lord would undoubtedly possess other comparable fire-control techniques.

“Three Elders, please withdraw. I wish to speak privately with Elder Chen,” the City Lord said, carefully storing the pills as he addressed the three Elders.

“Yes.”

“Your subordinate takes his leave.”

The three elders responded with respectful nods, then smiled and nodded at Chen Luo before rising to depart.

After the trio had left, the City Lord of Medicine King City guided Chen Luo to a corner where a rest formation had been set up—a dedicated space for alchemists to rest. The area featured a stone table and benches, along with a set of stone chess pieces for passing the time.

“What does our young friend think of Medicine King City?” the City Lord inquired after conjuring some fruits and fine wine and inviting Chen Luo to sit. He made no mention of the Starlight Fire Pill Refining Technique, nor did he ask about Chen Luo’s origins. Instead, he began by discussing matters related to Medicine King City.

“Medicine King City possesses a third-rank spirit vein and claims all resources within the Yellow Maple Mountain Range. Countless alchemists dwell within its walls, and it maintains connections with the Four Great Immortal Sects. The City Lord himself is a True Person at the Core Formation realm, and there exists a hidden fourth-rank alchemist who remains unseen. They stand high above the clouds, untouched by earthly affairs. Though confined to a single city, they are truly transcendent.”

Chen Luo described Medicine King City based on the information he had gathered. This wasn’t mere conjecture, but the prevailing view among all Immortal Cultivators in the Southern Heaven Domain.

“Supreme,” the City Lord of Medicine King City said with a wry smile. “Young friend, do you know that our Supreme Ancestor—the Fourth-Tier Alchemist you mentioned—hasn’t been seen for seven hundred years?”

Chen Luo’s eyelid twitched, sensing impending trouble. I’m just a passerby…

“The Southern Heaven Domain isn’t as peaceful as it appears. In these past seven centuries, the Four Great Immortal Sects have annihilated five mid-tier powers. While the Demon Clan and Foreigners take the blame publicly, we all know the true story. What you’ve described is merely Medicine King City’s facade. The truth is, our city is like this Alchemy Chamber—perched on a volcanic crater, ready to erupt at any moment.”

“I think such matters—”

“The Southern Heaven Domain has its own ‘Heaven’,” the City Lord of Medicine King City interjected, cutting Chen Luo off. “The Four Great Immortal Sects are that very Heaven.”

“I detected the problem long ago. The fellow Daoists from the five annihilated Immortal Sects had sought my help. Unfortunately, Medicine King City was at its zenith then, with the Founding Ancestor still alive and True Person Gu Yue of Qiong Hua Sect being my closest friend. With their presence, Medicine King City was indeed ‘aloof as a cloud, untouched by dust’ as you described.”

Time brings change. No one could have imagined that Medicine King City’s pillars would crumble so swiftly.

Now the Founding Ancestor is gone, and our close friend True Person Gu Yue has vanished. Medicine King City’s two greatest supports have disappeared without a trace. Though we maintain connections with the other three Immortal Sects, they remain one layer removed. When absolute interests are at stake, those sects would never show mercy.

Medicine King City, overflowing with wealth and home to alchemists, is nothing but a toothless morsel in the eyes of the Four Great Immortal Sects! The fact that we’ve endured this long is testament to the Founding Ancestor’s lingering authority. Yet each passing year sees his influence wane, and the longer he remains missing, the greater our peril grows.

To resolve this crisis, the City Lord of Medicine King City devised a plan a century ago.

Reconstructing the internal relationships within the Qiong Hua Sect. But such matters aren’t resolved by simply switching allegiances. The sect’s internal dynamics are exceptionally complex; one wrong move could lead to irreversible catastrophe. The most ideal outcome would be to find a figure of similar weight to True Person Gu Yue, preferably someone with direct ties to the Seven Patriarchs of Jade Purity.

Before Chen Luo’s arrival, the City Lord of Medicine King City had devised two plans.

The first target was Patriarch Tai Xuan’s eldest grandson. This prodigy had reached the mid Foundation Establishment stage before reaching a hundred years of age, making him a household name in the Southern Heaven Domain. However, numerous factions sought to recruit such talent. Even if Medicine King City aligned with him, they might not gain significant influence. The most likely outcome would be being treated as sacrificial meat for others’ schemes.

Without proper countermeasures, cooperation with such a figure would likely result in complete annihilation, leaving no remnants behind.

The second target remained the Grand Void Ancestor. Medicine King City had previously relied on connections through this elder, but when True Person Gu Yue went missing, that line of influence was severed.

“I’m merely a newly joined First-Tier Alchemist of Medicine King City,” Chen Luo said after a prolonged silence.

He had just passed the Medicine King City’s Alchemist assessment, and his level was indeed only First-Tier.

“That’s why I’ve prepared a substantial gift for you, young friend.”

“This isn’t about the gift.”

“The legacy left by our Medicine King City’s Fourth-Tier Ancestor includes top-tier Pill Formulas for condensing a First-Grade Golden Core, as well as cultivation methods covering the entire Core Formation realm, all the way to Core Formation.”

The City Lord of Medicine King City finished speaking and looked at Chen Luo, then placed a jade slip before him.

“As long as you agree to this transaction, I guarantee you won’t suffer any losses. You’ll become a Core True Disciple of the Qiong Hua Sect, study under the Grand Void Ancestor, and obtain the Southern Heaven Domain’s premier legacy. From then on, your Immortal Path will be open, and you’ll never need to worry about cultivation techniques again. Our Medicine King City will also become your ally, providing you with endless wealth.”

“The main issue is I can’t stand their actions!”

Chen Luo felt this wasn’t about money. What mattered most was his sense of justice; he couldn’t bear to see injustice in the world. Of course, the crucial precondition was the City Lord’s claim of safety. If there were real dangers, this ‘sense of justice’ could be compromised.

The key was flexibility - not trapping himself in rigid positions.