Xie Linlang spoke with a playful tone laced with an inscrutable depth and chill.
Shen He’s instincts thumped wildly. He didn’t dare ask more and only said, “Then what should this disciple do?”
Xie Linlang thought for a moment. “Let me think. Since he’s interested in pill refining, I’ll give you a formula. Refine it and observe his reaction.”
Shen He immediately focused and memorized the pill formula.
It was an unconventional formula for sorting a demon race’s bloodline power within their body—a pill that demon race clans prepared for their offspring to consume when their bloodlines stirred in fledglinghood. Rather like a snack.
“Some materials are quite rare; the Storage House has no reserves.”
Shen He recalled the Pill Room’s material inventory list. “I don’t know if the sect’s disciple trading market has them either.”
“I’ve substituted some spirit plants with demonic plants, but you’ll need to test their properties one by one. It might cost quite a bit. Go find Hong Kui; his connections and resources outstrip yours.”
Xie Linlang casually guided Shen He. “Say it’s a pill formula assignment from Lin Yu for you to better care for that avian demon. Cultivators raise spirit beasts as helpers, and this formula has good market potential. Tempt him with profit, and he’ll foot the bill and effort, saving you much trouble.”
Deep admiration welled in Shen He’s heart. He realized the Shizun in the jade pendant seemed omnipotent, casually devising solutions. If he could learn even a fraction of those skills…
“I’ll awaken again at dawn in seven days. Don’t disturb me during this time.”
“Yes, Shizun.”
Afterward, Shen He plunged into busyness. He first found Pang Sanxian and said he’d dug up a snack formula liked by demon beasts from the sect’s old archives. He asked if Pang Sanxian was interested in helping refine it.
Pang Sanxian understood instantly—this was Shen He’s Portable Grandpa making a move, likely to deal with that Kill Matt Bird that devoured his flesh.
Pang Sanxian immediately agreed enthusiastically. Count me in.
The two senior brothers split tasks: one surveyed the market, the other roped in Hong Kui. With Hong Kui’s help, though the formula had three rare materials, they quickly gathered everything. The trio decided to test-refine it.
On the day of the trial refining, the Kill Matt Bird, missing for three days, reappeared on the Crimson Branch Stand. He fixed Shen He, Pang Sanxian, and Hong Kui with cold, icy eyes as they entered the Pill Room.
Shen He and Pang Sanxian’s steps faltered instantly.
Hong Kui remained composed, bowed to the Kill Matt Bird, then went to the pill furnace and called to Shen He, “Don’t daze off. Hurry—fresh Yin Deng Grass easily absorbs ambient demonic qi, altering its properties. It must be refined within three hours of harvest.”
Shen He and Pang Sanxian admiringly glanced at Hong Kui, imitated his bow to the Kill Matt Bird, then hurriedly prepared for pill refining.
Pei Jiye watched the scene coldly.
Of course he recognized Hong Kui—one of Lin Yu’s favored disciples, unconstrained in actions. Well, actually rather despicable in methods, but with a magnanimous personality, better than some narrow-minded, jealous types.
The Kill Matt Bird slowly puffed up his sparse feathers. He didn’t want to look at Shen He, but the fluid rhythm Shen He revealed while refining was so seamless that it always induced Pei Jiye to hallucinate another figure in green robes dancing gracefully before the pill furnace.
The Punk Bird preened his down. As he preened, his gaze froze. Then, as if startled from a nightmare, he shuddered all over, firmly turned his bird rear toward Shen He, only for his neck to twist back inadvertently. This cycle repeated, looking utterly comical.
Fortunately, Pang Sanxian and Hong Kui didn’t notice the Kill Matt Bird’s lapse, or he’d surely silence them.
This irritated Pei Jiye anew.
The blood flowing in his body seemed to come alive, roaring and struggling in fury, like the unyielding echoes from ancient times angrily questioning posterity.
Pei Jiye’s head throbbed painfully. He wished to destroy everything before him.
Suddenly, an indescribable fragrance gently enveloped him, like returning to primordial chaos or finding an outlet for all rage and pain.
Meanwhile, Shen He, Pang Sanxian, and Hong Kui were all dumbfounded.
Just as Shen He was about to extinguish the furnace fire, open the lid, and retrieve the three successful pills from the furnace, Night Senior—who had been showing them his rear—suddenly flapped his fleshy wings and plastered himself to the furnace’s outer wall with thunderous speed.
An indescribable roasted meat aroma wafted from where the Kill Matt Bird pressed against the furnace.
Yet this Night Senior seemed deranged, ignoring the scent from his body and pecking at the furnace with his sharp beak.
More terrifyingly, he pecked holes through the furnace’s outer wall, leaving three frightening gashes. At the same time, his pointed, elongated beak successfully devoured every pill inside the furnace.
…Hong Kui, Pang Sanxian, and Shen He hadn’t even glimpsed what their finished product looked like.
The Night Senior who ate the pills seemed to regain clarity. The entire bird went rigid.
The sparse Kill Matt fetal fuzz on his forehead swayed under the high heat from the pill furnace, fluttered down onto it, and carbonized into ash.
The three humans and one bird in the Pill Room all fell silent. Pin-drop quiet.
The Kill Matt Night Senior had become the Bald Night Senior.
