A New Pill Cauldron Sect
“Dad?” Mu Yu blurted, upon seeing a young version of Ku Mu emerge, hair messy and beard black.
“Dad? Me?”
“You can hear me?” Mu Yu effused, admiring Ku Mu’s daoist appearance.
“I sealed my consciousness in Revealing Cauldron using a formation and am the last owner. Since you’re here, you must also be a member of Pill Cauldron Sect. Why do you call me ‘Dad’, though?”
“Would you give me a free pass if I told you I’m your son?”
“No.”
“Pretend I ever mentioned it, then.”
“You’re not my son; I don’t sense my blood and qi on you, but why…”
“Ultimate Concealment Blood Guardian.”
“Unexpected. Anyhow, I am but a consciousness and, consequently, have no means of interfering. My duty is merely to guide you. Before you pass my test, I won’t reveal anything.”
“What are the details?”
“If you want the formation inside, you must be compatible with the cauldron. I won’t give you pointers. The onus is on you.” Ku Mu transformed the diagram at Mu Yu’s feet, invoking fog and a staircase behind the fog. “Climb Celestial Staircase within four hours, and I’ll allow you into a primordial void. If you can climb it within fifteen steps, I’ll let you contact Primordial Yin Yang transiently.”
“For real? This is the test you have for me?” Mu Yu questioned, thinking, He transported the staircase all the way here? That’s insane. Man, this test is basically designed to screw over alchemists.
“It’s designed to test one’s deduction abilities in the field of formations. If you can’t do it, you don’t qualify to inherit Revealing Cauldron.”
“Hahaha, let’s rock and roll, Mu Yu. Ku Mu would never imagine we’re the kings of this game,” enthused Xiaoshuai.
This time, it only took Mu Yu fifteen minutes to reach the top of the staircase in nine steps. Instead of Formation Palace welcoming him, however, Ku Mu was waiting at the top.
“Good. I’ll consider it the bare minimum pass.”
“Bare minimum? Ah, whatever. I know you’re not the type to praise people.”
The waterfall from the ether belted down on the white clouds, the breeze splashing droplets in different directions. Xiaohei and Xiaobai fervently displayed their fondness for the place.
“You’re already the owner of a dao item. You have Formation Palace’s qi on you,” noted Ku Mu. “You’re not with Pill Cauldron Sect!”
Ku Mu noticed too late for Dabai and Dahei had acknowledged Mu Yu passed the test, emerging from the clouds to enter Mu Yu. Xiaobai and Xiaohei went after them without hostility, surprisingly. As Mu Yu felt the changes occurring within him, time outside froze, and Ku Mu’s consciousness vanished.
“What the?”
“Was that a question for me? I think time stopped,” opined XIaoshuai.
“Time froze? Dabai and Dahei can do that?”
“It wasn’t them. It was the dimension the four of them created. Perhaps the crash between the four, catch-up conversation or something galvanized it. I don’t think Ku Mu saw this coming, either.” Seeing Mu Yu suddenly sit down, Xiaoshuai inquired, “What are you doing?”
“Cultivating.”
“I don’t know he wanted you to cultivate here. I surmise he wanted you to inherit Immortal Ancestor Chen Dan’s alchemy and formation knowledge.”
“I already inherited his formation knowledge. I’m not interested in alchemy. Right now, I’m racing against time.”
As Mu Yu felt his progress accelerating, he received some secret information on Revealing Cauldron from Dabai and Dahei, which turned out to be what Ku Mu wanted him to inherit. Suddenly, he remarked, “You’re not serious.”
***
Alchemists not at Pill Cauldron Sect and their members convened at Pill Hall for the debate to support Daoist Yun Dan’s continued term or to depose him. Those coming back were confused as to why there was a group voting for Daoist Yun Dan to abdicate when Daoist Yun Dan had been doing fantastic by their standards and was respected even among those outside of their circle. Some were of the opinion that Elders Hong Yi and Hong Yuan should take precedence over Daoist Yun Dao since they were Ascension Realm cultivators.
As Leng Bingxue and Ku Mu were absent, Elders Hong Yi and Hong Yuan took their seats, while Daoist Yun Dan already accepted defeat. Qian Shange and Wan Shuiyao sat in Shi Dengtian and Yao Wuji’s seats, much to the chagrin of disciples and surprises of the elders. Nevertheless, Qian Shange and Wan Shuiyao changed the disciples and elders’ allegiance through the use of their soul energy. Shi Dengtian and Yao Wuji took the seats farthest away from the patriarch seat, the former smiling genuinely and the latter hiding his rage under his condescending facade.
Daoist Yun Dan lamented, “Pill Cauldron Sect has fallen so low before I was even aware.”
Mu Yu, you must save our sect. You must not let Shi Dengtian exterminate those threatening him, Yao Wuji prayed to himself.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” Daoist Hong Yuan stood up and, stealing an admonishing glance at Daoist Yun Dan, announced, “Elemental demons ran amok in our territory not long ago and killed Elder Yuan De. Their actions have hurt our reputation to the point that we are now laughing stock. As Pill Cauldron Sect’s patriarch, Daoist Yun Dan failed to see the ambush in time and rescue Elder Yuan De. As such, we have called all of you here to discuss whether or not we should unseat him and select a new patriarch.”
Even though everyone had heard about it, it still came as a shock to hear it personally from Elder Yuan Hong. If the vote to have Daoist Yun Dan abdicate passed, he would have been the first ever patriarch in their history to be stripped of his rights.
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