Chapter 363: Subdue
The West Pole Sect was as wealthy and extravagant as its reputation suggested.
A single mountain peak here might not compare to the peaks of the various branches within the Xuandao Sect, but it was exceptionally well-developed.
Among the buildings and pavilions, the artisans' meticulous care was evident everywhere, and the place brimmed with a spiritual aura.
Disciples of Ang Hall walked amidst the scenery.
"A sect like this can be passed down through the generations legitimately. It's no slapdash outfit thrown together in a hurry."
Jing Heng remarked.
He had seen his share of minor sects and knew which ones were built to last.
They had just entered the sect and been announced when a tall, sturdy Cultivator came running over, taking large, hurried strides.
"Steward Yin!"
"This is terrible!!"
Steward Yin, who was in the middle of introducing the sect's layout to Bai Mo and the others, froze. He quickly turned to look at the tall, sturdy Cultivator who was striding toward them.
"Steward Gong."
The tall man hadn't expected Steward Yin to actually return with people, and his steps faltered.
"Are these the ones..."
Steward Yin nodded gravely. "They are the Alchemy Dao Grandmasters the Sect Leader requested."
The tall man's face lit up, and he immediately bowed.
"We're saved!"
Steward Yin asked.
"What happened? Is the Sect Leader here?"
The tall man wiped the sweat from his face.
"That's the problem—the Sect Leader isn't here."
"Our usual method is to feed the Pill Ghost pills to appease it as soon as it starts acting up."
"And that thing, it just eats its fill and goes to sleep."
"But for some reason, it woke up about an hour early this time. Its appetite is unusually large, and it's extremely agitated."
"We weren't prepared!"
His expression turned sour.
"The Pill Ghost is roaming the ancestral lands. We're afraid it will destroy our legacy, so we've sent disciples to stop it, but we can't contain it completely."
Now, all he could do was hope the damage to their ancestral legacy would be minimal.
Steward Yin quickly turned to Bai Mo's group.
"Everyone..."
"Say no more, Steward Yin. Just take us to see it!"
"Right!"
The group followed him through the pavilions and halls. Before long, they arrived at a cave and went inside.
After trekking for days to reach the West Pole Sect, they hadn't even been offered a single bite of food.
Bai Mo glanced around, noting the marks of chisels and axes.
The cave had been artificially excavated. Its walls were black and held a faint metallic sheen.
A mountain with such unusual rock had still been hollowed out from the inside.
After walking for a while, they ascended a long flight of stairs, and the space before them suddenly opened up.
The mountain's interior had been carved into a massive cavern.
Years of seeping water had formed cone-shaped stalactites of all shapes and sizes on the ceiling.
Countless lamps embedded in the walls cast a brilliant yellow light throughout the cavern, revealing several massive, horizontal gateways set into the floor.
The gateways were shut tight. A dozen or so Core Formation Cultivators stood guard, their expressions grim as they watched the Pill Ghost wander about the cavern.
The cavern had once been arranged with various items, but now it was in complete disarray.
Bronze cauldrons and stone steles lay shattered on the floor. There were bloodstains, but no bodies.
Steward Yin was also taken aback by the sight.
"What kind of fit is it throwing now!?"
Steward Gong gritted his teeth. "Who knows? The priority now is to suppress this thing..."
The two men then turned to Bai Mo and his four companions.
The five visitors were also craning their necks to get a better look.
This West Pole Sect Pill Ghost was a bit different from the one in the Xuandao Sect's Jade Plate Secret Realm.
It had no nose and no ears, and its body was a deathly white.
It was considerably smaller and had no legs, but it possessed eight arms. Each arm had three joints, allowing it to wield them like long whips.
The Pill Ghost used its arms to scuttle back and forth across the cavern, crushing the scattered pill bottles and medicine jars one by one.
Whenever a Pill rolled out, it would snatch it up and toss it into its mouth.
Seeing how contentedly it was absorbing the Pill Qi, Xu Wucai was the first to look away. He said flatly,
"This Pill Ghost seems to have quite the appetite, doesn't it?"
Jing Heng remarked with some interest, "According to the ancient texts, this happens when the accumulated medicinal power inside a Pill Ghost is being digested smoothly."
"Does your West Pole Sect have someone who knows how to condition a Pill Ghost?"
The expressions on Steward Yin and Steward Gong's faces froze.
'If we had someone like that, would we be in this much trouble?'
"You jest, Grandmaster Jing. The West Pole Sect is a minor sect. How could we possibly foster such an individual?"
'It's not actually that difficult,' Bai Mo thought, 'it just requires mastering some rather obscure and unorthodox techniques.'
Bai Mo, knowing this, smiled and said,
"The task itself isn't difficult. But whether such a person exists here is a matter for the West Pole Sect. I'd advise you to look into it, Senior Yin."
Steward Yin and Steward Gong exchanged a look, their expressions turning grim.
This was as good as saying they had a traitor in their midst, one who was lining their own pockets by working against the sect.
Steward Yin gritted his teeth.
"It's fine. A trivial matter. Please, esteemed guests, do what you must!"
Xu Wucai chuckled softly.
"We'll have to go down and take a look first."
With that, he took it upon himself to grab Bai Mo and leap down. The white-haired man and the others followed suit, jumping down into the cavern.
Steward Yin turned, his face cold, and gave instructions to Steward Gong.
"Seal off this area. Place everyone who knows what happened under house arrest. For now, cut off all contact with the outside world."
"Since someone is making trouble, they must have more planned. We'll just lie in wait for them!"
Steward Gong took a sharp breath, nodded, and turned to leave.
"Keep an eye on things. Don't let anything go wrong."
His figure disappeared into the passageway.
'Damn it all... When the Sect Leader gets back, I can't imagine what kind of punishment awaits...'
Steward Yin let out a breath and followed them down.
BANG!!
Just as he arrived, he saw Xu Wucai strike downwards with his palm, unleashing a massive wave of Spiritual Qi and suppressive might.
The Pill Ghost shrieked. Four of its arms braced against the ground while the other four shot up toward the sky.
But the stalemate lasted only an instant. The joints in its long arms buckled, and its body was forced down, slamming hard into the ground and kicking up a huge cloud of dust.
Xu Wucai remained expressionless. With a flicker of his sky-blue robes, thirty-six flying swords of assorted colors suddenly materialized behind him.
The flying swords rose into the air, their metallic edges glinting. They let out a sharp hum, and an unsolicited feeling of piercing sharpness arose in the hearts of everyone present.
A boundless, imposing aura filled the cavern.
Not only did Bai Mo and his companions take an involuntary step back, but even the members of the West Pole Sect were aghast.
"Nascent Soul!?"
"No, not quite..."
Steward Yin's gaze swept over the faces of his sect's pillars. He said placatingly,
"Don't panic. These are the experts I was ordered by the Sect Leader to find."
"They are all individuals of great skill. They will certainly be able to suppress the Pill Ghost and rid our sect of this menace..."
Ignoring the internal affairs of the West Pole Sect, Bai Mo focused his attention solely on the Pill Ghost.
The creature possessed a natural instinct to seek fortune and avoid disaster. Sensing the oppressive aura, it slowly wrapped its eight arms around its body, curling into a tight ball.
This was exactly the effect they wanted.
The white-haired man chuckled. "Fellow Daoist Xu's cultivation is nearly at the Nascent Soul realm. He easily intimidated the Pill Ghost, keeping it from moving rashly."
"That saved us a great deal of effort."
Elder Gai's eye was a bit sharper. He carefully examined the thirty-six flying swords.
"Thirty-six different types of metal essence, each refined into a sword... their combined weight is no lighter than a mountain. Truly incredible skill, Fellow Daoist Xu!"
Xu Wucai let the swords hang in the air. His expression was placid as he strode forward.
"A minor trick, nothing more. Please, everyone, let's examine the intricacies of this Pill Ghost."
The group moved forward.
Even curled up, the Pill Ghost was as tall as three men. Its pale body stood before them like a wall.
CLANG!
Jing Heng abruptly drew a short sword and stabbed at the Pill Ghost's arm.
The impact nearly sent the short sword flying from his hand, yet it hadn't left so much as a scratch.
"Tough fellow!"
Bai Mo moved in for a closer look, placing his hands directly on the creature to examine the strange being's finer details.
It had a rough texture, not like leather, and was as cold as stone to the touch. It didn't feel like a creature of flesh and blood at all.