Chapter 403: An Intention Arises
Just a pair of insignificant Demon Beasts. Nothing to worry about.
They were left on the back of the mountain. At daybreak, Bai Mo casually went out to inspect them.
The village elders, leaning on their bamboo staffs, had also arrived early in the morning.
Bai Mo leaned over the wolf carcasses, focusing his inspection on their claws and fangs.
"Not yet fully grown."
"For them to have crossed the mountain range and made it out here… they were pretty lucky."
If these demon wolves were fully grown, they would stand a head taller than a grown man—a terrifying sight. A Wolf King would be another matter entirely.
With a flick of his wrist, a dagger appeared in Bai Mo's hand. With fluid grace, he sliced open the lumps on the wolves' backs.
Sure enough, a bone spike was embedded in each one.
'Could there be something else active behind the mountain range?'
Bai Mo knew that a Demon Beast this deformed was clearly not a natural creation. It was most likely carrying something.
But these sorts of things didn't just grow legs and implant themselves in a Demon Beast.
The truth behind it was well worth investigating.
Just then, Ah Er returned from outside. It wasn't surprised to see so many people and simply called out to Bai Mo.
A simple acknowledgment.
Bai Mo glanced at it and casually patted the dust from its body.
"A decent job."
Qian Qing, standing to the side, bowed slightly and said:
"Immortal Master, how about we scout the surrounding area? When it comes to demon wolves, it's unlikely there are only two."
'Bai Mo knew perfectly well that a wolf pack would have attracted the attention of other Demon Beasts lurking in the mountains long before they could get out, forcing them into a fight.'
Only lone wolves like these would have had a chance to slip through the cracks and escape.
But he didn't dismiss Qian Qing's suggestion.
"A patrol wouldn't hurt."
"Take a few men and go have a look."
As he spoke, he casually handed over two Pills.
"If you encounter an unforeseen accident, throw the Pills. Remember, stay far away, lest you injure yourself."
Qian Qing was delighted. He took the Pills and stored them away with great care.
These past few years, Qian Tong's health had been poor. Most of the family's Spirit Stones had been used on him to maintain his condition.
Furthermore, his contact with the sect had dwindled, and he had obtained almost no resources from them.
These juniors hadn't enjoyed many of the inherited benefits that came with being a Sect Disciple.
To the outside world, Qian Qing appeared glamorous, being a descendant of a Core Formation family, after all.
But among true Sect Disciples, he was nothing special.
Qian Qing was a man of action. He went into the village, picked two able-bodied young men who had been quick on their feet the previous night, and headed out of the village.
Back on the mountain, Bai Mo expertly butchered the wolf carcasses.
Seeing nothing else out of the ordinary, he said:
"Keep what's edible. Burn the rest. Don't leave anything behind."
Everyone was amazed by his skilled technique, but they didn't dare say much. They acknowledged his order and carried the wolf carcasses away.
From the two wolves, Bai Mo only kept two choice strips of meat, beautifully marbled with fat and lean.
The ground before the thatched hut was bloody. Ah Er looked around, about to find some tools to clean it up.
Before it could, two young men returned with brooms and wooden buckets to clean.
The two were quick and efficient. They soon finished washing away the bloodstains, sprinkled sand over the area to suppress the smell, and only then did they depart.
Its job having been snatched away, Ah Er was a bit at a loss.
Scratching its head, it set up a pot behind the hut and prepared to cook the two strips of meat. It had brought all the necessary spices.
Just as the cooking fire was lit, Qian Chen came up the mountain again.
He heard the clang of a spatula against a pot from behind the hut but didn't think much of it.
He just assumed the villagers were helping Bai Mo.
Bai Mo was inside, flipping through the Pill Book, searching for any scrap of information about the Outer Pill.
Seeing Qian Chen enter, Bai Mo was quite surprised.
"Yes?"
Qian Chen cupped his fist respectfully and said:
"There is a matter I wish to ask the Immortal Master about."
"I was afraid of disturbing your important business, but after tossing and turning all last night, I feel I cannot let this opportunity pass."
Hearing this, Bai Mo closed the Pill Book.
"Go on."
Qian Chen chose his words for a moment before speaking:
"My grandfather's health has been failing in recent years. Outsiders say his time is up, and even my father says the same."
"It's hard to be certain. After all, as a Core Formation Cultivator, Grandfather should still have a long life ahead of him."
"The Immortal Master is an expert in the Alchemy Dao. I have come to ask if there is any way to extend his life?"
After speaking, he looked at Bai Mo, his eyes shining with intensity.
Bai Mo chuckled softly.
"Didn't Senior Brother tell you about his condition?"
Qian Chen was stunned for a moment, looking somewhat lost.
"What do you mean?"
Bai Mo said, "Senior Brother had a fortunate encounter in his early years that granted him a much longer lifespan than an ordinary person."
"But he must have suffered some calamity later on that cut it short. His life force is already exhausted. It cannot be changed."
Qian Chen was shocked, instantly at a loss for words.
His family had not made Qian Tong's condition public.
Therefore, the juniors like him held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that with his vast Divine Techniques, their grandfather could surely find a way to extend his life.
Bai Mo opened the Pill Book again, clearly unwilling to say more.
"Go back. Senior Brother has lived a long life."
"From what I can see, he harbors some melancholy, but it hasn't become a mental block. I imagine he has long since come to terms with it."
"What is a junior like you worrying about?"
Qian Chen fell silent.
After a long moment, he still felt unwilling to give up.
"I may not be very worldly, but I know that in the Cultivation Realm, there are many extraordinary people and strange events."
"Since the Immortal Master is versed in the Alchemy Dao, you likely have more contact with such people and matters than ordinary Cultivators like us…"
He snuck a glance at Bai Mo, mulling over his family's bargaining chips.
"Actually, within the Profound Iron vein in Celestial Barrier Mountain, there are some rare associated minerals."
"Those minerals are not among the materials tributed to the sect. My family has long been offering them in exchange for life-extending treasures…"
Bai Mo paused, looking up. He was finally interested.
"Minerals associated with Profound Iron? What kind of ores are there?"
Qian Chen shook his head.
"I don't know their origins, and I never asked my family about them when I was at home."
"However, when I saw people mining, I saw a reddish-brown fluid, and also some blue, transparent ores about the size of a thumb…"
Seeing he had piqued Bai Mo's interest, he hurriedly described several more in one breath.
If Qian Tong were to fall, to put it bluntly, the Qian family would truly lose its grip on Black Mountain City.
The Cultivators in Black Mountain City are fierce. Without a Core Formation Cultivator to keep them in check, the city would be thrown into chaos within days.
Therefore, many among the Qian family Cultivators were anxious about Qian Tong.
Their own aptitude was insufficient for them to reach Core Formation, so they could only hope that Qian Tong would hold on for a few more years.
Bai Mo looked at the Pill Book in his hand, flipped back a few pages, and saw that the descriptions in the book perfectly matched what Qian Chen had just described.
If this book weren't so rare, and if it hadn't been in his possession the whole time, Bai Mo would have thought Qian Chen had snuck a peek before coming to find him.
'Such a coincidence?' Bai Mo thought.
"How much of those materials do you have?"
Qian Chen immediately said, "We can extract several dozen pounds' worth every month."
Bai Mo's fingers tapped unconsciously on the Pill Book.
"Several dozen pounds… that should be enough."
An idea was already forming in his mind.
"In that case, it's not entirely impossible."
With this as a prerequisite, Bai Mo didn't mind playing the part of a so-called "extraordinary person."
Qian Chen, on the other hand, was overjoyed.
"Please, enlighten me!"
Bai Mo said, "Bring me the materials you spoke of."
"I can give it a try. If it works, it could probably keep Senior Brother alive… for maybe another six to ten years."