Chapter 050 Senior Brother – “Someone—someone is about to undergo tribulation!!” (15/19)
At that moment, the senior brother of Lingyue Peak was suddenly overcome by a very bad premonition.
Shi Jingge? How could Shi Jingge possibly be a pill refiner?
Not to mention him, the other disciples were also quite surprised. After all, when the rumors from Shuixing Peak first surfaced, everyone had only heard that Shi Jingge had given Ji Qiulian a spiritual pill—not that he had personally refined the pill himself before giving it to her.
The disciples of Shuixing Peak, however, remained completely unfazed. Just look at the thousands of bottles of various elixirs in that spatial cabinet. Every single one was refined by their senior brother himself, and every single one was of excellent quality. Moreover, their senior brother only began learning alchemy in the past few years; to reach this level in just three years spoke volumes about his talent and comprehension!
Wouldn’t having him teach them alchemy be like a gift from heaven?
The disciples of Shuixing Peak gazed intently, their anticipation running high.
The words, “You’re not joking, are you?”, that the senior brother of Lingyue Peak had been about to say stuck in his throat.
Because the expressions on the faces of the Shuixing Peak disciples had already given him the answer.
If Shi Jingge weren’t an alchemist—or if his alchemy skills weren’t up to par—the disciples of Shuixing Peak wouldn’t be looking at him like this. Whether he wanted to believe it or not, Shi Jingge really was an alchemist!
This realization caused a sharp pang of pain in his heart, but when facing Shi Jingge, he still managed to force a smile. “So Junior Brother Shi is an alchemist, after all. Then please do give us your guidance.”
Senior Brother Sun struggled to control himself and tried to project as much goodwill as possible so his intentions wouldn’t seem so blatantly obvious.
His mind, previously clouded by jealousy and anger, finally began to function again.
Shi Jingge hesitated for a moment before replying calmly, “I wouldn’t dare to claim I can offer guidance.” With that, he returned to the platform at the very front of the alchemy chamber and said in a matter-of-fact tone, “First, bring out your alchemy furnaces.”
The disciples of Shuixing Peak all produced their own in unison, drawing gasps of astonishment from those around them. Although they had heard that Shi Jingge had provided each disciple of Shuixing Peak with an alchemy furnace, seeing it in person still left them in awe.
An alchemy furnace was a spiritual artifact, not something a Qi Cultivation Stage disciple could simply acquire at will. Aside from cultivators who had long since committed to the path of alchemy, few would invest in an alchemy furnace at the Qi Cultivation Stage. With those spirit stones, wouldn’t it be better to buy a handy spiritual weapon instead?
While the sect provided a batch of alchemy furnaces for disciples to use, requiring only a token payment of a few spirit stones per use, there were monthly usage limits, and the furnaces couldn’t be taken out of the alchemy room. This was completely different from the Shuixing Peak disciples simply pulling their furnaces directly from their storage pouches!
Although not everyone might choose to study alchemy later on, who wouldn’t want to own an alchemy furnace?
Never mind disciples from other peaks, even those from Lingyue Peak were a bit envious. That was an alchemy furnace, after all!
The senior disciple of Lingyue Peak froze, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He’d brought his people here to pick a fight, not to support Shi Jingge!
But the senior disciple of Lingyue Peak had no choice but to swallow his pride. He couldn’t very well tell everyone right there not to envy Shuixing Peak, could he?
He could control the heavens and the earth, but could he really control others’ envy?
The senior disciple of Lingyue Peak felt a tightness in his chest and suddenly felt out of breath.
And what followed made him truly understand what a heart attack felt like!
He had just witnessed an alchemy class that was extravagant to the extreme!
Shi Jingge stood on the stage, right at the very front, the focus of everyone’s attention, making him appear exceptionally dazzling.
Yet, in the face of all this, he remained remarkably calm and composed, as if he were born to be in that position.
“Since the alchemy furnaces were distributed so many days ago, I assume you’ve had time to study them.” Shi Jingge’s voice was slightly cool, yet it didn’t feel cold to the ears. “Now, awaken them. An alchemy furnace is an alchemist’s eternal partner. If you can’t even awaken your furnace, I suggest you don’t waste your time in the alchemy chamber. Begin now.”
No sooner had Shi Jingge finished speaking than the disciples of Shuixing Peak began channeling their spiritual energy into the alchemy furnaces.
Awakening an alchemy furnace simply referred to the process of controlling one’s spiritual energy to allow the furnace to absorb it. After all, the alchemy process required spiritual fire, and since disciples at the Qi Cultivation stage couldn’t control spiritual fire yet, they could only control the furnace itself.
And since an alchemy furnace was, after all, a spiritual artifact—even if of low quality—not every disciple at the Qi Cultivation stage was capable of controlling it.
Shi Jingge stepped down from the stage and weaved through his disciples. Most of their attention was fixed on their furnaces; only a few glanced at him, and those who did were met with his cold rebuke.
The entire alchemy process naturally required full concentration. To let one’s attention wander so easily—was this alchemy? No, this was blowing up the furnace!
The senior brother of Lingyue Peak cast a complex gaze at Shi Jingge. Could it be that Shi Jingge was actually teaching the disciples of Shuixing Peak how to refine elixirs?
Could it be that Shi Jingge was actually an alchemist?
For a moment, he didn’t even know which of these two revelations struck him harder.
In a daze, he seemed to see that proud, confident, radiant, and flamboyant Senior Brother of Shuixing Peak. Back when Master Gu Yun was still alive, he was truly a prodigy of the heavens.
Lingyue Peak and Shuixing Peak had little interaction, but that one time when he went to the Punishment Hall and passed by Shuixing Peak, he had seen that prodigy smiling brilliantly.
…And who, in their youth, hadn’t looked up to that master-disciple pair from Shuixing Peak?
But after Master Gu Yun vanished, everything changed.
While the senior brother of Lingyue Peak was still lost in thought, the disciples of Shuixing Peak had already activated their alchemy furnaces. Shi Jingge nodded in satisfaction, retrieved the materials from his spatial cabinet, and distributed them one by one.
“Today’s first lesson: the Peiyuan Pill.”
Everyone except the disciples of Shuixing Peak: !!!
Giving out materials for alchemy on the very first lesson—were you some kind of money-scattering deity?!
Giving beginners this much material to play around with didn’t hurt your conscience?!
The second senior brother of Lingyue Peak looked dazed. He glanced at the senior brother beside him and muttered, “Now I believe it.”
Lingyue Peak’s eldest senior brother was snapped back to reality by him and furrowed his brow. “Hm? Shi Jingge certainly looks down on the measly possessions of the Shuixing Peak disciples. There must be a reason he confiscated those items. Even if you multiplied their value a hundred or eighty times, they wouldn’t come close to the worth of this alchemy furnace, not to mention that Shi Jingge actually handed out so many materials for them to go wild with?
“Even if they weren’t mine to begin with, it still hurts to see them go.”
The second senior disciple of Lingyue Peak clutched his chest; some of the disciples around him looked even more pained than he did.
But the disciples with lower cultivation levels were filled with envy.
Senior Brother Sun paused for a moment, then looked back at Shi Jingge.
Shi Jingge’s profile remained cold and stern, betraying no emotion. He moved among the disciples of Shuixing Peak, fully focused on instructing them on how to process the spiritual herbs and flowers, never once glancing in his direction.
A sudden wave of resentment welled up within Senior Brother Sun. Back when you were up in the clouds, it was only natural for you to overlook me. But now that you’ve fallen from grace, we’re both Senior Brothers—why do you still ignore me?
After a moment, Lingyue Peak’s Senior Brother slumped dejectedly.
To put it bluntly, it was nothing but jealousy. All the foolish things he’d done lately were merely the result of envy running rampant.
Back when Shi Jingge was the prodigy of the heavens, he’d thought it only natural for Shi Jingge to ignore him; now that Master Gu Yun was gone, he felt that Shi Jingge’s indifference was an insult. How ridiculous.
Come to think of it, he wasn’t even as good as Shi Jingge. At least, whether Master Gu Yun was around or not, Shi Jingge’s attitude toward him remained the same.
He raised a hand and let it fall limply over half his face.
In that moment, it felt as though a hard slap had landed squarely on his cheek, stinging with pain, and his shame welled up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.
Not only had he come here to court humiliation, but he’d brought the disciples of Lingyue Peak with him. He’d truly lost every shred of dignity and face; he couldn’t even bring himself to respect himself anymore.
He actually wanted to run away. But, of all things, he couldn’t.
If the senior brother left all the Lingyue Peak disciples here, what kind of situation was this?
Even if he felt like he was sitting on a bed of thorns, unable to sit still, he had no choice but to stay put.
The senior brother of Lingyue Peak not only had to sit it out, but he also had to maintain the “image” he’d established from the start.
He was here to seek guidance on alchemy, after all!
So, whenever Shi Jingge passed by, he had no choice but to call him over and ask him questions.
But over the years, he’d devoted all his energy to cultivation; while he wasn’t completely clueless about alchemy, he was practically a novice.
The moment the first question left his lips, Shi Jingge fell silent.
But what choice did Senior Brother Sun have? He’d made up the excuse himself and established his own persona—he had to see it through, even if it meant crawling on his knees!
Second Brother looked at the senior brother beside him, and a sudden wave of gratitude welled up in his heart.
Thank you, Senior Brother Sun, for leading the charge!
Otherwise, the one who’d be wishing the ground would swallow him whole right now would be him.
And that wasn’t even the end of it.
Shi Jingge had scheduled the alchemy classes: one in the morning and one in the afternoon, each lasting two hours with no breaks in between.
In other words, Senior Brother Sun didn’t even have a chance to escape midway. He had to stay here for a full four hours!
Moreover, as time passed, he could sense that the Lingyue Peak disciples were looking at Shi Jingge with a different gaze.
Admiration, fervor, awe, and shame all intertwined, delivering a vicious stab in the back to Lingyue Peak’s Senior Brother!
Thank goodness Shi Jingge was still at the Foundation Establishment stage, and thank goodness Shuixing Peak couldn’t accept disciples at the moment. Otherwise…
Senior Brother Sun dared not even imagine it!
What did it mean to lose both the battle and the war? This was exactly it!
What did it mean to shoot oneself in the foot? He’d been doing exactly that the whole time!
After enduring two hours, the moment he could finally leave, Senior Brother Sun had developed a psychological aversion to both Shuixing Peak and alchemy.
But before he could even step out, Shi Jingge had already called out to him.
“Senior Brother Sun,” Shi Jingge called out crisply; Senior Brother Sun couldn’t even pretend not to hear him.
Senior Brother Sun silently turned around. “Junior Brother Shi.”
“Senior Brother Sun led the Lingyue Peak disciples here to congratulate me, and I have nothing to offer in return.” Shi Jingge paused. “But since you happen to love elixirs, this gives me the chance to repay you.”
Senior Brother Sun: !!!
“Your passion for elixirs puts me to shame. Since Shuixing Peak has another two-hour alchemy class this afternoon, why not sit in on it again?” Shi Jingge suggested.
If I sit in on that, I’ll lose my life! Senior Brother Sun thought mournfully, but mindful of the “passionate alchemist” persona he’d crafted for himself, he could only refuse vaguely and tactfully.
Shi Jingge shook his head. “I’ve seen your passion with my own eyes. You must stay and have a good, long chat with me.” After a pause, Shi Jingge suggested again, “If Senior Brother doesn’t mind, we could stay up late by candlelight and have a proper chat about alchemy.”
Senior Brother Sun: !!!
He’d rather die!
At that moment, the second senior brother of Lingyue Peak stepped forward. First Senior Brother was just too pitiful. He had to lend a hand.
After all, the First Senior Brother had shielded him from so many calamities.
“Senior Brother!” Lingyue Peak’s Second Senior Brother said hurriedly. “There are still matters within the peak that need attending to; we can’t delay any longer.”
Senior Brother Sun’s eyes lit up, and he looked at Shi Jingge with a hint of guilt. “There are indeed some matters within the peak.”
Shi Jingge pursed his lips. “Then I won’t keep you any longer.”
Just as Senior Brother Sun let out a sigh of relief, he heard Shi Jingge say, “Anyway, the alchemy class at Shuixing Peak isn’t limited to just today.”
Senior Brother Sun: “……”
He was not going to let me have a moment’s peace, was he?
“Every fifth day of the month is Shuixing Peak’s alchemy class. Everyone here would be delighted to have Senior Brother Sun join us,” Shi Jingge spoke earnestly, leaving Senior Brother Sun with no choice but to laugh it off. Faced with Shi Jingge’s serious demeanor, he truly didn’t dare to agree—he feared Shi Jingge might come to Lingyue Peak to drag him away later.
“True enough. Senior Brother has such a busy schedule; how could you possibly find the time to come to Shuixing Peak all the time? It’s the same if I go to Lingyue Peak. I believe the alchemy classes are on the 7th and 21st of every month. On the 7th of next month, I’ll be there right on time to have a good chat with you, Senior Brother.”
Senior Brother Sun: “……”
The smile that had begun to form on his lips froze.
In that moment, he finally understood a saying: It’s easy to invite a deity, but hard to send one away.
Second Senior Brother cast a sympathetic glance at him; he knew full well how little interest Senior Brother Sun had in alchemy.
And now, he was about to experience the terror of being dominated by it.
Truly pitiful.
This made Second Senior Brother even more relieved that he wasn’t the one who had directly confronted Shi Jingge back then.
When Senior Brother Sun made his way back to his peak, he stumbled along, nearly tumbling down the slope.
Thank goodness Second Senior Brother had given him a hand.
Second Senior Brother couldn’t help but offer some consolation. “Senior Brother, take it easy.”
“If I can’t take him on, can’t I at least avoid him?” Senior Brother looked utterly dejected. “So what do you think—is Shi Jingge just too persistent, or is it that I’m standing out by skipping alchemy class every single time?”
Second Senior Brother: “……”
Actually, skipping alchemy classes wasn’t a big deal, but Senior Brother Sun had just established himself as someone who loves alchemy.
Even a fool would know something was off if someone skipped alchemy class every single time, right??
Second Senior Brother was silent for a long while, then patted Senior Brother Sun on the shoulder and said sincerely, “Then you should come to Shuixing Peak to attend class. At least Shi Jingge will be teaching, and there are so many Shuixing Peak disciples to distract him. But once we’re at Lingyue Peak, his eyes will be fixed solely on you.”
The First Senior Brother was on the verge of tears!
Why on earth did he have to pull this stunt during an alchemy class? Why couldn’t he wait until the artifact forging class?
He hadn’t managed to gain the slightest advantage over Shi Jingge before, so why was he now going out of his way to torment himself?
Why?!
Jealousy was truly poison.
Through his own personal experience, the Senior Brother of Lingyue Peak had thoroughly proven the truth of those three words.
Shi Jingge watched him leave, then went back to look at the congratulatory gifts. He sorted them into categories, tidied them up, and summoned Ji Qiulian and He Yongming.
As soon as Ji Qiulian and He Yongming appeared, they first bowed to Shi Jingge before fixing their eager gazes on him.
“Put these in the spatial cabinet in the alchemy room. You set the price,” Shi Jingge told Ji Qiulian. “But they cannot be purchased with spirit stones, only exchanged for contribution points. This is Senior Brother Sun’s gesture of goodwill; it represents his hopes for our Shuixing Peak. Do you understand?”
Ji Qiulian replied earnestly, “Yes.”
“The same goes for those.” Shi Jingge pointed to another pile of items and said to He Yongming, “You set the price for those as well. Bring them to me for review before dinner.”
He Yongming replied earnestly, “Yes, Senior Brother.”
“Hmm.” Shi Jingge paused to think, then added, “Today, the three disciples who make the most progress in crafting the Peiyuan Pills may each choose one item from the spatial cabinet as a reward. If anyone manages to produce a complete Peiyuan Pill, regardless of its grade, they may select three items.”
Ji Qiulian and He Yongming: !!!
Three seconds later, the two replied in unison, “Yes, Senior Brother!”
Their voices alone revealed just how excited they were.
Shi Jingge nodded and walked away.
The two watched him leave, only moving once his figure had vanished from sight.
“Sometimes, I really wonder if all this is just a dream,” Ji Qiulian couldn’t help but exclaim. “Senior Brother always manages to surprise us.”
He Yongming nodded slightly. “I used to regret it—regret why I hadn’t left Shuixing Peak.”
Ji Qiulian’s eyes widened as she stared at He Yongming in astonishment; there was a hint of coldness in her gaze.
He Yongming met Ji Qiulian’s gaze directly, unflinching, and even smiled. “Now, I feel deep shame for ever having had such thoughts.”
Ji Qiulian paused for a moment before whispering, “Right. Every time I wake from a dream in the dead of night, I feel deep shame for ever having doubted Senior Brother.”
He Yongming said softly, “Who doesn’t? That kid who used to be the loudest is now filled with regret every single day. A few days ago, my former eighth junior brother came to see me, saying he wanted to return to Shuixing Peak, but is this a place where he can just come and go as he pleases?”
The two gradually walked away, their voices mingling with the wind as they drifted slowly into the distance.
Shi Jingge taught another two hours of alchemy class that afternoon. Once his craving for teaching had been satisfied, he felt a deep dread toward the artifact forging class scheduled for the twenty-eighth.
He didn’t want to teach it. So he returned to his cave residence near the Spirit Vein that very night.
When he got back, the three-tailed cat was waiting for him at the door while Wen Xusheng was curled up under the covers, pretending to sleep.
Shi Jingge raised an eyebrow, stepped forward, and lifted the quilt. Wen Xusheng could no longer pretend and opened his eyes to look at him.
“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Shi Jingge asked.
“You’re back now; why would I need to sleep?” Wen Xusheng sat up and opened his arms towards Shi Jingge. “I missed you.”
After a long silence, Shi Jingge reminded him, “I was only gone for three days.”
“A day apart feels like three autumns,” Wen Xusheng said, lowering his gaze. “We haven’t seen each other for three days.”
“Will you stay a few more days?” Wen Xusheng asked timidly.
“I’m leaving at dawn,” Shi Jingge replied coldly.
“It’s okay,” Wen Xusheng whispered. “I’ll wait here with the three-tailed cat, anticipating your return.”
Shi Jingge found it amusing and kicked the bed. “Hey, so are you coming with me or not?”
Wen Xusheng’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”
“Mm.” Shi Jingge suppressed a smile. “I need an artifact refiner as a teacher.”
“Me, me, me! I can do it!” Wen Xusheng said with a beaming smile. “Should we be careful in front of your junior disciples?”
“Careful about what?” Shi Jingge paused, puzzled.
“…About us,” Wen Xusheng whispered.
Not expecting Wen Xusheng to be so self-conscious about this, Shi Jingge deliberately remained silent for a moment before slowly replying, “It’s up to you.”
Wen Xusheng jumped off the bed and gave Shi Jingge a hug. “I’m so happy. Does this mean you’re willing to make our relationship public in front of everyone, Senior Brother? Should we start preparing for the Dao Companion Ceremony?”
Wen Xusheng licked his lips with a hint of seduction, then in the blink of an eye, pinned Shi Jingge to the bed.
“Since we’re preparing for the Dao Companion Ceremony, dual cultivation can’t hurt.”
Shi Jingge: !!!
“Get lost!”
Wen Xusheng, who had mastered the art of seizing opportunities and pushing boundaries to the extreme, was certainly not about to leave.
The next day, Shi Jingge seriously considered finding a different artifact master to be his teacher.
After Senior Brother Sun returned, he went into hiding. But upon further reflection, he realized this wasn’t a viable solution, so he took the initiative to find his master and confessed everything that had happened recently.
The Peak Master of Lingyue Peak shouted harshly, “You fool!”
Senior Brother Sun knelt down with his head bowed, not daring to speak.
The Peak Master of Lingyue Peak berated the disciple below with such fierce language that he was thoroughly humiliated before coldly stating, “You have to apologize to Shi Jingge in front of the entire sect?”
This was practically throwing the face of Lingyue Peak to the ground!
“No, no, no, I won’t,” the Senior Disciple of Lingyue Peak hurriedly protested. “I said I’d apologize only if everything was completed within a month. But Shi Jingge hasn’t passed the tribulation yet; he hasn’t become a Golden Core Immortal, so I haven’t lost. There’s only tomorrow left. Shi Jingge probably won’t—”
Before Lingyue Peak’s Senior Brother could finish his sentence, a thunderclap split the sky, followed by a bolt of lightning that struck down, illuminating the entire cave residence!
This was definitely no ordinary lightning!
Someone—Someone was about to undergo the Tribulation!!
Author’s Note:
Lingyue Peak’s Senior Brother: My mouth must have been blessed [Exhausted Smile.jpg]
This arc should wrap up tomorrow~
Edit: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
