Mortal Alchemy

Nan Yun watched as Chen Ping and the Refining Wind Scholar were tortured, barely breathing like dead dogs.

Her face was pale, and her delicate body trembled, devoid of her usual coquettish elegance.

Old Woman Refining Wind looked at Nan Yun and said indifferently:

“Fellow Daoist Nan Yun, you don’t possess anything this old woman desires, so I won’t torture you.”

“Just stay here and mine honestly from now on.”

She merely took the spatial ring from Nan Yun's hand before turning and leaving.

Inside the dim and silent mine, only the sound of Nan Yun gasping for breath after surviving the ordeal remained.

Her face was pale as she fell into silence.

Chen Ping did not immediately turn hostile, observing the situation to see if he could extract the secrets of Hundred Arts from the Refining Wind Scholar's mouth under these circumstances.

Three days passed in a flash, and the Refining Wind Scholar finally caught his breath; the vitality of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was indeed quite tenacious.

Chen Ping observed his condition and feigned a posture of barely catching his breath as well.

The Refining Wind Scholar gritted his teeth and said:

“I will kill this old hag sooner or later to avenge myself!”

Nan Yun said sadly, “Fellow Daoist Refining Wind, we are now prisoners, unable to exert our strength at all. How can we take revenge?”

“Let’s focus on surviving first.”

The Refining Wind Scholar fell into silence.

“Cough cough…” Chen Ping coughed and said, “You two fellow Daoists have truly brought misery upon Tang…”

Nan Yun gritted her teeth and said, “It’s all because I misjudged people!”

“If we want to survive here, the three of us must stick together and keep each other warm.”

The Refining Wind Scholar and Chen Ping nodded with difficulty.

The Refining Wind Scholar lowered his voice and said, “This Old Woman Hundred Flowers hasn't handed us over to the Sea God Cult; she has her own selfish motives, which is our opportunity.”

“She wants to squeeze out our value alone, secretly take all our property, and openly throw us into the mine. She probably won't let us mine for the time being.”

“Before that, as long as we find a way to unlock the metal rings around our necks, we can recover our strength and regain our freedom.”

Chen Ping agreed with his point of view. He could escape at any time, but these two might not be able to.

The small gray-white bead on his neck had been heating up. Thirty percent of his spiritual power had recovered, and with the power of a second-tier body cultivator, he should be able to tear the metal ring apart.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Chen Ping was finally able to probe his intentions:

“Fellow Daoist Refining Wind, Fellow Daoist Nan Yun, under these circumstances, if you have any hidden cards, please don't hide them.”

“Otherwise, once our value is squeezed dry, our fate will be truly bleak.”

He was certain that the Refining Wind Scholar had a backup plan, as his tone didn't resemble that of a prisoner at all.

The Refining Wind Scholar smiled bitterly:

“I've been tortured to this state, what backup plan could I possibly have?”

Nan Yun also smiled sadly, “My Sea Medicine Hall is just a small organization, with no spare resources…”

Chen Ping merely sighed faintly:

“As an alchemist, I have even fewer options.”

“My only weapon was also taken away by Old Woman Hundred Flowers.”

Chen Ping began to guess the Refining Wind Scholar's backup plan: external support? Pills? Secret techniques?

This Refining Wind Scholar was also an alchemist, so he must have hidden secret pills.

The greatest possibility was a pill related to the soul…

Chen Ping boldly guessed that the Refining Wind Scholar's backup plan might be a soul-seizing technique.

By consuming a soul pill, he could temporarily stimulate his soul power and look for an opportunity to seize a body, thus allowing him to escape smoothly.

Of course, this was just Chen Ping's guess, without any basis or evidence.

He could only wait and see what happened.

Ji Changsheng's soul did have a soul-seizing technique.

Although this technique could allow one to seize a body and be reborn, the price was extremely high.

Not only would one's lifespan be reduced by half, but one's strength would also decline further. If one still wanted to break through in cultivation, the success rate would be terrifyingly low.

The body and hair are received from one's parents. Even if the Refining Wind Scholar's secret was significant, Chen Ping did not intend to use the soul-seizing technique to obtain it.

Chen Ping quietly waited for an opportunity.

Four days later.

Old Woman Hundred Flowers came again, bringing ordinary food for them to eat, fearing that they would starve to death if she didn't come for too long.

Old Woman Hundred Flowers looked at the Refining Wind Scholar:

“Fellow Daoist Refining Wind, your injuries have recovered nicely. Would you be willing to hand over the techniques and Hundred Arts inheritance you know to this old woman…”

The Refining Wind Scholar's expression was very ugly, but when one is under the eaves, one has to bow one's head. His life was still in Old Woman Hundred Flowers' hands.

He gritted his teeth and said, “I can, but I demand a change of location. This place is too dirty. I am still a Foundation Establishment cultivator after all!”

“A scholar can be killed, but not humiliated!”

“If this request cannot be met, then I would rather die than hand over the techniques and Hundred Arts inheritance to you!”

He was verifying his previous speculation, to see if Old Woman Hundred Flowers had selfish motives and hadn't reported their matter to the Sea God Cult.

A cold glint flashed in Old Woman Hundred Flowers' eyes: “Alright… This old woman can grant this small request.”

Then, Old Woman Hundred Flowers picked up the Refining Wind Scholar and took him away.

In the dim mine, only Chen Ping and Nan Yun were left.

Nan Yun smiled bitterly, “It seems she really wants to squeeze us dry, extracting all our value.”

Chen Ping was silent for a moment before saying, “If I were in her position, I would do the same.”

Killing and arson bring golden belts, at most just taking money.

But the Sea God Cult and Old Woman Hundred Flowers' method was to squeeze every last drop, taking it to another level.

I want the money.

I also want the techniques and Hundred Arts inheritance.

A Hundred Arts inheritance alone can support a family.

If there are enough techniques and Hundred Arts inheritances, and one establishes their own family, widely accepting disciples, in time, one might be able to establish a sect.

Nan Yun's eyes were filled with despair: “What should we do…”

Chen Ping gritted his teeth and said, “Fellow Daoist Nan Yun, you have been out to sea so many times, it's not your first time encountering danger, surely you have some backup plans?”

Nan Yun's eyes flickered slightly, but she did not answer Chen Ping.

Even if she had methods, they had nothing to do with Chen Ping and she wouldn't tell him.

Perhaps, she didn't have any.

Two days later, Old Woman Hundred Flowers came to the mine again with a beaming smile: “Fellow Daoist Refining Wind has already been settled by this old woman, and he is very cooperative.”

“He even took the initiative to ask this concubine for maids to dote on.”

Chen Ping's eyes flashed:

“Now, there is evidence…”

He confirmed what the Refining Wind Scholar's backup plan was.

“You two, if you offer your techniques and complete inheritance, this old woman will also let you leave the mine and accompany Fellow Daoist Refining Wind.”

“Fellow Daoist Nan Yun, aren't you infatuated with Fellow Daoist Tang? As long as you agree, this old woman will act as a matchmaker and bring you together.”

“It's impossible to leave the Sea God Cult, so why not indulge yourselves for the rest of your lives, and make the most of this life?”

Nan Yun glanced at Chen Ping, gritted her teeth and said, “Okay, I agree.”

She seemed to have resigned herself to fate.

“What about Fellow Daoist Tang?”

Chen Ping's face was wooden, with a helpless expression: “Do I have a choice?”

Old Woman Hundred Flowers grinned hideously:

“Of course not!”