C4 The Pill Thief Demon

At the same time, the secret compartment within the Medicine Refining Pavilion was completely emptied. The area was cluttered with numerous bottles and jars, and the central Pill Furnace had been tipped over, leaving the place in total disarray.

Xia Xuanji let out a satisfied burp, though her expression hinted at a lingering craving. She must have consumed at least a few hundred pills, but to her frustration, her Spiritual Force hadn't shown the slightest sign of recovery. "It seems the pills here are just too low-grade," she mused. "If only they were of the same caliber as those from the Purple Heaven Sect, I'm certain I could have restored my cultivation by now." Xia Xuanji looked around with evident distaste.

After another quick scan of the area, she realized there were no more pills worth consuming. Restoring her cultivation would require a different approach. "Huh?" she wondered aloud, "What's that over there?" Her gaze sharpened as she spotted an item on a stone cabinet—a calendar.

Calendars were nothing new to Xia Xuanji, but the date displayed stopped her cold: the 10,000th year of the Divine Prefecture Calendar. "The 10,000th year?" she questioned in disbelief. The Divine Prefecture had been established for over 20,000 years. "Have I... traveled back 10,000 years?" Xia Xuanji was overwhelmed by the impossibility of it all. Not only had she been transformed into a man, but she was also now in a time 10,000 years past?

If before she had been contemplating how to return to the Mystic Desolate Sacred Land, now she was at a complete loss. "...Where even is the Mystic Desolate Sacred Land?" Xia Xuanji sat frozen in place, utterly bewildered.

"Who is this brazen intruder who dares to trespass in the Medicine Refining Pavilion?!" The door burst open with a loud crash, and Han Ye appeared in a flash. He surveyed the scene—the empty bottles and the overturned Pill Furnace—and felt as though his heart was being torn apart. These were the fruits of his years of labor, all devoured by this person before him? Rage consumed him, a fury so intense it was nearly uncontrollable.

"You audacious thief, stealing my pills! Today, you will pay with your life, and no one will mourn your passing!" Han Ye bellowed with unrestrained wrath.

He lunged forward, his formidable presence enveloping Xia Xuanji.

"Foundation Stage?"

Xia Xuanji raised an eyebrow.

Without her cultivation, Han Ye posed a threat. Her best option was to flee.

"Wait, is that another bottle of pills?"

In that moment, Xia Xuanji spotted a bottle of pills before her, quickly opened it, and swallowed its contents.

After consuming so many already, what was one more?

She spun around and leaped out the window!

What followed was completely unexpected.

A peculiar energy pulsed beneath Xia Xuanji's feet, her speed skyrocketing. In a flash, she transformed into a streak of light and zipped out of the Medicine Refining Pavilion.

Han Ye was taken aback.

Regaining his composure, he erupted in fury.

"The Illusionary Pill!"

"That kid actually ate my Illusionary Pill!"

"Ah!!! I'm going to kill you! You're dead!"

The Illusionary Pill was a second-grade pill capable of boosting one's speed to unimaginable heights for a short time.

And that was the very pill Xia Xuanji had just ingested!

Han Ye had poured his heart and soul into crafting this batch, and now it was all in the belly of this youngster.

"After him!"

"I'll make him regret being born, no matter where he hides!"

Han Ye roared in anger.

The disciples following him trembled in unison.

Who was this person?

They had devoured all the pills in the Medicine Refining Pavilion, even the Illusionary Pill Elder Han Ye cherished so dearly. Such audacity!

No one dared to delay; they immediately pursued in a frenzied chase outside the Pavilion.

...

Soon, word of a pill thief running amok in the Medicine Refining Pavilion spread rapidly.

"Elder Han Ye's secrets have been exposed!"

"His Pill Furnace has been upended!"

"Not a single pill remains from the Medicine Refining Pavilion's years of collection!"

"Even the Illusionary Pill, Elder Han Ye's prized possession, has been consumed!"

"..."

The Jade Sun Sect was in turmoil!

The Medicine Refining Pavilion, at the heart of the Jade Sun Sect, was under the personal watch of Elder Han Ye. No one had ever dared to intrude before.

Who would dare to be so bold?

This incident had not only mobilized the disciples of the Medicine Refining Pavilion but also prompted other elders within the sect to initiate a thorough search throughout the entire sect grounds.

Everyone was seething with anger, vowing to apprehend the pill thief.

Meanwhile, Xia Xuanji, having ingested the Illusion Pill, had already made her escape beyond the mountain gate.

Han Ye, propelling his Flying Sword with all his might, wore an increasingly grim expression. Xia Xuanji appeared to him as nothing more than a streak of light. Every time he seemed close to catching up, she effortlessly slipped away, preventing him from even getting a clear look at her.

As a result, not only was Han Ye's energy rapidly depleting, but the gap between them was widening by the moment!

Simultaneously, ten thousand years in the future, within the Mystic Desolate Holy Land at the Purple Heaven Sect...

In the Sect Master's Pavilion, Zhou Mu toyed with a palm-sized Jade Plate.

The plate was etched with enigmatic runes, and a soft glow seemed to dance across its surface, giving it an air of mystery. It was a curious object he had stumbled upon in the room.

"This piece appears quite extraordinary; it must be one of the treasures collected by that female demon."

Zhou Mu, having run a shop in Immortal Gazing Town for three years, had developed a discerning eye. The item before him seemed to be a formidable magical artifact.

As he examined the Jade Plate, the sound of footsteps abruptly echoed from outside the pavilion.

The footsteps drew nearer, and it was clear there was more than one person approaching.

Zhou Mu's eyebrows lifted in curiosity.

Having been here for two days, he had remained inside the pavilion to avoid detection, and until now, no one had come by.

Suddenly, there were visitors.

"Could it be Du Yue and the others?" Zhou Mu speculated.

He had previously instructed them not to disturb him, and now they had arrived unexpectedly. He wondered what matter brought them here.

He needed to devise a plan to keep them at bay.

"Subordinate Du Yue, at your service, Sect Master," came the voice from outside.

Zhou Mu resettled into his seat, feigning composure, and inquired, "What's the matter?"

"Elder Lingyu has returned and requests an audience with the Sect Master," Du Yue reported from beyond the door with due respect.

Elder?

Zhou Mu's eyelids twitched involuntarily.

An elder had arrived, which was no trifling matter. He absolutely could not afford to meet with her!

But before he could make any move, a woman's laughter echoed from outside, followed by the distinct sound of footsteps.

"Elder Lingyu, you really shouldn't..." Du Yue attempted to intercede, urgently.

Zhou Mu was both startled and furious.

Clearly, the visitor intended to barge in.

If she detected any flaws, wouldn't his life be at risk?

Nonetheless, the door to the attic was pushed open, and a captivating woman entered.

She was clad in a black palace gown, appearing to be in her thirties, with eyes that could bewitch the soul, and she radiated an astonishing spiritual pressure.

"Junior Sister, I was concerned when I heard about your recent cultivation mishap, so I decided to pay you a visit," Elder Lingyu said, scrutinizing Zhou Mu with a smirk.

"Please, have a seat," Zhou Mu gestured, maintaining his composure.

Elder Lingyu's eyebrows lifted.

Wasn't she supposed to be delirious from cultivation deviation?

How could she remain so composed?

Glancing ahead, she noticed two cups of tea on the table.

"The tea is freshly brewed. Help yourself, Senior Sister," Zhou Mu offered calmly.

From Elder Lingyu's expression, how could he not perceive her eagerness for his demise?

It was evident that his predecessor and this woman were bitter rivals.

Despite his outward serenity, he was inwardly in a state of turmoil.

With someone of her stature, any slight irregularity would be enough for her to spot a weakness.