C6 The Side Effects of the Spirit Stabilizing Pill

Du Yue was overwhelmed with regret. Her loose tongue had now incited the Sect Master's wrath, and she feared her life was hanging by a thread.

Kneeling on the ground, she stammered, "I merely overheard people in the sect saying that the Sect Master suffered a severe injury during cultivation a few days ago, and that his life was in peril. The Vice Sect Master, Elder Lingyu, and others have already begun discussing who will succeed you..."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Mu felt a headache brewing. To his surprise, not only was Elder Lingyu involved, but there was also a Vice Sect Master scheming for his position. Clearly, this individual was another major antagonist.

"Besides Elder Lingyu and the Vice Sect Master, who else is part of this plot?" Zhou Mu inquired, eager to gather more information about the situation.

Du Yue's gaze flitted nervously as she hesitated to speak.

"Speak!" Zhou Mu commanded with feigned severity.

Trembling, Du Yue hurriedly replied, "Please, Sect Master, be appeased. To my knowledge, Elder Bai He from the Medicine Refining Pavilion, the Second Elder Ling Chen, and the Third Elder Ling Xiao have all sided with the Vice Sect Master."

Zhou Mu's understanding deepened with her words. Elder Lingyu was the Great Elder, and Ling Chen and Ling Xiao were her juniors. Clearly, Lingyu's earlier visit was to probe his weaknesses, laying the groundwork for the Vice Sect Master's takeover.

It was a coup in the making!

A shiver ran down Zhou Mu's spine. If these powerful figures turned against him, he would be easily overpowered.

Du Yue, noting Zhou Mu's darkening expression, was terrified and kept her head bowed, too scared to utter another word.

Zhou Mu lapsed into a brooding silence. After a while, he gestured dismissively, "Let's return."

Regardless of the circumstances, he needed to go back and consume the Spirit Stabilizing Pill. With the pill's effects concealing his true power, others would be forced to tread more carefully around him.

He could now buy himself some more time.

Du Yue dared not speak further, keeping her head down as she followed Zhou Mu back.

Once back in his room, Zhou Mu took out the pill and swallowed it whole.

Initially, Zhou Mu felt nothing after the pill settled in his stomach.

But gradually, he sensed something amiss.

A slight heat began to build.

It grew more and more intense.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and Zhou Mu's discomfort increased.

Could this be a side effect of the pill?

With the heat becoming unbearable, Zhou Mu stood up, intending to call Du Yue to prepare a bath.

But then he reconsidered.

Immortal cultivators were not like mortals; they could maintain their purity and cleanliness through their true essence. If he asked Du Yue to prepare a bath, wouldn't it be an obvious giveaway?

"Ah, there's a lake on the back mountain. I woke up there before. If I go there, it shouldn't raise any suspicions."

A spark of inspiration struck Zhou Mu.

He straightened his appearance and opened the door.

"Sect Master, may I assist you with anything?" Du Yue, who had been standing guard at the door, stepped forward eagerly upon seeing Zhou Mu emerge.

"I'm heading to the back mountain to cultivate. There's no need for you to accompany me," Zhou Mu instructed.

"Understood."

Du Yue stepped back as instructed.

Concealing his discomfort from the pill's side effects, Zhou Mu maintained a casual demeanor and hastened to the back mountain.

He soon reached the lake where he had previously awakened.

The lake was crystal clear, its waters infused with a faint spiritual aura that was invigorating.

Overcome by the intense heat, Zhou Mu quickly began to undress.

What followed was rather embarrassing.

For the first time in his life, Zhou Mu was attempting to remove a woman's clothing. He had never even touched such garments before, and he struggled to remove the skirt.

After a frantic struggle, he finally managed to undress completely. Then, beneath the moonlight, a delicate and exquisite silhouette was reflected upon the lake's surface.

Looking at his body, Zhou Mu was struck by an odd sensation.

The structure was somewhat different.

Curves where there should be curves, bulges where there should be bulges.

His delicate features were the epitome of beauty.

Yet Zhou Mu harbored no other thoughts. Having transformed into a woman, this body was now his own, and he would have to adjust to it.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder which lucky jerk would benefit from such beauty in the future.

Shaking off these musings, Zhou Mu stepped into the lake.

The cool embrace of the water enveloped him, soothing the burning sensation within.

"Hiss—"

"This is damn refreshing!"

He couldn't resist a deep, contented sigh.

But before he could savor the moment, his body jolted, and his consciousness began to blur.

Simultaneously, at the base of Vast Azure Mountain, Xia Xuanji, propelled by the power of an Illusion Pill, came to an abrupt halt.

The next moment...

Splash!

In the clear lake behind the Purple Heaven Sect, Xia Xuanji rose from the water as her clothes flew to her, draping over her exquisite form.

Zhou Mu's vision blurred, the world around him becoming as dazzling as Xia Xuanji's garments. When his Divine Sense cleared, he was astonished to find himself not in the lake but inexplicably in the midst of a dense forest.

"What in the world is happening?"

Zhou Mu listened to the whooshing wind and instinctively halted his frantic pace.

"Am I on the run? Wait, have I returned?"

A wave of elation washed over Zhou Mu upon realizing he was back in his own body. Despite the woman's celestial allure, he was a man through and through—how could he possibly become a woman?

"Thank heavens, I'm back."

His relief was short-lived, as an angry shout and a streak of lethal sword light came from behind.

"Ah! You damned pill thief, prepare to die!"

A chill enveloped Zhou Mu, the imminent danger of death tightening its grip.

"This is bad! Who dares to commit murder within the Jade Sun Sect?"

Anger and shock surged through him as the icy sword light bore down, threatening to snuff out his life.

Elder Han Ye's face broke into a smile. "Damn thief, I've finally caught up with you." The sword light was closing in, but in the blink of an eye, the thief executed a deft twist of his waist, narrowly evading the strike, and swiftly vanished into the jungle.

"I..."

Elder Han Ye stumbled, nearly toppling over, his complexion turning an icy shade of blue.

"What? He got away?"

The others had caught up by now and were met with the sight of Elder Han Ye standing alone, his expression grim. They exchanged puzzled looks. What had happened?

"That sly thief has fled into the woods. Spread out and search; I want him captured," he commanded.

Damn it! The pill thief had actually slipped through Elder Han Ye's grasp?

Hearing Elder Han Ye's orders to scour the dense forest for the thief, they eyed the vast expanse of trees apprehensively. The task seemed daunting. How long would it take to find him?

"What are you standing around for? Get moving!"

With no choice but to proceed, they steeled themselves and entered the forest in small groups.