C3 He Would Clean up the Herbs in the Herbal Garden!

Engaging with this old codger right now might not be the wisest move.

As he pondered the mission his uncle had entrusted to him, he knew he had to bite his tongue for a bit longer.

But that didn't mean he was going to let the old man off easy!

Su Ping'an let out a cold laugh and strode forward with determination.

"Boom!"

The spiritual force struck again, and this time, Su Ping'an couldn't hold back any longer!

Fancy tricks, huh?

With a scoff, his spiritual energy burst forth like a mighty dragon, scattering the incoming assault!

He retaliated with a fierce blow towards Elder Chen!

"Watch out!"

Elder Chen's heart and lungs seized for a moment before he bellowed and stumbled backward!

"Ah!"

"Ugh!"

Two cries of agony filled the air as Elder Chen was hurled dozens of meters away!

The junior disciple, caught in the residual energy, coughed up blood and shook uncontrollably on the ground like a leaf.

"You!"

Elder Chen regained his composure, ready to explode with rage, but he saw that Su Ping'an had already reached the top of the steps and stood before him.

"What's that 'you'? Say one more word and believe me, I'll rip your tongue out," Su Ping'an taunted with a sneer.

"You've got some nerve! Attacking an elder!" Elder Chen, having regained his composure, glared icily at Su Ping'an.

"Attack? That was a counterattack," Su Ping'an retorted, delivering a slap across the elder's face!

"Whack!"

The slap packed a wallop, leaving Elder Chen dazed and disoriented.

"This is Elite Wound, the stronghold of the Qingyun Sect! You can't just run wild here!"

"Trying to intimidate me with the sect now? If I were to kill you here, who would be the wiser?"

The area was deserted, and it was impossible for those at the base of the mountain to witness what was unfolding at the summit.

The junior disciple lay dying, his end seemingly near.

"You!" Elder Chen, overcome with fury, spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

"Your bribery is a grave offense. What if I were to report this to the Sect Master..."

"Do you think he'd believe a lowly disciple with no stake in this, or you?" Su Ping'an's gaze grew icy.

Elder Chen fell silent, the indignity of the situation too much to bear.

"How about this? I've got a Green Grade Great Recovery Pill on me. You can take it for yourself or use it to save this little one. It's your call."

Su Ping'an pulled a green pill from his pocket.

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet—this pill was among the most elite.

"Play nice and the Sect Master won't hear a peep about your bribery. Plus, I'll make sure you get even more perks down the line..."

This pill was worth a life!

Elder Chen was momentarily taken aback, but he carefully pocketed the pill.

"You're quite the prodigy, young man!"

Su Ping'an replied icily, "Save it."

As he glanced at the disciple struggling for life beside him, Su Ping'an silently noted the fickleness of the human heart.

The recruitment event had concluded, and night had fallen.

Su Ping'an stood out as the undisputed champion, claiming the title with overwhelming superiority.

"This is the finest residence for disciples in the sect. Does it meet your expectations, Brother Su?" Elder Chen led Su Ping'an to a dwelling by a babbling brook.

"And where might you be staying, Elder?"

"Clearly... it's nowhere as nice as this," chuckled Elder Chen.

"Enough already, just go away. Your face is making me sick."

"Right away, right away, I'm gone!" Elder Chen replied with a forced smile.

Tomorrow there would be another grand assembly...

Su Ping'an had always dismissed such formalities with disdain. To strengthen the sect, trivialities mattered little; it was crucial to deal with the likes of Elder Chen!

But that was none of his concern.

*Beep! Optional mission available. Will you accept?*

"Accept!"

*Beep! Optional mission: Herb Garden's Delicacy!*

Mission Objective: Clear out all herbs over two years old from the Herb Garden!

Mission Difficulty: B

Mission Duration: One month

Mission Reward: One Fiend Pill Fragment

(Current Fiend Pill Fragment count: 0/999)

What exactly was a Fiend Pill Fragment?

As Su Ping'an pondered, information about the pill surfaced in his mind: The Fiend Pill, a legendary divine pill crafted by a being who harnessed the essence of heaven and earth, was said to grant eternal life to those who consumed it.

Hold on a moment!

As soon as the phrase 'eternal life' was uttered, Su Ping'an's eyes bulged with astonishment!

It was true that cultivation could extend one's lifespan.

Take those ancient beings, for instance, who've lived through several lifetimes, or cultivators who've reached a few thousand years in age.

But the concept of immortality? That was unheard of!

Damn!

Let's get to it right now!

The Elite Cloud Sect's Herb Garden, located in the secluded back mountain, was strictly off-limits.

Only disciples of the Pill Sect could enter without special permission, which had to be granted by either the sect master or an elder of the Pill Sect. This presented quite the challenge for Su Ping'an.

"If you're keen on visiting the Herb Garden, junior brother, you might consider joining the Pill Sect. It's a bit of a challenge, though..."

The female disciple in front of him chuckled as she watched Su Ping'an grimace, offering her advice with a hint of amusement.

"What challenges come with being a disciple of the Pill Sect?"

"Well, for starters, you need to master pill refining. And before you can refine pills, you must be adept at concocting medicine. That's not something a novice cultivator like you can easily achieve!"

Just then, two men and a woman entered through the Pill Hall's doorway.

The speaker was the man on the right.

With his sharp, commanding features and an air of distinction, the luxurious silk draped over the South Sea Jade at his waist marked him as a person of stature.

"Second Senior Brother, have you arrived?" The female disciple at the entrance greeted the trio with a respectful bow.

"Why bother explaining so much to him, Senior Brother? Does a disciple who slipped in through the back door really think he can join our Pill Sect?" Another male disciple chimed in with a sneer.

Their disdain for Su Ping'an was palpable.

They were well aware of the sect's recruitment nuances and had swiftly lumped Su Ping'an into the category of those who had taken shortcuts.

Meanwhile, the senior sister standing to the side remained silent throughout the exchange, her icy demeanor unchanging as she cast a peculiar glance at Su Ping'an.

"Junior Sister, who is this person? What's he doing loitering at the entrance to our Pill Sect?" The second senior brother strode in without sparing Su Ping'an a glance.

"Ah... This gentleman is Hee Wudao, the second senior brother of our Pill Sect; this is our fourth senior brother, Song Yuqing, and over here we have our senior sister, Yang Xi..."

The junior sister at the entrance began to introduce everyone with a hint of nervousness: "And this is Su Yang, the disciple who joined us today."

To sidestep any potential complications, Su Ping'an opted to use his former life's name, Su Yang.

Su Ping'an offered his greetings with due respect, saying, "Su Yang is honored to meet all the senior brothers and sisters!" Though outwardly courteous, inwardly he was itching to take control of the medicine garden that very night.

Having exchanged pleasantries, Su Ping'an made his intentions clear regarding his desire to join the Pill Sect.

"The Pill Sect is the cornerstone upon which the Elite Wound Sect was founded, and this medicine garden is sacred ground, off-limits to most. To gain entry into the Pill Sect, you must first demonstrate the capability to concoct red grade pills," Hee Wudao said with a mocking chuckle.

The red grade represented the most basic level of pill mastery.