Life Returning Pill

Translator: Cinder Translations

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After bidding farewell to Jing Kai, Song Wen entered the Corpse King Valley and headed towards the Mission Hall.

The last time he visited the Mission Hall, he had taken a pill-refining task. However, plans often don't go as expected, and after absorbing Yu Qi's cultivation, his own cultivation skyrocketed. To consolidate his cultivation, Song Wen went into seclusion for half a year.

Most tasks had a time limit.

The pill-refining task he had taken had long since expired due to his delay, so he needed to cancel the expired task before he could take on a new one.

"Senior Ji Yin, it's been a while since I last saw you," said the Mission Hall manager, Qiao Ke, as he greeted Song Wen.

"I had a breakthrough in my cultivation and entered seclusion for a while. The last task I took was not completed, so please, Qiao Ke, cancel it for me," Song Wen said as he handed over his identity token.

Qiao Ke took the token, checked the task information recorded in it, and said, "This expired task is a level-seven task. According to sect rules, we will deduct 1,000 contribution points from you, Senior."

Song Wen nodded. "I understand the rules."

After canceling the task, Qiao Ke returned the token to Song Wen.

Just as Song Wen was about to choose a new task from the available pill-refining assignments, he heard a voice behind him.

"Ji Yin, I didn't expect to meet you here."

Turning around, Song Wen saw that the person speaking was Zhu Yin.

"Ah! Zhu Yin, what brings you to the Mission Hall today?"

Zhu Yin replied, "There's a task that urgently needs four third-level pill refiners. I came to recruit them. Since you're here, how about joining us?"

Song Wen didn't agree immediately and instead asked, "What kind of task requires the collaboration of four pill refiners?"

"It's a pill-refining task, though the difficulty is quite high. In fact, it's not just four third-level pill refiners; there will be nine third-level pill refiners from the inner sect involved. However, those nine third-level pill refiners will only assist, while the true refiner will be the fourth-level pill master, Demon Sovereign Ye Hua."

Song Wen's pupils contracted slightly. Ye Hua, being a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, was personally refining pills and still needed the assistance of nine third-level pill refiners. The difficulty of the pill refining task was clear.

"My pill-refining skills are average; I may not be able to participate in such a difficult task," Song Wen said with a worried expression.

In his heart, Song Wen didn't want to get involved in this pill-refining task.

The greater the difficulty, the more secrets it would involve. Knowing too many secrets was not necessarily a good thing.

Zhu Yin seemed to sense the concern in Song Wen's heart.

"Senior, there's no need to be modest. I've seen your pill-refining skills firsthand. Completing this task will be no problem for you. Moreover, the rewards for this task are quite generous: twenty high-grade spirit stones for each refiner, along with an additional 10,000 contribution points."

"Such generous rewards! In that case, I'll accept," Song Wen said with a greedy expression.

Zhu Yin had invited him repeatedly, and if he didn't agree now, it would seem strange and likely raise suspicion.

Zhu Yin smiled slightly and turned to Qiao Ke, "Please recruit three third-level pill refiners as quickly as possible and have them report to the Soul Cave."

"Yes, Pavilion Master Zhu Yin," Qiao Ke replied.

"Make sure to recruit only the best pill refiners; avoid those with mediocre skills," Zhu Yin added.

After instructing Qiao Ke, Zhu Yin turned to Song Wen.

"The pill refining will take place at the Soul Cave. Let me take you there."

The two of them soared into the air, heading towards the depths of the valley.

"Thank you, Zhu Yin. May I ask what kind of pill we'll be refining?" Song Wen asked as they flew.

Since the air was relatively clear, unlike the crowded atmosphere of the Mission Hall, Zhu Yin spoke.

"This task is to refine a pill for my master. The pill is called the 'Life-Returning Pill.'"

"Life-Returning Pill?"

Song Wen furrowed his brows, the name of the pill felt somewhat strange to him.

"What kind of pill is this?" Song Wen asked.

Zhu Yin shook her head. "I'm not sure either. But I can tell you a little bit. This pill is made using the life force of a young and strong human."

Song Wen's heart trembled.

A pill made from a living person!

And it's from a young, strong one!

This reminded him of the Su family, who used the cultivation method "Longevity Technique" to extend the lifespan of younger cultivators.

Could it be that Ye Hua's lifespan was running short?

But according to rumors, Ye Hua was only 700 years old, still far from the thousand-year lifespan of a Nascent Soul cultivator, with at least 300 years to live.

Or perhaps, Ye Hua's cultivation technique had consumed his lifespan?

Song Wen's thoughts were in turmoil.

Under Zhu Yin's lead, the two quickly arrived at the edge of a deep valley.

Here, the stone mountains were numerous, though most were not very tall, the highest only a few hundred zhang.

The two reached a stone mountain's midsection, where there was a cave several zhang high, with the words "Soul Cave" written above.

Upon entering the cave and traveling about ten zhang, a large cave, about one hundred zhang wide, appeared before them.

The ceiling of the cave had a huge opening, tens of zhang wide, leading directly to the mountaintop.

At the bottom of the cave was a deep pit, over one hundred zhang deep, with a pill furnace at the bottom.

The pill furnace was surprisingly large, towering several zhang high and twenty zhang wide.

Surrounding the large furnace were nine smaller pill furnaces, each about three zhang high, encircling the central furnace.

These ten pill furnaces looked brand new, likely just crafted and placed here.

The two of them entered the pit at its midsection.

"This Soul Cave was originally a place for harvesting the souls of young humans, but for the purpose of this pill refining, it has temporarily been transformed into a refining chamber," Zhu Yin explained.

Song Wen remarked, "No wonder there's such a strong residual soul energy here."

The entire pit was filled with a dense aura of broken souls, and Song Wen couldn't help but take a deep breath. The sensation of lingering souls reminded him of the Corpse Demon Sect's "Corpse Disposal Cave."

Along the cave walls, there were many smaller caves, resembling temporary chambers.

Zhu Yin pointed to these caves and said, "These temporary chambers are for the Soul Cave's disciples to rest. Feel free to choose one for a short rest. Don't worry, it won't be long. Within a day, the Demon Sovereign will arrive. There are many matters to attend to for this pill refining, and my master has entrusted me with full responsibility, so I must leave you here."

Song Wen nodded. "Please, take your leave, Zhu Yin."

Zhu Yin nodded back, then soared into the air and flew out through the cave's top opening.

Song Wen looked around but didn't enter any of the temporary chambers. Instead, he flew to the bottom of the pit and sat in a quiet spot beside the pill furnace.

After about an hour, a group of five golden core cultivators arrived, three women and two men.

The group was somewhat surprised to see someone already at the furnace.

One of the women, her skin slightly sagging with age, examined Song Wen for a moment before speaking.

"Fellow cultivator, you look unfamiliar. Are you new to the outer sect?"

Song Wen stood up and greeted the group with a cupped fist.

"I am Ji Yin. I've been in the Wu Ji Island for over ten years. I hope to receive your guidance," he said.

The woman replied, "Are you here on orders to participate in the Life-Returning Pill refining as a pill refiner?"

Song Wen nodded, "That's correct."

(End of the Chapter)

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