That night, the couple made love passionately all night long.
Just as Qi Zhiheng was about to fight for three days and three nights, his plan fell apart.
Qi Zhiheng hadn't even had time to enjoy the warmth of home when Que Hanhai sent someone to invite him to sit on Lufeng Peak the very next day.
Instead of knocking on the door, the Qi family sent him a message via a communication jade slip.
Qi Zhiheng: "..." Can he refuse?
Qi Zhiheng arrived at Lufeng with a sour expression and sat face to face with Sect Master Que Hanhai.
Que Hanhai had two main reasons for seeking out Qi Zhiheng this time.
Que Hanhai said, "The people in the sect who were affected by the demonic energy have been found. Although we cannot be sure if any have escaped, most of them have been found."
This wisp of demonic energy is not easily contagious, so apart from the difficulty in dealing with it, it doesn't have a significant impact on other cultivators in the sect.
Qi Zhiheng stared wide-eyed in disbelief: "No, Sect Master, it's been two years, and this matter is still not resolved?" He really doubted how the Slaughter God Sect could be ranked first among the many forces in the Southern Continent with such an ability to handle affairs.
Que Hanhai also said helplessly, "It's not that I don't want to deal with it, but this wisp of demonic energy is strange. Although it's not very effective, it's surprisingly difficult to deal with. We tried to use force to remove it, but the disciple was seriously injured and vomited blood when the demonic energy was extracted. The demonic energy was extracted, but a small piece remained. I don't know why this demonic energy is so stubborn. You dealt with this demonic energy using light-attribute spiritual power? Can you deal with the demonic energy on other people?"
Qi Zhiheng said, "We'll have to try it to find out."
"Then I'll prepare some people for you?" Que Hanhai immediately replied.
Qi Zhiheng did not refuse the arrangement.
Que Hanhai first had someone bring up a disciple whose body was tainted with demonic energy.
While waiting, the people chatted idly for a bit.
Qi Zhiheng said, "Is there no other way to deal with this demonic energy?"
Que Hanhai replied, "There is a way, but the items required are quite valuable. They must be spiritual objects imbued with a trace of Buddhist nature. Our sect and the Buddhist sect have never had much interaction, so it will be difficult to collect such items."
"Not a single one?" Qi Zhiheng found it hard to believe.
"Of course not!" Que Hanhai refused to admit that he was really that incompetent. "I found a few, but I've used them all up."
Qi Zhiheng didn't know what to say. Were these things used to eliminate demonic energy or were they disposable items?
Que Hanhai explained, "Normally, it's not consumed all at once. It's just that this kind of demonic energy is special; I've never seen it before in my life."
"Can't find the source?" Qi Zhiheng frowned.
Que Hanhai shook his head: "We can't find anything."
"Oh." Qi Zhiheng's attitude was indifferent, and the conversation died down.
Que Hanhai then changed the subject, saying, "By the way, can you refine level five pills now?"
Qi Zhiheng chuckled dismissively, "Sect Master is joking. How could I possibly refine a level-five pill?"
"I want to hear the truth." Que Hanhai could tell that this was an obvious perfunctory response, but Qi Zhiheng was already at the Nascent Soul stage and the Out-of-Body stage was just around the corner, so there was no need for him to put on airs.
"I haven't tried refining a level 5 pill yet; I'll have to go back and give it a try," Qi Zhiheng said honestly.
Que Hanhai clicked his tongue: "Hasn't a whole day and night passed? Why haven't you tried it yet?"
Qi Zhiheng said with a hint of shyness, "This is something that can't be explained to someone like you who doesn't have a Daoist partner."
Que Hanhai: "..." Why am I feeling inexplicably heartbroken!
Qi Zhiheng coughed lightly, his expression turning serious, and said, "I have no choice. It's just that there aren't any suitable spiritual herbs. Level 5 spiritual herbs aren't so easy to obtain."
Que Hanhai nodded slightly: "That's true. What kind of spiritual herbs do you want? I'll have someone from the sect help you find them later." The sect definitely has some in stock. After all, the sect doesn't have any fifth-level alchemists. As the second-ranked sect in Nanzhou, they must have some reserves from the past. Since Qi Zhiheng is the most likely candidate in their sect to become a fifth-level alchemist, he doesn't need to be stingy. Besides, aren't only he and Zuoqiu Man the only ones in the entire sect who consume fifth-level pills?
Upon hearing the sect leader's generosity, Qi Zhiheng immediately became modest, saying, "How could I possibly accept this?" While he said this, he was already planning in his mind what spiritual herbs the sect leader should ask for, and quickly made a list.
Que Hanhai was shocked by his shameless speed: "You really came up with this on the spur of the moment? There are at least three hundred kinds of spiritual herbs on this list!"
Qi Zhiheng still had that humble look on his face: "This knowledge is deeply imprinted in my mind. I don't need to think about it at all. It just appears in front of me naturally."
Que Hanhai: "..."
At this moment, the disciple tainted with demonic energy had been brought up. The two tacitly shifted their attention back to other things, deciding to deal with the matter of the spiritual herbs later.
Qi Zhiheng examined the disciple and then asked Que Hanhai, "How do you deal with injuries caused by demonic energy?"
Que Hanhai replied, "If you directly extract it with spiritual energy, it's like the spiritual energy has taken root. Not only will it harm the disciple, but it will also leave a root in the disciple's body."
Qi Zhiheng had originally planned to directly extract the demonic energy, but upon hearing Que Hanhai's answer, he immediately abandoned his previous idea.
He was referring to the effect of the Light Spiritual Root when speaking to Que Hanhai, so he couldn't use other abilities. He channeled Light Spiritual Power into the disciple's body, attempting to purify the wisp of demonic energy with Light Attribute Spiritual Energy.
However, Qi Zhiheng had never practiced Buddhism, so purification was not such a simple matter. Although the light-attribute spiritual power had some effect on the demonic energy, the root of the demonic energy seemed to be embedded in the disciple's spiritual power, and it could not be pulled out no matter how hard he tried, so there was no way to completely purify it.
Qi Zhiheng spread his hands and said, "There's nothing I can do."
Que Hanhai was somewhat disappointed. Qi Zhiheng's amazing abilities were not uncommon, and his desire to have Qi Zhiheng try to purify the purifier was not a spur-of-the-moment decision: "Since you can't do it either, then forget it. I'll think of another way later."
In a while, the abbot of Wuchen Temple will be conducting a Buddhist retreat and preaching ceremony. At that time, our sect will take these disciples there to stay for a few days and see if the abbot can resolve this demonic energy.
Qi Zhiheng had no objection to this.
Que Hanhai promised to help Qi Zhiheng find some spiritual herbs later. Of course, it was impossible to find hundreds of kinds, so Qi Zhiheng had no choice but to reduce the original hundreds of kinds to dozens.
Two days later, Que Hanhai had a fifth-grade spiritual herb delivered to his door.
After accepting the pills, Qi Zhiheng went into seclusion to refine them.
However, this level-five pill is not so easy to refine. Qi Zhiheng failed five times in half a month!
This is a level five spiritual herb! Qi Zhiheng was heartbroken.
The failure to refine the fifth-level pill also hindered his plans. He originally intended to return to Danfeng after becoming a fifth-level alchemist. He had promised to take on a group of disciples before going into seclusion, but he had not yet fulfilled that promise after so long.
Now that so much time had passed, he couldn't delay any longer. He planned to go out the next morning.
At this moment, Da Bao, Er Bao, and San Bao came out and blocked his way.
Qi Zhiheng patted each of his sons' heads: "What are you all doing?"
Erbao spoke on behalf of the group, saying, "Father, our school is going out for training."
"Training?" Qi Zhiheng frowned slightly. "Where would you go to train at such a young age?"
"I heard from the master that we are going to the Thousand Water Mountains." Erbao didn't know much about the outside world and didn't know what the place was like.
Qi Zhiheng knew this place. The Thousand Water Mountains were still within the territory of the Slaughtering God Sect. There was not much danger on the outskirts of this place. There were basically only some level one demonic beasts. There were some low-level spiritual herbs, but not many.
"Are you going by yourselves alone?" Qi Zhiheng still wanted to make sure, so that the children wouldn't enter the inner perimeter in a daze.
Erbao thought for a moment and said, "The teacher will lead the team over first, but we have to go in on our own. The teacher said this is to train our adaptability in advance. There are as many people as a class in one team, so it will definitely be fine."
At this moment, Yang Yitian came out.
Qi Zhiheng turned to look at Yang Yitian: "Are you going to clear this up?"
Yang Yitian dismissed the children, saying, "Alright, it's almost time for school. Go and get ready."
The children dispersed and went back to their rooms to pack their things.
Yang Yitian then turned to Qi Zhiheng and explained, "It's called a training exercise, but it's actually more like a spring outing. There will be Foundation Establishment cultivators from the sect going along to protect us in secret, so nothing serious will happen."
"When are we going?" Qi Zhiheng accepted this answer, figuring the sect wouldn't just send the children on their own.
Yang Yitian replied, "We will depart in five days."
Qi Zhiheng pondered for a moment and said, "Alright, we'll go and take a look too."
"You're going too? Aren't you worried?" Yang Yitian is a bit older than Qi Zhiheng, so there shouldn't be any problems on the outskirts of the Thousand Water Mountains, not to mention there are several Foundation Establishment cultivators watching over them.
"I've heard there are quite a few spirit beasts in the inner perimeter of the Thousand Water Mountains. I'll go see if there are any suitable spirit beast cubs or spirit beast pills. Maybe I can sell them for some spirit stones." Qi Zhiheng felt that he should be careful in all things. Who knew if his enemies, unable to get anything out of him, would turn their attention to his son? I'm going to go and take a look.
Yang Yitian rolled his eyes. If Qi Zhiheng wanted spirit beast eggs or cubs, he could just refine a few more batches of pills. There was no need for him to go looking for them himself.
However, he could understand. Qi Zhiheng had been in seclusion for two years and had become somewhat estranged from his son. It was normal for him to want to spend more time with his son.
"Alright, go if you like. I'll sneak over with you later." Yang Yitian hadn't left the sect for a long time either.
Qi Zhiheng nodded and said, "I'll go to Danfeng first and then we'll discuss it when I get back."
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