In the array the once familiar chirping of insects and occasional wildlife sounds were replaced by an oppressive silence, broken only by the ghostly whispers carried by the wind.
The death Qi mutation turned the "Mirage of the Vast Expanse" array into a labyrinth of despair and desolation. The perceived threat of death was omnipresent, transforming the simple task of traversing the Blue Mountains into a survival game against one's deepest fears.
But with this mutation, Han Cai officially owned this mountain; no one below the heaven immortal level could enter or leave the array without his permission.
With the location secured, he spent the first few days roaming around the beautiful Blue Mountains, enjoying the scenery. After that, he got back to concocting pills, beginning with spirit pills which were most in demand and could be consumed by anyone, be they immortals or cultivators just starting their cultivation journey. The pills were more effective for cultivators with a cultivation level above nascent soul, while the earth-grade pills could only be consumed by cultivators above earth-grade immortals.
He already had a list of pills that he wanted to concoct to help the sect if a war broke out:
"Battle Fury Pill" This pill could boost a cultivator's strength and speed temporarily, making them more formidable in battle. However, due to the temporary nature of the boost, it was vital to use these pills strategically.
"Mind Clarity Pill": Wars are not just about physical strength, but also mental agility. This pill could help cultivators maintain clarity of mind, enabling them to make strategic decisions quickly in the heat of battle.
"Rapid Regeneration Pill" Healing pills are crucial in a war situation. This pill could accelerate the healing process, helping cultivators recover quickly from injuries sustained during battle.
"Qi Restoration Pill" This pill could rapidly replenish a cultivator's expended Qi, helping them maintain their combat effectiveness for longer periods.
"Sustenance Pill" In long and protracted battles, this pill could help cultivators maintain their energy levels and delay the onset of fatigue.
Han Cai concocted these pills diligently, as he had given his word that he would deliver them. He had to pause all his external businesses for this, but the sect was going to compensate him with a hefty sum of spirit stones. He did concoct high-grade pills, too, so he could send some to his clan their business shouldn't just stop. The sect was also going to give his clan access to administrative jobs, so they would be taken care of. The pills his clan would sell would be supplied from the alchemy hall, so overall, his clan was not incurring any loss.
The same could not be said about the underground organization; Han Cai had left them in the cold, but they couldn't voice any complaints.
Each day, Han Cai would create five batches of each type of pill, with each batch containing around ten pills. These were earth-grade pills. Besides these, he also concocted spirit pills, which came out to about twenty per batch, allowing him to produce hundreds of spirit pills. The remaining time he spent concocting high-grade pills for his clan. One could say that he had a very packed schedule.
By the end of the month, he had concocted three hundred of each type of earth-grade pill. He sent the first batch directly to the inner sect. As for the spirit pills, he had concocted around three thousand of them.
After making the pills, he felt like resting for a day. When he was concocting pills just for the sake of it, he found it amusing, but now that he was doing it as work, for some reason, he found it dull. Han Cai decided to take a break and go for a stroll.
He left his abode and enjoyed the scenery of the Blue Mountains. Even though this view was worth a million, he missed TV. He felt a pang of sadness, wishing he could use his system to exchange points for a television. Then he had a eureka moment: couldn't he use arrays and spirit Qi to create a visual TV?
Han Cai decided that would be his next project. While contemplating this, he walked to the hill where the disciples of the Spirit Pill department lived. While he was roaming around, he saw Shu Tao.
Shu Tao approached and bowed to Han Cai.
Han Cai asked, "How are things?"
Shu Tao replied, "Everything is set up; waiting for your orders."
Han Cai thought for a moment and then said, "Cultivate for now. Get others to cultivate and try new pill recipes. Now that we are the Spirit Pill Hall, your goal is to get everyone to succeed in creating spirit pills. When I need something, I will come to you guys. How are things in the sect?"
Shu Tao answered, "Everyone is asking about the new hall. They want spirit pills. Many requests have been sent to the admin hall, even from the inner sect, asking for spirit pills."
Han Cai nodded and threw a pouch to Shu Tao. The pouch contained three thousand spirit pills. "For now, I haven't created many, but these three thousand should be good enough."
After giving him the pills, Han Cai asked, "Any news about the war?"
Shu Tao nodded and said, "Jade Lotus Dynasty, Lang Nation, Longyi Dynasty, and Shenwei Kingdom, they all have arrived, and the sect will be holding a grand banquet and tournament. A friendly tournament will be held in the outer sect. All the hall leaders and department elders are invited to the banquet. Elder Du is also invited to the grand banquet. Will you be joining Elder Du?"
Hearing the term 'Grand Banquet', a chill ran down Han Cai's spine, the same chill that Blacky and Yongnian had felt when Han Cai asked them to try his spirit coffee.
Han Cai murmured, "Why can't it be a normal banquet? Why does it have to be a grand banquet?"
Nevertheless, he had to attend this banquet to understand the inner sect and the kingdoms that were going to support the sect. For now, his plans were tied to the sect, and it would be a considerable inconvenience if the sect got destroyed.
After returning back to his mountain, Han Cai started thinking about how he could save the sect even though he was not attached to it. It will be a hassle if the sect got destroyed. He had invested plenty of time in this sect. He needed something that could be a game-changer.
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Gifts are always appreciated, but golden tickets and power stones matter a lot too.
If we reach 2000 power stones, I will release two supplementary chapters.
If we reach 1000 golden tickets, I will release five supplementary chapters.
Thank You
