It had been almost a month since Yang Kai came to Bright Thunder Spirit Religion, and he had gradually begun to adapt to life here.
When Ji Meng came last time, she brought many herbs to Yang Kai from Duan Hai, which the former then used to refine pills each day. Of course, Yang Kai didn’t dare refine too many so as not to draw any unnecessary attention, maintaining a pace more in line with an ordinary Alchemist, two or three Spirit Grade pills per day.
The rest of the time he spent on cultivation or digesting the mysteries of the True Alchemic Way.
After spending a month getting along, Yang Kai noticed that Ji Meng was becoming more and more cautious around him, always wearing a hesitant and nearly fearful look on her face, far from the casual and unfettered appearance she had in the Snow Mountain Range.
In fact, most of the time she just shut herself in one of the other rooms and would only come to see Yang Kai when absolutely necessary.
Yang Kai was busy with his own affairs so he normally didn’t pay any attention to her either which resulted in Ji Meng feeling even more awkward. Sometimes she wanted to go to Yang Kai to talk and improve their relationship, but she just couldn’t bring herself to act so boldly.
On the first day of the new month, while Yang Kai was meditating, there was a knock at his door.
“Come in.”
Ji Meng pushed open the door and stood in the entryway, bowing politely, “Honoured Guest.”
“Do you need something?” Yang Kai smiled as he glanced over at her.
“Today is the day for this month’s pill collection, I need to deliver the pills that you have refined during this past month to the Spirit Religion’s headquarters,” Ji Meng answered softly, this was one of the tasks Duan Hai had sent her here to complete. Every month, the Alchemist Honoured Guest’s helpers would collect the pills they had refined during this time and then send them to Duan Hai for use within the Spirit Religion.
Yang Kai nodded lightly and took out the pills he had refined this past month and tossed them over to Ji Meng.
Ji Meng accepted them and thanked before gently biting her lip, as if hesitant to say something she had on her mind.
Yang Kai saw this and casually remarked, “I heard from the other Alchemist that as long as they give permission, their assistants can take a few pills from themselves, is that really the case?”
Ji Meng nodded lightly.
Yang Kai smiled lightly and nodded, “Then take five pills and make use of them yourself.”
Although the materials used for Alchemy here were all provided by Bright Thunder Spirit Religion, it was not uncommon for Alchemists to fail in refining pills now and again, thus wasting some of the raw ingredients.
As such, how many pills an Alchemist refined each month was really only known by the Alchemist themselves and their assistant.
As a result, before delivering each months pills to Bright Thunder Spirit Religion, it was possible to play some small tricks like this, as long as it was within the realm of what the Spirit Religion deemed reasonable, these Alchemist Honoured Guests could choose to retain a small number of pills to help their assistants cultivate. This not only benefited their assistants but also improved the latter’s impression of the former, encouraging them to be more attentive in their duties.
This was an open secret and Duan Hai was also clear about it but he never made any attempts to interfere.
Because the small portions of pills privately retained by these Alchemists were ultimately used on disciples of the Spirit Religion and the aptitude of the women sent to serve these Alchemists was generally good, Duan Hai even hoped that this practice would take place, allowing these seedlings to quickly grow into pillars of the Sect.
Yang Kai had learned about this when he had chatted with the other Alchemist a month ago.
Hearing Yang Kai say this, Ji Meng couldn’t help feeling overjoyed and quickly thanked him, “Many thanks, Honoured Guest, I will make good use of these five pills.”
She was only an Immortal Ascension Boundary Eighth Stage cultivator, so these five Spirit Grade pills could bring her immense benefits.
Yang Kai said no more on the subject, simply informing Ji Meng about how many pills he had refined this month as well as their grades and usages before sending her to deliver them to Duan Hai.
Ji Meng bowed gratefully once more before quickly leaving the mountain.
Back in the Spirit Religion’s headquarters, Ji Meng reported the number and grade of the pills Yang Kai had refined and handed them over to Duan Hai, the latter nodding in approval.
But when Ji Meng was about to take her leave, Duan Hai called out to her.
“Is there anything else, Elder Duan?” Ji Meng asked.
“What do you think of him?” Duan Hai suddenly asked a question that made Ji Meng pause.
“He’s alright, though he is somewhat taciturn and doesn’t like to communicate with others, I’ve stayed by his side for a month now but he hasn’t said more than ten words to me.”
“You haven’t even spoken with him?” Duan Hai was amazed, “Then towards you has he…?”
Ji Meng’s face went bright red but shook her head lightly.
Duan Hai’s brow wrinkled and grumbled somewhat unhappily, “You should be clear about the purpose of sending you to serve him. These Honoured Guests are the roots of my Spirit Religion’s ability to grow and develop; however, they are still just Honoured Guests and can leave at any time. You must firmly grab hold of him and allow him to willingly join my Spirit Religion and if possible, officially become one of our disciples!”
“Disciple understands,” Ji Meng bowed deeply.
“Can you complete this task? If you can’t, I can always send someone else, my Spirit Religion doesn’t lack beautiful woman.”
“Disciple will not fail Elder’s expectations,” Ji Meng clenched her teeth and replied.
“Good, go back. I look forward to your performance,” Duan Hai waved.
With a heavy heart, Ji Meng departed. After she left, Duan Hai shook his head and turned his eyes to Xu Qi, who had been listening to the conversation, “Junior Brother, it seems that this person really does not intend to settle down in my Spirit Religion. When I brought him here, he had even indicated as such. Otherwise, a young man like him wouldn’t possibly be so indifferent to a beauty’s temptations.”
“This just shows he has his own insistences and goals, this kind of person is always steadfast and assertive and is not easy to control,” Xu Qi also sighed.
“But he also mentioned that when the time was right he would need our Spirit Religion to help him with a matter. I just wonder what it is he wants to ask of us…” Duan Hai was puzzled.
“How does Senior Brother plan to proceed then?”
“Go back and check again, send some people to Bold Independent Union to carefully investigate his background. Such a young Spirit Grade Alchemist… I really can’t bring myself to decide!”
Xu Qi nodded in agreement, if it was at all possible, they wanted to avoid offending Yang Kai and would prefer to be on good terms with him.
After Ji Meng returned, Yang Kai clearly noticed that she was somewhat depressed and had a lot on her mind.
However, Yang Kai didn’t ask anything, it was normal for a woman to have some issues she worried about, and asking her about it would only drag him into her affairs, giving him unwanted trouble.
Although the relationship between Old Man Du and Duan Hai gave him some degree of comfort, Yang Kai would not be stupid enough to wholeheartedly believe in Duan Hai. During his time here, he had also quietly been investigating Bright Thunder Spirit Religion in order to determine if they were trustworthy enough to ask for help in his search for Su Yan and Little Senior Sister’s whereabouts.
If things didn’t work out here, Yang Kai would not hesitate to leave.
He definitely couldn’t go back to Bold Independent Union; too many people had seen him being taken about by Coffin Slave Senior, if he was to really appear in Bold Independent Union’s territory, he would definitely draw unwanted attention.
Sudden, a sharp pain in his shoulder blades erupted and the hidden power of wind and thunder rampaged wildly. Yang Kai was woken from his meditation by this pain but before he even opened his eyes, an intoxicating fragrance wafted past his nose.