Immortal Mortal

Two days later, Mo Wuji followed Zhen Shaoke to where thought he was going to board his beast carriage. That’s when he received a huge shock. How is this a beast carriage? It’s a huge flying ship!

"Mr Zhen, is this a flying beast carriage?" As Mo Wuji walked up the flying ship, he saw huge and various floors of living quarters, and he could not help but ask.

Zhen Shaoke was surprised for a moment before he laughed and said, "Wuji, looks like you’re really a rogue cultivator. The road to Five Elements Desolate Domain is long and arduous, a beast carriage is too slow, and it wouldn’t be able to reach our destination in time. This here, is a flying treasure. It can be considered a low grade spiritual equipment."

Mo Wuji had always known of the occupation of smiths, but this was his first time hearing the different grades of magic treasures, so he hurried to ask, "Is this spiritual equipment a magic treasure? And it’s actually a flying one?"

Zhen Shaoke explained without a hint of impatience, "Items which fly are merely flying magic treasures, such as my flying ship. In reality, mortals have their martial weapons, while cultivators have magic treasures. Magic treasures can be further classified as magic items and spiritual equipment. I even heard that there are immortal equipment, but those are things of legends. Magic items and spiritual equipment have different grades: Low, Intermediate and High. Most cultivators use magic items. As the cost of spiritual equipment is too high, only few cultivators can afford to use it. I heard that smiths who can craft spiritual equipment are no lower than Earth Pill Refiners."

So it’s like that. It seems like the sharp knife I obtained is a magic item.

After boarding the ship, Mo Wuji was allocated a pill room. Yan’Er and Xiong Xiuzhu shared a room, while Tao Ao and Fei Bingzhu shared another. Zhen Shaoke kept this ship while waiting for Mo Wuji, so it was rather empty.

Not long after the group boarded, the flying ship’s body trembled slightly before charging up to the sky.

Mo Wuji gazed out the window and watched the white clouds fly by. This flying ship was multiple times faster than an airplane. Mo Wuji sighed; he finally understood why the people here did not pursue technology, and places with technology were the places where there weren’t cultivators. How could an airplane’s speed compare to this flying ship? Furthermore, the taking off and landing of an airplane wastes time, and one would constantly need to monitor changes in the weather during an airplane’s flight.

The pill room he was in was not considered big, and there was a cyan pill furnace at its centre. Mo Wuji might not know much about pill furnaces but he could tell that this pill furnace was better than the two he had used before.

By the side, there was a spiritual herbs shelf which held the spiritual herbs which Mo Wuji wanted. This time, Mo Wuji was preparing to concoct the Earth Yuan Pill. Among Tier 4 pills, the Earth Yuan Pill could be considered the most typical kind of pill. Not only were the spiritual herbs not very expensive, the techniques needed were also rather simple. This pill was mainly for Yuan Dan Stage cultivators to recover their True Yuan. At the same time, it could also be used by cultivators below the Yuan Dan Stage.

Initially, Mo Wuji thought that with the bit of spiritual will he possessed and the pill techniques he could exhibit, concocting Tier 4 Earth Pills should not be a major problem.

But a failure at his very first attempt delivered him a huge blow. He couldn’t even fuse the medicinal essences for the most simplest of Tier 4 Earth Pills.

Under the raving spiritual energy, his pill techniques were all to no avail. After he barely managed to purify the spiritual herbs, the medicinal essences dispersed the moment they touched. He was completely unable to control the crazy outburst of spirituality; the pill techniques only served the prolong the time he could hold.

Tier 4 spiritual herbs were too hard to control, it was at least ten times harder than Tier 3 ones.

After failing for three consecutive times, Mo Wuji decided to stop practising. Any further practice would just be wasting the ingredients.

What he was lacking in weren’t his hand and pill techniques, but his cultivation. Maybe after reaching Channel Opening Stage Level 9 or Spirit Building Stage, he could be able to successfully concoct a Tier 4 pill. However, it was an still an impossible task for now.

Mo Wuji did not mind that he wasn’t able to concoct the Tier 4 pills. He believed that he just needed to be able to take part in the pill competition and get onto the Five Elements Desolate Domain name list. Didn’t Yan Qianyin say that Granny Linglong wanted to search for a spiritual herb? If he wasn’t able to meet Granny Linglong, he would go to Five Elements Desolate Domain to search for the herb which Granny Linglong wanted. If he played his cards right, he did not believe that he would not be able to move Granny Linglong.

Even though he stopped practising on Tier 4 pills, Mo Wuji did not go out but continued on with Tier 3 pills. He did not do it to familiarise himself with the hand and pill techniques, but to keep his pill techniques hidden from view. Once he competes, he might have to use his pill techniques. It would be best if he could keep his pill techniques hidden within his hand techniques. After all, most powerful pill refiners would have their own unique hand techniques. If he could do things more discretely, his pill techniques should not be discovered.

Ten days passed in a flash, Mo Wuji should be reaching the Five Elements Desolate Domain soon. Mo Wuji closed his pill furnace and walked out the door.

"Wuji, any results?" Mo Wuji did not expect that Zhen Shaoke would actually be waiting for him outside his door; the moment he opened it, he saw Zhen Shaoke.

Mo Wuji said ruefully, "I failed, I really underestimated Tier 4 Earth Pills and failed for 3 consecutive batches. Afterwards, I was always practising my Tier 3 Mortal Pills."

Zhen Shaoke laughed and said in an accommodating tone, "That’s okay. In less than two hours, we will be reaching the Five Elements Desolate Domain site. You’ve been cooped up in your room for so long, come, let’s go out and take a walk."

Mo Wuji was sure he didn’t see any hint of disappointment in Zhen Shaoke’s eyes. It could be inferred that ever since he made his request, Zhen Shaoke already knew that Mo Wuji would not be able to advance to Tier 4. He probably did since his understanding towards advancements in pill refinement was definitely higher.

Even though he knew that Mo Wuji was not able to advance, he still took out Tier 4 spiritual herbs for Mo Wuji to practise. It didn’t matter what Zhen Shaoke was thinking, but this act really made Mo Wuji want to befriend him.

Perhaps Zhen Shaoke might not be a friend he could bear his heart out to, but he definitely was a person worth cooperating with.

As they walked to the head of the flying ship, Mo Wuji found that Yan’Er had already been invited by Zhen Shaoke. It seems like Zhen Shaoke knew the place Yan’Er had in Mo Wuji’s heart.

Seeing Mo Wuji, Yan’Er’s eyes immediately calmed down and walked to Mo Wuji’s side and sat down.

"Wuji, are you bringing Little Sis Yan’Er to Five Elements Desolate Domain to find Granny Linglong?" After waiting for Mo Wuji and Yan’Er to finish their conversation, Zhen Shaoke suddenly asked.

"Yes, I heard that her condition can only cured by Granny Linglong." Mo Wuji felt that there was nothing to hide. Zhen Shaoke was a pill house master; he definitely had an extraordinary understanding of things. Naturally, he would be able to see that Yan’Er was subject to a failed spiritual roots transfer, resulting in her memory loss.

Zhen Shaoke’s expression turned heavy as he said, "Wuji, even though I hope that Granny Linglong can help you, I still have to tell you this, even if you meet Granny Linglong, you wouldn’t be able to get her to help you. So it’s best if you don’t harbour too much hope."

This was not the first time Mo Wuji had heard this. He sighed, "Even if that’s the case, I still have to find her and try. I will not give up to the very end."

Zhen Shaoke continued, "Wuji, I do have an idea to get Granny Linglong to help, but it’s just that this idea is a little dangerous..."

Mo Wuji suddenly bolted up and grabbed Zhen Shaoke and said, "Mr Zhen, please share."

Zhen Shaoke patted Mo Wuji, indicating for him to sit down. Only then did he say, "You don’t have to get so anxious, listen to me carefully. Not only is Granny Linglong the number one pill refiner in Heaven Seeking Palace, she is also undoubtedly the top pill refiner in the entire Lost Continent. The thing she wants naturally isn’t simple."

"Then will Granny Linglong also take part in the Five Elements Desolate Domain Pill Competition?" Mo Wuji interrupted again.

Zhen Shaoke laughed, "There are some conditions to the competition. Firstly, you need to be at least a Tier 3 Mortal Pill Refiner. Secondly, you need to be below 100 years old. If you’re above 100, it doesn’t matter how good your pill refining is, you would not be allowed to participate. The first condition isn’t really enforced. During the competition, some Tier 2 pill refiners could sneak in. But doing that would just be humiliating themselves, and they definitely won’t be able to obtain a place on the name list."

Hearing about the age limit, Mo Wuji heaved a sigh of relief. He was a mere Tier 3 Mortal Pill Refiner, and there were many more impressive pill refiners than him. If a senior refiner like Shen Lian’s father also takes part in the pill competition, how could he actually win?

"You will be competing to be in the top 100. The first place gets 100 names on the Five Elements Desolate Domain name list. The second place gets 99 names on the name list. The third gets 98... So on and so forth until the 100th place who gets one name. As long as you get on that name list, you will get a chance to request Granny Linglong’s help. However, it’s not easy to get within the top 100, because in this competition, you will practically be competing with the greatest pill refiners in the entire Lost Continent."

"Mr Zhen, please carry on." Mo Wuji had already calmed down. This sort of competition format was beneficial for him. He did not need to be first place. He just needed to enter the top 100.

The total time Zhen Shaoke and Mo Wuji interacted was rather little. The trip only took ten over days, and Mo Wuji spent most of this time practicing his concoction. Even so, Zhen Shaoke had a brief understanding of Mo Wuji, and even an appreciation of Mo Wuji. Mo Wuji had an indomitable will, and more importantly, he always made calm decisions.

A typical person being chased by the Second Elder would probably shit bricks. However, Mo Wuji calmly brought his family to Fringe City to find a transfer array. If not for Zhen Shaoke’s act of helping him fend off the Second Elder, he might have really took a transfer array and left

"Most of the people entering the Five Elements Desolate Domain are searching for the Flower of the True Gods Flower. However, what Granny Linglong wants isn’t the Flower of the True Gods, but a sort of crystal..." Zhen Shaoke continued.

Mo Wuji didn’t know much about the Flower of the True Gods. He didn’t even know what the Three Heavens of the Heaven Realm were. Even though he really wanted to ask Zhen Shaoke what the Flower of the True Gods was, as well as what the Three Heavens were, he kept these burning questions in. The thing which Granny Linglong wanted was more important to him.

"May I ask what kind of crystal is Granny Linglong looking for?" Mo Wuji asked.