The courtyard was quiet and secluded.
A Lu Clan disciple led a person inside, then bowed and withdrew.
The newcomer wore a bamboo hat and had a thin, withered frame; it was none other than the stall owner surnamed Zhou from the White Jade Square.
Stall Owner Zhou stood in the courtyard, looking at the figure in black robes.
His Adam's apple bobbed, yet he found himself unable to speak for a long while.
A sudden urge to retreat welled up in his heart.
Was his decision too absurd? To stake the fate of the entire Pill Cauldron Sect on a woman he had just met... Who was he to make such a decision for the thousands of lives within the Sect?
But... He slowly clenched his fists.
What could be worse than their current situation?
To be reduced to pill slaves, driven day and night by those demons, where the slightest disobedience meant death.
Rather than suffering in that den of tigers and wolves until his life force was completely drained...
It would be better to take a gamble.
To gamble that the woman before him could protect the Pill Cauldron Sect.
That she could find a true way out for everyone in the Sect.
With that thought...
Stall Owner Zhou took a deep breath, stepped forward, and gave the young woman a deep bow.
"I am Zhou Xuan, greetings, Senior."
This time.
He finally offered his full name.
Then, he slowly raised his head.
His eyes, hidden in the shadow of the bamboo hat, flashed with a look of absolute determination.
"I... have made up my mind. I embolden myself to implore Senior to take action and save my Sect from its dire straits."
Having said that, he pulled the pair of orange gloves from his robe and offered them with both hands.
"This item is a token of my sincerity."
Jiang Yuechu was in no hurry to take them. Instead, she shook her head and said, "No matter... It won't be too late to give them to me once the matter is settled."
Hearing this.
A flicker of surprise crossed Zhou Xuan's heart for some reason.
Too many people with high cultivation were arrogant.
Toward those with lower Realms and cultivation than themselves, they practically looked down their noses at them... as if that were the only way to display their own nobility.
Yet the woman before him, despite clearly possessing unfathomable cultivation and an incomparably domineering style of action...
Did not have the bossy and overbearing attitude of ordinary great Cultivators.
Even though he was the one asking a favor of her, a favor involving the lives of an entire Sect, she didn't show the slightest intent to exploit the situation.
She wasn't overly arrogant, nor was she deliberately humble.
One was one, two was two.
She would only accept payment once the task was done.
This kind of logic was as simple as a mundane business transaction.
In this world of cultivation, it actually seemed somewhat out of place.
Zhou Xuan was stunned for a long moment before finally giving a bitter laugh and tucking the gloves back into his robe.
"Senior's noble character... Zhou Xuan will remember it in his heart. It's just... this Junior... has one more presumptuous request."
Hearing this, Jiang Yuechu was somewhat surprised. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Speak."
In the next moment.
Zhou Xuan suddenly dropped to his knees, his head hitting the ground with a thud. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Junior implores Senior to protect the entire Pill Cauldron Sect! My Pill Cauldron Sect is willing to serve Senior as our master, to relocate our Sect as your subordinates, and to serve you with total devotion, even unto death!"
Hearing these words.
Wang Ziyu, standing to the side, could no longer restrain himself. He stepped forward and hissed in a low, angry voice, "What nonsense are you talking about? Protect an entire Sect? You're asking her to enter a life-and-death struggle with the Chunyang Lineage!"
"You..."
Before he could finish, he was silenced by a single look from the young woman.
"An entire Sect is a very heavy burden... Why should I carry it?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xuan did not feel despair; instead, his heart lightened.
Willingness to ask the price meant there was room for negotiation.
He looked up abruptly, his eyes erupting with an unprecedented light.
"Senior, though we are not skilled in combat, we are by no means useless."
"My Pill Cauldron Sect has stood in the Eastern Region for thousands of years, relying on our Alchemy. Otherwise, why would we have attracted the covetous eyes of Wang Canglan and Spirit Mountain?"
"As long as Senior can give my Pill Cauldron Sect a place to settle down..."
Zhou Xuan's voice trembled, yet it was incredibly firm.
"The thousands of Alchemists in my Sect are willing to perform Alchemy for Senior!"
"Whether it be precious healing medicines or Spirit Pills to advance cultivation, my Pill Cauldron Sect can provide them all!"
As his voice fell.
Wang Ziyu, rare for him, did not say anything more.
He only looked at the young woman with some helplessness.
After traveling this far, he had a clear understanding of the Great Tang's situation.
Information was cut off, legacies were broken, and even Cultivators from other lands rarely set foot in such a place.
Forget about Tower-Ascending Martial Immortalss; one could barely find a few Lamp-Lighting Martial Saints who had made something of themselves.
If not for an anomaly like Jiang Yuechu, those millions of miles of territory would be nothing more than lambs to the slaughter in the eyes of the giants of the Eastern Region.
Though the Pill Cauldron Sect had fallen from grace and been kept like livestock by demons for five hundred years, its foundation remained.
If they could truly absorb the entire Pill Cauldron Sect, it would be like a long-awaited rain after a drought for the current Great Tang.
But the cost would be equally heavy.
It would mean a complete falling out with Wang Canglan and the Chunyang Lineage behind him.
Although he had spent many days with her, their relationship was far from being close enough for him to make such a decision on her behalf.
Everything that needed to be said had been said.
As for what to do, it could only be chosen by her and the Dynasty behind her.
Jiang Yuechu remained silent for a long time.
Her pretty little face was expressionless, making it difficult for anyone to guess what she was thinking.
A full incense stick's worth of time passed.
Only then did she speak calmly: "How many people are left in the Pill Cauldron Sect? What grade of Medicinal Pills can you refine?"
Hearing this, Zhou Xuan's body shook, and he looked up abruptly.
Suppressing his excitement, his voice was hoarse with trembling: "In response to Senior, our Sect originally had over three thousand Alchemists, including over a dozen Elders capable of refining Denglou Realm medicines."
"Whether it's healing and life-extension, breaking through Realms and increasing power, or even some insidious poisonous pills, my Pill Cauldron Sect possesses the legacies for all of them."
"As long as the Materials are sufficient, the Medicinal Pills... will flow endlessly."
Jiang Yuechu nodded slightly.
She asked again: "If I agree, where will the three thousand-plus people of your Pill Cauldron Sect go? And how will they get there?"
As soon as these words came out, the joy on Zhou Xuan's face instantly froze.
Yes.
What happened after they were rescued?
He still didn't know where the Great Tang was... but since he hadn't even heard of it, it certainly wouldn't be close to this place.
With over three thousand Alchemists of varying cultivation levels, how could they safely cross this peril-filled land?
If the Chunyang Lineage or Spirit Mountain noticed and intercepted them midway, it would just be dying in a different place.
Zhou Xuan's lips trembled, and after a long while, he said dejectedly: "Junior... Junior does not know. I only beg Senior to give us a way to live..."
Jiang Yuechu withdrew her gaze and looked at him quietly.
A long time passed.
"Stand up."
Zhou Xuan was stunned and looked up blankly.
The young woman's voice wasn't loud, but it reached his ears clearly.
"I agree to this matter."
Boom—
Zhou Xuan felt as if a thunderclap had exploded in his mind; he was completely dazed.
Once he came to his senses, he was wild with joy.
Just as he was about to kowtow again in gratitude, he heard the young woman's indifferent voice again.
"But let me make one thing clear first."
"I will protect your Pill Cauldron Sect. From now on, your Pill Cauldron Sect will be the Great Tang's Pill Cauldron Sect."
"In the future, you will only refine pills for the Great Tang."
"If anyone harbors ulterior motives or feigns compliance..."