The title of Elder of the Green Sun Divine Temple was indeed useful. For anyone else, trying to obtain the Great Unity Divine Water from Zhang Dashan with just a few words would be nothing short of a pipe dream. Zhang Dashan was no fool — how could he simply hand over such a rare and precious treasure?
It was precisely because Yang Kai held the position of Elder at the Green Sun Divine Temple that he had been able to earn Zhang Dashan's trust.
Watching Yang Kai's figure vanish, Zhang Dashan felt a mixture of excitement and anxiety.
He was excited because this transaction might help him forge a connection with Master Ji Ying. In the future, if he ever needed to commission Emperor Pills, having that relationship would give him a distinct advantage. But he was also anxious — he had no idea whether the Emperor Pill he had requested would actually turn out successfully.
Pill refining was a skilled craft. Even when an Emperor Pill Master took on the work, there was always a certain failure rate. If it failed, all the ingredients he had painstakingly collected would be ruined — and it had taken him five full years to gather them all.
Just as he was dwelling on this, Zhang Dashan suddenly slapped his thigh in frustration. He had been so caught up in the excitement earlier that he had forgotten to tell Yang Kai what kind of spirit pill he wanted refined. But then again, with Master Ji Ying's discerning eye and pill-refining expertise, he would surely be able to identify the type of spirit pill just by examining the ingredients Zhang Dashan had prepared.
The day passed in Zhang Dashan's anxious waiting, each moment stretching as long as a year.
Suddenly, a streak of light shot toward him from the distance. Zhang Dashan's spirits rallied, and he looked up.
Yang Kai's figure reappeared, and he casually tossed over a jade bottle with a smile. "Mission accomplished!"
Hearing this, Zhang Dashan's heart raced with excitement. He snatched the jade bottle open and found six perfectly colored, flawlessly round Emperor Pills resting inside. He took a whiff of their fragrance, and his spirits soared.
He let out a hearty laugh, his face brimming with gratitude, and said earnestly, "Thank you so much, Elder Yang."
Had Yang Kai not served as the go-between, how could he have obtained these spirit pills within a single day? According to his original plan, he would have had to travel to the headquarters of the Purple Source Trading Company, seek an audience with Master Huangfu, present the Great Unity Divine Water, and then wait for months before possibly receiving the spirit pills in return.
Even then, getting three or four pills would have been the absolute limit.
Yet now, in just a single day, his wish had been granted — and not only that, he had received six pills, each one of exceptional quality.
As expected of those who served under Great Emperor Miao Dan — his pill-refining skill and expertise put Master Huangfu to shame by a mile. Zhang Dashan couldn't help but count himself incredibly fortunate. If Yang Kai hadn't contacted him via voice transmission yesterday, if he hadn't put his trust in Yang Kai just this once, how could such good fortune have ever fallen into his lap?
In that moment, his gratitude toward Yang Kai was beyond words.
"Don't mention it, Sect Master Zhang. It was simply a matter of each of us getting what we needed." Yang Kai smiled faintly and cupped his fists. "Take care!"
"Elder Yang, wait!" Zhang Dashan suddenly raised his hand and called out.
Yang Kai turned back. "Is there anything else, Sect Master Zhang?"
Zhang Dashan stammered somewhat awkwardly. "I was wondering, Elder Yang… if in the future I were to wish to commission more pills…"
Yang Kai smiled. "Just come to the Green Sun Divine Temple and find me."
After all, with Ji Ying doing all the hard work, any kind of Emperor Pill could be refined at will, and he could even collect a nice handling fee on the side.
Zhang Dashan was overjoyed. "Then many thanks to Elder Yang!"
Yang Kai nodded. His figure swayed, and he returned the way he came.
…
At the Green Sun Divine Temple, on Lingyu Peak — the spirit peak where Vice Temple Master Qiu Ran resided.
"Senior Brother Qiu, I'm here!" Yang Kai called out as he strode in, and soon spotted Qiu Ran standing quietly, seemingly waiting for him.
"Huh, Senior Brother Qiu, you don't look too happy." Yang Kai gazed at Qiu Ran in surprise.
Qiu Ran said darkly, "Didn't you tell me yesterday to wait just a little while? Since when does 'a little while' mean an entire day?"
Only then did Yang Kai understand why Qiu Ran was looking at him with such a wounded expression — it was as though he had been callously abandoned. Yang Kai scratched his head sheepishly. "I ran into something that held me up."
Qiu Ran shook his head helplessly, too weary to argue, and waved his hand. "Follow me."
Yang Kai obediently followed.
As Yang Kai followed Qiu Ran into the great hall, the Vice Temple Master swept his hand and the hall immediately sealed shut. Yang Kai looked around and could sense traces of a formation array arranged within, but couldn't quite discern what kind of wondrous formation it was. At the center of the hall, however, stood a massive sand table. At first glance, it seemed almost alive — the sand flowing gently — but upon closer inspection, it was clearly an inanimate object, utterly peculiar.
Stepping closer for a better look, Yang Kai raised an eyebrow. "Is this the Green Sun Mountain Range?"
Qiu Ran nodded. "Correct. This is a relief map of our Green Sun Mountain Range." As he spoke, he waved his hand, and with a surge of Emperor Yuan, the sand table came to life — lush trees sprang up, mountain ranges rose in succession, and jagged rocks appeared, forming a perfect miniature replica of the Green Sun Mountain Range. Every peak, every ravine in the actual mountain range could be found here in corresponding detail.
Yang Kai clicked his tongue in admiration, already thinking that when he returned to Ling Xiao Palace, he should have Hua Qingsi commission a similar relief map. Such a thing was probably no rarity in major sects — it just needed to be crafted with considerable precision. Given Ling Xiao Palace's current resources, producing one should be well within reach.
"The Green Sun Divine Temple is situated within the Green Sun Mountain Range, which takes its name from the Temple. In total, there are one thousand three hundred and fifty-two spirit peaks, large and small. Of these, twenty-seven are main peaks suitable for Elder residences, most of which are currently unoccupied. Take your pick of whichever one appeals to you." Qiu Ran pointed to the relief map as he spoke.