Mo Hua found a clean spot, sat down cross-legged, and began to ponder.
The only place he had seen an Evil Formation was at the Black Mountain Stronghold.
The perimeter of the Black Mountain Stronghold was protected by a standard Five Elements Formation, not an Evil Formation.
The Five Elements Formation, aligning with the Heavenly Dao Laws, was an orthodox formation, while the aura of an Evil Formation was corrupt. If laid out in excess, it could not be entirely concealed, even with a Concealment Formation.
Therefore, the third Householder only set up some Evil Formations in the most secret blood-colored Pill Room at the back of the stronghold.
One was the Bronze Beast Gate, and the other was the White Bone Pill Furnace.
The Evil Formation of the Bronze Beast Gate served to guard the door, while the Evil Formation within the White Bone Pill Furnace was used for Alchemy.
The third Householder surely wouldn’t have delved into studying such an Evil Formation only to guard a door.
If that was the case, then it had to be for Alchemy.
To refine Pills of an evil path, naturally, one would need an evil Pill Furnace; and to create an evil Pill Furnace, one naturally required an Evil Formation.
The Evil Formation that the third Householder was painting was very likely intended for pill refining.
But what kind of Pills?
Human Life Pills?
At this point in time, was he still thinking of refining Human Life Pills?
Was the third Householder that "dedicated"?
With the Black Mountain Stronghold collapsed and the Camp Leader on the run, would he still be earnestly studying an Evil Formation, ready to refine Pills for clinging to life?
Unlikely...
Mo Hua felt something was amiss, but for a moment, he could not grasp a clue.
"Should I ask Mr. Zhuang?"
After contemplating, Mo Hua shook his head.
If he brought this Formation to his mentor, Mr. Zhuang might suspect he wanted to learn an Evil Formation.
Moreover, as Mr. Zhuang valued purity, Mo Hua didn’t want to disturb his mentor’s serene cultivation with such a tainted Formation.
Besides, Mr. Zhuang was probably about to leave; from now on, he would have to rely on himself for everything.
With this thought, Mo Hua felt somewhat downhearted.
Mr. Zhuang was going to leave, huh...
He wondered if he would ever see his mentor again.
Mo Hua’s mood dipped for a while before he snapped out of it and perked up again, continuing to think things through.
If he couldn’t start with the Evil Formation, looking for clues in Pills would also suffice.
Mo Hua took out paper and pen, sketched a rough drawing of the White Bone Pill Furnace, the blood-colored Pill Room, and some strange herbs from the third Householder’s Storage Bag, all of which he put down on paper.
Mo Hua went to the Alchemist’s Business in the southern part of the city and showed these to Old Mr. Feng.
Old Mr. Feng’s face changed drastically, he exclaimed, "These are..."
"Pills refined by Evil Cultivators!"
Mo Hua recounted the whole story, including everything about Black Mountain Stronghold and the third Householder, as well as his own suspicions:
"Could they be refining some other Pills?"
Old Mr. Feng took a breath, pondered for a moment, and then said:
"It’s possible, these unusual herbs look similar but have different medicinal properties. They don’t seem to be for refining the same batch of Pills..."
Mo Hua eagerly asked, "Do you know what Pills they are?"
This posed a difficulty for Old Mr. Feng.
Old Mr. Feng said tactfully, "I am not an Evil Pill Master..."
Mo Hua sighed, "What a pity..."
An impatient Pill Master beside him urged, "What ’I’, spit it out if you have something to say!"
"I, I... heard a rumor."
Being young and junior, the Pill Master was somewhat uncomfortable speaking in front of so many people.
The crowd waited patiently for him to continue.
"I don’t recognize these herbs, nor this Pill Furnace, but... but I have heard a rumor."
Anxious, the Pill Master beside him blurted, "Get to the point!"
"Don’t rush him, let him take his time," countered another.
After the commotion subsided, Old Mr. Feng asked everyone to quiet down while he gently encouraged the young Pill Master:
"Take your time, there’s no need to rush. It doesn’t matter if you make a mistake."
The young Pill Master relaxed slightly, took a deep breath, and then continued:
"Years ago, while following my master around, we passed a decrepit temple. It was a cold night, and I fell asleep in my clothes. I awoke in the middle of the night, freezing, to find my master talking to a strange Taoist."
"That Taoist had an odd voice; it clearly came from him, yet it sounded as if borrowed from another..."
"He told my master there exists a Pill, named the ’Lifespan Transformation Elixir’, which uses a person’s lifespan as a catalyst. It can convert a person’s life into vitality and flesh, refine it into medicinal potency, and condense it into a Pill, which can break through cultivation boundaries..."
"What happened after?" asked a Pill Master.
"After that..." the young Pill Master said sheepishly, "I was both hungry and cold, dozed off into a daze, and then fell asleep. I don’t know what happened next..."
The others felt disappointed.
Someone inquired, "What about your master?"
"He went inside."
"What?"
The young Pill Master said softly, "He was arrested and taken to the Taoist Prison..."
The crowd: "..."
"He was refining that... Lifespan Transformation Elixir?"
The young Pill Master shook his head, "He hadn’t started yet. He just used some connections to buy a few herbs, but the Taoist Court Officials discovered him, and then... he was taken to the Taoist Prison..."
"Didn’t the Taoist Court cause you any trouble?"
"I was arrested too," the young Pill Master replied. "But when they questioned me, I knew nothing, so after about ten days, I was released."
With a sigh and a troubled face, the young Pill Master added:
"My parents spent Spirit Stones for me to apprentice under a master and learn some skills, so I could earn a living in the future."
"But I hadn’t learned much before my master was taken away..."
"Fortunately, I didn’t acquire my master’s skills; otherwise, I might have been taken away too..."
"After I returned, my parents told me to keep my mouth shut and never speak of this matter to anyone. But now seeing everyone discussing these things, I thought I might as well speak up. Maybe I could help..."
Old Mr. Feng nodded, "You indeed helped. However, it’s still best not to mention this matter to outsiders in the future."
With Old Mr. Feng’s praise, the young Pill Master showed a joyous expression and repeatedly nodded.
The hot-headed Pill Master patted his shoulder and exclaimed:
"You’re pretty lucky, kid, for not going down the wrong path, or your life would’ve been ruined."
The young cultivator gave a sheepish smile.
Mo Hua’s expression, however, became increasingly solemn.
Human Life Pill... Lifespan Transformation Elixir...
Breakthrough in cultivation, enhancing cultivation...
A chill went through Mo Hua’s heart.
If the Patriarch of the Qian Family was truly refining the Lifespan Transformation Elixir, then the trouble could be significant.