Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Searching Everywhere

Under the blazing sun.

The palanquin carriers, heads held high, delivered Bai Mo back to the inn.

Bai Mo was somewhat weary and waved his hand.

“Be here waiting for me at noon today, same time as always.”

The two palanquin carriers bowed slightly and said respectfully,

“Rest assured, sir. The two of us will be resting here at the inn. We can leave whenever you wish.”

Having chauffeured Bai Mo for several days in a row, the two of them knew why he was continuously visiting all those famous masters.

Even though Bai Mo had never said anything, every time they arrived at a destination, servants would emerge to subtly pry for information.

They were even quite polite about it.

Over time, they had figured it out.

Just dealing with those servants, however, took some effort on their part.

Having been laborers for half their lives, they had never seen such a spectacle. Faced with such politeness from others, they were utterly overwhelmed and flattered.

Fortunately, they knew nothing. Even if they had wanted to say something, they couldn’t have. All they could do was bask in the giddy feeling of it all.

After watching Bai Mo disappear up the stairs, the gazes of several people in the main hall immediately shifted, subtly fixing on the two palanquin carriers.

The two men were unafraid, however. They calmly found a seat in the corner and casually ordered a few meat dishes.

“And a pot of hot tea.”

“You got it!”

The waiter left, returning a moment later to set down their tea, bowls, and chopsticks, along with two plates of meat dishes with clearly generous portions.

A man walked over from the side and plopped down on an empty chair.

“Put these two gentlemen’s meal on my tab.”

The waiter assented, flicked his towel over his shoulder, and headed for the front counter.

Only then did the man turn to the palanquin carriers and say in a serious tone,

“Where did Alchemist Bai go this morning?”

The palanquin carrier just ate his food leisurely, took a sip of tea, and let out a long sigh of relief. He was in no hurry.

“To Master Qi’s place at South City Studio.”

“What was the outcome?” the man asked urgently, leaning forward.

In the main hall, several guests paused their chopsticks and strained to listen.

“Alchemist Bai must have won.”

The carrier said, “Master Qi didn’t come out to see him off, and his lead apprentice had that look on his face. It was a sorry sight to see.”

“Yeah, that must be it.”

Instantly, several guests exchanged glances that said, ’Just as I expected.’

The man buying their meal paused. He wasn’t surprised, just nervous.

“Where is Alchemist Bai going next?”

The two palanquin carriers glanced at each other and said in unison,

“We’re just the ones who carry the palanquin. How could we know what the Pill Master is thinking?”

Seeing that the man was about to pester them further, the two started to shoo him away.

“If you keep pestering us, aren’t you forcing us to be dishonorable? How could we dare reveal our employer’s business?”

“Go on, get out of here! Don’t disturb our meal…”

After being shooed away several times, the man finally walked away.

Over the past few days, the carriers had grown accustomed to this. With these people, if you didn’t get a little harsh, there was no telling how long they would pester you.

When they got shameless, they were no different from the local scoundrels.

In truth, the carriers knew plenty of inside details, like the pleasantries exchanged when the two parties met, how the disciples inside reacted, and so on.

They had even overheard some details of the Dao debates and had vaguely committed a few things to memory.

But the man who’d come seeking information certainly wasn’t interested in hearing about that.

“That fellow is no fun at all.”

Someone else carrying peanuts and a smashed cucumber salad came over and sat down with a grin.

“The whole process must have been fascinating. We’re all idle anyway, so why not tell us about it and liven things up?”

Several more people moved their tables and chairs over, their faces alight with the excitement of a good story.

These people were either those whose masters and elders had been defeated by Bai Mo, or they were simply spectators looking for some entertainment.

To them, the results hardly mattered anymore.

In fact, the bigger the commotion Bai Mo stirred up, the happier they were.

The scene in the inn’s main hall had been like this for the past several days.

Bai Mo, of course, knew about the hubbub downstairs.

As he visited more and more Pill Masters, the attention he drew became absurdly intense, and the inn where he was staying was easily found.

After meditating in his room for a while, he recovered much of the mental and physical energy he had expended that morning.

Bai Mo took out a booklet. It recorded numerous names and their addresses within the city.

Picking up an ink brush, Bai Mo crossed off Master Qi’s name.

That fellow practitioner’s skill with Pills could be called profound, but it lacked a certain versatility, which was how Bai Mo had managed to secure a victory.

The booklet had been a gift from a Pill Master he had previously competed against, which made things much more convenient for Bai Mo.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

A knock sounded at the door, followed by the waiter’s voice from outside.

“Sir, your hot water is here.”

Bai Mo put away the booklet, opened the door, and took the hot water.

Then he immediately soaked a towel and placed the hot compress on his head.

Even after several days, the words of those fellow practitioners still echoed in his mind.

The principles they espoused were incredibly profound. Even though Bai Mo had been victorious, there were still many aspects he could not yet comprehend.

These principles piled up in his mind, making Bai Mo feel a heavy sense of powerlessness.

Unfortunately, this clash of principles had still not produced the spark of inspiration Bai Mo needed to break through his bottleneck.

’Forget it. Thinking about it any more is useless.’

’In another two days, I’ll go to the Pill Pavilion and ask the seniors there.’

’Celestial Mountain City truly lives up to its reputation as a hub for the Alchemy Dao. I can only imagine how much effort the Pill Masters here put in to establish their careers.’

’Pill Masters are everywhere in the city, and each has their own unique skills to rely on.’

’It’s a shame I’m at such a critical juncture with an unsettled mind. Otherwise, competing against them one by one would be a true pleasure.’

With these thoughts, Bai Mo’s mind quieted, and he soon fell into a deep sleep.

After sleeping for only about four hours, Bai Mo was awakened by a stuffy wave of heat.

As he sat up, he realized he was drenched in sweat.

At this time of year, the noon sun was at its most intense, and it was still quite hot and muggy.

’It’s time.’

After freshening up, Bai Mo went downstairs.

The two palanquin carriers were chatting idly with some people, peanut shells scattered across their table.

Upon seeing Bai Mo, the two men scrambled to their feet.

“Pill Master, is it time to set out?”

Bai Mo descended the stairs slowly.

“We shouldn’t delay. Let’s be quick.”

Only after he was settled in the palanquin and had departed did many people in the hall burst out laughing.

“Heh, Alchemist Bai is on the move again. I wonder if Chen Qin has told his master to prepare.”

“If they really do meet and his master doesn’t even last for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, he’ll become a laughingstock.”

They exclaimed with schadenfreude.

Suddenly, someone nearby glanced over at them.

“Hey! Weren’t your elders visited by Alchemist Bai? Why didn’t you go and say hello?”

The laughing Cultivator’s smile froze.

“He visited our elders, what are you asking us for?”

Bai Mo was a man of quick, decisive action; he never had a habit of dawdling.

Therefore, when he arrived at someone’s door, he wouldn’t engage in much idle chatter before getting straight to business.

Bai Mo had no memory of those two Cultivators.

The palanquin left the inn, heading toward a well-known merchant house in the city.

This time, he was visiting the resident Pill Master of Celestial Mountain City’s largest merchant house, a man of exquisite skill.

When Bai Mo met the man in person, he was immediately impressed.

This fellow practitioner’s hands were covered in age spots and his hair was white, yet he still persisted in performing Alchemy for the merchant house.

It was said that he produced twenty Pills a day, truly earning the salary paid by the house.

Such dedication was a perfect example of growing stronger with age.

Knowing the old man’s energy was not what it used to be, Bai Mo got straight to the point.

“I have seen your Pills, Senior. Your methods are unique. Coincidentally, this junior also has a certain skill, which I call the ’Pill Within a Pill.’”

“How about we compete on the principles and intricacies of our respective arts?”

“Fine.”

The old man gave Bai Mo a deep look and replied with a wavering voice.

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