Spells Grinding: From Basic Sparks to Divine Arts

Chapter 249: Taking the Pill

Qin Lu made a clean getaway; not a soul could catch him.

He pushed the Silver Sand Sword to its limit, the High-Grade Rank 2 magical sword tearing through the sky at astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, he had left the boundaries of Shuntian City far behind.

Only when he was certain no one was tracking him did he allow the sword to slow down.

He settled into a grueling pace, flying for three days straight before stopping to rest. He maintained this rhythm all the way back toward the White Jade Market.

The journey was smooth. Aside from a blind Rank 2 demon beast that needed to be put down, the trip was uneventful.

Finally, after more than ten days of travel, the familiar walls of the market appeared on the horizon.

White Jade Market.

Qin Lu descended slowly, touching down at the entrance.

The moment his face appeared at the city gate, a ripple of excitement went through the crowd of loose cultivators. They recognized him instantly.

“Greetings, Senior Qin!”

“Good to see you, Senior Qin!”

“Senior looks as dashing as ever!”

The cultivators bowed and saluted, their expressions filled with fawning respect.

Qin Lu didn’t put on airs. He smiled and nodded to them one by one, acknowledging their greetings before briskly entering the market.

He felt like a provincial tycoon returning home from the capital. In the big city, he was a nobody, a face in the crowd. But back here in the countryside? He was a heavyweight.

Under the reverent gaze of the passing cultivators, Qin Lu walked leisurely down the street, observing the shops with renewed interest.

It had been nearly two months since the siege by the evil cultivators. Under the management of the Demon Slaying Sect disciples, the White Jade Market had recovered much of its former bustle.

The shops that had collapsed during the battles had been rebuilt and renovated. The rubble and dried blood that once littered the streets had been scrubbed clean.

The entire market looked brand new.

Seeing this, Qin Lu’s mood lifted considerably.

The market is back to normal. That means I can finally enter secluded cultivation with peace of mind.

As he walked, his eyes landed on a shop belonging to his own faction, the Qin Sect.

Looking at the plain, unremarkable storefront, he couldn’t help but compare it to the grand commercial strips of Shuntian City.

We need better branding, he mused, his pragmatic side taking over. A proper sect emblem is a must. We should decorate with banners and flagpoles to project power. And uniforms—I need to get custom robes tailored for the members. Right now, we look like a ragtag group, not a unified force…

Qin Lu made a mental note to address this later and nodded to himself, continuing his walk.

He didn’t stop to chat with the shopkeepers; he had more pressing matters to attend to.

He soon arrived in front of a familiar estate—the Gu Residence.

The main gates were wide open. A mortal servant sat on the steps, craning his neck as if waiting for someone. When his eyes landed on Qin Lu, his face lit up with undisguised joy. He scrambled to his feet.

“Master Qin! You’ve returned?!”

“Mn.”

Qin Lu nodded briefly and walked past him, heading straight inside.

“Master Qin, please, follow me! Master Gu has been waiting for you for a long time!” The servant hurried ahead to lead the way.

The moment he stepped into the courtyard, Qin Lu sensed the qi signatures of Gu Yue and Gu Can.

He followed the path to the backyard, where he found Gu Yue standing at the door of a room, dressed in a flowing white dress.

She was smiling—a sweet, gentle expression that reached her eyes, curving them into crescents filled with warmth.

Seeing her, Qin Lu grinned broadly. He reached into his storage artifact and pulled out the jade box containing the pill.

“I didn’t let you down,” he said, his voice bright. “Mission accomplished.”

“I knew you could do it,” Gu Yue replied softly.

“Let’s get this into Little Can, right now.”

“Okay.”

Qin Lu and Gu Yue entered the room together and approached the bed.

Gu Can lay there, eyes closed tight. His appearance hadn’t changed much; it was clear Gu Yue had been tending to him meticulously during Qin Lu’s absence.

Qin Lu opened the box, revealing the Calamity Crossing Pill. He glanced at Gu Yue.

She nodded firmly, giving him silent permission. She trusted Qin Lu completely. She didn’t ask if the pill was genuine, nor did she worry about side effects. She left everything in his hands.

Seeing her absolute trust, Qin Lu felt a sudden spike of nervousness. Although the alchemist Fan Yueren had claimed the pill was perfect, alchemy was never an exact science. He could only pray the efficacy matched the prescription.

Hoo…

Qin Lu exhaled slowly. With a subtle manipulation of qi, he levitated the Calamity Crossing Pill and guided it into Gu Can’s mouth.

The pill melted instantly upon contact, its medicinal energy rushing into Gu Can’s body.

Qin Lu and Gu Yue stood side by side, watching with bated breath.

Moments later, a change occurred. Gu Can’s pale, sickly complexion began to flush with color, turning a healthy rosy hue at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Qin Lu felt a wave of relief wash over him.

However, they waited for a while longer, yet Gu Can showed no signs of waking up.

“He’s not waking up?”

Qin Lu and Gu Yue exchanged a puzzled glance.

Gu Yue sat on the edge of the bed, placing a hand on her brother’s forehead to probe his condition with her spiritual qi.

Qin Lu thought back to the alchemist’s words. “Fan Yueren told me the medicinal potency needs time to fully integrate. It might take a few days for him to wake.”

“Mn.”

Gu Yue finished her examination and nodded. “That seems to be the case. The malignant energy in his body is dissipating, but it’s a slow process. It will likely take a few days to clear it out completely. It’s just as you said.”

“Then we just have to wait.”

Qin Lu felt the tension leave his shoulders. The hard part was over.

“Where did you find this pill?” Gu Yue asked suddenly.

Qin Lu didn’t hide anything. He recounted his journey—the trip to Shuntian City, the interactions with the alchemist—leaving out only the most sensitive secrets.

Gu Yue listened quietly, her eyes never leaving his face.

“Your journey was quite… eventful,” she sighed with emotion. “I can’t believe you ran into so many complications.”

“It was worth it. There are a lot of geniuses out there in the wider world. It was interesting.”

Qin Lu smiled. Then, pausing for a moment, he reached into his robe and pulled out a bracelet he had purchased in the city. He handed it to her.

“I brought this back for you. See if you like it.”

Gu Yue’s porcelain face flushed a delicate shade of red. A flash of delight passed through her eyes as she took the exquisite bracelet, turning it over in her hands to admire the craftsmanship.

“You… you’re quite thoughtful,” she murmured, her voice lowering.

“Hehe, as long as you like it.” Qin Lu raised an eyebrow playfully.

Hearing this, Gu Yue suddenly looked up. The shyness vanished, replaced by a solemn, serious expression.

Qin Lu blinked, caught off guard. “…What is it?”

Gu Yue took a breath and spoke with firm resolve. “You have helped me so much, Qin Lu. It is only right that I reciprocate. I have thought this through carefully… From now on, Little Can and I will formally join the Qin Sect. We will share in your fortunes and your perils, in life and in death!”

Qin Lu’s eyes widened, and then a look of pure joy spread across his face.

Previously, although Gu Yue and Gu Can had always assisted him, they were technically allies or friends, not subordinates. They were not truly Qin Sect members.

But these words changed everything. They were pledging fealty. They were accepting Qin Lu as their leader.

This meant the Qin Sect now possessed three Foundation Establishment cultivators.

In a single leap, they had become the undisputed strongest faction in the White Jade Market.

There was no reason to refuse such an offer. Qin Lu clasped his hands behind his back, his smile turning ambitious.

“Excellent!”