Book 2 - Fame Spreads - Chapter 7 - Golden Pellet

In the bright room, a pragmatic table made of red wood along with a few chairs made of the same wood were laid out.
These few pieces of furniture were common goods. Even their style was the one that prevailed twenty years ago. As a part of the three influential families of Tai Cang county, Lord Master He Wude would definitely be considered as the most stingiest of all the old men. Even the children of his clan hadn’t contracted the luxurious air of the riches.
And this was probably because He family had yet to see a black sheep in the clan.
He Yiming sat at one side of the table. Even in the present situation, his seat held substantial weight.
“Yiming, you should have guessed by now why we’ve called you.” He Wude faintly smiled. Whenever he saw this most outstanding grandson of his, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy from the depth of his heart.
He Yiming faintly nodded and said, “I know that you’ve called me regarding your previous closed-door session. However, what I couldn’t guess is why would you be so overly secretive and tense- skeptical of everybody.”
He Wude sighed and said, “I also don’t wish to be like this. However, this matter is of paramount importance to our He family. As such, we would rather be excessively tense than to slip up in the slightest.”
He Yiming’s vision swept through his eldest uncle and old servant before he suddenly asked, “You succeeded?”
“Correct.” Sitting on the chair, He Wude seemed to have slightly straightened his back before he said with an indescribably excited voice, “We have indeed succeeded.”
“Grandfather, you still haven’t told me.” He Yiming said rather resentfully.
He Wude heartily laughed a few times. Suddenly, he blinked his eyes and said, “Why don’t you take a guess?”
He Yiming blankly stared. This was the first time he had seen his grandfather behaving in such a manner. Even when the latter discovered that his Internal Energy had attained the ninth layer, he’d not revealed such an lively behaviour. From this, it could be seen that the old man had rarely felt so happy in decades.
Countless thoughts flashed in his mind before his heart suddenly trembled faintly, and he said, “Does it has something to do with the gold-crowned python?”
The smiles on the faces of three elders suddenly turned stiff before they shared a glance with each other and bitterly smiled.
He Quanxin asked, “Yiming, how did you guess?”
He Yiming slightly spread out his hands and said, “This year’s most significant affair had been the hunt of the gold-crowned python, and I can’t think of any other event that could make you people this tense.”
He Wude took in a breath and said,” Not only is Yiming extremely talented, but incomparably bright as well. Our He family could obtain such a unicorn like descendant- this truly is the blessings from heaven.”
He Quanxin and He Laibao nodded in succession.
“Grandfather, in the end, what happened? Tell me already.” He Yiming laughed.
“Fine. By hunting the gold-crowned python, we obtained a pellet. After six months of efforts, we eventually managed to collect the essential medicinal herbs and began its refining. In the end, we managed to reap three gold pellets.” He Wude said with a grave expression.
“Gold pellets?” He Yiming asked puzzledly.
He’d, after all, come across such a matter for the first time. The body of spiritual beasts actually contain a pellet, and with the help of suitable herbs, it could be further refined to golden pellets. He’d never heard of such matters before.
“Correct, golden pellet,” He Wude unhurriedly said, “Back in the day, I’ve spent entire twenty years in the alchemic chamber. While spending my twenty years before a furnace, I’ve refined quite a few golden pellets. Now that I’ve resumed my work after several years, my skill does not seem to have deteriorated- not bad, not bad at all.”
Although the words that came out of his mouth were quite modest, his delightful expression and complacent smile blatantly exposed his current feelings.
He Yiming’s vision swept through his three elders. Not only his grandfather was quite excited, even the other two were also the same. He asked in a mumbling voice, “Can this golden pellet improve one’s cultivation?”
He Wude faintly started for a moment before laughing, “You, small chap, are indeed quite sharp. Golden pellets not only improve one’s cultivation, but could even help in clearing bottlenecks.”
He Yiming’s eyes immediately shined. Although, to him, bottlenecks weren’t hard at all and were hardly any more difficult than an ordinary man eating his food, for others in his family, golden pellets would be extremely useful. Such an object held extreme significance from the perspective of a clan.
After finishing his explanation, He Wude took out three small jade bottles and carefully placed them on the table.
He Yiming could feel a faint, scorching passion in He Quanxin and He Laibao’s eyes. For a cultivator, this object was an extreme rarity.
“Yiming, I have thought about it. These three bottles will go to you, Quanxin, and Laibao - one each.” He Wude said in a lowered tone.
He Yiming hesitated a bit before saying, “Grandfather, currently, your Internal Energy is at the tenth layer’s peak, right?”
He Wude faintly nodded and said, “Correct.”
“In that case, this grandson wants you to use this bottle,” He Yiming said with a bright smile, “This grandson hopes that grandfather will soon ascend to the Xiantian realm and claim the position of the sole leader of Tai Cang county.”
Previously, He Yiming used to believe that the peak of cultivation represented the tenth layer. However, later, he gradually discovered, above the tenth layer was the Xiantian realm, and further, above the Xiantian realm were much higher realms which he couldn’t even imagine at his current realm. If his grandfather used this pellet, perhaps the latter would be able to take a step further.
However, He Wude deeply sighed and helplessly said, “Yiming, I appreciate your good intentions, but for me, this golden pellet doesn’t hold much use.”
He Yiming faintly started and asked, “Why?”
“Gold-crowned python is a spiritual beast, but that of the lowest rank. A golden pellet refined from the inner pellet of a gold-crowned python can only help cultivators that are below the Xiantian realm, and to help cultivators at the tenth layer’s peak to break into the Xiantian realm is also not in the limits of this pellets ability.”
He Yiming astonishedly eyed the three jade bottles on the table. This indeed was good stuff, but in his hands, it would be completely wasted.
“Yiming, you are currently at the ninth layer. Keep this bottle in your safe keeping. Once you attain the ninth layer’s peak, swallow the golden pellet, and your chances of breaking through will increase significantly.”
He Yiming thought for a while before eventually picking up a bottle. However, inwardly, he’d already decided to save this bottle for his eldest brother.
“Quanxin, Laibao, you two also take yours.”
“Yes.” He Quanxin acknowledged and also picked one up. His Internal Energy had attained the ninth layer’s peak since a long time. However, he’d never managed to take the next step. This golden pellet might be his life’s final opportunity of taking this step. How could he not treasure it?
He Laibao’s vision lingered over the final jade bottle for a long time before he suddenly sighed and said, “Old Master, I cannot accept this.”
He Wude’s expression stiffened, “Laibao, what nonsense are you speaking.”
He Laibao still shook his head and said, “Old master, how old are you this year?”
He Wude faintly started and involuntarily replied, “Eighty-three.”
Those who cultivated in the martial dao married quite late in comparison to ordinary people. For those who had cultivated to the level of He Wude, this was even more the case.
He Laibao incessantly sighed and said, “Old master, in a wink, you have already turned eighty-three, and I- following you since childhood- have also turned eighty.”
He Wude’s voice towned down as he emotionally said, “Yes, we’ve both turned old.”
He Laibao lifted his head and said, “Yes, we are both old. You already have a cultivation of tenth layer’s peak. If you somehow managed to break through and enter the Xiantian realm, you will be able to prolong your life by several decades. However, I can’t hope as such. Even if I use this golden pellet and break through into the tenth layer, I would only be able to struggle at death’s door for a few more years. So rather than this, why don’t you save it for Yitian? He will surely have a use for it.”
He Wude’s expression changed to one of hesitation. He naturally knew that this old man, who had been together with him since his childhood, had spoken the truth.
Even if He Laibao consumed this golden pellet and became a tenth layer expert, he would not increase his life expectancy by much. Generally, houtian experts only had a lifespan of hundred years. A time period of twenty years would naturally be far worse than saving it aside for He Yitian’s future use.
However, he and He Laibao had spent so much time together that their servant-master relationship had changed to that of brothers. Like efforts of the horse that a knight rides to accomplish heroic deeds, the latter’s contribution in the laying the foundation of He manor couldn’t be overlooked. If he were to revoke this golden pellet, he would never feel at ease.
He Quanxin’s face turned slightly red as he placed his bottle back on the table and said, “Uncle Bao, I am putting aside this bottle for Tian-er. If you can ascend to the tenth layer, it would be quite beneficial.”
He Laibao coarsely smiled and said, “Eldest Lord, you must be joking. If the old master couldn’t ascend to the Xiantian realm and joined me in death prematurely, He manor would have to rely on you as its main support. At the very least, before I and old master leaves this world, you must attain the tenth layer.”
Although his words didn’t sound too optimistic, according to his age, they were not too far from truth either.
He Quanming glanced at He Yiming and said, “Uncle Bao, our family still has Yiming.”
He Laibao still shook his head and said, “Eldest Lord, Yiming is unlike us. He will not be bounded by He family or Tai Cang county.”
He Yiming profusely sweated inwardly and immediately said, “Grandpa Bao, eldest uncle, you don’t need to argue,” He placed the bottle in his hands on the table and said, “I will leave this bottle for eldest brother.”
“Nonsense.”
Three distinct voices simultaneously echoed.