Chapter 21 - Pill Fire Street

While Elder Liu Ning was compiling a report, Yu Weiyuan, Li Moxue and the others had walked through the Hidden Shadow Market until they reached a peculiar street.

Even before entering it, Yu Weiyuan could sense a heavy scent of spiritual herbs and heavenly plants wafting into his nose.

'How nostalgic...' Despite his thoughts, his bit of remembrance didn't seem pleasant. Yu Weiyuan felt his heart clench as he put his hand on his chest. 'Even after six years, a Heart Demon remained...'

'Sooner or later I will have to face it head on.'

He shook his head as if to shake away the thoughts before continuing to observe the street.

At the sides of the paved stone path were shops of many colors with rusted and dusty cauldrons littered just about everywhere on the ground.

Some bits of colored flames bursted out of the shop doors, while many people carrying the familiar scent of completed pills walked through the street.

Li Moxue looked at Yu Weiyuan's profile, before introducing the location to him. "This is Pill Fire Street, the place where all alchemists of the Hidden Shadow Market gather."

"A little further from here, there is a plaza were alchemists can compete in alchemical prowess and pill concoction."

"What about the Ghost Fire Pill Shop?" Yu Weiyuan asked.

"We are not that far from it." Li Moxue answered, her face as calm as ever. "Let me guide you."

She took him within the steet, walking through the crowd before they heard a voice sound towards them, its tone resonant.

"Is that the mighty Sect Master of the Profound Heaven Sect I see?"

---

A few moments before, in the Pill Fire Street

A charming young man with a peach blossom shaped mole at the corner of his eye giving his temperament a hint of flirtatriousness wore a simple black hanfu while he was accompanying a beautiful woman.

The woman wore a red-black qipao that hugged her shapely figure, highlighting her long legs which the young man regularly stole a glance at.

Her hair was black with a slight red tint the same color as her vermillion red almond-shaped eyes while her scarlet lips were constantly hooked in a seductive smile. She was akin to a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, with each of her gestures crisp and amorous, enrapturing the young man next to her.

They were the Second Son of the Hidden Shadow Market Head and Blood Princess Mo Hua, the Sacred Maiden of the Myriad Demon Temple.

The two hooked arms like lovers as they walked through the Pill Fire Street, glancing left and right to observe the many pill shops and alchemists showing off their skills.

"Do you want to buy a pill, Hua'er?" The flirtarious young man asked, taking her hand in his and kissing its back. "Why don't you ask me? I can make them."

The young man was named Shen Dingxiang. He was the second son of the Market Head of the Hidden Shadow Market, born out of his second wife.

As the second son born fifty years after the first, Shen Dingxiang never had any hope to become his father's heir. His father never had any need to become strict with him, so he spoiled him.

But since his mother gave him quite a harsh education, he didn't grow crooked and even learned alchemy from her, becoming recognized as a genius in this domain.

His only real flaw was his tendency to flirt and involve himself with many women, seducing them with his innate charm and status as a genius alchemist.

Although Shen Dingxiang provided for his women during the time he was involved with them, he would soon grow tired of any of them, except maybe for his latest adventure.

Blood Princess Mo Hua.

Shen Dingxiang felt himself to be quite the charmer, but never had he imagined he himself would be charmed one day.

She was quite the flower, a thorny rose at that, but one he was willing to take in his hand, even at the cost of hurting himself if need be.

He, the Peach Blossom Young Master of the Hidden Shadow Market, had fallen in love.

Mo Hua, whose hand was held by Shen Dingxiang, showed him a smile. "Young Master Shen, thank you, but unfortunately, I can only obtain the pill I need in the Centurial Grand Auction."

"At the auction?" Shen Dingxiang's eyes betrayed his astonishment. "Are you talking about..."

In response to his surprise, Mo Hua only nodded with a simple smile.

But behind the smile, the seductive woman scowled. 'Tch! How could I get involved with this philanderer if not for this damn Yu Weiyuan? If I don't use your father's status through you to protect myself, the lunatic Killing Star will not waste his time to slaughter me!!!'

But looking at his sincere smile and attentive gaze, she had a hint of another thought. 'At least he's not that bad...'

She shook her head in derision.

'It's useless to think about it. If we don't manage to obtain the Void Reaching Pill, the Myriad Demon Temple will have no future to speak of.'

'And even if we do obtain it, my own status remains uncertain. The fact that I was sent on this mission knowing Yu Weiyuan's murderous character only means the Temple Lord wants to discard me and push his own daughter to the spot of Sacred Maiden...'

'Ever since Grandpa Gui died, my position is at risk. The only reason I'm still the Sacred Maiden is because of Uncle Gang, his old sworn brother.'

Mo Hua breathed a tired sigh before she felt her hand taken in another.

She looked at Shen Dingxiang who tried to comfort her. 'He's really not that bad...'

But before she could respond to his gesture, she could see the outline of a familiar silhouette at the other side of the street.

A shiver ran through her spine as cold sweat started to pearl down her immaculate skin as she could discern a pair of divine-looking golden eyes in the distance.

Shen Dingxiang immediately saw her instinctive reaction. 'What is happening to her?'

He looked in the direction of her gaze only to see Yu Weiyuan, Li Moxue and the others walking in their direction.

His usually flirtarious voice took a more serious tone as he said sarcastically:

"Is that the mighty Sect Master of the Profound Heaven Sect I see?"