Chapter 75: The Supreme Pill Master (Part 3)

Horse Head Stronghold.
The stronghold's leader is a master of the Spirit Pattern Realm.
He has dominated Horse Head Mountain for fifty or sixty years.
His fearsome reputation is infamous.
"It's the Seventh Master! The Seventh Master is back! Every time the Seventh Master returns, he comes back laden with spoils!"
The gatekeepers of Horse Head Stronghold exclaimed in surprise when they saw the bald, burly man on horseback appear outside the gate.
The gate opened, and the bald man entered, his face filled with terror. He shouted in panic, "Close the gate...close the gate now!"
The two gatekeepers asked in confusion, "Seventh Master, aren't you waiting for the brothers to return?"
They only saw the Seventh Master.
"Dead...they're all dead..."
"Close the gate...close the gate now!"
The bald, burly man seemed delirious, only able to mutter incessantly.
Although puzzled, the two dared not delay. However, as they prepared to close the gate, they discovered a young man in hemp clothing had appeared before them. Upon seeing the boy, the bald, burly man trembled as if he'd seen a ghost, falling from his horse and frantically crawling away, trying to escape the young man.
"Who are you? Why are you in my Horse Head Village?"
Sensing something was wrong, one blocked Su Chen's path, while the other rang the bell, the sound echoing throughout Horse Head Village.
Enemy attack!
Su Chen did not stop them. After they finished, his figure flashed and disappeared, two heads flying off into the air, their bodies severed. Even in death, the two men's eyes were filled with disbelief and confusion.
Seeing Horse Head Village alarmed, Su Chen smiled indifferently: "Good, a one-time solution, saves us the trouble of searching one by one."
Seeing their leader appear, the bald man looked like he'd seen a savior and tried to cry for help.
The next moment, his head exploded.
"Seventh Brother!"
The other leaders, seeing the bald, burly man dead, were enraged: "No matter who you are, daring to kill the leader of our Horse Head Stronghold, you must pay with your life!"
If they didn't kill this young man, how could Horse Head Stronghold maintain its reputation in the underworld?
The leaders of Horse Head Stronghold were all powerful, the lowest being at the Spirit Gathering Realm, and the strongest being the stronghold's chief, a master of the Spirit Pattern Realm.
Faced with the siege of the Horse Head Stronghold members, Su Chen stood still, merely raising his hand to his broadsword, lightly tracing its blade. Everything seemed to slow down countless times.
He killed five leaders in five consecutive strikes, leaving only the last leader, whose strike was swiftly blocked.
He opened his mouth to speak, but saw the young man before him looking at him.
"Not good!"
The leader felt a sense of foreboding and prepared to defend, but it was too fast...too fast. This powerful cultivator at the Spirit Pattern Realm didn't even have a chance to react before the cold blade struck his head.
"Intent...Intent..."
Even in death, the leader didn't understand why they had provoked a powerful cultivator who had comprehended the Intent Realm!
With the deaths of all the leaders of Horse Head Stronghold, all the members of Horse Head Stronghold also perished under Su Chen's blade.
Having eliminated the threat, Su Chen began to loot the spoils.
Horse Head Stronghold's accumulated wealth over the years was worth at least 100,000 gold coins.
Among them were some people captured by Horse Head Stronghold. Su Chen didn't mistreat them; he simply released them all.
They arrived at an underground location.
Su Chen frowned, turning to leave, but was stopped by a deep voice.
“Young hero… I am the city lord of Nanshan City. I was betrayed by my subordinates and captured by Ma Tou Village. If you release me, young hero, I, Nangong Tao, will surely reward you handsomely!”
Su Chen paused, then turned back and released the middle-aged man who had been bound and tortured.
“Thank you, benefactor. May I ask your name?”
Nangong Tao said gratefully. He had thought he was doomed, but unexpectedly, things had taken a turn for the better.
“Su Chen!”
Seeing the corpses scattered across Ma Tou Village, even the Ma Tou Village chief who had caused him so much trouble was dead, Nangong Tao was shocked.
All of this was the work of this young man named Su Chen.
A young talent like him, he should only befriend, never offend.
Seeing Su Chen about to leave, Nangong Tao quickly called him back.
"My benefactor, this is my identity token. If you have any requests, please come to Nanshan City with this token!"
Nangong Tao fumbled for a moment and took out a jade token.
He had always protected this jade token well; even Ma Tou Zhai couldn't find it.
Su Chen accepted the jade token.
Then he left.
In the village, under the setting sun, everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Su Chen return safely.
"I've dealt with Ma Tou Zhai; no more bandits will come,"
Su Chen said to the crowd.
The crowd was at a loss.
Facing Su Chen, besides gratitude, they also felt a faint fear; no one dared to talk to Su Chen about the past.
"Brother Chen... are you really a martial artist?"
Afang mustered her courage and asked.
Su Chen nodded.
The young girl had many thoughts on her mind.
That night, Su Weichang finally returned.
Su Chen didn't ask where Su Weichang had gone. He continued to practice alchemy under Su Weichang's tutelage, and this practice lasted for three years.
Three years later.
Su Weichang said to Su Chen, "Chen'er, you have mastered the Eight Desolations Alchemy Technique. You have surpassed your teacher; there is nothing more I can teach you."
"Shallow waters cannot confine a true dragon. You will leave the Dragon Sky Dynasty and venture into a wider world. Your talent is unparalleled in my life!"
Su Chen asked, "Old man, is there any unfulfilled wish of yours?"
Su Weichang smiled, "This old man, in my youth, was full of vigor and ambition. Who knew there would be people more capable than me, and heavens beyond heavens? A single gamble cost me everything. If there is a wish... if that day truly comes, I hope you will go to Zhongzhou for me, to witness the golden age of alchemy!"
"If the Eight Desolations Alchemy Technique appears in this golden age of alchemy, this old man, if I knew in the afterlife, would be grinning from ear to ear."
Su Chen said earnestly, "Old man, that day will come."
Su Weichang seemed to have thought of something, and fumbled for a longevity lock. The lock was engraved with dragon and phoenix patterns, and the character "Su."
"This was left behind when you were found. Perhaps it's related to your background; it's quite extraordinary."
Su Chen accepted the longevity lock, his heart filled with surprise. The material used to forge it was the extremely rare Aurora Stone; even the ancient clans of his previous life didn't possess many such treasures.
After giving his last words, Su Chen never saw Su Weichang again.
Su Chen knew it was time for him to leave this place and venture into a wider world.
PS: Third update delivered.