The leaders of the Celestial Blade Sect, Jade Spring Sect, and Spirit Heart Peak gathered together outside Yujin Prefecture. In this territory, these three were the only ones that mattered.
And since the little pharmacist was abducted in Yujin Prefecture, the biggest suspicion also fell on these three sects.
Not only did Ye Zhiqiu think this way, but the three sect leaders held the same opinion.
"Let's hear it! Which of you took the person? The matter has already reached Ye Zhiqiu. It's impossible to go solo now. Better be upfront; we can all benefit and share the pressure."
The one speaking was the Leader of the Celestial Blade Sect, around forty years old, with a face like a red date and a fat face with slanted eyes that made him seem somewhat cold.
Sitting to his left was the leader of Spirit Heart Peak, also about forty, with a thin body, narrow cheeks, and eyes that constantly darted around shrewdly.
On his right, the Jade Spring Sect Leader wore a peculiar black-and-white Daoist robe, with a round face that always seemed to be smiling, around fifty, looking quite kind.
After exchanging glances of suspicion, they both directed their doubtful eyes towards the Celestial Blade Sect Leader.
The Spirit Heart Sect Leader coughed a few times and spoke first, "You're suspecting us, but I'm wondering if you're calling the thief to catch the thief."
Although the Jade Spring Sect Leader said nothing, the questioning look in his eyes was unmistakable.
The Celestial Blade Sect Leader abruptly stood up, anger in his voice, "If I had taken the person, why would I bother inviting you both over?"
"Who else has the guts to break into the Yujin Prefecture prison besides the three sects we have here?"
The Jade Spring Sect Leader smiled and spoke.
The three of them once again sized each other up with suspicion.
"I think it's better to talk openly. Whoever has him, why not hand him over for the three sects to share? The little pharmacist should be able to make enough pills for us."
The Spirit Heart Sect Leader's eyes moved as he spoke slowly, then looked at the Celestial Blade Sect Leader.
"Even if there's not enough, we can provide spirit medicine to the little pharmacist for assistance. If someone takes it all alone, Ye Zhiqiu would probably come, and you won't be able to keep it."
The Jade Spring Sect Leader nodded in agreement, and he also looked at the Celestial Blade Sect Leader.
This made him feel uncomfortable. From the beginning to the end, these two believed that the person was in his hands.
It would be hard to convince them otherwise - one a wily old fox with countless schemes, the other a perpetual smiling tiger, deceiving without a trace.
If these two teamed up, he truly wouldn't be able to handle it.
The Celestial Blade Sect Leader's expression shifted uncertainly. In the end, he gritted his teeth and said, "How about this, the three sects swear that if any sect secretly holds the person, the other two will jointly attack."
"Is it really not you?"
The two were slightly surprised and blurted out.
Then they once again looked at each other with suspicious eyes. The Spirit Heart Sect Leader quickly said, "I'm willing to swear as well; if it's me, I welcome you to trouble me."
The Jade Spring Sect Leader nodded, saying, "I also agree."
It was strange. After going in a circle, none of the three had done it.
"All the suspicion falls on us; Ye Zhiqiu probably thinks the same."
The Spirit Heart Sect Leader said with a gloomy face, frowning.
"Perhaps we've been used as scapegoats. Good, very good!"
The Jade Spring Sect Leader's friendly expression disappeared, replaced by a sinister smile.
Ye Zhiqiu's methods were simple and crude, but Rat Taoist was troubled. He originally planned to let the three big sects outside take the heat for a while, giving him some time to take the medicine and covertly release the person, without anyone knowing.
But this Mansion Master insists on muddying the waters; sooner or later, the united three sects would find their way to him.
Rat Taoist was so angry that he stamped his feet, cursing, "Ye, such an inconsiderate bastard."
Time was running out; he needed the pharmacist to produce pills quickly, whether to enhance physical attributes or cultivation.
After thinking for a moment, he decided to see for himself, hurrying to the main courtyard. Among the fake rocks, he walked to the largest one, pressing lightly on the rock wall, a slightly recessed spot moved.
A stone door on the ground opened, revealing a set of stairs leading underground.
Descending the stairs, passing through a hallway, there was a stone chamber ahead guarded by a dozen disciples.
Approaching them, Rat Taoist asked gloomily, "How is it?"
A disciple hurriedly reported, "We've guarded for a day. He's just lying there sleeping, not seen refining pills. When prompted, he said the materials were insufficient."
"Yet when we brought the materials, he continued to sleep. The disciples urged again, only to be told to prepare more materials, running back and forth seven or eight times."
The disciple looked pained, saying, "Finally, he simply stopped responding, just slept."
Rat Taoist was furious and stormed into the stone chamber. Inside, the alchemy furnace wasn't even lit, with precious spirit medicines tossed around like trash. Han Yu was asleep on a thousand-year-old Ginseng King not far away.
Out of sheer boredom, he had no other pastime but sleeping. Alchemy? He didn't even know the steps.
The pestering Five Immortals outside were most bothersome. When they came to disturb him, Han Yu casually listed materials randomly to keep them busy.
He knew only so many herbs, ultimately becoming indifferent since he couldn't create more orders.
Rat Taoist entered and approached Han Yu, shouting loudly, "Young sir."
Han Yu was startled, seeing who it was, he rubbed his sleepy eyes and got up, tossing aside the Ginseng King.
Rat Taoist's eye twitched, suppressing his anger to force a twisted smile, "Young sir, since there are no pills, why not start refining?"
Han Yu yawned, shaking his head helplessly, "No inspiration, can't refine."
Unable to contain his anger, Rat Taoist shouted, "I have treated you with courtesy, are you toying with me?"
Upon his words, a row of disciples entered from outside, seizing Han Yu and binding him to the alchemy furnace.
One disciple drew a barbed whip, looked at Rat Taoist for a moment, who harshly commanded, "Beat him!"
Following Rat Taoist's order, the disciple dared not hold back, lashing out at Han Yu repeatedly.
After about fifteen minutes of beating, the disciple noticed something wrong, as did Rat Taoist.
Han Yu lay there with confused eyes, not a hint of pain on his face. If not for the strips of cloth left from his shredded shirt, Rat Taoist might suspect the disciple was putting on a show.
"His body is remarkably tough."
The whip-wielding disciple exclaimed, showing the whip. The barbs had been beaten flat.
"Add more, use sticks, clubs, and maces."
Rat Taoist coldly ordered.
More disciples joined in, wielding hammers, iron sticks, and clubs.
The stone chamber resounded with the sounds of pounding.
Finally, Han Yu looked helplessly at his clothes, hanging in tatters, his body unscathed, but hardly covered.
Seeing they couldn't do anything to Han Yu, Rat Taoist shouted, dismissing the disciples and stepping forward, striking a blow to Han Yu's chest.
With a dull thud, Rat Taoist stepped back several paces, initially dismissing it. But when Rat Taoist's hand struck his chest, Han Yu felt a full-body tremor and retched violently, bile spewing forth.
Han Yu was shocked; his sixty-year-old body had been broken with a single blow!
Rat Taoist was even more shocked; with his status as an Other Shore Realm cultivator, a single hit only induced vomiting?
What kind of body was this?
If he used more extreme methods and exchanged injuries, who in the Other Shore Realm could harm him?
Han Yu inwardly regretted his arrogance earlier. One strike had made him vomit bile; a few more might kill him.
"I'll give you one more day. If there's no pill by tomorrow, I'll throw you into the alchemy furnace. Metal can melt; your body should be no more difficult."
Realizing he couldn't force Han Yu, Rat Taoist left a threatening remark, then turned and left.
Disciples from the three major sects continuously rushed into Yujin City, rudely breaking into numerous small sects and searching like a household raid.
For a while, chaos reigned.
Through all this, Ye Zhiqiu, who should have intervened, remained indifferent. He was determined to unmask whoever had tarnished his reputation.
"Then I'll deal with all of you at once."
Ye Zhiqiu sat in the Government Office, smiling coldly.