The Masked Gathering is Essentially a Gathering of Rogues

Gulp.

Someone swallowed hard.

Wealth tempts the heart, and fortune tempts fate.

"Let's do it!"

The burly man wearing a black bear mask was the first to stand up. He smashed his fist onto the stone table, cracking it with the impact.

"The bold die of overeating, while the timid die of starvation! I want to see for myself just what kind of flavor a treasure that can forge a Celestial Master really has!"

"Lord Bear is right! Let's do it!"

"Wealth and honor are sought in danger! Let's risk it all!"

One, two... The figures in the courtyard stood up one after another. In the eyes behind their masks, fear had long been replaced by endless greed.

They had made their choice.

Only then did Ghost Face raise his hand, revealing his true intentions.

"Let me make this clear beforehand: I have no interest in the Nine Heavens Divine Pill."

Ghost Face's voice was hoarse, like two pieces of rusty iron scraping against each other, yet it carried an unquestionable decisiveness.

"My goal is to kill Zhang Gonglian. Whoever has the ability can take my share."

He looked around, his gaze pausing briefly on each mask. That invisible pressure made many of those present hold their breath.

"But let me put the ugly words out first. The Nine Heavens Divine Pill is indeed a rare treasure, but if anyone dares to harbor thoughts of keeping it all to themselves, don't blame me for not warning you. The entire Mask Society will show them what it means to beg for death."

As soon as these words were spoken, the already oppressive atmosphere in the courtyard grew even heavier.

Everyone present was shrewd and naturally understood the weight of the word monopolize. It meant making an enemy of the entire Mask Society, and no one was stupid enough to take that risk.

They might end up dead before even swallowing the pill.

Among the crowd, a thin monk wearing a Buddha mask, who had been sitting as still as a withered tree in meditation, slowly stood up. His figure was frail, as if a gust of wind could blow him over, but the moment he stood, he exuded a steady aura.

"Amitabha."

The old monk pressed his palms together, his voice old yet clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"Allow this old monk to say a few words. The Nine Heavens Divine Pill is the greatest masterpiece of the first-generation Celestial Master. After being nurtured for over a thousand years, the power contained within is far beyond what our mortal bodies can endure.

If swallowed directly, there is only one outcome: exploding and dying, beyond even the salvation of immortals.

This is also the fundamental reason why the successive Celestial Masters of Mount Longhu have only dared to carefully inhale its pill aura, not daring to touch the pill itself."

As soon as he finished speaking, a woman wearing a lively goldfish mask spoke up. Her voice was crisp and carried a hint of confusion.

"They've been inhaling it for over a thousand years and still haven't sucked that thing dry? That's too ridiculous."

Ghost Face sneered. "The reason the Nine Heavens Divine Pill is a divine pill is because it is nearly inexhaustible.

You can understand the pill aura as merely a trace of power residue overflowing from the divine pill."

He paused, seemingly thinking of something, and added a sentence.

"Of course, there is another theory. The divine pill itself is a living creature, a self-contained energy source capable of continuously producing pill aura."

"Motherfucker!"

A rough roar suddenly exploded. A man as sturdy as an ox, wearing a ferocious wild boar mask, slammed his hand on the table, making the cups and plates jump.

"When all is said and done, isn't it just a super huge treasure with an inexhaustible supply! Then why waste words? Let's just do it! I propose that whoever manages to snatch the divine pill and take it away this time gets an extra share. No, a double share!"

This vulgar yet highly tempting proposal instantly ignited the atmosphere in the courtyard.

"Seconded! This deal is worth it!"

"Agreed! Wealth is sought in danger!"

"I approve, no problem with that!"

For a moment, the crowd was fired up, as if the legendary Nine Heavens Divine Pill was already in their pockets. They rubbed their fists and wiped their palms, the greed in their eyes almost overflowing from the eyeholes of their masks.

Ghost Face ignored the crowd's fanaticism. Instead, he took out a roll of yellowed parchment from his chest and spread it out on the table.

It turned out to be a detailed map of the Longhu Daoist Temple. From the mountain gate to the inner courtyard, even several hidden secret passages were clearly marked.

"The Nine Heavens Divine Pill is most likely hidden in the Pill Pavilion in the forbidden area of the back mountain. As for exactly where, you'll have to find it yourselves."

Ghost Face's finger traced across the map, finally landing heavily on a building named Celestial Master Pavilion.

"Now, I only ask one question. Who is coming with me to kill Zhang Gonglian?"

As his voice fell, the previously noisy scene instantly quieted down.

They weren't afraid of killing.

But killing the current Celestial Master, Zhang Gonglian, was an entirely different concept. The Nine Heavens Divine Pill was indeed tempting, but they needed to be alive to enjoy it.

In the silence, a hand was raised without warning.

The owner of the hand wore an eerie vortex mask, and his entire being exuded a twisted and dangerous aura.

"Count me in. Compared to treasures, I prefer killing. It's also a good chance for me to see just how hard the bones of this Longhu Mountain Celestial Master really are."

Immediately after, another sinister voice sounded.

"I'll go too. To personally twist off the Celestial Master's head and crush his bones inch by inch... just thinking about it makes me excited."

At this time, the old monk wearing the Buddha mask suddenly laughed. His laughter seemed particularly abrupt in the solemn and deadly atmosphere.

"Hehe... Since you benefactors are more interested in killing, then leave this menial task of finding the divine pill to this old monk. To be honest, this old monk is also quite curious about that treasure capable of producing pill aura."

Ghost Face turned his head toward Buddha Face, his eyes hidden behind the mask seemingly scrutinizing the other party.

"Then I will leave it to Master Buddha Face. However, if you fail..."

The old monk didn't wait for him to finish. He bowed slightly, pressed his palms together again, and spoke in a tone so calm it lacked a single ripple.

"Whether we succeed or fail is up to fate. We naturally won't bother you, benefactor."

Zhang Gonglian suddenly sat up, only to find that all the wounds and pain on his body had been healed.

However, the spiritual energy in his body remained congested, and his energy vortex was still spinning slowly.

The battle that day had indeed significantly reduced the spiritual energy blockage in his body.

But if the energy vortex didn't change, it would be very difficult to handle.

He looked around and then saw Lin Mo sitting in the corner of the room, playing on his phone.

"Oh, you're awake."

The injuries on his body were gone, and his clothes had been changed.

Zhang Gonglian hurriedly clutched his blanket.

"No way! What did you do to me?!"

"Daoist Master Gongyue changed them for you. My orientation is perfectly normal. Oh, by the way, Elder Gongyue also seemed to flick your... you know."

"I..." Zhang Gonglian choked, speechless.

At this time, Lin Mo took out three silk pouches from his pocket and casually tossed them onto the table.

"Here, as your benefactor, I'm giving you three silk pouches to help you deal with the upcoming tribulation."

The red, yellow, and blue pouches made Zhang Gonglian scratch his head.

"Why do these three pouches look so familiar?"

"Oh, I don't know how to hand-sew pouches, so I asked Daoist Master Gongyue for some from your Longhu Daoist Temple to put things in."