"You took the Leader's divine pill, and that's how you returned to your original form," Green Hibiscus said.
Leon's mind raced.
"Is it permanent or temporary?"
Green Hibiscus: "Temporary. From the moment you manifest the Verdant Aspect, it means you've begun to attain longevity."
"As long as you cultivate to the Leader's immortal realm, you can shed the burdens of mortal flesh and reshape your true body through the immortal path."
"At that point, you'll be free and unrestrained, able to change at will, living as long as the heavens!"
"But before that, to advance from the Verdant Aspect to the Sanctus Medicus Aspect, you'll need the aid of divine pills."
Leon: "What divine pills? Give me some."
He actually had one such pill.
The one Purple Moonflower had fed him earlier.
Of course, it only looked like he'd taken it.
"The Dustform Pill. Don't worry, the Leader won't shortchange you."
As soon as he finished speaking, the jade tablet on Green Hibiscus's wrist flashed with a signal.
"Hm? The Leader's back. She's specifically asked to see you."
"That's just perfect…"
A glint of eager anticipation flashed in Leon's eyes.
Green Hibiscus saw it but didn't think much of it.
That was exactly the effect Leon wanted.
Don't overthink it—that's the way.
Even if he did, he wouldn't figure anything out.
All this meticulous playacting as a double agent was for this very moment.
No matter how many layers of disguise the Leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus wore, once they met face-to-face, no disguise would hold.
Hand the evidence to Jing Yuan, and all he'd need to do afterward was lie low in the Alchemy Commission, waiting for the right moment.
And while he was at it, find out who the Emanator pulling the strings behind the scenes was.
Sure, that figure would likely reveal themselves eventually, but a reliable, responsible adult knows the value of being prepared.
…
The moment Leon met the Leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, before either could speak, urgent intelligence came in.
"Bad news, Leader! The Cloud Knights have stormed in!"
"What?!"
Dan Shu, the Leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, shot to her feet, her brow deeply furrowed.
The barriers hiding all entrances to the Alchemy Commission's domain were provided by that Emanator.
Even the most skilled artisans in spatial technology, or Jing Yuan himself, couldn't break through so easily.
Nine times out of ten, it was the work of a hound—or a mole—lurking within the organization.
Haven't they all been rooted out yet? Who could it be?
Instinctively, Dan Shu's gaze fell on Leon, but it shifted away in less than a second.
It couldn't be White Owl.
The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had plenty of cultivators converted from short-life species—quite a few samples.
Once a short-life species' body is transformed and they first fall into mara, there's no way they could retain a clear mind.
No exceptions.
Dan Shu would suspect anyone before she suspected Leon.
To infiltrate as a spy or locate the Alchemy Commission's entrance by inducing mara to gain trust? Jing Yuan would never, in a million years, do such a thing.
She knew well the mercilessness of the Xianzhou Alliance's laws.
Inducing longevity is the first of the Ten Unpardonable Sins.
This law targets the crime of polluting a short-life species' genes, transforming them into a long-life species and thus a mara-struck abomination.
Beyond that, aiding someone to achieve longevity violates the second sin: Coveting Immortality, punishable alongside the first.
If a short-life species falls into mara, it also triggers the fourth sin: Inducing Mara.
Inducing a mara-struck state through special means is likewise a capital offense.
The Ten-Lords Commission, independent of the Six Charioteers, governs mara and matters of life and death.
Even a General's crimes can't escape the Ten-Lords' ironclad judgment.
Dan Shu despised The Hunt's ruthlessness, but she had no issue with the strict enforcement of these laws. Thus, she firmly believed Jing Yuan would never do such a thing.
"Report, Leader! The Cloud Knights came from… from…"
"Speak freely."
"Based on my observations, I'm ninety percent certain the Cloud Knights could breach the domain because of Orange Gardenia!"
At these words, Purple Moonflower and the other cultivators present all paled dramatically.
Orange Gardenia?
Wasn't that the one who guided the new cultivator?
The White Owl standing before them was brought to the Alchemy Commission's domain by Orange Gardenia.
But—
Orange Gardenia was hacked into a dozen pieces by White Owl… by White Owl in his first frenzied Verdant Aspect.
Dan Shu realized this too, her gaze toward Leon now carrying a mix of approval and relief.
"White Owl, you've inadvertently done the organization another great service. Well done."
If Orange Gardenia hadn't been accidentally killed by an out-of-control White Owl, who knows how many more holes would've been punched into the Alchemy Commission's domain.
The prerequisite for mending a broken fence is that the holes are small and few.
Too many holes, or ones so large the entire fence collapses—what's there to mend?
Fortunately, the situation was still salvageable.
"Once this matter is settled, I'll personally guide your cultivation to help you reach the Sanctus Medicus Aspect sooner."
Hearing Dan Shu's promise, most cultivators shot Leon envious, jealous glances.
Leon returned their looks with smirks, sneers, and suppressed laughter.
Wanna learn?
No chance.
As a double agent, this move was brutal.
Purple Moonflower: "Leader, what do we do now? So many Cloud Knights caught us off guard."
"No need to panic."
Dan Shu sat back down, calmly issuing orders:
"Instruct everyone to grind the Dragoncoil Elixir into powder and place it in the Cloudmist Purple Palace Cauldron in the Grand Elixir Chamber to create a mist."
"Think it's so easy to breach my Alchemy Commission?"
"I'd like to see how the Cloud Knights handle their comrades falling into mara once the mist spreads throughout the Alchemy Commission."
"And how they guard against comrades who could fall into mara at any moment."
Purple Moonflower: "Yes, Leader!"
Leon subtly raised an eyebrow.
The Leader's move was brutal.
Even notifying Jing Yuan wouldn't help unless he ordered the Cloud Knights to abandon the assault and withdraw from the Alchemy Commission.
To play the part fully, the receipt for purchasing three portions of ingredients in Leon's possession wasn't fake.
Though he hadn't personally tasted the Dragoncoil Elixir due to the peculiarity of one ingredient,
Analyzing and deducing its pharmacological effects was no challenge for him.
He hadn't lived all those years for nothing.
For long-life species, sustained intake of a specific dose poses little risk of inducing mara for those under a hundred years old.
For short-life species, even a single dose has a high chance of causing issues.
In severe cases, immediate death; in milder cases, reversed aging, regressing to an infantile state before the body liquefies and perishes.
Most Cloud Knights are over two hundred years old, with no shortage of those over five hundred, retiring at six hundred.
One could imagine how many would fall to mara in this battle.
"White Owl."
Dan Shu suddenly turned to Leon.
From the moment he saw her, he knew her eyes couldn't see—she was a Sky-Deficient in Xianzhou terms.
But he didn't believe she lacked means to perceive in place of sight.
"Here, Leader."
Leon responded calmly.
"We're in need of capable hands. I have a task to entrust to you."
As she spoke, Dan Shu took out a vial of pills and tossed it to him.
"Inside are three Cloudfeast Dewdrop Pills. Take them, and you'll personally experience the boundless freedom Yaoshi, the Merciful Sanctus, grants to flesh and blood."
"Complete the task, and you'll receive more, which will greatly aid your cultivation."
Leon caught the vial, unabashedly showing a look of eager desire.
"Please, Leader, give your orders…"