Li Meng fell silent.

It seemed Ancestor Nangong Wan had learned from her disciple about his proficiency in the Dao of Alchemy and Talismans. Was she planning to squeeze every last bit of value from him before he met his end? Li Meng didn’t blame Qi Wei for this; in fact, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for the sect to recognize his talents. In the cultivation world, one was only given importance if they had value. Besides, talent wasn’t a treasure that could be stolen.

Li Meng tossed the token back to his Junior Sister. “Junior Sister, your Senior Brother is nearing his Lifespan Limit. After we return, I only wish to await death in peace.”

Qi Wei caught the token, pouted, and stuffed it back into his hand. “Master knew you would say that. She said you don’t need to do a thing. This is merely a reward for your help in the Scarlet Forbidden Ground. With this token, you will enjoy the status of a sect Elder.”

Enjoy the status of an Elder?

Li Meng chuckled, stroking his beard. “If it is the Ancestor’s kind intention, then I shall humbly accept. Junior Sister, thank the Ancestor for me!”

He tucked the token away, his eyes gleaming. It was a treasure, after all; there was no point in refusing such a gift. Seeing his satisfied expression, Qi Wei smiled, covering her mouth with her hand. Her little old man Senior Brother could be so amusing.

Li Meng reached out and ruffled her hair. “Junior Sister, once we’re back, I’ll refine a few batches of Foundation Pills just for you. If one pill isn’t enough, we’ll use two. If two aren’t enough, then three—or ten! I refuse to believe I can’t bridge that gap for you!”

Qi Wei’s eyes curved into crescents. She reached out with both hands and hugged the arm he had used to pat her head. “Senior Brother, you mustn’t lie!”

“I won’t. Consider it hush money. You know what I mean, right?” Li Meng winked at her.

Qi Wei giggled and nodded vigorously. “I know, I know. No third person will ever hear of it.” She hadn’t even told her Master about certain details.

“Senior Brother, I’ll head back now!”

Li Meng personally opened the door for her. “Come find me when you have time, Junior Sister. Make sure to come early, otherwise, there might not be a next time.”

The smile vanished from Qi Wei’s face. “Mmm, I understand, Senior Brother.” She walked away, looking somewhat downcast. Li Meng watched as her petite figure disappeared down the corridor, Qi Wei looking back every few steps. Only when she vanished around the corner did he return to his room.

At the corner, a small head peeked out one last time. Seeing he was gone, Qi Wei pulled back with a disappointed sigh.

“It’s actually a Supreme Elder’s token!”

Back in his room, Li Meng sat on the edge of his bed, toying with the jade plaque. It hummed with a faint traces of Heavenly Dao resonance. “With this, I should be able to do as I please within the sect, shouldn’t I?”

A slight smile played on his lips. “Perhaps I should go cause some trouble for Su Can?” It was just an idle thought; Li Meng wouldn’t actually be so reckless. Without sufficient strength, arrogance was a death sentence. He couldn’t ruin the “kind old man” persona he had cultivated for decades.

Knock, knock, knock!

Li Meng had just stowed the token when the door sounded again. Could it be Junior Sister Yuan returning? He opened the door to find a tall, curvaceous, and graceful figure standing there. “Junior Sister Hua, is something the matter?”

He looked at her with a beaming smile, his gaze openly sweeping over her voluptuous curves. Facing that scorching stare, a flicker of disgust passed through Hua Biying’s eyes. Senior Brother Li was at death’s door; taking her Pure Yin Body would be meaningless for his cultivation. To her, it only proved he was a lecherous old man whose “benevolent elder” persona was a lie.

Expressionless, she walked into the room. Li Meng chuckled and closed the door. She surveyed the quarters before turning to face him. “What can Senior Brother offer me?”

Li Meng sat at the tea table. “Junior Sister, please, have a seat.”

Hua Biying took a deep breath, her face resolute as she sat opposite him. The disgust in her eyes deepened, mixed with humiliation and anger.

[-10 Affection]

Li Meng didn’t care about the drop. With a wave of his hand, three pill bottles floated between them. Hua Biying picked up the first and unstoppered it. A rich medicinal fragrance filled the air.

“This… this is a Superior-grade Foundation Pill?” The purity was staggering, just a hair’s breadth away from being Flawless. She hurried to the second bottle. “A first-grade Superior Spirit Tempering Pill?” Her cheeks flushed pink with excitement. Finally, she grabbed the third. “A second-grade Superior True Spirit Pill?”

She looked at Li Meng in utter disbelief. How could an Outer Disciple possess such treasures?

“Well, Junior Sister?”

Hua Biying fell silent. She was an ordinary Peak Qi Condensation cultivator with average aptitude. These pills were almost too good for her, but they made her Foundation Establishment a certainty. After a long moment, she looked at his aged face with renewed resolve.

“Senior Brother… I want two sets!”

Li Meng smiled, though the look didn’t reach his eyes. “Junior Sister is quite ambitious. But… aren’t you asking for a bit too much?”

In his view, she wasn’t worth that price. A triple-spiritual root cultivator held no investment value. Even if he were to train her as a sword attendant later, the minimum requirement would be a dual-spiritual root.

Hua Biying froze, a flash of humiliation passing through her eyes once more. Even if her aptitude was average, she was still a Peak Qi Condensation cultivator. To be appraised like merchandise made her skin crawl.

Li Meng reached out and gently stroked her cheek. She stared back, her gaze as icy as frost. He chuckled. “Junior Sister… your Senior Brother was only joking. I’m a dying man—what use do I have for hoarding such things?”

A joke? Hua Biying looked at him with suspicion. Was he really?

“Yes! You can have them all!” Li Meng smiled warmly at the beauty before him.