Joyous Union Sect. Inner Sect, Moon Gaze Peak.

Li Meng soared through the sky on his flying sword, the wind whipping past him as he made a beeline for his home peak.

“Isn’t that Junior Brother Li?”

“Junior Brother Li Meng just left the mountain not long ago. How is he back so soon?”

“Could the peak be opening?”

The forests surrounding Moon Gaze Peak were filled with numerous Inner Disciples meditating and cultivating, patiently waiting for the peak’s restrictions to lift.

That familiar figure streaking across the sky drew the immediate attention of many.

The mists outside Moon Gaze Peak churned and parted, a passageway opening as if in welcome. Li Meng steered his flying sword into the gap, and the mists gradually closed behind him, sealing the peak once more.

In the courtyard before the pavilion atop the peak, Li Meng descended gracefully. His robes fluttered as he landed with a certain flair, his feet touching the stone pavement silently.

Once on the ground, Li Meng flicked his sleeve and leisurely settled into his reclining chair.

“Could it be that Junior Sister Hua has been plagued by misfortune lately?”

Li Meng opened his system interface and glanced at his relationship list.

Junior Sister Hua’s Luck stat was fixed at a pitiful 150 points. It had neither risen nor fallen.

Li Meng looked up at the sky, his expression contemplative.

“Time to open the peak!”

What was the point of resting now? Better to deliver the commissioned pills and magical artifacts quickly. Then, he could use the earned crafting materials to forge a few life-saving treasures for himself.

Li Meng flicked his sleeve once more.

The golden spiritual characters floating above the peak slowly dissipated into motes of light.

The mists outside the peak churned again, rolling back to reveal a permanent passageway leading to the summit.

“It’s open! The peak is open!”

The disturbance caught the attention of the waiting Inner Disciples.

Streaks of sword light shot towards Moon Gaze Peak from all directions like meteors. One figure after another on flying swords entered the passage within the mists.

From a distance, it looked like a radiant rainbow of sword energy converging on a single point. The scene was quite spectacular.

“Junior Brother Li!”

An Inner Disciple descended gracefully, landing lightly in the courtyard. He bowed respectfully with clasped hands towards Li Meng, who remained in his reclining chair.

Li Meng glanced at this first arrival.

“Senior Brother, this Junior Brother has grown somewhat weary from recent alchemy. I hope Senior Brother does not take offense at my lack of formality!”

“No offense at all, no offense! Junior Brother, please, remain as you are!”

Li Meng chuckled lightly and stroked his beard.

“May Senior Brother please present his sect token for inspection!”

The Inner Disciple hurriedly flicked his sleeve, and his sect token flew towards Li Meng.

Li Meng caught it, scanned it with his Divine Sense, and nodded.

He flicked his sleeve again. Two objects flew back towards the Inner Disciple: the token and a gleaming magical sword.

The disciple caught the sword, his eyes widening. A faint Dao Rhyme emanated from the blade—a fluctuation unique to Top-Grade magical artifacts.

“It’s actually a Superior-Grade artifact! Many thanks, Master Iron Ox! Many thanks, Junior Brother!”

Two more Inner Disciples descended, their robes billowing as they landed in the courtyard.

“Junior Brother Li, this Senior Brother will not disturb you further. Farewell!”

The first disciple bowed to Li Meng, then bowed respectfully towards the pavilion itself. Afterward, unable to contain his joy, he walked out, summoned a wind, and soared away on his sword.

“Junior Brother Li!”

“Junior Brother Li!”

The two newcomers bowed with clasped hands and presented their sect tokens.

Li Meng scanned the tokens and flicked his sleeve. Four pill bottles flew towards the two Senior Brothers.

“Senior Brother Kong,” Li Meng said, his voice calm but authoritative. “You have suffered Dao damage. It appears healed on the surface, but hidden dangers remain. You should be able to sense it, though perhaps not pinpoint the exact issue. This Superior-Grade Dao Yang Pill is my gift to you to eliminate that hidden flaw.”

Kong Li stared blankly at the pill bottle in his hand.

Every time he cultivated recently, he felt his energy circulation wasn’t perfectly smooth. His spiritual meridians often felt strangely blocked. He never imagined Junior Brother Li would identify his hidden ailment at a single glance.

Junior Brother Li’s talent in the Dao of Alchemy was truly heaven-defying.

Kong Li bowed deeply. “Thank you for gifting me this medicine. Such great kindness needs no words of thanks. In the future, if there is any way this Senior Brother can be of use to you, do not hesitate to ask. Even if I must climb mountains of blades or descend into seas of fire, I will not refuse!”

Li Meng chuckled and stroked his beard. “Senior Brother exaggerates.”

“Farewell, Senior Brother!”

Kong Li took two steps back, turned, and hurried out. He summoned a wind and flew away on his sword, eager to cure his ailment.

Kong Li never expected this trip to Moon Gaze Peak would solve a long-standing hidden problem. It was an utterly unexpected delight.

He had heard rumors that while in the Outer Sect, Li Meng had earned nicknames like “The Old Nice Guy” and “The Old Boy Who Scatters Wealth.” It seemed those rumors weren’t mere gossip after all. Junior Brother Li truly was a kind-hearted soul who valued loyalty and righteousness.

If it were any other fellow disciple… even if they could see his hidden flaw, they probably wouldn’t have told him, let alone gifted him medicine to cure it.

Back in the courtyard…

“Ahem… Junior Brother Li, do you see any hidden flaws in me?”

Wei Zijian very satisfactorily stored away his pill bottles—all were Second-Grade Superior pills. How could he be dissatisfied? Moreover, it was a buy-one-get-one deal. If he were still unhappy, he wouldn’t be human.

Li Meng glanced at Senior Brother Wei. “Senior Brother Wei is perfectly fine and has no need for a Dao Yang Pill. However… has Senior Brother Wei consumed any strange pills recently?”

Strange pills?

Wei Zijian looked at Li Meng with utter disbelief. This was miraculous! How did Junior Brother know?

Wei Zijian gave an awkward smile and nodded. “Last time when an auction fair was held in Market City, I went for a stroll. I bought a pill from a Rogue Cultivator—an ancient pill said to assist cultivators in breaking through realms. It was called something like ‘Realm Breakthrough Pill.’ The effect wasn’t bad; it helped me successfully break through to Mid Foundation Establishment!”

Li Meng looked at Senior Brother Wei with speechless exasperation.

So there really were big fools who fell for this scam.

That Realm Breakthrough Pill was no good thing. It was a slow-acting poison used to harm people.

“Senior Brother, have you recently felt signs of your realm regressing? Has your internal Spiritual Power been leaking out uncontrollably?”

Wei Zijian stared blankly at the youthful sage in the reclining chair.

Junior Brother Li might as well have been a tapeworm in his gut—everything he said was spot on.

He had been feeling signs of realm regression. And there was Spiritual Power leakage happening.

Wei Zijian hurriedly nodded. “Yes! Yes! Junior Brother… is it because I rushed my breakthrough and destabilized my foundation?”

Li Meng rolled his eyes.

To dare consume an unfamiliar ancient pill… if nothing else, this guy’s courage was immense. Didn’t he fear causing irreparable problems? Cutting short his own immortal destiny?

Li Meng shook his head and stroked his beard.

“Senior Brother Wei, it is true that Realm Breakthrough Pills are ancient pills. It is also true they can help Foundation Establishment cultivators break through realms… but Realm Breakthrough Pills have another name: Mortalizing Pills!”

Mo… Mortalizing Pills?!

Wei Zijian’s face changed dramatically. His complexion turned deathly pale in an instant.

Of course Wei Zijian knew exactly what Mortalizing Pills were. They were a type of slow-acting poison.

Even Golden Core cultivators who consumed one would gradually see their cultivation dissipate. The victim would undergo a long process of realm regression until finally their spiritual roots were completely destroyed, turning them into mortals with no chance of cultivation.

“Junior Brother… y-you’re sure it’s a Mortalizing Pill?”

Wei Zijian refused to believe he could be so unlucky. He hadn’t even fully emerged from the joy of his breakthrough before today’s delight turned into despair.

At that moment, several more Inner Disciples arrived on flying swords. They descended and landed in the courtyard.

“Mortalizing Pill?”

Several disciples looked at Wei Zijian with astonishment.

Was someone really foolish enough to use a Mortalizing Pill for a breakthrough? Wasn’t that just severing one’s own immortal path?

Wei Zijian fell to his knees with a thump.

“Junior Brother… save me!”