Li Meng swept his gaze over the Formation Flags hovering above the refining fires of the surrounding Formation Cores.

Imprinting Dao patterns was the most crucial step in artifact forging, demanding complete focus and stability. But now was not the time for that.

The Formation Flags still needed further material tempering before they could bear the weight of the Dao.

Li Meng closed his eyes, his hands resting lightly on his knees as he maintained the flow of spiritual energy.

Half an hour later.

Li Meng opened his eyes. A trace of helplessness flashed within them.

A streak of sword light flew in through the open window, circling persistently above his head.

“Go!”

It was another Divine Sense message from his Master.

“I won’t go!”

Li Meng flicked his sleeve dismissively.

The Message Flying Sword shot back out the window, rebuffed.

Li Meng closed his eyes and stubbornly continued refining the Formation Flags.

Another half hour passed.

A streak of sword light once again flew in through the window, buzzing with urgency.

Li Meng opened his eyes, a flicker of genuine confusion appearing within them.

What was up with this cheap Master of his?

She herself had been holed up in the sect for who knows how many years, never setting foot outside. Couldn’t she let her Head Disciple learn by example and do the same?

Go down the mountain to exterminate demons?

The sect had so many Foundation Establishment disciples eager for combat experience and contribution points. Even if they lined up for the task, it shouldn’t fall to an Alchemist like him.

“Go!”

This time, his Master’s mental voice carried a hint of emotion—impatience.

Li Meng let out a helpless sigh.

“Master, your disciple is an Alchemist. How can I risk going down the mountain? A task like demon extermination shouldn’t require my presence. I’m very busy!”

He flicked his sleeve again.

The flying sword flew out once more.

Li Meng shot a worried glance at the window. He was being quite disobedient. If his Master came to find him in person, things would get troublesome.

“Should I go out and hide for a bit?”

He dismissed the thought immediately. Although the Joyous Union Sect’s territory was vast, it was quite small in the eyes of a Golden Core cultivator. As long as he was within the sect’s boundaries, hiding from her Divine Sense would be impossible.

Half an hour later, just as Li Meng expected, another streak of sword light flew in through the window.

“Go!”

This time, his Master’s voice clearly held a trace of anger. It was a suppressed fury, giving the distinct impression of a volcano about to erupt.

Li Meng looked at the Message Flying Sword circling above his head with a resentful expression.

“Fine, I’ll go, I’ll go! Master, please don’t be angry. I’ll pack my things and head down the mountain right away!”

As he spoke, Li Meng flicked his sleeve helplessly. The Message Flying Sword transformed into a streak of light and shot out the window, finally satisfied.

Sitting cross-legged on the meditation mat, Li Meng shook his head. He flicked his sleeve, and the Five Elements formation array on the ground gradually dissipated. The talismans and Formation Flags flew towards him in unison, being stored back into their respective containers.

“Best to go early and return early,” he muttered.

Li Meng stood up and walked out at a leisurely pace. Demons causing trouble in mortal cities wouldn’t be too powerful. This trip down the mountain shouldn’t take up too much of his time.

With a soft click, the door to his loft opened. Li Meng, clad in his signature yellow robes, stepped out. Entering the courtyard, he summoned the wind and rose into the air, riding his sword into the misty clouds beyond the peak.

Joyous Union Sect. Inner Sect, Masked Moon Peak.

Upper floor of a secluded loft.

“Fine, I’ll go, I’ll go! Master, please don’t be angry. I’ll pack my things and head down the mountain right away!”

The message replayed from the flying sword circling above the bed. Ruoshui, lying on her side, wore a slightly cold expression.

“Do I look that old to him? Hmph, I’ll deal with you sooner or later!”

Ruoshui waved her slender jade-like hand lightly, dismissing the sword. It whooshed out the window.

“Go!”

Her own Master’s Divine Sense message suddenly rang out in her mind.

Ruoshui, who had just closed her eyes to rest, opened them again.

“I won’t go. Lijiang City is deep within the State of Zhao’s territory. He has that Divine Firmament Earth Shrinking Talisman with him. Even if pursued by a Golden Core cultivator, he could escape. He can protect himself.”

“Go!”

It was still that single-word Divine Sense message, brooking no refusal.

“Master, your disciple will not go!” Ruoshui’s voice carried a hint of coquettish pleading.

“If you don’t like this disciple of yours, when he returns, this Master will have him formally enter my tutelage. From then on, you can call him Junior Brother!”

Ruoshui’s expression froze. She hadn’t expected her Master to pull such a move.

“Master! Your disciple only has this one student!” Ruoshui’s voice was filled with deep resentment. Her Master actually wanted to steal her only disciple?

“Then what are you still doing on Masked Moon Peak? Go! Quickly!”

A flash of annoyance crossed Ruoshui’s eyes. She could only let out a soft sigh of defeat.

Her graceful figure transformed into a streak of escaping light and shot out through the window. Her speed was astonishing—like an azure stream of light shooting straight into the sky. In the blink of an eye, she vanished into the clouds beyond the peak.

Joyous Union Sect. Outer Sect Territory.

Amidst the clouds between numerous peaks, a massive gourd, ten zhang in length, was flying along.

It would sometimes plunge into clouds, then skim over mountain peaks moments later.

Seated cross-legged upon this gourd was a figure clad in yellow robes—none other than Li Meng, finally beginning his journey down the mountain.

In his hands was a map of the State of Zhao, and he was searching for Lijiang City’s location upon it.

“It’s not too far; I should be able to reach Lijiang City within nine days.”

“Sunset Glow Mountain… also not far.”

Li Meng opened his system interface and glanced at his relationship list. He noticed Junior Sister Hua’s Luck had dropped to a perilous 90 points.

“Could something have happened over at Sunset Glow Mountain?”

Disciples of the Joyous Union Sect never undertook missions alone; Junior Brother Qian must be with Junior Sister Hua.

Qi Condensation disciples didn’t accept combat missions normally, so if Junior Sister Hua encountered danger, it meant she likely went down the mountain with Inner Sect disciples for this mission.

Many Inner Sect Foundation Establishment disciples brought Outer Sect Qi Condensation disciples along on missions—after all, one person’s energy had limits, and often extra hands were needed for tedious tasks.

Li Meng put away the map.

“I’ll just take a big detour and check it out along my way.”

He formed hand seals with both hands, his body erupting with five-colored spiritual light. The Sword Nurturing Gourd’s speed suddenly skyrocketed!

Trailing long brilliant streams of spiritual radiance, it vanished beyond the horizon in the blink of an eye.

Not long after Li Meng departed, an azure escaping light streaked over from the distance.

The light dissipated, revealing Ruoshui hovering midair, summoning the wind to support herself.

Gazing in the direction her Head Disciple had departed, confusion flashed within Ruoshui’s eyes.

Lijiang City lay in the southeast direction—why did her big disciple fly northeast instead?

“A terrible sense of direction?”

Ruoshui transformed into escaping light once more, flying off toward the northeast to follow him.

State of Zhao. Sunset Glow Mountain.

Sunset Glow Mountain was located in the Jiangbei Circuit territory.

Hundreds of years ago, Sunset Glow Mountain was a very famous place indeed. Upon the mountain stood a temple named “Sunset Glow Temple.” Its incense flourished prosperously, and rumors even claimed that signs of a mountain deity being nurtured had appeared there.

Unfortunately, one night a major incident occurred—a great fire burned Sunset Glow Mountain completely clean.

All the monks within the temple perished in that conflagration.

Although the local authorities rebuilt Sunset Glow Temple afterwards, various bizarre incidents occurred at the temple repeatedly, time after time.

Many people died on Sunset Glow Mountain inexplicably—passing merchants, high-ranking nobles, and woodcutters going up the mountain to gather firewood alike.

To quell public resentment, the authorities were finally forced to seal the mountain to settle the matter.

Since then, Sunset Glow Mountain became a place of ill omen.

Over nearly a hundred years, countless people had vanished inexplicably on Sunset Glow Mountain. Yet none dared trespass rashly anymore.

Whether authorities or surrounding commoners, all treated Sunset Glow Mountain as if it were invisible. Only passing merchants would occasionally gaze at it from the foot of the mountain afar, whispering stories of the cursed temple.