“What is your assessment of the Qingyun Sect?” Mo Wen asked, his expression grave as he looked at the two Golden Core deacons accompanying him.

Wei Dong pondered for a moment before speaking, his voice heavy. “This sect is… anomalous. especially Headmaster Sun. He is an enigma I cannot decipher. His Dao, his mannerisms—they are unlike any cultivator I have ever encountered.”

Mo Wen nodded slowly, stroking his beard. “I agree. He projects an aura of profound mystery. He is merely a Qi Refining junior, yet he sat before us without a flicker of fear. More telling is the deference the Golden Core Elders show him. It is not fear; it is absolute reverence.”

“The data supports that view,” Wen Xian added. “Before their arrival in the Chaos Demon Commandery, the Qingyun Sect was in freefall. Their rapid ascent correlates perfectly with this new Headmaster taking the reins.”

“Despite his short tenure, the discipline and uniformity of their disciples are terrifying. Under his guidance, I believe this sect is poised for a meteoric rise.”

Wei Dong’s eyes narrowed, a shadow crossing his face. “That depends entirely on whether the Black Wind Stockade and Evil Spirit Valley allow them to rise.”

“The Black Wind Stockade must have noticed the disturbance by now,” Mo Wen mused. “But the Qingyun Sect is an old lineage from the Eastern Commandery. A starving camel is still bigger than a horse; their reserves are unknown. Until the Great Chieftain of the Black Wind Stockade breaks through his bottleneck, they will likely hesitate to launch a full-scale offensive.”

“I heard that person is on the verge of Ascension,” Wei Dong whispered, tension tightening his jaw.

“The real question,” Wei Dong continued, tapping the table, “is the source of their capital. Fifty million Spirit Stones? Is this the liquidation of centuries of accumulation?”

“It appears so,” Mo Wen analyzed. “The goods they traded were a diverse portfolio—herbs, ores, beast parts. It wasn’t the output of a single lucky mine, but the emptying of a warehouse. Though… the volume is staggering even for a declining sect.”

“Tower Master Mo, what is our stance?” the deacons asked in unison.

Mo Wen smiled, the calculation of a merchant returning to his eyes. “We are the Seven Star Tower. We do not pick sides in sect wars; we pick profits. Our stance is simple: The Qingyun Sect is a premium client.”

“We will maintain optimal relations. However, initiate a background check. I want a full risk profile.” Mo Wen stood up, decisive. “I will report this directly to Headquarters. If we play this right, our branch’s revenue figures for the Chaos Demon Commandery are about to spike.”

“Understood,” the deacons bowed.

Two days later, the Qingyun Sect was a hive of productivity.

In the Miscellaneous Arts Hall, Elder Ye Luo finalized the procurement specifications after running multiple simulations. Elder Qin Chu did the same for the martial resources. The total capital expenditure: fifty million Spirit Stones.

Once the data was compiled, Sun Yi summoned the merchants to the central hall.

“My apologies for the latency,” Sun Yi said, walking in with a brisk, professional stride. “We had to audit our requirements.”

Mo Wen waved his hand with a warm smile. “Headmaster Sun is too polite. Two days is but a blink of an eye for cultivators.”

Sun Yi handed over the scroll. “Here is the acquisition list.”

Mo Wen unfurled it. As he scanned the lines, his eyes widened. Even with his vast experience, the sheer audacity of the order made his heart skip a beat.

“Headmaster Sun… Foundation Establishment Pills?” Mo Wen sighed, a bitter smile forming. “You know the market scarcity. These are controlled substances. Even the Seven Star Tower has supply chain limits. I can try to allocate some inventory, but I cannot guarantee volume.”

“Do your best,” Sun Yi replied calmly. “Consider it a favor I will repay with interest. I value long-term partners who can deliver on difficult logistics.”

“And… Spirit Fire?” Mo Wen paused at another item.

Spirit Fires were naturally occurring high-energy plasma phenomena, essential for high-tier alchemy and artifact refining. They were exceedingly rare.

“That is a tall order,” Mo Wen admitted.

“I trust the Seven Star Tower’s network,” Sun Yi said, his tone carrying the weight of expectation.

“Very well. I will leverage my connections.”

Mo Wen finished the review. High Grade Spirit Stones, obscure manuals, rare catalytic agents—it was a comprehensive infrastructure upgrade package.

“Headmaster Sun,” Mo Wen said, rolling up the scroll. “We accept the contract. We will expedite the logistics. Expect the first shipment within the month.”

Sun Yi stood and offered a firm nod. “I appreciate the efficiency, Tower Master Mo.”

“Hehe, we are merely facilitating a mutually beneficial exchange.”

After a polite farewell, Sun Yi and the five Golden Core Elders escorted the VIPs to the edge of the sect’s defensive array. As the merchants vanished into the horizon, the formation barriers hummed back to life, sealing the sect from the outside world.

Sun Yi let out a breath, his shoulders relaxing. “Phase One complete. The supply chain is secured.”

He turned to his executive team. “Elder Jin Jue, Qin Chu, Han Yun, Li Tai. The sect is in your hands. Monitor the body tempering rollout. I want zero fatalities during the hardware upgrade process.”

“Rest assured, Headmaster,” Jin Jue bowed deeply. “We will oversee the integration personally.”

“Good. Elder Ye Luo, you’re with me. We have R&D to do.”

Sun Yi led the way to the primary cultivation chamber on the main peak. The heavy stone doors sealed shut behind them, isolating them in silence.

Without fanfare, Sun Yi retrieved the Mi Luo Beast corpse from his storage ring. The massive creature thudded onto the floor, filling the room with a faint, wild pressure.

Elder Ye Luo stared at it, his eyes burning with fervor. To him, this wasn’t a carcass; it was the key to unlocking human potential.

“Let’s begin the extraction protocol,” Sun Yi said.

He summoned the Red Gold Sword. The blade hummed, glowing with lethal precision. With a few surgical strikes, he dissected the beast, exposing the core anatomy. Deep within, he located a white, gelatinous sphere the size of a water vat.

“Target acquired,” Sun Yi murmured. “This biomass should be sufficient to initialize the remaining four drivers.”

“Headmaster, shall we proceed?” Ye Luo asked, his hands trembling slightly with anticipation.

“Execute.”

Elder Ye Luo, now familiar with the proprietary refining technique Sun Yi had taught him, began to process the sphere. He channeled his True Fire, compressing and purifying the raw material.

The process was slow and delicate. It took three full days of continuous operation.

When the flames finally died down, the vat-sized sphere had been condensed into a dense, radiant orb the size of a human head.

“Yield is higher than projected,” Sun Yi noted with satisfaction.

He didn’t hesitate. He sliced off a calculated dose—roughly the size of a fist—and swallowed it.

The substance dissolved instantly, turning into a torrent of cool, heavy energy. Sun Yi closed his eyes, visualizing his internal schematic. He didn’t let the energy disperse; he grabbed it with his True Qi and guided the stream downward.

Destination: The Left Kidney.

In the Five Elements theory, the Lungs corresponded to Metal, and the Kidneys corresponded to Water. He had already installed the Metal Gate. Now, it was time for liquid cooling.

The energy surged into the organ, violently expanding the space within. Pain flared, but Sun Yi’s expression remained flat, treating the sensation as mere system feedback.

A day passed in silence.

Suddenly, a dull thump echoed from within his body.

The barrier shattered. A new void opened within his left kidney—a second Dantian.

Sun Yi immediately initiated the Five Elements Art. He routed the system resources to the new hardware.

Whoosh.

The new Dantian began to spin. Unlike the sharp, metallic Qi of his lungs, the energy here was dark, fluid, and heavy. Pure Water-attribute True Qi began to condense, filling the newly christened Water Gate.

The system upgrade was successful.