The night was deep and quiet. Zhang Xian sat alone in the east wing room.

Yinyin was wonderful, but cultivation was the proper path.

Zhang Xian withdrew several stalks of Ascension Grass from his system space. Their bodies glowed with a crystalline blue light as he neatly arranged them on the table.

Staring at the eternally unchanging white mark on the Spirit Testing Pearl, he gritted his teeth and swallowed the first stalk.

Gulp.

The grass leaf melted the moment it entered his mouth, transforming into a stream of cool spiritual energy. Zhang Xian closed his eyes and focused his mind, feeling the medicinal power rampaging through his body. This sensation was fantastic.

After a long while, Zhang Xian opened his eyes. He felt he had finally achieved the breakthrough from zero to one.

He reached out to test again. It was still a white light.

However, the mark had now reached around fifteen.

Finally, a qualitative change. That wasn’t easy.

I am no longer a zero.

Zhang Xian continued by swallowing the second stalk.

This time, as the spiritual energy flowed through his limbs and bones, he clearly felt a slight stinging pain in his meridians.

The Spirit Testing Pearl glimmered with a trace of green light, the mark stopping just a tiny bit past twenty.

I’ve turned green!

I’ve evolved to a Low-Grade Spirit Root!

With an excited heart, Zhang Xian swallowed the third stalk. This time, a piercing cyan light erupted from his entire body before it gradually receded and dissipated inward.

Huh? The mark on the Spirit Testing Pearl only increased a little.

He took the fourth stalk, but the mark didn’t move at all.

Alright, that’s enough for now.

Zhang Xian rummaged through his system space and pulled out a book titled Azure Emperor’s Rejuvenation Art. Previously, he couldn’t cultivate it due to his low Spirit Root aptitude. Now that he possessed a Low-Grade Spirit Root, it should be possible.

There were several other wood-attribute cultivation arts in the system space. After studying them, Zhang Xian felt this one suited him best.

He already had talismans and countless magical artifacts at hand, along with the Magical Artifact Self-Detonation Technique as a finishing move. He didn’t lack offensive methods; rather, his spiritual energy capacity was too low, lacking endurance.

This shortcoming had been exposed during the fight against Zhao Chengyue. Even though he used refined artifacts and talismans, just activating them made Zhang Xian feel somewhat drained. This Azure Emperor’s Rejuvenation Art primarily focused on rapid spiritual energy recovery and also possessed some healing capabilities.

Early the next morning, when Lin Yinyin knocked on the east wing door, she was so startled by the scene before her that she covered her small mouth with her hand.

The entire room was covered in verdant vines, and Zhang Xian was sitting cross-legged within a cocoon woven from these living plants, green light dancing at his fingertips.

“Brother, you are…”

“A newly learned cultivation art.” Zhang Xian flicked his finger, shooting out a beam of green light. The bruise on Lin Yinyin’s knee from a few days ago instantly healed. “Although not great for fighting, it makes me quite qualified as a support healer.”

“Yinyin. You’re already at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment. Try to see if you can refine a Superior-grade magical artifact.”

“Oh right, can you take the Golden Core Nurturing Pill now?”

“Brother, what are you saying? The Golden Core Nurturing Pill is effective only at the late Foundation Establishment stage at the earliest. It’s too early to prepare for Golden Core formation now.”

“Alright.”

【Ding! Successfully gifted Superior-grade Magical Artifact. Returned: Superior-grade Magical Artifact x100.】

【Ding! Successfully gifted Superior-grade Magical Artifact. Returned: Superior-grade Magical Artifact x100.】

Mmm! Lin Yinyin’s face was full of sweetness. Being pampered by her brother felt so good.

By evening, Yun Qi finished his tasks and returned to the Cloud Raiment Pavilion’s detached courtyard.

He found Lin Yinyin in the courtyard, playing with her Superior-grade magic sword. A normal cultivator without system cheats would need at least three months to half a year to refine a Superior-grade artifact. To achieve seamless mastery would take even longer. Some cultivators might never fully unleash their artifact’s potential in their lifetime.

Yet, wherever Lin Yinyin’s sword tip passed, three-foot-long ice spikes condensed instantly, freezing the pond water in the courtyard solid.

Seeing this, Yun Qi raised an eyebrow. Good heavens, another extremely high-quality Superior-grade artifact! And she’s only at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment!

Thinking back to when he first met them two years ago, she was only at the second layer. In just two years, she had reached the fifth layer. How many resources had been piled onto her?

Suddenly, he noticed Lin Yinyin’s aptitude had increased significantly compared to a few days ago.

“Miss Lin, your Spirit Root…” His pupils contracted slightly as he looked at Zhang Xian incredulously. “You didn’t give her the Ascension Grass to eat, did you?”

“No! Your aptitude seems to have increased too!” Yun Qi exclaimed in shock.

Zhang Xian lazily leaned back in his chair. “No need to be so dramatic.”

Yun Qi drew in a sharp breath. Both their aptitudes had improved? How is that possible!?

Yun Qi’s thoughts raced rapidly. Zhang Xian still has secrets! Perhaps the strength of the minor world behind him is even stronger than our Cloud Raiment Pavilion!

Moreover, his identity wasn’t as simple as just being an envoy for a minor world. He had casually consumed 1.76 million mid-grade spirit stones; he must be at the level of an heir with actual authority.

Take Yun Qi himself, for example. Although he held the position of Grand Commander and handled transactions worth far more than that amount daily, that wealth belonged to the Cloud Raiment Pavilion, not him personally.

This financial power… this scale… I’m afraid I’ve still underestimated Zhang Xian’s background.

Yun Qi sighed inwardly. No matter what, he considered himself a famous third-generation rich kid in the Southern Region. Yet here he was, constantly being shocked and reduced to a background character again and again; he felt somewhat like a failure.

He forced out two dry laughs. “Fellow Daoist Zhang is indeed generous.”

Zhang Xian waved his hand. “It’s all small change.”

Yun Qi: “…”

Just as Yun Qi was about to take his leave, the clear sound of bells suddenly came from outside.

【Ding! Discovered Daughter of Destiny with 12 points: Yun Zhen’er】

“Little Brother! Little Brother!”

A petite figure came bouncing in energetically. She looked no more than eleven or twelve years old, with twin ponytails and wearing traditional ruqun attire adorned with silver bells tied around her waist that jingled merrily as she ran.

Zhang Xian glanced up.

【Ding! Yun Zhen’er’s Favorability towards you is 0. Binding successful.】

Yun Zhen’er ran up to Yun Qi’s side and tugged on his sleeve. “Little Brother! You promised to play with me today!”

Little Brother?

Zhang Xian and Lin Yinyin exchanged glances; their expressions turned slightly odd.

Yun Qi helplessly rubbed her head. “Zhenzhen, don’t cause trouble now; I’m discussing important matters here. I’ll play with you soon.”

Yun Zhen’er pouted; her curious gaze shifted towards Zhang Xian and Lin Yinyin.

Lin Yinyin couldn’t take her eyes off the adorable Yun Zhen’er. Upon seeing her, she immediately took off an ornament hanging from her waist and approached cheerfully. “Little Sister! This one can sing!”

Infused with spiritual energy by Lin Yinyin’s will alone, the ornament not only emitted melodious tunes but also scattered sparkling dots of light around itself. Yun Zhen’er’s eyes instantly lit up brightly as she chased after both Lin Yinyin and those dancing lights all over the courtyard, playfully laughing.

“Who is this little girl? Why does she call you Little Brother?” asked Zhang Xian smilingly, watching the scene unfold before them.

With an expression full of doting affection, Yun Qi explained softly. “Her name is Yun Zhen’er; she’s my aunt’s daughter. She was born under unfortunate circumstances due to our enemies’ schemes, causing a congenital soul deficiency within her body. Since birth, the family has been forced to use the spirit treasure 【Time Sand Lock】, supplemented by a Profound Ice Array, to seal her physical growth completely. Her mental development is frozen in a childhood state permanently. Hence why she calls me ‘Little Brother,’ because technically, she was born earlier than me.”

Wow! So she’s actually an eternal child immortal type figure? Zhang Xian thought.

He observed closely, noticing that despite her youthful appearance, she actually possessed a Golden Core stage cultivation level.

Both men watched the two females—one adult-sized, the other child-sized—chasing each other around the yard, laughing joyfully. It created a picture-perfect moment.

“Huff… huff…” Little Yun Zhen’er was tired after running for a while, still clutching tightly onto Lin Yinyin’s ornament with her small hands, refusing to let go.

“Be good now; return the jade pendant to Elder Sister, please. Big Brother will take you shopping later, okay?” Yun Qi said gently, patting her head affectionately. He recognized the value of the priceless artifact immediately; its worth was far beyond ordinary trinkets.

“It’s ‘Little Brother’; I am your Elder Sister, correct!” she corrected immediately, pouting slightly, though she reluctantly handed the ornament back toward Lin Yinyin.

“Yes, yes! You are the Elder Sister indeed!” Yun Qi chuckled amusedly, shaking his head fondly.

From within his robe’s pocket, Zhang Xian produced another jade pendant of a similar design, but this one emitted fiery red sparkles instead of cool blue ones. He handed it over toward the little girl.

“Here, this one is for you. Look, it’s red!”

He shook his hand slightly, making the sparkles dance in the air, mesmerizingly capturing her attention completely.

“Wow!” she exclaimed excitedly, her eyes lighting up once again.