She had witnessed the rare, Flawless pills, a sight unseen for a century, many, many times within just a single month. Just how was Junior Disciple Li accomplishing this?

Outside Cloud Peak.

“He’s out, he’s out!”

The mist churned, and the passageway reappeared. Li Meng flew out of Cloud Peak on his sword. Seeing that True Disciple Shi Mu was still there, Li Meng flew over on his sword.

“Senior Shi, Senior Qu asked me to return these pills to you!”

With a wave of his hand, Li Meng sent two pill bottles flying from his storage pouch toward Shi Mu.

“Ah, I knew she wouldn’t accept them!” Shi Mu sighed, storing the pills away. He waved his hand, sending five pill bottles flying toward Li Meng. “Here are some pills for consolidating your foundation and nourishing your vitality. Consider them my thanks!”

Li Meng couldn’t refuse. He needed to show a pleasantly surprised expression. After all, he was merely an Outer Disciple at the eighth layer of Qi Condensation, with his Lifespan Limit approaching and Sitting Death imminent. Li Meng put on a happy face and bowed respectfully. “Many thanks for Senior’s generous gift!”

“Mhm.” Shi Mu acknowledged with a grunt before turning and flying away on his sword.

Li Meng smiled as he stored the pills away and flew on his sword toward the Outer Sect’s location. Although they were just some Inferior-grade pills, having something was better than nothing. Not everyone could afford Medium-grade pills.

Outer Sect, Little Bamboo Peak.

Li Meng returned on his sword, descending to land in his courtyard. “Everything I need to prepare is ready. Might as well laze about for a day!” He sprawled lazily onto the reclining chair. A gentle breeze wafted through, carrying the refreshing and pleasant scent of bamboo.

“Senior Brother!”

In the afternoon, as Li Meng was comfortably reclining with his eyes closed in feigned sleep, a familiar, coquettish voice rang out from the sky. Two figures arrived one after another on their swords, descending to land outside the fence gate.

Li Meng opened his eyes a slit to glance at the gate. It was Junior Sister Chen and Junior Brother Lü. With a wave of his hand, a gust of wind swept through the courtyard. The fence gate swung open with a bang.

“Junior Brother, Junior Sister, please come in!”

Chen Lan and Lü Wei entered the courtyard one after the other. Once inside, Chen Lan kept shooting meaningful glances at Li Meng. He smiled knowingly in response. So Junior Sister Chen had indeed given that Medium-grade Foundation Pill to Junior Brother Lü. For such a valuable item as a Medium-grade Foundation Pill, Junior Brother Lü would certainly demand an explanation from her.

“Junior Brother, Junior Sister, please sit.” Li Meng invited them to take seats.

Lü Wei bowed respectfully toward Li Meng. “Greetings, Senior Brother Li!” He then sat down on the cushion opposite the tea table. Chen Lan sat down beside Lü Wei, her eyes gazing at Li Meng with tender affection.

“Has Junior Brother come today regarding the matter of the Foundation Pill?”

Lü Wei’s expression shifted slightly, and he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Junior Sister hadn’t lied to him. If the Foundation Pill came from Senior Brother Li, he could rest easy. What Lü Wei had feared was that Junior Sister Chen had made some sort of transaction with an Inner Sect Foundation Establishment Senior in order for both of them to attempt their breakthrough. As her Dao Companion, he absolutely could not accept such a thing.

Li Meng chuckled softly, stroking his beard. “The Foundation Pill in Junior Sister Chen’s possession was indeed a gift from me. As you know, Junior Brother, my Lifespan Limit is approaching. It’s best to disperse such worldly possessions while I can. Rather than letting them fall into the hands of the Enforcement Hall after I’m gone, it’s better to give them to junior disciples like you two. Please keep it with peace of mind. If you both successfully establish your foundations in the future, that would be the greatest comfort to this old Senior.”

A look of deep gratitude washed over Lü Wei’s face as he stood up and bowed formally. “Senior Brother’s righteousness shames this Junior!”

Seeing his Junior Sister still standing there foolishly, a hint of helplessness flashed in Lü Wei’s eyes. “Junior Sister, aren’t you going to thank Senior Brother Li?”

“Ah… yes!” A faint blush colored Chen Lan’s cheeks as she hurriedly stood up and bowed toward Senior Brother Li. “Thank you for bestowing the pill, Senior Brother Li!” Her eyes blinked playfully at him.

Li Meng’s gaze flickered briefly toward the hem of Junior Sister Chen’s skirt.

Chen Lan noticed Senior Brother’s glance. She pursed her lips into a smile and threw him a seductive look.

Their little exchange went unnoticed by Lü Wei.

“Senior Brother, I heard from Junior Sister that you plan to go to the Scarlet Forbidden Ground?”

The three of them then chatted idly in the courtyard for some time. During this period, a few Outer Sect disciples came by to purchase pills.

In truth, Li Meng’s customer base wasn’t large. The Outer Sect had two thousand Qi Condensation disciples; only about one or two hundred knew of Li Meng, mostly through word-of-mouth spread by others.

Moreover, while Li Meng’s pills were cheap, actually buying them depended entirely on luck. Added to that was the fact that most of the pills Li Meng had sold in the past were Inferior-grade. Therefore, they weren’t an overwhelmingly strong temptation for Outer Sect disciples.

The three chatted until late afternoon.

“Senior Brother, we should take our leave now.”

The two rose into the air and flew off toward the peak’s outskirts.

Chen Lan glanced back over her shoulder at Senior Brother Li with a meaningful look. Li Meng chuckled softly and gave a slight nod. Chen Lan offered him one last alluring smile before flying away on her sword.

Amidst the towering peaks and rugged ridges, Lü Wei and Chen Lan flew side-by-side on their swords.

“Although Senior Brother Li has poor aptitude,” Lü Wei mused aloud, “he possesses considerable talent in alchemy. To think he could actually refine something like a Foundation Pill, a second-grade pill at that.”

Pills for breakthroughs were never common items. For two cultivators at Peak Qi Condensation like themselves, obtaining even one Foundation Pill was difficult, though it mainly required investing time. During their last closed-door cultivation attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment, they had consumed an Inferior-grade Foundation Pill that they had spent ten years earning sect contribution points for.

But a Medium-grade Foundation Pill?

That was something one could only hope to encounter by chance, not something one could actively seek out.

Chen Lan gave an enchanting smile. “Senior Brother, Senior Brother Li never said he refined that Foundation Pill.”

Lü Wei paused momentarily before letting out an awkward chuckle. “That… is true. Foundation Pills are second-grade pills. Only Foundation Establishment cultivators possess sufficient Mana to refine second-grade pills consistently.”

Chen Lan looked at Senior Brother Lü with smiling eyes.

It was best to keep secret Senior Brother Li’s ability to refine second-grade pills. As long as Senior Brother Li himself didn’t claim he refined them, given his identity as an Alchemist, it wouldn’t seem strange for him to acquire some second-grade pills through other means.

Lü Wei turned his head to look at his Junior Sister beside him.

“Junior Sister, this is our breakthrough opportunity. With this Medium-grade Foundation Pill, I have a seventy percent certainty of breaking through to Foundation Establishment. Such great kindness cannot go unrepaid. Although Senior Brother Li’s Lifespan Limit is near, he must surely have family down in the mortal world. Junior Sister, before Senior Brother Li undergoes Sitting Death, you should visit him more often. Try to find out from him about his mortal family’s situation. After Senior Brother Li passes, if we can offer protection to his descendants for several generations, it would help settle this karmic debt.”

Those who walked the Immortal Path feared being entangled in karma most of all. Debts of vengeance must be repaid; debts of gratitude must be returned. If karma entangles one’s heart, and thoughts remain unresolved, it becomes easy for Heart Demons to take root, creating an insurmountable chasm during future breakthroughs.

Chen Lan’s cheeks flushed slightly pink; her eyes grew languid and seductive as silk threads.

Oh, Senior Brother…

She had already repaid Senior Brother Li’s kindness. Senior Brother Li had already received what he desired from her…

“Mhm,” she replied softly, a faint smile playing on her lips. “I’ll handle it.”

This gave her the perfect excuse to visit Senior Brother Li again.

“Oh no!”

Chen Lan suddenly stopped mid-flight with an expression of dismay.

“What is it, Junior Sister?”

In that brief moment, Lü Wei had already flown several hundred meters ahead. He turned his sword around and flew back, stopping beside his Junior Sister.