As soon as Zhou Kai finished speaking, Wang Qiaoqiao’s pupils constricted. She leaned forward, her sudden intensity surging until it was almost tangible, pressing against his very face.

“Is that true?!”

The promise of “helping her achieve Foundation Establishment” carried immense weight, far exceeding anything she had previously dared to hope for. She had originally viewed Zhou Kai as a high-potential alchemist—a risky investment that might one day refine a Foundation Establishment Pill to increase her own odds. She never expected him to offer such an earth-shattering guarantee outright.

This was no longer a simple favor; she was now inextricably binding her future to Zhou Kai’s success.

A faint, almost imperceptible smirk played at the corner of Zhou Kai’s mouth. “Of course.”

He didn’t waste breath on further explanations. Instead, he calmly extended his right hand, palm upward. In that instant, a steady stream of cyan Spirit Qi gushed forth, circulating in a smooth, endless loop. This was not the erratic flow of someone with a shattered dantian.

With only two sets of materials for the True Condensation Pill, he had produced at least three pills on his very first attempt. Talent like that was a rarity even within the prestigious Heavenly Spring Sect.

Wang Qiaoqiao’s chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. She stared at him for a long moment, her eyes flickering with the internal calculation of someone weighing every possible outcome. After several heartbeats, she waved her hand dismissively, her previous caution vanishing in favor of absolute certainty.

“Good! Fellow Daoist Zhou, those words alone are worth more than ten thousand others!” She had even changed the way she addressed him, dropping formal titles for the more egalitarian ‘Fellow Daoist.’

“There is no need for you to trouble yourself with Yang Locking Pills anymore,” she said, her speech quickening. “While they are profitable, for cultivators like us, they are ultimately a minor path. What matters now is increasing our cultivation and advancing our alchemy!”

She paused, her gaze blazing. “Spirit Gathering Pills, Cyan Spirit Pills… these are the cultivation aids you and I need most. However many you can produce, Baolu Pavilion—no, I, Wang Qiaoqiao—will buy them all! I promise the price will be more than fair.”

This was no longer a transaction; it was a declaration of total support. She was preparing to funnel her personal resources into Zhou Kai, accelerating his growth so he could eventually fulfill his promise to her.

Then, she asked the core question, her voice betraying an urgency she seemed unaware of. “Fellow Daoist Zhou, when do you estimate you might attempt to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill?”

Zhou Kai kept his expression neutral, but his mind raced. Wang Qiaoqiao’s desperation was unexpected. She was only in her early twenties with a mid-grade Spirit Root—far superior to his own. She had decades of prime life left to attempt the breakthrough. With her family’s backing, reaching the peak of Qi Condensation should be trivial. Why the rush?

Was there a shift in the Wang Family hierarchy? Or did she have some private crisis she couldn’t mention? He pushed the thoughts aside. The murky waters of the Wang Family were too deep for him to wade into just yet.

He pretended to ponder, letting a flicker of “difficulty” cross his face before appearing to reach a firm resolve. “To be honest, Miss Qiaoqiao, refining such a pill is a massive undertaking. The herbs are rare, and the conditions are unforgiving. More importantly… I am currently still bound by obligations to others.”

He shifted his tone, his voice growing steady. “However, it will be soon. My ten-year spirit contract with the Chen Family has less than half a month remaining. When that day comes, I will be free. The sea is vast for the fish to leap; the sky is high for the bird to fly!”

An astonishing brilliance erupted in Wang Qiaoqiao’s eyes. Freedom!

This meant Zhou Kai would no longer be a puppet of the Chens. His future actions, and more importantly, his strategic resources like Foundation Establishment Pills, would be under his sole control. Their value would be incomparable.

Wang Qiaoqiao reacted instantly. She leaned in even closer, closing the gap between them until they were almost touching.

“Regaining your freedom so soon is truly a cause for celebration!” she whispered, her voice dropping to a low, intimate register. “In that case… would you be willing to join my Baolu Pavilion as a guest alchemist? I assure you, the compensation will be beyond fair. Moreover…”

She leaned in until her lips were nearly at his ear. A faint, intoxicating fragrance of orchids and musk drifted from her, and her warm breath brushed his earlobe, sending a slight tickle down his neck.

“This arrangement… would be my personal hire,” she emphasized. “Primarily, you would handle my private refining needs. It wouldn’t be tied to the public affairs of the Pavilion. Any resources you require—Spirit Stones, herbs, or special favors—I will provide full support, so long as it is within my power.”

The implication was heavy and unmistakable. This wasn’t just a business move. Wang Qiaoqiao was personally extending an olive branch, attempting to pull him into her inner circle as her primary asset in the race for immortality.

Zhou Kai could hear her hurried breathing and see the fire in her eyes. For all her enthusiasm, this direct descendant of the Wang Family was a gambler at heart, willing to bet everything on him.

He neither agreed nor refused. Instead, he allowed himself to look appropriately “overwhelmed” by her regard.

“For Miss Qiaoqiao to hold me in such high esteem… I am truly humbled.” He leaned back slightly, creating a polite distance from her suggestive aura. “I deeply appreciate the offer. Once I have settled my affairs with the Chen Family and secured my freedom… if the opportunity arises, I will give your invitation priority.”

Wang Qiaoqiao was too shrewd to miss the subtext. She saw that she had revealed too much, but she wasn’t annoyed. In fact, she appreciated his caution. A man easily swayed by a few pretty words wouldn’t be worth such a massive investment.

She straightened up, her face returning to its business-like mask of charm and efficiency, as if the woman who had just whispered in his ear was a mere illusion.

“Good! Then I shall await your news with patience.” She smiled, her eyes sparkling with a natural, practiced allure. “You are still recovering. Take these healing pills and materials for now. We can settle the Spirit Stones later.”

She pushed the storage bag forward as if completing a mundane trade. A silent, tacit agreement had been reached. She understood he needed time; he understood that her support came with a heavy price tag and high risks.

“Thank you for your generosity, Miss Qiaoqiao.” Zhou Kai accepted the bag and cupped his hands. “I won’t disturb you further. Farewell.”

“Take care, Fellow Daoist Zhou. I am often in this room; you may find me here at any time.” She rose to see him off personally, escorting him to the door.

Stepping out of the Pavilion, the roar of the city flooded back into his ears. Zhou Kai glanced back over his shoulder at the imposing building, his gaze profound.

As he walked, he fell into deep thought. Wang Qiaoqiao’s proposal was a golden opportunity. She was young, beautiful, talented, and possessed a powerful background. He definitely needed to maintain a relationship with her.

But there was no such thing as a free lunch. Why was she in such a hurry? Baolu Pavilion belonged to the Wangs, but large families were never a monolithic block. Factional strife and internal conflicts were likely far more vicious than they appeared on the surface. As a rootless loose cultivator, one misstep in that whirlpool could mean total destruction.

Furthermore, beneath her warm exterior, he could sense a cold utility. She was a woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

“Hmph. If I were the man I was ten years ago, a mere bandit cultivator, I’d probably charge in headfirst without a second thought…” Zhou Kai stroked his chin, a self-deprecating smile tugging at his lips.