Seeing the five-colored spiritual light emanating from her Senior Brother, Qi Wei’s eyes flickered with surprise. She hadn’t expected him to possess a Pseudo Spirit Root—and the lowest-grade type at that, containing all five elements. In theory, a cultivator with Five Spirit Roots would struggle to reach even the fifth layer of Qi Condensation, yet her Senior Brother had somehow managed to reach the eighth. Even with his Lifespan Limit approaching, it was a remarkable feat.

Qi Wei did not disturb him. She sat quietly and watched. She understood exactly why he was refining the spirit plants into liquid. Upon exiting the grounds, the sect would use Spirit Seeking Beasts to inspect every disciple’s storage pouch. Every harvested plant had to be surrendered and converted into contribution points. However, if one refined the plants into medicinal liquid and concealed them in jade vials, a Spirit Seeking Beast would never detect them.

“Senior Brother’s alchemy must be quite advanced,” Qi Wei thought as she watched his proficient movements. She had seen her own master refine pills before; compared to Li Meng, her master’s work was unsightly. Even with the finest ingredients, her master would likely produce nothing but dregs—if the furnace didn’t explode first. Alchemy was a delicate craft where a high cultivation realm did not guarantee success.

“Thousand-year spirit plants are indeed difficult to refine!” Li Meng thought, squinting at the semi-liquefied essence within the furnace. His current cultivation was simply too low. Refining a thousand-year plant took dozens of times longer than a hundred-year one.

He formed a hand seal, and a jade vial flew from his storage pouch. He opened his mouth and swallowed several crystal-clear pills. The efficacy of these second-grade Flawless Spirit Recovery Pills was potent, and Li Meng felt his Spiritual Power rapidly replenish.

He glanced at his Junior Sister. she was sitting cross-legged on a meditation mat, cultivating. She was even absorbing the spiritual energy overflowing from the furnace. Li Meng smiled and continued his work. She possessed a Lunar Body and practiced the Plain Girl Reincarnation Art; her time was far more precious than that of an ordinary cultivator.

Five days later.

Qi Wei cracked open an eye to peek at her little old man Senior Brother. Seeing him still focused on the furnace, she flopped back onto her mat with a bored expression.

“Junior Sister, have you encountered a Bottleneck?” Li Meng asked. He noticed she had already reached the sixth layer of Qi Condensation.

[Qi Wei] [Age: 19] [Luck: 800] [Cultivation: Qi Condensation Sixth Layer] [Aptitude: Lunar Body] [Affection: 55]

Her Affection had quietly risen to 55 without him noticing.

Qi Wei let out a sullen sigh. “The more times I disperse my cultivation, the purer my Mana becomes. But it also requires a powerful soul to suppress the spiritual power in my body. I can’t advance any further right now. If I do, I won’t be able to suppress the violent energy and will suffer Dao injuries.”

A jade vial flew from Li Meng’s pouch and landed before her. “Junior Sister, you must have a soul-strengthening technique, right?”

Qi Wei opened the vial and sniffed. The rich aroma made her spirit jolt; her Soul Refining Art showed signs of breaking through to the second layer. “A second-grade Flawless Soul Nourishing Pill?”

She hurriedly hugged the vial to her chest as if someone might snatch it. “Senior Brother… is this for me?” Her eyes curved into crescents.

Li Meng chuckled and stroked his beard. “Since you can’t increase your cultivation for now, you might as well practice your soul technique to pass the time.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother!”

[+30 Affection] [+150 Sub-profession XP]

They both returned to their tasks—Li Meng refining plants and Qi Wei practicing her Soul Refining Art. The outside world ceased to exist for them until a deep, resonant bell tolled in their ears.

“Junior Sister, it is time to leave.”

Li Meng stood up and stowed the furnace and mats. The two soared away from the pavilion, flying toward the exit passageway.

State of Zhao, Mute Lake.

Once again, a five-colored pillar of light shot toward the heavens from the island. Moments later, figures began to emerge—the Outer Disciples of the Five Great Sects. Li Meng and his Junior Sister flew out of the light and headed toward the Joyous Union Sect’s Heaven-Piercing Spirit Ship.

“Senior Brother, I’m off!” Qi Wei waved at her little old man Senior Brother before scampering off toward the ship’s pavilions on bare feet. Li Meng watched her go with a smile, only withdrawing his gaze once she had vanished.

He looked around the deck. Disciples were returning in a stream, but their total number was less than fifty. Casulties had been severe. Li Meng wondered how many of the survivors were actually Demonic Cultivators in disguise.

He walked toward a Golden Core Elder standing on the deck. Disciples were lining up to surrender their harvest. Perched on the Elder’s shoulder was a yellow Spirit Seeking Beast that looked like a cross between a cat and a rodent.

“Grandmaster!” Li Meng bowed respectfully. With a graceful wave of his hand, dozens of spirit plants—ranging from a hundred to a thousand years old—flew from his storage pouch and landed neatly on the wooden table.

The Golden Core Elder looked at Li Meng with visible astonishment. She clearly hadn’t expected this aged Outer Disciple to bring back such a bountiful harvest.

“Not bad at all,” she said approvingly. She extended a slender, jade-like hand. “Your sect token, please.”

Li Meng handed over the wooden plaque. “Grandmaster, please convert everything into contribution points.”

As he spoke, he took a brief but thorough measure of her. She wore deep purple palace robes that hinted at a narrow waist and graceful hips. Her waist-length hair was adorned with spiritual hairpins, and her face was obscured by a veil capable of blocking even Divine Sense. Only the True Disciples and Elders of Masked Moon Peak followed this custom, imitating their Supreme Elder, Nangong Wan.

[Name: Ruoshui] [Age: 461] [Cultivation: Peak Golden Core] [Luck: 200] [Aptitude: Water Spirit Root] [Affection: 0]

The Elder brushed her fingers over the token, and the markings on the wood changed instantly. “Here you go.”

“My thanks, Grandmaster!” Li Meng bowed and walked to the ship’s railing.

He gazed toward the distant teleportation array. Xuan Hao and Yuan Baobao had not returned yet. Could something have gone wrong in those final moments?