Moonlight flowed like water as the two arrived by the spirit spring.

Zhang Xian took a bottle of spirit liquid from his robe and handed it to Lin Yinyin, saying, “Here, this is for you.”

“What is this?”

“Green Spirit Jade Liquid. Just one drop into the spirit spring can enhance its effects by thirty percent.”

Lin Yinyin’s eyes lit up as she reached out to take it. “This looks like a product from Green Wood Peak, doesn’t it? Oh, so Liu Qingxuan gave you something. I didn’t realize you were so popular.”

“You’re giving me something she gave you without a second thought. Aren’t you afraid she’ll be hurt?” Lin Yinyin said in a coquettish tone.

“Who told you to be my little sister?”

【Ding! Successfully gifted Lin Yinyin with Xuan-grade Green Spirit Jade Liquid. Triggered return: obtained Dragon Saliva Jade Liquid x10 bottles.】

【Dragon Saliva Jade Liquid: Di-grade jade liquid. When poured into a spirit pool, it can greatly enhance the quality of the spirit spring and the speed of spiritual energy absorption.】

Another pleasant surprise.

“Hmph.” Lin Yinyin was inwardly delighted. She leaned over the spirit spring and dripped in a drop of the liquid. The spiritual energy within the spring water visibly became more abundant.

“Wow! It really is a treasure.” With both mid-grade spirit stones and the spirit liquid enhancing it, the spirit spring’s effect was even stronger.

“Wait.” Zhang Xian took out a bottle of Dragon Saliva Jade Liquid from his robe and dripped a drop into the spring.

Instantly, ripples of glowing light spread across the water’s surface, and the spring water became crystal clear.

Lin Yinyin covered her mouth in surprise. This bottle seemed even more potent. She reached out to touch the water; it felt as warm and soft as being wrapped in gentle clouds. She removed her outer garment and stepped into the pool. The warm water flowed against her skin, and every pore seemed to breathe, absorbing spiritual energy several times faster than before.

This feeling was even more comfortable than when Master helped her unblock her meridians daily, and the absorption speed was even quicker!

“Wow, this one is even better. No wonder you weren’t impressed with Liu Qingxuan’s bottle.” Lin Yinyin splashed in the water and suddenly hooked her arms around Zhang Xian’s neck, pulling him into the water.

“Here, this bottle is for you.” Zhang Xian generously handed her the spirit liquid. However, since this was an item returned because of Lin Yinyin, it did not trigger another return.

Their foreheads pressed together. Lin Yinyin murmured, “Brother, you’re so good to me. Meeting you is really Yinyin’s good fortune.”

Zhang Xian tapped her delicate nose. “Yinyin is very good too.”

He thought to himself that most of his treasures came from returns triggered by Lin Yinyin; she was his true blessing.

“Oh right, Brother. Next time we see Master, can you help her too? She might seem fierce, but she’s actually very good to me. She helps unblock my meridians every day; it’s very tiring for her.”

“Mm, I was planning to do just that.”

“Ha! And you still say you have no thoughts about Master!” Lin Yinyin pretended to be angry. “Your true colors are showing now!”

“I don’t.”

“I can feel it! You still… you still…”

“It’s all because you keep making a fuss.”

“Hmph, Brother, you have so many treasures. You must have been very powerful in your little world.”

Zhang Xian replied, “Second only to one person, above ten thousand others.” He thought to himself that the current emperor still addressed him as grand-uncle-in-law.

“So you were a young master! No wonder you have endless treasures and spirit stones.”

Zhang Xian did not deny it.

“Then what you told Master before about having ten beautiful concubines and your family elders constantly urging you to continue the lineage… was that also true?”

Zhang Xian shook his head. “That was all nonsense to fool Master. You believed it too?” As he spoke, he suddenly paused and said calmly, “As for ten beautiful concubines… I did have them in the past. They are all gone now.”

Lin Yinyin caught a fleeting shadow of sorrow in his eyes and knew he was recalling some old memories. She didn’t ask further, just smiled at him. Her slender fingers deftly gathered her loose black hair and tied it into a ponytail.

Mmm.

That night, with the help of the Dragon Saliva Jade Liquid, Zhang Xian replaced mid-grade spirit stones a full ten times, consuming ten times the usual amount. Both he and Lin Yinyin broke through their cultivation levels.

Time flew like a white steed passing a crack. In the blink of an eye, over three months passed.

Zhang Xian had already reached the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment, while Lin Yinyin was progressing towards the late Foundation Establishment stage. Late Foundation Establishment was a threshold for cultivators, but for someone with Lin Yinyin’s Heavenly Spirit Root aptitude, breaking through was only a matter of time.

One day, Zhang Xian sat cross-legged on a bluestone slab in front of the thatched hut, spiritual power circulating around him, his aura steady.

“Brother! Look at me!”

A clear voice came from above. Zhang Xian looked up to see Lin Yinyin standing on a flying sword, gracefully turning a circle in mid-air. Her sleeves fluttered like an immortal descending to the mortal world.

“How about that? I can fly even higher now!” she shouted proudly, controlling the flying sword to descend slowly and hover steadily about three zhang above the ground.

Zhang Xian smiled slightly. “Not bad. You’re improving quickly.”

Outwardly calm as an old dog, Zhang Xian inwardly envied her greatly.

Sword flight! This had been his dream since youth. Lin Yinyin was already one step ahead. Generally, sword flight could only be mastered at the late Foundation Establishment stage. For Lin Yinyin to have such control at the sixth layer… Heavenly Spirit Roots truly defied reason.

Suddenly, the communication jade talisman at his waist vibrated slightly.

“Junior Brother Zhang, Fellow Daoist Yun Qi from Cloud Raiment Pavilion has come for a visit and is waiting at Guest Reception Peak.”

It was a message from Senior Brother Zhenhai.

Zhang Xian raised an eyebrow slightly. Yun Qi had previously messaged saying he would come but hadn’t given details in the message. Could it be news about the flying boat?

As he pondered this, a streak of sword light approached from afar. Zhenhai arrived on his sword and landed steadily before him.

After Li Fuxi left, Zhenhai took charge of managing Spirit Sword Peak’s affairs. Over time, he had let go of his former infatuation with Lin Yinyin—after all, for a sword cultivator, his sword was his true wife.

“Let’s go. We shouldn’t keep our guest waiting.”

“I’m coming too! I’m coming too!” Lin Yinyin chirped excitedly.

Zhang Xian nodded, and they all stepped onto Zhenhai’s flying sword.

Although Lin Yinyin could fly now, having her fly across multiple peaks on her sword was still too demanding for her.

Guest Reception Peak was where the Yunmiao Sect received external guests.

When Zhang Xian’s group arrived, Yun Qi was chatting happily with a young man dressed in white golden-patterned Daoist robes—the Peak Master of Wuwang Peak: Real Person Wangya.

Seeing Zhang Xian arrive, Yun Qi stood up and cupped his hands in greeting with a smile. “Fellow Daoist Zhang, long time no see.”

Real Person Wangya saw this and tactfully stood up to take his leave. “Since my junior nephew has arrived, I won’t disturb your reunion.”

Yun Qi smiled and returned the courtesy. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

After Wangya left, Zhenhai also cleared his throat. “Junior Brother Zhang, I’ll let you chat. I’ll wait over there.”

With that said, he retreated outside the pavilion, standing with hands behind his back, assuming the dignified posture befitting Spirit Sword Peak’s Senior Brother.

Inside the pavilion.

Yun Qi looked Zhang Xian up and down, his eyes flashing with surprise. “Kid, how do I feel like you’ve improved quite a bit again?”

The last time they met, Zhang Xian was at the third layer of Foundation Establishment; now he’s already at the fifth layer. Moreover, his aura was steady and his foundation solid. What surprised him more was that he could sense Zhang Xian’s Spirit Root aptitude had improved again. Simply unbelievable.

Zhang Xian smiled. “Just a slight enlightenment, nothing much.”