The woman handed the dazed man over to Master Sun, her voice soft but firm. “Uncle Sun, please take my brother to the backyard to rest.”

“Yes, Miss.” Uncle Sun bowed his head respectfully. Supporting the mumbling man, he slowly shuffled toward the rear of the house.

Only after their figures had completely disappeared did the woman turn around. Her gaze swept over Zhou Kai and Chen Ziyi, her tone calm and polite.

“I apologize for the unsightly scene. I am Su Qingzhu. That man just now was my elder brother.”

Zhou Kai’s eyes sharpened.

Earlier, when his Divine Sense had swept over the area, he had detected something startling—Su Qingzhu’s cultivation was at the Peak of Qi Condensation!

A cultivator of such high standing addressed a crippled invalid as “brother,” while the mysterious Master Sun showed her clear deference. The hierarchy of this residence was self-evident.

She was the true Master Su.

Array masters were revered figures in the cultivation world. They could easily find patronage in great sects or bustling cities. Yet, for her brother’s sake, she had secluded herself in this desolate place, relying on a servant to sell arrays for spirit herbs. There was undoubtedly a heavy story behind this, but Zhou Kai was smart enough not to pry.

“Miss Su is too courteous,” Zhou Kai said, quickly standing up and cupping his hands. Even though she referred to herself humbly, he dared not be presumptuous. “I am Zhou Kai, and this is my Dao Companion, Chen Ziyi. We have come uninvited and hope for your understanding.”

Beside him, Chen Ziyi also stood and offered a graceful, respectful bow.

Zhou Kai didn’t waste time with pleasantries. Since the person in charge had revealed herself, it was time to talk business.

“Miss Su, to be frank, I heard there was a great array master here and came specifically to purchase arrays. I simply didn’t know you were the one cultivating in seclusion here and apologize for the disturbance.”

He quickly recounted the events at Broken Wood Bay and his dealings with Uncle Sun.

Su Qingzhu listened quietly, her expression unreadable. After he finished, she spoke slowly.

“Fellow Daoist Zhou, you have seen my elder brother’s condition. I require spirit herbs that can preserve his life; the older, the better. I will only exchange my arrays for such items.”

Zhou Kai nodded solemnly. “I understand. Uncle Sun mentioned the requirement for herbs over five hundred years old. He previously exchanged an array for a six-hundred-year-old Soul Channeling Nether Grass at Broken Wood Bay. May I ask if your brother has already consumed it?”

Su Qingzhu shook her head slightly.

As I thought, Zhou Kai mused. That man’s soul is shattered. Even Third-Grade pills might not save him. She’s collecting old herbs just to use their raw potency as a catalyst. The Soul Channeling Nether Grass is the perfect fit, but using it raw is risky.

He saw his opening.

“Miss Su, forgive my bluntness,” Zhou Kai said, his voice dropping to a serious, professional register. “The six-hundred-year Soul Channeling Nether Grass is indeed a supreme medicine for healing the soul. However… how potent is a spirit herb of such age?”

He looked her in the eye. “If given directly to your brother without refinement, not only would its efficacy be wasted—perhaps less than one-tenth would be absorbed—but the wild medicinal energy would be like an untamed horse.”

“Your brother lacks consciousness. He cannot guide the medicinal power. Prolonged use of raw herbs might sustain his life temporarily, but it is no different from drinking poison to quench thirst. The violent soul power could further damage his fragile spirit, causing him immense suffering.”

Su Qingzhu fell silent. A shadow passed over her face. “I… am aware of this.”

“Miss Su,” Zhou Kai pressed on, his tone earnest. “Though I am not a grandmaster, I am a Second-Grade Alchemist. While a six-hundred-year herb is too high-grade for me to refine into a perfect pill, I possess a Superior-Grade Wood Spirit Root.”

He tapped his chest lightly. “This gives me a natural affinity for plant essence that far surpasses ordinary alchemists. If it’s merely extracting the medicinal power and refining it into a mild, easily absorbed pill—balancing the power for a slow, gentle release while preserving maximum efficacy—I am seventy to eighty percent confident I can succeed.”

A flicker of surprise passed through Su Qingzhu’s beautiful eyes. An alchemist with a Superior-Grade Wood Spirit Root was a rarity indeed.

She hesitated. “Fellow Daoist Zhou, are you serious? Do you know that if you fail, my brother…”

“If Miss Su doesn’t believe me, I can start refining right here for your evaluation,” Zhou Kai cut in decisively.

Seeing his confidence, Su Qingzhu’s guarded expression softened. Desperation warred with caution in her eyes.

“Even with spirit herbs sustaining him, my elder brother has one month of life left at most,” she admitted softly. “If taken directly, that Soul Channeling Nether Grass would extend his life by perhaps another month.”

She took a deep breath. “If the pills refined by Fellow Daoist Zhou can truly allow him to safely extend his life by another month without the side effects… then I will trade my arrays with you!”

She paused, her gaze sharpening. “What kind of array does Fellow Daoist Zhou desire?”

Zhou Kai felt a surge of joy. He leaned forward. “I wonder if Miss Su possesses a ‘Four Symbols Array’ that combines an Entrapment Array, Killing Array, Illusion Array, and Spirit Gathering Array into a single formation?”

Su Qingzhu blinked, then gently shook her head. “With my current mastery, I cannot refine such a complex four-in-one formation. However, I can tailor-make a combined Entrapment-Killing-Illusion triple array for you. Its power will not disappoint.”

“As for the Spirit Gathering Array, it must be set up separately. I happen to have a ready-made Array Disc for that; I can give it to you immediately.”

She frowned slightly. “However… for the Illusion Array component of the triple combination… the core material is quite rare. I don’t have any in stock. Uncle Sun would need to go out and search for it.”

“Oh? What kind of material?” Zhou Kai asked. “If Miss Su doesn’t mind… perhaps we could help search? It might save time.”

“Any rare treasure that can affect Divine Sense or create bewildering illusions will do,” Su Qingzhu explained. “Naturally, the higher the grade, the better. Things like a Mind-Bewitching Wood Heart, an Illusory Light Stone, or a Mirage Pearl.”

Rare treasures that affect Divine Sense?

Zhou Kai’s mind raced. He flicked his wrist, and the Truth-Seeking Jade he had looted from Fu Sheng appeared in his palm.

This jade’s main function is concealing cultivation and deceiving Divine Sense. It fits the criteria perfectly.

Besides, he thought, I’ve already mastered the Cicada Raiment Art. This jade is just a hard rock to me now—a backup shield at best. It’s not irreplaceable.

Zhou Kai offered the jade to her. “Miss Su… please take a look at this. It is a fragment of a magic treasure called the Truth-Seeking Jade. Would this work as a core material?”

Su Qingzhu’s gaze fell upon the jade. Initially, it was just a casual glance.

But a split second later, her pupils contracted violently. The fingers holding her tea cup tightened, turning white at the knuckles.

It lasted only an instant—a micro-expression so fast it was almost imperceptible. Su Qingzhu quickly returned to her calm demeanor.

But Zhou Kai caught it.

Does she recognize this jade? He kept his face neutral, filing the observation away for later.

Su Qingzhu extended her slender, jade-like fingers and picked up the stone.

She turned it over in her hand, pretending to examine it critically. She channeled a trace of spiritual power into it, then nodded slowly.

“The material is quite special… it contains a trace of peculiar Dao Rhyme. It truly is an uncommon treasure. Using it as the core for an Illusion Array would be more than sufficient—perhaps even overkill.”

She looked up at him. “With this item as the core, the Illusion Array’s power could increase by at least twenty percent.”

She handed the jade back to him, but then paused. “I’ll fetch the Spirit Gathering Array Disc for you in a moment. As for the triple array… I will need to use this jade to re-derive the array diagrams before I can begin refining.”

“Combining three arrays consumes considerable mental energy. It will require about a month and a half to complete.”

Su Qingzhu hesitated, then added, “If Fellow Daoist Zhou doesn’t mind the inconvenience, perhaps you could stay in the front courtyard for this period? It would be convenient for me to communicate details regarding the array, and… regarding my brother’s pills, we should try as soon as possible.”

As she spoke, she retrieved a palm-sized, exquisite jade box from the Storage Bag at her waist.

She opened the lid. An indescribably pure fluctuation of soul power washed over the room, accompanied by a faint, exotic fragrance. Inside lay an inch-long segment of an herb, its surface shimmering with flowing light.

The Soul Channeling Nether Grass.

Su Qingzhu took a small jade knife and carefully sliced off a piece roughly the size of a fingernail. She stored the rest away and handed the small sample to Zhou Kai.

“Please use this portion to refine a test pill first. If it truly works as described, I will hand over the remaining herb entirely.”

She gestured toward a side room. “The courtyard has an alchemy room. Though simple, the tools are relatively complete.”

Zhou Kai received the fragment of the Soul Channeling Nether Grass. Even this tiny piece emitted a surging, dense energy that made his spirit tremble.

He nodded solemnly, his eyes meeting hers.

“Very well. We will impose on Miss Su for the next month and a half. I will not fail this trust.”