Inside the Dao Child Palace.
After a grueling day, Tao Wan returned from outside the sect.
She massaged the space between her eyebrows, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over her.
It was not physical fatigue, but the weariness of the spirit.
A few days prior, she had represented Azure Pill Valley at the Golden Core Ceremony of a subordinate sect.
That faction had originally been weak and insignificant, hardly worth Azure Pill Valley's notice. Yet perhaps favored by their ancestors, an aged cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment had staked his very life on one desperate gamble—and by sheer luck, he had broken through to the Golden Core stage.
With that single stroke of fortune, what was once a minor sect vaulted overnight into the ranks of first-rate powers!
Such a vassal could no longer be treated casually.
Customarily, Azure Pill Valley would dispatch a Golden Core elder of the same realm to offer congratulations. But Qingyunzi, hoping to pave the way and broaden connections for Tao Wan, the current Dao Child, sent her instead.
Tao Wan had gladly accepted.
The host sect naturally gave her a grand reception. Not only did they show no offense at her being merely at the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment, but they were also overjoyed. After all, so long as Tao Wan made no grave blunders, she was guaranteed to become the future Sect Master of Azure Pill Valley! Courting her favor now meant securing a mighty tree under which to enjoy shelter later. Moreover, having just become the Dao Child, she had yet to build a vast following. To catch her eye at this stage was an invaluable opportunity.
Consequently, they had been extraordinarily attentive.
For Tao Wan, however, beyond the wear and tear of the journey, having to socialize with a sea of unfamiliar faces had proved thoroughly taxing.
Still, it was a good thing.
Now Tao Yisheng was at the helm of the Tao clan, while she had begun taking charge of sect affairs. In the coming century, the clan's prosperity was well within sight!
After resting for a moment, an idea struck Tao Wan, and she summoned a deacon.
"Greetings, Dao Child!"
Looking at the mid-Foundation Establishment deacon assigned exclusively to her service, Tao Wan spoke slowly. "How has that gentleman been faring lately?"
Who "that gentleman" was required no elaboration.
The deacon replied respectfully, "For the first six months, he still visited the Grand Pill Academy frequently. Lately, however, he rarely goes there at all. Every day, he is either cultivating or practicing techniques. Even when resting, he spends most of his time reading ancient records."
A flicker of surprise crossed Tao Wan's face.
"An ascetic cultivator?"
From what she knew, Luo Chen had never seemed the ascetic type.
Intelligence on him had been gathered ever since they first decided to enlist his aid. Later, after the sect elders secretly instructed her to keep Luo Chen in Azure Pill Valley for the time being, another group was dispatched specifically to gather detailed records of his time in Tianlan.
According to those reports, whether aligning himself with the Ice Fort or orchestrating alliances to plant the banner of the Luotian Association in Tianlan, Luo Chen clearly had the makings of someone who could not bear staying idle.
Yet unexpectedly, ever since arriving at Azure Pill Valley—both before and after the Dao Seed competition—he had remained quiet as water, almost never stepping outside.
Such conduct mirrored that of many Golden Core elders who immersed themselves in solitary meditation, completely detached from worldly affairs.
Furthermore, while a pseudo-Tier-3 spiritual land was exceptional, it was an environment tailored specifically for formidable cultivators like Tao Wan who had reached the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment. For an ordinary mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, spending a day or two cultivating inside was fine. But to remain nestled within it without stirring for months on end, day in and day out, like Luo Chen did—that was astonishing.
Even Tao Wan typically meditated for a few days before taking a day or two of rest. The spiritual energy density was simply too high; circulating the cultivation technique too frequently placed an enormous strain on both the meridians and the divine soul.
"Could it be because he encountered such a supreme cultivation ground that he couldn't bear to waste it, gritting his teeth to cultivate every single minute and second?" Tao Wan murmured.
The deacon sighed in admiration. "Rarely have I seen anyone so hardworking. If only he had superior aptitudes, there would certainly be a place for him among the Golden Cores of the Jade Cauldron Domain. What a pity..."
Tao Wan knew full well what was pitiful.
Luo Chen's latent talent had been noted in the intelligence reports.
A constitution of Five Spiritual Roots was not absolute garbage; within the Five Elements Divine Sect, it was even praised as a top-grade aptitude on par with Heavenly Spiritual Roots—surpassing even Tao Wan's Wind Spiritual Root. But for an ordinary cultivator, it was undeniably the weakest, virtually equivalent to possessing no aptitude at all.
Without an astronomical supply of resources, such individuals could hardly hope to reach Foundation Establishment in their lifetime.
That Luo Chen had somehow lucked into Foundation Establishment had shocked Tao Wan from the very beginning. Yet after Foundation Establishment, the path of cultivation would only grow steeper.
"Aptitude... resources..."
Tao Wan fell into thought.
A glimmer of understanding dawned on her.
Luo Chen's refusal to stay idle had been a struggle for resources. And his painstaking efforts to secure those resources were all for the sake of cultivation. Thus, now that he had chanced upon the finest resource of all—an elite spiritual land—he naturally threw everything into bitter cultivation.
In the end, Luo Chen had always been Luo Chen.
There was no contradiction!
Having grasped this, Tao Wan sighed softly.
"Have the resources allocated to me by the sect been distributed?"
The deacon nodded. "Most are in place. Per your instructions, quotas have been set for Qi Lingyun, Tan Xiao, Tao Yisheng, Jia Shaoquan, Ding Kuo, and the rest. They will be distributed to them on a fixed schedule each year."
"What about the batch of top-grade Soaring Dragon Pills I told you to set aside?"
The deacon instinctively glanced toward the side hall where Luo Chen resided, lowering his voice. "Dao Child, could it be you prepared them for him? This... might be a bit..."
"Hm?"
Tao Wan gave a soft hum, but the cold weight in her tone sent an involuntary shiver through the deacon's frame.
In recent days, having interacted with so many Golden Core experts, Tao Wan's aura of authority had grown increasingly pronounced. Position shapes the spirit just as nurture shapes the flesh; nowhere was this truer.
The deacon hurriedly lowered his head. "Everything is ready."
"Set aside a portion each year going forward. Rest assured, they won't be given away for nothing. Danchenzi will pay an equivalent amount in spirit stones, and I will explain the matter to the Sect Master myself."
At this point, Tao Wan paused.
She recalled that Luo Chen had purchased a large quantity of Meridian-Protecting Pills needed by Qi Refining cultivators to break through to Foundation Establishment in the market.
Those Meridian-Protecting Pills were far too low in grade. For his cultivation in a pseudo-Tier-3 spiritual land, they would be of little use.
"Take out a bottle of Tier 2 top-grade Meridian-Protecting Pills and have it delivered to the side hall tomorrow."
The deacon's heart skipped a beat.
Tier 2 top-grade Meridian-Protecting Pills!
Those were supplementary pills reserved exclusively for the Dao Child! A single pill could shield one's meridians from damage for ten full days. Such medicine was far more precious than any Meridian-Nourishing Defect-Replenishing Fluid! In the entire Azure Pill Valley, only Master Xingyun occasionally took the trouble to refine a furnace.
He wanted to voice a word of caution, but beneath Tao Wan's tranquil, faraway expression, he found no opening to speak.
A Dao Child's command had to be obeyed without question!
***
"A Tier 2 top-grade Meridian-Protecting Pill!"
In the side hall, Luo Chen, having just concluded his cultivation session, stared in shock and disbelief at the item Deacon Chen had delivered.
Deacon Chen looked at the small vial with open envy and said, "This was specially ordered by my Dao Child to be delivered to you. Consuming it before cultivating can protect your meridians from suffering severe damage caused by spiritual energy rushes. You have been pushing yourself a bit too hard in your cultivation lately, Fellow Daoist. You must know your limits; it would be terrible if you suffered qi deviation. The Dao Child is considerate of your well-being, which is why she sent this."
Fearing that Luo Chen might fail to appreciate Tao Wan's kindness, he went out of his way to explain just how precious the Meridian-Protecting Pills were.
In truth, Tao Wan had never instructed him to say any of this. But having long resolved to follow her, he naturally sought to win hearts on her behalf.
Upon hearing this, Luo Chen was deeply moved.
"Deacon Chen, please convey my gratitude to Dao Child Tao!"
"Courtesy demands reciprocity. Not long ago, with the assistance of Master Xingyun at the Grand Pill Academy, I refined a furnace of Face-Preserving Pills. Though of little practical use to cultivators of our caliber, it can serve as a modest token of my appreciation. I must trouble you to deliver it for me."
Deacon Chen took the Face-Preserving Pills in surprise.
The pill was indeed of little practical benefit, but female cultivators adored them without exception. This Danchenzi truly knew how to handle interpersonal relations!
After the deacon departed, Luo Chen turned the bottle of Meridian-Protecting Pills in his fingers, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
Had Tao Wan concluded that he needed this sort of medicine because he had purchased low-grade Meridian-Protecting Pills in Azure Pill Valley? But those low-grade pills were Foundation Establishment resources prepared for the Qi Refining cultivators of the Luotian Association. To him personally, they were useless.
Achieving the Great Circle of Channel Unblocking and linking all hundred meridians was no laughing matter. Cultivating in this pseudo-Tier-3 spiritual land caused him only a mild strain at most; resting for a few hours was enough to fully recover.
Still, this pill was undeniably precious. Tier 2 top-grade, reserved exclusively for a Dao Child!
"She is truly thoughtful."
"Lately, the Grand Pill Academy has stopped inviting me for the past two months, growing colder and colder. Yet she remains unchanged from before, even warmer than ever."
"This woman is indeed someone worth befriending!"
Luo Chen drew clear lines between friends, enemies, business partners, and casual acquaintances.
He and Tao Yisheng could be considered friends; even if they hadn't bared their souls to each other, they could converse openly without reservations. But with Tao Wan, their relationship had been purely entangled with mutual benefits from the start.
Now that their cooperation had officially concluded, she had gone out of her way to grant him both a pseudo-Tier-3 spiritual land and Meridian-Protecting Pills, leaving Luo Chen profoundly moved.
The image of the proud, haughty Tao Wan from their first meeting had gradually blurred. What grew vivid instead was the smiling woman who, months ago amid the white clouds of Qingyun Peak, had softly said: *Allow Wanwan to play the host a little.*
"On the path of cultivation, wind and frost never cease, and blades are ever at one's back. Yet with companions like Wang Yuan and Tao Wan by my side, this Grand Dao is not a lonely road."
Luo Chen smiled faintly and tucked the Meridian-Protecting Pills into his storage bag.
***
Half a year later!
A streak of light shot out from Qingyun Peak, crossed Mount Yuanhua, and landed on Mount Xiaonan.
After lingering briefly, it departed without looking back, streaking toward Tianlan Immortal City.
Atop Mount Xiaonan, frost and snow blanketed the earth, and all living things seemed withered. Yet numerous rare spiritual chrysanthemums still bloomed in brilliant defiance.
Tao Yisheng gazed at the disappearing streak of light, a look of lingering disappointment on his face.
"How wonderful it would have been if he could have stayed another six months. Then he could have shared a cup of wedding wine with me."
"He couldn't stay."
A woman's gentle voice drifted from behind him.
Tao Yisheng turned around. "Sister."
Allowing the hem of her long dress to brush the snow-covered ground, Tao Wan stepped forward, standing half a pace ahead of him.
"He is not a disciple of our Azure Pill Valley. Staying in the Dao Child Palace for a whole year has already sparked criticism."
"Remaining any longer would bring misfortune rather than fortune, both for him and for me."
"Besides, in Tianlan, he has his friends, his Dao companion, and the foundation he built from scratch with his bare hands."
Tao Yisheng nodded.
How could he not understand those truths? Following Luo Chen's guidance in the Ink Lotus Garden, and having put it into practice, he had gradually sorted out the interpersonal entanglements within the Tao clan. Such elementary considerations were clear to him.
It was just that...
"A Dao companion?" Tao Yisheng exclaimed in shock. "How come I never heard that Brother Luo had a Dao companion? Who is she? I never saw him hold a Dao Companion Ceremony either!"
"The president of the Luotian Association, Sima Huiniang. Though they lack the title of Dao companions, they have long shared the reality of one," Tao Wan said impassively.
"So it's her!" Tao Yisheng gasped in realization.
No wonder Luo Chen had made such a grand spectacle back then, organizing a Foundation Establishment Ceremony for a woman who had only just broken through. So there was that layer of intimacy beneath it all.
"What a pity," Tao Yisheng remarked regretfully.
"What is a pity?"
"It's a pity that Brother Luo possesses such sublime alchemy attainments. If only he could have become Dao companions with you, Sister, where you handle external affairs and he oversees internal matters, this vast Azure Pill Valley would sooner or later belong to our Tao clan..."
His voice cut off halfway.
Facing the woman radiating a distinctly perilous chill, Tao Yisheng offered a dry laugh and backed away.
"Uh... Miss Fu is coming over tomorrow to view the chrysanthemums. She is my future Dao companion after all, so I must go make arrangements..."
As he spoke, he vanished into the snowy landscape.
Tao Wan opened her narrowed eyes, fluttering her long lashes as she gazed out at the vast expanse of white. Clean and pure.
At last, she offered a carefree smile.
***
In the snowy sky, a small mid-grade flying boat drifted along at an unhurried pace.
Its deployed defensive barrier kept the heavy snow at bay.
Inside sat a man in a red cloud Daoist robe, sitting cross-legged and staring intently into the empty space before him.
The attribute panel flashed and vanished.
Luo Chen withdrew his gaze in satisfaction.
He had arrived at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment and departed at the sixth layer!
That alone made this journey to Azure Pill Valley well worth the effort.
If one factored in his other gains, he was returning loaded with treasures!
One Tier 1 pill recipe, two Tier 2 pill recipes, and three incomplete Tier 3 ancient recipes.
A newly acquired alchemy technique.
Moreover, several of his spells had either made breakthroughs or attained perfection over this year of cultivation.
Most importantly, he had finalized the transaction with Tao Wan for top-grade Soaring Dragon Pills. Right now in his storage bag sat forty bottles of top-grade Soaring Dragon Pills, which had cost him a full one hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones!
It was somewhat expensive, coming out to two thousand five hundred spirit stones per bottle.
Yet it was entirely worth it!
For something that had a market but no supply, any price was justified. Even if other great sects desired these pills, spirit stones alone would not suffice; they would have to trade equivalent resources to exchange goods. This single batch of pills was enough to meet Luo Chen's needs for a full year. Furthermore, every year going forward, Tao Wan would dispatch people to deliver his designated quota.
This way, as long as he developed no drug tolerance, Luo Chen could rely on the top-grade Soaring Dragon Pills to accelerate his cultivation.
"Though I no longer have the pseudo-Tier-3 spiritual land, having top-grade pills as a supplement means that even if my cultivation speed drops dramatically, it will still remain within an acceptable range."
After a brief tally of his gains without scrutinizing every detail as he used to, Luo Chen dismissed the attribute panel.
He was, after all, on the road.
Even though he could multitask and maintain awareness of the surroundings, he had no wish to suffer any surprise ambush. Right now, his heart held only one desire: to return to Tianlan.
"I wonder if Huiniang is accustomed to living in my cave abode, how Xiao Ling's cultivation is progressing, how the Luotian Association has developed, and what terms Fairy Jueqing will offer me..."
Thinking of the numerous matters awaiting his return, Luo Chen felt no vexation. Instead, a smile touched his lips.
This departure had lasted a year and a half.
There had been no mishaps; on the contrary, he had reaped bountiful harvests and made the name of Danchenzi resound throughout the Jade Cauldron Domain. Returning now, he was truly returning home in glory.
Envisioning the scene of reuniting with friends, discussing his journey to Azure Pill Valley, and raising cups in shared joy, Luo Chen channeled a bit more spiritual power into the vessel, hastening the boat's speed.
His heart was already home, undeterred by the driving wind and snow.
***
Late at night.
Outside the snow-draped Danxia Peak, Luo Chen stowed the flying boat and landed steadily before the mountain gate.
"It is the dead of night. The Luotian Association receives no outside visitors. Halt!"
The cultivator guarding the mountain stepped forward, preparing to question the visitor's identity. But the moment he caught sight of Luo Chen's face, he bowed deeply in excitement.
"Greetings, Association Leader!"
"At ease. You've worked hard." Luo Chen smiled and waved his hand. Just as he was about to head up the mountain, he casually asked, "Which True Cultivator is guarding Danxia tonight?"
The Luotian Association had this tradition: every day, a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator was assigned to guard Danxia Peak against scoundrels.
The guard immediately replied, "It is Hall Master Murong!"
"Oh... hm?"
Luo Chen blinked. "Hall Master Murong?"
"Yes, none other than her."
The guard nodded, realizing that having just returned from a long journey, the leader was unaware of recent developments within the association. He promptly explained:
"Hall Master Murong succeeded in establishing her foundation in the second month after your departure. Now that her realm has stabilized, she took on the duty of guarding Danxia for these past two months."
Luo Chen's eyes lit up.
That was wonderful news!
He had originally planned to share a portion of the Foundation Establishment resources he brought back with his sister-in-law to improve her odds. To think she had already succeeded!
Presumably, she had consumed the portion of Emperor Flowing Liquid he had left for Huiniang. Succeeding on a mere twenty-percent chance—perhaps the experience accumulated from her prior failure had also played its part.
Without lingering in conversation with the guard, Luo Chen made his way up the mountain.
Meanwhile, the news of his return spread from the mountain guard's lips, rippling through the entire Luotian Association.
The Association Leader was back!
Danchenzi, the man who had overwhelmed the Seven Azure Pill Prodigies and whose name echoed across the Jade Cauldron Domain, had returned!
***
"Congratulations, Sister-in-law! Oh, no—I should address you as Fellow Daoist Murong!"
Inside the Hall of Merits, Luo Chen offered a Daoist salute and smiled at the woman before him.
Murong Qinglian laughed despite herself. "Forget it, you'd better keep calling me Sister-in-law! Hearing 'Fellow Daoist' from your lips just feels odd."
Luo Chen's smile came straight from the heart.
Then he clapped his hands and said with regret, "What a pity. On this trip to Azure Pill Valley, I picked up some local specialties and gifts. The ones I prepared for you were related to Foundation Establishment, but now they're of no use. I find myself empty-handed without a congratulatory gift for the moment."
"Is that true, or are you just teasing me?" Murong Qinglian replied with a chuckle.
In the past, she would never have spoken to him in such a manner. But after reaching Foundation Establishment, the immense gulf once created by their difference in cultivation realms had vanished. Their interaction seemed to have returned to the days of the Siheyuan courtyard back in Crescent Moon Valley.
Of course, both understood that this was only their private way of speaking.
To prove his honesty, Luo Chen casually produced several items.
Meridian-Protecting Pills, top-grade Yang-Restoring Liquid...
"They aren't overly valuable, but when paired with a Foundation Establishment Pill and Soul-Calming Incense, they can easily raise the odds of success by another ten percent."
"The foundation of a great sect is truly beyond anything us rogue cultivators can compare to. There are plenty more good things like these."
"I also thought that with three consecutive failures at Foundation Establishment in our association, our fortune might be a bit poor, so I bought them back to boost everyone's confidence."
While Luo Chen spoke, Murong Qinglian looked at the pile of items, her eyes reflecting deep sentiment. If she had possessed such comprehensive auxiliary resources during her first attempt at Foundation Establishment, she likely would not have failed either. The foundation of a great sect truly provoked envy; it was no wonder every Golden Core great sect boasted hundreds or thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Sadly, she had no use for them now.
Still, she accepted a portion.
"I'll take this as your congratulatory gift!"
Luo Chen smiled. "Saving it for Brother Qin?"
Murong Qinglian shook her head. "He has already given up on Foundation Establishment. His last failure, while leaving him uninjured, made him realize that he can only stop at the peak of Qi Refining in this lifetime. I plan to find time to send these things to Xiaohu."
Xiaohu was Qin Yuanjiang.
He was the couple's son, only a year or two older than Qu Lingjun. He was already thirty-two this year. With his excellent spiritual root aptitude and his position within the Falling Cloud Sect, he had already reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining, on the verge of Foundation Establishment.
In previous years, due to the war, the couple had almost completely lost letter correspondence with him. Only with the easing of tensions in recent years had they managed to re-establish contact.
Hearing this, Luo Chen could only sigh inwardly; the couple truly poured all their thoughts into that son of theirs. Even though he had never seen Xiaohu return even once over all these years—regardless of whatever reasons there might be...
"By the way, in these past few years, more than three people have failed Foundation Establishment in the Luotian Association," Murong Qinglian suddenly said.
Luo Chen chuckled. "I suppose I forgot to count your earlier failure, Sister-in-law. But now that sweetness has followed bitterness, failure was merely a stepping stone to success."
"It wasn't me," Murong Qinglian said, slowly shaking her head.
She spoke a name that caught Luo Chen completely off guard.
"It was Caiyi!"
The smile on Luo Chen's lips vanished bit by bit.
Seeing his grave expression, she let out a sigh.
"You should go see her!"
***
*Cough, cough...*
"Sister Xia, what is that commotion outside?"
Inside a warm, elegant boudoir, a brazier burned wood that emitted no harsh smoke, radiating heat that chased away the indoor chill.
Gu Caiyi leaned halfway against the headboard, looking with sleepy eyes at Feng Xia, who had hurried in from outside.
There was unmistakable joy on Feng Xia's face. But the moment she saw Gu Caiyi, she deliberately lowered her head and replaced it with a calm expression.
"It's nothing. Just a guest visiting late at night; Sister Qinglian is receiving him."
"Oh."
Gu Caiyi was thoughtful. What kind of guest could cause such a massive stir outside?
"Don't dwell on that. Rest well. Who told you to sit up?"
Feng Xia walked over and tucked the reluctant Gu Caiyi back under the blankets. She tucked in the edges firmly, as though that alone would prevent any chill from seeping through.
Gu Caiyi opened her large eyes and watched Feng Xia tending to her so tenderly.
"Sister Xia, I'm actually mostly recovered. There's no need for you to look after me every single night. Duan Feng..."
"Why bring him up? He's a grown man; it's not like he can't manage on his own. Besides, what do you mean by 'mostly recovered'? Senior Sun said you must rest quietly for several years before you can return to how you were."
"Can I really return to how I was?" Gu Caiyi murmured.
Heartaching for her, Feng Xia said, "Don't overthink it. Staying alive is more important than anything. Didn't Old Qin fail Foundation Establishment, yet he's living happily all the same? I heard he even took an apprentice in the Glow Hall recently."
"Brother Qin is different. Sister Qinglian succeeded in Foundation Establishment, and he is happier than if he had succeeded himself. But I am all alone. Even if my injuries heal in the future, I fear this cultivation of mine can't be preserved."
"Who said you're all alone? Don't you still have us friends? And besides, he also..."
"Just now... it was him who returned, wasn't it?"
The spring-warm boudoir fell silent for a long moment.
Only after quite a while did Feng Xia manage a bitter smile. "You are still so sharp. A few words and you've drawn it right out of me."
Gu Caiyi smiled faintly, a trace of relief showing on her pale face.
He was back. That was good!
Seeing her smile, Feng Xia felt an ache of exasperation rise within her.
"If only you weren't so clever, how could you have failed Foundation Establishment?"
Gu Caiyi chuckled. "Sister Xia, you're making jokes. What does failing Foundation Establishment have to do with being clever?"
Feng Xia gritted her teeth. "Senior Sun said you were already on the verge of success, but because your mind was overwhelmed with tangled thoughts, you suffered qi deviation. A single slip of attention, and all your prior efforts went down the drain, leaving you in this state..."
Gu Caiyi listened quietly.
Her mind seemed to drift back to the final moments of her secluded breakthrough attempt.
It seemed she truly had thought too much.
At the most crucial juncture, her thoughts had run wild, a stampede of emotion.
By the time she awoke, she was already like this.
In her daze, Feng Xia's crisp, bell-like voice continued to chatter beside her ear.
"Luo Chen is good to me, good to Duan Feng, good to everyone. But he shouldn't have kept you dangling like that, leading to your collapse at the final hurdle."
"He never kept me dangling. It's just that... I never had the right."
"What right or no right? If you like someone, you like them; if you don't love them, you don't. He got together with the President in secret, and it's not like there's some profound romance between them either! To put it in mortal terms, what he's doing is—"
"Sister Xia, watch your words!"
Feng Xia said with mounting emotion, "Why should I watch my words? I'd say the exact same thing to his face! If things had been settled earlier, how would it have come to this? Just like me and Duan Feng back then! You two are my best friends. Dragging things out like this will only hurt both of you!"
Gu Caiyi sighed softly.
How could cultivators be spoken of in the same breath as mortals?
Seeing that Feng Xia was about to continue, Gu Caiyi coughed lightly twice, finally cutting off her words.
"Forget it, you rest first!"
"I'll go prepare the medicinal herbs to brew for tomorrow."
"Fortunately, our Luotian Association lacks no herbs, and they're all processed to the highest standard. I don't think it will take three or four years to heal your injuries."
Watching the chattering woman walk outside, Gu Caiyi couldn't help but smile.
Sister Xia had never been this nagging before. It seemed that after getting married, she had grown increasingly motherly, losing her quiet disposition of the past.
Perhaps it also had to do with Luo Chen healing her throat.
Talking so much seemed to be her way of making up for all the words she hadn't been able to say in the first half of her life.
At the thought of Luo Chen, her smile faded, replaced by conflict.
He would probably be very busy now that he was back, wouldn't he?
Setting aside the various affairs of the Luotian Association, the mere fact that the name Danchenzi had spread throughout Tianlan Immortal City meant he would likely face an endless stream of social engagements.
So, would he come to see her?
He probably would.
He had always handled etiquette flawlessly.
Besides, she was still his friend.
Yet if he did come, how could she face him with such a haggard appearance?
Before him, she should always be the radiant, dazzling, and magnanimous Gu Dajia, not an invalid lying on a soft couch day after day.
Perhaps tomorrow she should ask Sister Xia to apply a light touch of makeup for her.
Yes, the kind where no one could tell she was wearing any.
Just as her thoughts were wandering, a voice from the courtyard made her heart tighten violently.
"Association Leader!"
***
The wind and snow had stopped at some point.
Only a bright moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the earth as bright as day.
The moment Feng Xia stepped into the courtyard, the first thing that met her eyes was that fiery red figure standing in the yard.
Clad in a crimson robe, his face still carried traces of weariness from long travels that had not yet dissipated. But his eyes were terrifyingly bright.
When had he arrived?
Could he have heard everything she said just now?
Feng Xia swallowed hard. "Association Leader, I..."
"Sister Xia, long time no see. How have you been?" Luo Chen instantly broke into a smile.
Feng Xia forced a smile. "Good, everything is good. Did you just arrive?"
"Yes." Luo Chen nodded and pointed inside. "Is Caiyi in there?"
"Yes!"
"Is she asleep?"
"Asleep... no, not yet."
"Alright, you go ahead with your business. I'll go in and say hello to her."
With that, he lifted the door curtain and stepped inside softly.
Watching his warm, jade-like back, Feng Xia unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
Though she had claimed she would dare to speak loudly even to Luo Chen's face, when she actually stood before him, the invisible pressure made it hard to speak.
They were both Foundation Establishment True Cultivators; why didn't her husband, Duan Feng, possess such an overwhelming presence?
Realm? Status? Reputation?
Feng Xia was utterly mystified.
***
"You're back?"
"Yes, I'm back," Luo Chen said calmly.
Seeing the woman struggle to sit up, he shook his head.
"Just lie down. There's no need to stand on ceremony with me."
"Pardon me, I haven't been feeling well lately," Gu Caiyi said with equal calm.
Luo Chen looked around. This room was located in a remote part of Danxia Peak, where the spiritual energy was so thin as to be virtually nonexistent. A brazier was burning vigorously, warm as summer. What should have been an extraordinarily comfortable environment felt glaringly discordant for a cultivator.
No cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining would reside in an environment with such meager spiritual energy. Nor would any cultivator light a brazier out of fear of the cold.
Were her injuries that severe?
He focused his gaze. Gu Caiyi subtly averted her eyes, and her pale complexion was largely hidden beneath her dry, black hair.
Letting out a soft sigh, Luo Chen sat down on the soft couch.
"Extend your hand."
"Hm?"
"Let me take a look."
"You know medicine too?" Gu Caiyi chuckled.
Luo Chen replied calmly, "I know a bit. I was the one who healed Sister Xia's throat, and when Sister-in-law failed Foundation Establishment back then, I treated her as well."
Realization struck Gu Caiyi, and she dubiously held out her hand.
He grasped her slender wrist; it was as thin as firewood.
Luo Chen frowned.
Gu Caiyi, who had been watching him intently, instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but could not budge his grip.
"Just lie still."
Luo Chen took a deep breath. Using a physician's familiar technique, he pinched her fair wrist, sending a wisp of gentle spiritual energy slowly along her meridians and into her body.
Yet before it had traveled even halfway, the spiritual energy was blocked.
"Hm?"
Luo Chen's brow twitched. Releasing his spiritual sense, he sent it into Gu Caiyi's body as well.
Unlike his own cultivation, where internal inspection was sweeping, unobstructed, and vast, Luo Chen's spiritual sense and spiritual power proceeded with extreme slowness.
Under his patient examination, the condition within Gu Caiyi's body was laid completely bare!
Ruined! Chaotic! Blocked!
Meridian after meridian lay in tatters, like flowers and trees shattered after a violent tempest. Snapped, destroyed, withered, swollen—there was hardly an unblemished section anywhere. The only slightly better area was a few meridians near her stomach, which seemed to have been repaired by some spiritual medicine like Meridian-Nourishing Defect-Replenishing Fluid. But it stopped there; deeper in, the medicine's efficacy could no longer sustain itself. As a result, countless meridians were tangled, crossed, and piled together in utter disarray.
Not only that, but vast and overbearing spiritual power within her surged like a breached river, washing over the surrounding ponds, fields, and cities. With no guidance and no outlet, it remained trapped inside, incessantly corroding the woman's fragile constitution.
And the culprit behind all of this was unmistakably her nearly shattered dantian!
*How could it be like this?*
*Even Sima Xian, who suffered the heaviest injuries after failing Foundation Establishment, wasn't this bad!*
*Tracing the root cause, Caiyi had clearly passed the trial of the tongue root, her female primordial yin was still intact, and she had even broken through the dantian barrier. Why did she still fail?*
*Did she fail at the step where spiritual energy scours the Twelve Primary Meridians and the Eight Extraordinary Meridians?*
*No, Caiyi had taken a Nether-Passing Pellet; her spiritual soul foundation was not weak. She should have been able to rein in that raging torrent; this step shouldn't have been so difficult.*
Countless questions surged wildly in Luo Chen's mind as he probed the depths of Gu Caiyi's injuries.
His brows furrowed deeply, lost in contemplation.
Beside his ear came a soft, trembling voice, like a frightened little creature.
"Miracle Doctor Luo, how bad is it?"
Luo Chen said calmly, "It shouldn't be a major issue. Let me take another look."
With that, he focused his concentration and once more guided his spiritual sense into her body. Not only that, but this time he also cast the Great Circle Healing Art, blending it with pure wood spiritual power to sweep over those obstructed meridians like a spring breeze bringing nourishing rain.
Stimulated by the technique, Gu Caiyi let out a muffled groan. But soon after, a comfortable sensation washed through her—warm and soothing, as if someone were gently massaging her aching, swollen meridians.
A long, long time passed.
This examination lasted considerably longer.
When he finally returned to his senses, he found a pair of eyes staring unblinkingly at him.
He lifted his eyes and said plainly, "It's a bit tricky, but nothing serious. It can be cured. Within a year at most, you will fully recover."
He spoke in an unhurried manner, sounding as though he possessed absolute confidence.
Yet to Gu Caiyi's ears, it sounded...
So familiar!
Upon hearing those words, not only did Gu Caiyi fail to smile with joy, but she felt a profound sense of loss.
She had heard words like these countless times over the past year. Everyone said so, and now he said so too. They were all merely consoling her.
"Rest well. I'll come see you again tomorrow."
Luo Chen gently tucked her withered, thin arm back beneath the blanket. Then, he moved to stand up.
Yet the moment he turned his body, his hand was caught.
He turned his face to look. Gu Caiyi, who had remained tranquil and composed ever since he stepped inside—appearing no different from how she had always been—now had two lines of clear tears streaming down from the corners of her eyes.
She did not speak. She simply stared at him, tears flowing ceaselessly.
Amidst her silence, a torrent of long-suppressed emotion surged forth unchecked.
Feelings pent up for far too long coalesced in this instant into nothing more than the strength gripping Luo Chen's hand.
That grip was not particularly strong; Luo Chen could have broken free with ease.
Yet Luo Chen felt as though she had caught hold of his very heart.
In the end, he did not pull away.
Chapter 348