"Junior Sister," Yue Zhao said after a brief hesitation, "I ran into someone on the way back."
He gave a simple summary of the encounter, then added, "It's very likely that this person is a senior from a Holy Land... and he seems to be here for you."
"Another one trying to take me as a disciple?" Yun Jin looked baffled.
Was her luck really this absurd lately?
"Another one?" Yue Zhao caught the word right away.
Yun Jin quickly waved it off. "Nothing important. Senior Brother, forget about that for now. The herbs are all here, so I need to start refining the pill immediately. If we succeed, we won't lose the upcoming Grand Sect Assembly."
Yue Zhao's expression turned serious. "Very well. I'll stand guard for you."
"No need," Yun Jin said with a secretive smile. "I've found the perfect place to refine it."
Yue Zhao looked confused.
Yun Jin chuckled. "I'm going to use the Earthfire Room. The spiritual energy there is weak, but that doesn't really matter to me. What matters is that it's soundproof, blocks out light, and offers absolute privacy."
Yue Zhao was stunned.
That actually... made sense.
Low spiritual energy? That hardly affected Yun Jin. Her cultivation didn't rely much on absorbing qi. She refined pills to progress. That flaw was meaningless to her.
The other potential issue was the ambient heat, which could disrupt most pill furnaces. But Yun Jin's furnace ran autonomously, and should be unaffected.
Set aside those limitations, and the Earthfire Room really was ideal.
It was safe, private, and perfect for refining the Butian Pill.
Without delay, Yun Jin brought her ingredients and rented the room for a full month. She didn't expect it to take that long, but better to overbook than be interrupted.
The heavy door shut behind her.
From that moment on, the room was sealed in silence and darkness. No one could see or hear what went on inside.
—
"Senior Brother, Third Brother!"
Si Wanning ran over, out of breath, eyes filled with anxious hope. "How did it go?"
"Junior Sister has already gone into seclusion to refine the pill," Yue Zhao replied.
Already?
Si Wanning's expression tensed. They had worked so hard for this one chance. Countless days spent earning points, tracking down herbs. They had never truly believed they would succeed. The Butian Pill was far too advanced.
But ever since Yun Jin arrived, that distant hope had begun to feel... possible. A Grade Three alchemist attempting a Grade Seven pill—it sounded like a myth. Yet somehow, when it was Yun Jin, it no longer felt impossible.
"No matter the result, we can't put too much pressure on her," Yue Zhao said gently.
He feared everyone was expecting too much. If she failed, the disappointment might be crushing.
Si Wanning and Yu Songnian both nodded.
"I understand," Si Wanning said softly. "Xiao Jin has only been cultivating for two months, if we're being precise. She's already worked miracles. But we can't keep expecting her to work more."
It wouldn't be fair.
Yue Zhao nodded in agreement. "All we can do now is wait."
The three of them stood silently outside the Earthfire Room for a while.
The isolation was absolute. No sound, no light, no hint of what was happening inside.
Eventually, they returned to Tianjian Peak.
—
But just as they arrived back...
Two figures stood by the lakeside, watching them.
One was an elderly man, hair white as snow but cheeks full of life, skin smooth, eyes gleaming with intelligence. The other, they all recognized—Qi Yu, the now well-known Grade Seven alchemist.
Yue Zhao's heart skipped a beat, then settled with a sense of inevitability.
So they really came.
"Oh? It's you?" Qing Yun looked at Yue Zhao with some surprise.
He clearly recognized him.
This was the same youth he'd met out at sea. Even though the boy had worn a disguise back then, it hadn't fooled Qing Yun's eyes.
"Senior." Yue Zhao bowed respectfully.
Qing Yun's gaze narrowed slightly.
There was something off about this kid.
"You already know why I'm here," Yue Zhao said calmly. "Why not come inside so we can speak in detail?"
Qing Yun nodded without much reaction. Si Wanning and Yu Songnian looked at Yue Zhao in confusion. Yue Zhao gave them a subtle shake of his head, signaling them to leave. He had spent enough time around this senior to sense that he was not someone who enjoyed unnecessary conflict.
But that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous.
People like this could destroy Tianxing Sect on a whim. Yue Zhao wouldn't let his fellow disciples take that risk. Though still worried, Si Wanning and Yu Songnian knew they'd only be in the way. They reluctantly stepped back, watching as Yue Zhao led the two men inside.
—
In the room, Yue Zhao poured tea with steady hands.
Qing Yun chuckled. "You're quite composed."
Yue Zhao offered a bitter smile. "My life or death lies in your hands. Whether I panic or not, it won't change anything. Better to face it with some dignity."
Qing Yun raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Sounds like you have something to hide. Why didn't you mention you were a disciple of Tianxing Sect before? Where is my precious disciple? You do know her, don't you?"
Yue Zhao paused for a moment before replying. "Senior, I do have some information that most people don't."
Qing Yun's eyes lit up instantly. "Speak. As long as you help me find my disciple, I won't hold the past against you."
"But I can't tell you right now," Yue Zhao said slowly.
Qing Yun's expression darkened.
Was this brat toying with him?
Yue Zhao quickly explained, "The one who's actually close to that genius girl is my junior sister. She just entered the Earthfire Room for seclusion. It might take a while. Why not wait until she emerges and ask her yourself?"
Becoming the disciple of a Grade Nine alchemist was a monumental opportunity.
But the choice still had to be Xiao Jin's.
Qing Yun frowned. "Will she really not be coming out anytime soon?"
"She won't," Yue Zhao answered honestly.
"What if I demand she come out now?" Qing Yun asked.
"Then I'm afraid you'll never get any information about that genius girl," Yue Zhao replied.
"How dare you! Are you threatening a senior?" Qi Yu barked.
Qing Yun held up a hand to stop him. He looked deeply at Yue Zhao. "Are you certain? The only way to get the information is to wait for your junior sister?"
Yue Zhao swallowed, then nodded.
Qing Yun raised his eyebrows. "Very well. Arrange a place for me to stay. I'll remain here until she emerges. The moment she does, I want to meet her."
He's... staying?
Yue Zhao was stunned.
"Is that a problem?" Qing Yun snorted. "If I do get the lead I'm hoping for, all is well. But if you're lying to me, you'll have to pay the price."
Yue Zhao could only nod and agree.
So within Tianjian Peak, Qing Yun and Qi Yu settled down quietly.
—
Inside the Earthfire Room...
Yun Jin took a deep breath, then opened the lid of her pill furnace.