Though she had been mildly stung by the phantom fox cat's enthusiasm, Liu Li quickly got over it. After all, she had hand-picked the creature as a gift for Yun Jin. A moment of sulking was only natural, but it passed.
Then, with a slight lift of her brow and a half-smile, she turned to look at Qing Yun and Ji Wusi. "You two wouldn't happen to be the sort of elders who come empty-handed, would you?"
Qing Yun remained perfectly composed. "How could I not prepare something? Before I even left, I already knew I'd be gaining a treasured disciple on this trip. Of course I brought a proper gift."
From the side, Yue Zhao watched and couldn't help but feel a bit emotional. He remembered how, during his first meeting with Qing Yun, the elder had said the Bishui Fruit was for his future prized disciple. Who would have thought that it would end up in Yun Jin's hands, and become the very core of the Butian Pill?
"We alchemists rely on one thing above all," Qing Yun continued. "Spiritual herbs. A clever woman cannot cook without rice, and no one can refine pills without materials. If you want to advance on the path of alchemy, practice is key. Skill comes with repetition. That principle never fails."
He drew out a storage pouch.
"This contains a wide array of herbs, from basic to high-grade. It should last you quite a while. If you need anything else for refining pills, just ask me. If nothing else, tracking down herbs is something I'm quite good at."
Yun Jin accepted the pouch without hesitation, her demeanor respectful and steady.
Qing Yun smiled again and produced a jade slip. "This holds my personal insights from years of alchemy. It's not a supreme secret manual, but it should help you avoid many detours. The path of alchemy must be walked step by step. There are also several pill formulas recorded inside. Try to study them. If anything confuses you, come to me."
"Thank you, Master," Yun Jin replied, her voice soft but sincere.
Qing Yun stroked his beard. Though a trace of regret lingered in his heart, it was mostly outweighed by satisfaction.
What he regretted was simple.
He couldn't bring Yun Jin back to Xuandan Gate and help her specialize fully in the Dao of Alchemy. Had she trained under him properly, her future could have easily reached the ninth rank, perhaps even that legendary Saint level.
But as it stood, she would still be splitting her time on swordsmanship and the Beastmaster path. Her focus would be diluted. And now that he had lingered in Tianxing Sect long enough, it was time for him to return to Xuandan Gate. He could still guide Yun Jin from afar, but it would never compare to teaching her directly.
Then again, Qing Yun thought to himself, with her intelligence and talent, did she really need someone breathing down her neck?
With that, he let go of his worries.
Finally, it was Ji Wusi's turn.
Unlike Liu Li and Qing Yun, he had left in a rush and truly had no formal gift prepared.
Still, he didn't look the least bit nervous.
Ji Wusi raised an eyebrow. "I heard that you're trying to upgrade the Tai'e Sword. That's going to take quite a few rare ores. Cang Li, go get the ones I prepared."
Cang Li froze for a moment.
Ores prepared by his master? When had that happened?
Ji Wusi shot him a look.
In a flash, Cang Li understood.
His master hadn't prepared anything, but he had. Being a part-time weapon refiner, Cang Li had a passion for collecting rare ores. His stash was quite abundant.
He quickly pulled out a storage pouch. "Junior Sister, these are ores I've gathered over the years. See if they're enough to upgrade Tai'e. If not, just tell me. I'll find more."
Ji Wusi nodded calmly. "Exactly. Just ask your senior brother. He's got nothing better to do anyway, so this'll keep him from getting bored."
Those words…
Still, Cang Li smiled as he replied, "It's true. I was just wondering how to repay some old debts."
Yun Jin accepted the pouch and gave her thanks earnestly.
Ji Wusi lifted his brow and looked over at Qing Yun and Liu Li. "So? My gift's not any worse than yours, is it?"
Qing Yun rolled his eyes. "All I see is how utterly shameless you are."
"Slander. Baseless slander," Ji Wusi said without a shred of shame.
Qing Yun had no way to argue with his longtime friend. He could only glare at him in disgust.
Each of the gifts had been prepared with care. Yun Jin put them away one by one, her expression gentle and composed, but in her heart, her feelings toward her three masters grew deeper.
Not because of what they gave her, but because of what their gifts meant.
Why had Liu Li chosen the phantom fox cat?
Because the beast came with a skill that could eavesdrop across a thousand miles. With that ability, Yun Jin could sense danger before it arrived, increasing her safety tenfold.
The herbs Qing Yun gave her leaned heavily toward spiritual energy enhancement. Her divine sense had picked up on that at a glance. If her guess was right, the formulas within that jade slip would likely include pills to strengthen one's foundation in the Golden Core and even Nascent Soul stages.
It showed his worry. He feared she was not yet strong enough to fend off ambushes. The pills and recipes he offered would let her grow quickly in power.
As for why he hadn't simply handed her ready-made pills, it was also a form of test.
Only by refining the pills herself could she hone her alchemy skills and go further along the path.
And the ores? They were to strengthen Tai'e. Strengthening her sword meant strengthening herself.
All their gifts revolved around one goal: helping her become stronger, faster.
"Xiao Jin," Ji Wusi suddenly said, his tone more serious. "I've stayed here far too long. There's a backlog of matters at the sect that needs handling. I'll be leaving soon."
Qing Yun sighed. "Same here."
Liu Li nodded. "I can't stay much longer either."
Given their statuses, it was already remarkable that they'd stayed in a small sect like Tianxing for this long. It wasn't realistic to expect them to remain here indefinitely, no matter how much they cared for Yun Jin.
"I'll handle Lin Xiao," Ji Wusi continued. "He won't be turning his gaze back to Tianxing Sect for a while. But Canglan Kingdom is still under Qingxiao Pavilion's jurisdiction. If he tries something subtle, I might not catch it in time. I can only guarantee that Qingxiao Pavilion won't strike directly."
Liu Li added, "The Beastmaster Sect is nearby. I'll be watching as well."
Qing Yun flicked his sleeve. "I've refined countless pills over the years. There are many who owe me favors. I'll have someone keeping an eye on things too."
They had their methods, but they knew very well that distance dulled intervention. They couldn't watch over Yun Jin forever.
"As for Zhao Wuji," Ji Wusi said slowly, "I can't kill him directly. If I do, Lin Xiao will come whining. He's too annoying, and I'd rather not see him for now. But in terms of power, Zhao Wuji is no longer a match for Lin Ya."
He turned toward Lin Ya. "Can you secure the Sect Master's seat within a year?"
Lin Ya almost gave a modest answer, but stopped himself.
His cultivation had fully recovered, and Qingxiao Pavilion could no longer support Zhao Wuji. There was no reason he should fail.
He straightened his back and said confidently, "Of course I can."
Ji Wusi nodded in satisfaction. "Once Zhao Wuji is dealt with, your next priority is to raise the sect's rank. Tianxing Sect is still a mid-tier sect. Its resources are scarce, and the territory is far too limited. That isn't good for growth."
He paused, then added, "Tell me, have you heard of the concept of fortune?"
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Fortune in here also can be translated and interpreted as Luck