Three hours later.
Wang Jianqiang walked out of the inner room, steps light and brisk.
A good while later, Dong Yue followed, her face pale and her movements weak.
"Oh right, Rou'er," Wang Jianqiang asked casually, "does the Outer Affairs Hall sell any Tier Two pill recipes?"
Dong Yue steadied herself on a chair and slowly sat down.
Hearing his words, she gave him a glare that was half reproach, half embarrassment. "You dare address a sect elder so casually now? Your courage really is growing by the day."
Wang Jianqiang grinned. "No outsiders here, are there? What's there to be afraid of?"
Dong Yue sighed helplessly, choosing not to argue that point.
"The sect strictly controls all Tier Two and above pill recipes," she said instead. "They're almost never sold openly."
"The Foundation Establishment Pill is a special exception, which is why it can be purchased—but even then, the requirements are extremely strict."
She shot him a sidelong glance. "You only got yours by going through the back door."
Wang Jianqiang just chuckled, utterly shameless.
Dong Yue shook her head again. "If you want any other Tier Two or higher recipes, you'll have to wait until you join the Inner Sect. Then you can take on sect missions and earn them as rewards."
At that, Wang Jianqiang frowned.
Sect missions had fixed rewards.
Who knew when a task offering a pill recipe might appear?
Relying on that method was way too uncertain.
Seeing the crease between his brows deepen, Dong Yue smiled softly. "Don't worry just yet. I happen to have one Tier Two low-grade pill recipe."
She turned her hand, producing a jade slip.
"This contains the formula for the Heaven Spirit Pill, a Tier Two low-grade pill used to boost cultivation."
"I picked it up at a marketplace years ago."
Wang Jianqiang's expression instantly brightened. "How much?"
"Not selling," Dong Yue said lightly. "It's a gift."
With that, she tossed the jade slip toward him.
"How could I possibly accept that?" he said—snatching it out of the air and storing it away in one smooth motion.
Dong Yue rolled her eyes.
For someone claiming embarrassment, he sure didn't waste a heartbeat putting it away.
It was as if he feared she might change her mind any second.
Seeing her flushed, exasperated expression, a mischievous gleam flashed in Wang Jianqiang's eyes—his Innate Divine Power activated instinctively.
Dong Yue's face drained of color.
"I still have to oversee the Outer Affairs Hall," she said hastily. "I'll be going. See you tomorrow."
Before he could reply, her figure flickered and vanished.
Watching her retreat, Wang Jianqiang couldn't help sighing inwardly.
So lonely, being this good.
A moment later, he recalled something and grew serious again.
He still had one more draw for an Innate Divine Power.
He closed his eyes, letting his consciousness sink into his sea of soul.
"Draw Innate Divine Power."
"Ding! Innate Divine Power draw successful.""Congratulations, host has obtained a God-Tier Innate Divine Power: Fiery Golden Eyes."
Wang Jianqiang froze.
No way…
The Fiery Golden Eyes of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong?!
Snapping back to himself, he quickly checked the system description.
Fiery Golden Eyes: God-Tier Innate Divine Power. Can pierce through illusion and perceive the essence of reality.Current Awakening Level: Initial. Can see through illusions within one major realm of the user's cultivation.
"It really is that ability…"
A wild grin spread across his face.
While the Fiery Golden Eyes didn't directly enhance combat strength, their utility was insane.
Against illusions, mirages, or illusion arrays, this power was practically a walking bug.
With it, his survivability against strange or deceptive techniques skyrocketed.
After savoring his excitement, his gaze fell on the remaining golden attribute point in the system.
He thought for a moment, then decided not to use it just yet.
Better to keep it for emergencies.
——
From that day onward, Dong Yue came to visit Wang Jianqiang every single day.
For three months straight, not once did she miss a visit.
During that time, at his request, she also helped him purchase large quantities of medicinal herbs—all ingredients for refining the Heaven Spirit Pill.
Other than spending time with Dong Yue, Wang Jianqiang devoted every waking hour to alchemy.
In one stretch, he successfully refined one thousand perfect-grade Heaven Spirit Pills.
His Cultivation Points had accumulated to 1,000.
He first spent 200 points to raise his alchemy level to Tier Two, Intermediate, then another 300 to reach Tier Two, Advanced.
——
The next day.
As usual, Wang Jianqiang and Dong Yue stepped out of the inner room one after the other.
"Rou'er," he said casually, "my alchemy has reached Tier Two Advanced as of yesterday."
By now, Dong Yue was used to his shamelessly intimate way of addressing her.After trying and failing to correct him several times, she'd simply given up.
Three months later, she barely reacted at all—until the meaning of his words registered.
"You… you actually advanced?"
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
She knew he had that so-called 'dual cultivation alchemy advancement method,' but to truly see it work so fast—it was mind-boggling.
Most alchemists spent decades, even centuries, trying to rise from Tier Two Low to Tier Two Advanced.
He'd done it in three months.
Then, as if realizing something, she blinked."Wait… you said you advanced yesterday?"
He nodded.
"Then why did you still… with me… today?"
Wang Jianqiang smiled. "A major breakthrough like this deserves to be celebrated, doesn't it?"
Dong Yue: "…"
——
A short while later, she retrieved an old-looking jade slip.
"This is the recipe for the Minor Creation Pill," she said. "An ancient formula I found in an archaic mystic realm."
"I once had it appraised by sect alchemists—it's said to have powerful restorative effects on damaged foundations. There's about a sixty percent chance it could repair mine."
"Only sixty percent?" Wang Jianqiang frowned.
"My foundation was damaged far too severely," Dong Yue said quietly. "The fact that I survived at all was pure luck. Sixty percent is already high."
He nodded, took the jade slip, and focused his mind upon it.
"Ding! Defective formula detected. Optimize and upgrade?"
His lips curved. "Yes."
"Ding! Minor Creation Pill successfully optimized into Perfect Minor Creation Pill."
In the same instant, the complete, flawless formula appeared vividly in his mind.
"These are the ingredients for the pill," Dong Yue said, producing several rare herbs with a wave of her hand.
"The materials are extremely hard to find. After years of searching, I've only managed to gather three full sets. Are you confident you can refine it?"
Her voice carried a faint trace of nervousness.
Wang Jianqiang chuckled. "Completely confident."
Relief washed over her features. "When will you begin?"
"Today."
Dong Yue froze.
Wait—He had just advanced to Tier Two Advanced yesterday, and he wanted to attempt such a difficult pill today?
"Maybe I should get you a few normal Tier Two Advanced recipes first… to practice?" she offered tentatively.
"No need," he said with an easy wave. "I never practice, and I never fail."
Ever since awakening the system, failure was a word erased from his dictionary.
Seeing his confidence, Dong Yue didn't press further.
"I'll stand guard outside, then."
With a soft farewell, her figure vanished from the room.
——
Meanwhile, deep within the Hehuan Sect's inner region—
A tranquil, luxurious area where only high-ranking members resided.
In one elegant pavilion, three women sat cross-legged in a triangle formation.
A mature beauty.A stunning woman in her prime.And a young girl with a delicate, innocent face.
Their features were eerily similar—as if they were three versions of the same person at different stages of life.
They were none other than Mu Lingxi's three incarnations.
After returning from the Cold Pool Mystic Realm, she had spent over a year refining the rare treasures she obtained there—eventually producing twelve Purified Foundation Pills.
Immediately afterward, she entered seclusion to attempt her breakthrough.
Nearly a month had passed.
At this moment, all three figures opened their eyes in unison.
Disappointment flickered across each identical face.
Another failure.