Jìn Bǎo continued, voice steady, "I met people who do not run from life. People who walk forward even when death is at their back. People who chase the sky instead of hiding beneath the earth."
His fists tightened.
"And I want to walk that path with them, not to be left behind them."
For a long moment, Madam Jin simply watched him.
Then she smiled, warm and relieved and proud.
"So, where do you intend to go?"
"East," Jìn Bǎo replied. "The Eastern Frontier. It is chaotic enough to temper oneself and rich with resources to fuel my training. If I do not grow now, I will never catch up."
Madam Jin reached out and touched his cheek gently.
"You have always been talented," she said softly. "But fear held you back. I am glad you finally wish to stand on your own."
She leaned forward and kissed his forehead like she had when he was a child.
"Go, my son. I will prepare everything you need. Just promise me you will return alive."
A rare seriousness flashed in Jìn Bǎo's eyes.
"I will, Mother."
For once, there was no joke to follow.
Tonight, he was not the playful young master of a merchant clan.
He was a youth ready to step onto the path of cultivation in earnest.
In a distant shared courtyard, moonlight drifted across twin silhouettes sitting quietly on the pavilion steps.
Yu Lianxue exhaled a long breath while Yu Lianyan hugged her knees and stared at the sky.
Both had remained silent for a long time.
At last, Yu Lianyan spoke, her voice barely above a whisper:
"We will see him again, right?"
Yu Lianxue turned to her, meeting her sister's anxious gaze.
She took Yu Lianyan's hand and held it tightly.
Using every bit of her strength, she nodded. "Yes. We will."
Yu Lianyan bit her lip, yet the reassurance softened the tension in her eyes.
Silence returned, gentler and warmer than before.
Lianxue's gaze drifted over the courtyard, soft and distant.
"Our goal here is almost complete," she whispered. "We should return soon."
Her eyes darkened, emotions shifting beneath the surface.
"Who would have thought we would find him here?"
Neither spoke after that.
But both understood the truth:
Their paths were about to diverge once more.
The moment Chu Feng stepped into Han Long's courtyard, the old man's eyes opened slowly.
He studied Chu Feng from head to toe, observing his spirit.
Finally, Han Long nodded in satisfaction.
"Turning misfortune into fortune."
Chu Feng cupped his fists. "Master, I came because I want to venture out. But before that, I wish to study alchemy properly. I hope to receive your guidance."
Han Long snorted.
"About time."
He set his flask aside.
"You are smart and cunning, but you lack one thing... Edge."
Chu Feng remained silent, attentive.
"You want to temper yourself? Then go to the Northern Border," Han Long said. "Join the army."
Chu Feng lifted a brow.
"The atmosphere there is suitable to temper yourself. That place either forges people into steel or melts them into waste, and it also has countless herbs for alchemy practice."
Han Long shrugged.
"Two birds, one stone."
Chu Feng nodded slowly.
Han Long smirked.
"One more thing."
He leaned forward.
"A true cultivator grows by walking at the edge of death. If you want to defy the heavens, you must learn to survive without leaning on external power."
"Only the strength you forge yourself is truly yours."
Chu Feng lowered his head respectfully.
"I understand."
Han Long picked up his flask again.
"Need an alchemy cauldron?"
"No, Master."
Han Long burst into laughter.
"Good. You learn fast."
Chu Feng's mouth twitched.
What he wanted to say was that he already had one from the secret realm, but he kept the thought to himself.
Han Long waved a hand.
Chu Feng cupped his fists once more.
Then he turned and left.
The next day,
When Chu Feng stepped into the beginner alchemy classroom, something unexpected happened.
The room was already full—but not with new alchemy students.
It was packed with female disciples. Beautiful ones from every peak.
The moment he walked in, dozens of heads turned simultaneously.
Whispers erupted immediately.
"Th-that's Chu Feng!"
"He's even more handsome in person!"
"Is he seriously taking alchemy?!"
"Is… is he smiling? He's smiling, right?!"
"No, he's just breathing—still counts!"
The instructor froze, herbal diagram in hand.
Chu Feng blinked, expression calm.
He simply took a seat.
A girl fainted.
The instructor finally snapped out of it.
"A-hem! Quiet down! This is a class, not a performance!"
Still, the soft murmurs never ceased.
Chu Feng ignored everything and focused on the lesson.
When the instructor began explaining the basics of fire control, he memorised every word. When she demonstrated herb patterns, he analysed their structure instantly. Having already studied the alchemy atlas and following the breakthrough of his consciousness, Chu Feng's mind now processed and analysed things faster than ever before.
Up in the rafters, Han Long watched with a lazy grin.
"This brat might just surprise the entire continent."
The beginner alchemy hall buzzed with excitement every morning.
Word had already spread:
"Chu Feng is attending alchemy again today!"
The hall was so crowded that even outer-hall girls slipped in, claiming they "wanted to learn the medicinal path."The instructor stood at the front, smiling stiffly, clearly overwhelmed by the sudden surge of interest.
Chu Feng entered.
Instant silence.
Then—
"Waaaah! He's here again! This is the second week, and he hasn't missed a class!"
"He's really serious about alchemy! So dedicated… so handsome!"
"Shh! Don't scare him away!"
The former Jìn Bǎo would have thrived in this chaos. Unfortunately or fortunately for the instructor, he was not here.
Chu Feng simply nodded at the teacher and took his seat.
The faintest curve of his lips made a girl two rows back clutch her chest dramatically.
"He smiled at me…"
The instructor clapped loudly.
"Today, we begin practical refinement. Each of you will attempt a basic Spirit-Calming Pill. Explosions are normal as this is your first try, but please avoid levelling the classroom."
Cauldrons were distributed.
Chu Feng placed his on the platform and lit the flame.