Mysterious Woman, Cautious Lu Nan

Fang Rongxuan's dormitory was easy to find, and he had told Lu Nan about it beforehand.

Thus, Lu Nan found it quickly and happened to run into Fang Rongxuan just as he was about to leave.

"Senior Brother Fang!!!"

Hearing the shout, Fang Rongxuan turned around. "Junior Brother Lu?"

"Senior Brother Fang, are you..." Lu Nan hurried to his side.

Fang Rongxuan smiled and explained, "I took on a sect mission with some other Senior Brothers."

"But why are you here??"

Hearing this, Lu Nan did not beat around the bush and directly took out the three bottles of pills Fu Ye had given him.

"I wanted to trouble Senior Brother to help me see whether there's anything wrong with these three bottles of pills."

As he spoke, he handed the medicine bottles to Fang Rongxuan.

"What pills??" Fang Rongxuan took the bottles and carefully poured one out.

A crimson-red pill entered his sight. "Body Tempering Pill??"

Lu Nan nodded. "Yes! Two bottles of Body Tempering Pills and one bottle of Qi Condensation Pills!"

"Qi Condensation Pills??" Fang Rongxuan was astonished. These were things that could only be taken during the Qi Condensation stage.

Lu Nan was only at the seventh layer of Body Tempering. How did he have such a thing??

Though puzzled, Fang Rongxuan did not ask where they had come from.

Instead, he carefully examined the pills in his hand. After a while, he had thoroughly inspected every single one.

"From what I can tell at my current level, there's nothing wrong with these pills!"

Fang Rongxuan put all the pills back into their bottles and returned them to Lu Nan.

"Whew..." Lu Nan sighed in relief at his words.

He reached out and accepted the two bottles of pills, then saw the puzzled look on Fang Rongxuan's face.

He chuckled. "Actually, Junior Brother has another favor to ask of Senior Brother!"

Fang Rongxuan looked at the Qi Condensation Pills in his hand, then at Lu Nan.

One of his brows rose. "What is it??"

"It's like this—I'm quite interested in Alchemy.

I've read quite a few related books, but without an Alchemy Furnace, I have no way to put it into practice."

"Junior Brother wants an Alchemy Furnace??" Fang Rongxuan asked with a smile.

Lu Nan nodded repeatedly. "Yes! Yes! Can Senior Brother get one??"

"I can, but its grade won't be very high!!"

"Then I'll have to trouble Senior Brother!

It's a pity the Body Tempering Pills are useless to Senior Brother..." Lu Nan said somewhat embarrassedly.

Fang Rongxuan smiled at that. "With this bottle of Qi Condensation Pills, I've already gained a huge advantage.

Don't worry. I'll take care of the Alchemy Furnace!!"

"Thank you, Senior Brother! Then I won't disturb Senior Brother any longer!!"

"Alright! I'll deliver the Alchemy Furnace to the Book Collection Pavilion when the time comes!!" Fang Rongxuan nodded.

"I'll trouble Senior Brother!" After clasping his fists in salute, Lu Nan turned and left.

Watching his departing back, Fang Rongxuan tucked the medicine bottles into the Brocade Pouch at his waist.

Then he quickly headed toward the Mission Hall.

After returning to his room and securely closing the doors and windows, Lu Nan sat cross-legged and took out the two bottles of Body Tempering Pills.

Only after inspecting them carefully once more did he toss them into his mouth.

One after another, until every last pill had been consumed.

"Whew..." After an unknown amount of time, Lu Nan slowly opened his eyes.

A glint flashed through them. As he sensed the state of his body,

disappointment inevitably appeared on his face. "Why haven't I broken through yet?"

The resources he had consumed would probably have allowed anyone else to reach the second or third layer of Qi Refining already.

Yet for him, even breaking through into the Qi Refining stage was immensely difficult.

"A Low-grade Spiritual Root really hurts like hell!!"

He stood up helplessly and took a moment to adjust.

A sharp glint flashed in Lu Nan's eyes. Though he had not broken through,

he could clearly sense that his strength had increased by quite a bit again.

"About two-tenths..."

"Looks like I need to step up my resource gathering!!!" As he muttered, Lu Nan took out the materials prepared by the Spirit Treasure Pavilion.

He planned to try and inscribe all one hundred Talismans today.

But just as he got started, he remembered his duty at the Book Collection Pavilion.

Though there were few people at the Book Collection Pavilion, if he abandoned his post for too long,

he would still be punished if discovered.

Thinking of this, Lu Nan hastily packed up and hurried toward the Book Collection Pavilion.

Fortunately, no one came to the Book Collection Pavilion today either.

This allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief as he quickly entered the Scripture Pavilion.

He swiftly checked his surroundings. After confirming there was nothing unusual,

Lu Nan returned to his post, though he did not sit idle.

He took out Snow Chant and the materials from his storage bag, then began inscribing.

"Whew... Finally finished!!" After an unknown amount of time, Lu Nan set down Snow Chant.

Looking at the Talismans on the table, which gave off a faint glow, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

He then stretched his body and casually looked up. "Holy shit... You... when did you get here??"

Not far in front of him stood an incomparably beautiful woman in white robes, watching him with great interest.

The woman ignored Lu Nan's question.

Instead, she walked straight up to him, picked up the Speed Talisman he had just drawn, and examined it.

Then she looked up at Lu Nan. "Are you a newly admitted disciple from this batch? What's your name???"

"Who are you!! How come you didn't make a sound when you walked??" Lu Nan snapped back to his senses and said irritably.

"Give me back my Talisman!!" Seeing that the woman posed no apparent threat, he reached out to snatch it back.

But the Mysterious Woman easily dodged him. "You haven't answered my question yet!"

"Yes, yes!! Hurry and give the Talisman back to me!"

At that, the Mysterious Woman waved her delicate hand and returned the Talisman to him.

Lu Nan quickly caught it and put it into his storage bag.

As he sighed in relief, he finally carefully examined the Mysterious Woman before him.

At first glance, he could not help becoming somewhat entranced. He had to admit that she was the most beautiful woman he had seen since crossing over.

Her features were peerlessly beautiful, and her figure was even more fiery.

Curves where there should be curves, fullness where there should be fullness—even her loose white robe could not conceal it.

Seeming to notice her furrowed brows, Lu Nan quickly came back to himself.

"Sorry! Sorry!! Junior Brother has been disrespectful!!!"

Then he added, "Does Senior Sister need any help?"

The Mysterious Woman did not answer and continued asking, "What's your name??"

Lu Nan froze. Looking into the woman's clear eyes, he answered instinctively, "Lu Nan!!"

The Mysterious Woman nodded slightly, then vanished before Lu Nan's astonished eyes.

"Gasp... Could she be a Foundation Establishment expert??"

Looking at the woman who had disappeared, Lu Nan could not help sucking in a cold breath.

While filled with longing, he also felt lingering fear.

He had been too absorbed in inscribing just now and had not even noticed someone approaching.

Fortunately, that woman bore no ill intent. Otherwise, the consequences would have been too dreadful to contemplate.

Lu Nan swept his gaze over the silent Scripture Pavilion, shook his head, and looked at the sky.

It was time to close up, so he quickly shut the main doors.

Then he rushed back to his room...

At the same time, atop Sect Master Peak of the Azure Lotus Sword Sect.

Su Wan, who had been practicing sword techniques, suddenly stopped and looked toward the white-robed figure that had abruptly appeared beside her. She respectfully saluted. "Master!"

The white-robed figure nodded. "How has your comprehension of the Azure Lotus Sword Technique been??"

"This disciple is dull-witted and has only comprehended one or two forms." Su Wan looked ashamed.

"Show me!!"

Bright moonlight shone down, revealing the face of the white-robed figure.

She was none other than the Mysterious Woman who had appeared earlier in the Book Collection Pavilion.