In the blink of an eye, several dozen days hurried past.
When Meinu received Liu Dongqing's acknowledgment, she carried a large wooden chest and slowly made her way up to the second floor of the bamboo tower.
Liu Dongqing was leaning beside the door and window, still clad in that thin pale-blue daoist robe, watching the first fluttering snow of early winter outside.
Only when he heard Meinu's footsteps drawing nearer did he turn at the sound and look over.
Liu Dongqing happened to see the astonishment in Meinu's eyes as she gazed at him.
Meinu had once been among the handful of people who understood most clearly what Liu Dongqing openly did.
Later came their spell battle in the barren mountains—her defeat, and then her captivity.
Her old understanding had been shattered. At that time, Meinu had already known that the moment victory and defeat were decided meant Liu Dongqing's true cultivation foundation had surpassed her own.
But precisely because this had been accurately gauged through combat, Meinu also knew that Liu Dongqing's foundation had only exceeded hers by a sliver.
At the time, Meinu had thought it was merely because Liu Dongqing's natural talent was somewhat greater than hers.
Yet after the two of them took up residence in Four Phases Valley, this understanding of hers was shattered once more.
From the moment Liu Dongqing entered the late stage of Qi Refining, over the brief span of a dozen-odd days, Meinu had almost watched, dumbstruck, as the depth of Liu Dongqing's cultivation foundation accumulated at a mad pace.
Though it was plainly already early winter, the closer she came to Liu Dongqing, the more she sensed a warmth like bathing in the spring breeze, bursting with vibrant life.
Liu Dongqing's cultivation realm clearly had not risen in any