Wu-Earth Tribe.
Inside the stone hall.
When Ji Yuan returned with the First Elder and Sixth Elder,
fresh spirit tea had already been prepared in the hall.
The tea fragrance curled through the air, a full grade higher than the previous cups.
A single breath of it made one feel refreshed from head to toe.
The Second Elder in golden robes and the Third Elder in blue robes remained in the northern valley, guarding the Wu-Earth Essences that had just been released.
The Fifth Elder in red robes had led people to set up the Fifth-Tier Formation anew—though this time, its range had expanded a full ten miles outward.
It left those essences ample room to move about.
Huang Tu did not enter the hall.
He had tactfully taken his leave outside. Before departing, he gave Ji Yuan a deep bow, his weathered old face filled with sincere gratitude.
Ji Yuan had saved not only the Wu-Earth Tribe, but also Huang Tu's path to Spirit Transformation.
Only three people remained in the hall.
The First Elder sat in the seat of honor, the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers embroidered on his purple robes gleaming faintly beneath the spirit pearls' light.
The Sixth Elder sat below him, his green robes immaculate and his cane resting across his knees.
Ji Yuan still sat in the guest seat. He raised his teacup and took an unhurried sip.
His expression remained calm, but inwardly, he was weighing how to begin.
The Earthcore Baleful Stone and Wu-Earth Essences were already in hand—no, more precisely, the First Elder had already made it clear in the northern valley that one Wu-Earth Essence would not be enough.
But exactly how many counted as "not enough" had yet to be revealed.
Just as Ji Yuan was considering whether to