Temper the Heart, Sourceheart Tea

"Yes, Ancestor!"

Feng Yangu answered solemnly.

"Good. You may go."

Shen Xinghu waved a hand.

"Yes, Ancestor!"

Feng Yangu quickly departed.

"My cultivation at the Third Layer of the Nascent Soul Realm is nearing perfection. The day of my breakthrough is close at hand!"

"Azure Feather Sect, once I reach the Fourth Layer of the Nascent Soul Realm, your sect will be destroyed!"

"The title of Search Province's foremost sect shall belong to my Starwave Sect! Hahaha..."

Shen Xinghu's unrestrained laughter rang through the loft, dark and hoarse.

Night fell.

Heavenly Mist Sect.

Within the Sect.

Dongfang Muxue's loft.

Dongfang Muxue sat cross-legged, her heart as still as water. With her eyes closed and her mind focused, she cultivated the Divine Breath Pure Heart Scripture.

Whoosh!

As she circulated the Divine Breath Pure Heart Scripture, the Sect's Source Qi flowed into her body like streams.

Before long, her eyes snapped open.

"I've reached perfection already?"

"It really is a Heaven-Tier High-Grade Cultivation Method. That was a full day faster than I expected!"

Dongfang Muxue murmured with delight.

"Now that I've reached perfection, it's time to break through!"

She took out a Low-Grade Source Stone and channeled her Source Power, turning it into a drop of liquid that she drew into her body.

"One isn't enough?"

Dongfang Muxue sensed the Source Stone's power within her and asked herself the question.

"Of course. Breaking through from the Qi Refinement Third Layer to the fourth level usually takes five Low-Grade Source Stones. How could one be enough?"

"I was too confident in my Spiritual Wisdom, the Sect's Source Qi, and the Cultivation Method."

Many factors affected how many Source Stones a cultivator needed for a breakthrough: Source Qi, Spiritual Wisdom, Cultivation Methods, Heavenly Treasures... the list went on. But Dongfang Muxue had clearly overestimated herself.

She could not help laughing at herself. Taking out another Low-Grade Source Stone, she turned it to liquid, drew it into her body, and once more sensed the power within her.

"Mm... The Source Stone power is sufficient now. I should absorb and merge it, then break through!"

Dongfang Muxue closed her eyes and circulated the Divine Breath Pure Heart Scripture, beginning to merge with the Source Stone power.

Whoosh!

The Sect's Source Qi continued to pour into her body.

Boom!

Half a quarter-hour later, Dongfang Muxue's aura changed abruptly. She had successfully broken through to the Fourth Stage of Qi Refinement!

"Just as I thought. Without Mother's Runic Formation suppressing me, breaking past the Qi Refinement Third Layer was only a matter of time with my eight-star Spiritual Wisdom."

Dongfang Muxue opened her eyes and spoke calmly.

"At the Fourth Stage of Qi Refinement, I can use Object-Assisted Flight. Sigh, what a pity I don't have a weapon or tool to fly on."

"Worse, it's already late at night. I can't tell Master about my breakthrough right away."

Dongfang Muxue murmured to herself, unable to hide her disappointment.

She walked to the window, where a figure in green came into view.

Lü Liu sat upright on the Dao-Enlightenment Stone, utterly motionless. Beneath the hazy moonlight, the sight stirred Dongfang Muxue's heart.

"Lü Liu, you're as tenacious as ever. So tenacious you're almost 'stubborn'..."

Dongfang Muxue shook her head and sighed softly.

She knew about the Dao-Enlightenment Stone not because Zhang Xingfeng had told her, but because she had read about it on the stone tablet beside the Spirit-Awakening Tree.

Li Moqing had erected the tablet beside the Spirit-Awakening Tree and written down what the tree and the Dao-Enlightenment Stone did.

That way, neither he nor the other sect members would have to explain them to every newcomer.

The next day.

Heavenly Mist Sect.

Within the Sect.

The Sect Discussion Hall.

"Master, what's this..."

Zhang Xingfeng entered the hall and stared in surprise at the enormous sheet of paper hanging behind Li Moqing, covered in densely packed writing.

"The Divine Breath Pure Heart Scripture?"

A moment later, he recognized what was written on it: the Sect's Cultivation Method, the Divine Breath Pure Heart Scripture.

"Master, why have you hung the Divine Breath Pure Heart Scripture in the Discussion Hall?"

Zhang Xingfeng did not understand.

Li Moqing smiled faintly but offered no explanation.

Only important members of the Sect could enter the Sect Discussion Hall. Li Moqing had hung the Divine Breath Pure Heart Scripture there in the hope that they would learn it.

Those who learned it could then teach the other members of the Sect.

That way, Li Moqing would not have to write out another copy of the Divine Breath Pure Heart Scripture every time someone joined. Wouldn't that work him to death?

"Master, Lü Liu has been meditating on the Dao-Enlightenment Stone for almost a day. She hasn't eaten or drunk anything in all that time. I'm worried about her!"

"Master, should we bring Lü Liu something to eat?"

Dongfang Muxue entered the hall, her brows tightly knit as she asked anxiously.

"No need. If a mortal wishes to become a cultivator, their resolve must first be tested, their body made to hunger, and their life left wanting."

"If they cannot endure even this much hardship, how can they become an immortal?"

Li Moqing answered solemnly.

"Well... all right."

Dongfang Muxue reluctantly gave in.

"Hm?" Li Moqing looked Dongfang Muxue over. "Muxue, you've reached the Fourth Stage of Qi Refinement?"

"Yes, Master."

Dongfang Muxue answered quietly.

The night before, she had wanted to tell Li Moqing about her breakthrough to the Qi Refinement Third Layer at the first opportunity. Now, though, the thought had left her.

Her brows remained faintly furrowed. She was still worried about Lü Liu.

Zhang Xingfeng had meant to congratulate Dongfang Muxue, but seeing her expression, he held his tongue.

Junior Sister is already at the Fourth Stage of Qi Refinement, while I, her senior brother, am only at the second. When will I ever catch up to her?

He sighed inwardly.

Li Moqing saw Dongfang Muxue's worry and reassured her with a faint smile. "Muxue, there's no need to worry so much. I know what I'm doing."

"Sit down and have some Sourceheart Tea I prepared for you." He turned his head. "You too, Xingfeng."

"Sourceheart Tea?!"

Dongfang Muxue and Zhang Xingfeng cried out in surprise.

They looked at the small rosewood tables beside the chairs and only then noticed that two cups of tea had already been set out.

One had been drawn to the Divine Breath Pure Heart Scripture, while the other had been worried about Lü Liu, so neither had noticed.

Only when they spotted the cups did they catch the tea's fragrance. It was unusual, but pleasant.

"Is this... really Sourceheart Tea?"

Dongfang Muxue stared at the two tea leaves floating in the cup, hardly able to believe it.

For half a month after drinking Sourceheart Tea, a cultivator's cultivation speed would increase. More importantly, it could help them gain enlightenment and break through bottlenecks that had troubled them for years!

"Of course it is, Junior Sister. When has Master ever lied to us?"

Without the slightest doubt, Zhang Xingfeng eagerly took a seat.

"That's true."

Dongfang Muxue nodded lightly and sat beside Zhang Xingfeng.

"But aren't two leaves at once too many? Sourceheart Tea is so rare!"

She frowned, looking almost pained.

"That does seem like a bit much!"

Zhang Xingfeng also thought it excessive, even wasteful.

Sourceheart Tea was a rare treasure found only on Western Region Spirit Island.

And Western Region Spirit Island had just three tea trees, which produced a little over thirty thousand Sourceheart Tea leaves every hundred years!

Sourceheart Tea was therefore all but impossible to buy, no matter the price. Countless cultivators longed for it in vain!

Li Moqing had brewed two leaves at once. No wonder Dongfang Muxue and Zhang Xingfeng had reacted that way.