After leaving White Camel Temple, Chen Shi'an immediately sank his awareness into his mind and discovered that the Saintly Dao Stele and his Mind Power had reappeared.
He silently counted himself lucky. Had the Saintly Dao Stele not intervened in time, his identity as a mind cultivator would certainly have been exposed.
This also put him on his guard. The methods of mind cultivation were formless and colorless, difficult to defend against. Whenever he encountered a Mind Master in the future, he would have to stay doubly alert.
In the days that followed, Chen Shi'an devoted all his time outside cultivation to studying alchemy.
To help him improve his alchemy as quickly as possible, Hong Qingliu granted him numerous privileges outright.
For instance, all the Spirit Herbs he purchased from the sect's treasury for pill refining were half price.
For instance, using the communal Alchemy Room to refine pills was free.
Chen Shi'an accepted all these privileges, refusing none.
Day after day passed, and his alchemy improved steadily and rapidly.
Meanwhile, he still visited the Sacred Martial Dynasty's border every three days to purchase Spirit Herbs, then met with Mo Wuyang to pass along information.
Hong Qingliu had offered more than once to lighten his burden by assigning someone else to purchase the Spirit Herbs.
Chen Shi'an remained adamant, refusing each time with various reasons and guaranteeing that it would never interfere with improving his alchemy.
With no way to persuade him, Hong Qingliu could only let the matter drop.
In a flash, another month passed.
Over at Windrise Stronghold, with the help of vast numbers of refugees, the Great City had taken its basic shape, and walls had been erected on all four sides.
The walls were tall and thick, and an array of formidable defensive weapons