A Mere Minor Cultivator

A figure flew through the sky above the lake, heading toward Luyou Island.

Su Wen followed beside him on a jade mirror. "Big brother, there's absolutely nothing wrong with Zhou Ning. Please don't take it to heart."

Su Yuanye's expression remained unchanged, and he said nothing.

Su Wen spoke earnestly. "It's perfectly normal for an Alchemist like him to have a somewhat stronger Divine Sense, and the pills he produces every month..."

Before she could finish, Su Yuanye suddenly asked, "Why do you think I would care about a Qi Refining cultivator?"

"So what if there's something wrong with him?"

Su Wen was startled. Confusion crossed her face at first, but then understanding dawned. "That's right. So what if there's something wrong with someone at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining?"

To her, a Qi Refining cultivator with secrets might harbor evil intentions and bring harm to the Su Household.

But what could he do to a great Foundation Establishment cultivator like Su Yuanye?

If he dared harbor ulterior motives, all it would take was a slap to kill him.

Seeing a flicker of understanding on her face, Su Yuanye added, "Ever since your branch was demoted to commoner status, it has declined considerably. I never imagined your thinking had grown narrow as well."

Their Su Household was a great Foundation Establishment clan, with Core Formation in sight. What waves could a mere Qi Refining cultivator stir up?

If he was good at alchemy, then he could spend his whole life refining pills.

All he had to do was behave himself and contribute to the Su Household.

He wanted to break through to Foundation Establishment? Heh, as if the likes of Rogue Cultivators could get their hands on a Foundation Establishment Pill!

Su Wen's face was full of shame.

But she couldn't keep her thoughts to herself and hurriedly said, "Big brother, you're right to scold me!"

"Once I reach Foundation Establishment, I'll find a Core Formation Cultivator to marry and devote myself to our Su Household!"

"What sort of Core Formation True Person do you think I'm worthy of marrying?"

Su Yuanye glanced sideways at her, taking in her ordinary features and freckles.

For a moment, he was speechless. "..."

"Little sister, there's something strange about Su Changhe. Report it to Junsong and let him decide what to do."

With that, spiritual light swirled around Su Suyuan, and he turned into an inky-black phantom, vanishing over the horizon in the blink of an eye.

Su Wen sighed. "Even big brother dodged the question and wouldn't say another word. It seems I must be exceptionally beautiful!"

Luyou Island.

Lin Qing was tinkering with a puppet when his hands suddenly stopped. He beckoned, and a voice transmission talisman drifted inside.

"Hm? Bamboo Creek Island was attacked? The Red Iron Bamboo was seized?" Lin Qing sprang to his feet.

"Impossible!"

By all rights, the Black-Scaled Rats should still have been digging their tunnels. The news hadn't reached the Han Household yet, so how had they launched a surprise attack already?

And even if they did launch a surprise attack, they wouldn't have targeted the impoverished Bamboo Creek Island, would they?

Their target should have been at least on the level of Luyou Island.

His face was full of astonishment.

After examining the voice transmission talisman closely, Lin Qing's brows drew tighter. "Alchemist Zhou? He activates talismans quickly and has considerable fighting strength?"

"He's only at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining, and they went out of their way to mention him? What a joke!"

A lousy pill refiner was only a little better than those old Spirit Plant farmers. He wasn't even fit to carry the shoes of a noble Puppet Master like Lin Qing!

"Still, after this incident, the people planted on Bamboo Creek Island are all dead. Those households should continue planting more. The Guo Household is rather interesting, though."

"Guo Changying..."

Lin Qing shook his head. "What a pity. With a wife like her, I could probably inherit all the Guo Household's spiritual materials~"

A hundred li outside Cuiwei Lake.

Guo Changying and her companions rode a flying boat past Falling Plum Valley.

It was the depths of winter, and countless plum trees bloomed in the valley, their delicate fragrance drifting through the air.

Thoughts turned in Guo Changying's mind. We gained quite a haul this time. We stripped the Su Household of all their Red Iron Bamboo. Their plan to secretly build a spirit vessel has probably come to nothing, and they'll need a few years to recover.

It's just infuriating that Alchemist Zhou relied on his talismans to kill several of our people.

If only the ancestor were still alive...

The Guo Household's ancestor had been a False Core cultivator. Back when the Lineage was weak, he had intended to retreat to Cuiwei Lake, but the Su Household had occupied it.

After being further egged on by several other households, he had let his temper get the better of him and challenged the Su Household's ancestor, Su Changshuo, to a private duel. Though he severed one of Su Changshuo's arms, he was injured as well.

Now that the ancestor was dead, the Core Formation Lei Household coveted their holdings, while the Han, Duan, and Ye Households of Forget-Return Market watched them like tigers eyeing their prey.

Though her uncle was at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, he was timid in his dealings and constantly gave way, allowing the wolfish Su Household to bite at them again.

Worse still, those three households were fanning the flames. The Guo Household could only wait to be destroyed!

In a fit of anger, the household had thrown in its lot with the Lei Household, offering charcoal in the snow.

But the Lei Household's reputation is too poor, and the Guo Household now has enemies on all sides.

Guo Changying was burning with anxiety and longed to break through to Foundation Establishment at once.

Fortunately, after joining the Lei Household, they had obtained an Azure Mystic Token.

The Azure Mystic Token was an entry contract for the Azure Ruins Secret Realm, which lay under the Azure Mystic Sect's jurisdiction. Only cultivators below Foundation Establishment were permitted to enter.

The secret realm opened once every twenty years. The Spiritual Qi inside was far richer than in the outside world, and it held the ruins of cultivators from High Antiquity. Fortuitous opportunities lay everywhere, but so did tremendous danger.

It was said that this time, the Azure Mystic Sect had struck a deal with the Myriad Peace Valley, a hostile Nascent Soul sect, and that its cultivators would also take part.

In return for their allegiance, the Lei Household had pulled strings to connect the Guo Household with a Core Formation True Person. If they could find a spiritual item for that person, their Lineage's troubles would be solved as readily as a blade splits bamboo.

There are only three years left until the Azure Ruins Secret Realm opens.

When the time comes, even the Azure Mystic Sect's True Disciples will likely take part to compete for fortuitous opportunities. Earth Spirit Roots, Variant Spirit Roots, Innate Spirit Physiques...

"I should hone my spear techniques some more," Guo Changying said, drawing her thoughts back.

Suddenly, she saw a gray shuttle flying toward them above Falling Plum Valley, moving with incredible speed.

Guo Changying drew the Canglang Spear, flicked its tip up, and pointed it straight ahead. "Halt!"

The gray shuttle stopped abruptly, and a figure in gray robes stood motionless upon it.

"Who are you?" Guo Changying's fine brows knitted slightly.

The gray-robed man removed his hood, revealing an aged face. Facing the group, he showed not the slightest fear, his features kindly and benevolent.

"I am Daoist Mu. I would like to take two pieces of Red Iron Bamboo."

Guo Changying sneered. "A dog of the Han Household thinks it's fit to bark in front of me?"

Half a month later.

Zhou Ning looked inward at the jade stone in his sea of consciousness, now completely black, and joy appeared on his face.

"After four and a half years, I can finally travel to the Land of Wei again!"

During the past half month, besides charging the jade stone, Zhou Ning had also asked Su Youyou to help reinforce the formation.

Now, even if a Foundation Establishment cultivator came in person, it could hold out for an hour.

It could withstand so much because nearly all the retainers on Bamboo Creek Island had died, leaving only Yuan Dahu and the lucky Little Li.

Even Little Die, whom Little Li loved most, had died, leaving him deeply depressed.

With fewer people, the burden on the Spirit Vein had lessened. Su Youyou had added a Spirit Gathering Formation, which barely managed to support the reinforced formation.

Zhou Ning made one final inventory of his belongings, including the eel blood and talismans, and made sure everything was in order.

He had already hung a sign on his door saying he was in seclusion. After the attack on Bamboo Creek Island, the Su Household had sent an additional hidden guard at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, who guarded the island together with Old Jia's friend Little Brother Wang.

"The Red Iron Bamboo has been swept clean. Bamboo Creek Island is no longer of any value."

"As for the only thing of value..." Zhou Ning thought carefully and suddenly realized it was him!

Zhou Ning reflected on the matter. He was kindhearted, had a good reputation, and was loved by everyone. Surely no villain would come all this way specifically for him.

In the one-in-ten-thousand chance that Bamboo Creek Island suffered a surprise attack, he could simply abandon his false body in the Land of Wei, return to this realm, and flee.

Having made up his mind, Zhou Ning had no further worries.

His gaze grew deep. "On this trip to the Land of Wei, I'll resell the eel blood, gather the Sea-Filling Pill formula and Calamity-Severing Grass, then look for a more effective Qi Refining Realm Pill Formula. If I get the chance, I'll also buy some Law Artifacts and secret techniques."

Secret techniques for soul searching and illusions would be best.

Afterward, he would return to the Land of Wei, and once he was fully prepared, find a chance to capture Su Changhe and question him about the Purple Monkey Flower...

Zhou Ning released his Divine Sense one last time, spreading it across Bamboo Creek Island.

Jia Tingwan stood outside, looking at the seclusion sign, and let out a little sigh.

"I can't refine pills today. I'll work hard tomorrow instead."

Ever since Old Jia had witnessed Alchemist Zhou's imposing manner, he had dreamed of making Wan'er an Alchemist.

He instructed her, "Since you can't watch him refine pills, think back on how Zhou Ning did it. You can get a little practice that way too."

Inside the courtyard, Zhou Ning froze when he heard that, nearly thinking the Divine Cauldron Inner Landscape Scripture had been exposed.

Jia Tingwan immediately felt stumped. "Grandpa, if there's no rice in the bowl, what am I supposed to pick up with my chopsticks?"

"Geniuses never complain about hardship!" Old Jia said sternly.

Jia Tingwan lowered her head and looked at the pointed toes of her shoes. "But I'm not a genius."

Seeing how lazy his granddaughter was, Old Jia was heartbroken. "Times are tense now. One wrong move and you could lose your life. You're neither clever nor hardworking. What are you going to do in the future?"

A little ashamed by his words, Jia Tingwan murmured, "Don't I still have you, Grandpa?"

That made Old Jia even angrier. "You're counting on me? I'm counting on you!"

Zhou Ning withdrew his Divine Sense, secretly amused.

Grandfather and granddaughter were both lying flat and letting things rot.

He hesitated no longer and drove his Divine Sense into the pitch-black jade stone!