Behind Baicao Residence lay a blessed land, nestled against the mountains and accompanied by water.
The stream was crystal clear, and the spring water tinkled. Even in the depths of winter, the grass remained lush and green, with occasional flowers in bloom.
Standing there, one felt a sense of leisure, as if they had 'climbed the mountain to watch wild waters, only to suddenly see green peaks reflected at the bottom of a pool.'
In a place of cultivation, through the methods of the immortal sect, granting a slice of midsummer to a winter's day was hardly surprising.
"Little friend Xu, what do you think of this place?"
Xu Xian looked around and nodded slightly. "It will do."
He wasn't particularly picky about the location. It just needed to be safe, quiet, and free from disturbances.
Whether this endeavor would succeed depended on human effort.
Elder Yao glanced toward the blindfolded youth. He was no stranger to Lu Yuan, but since this concerned the life and death of his most beloved junior, he didn't dare be the least bit negligent. He asked tentatively, "Is little friend Lu Yuan staying as well?"
Lu Yuan remained silent. He found a corner and sat down casually.
Xu Xian explained, "He can help with this."
Hearing this, Elder Yao's gaze shifted between the two several times before he cupped his hands in a bow. "Then I shall thank you in advance."
Lu Yuan still didn't speak.
However, Xu Xian shot him a sharp look.
Lu Yuan gave a token response. "Think nothing of it."
Elder Yao then looked at Yao Xiaoxiao. The caution and solemnity in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced entirely by doting and affection.
He reached out and gently ruffled Yao Xiaoxiao's hair, saying warmly, "Don't be afraid!"
Yao Xiaoxiao looked up, a pair of shallow dimples appearing on her cheeks. "Xiaoxiao isn't afraid."
"I have high hopes for you."
Yao Xiaoxiao waved her fist. "Don't worry, Ancestor. Your little ancestor will definitely be able to hold on."
Yao Luochen felt his heart melt as he looked at the little girl. A smile bloomed like a flower on his handsome face as he pressed down slightly with his hand. "Mm... I believe in you."
It was often said that grandparents were especially close to their grandchildren; being separated by several more generations only made that bond even tighter.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries and repeated instructions, filled with reluctance and lingering worry, Yao Luochen finally prepared to leave. He gave another solemn bow. "Little friend Xu, I leave everything to you."
Xu Xian also departed from his usual manner, saying with great gravity, "Rest assured, Elder Yao. I will do my utmost."
Elder Yao left, looking back three times with every step.
Yao Xiaoxiao waved goodbye, standing on her tiptoes to watch him go. She didn't forget to shout, "Ancestor, remember to take good care of yourself..."
Though they were in the mountains, this scene of life-and-death parting made it feel as if this goodbye might be forever.
Winter was the coldest season, yet autumn was truly the most suitable time for partings. At the end of autumn and the beginning of winter, it was hard to tell if the feeling was coldness or desolation.
Only when Elder Yao had walked far away and Yao Xiaoxiao lowered her eyes did Xu Xian speak. "Then, let's begin."
Yao Xiaoxiao returned to her cheerful self, nodding like a groundhog. "Mm-hmm, okay!"
Lu Yuan stood up nonchalantly, patted his rear, and said proactively, "I am ready whenever."
The little book spirit also appeared at some point, sitting on Xu Xian's shoulder with eyes full of excitement. "I'm ready too."
Xu Xian didn't delay any further. He chose a spot and began to cast his technique.
The plan had been prepared long ago. Last night, with Lu Yuan joining them, they had discussed it for another night. The process and the plan remained unchanged; only one of the medicinal primers had been swapped.
Though it was his first time, Xu Xian didn't dare be careless since a life was at stake. He had already simulated the process tens of thousands of times in his sea of consciousness.
The youth performed a few hand seals, and eight bright immortal-grade talisman papers flew out from his sleeves. The talismans suspended themselves before him in two rows of four.
Xu Xian bit his middle finger, concentrating spiritual energy at the tip. Using his finger as a brush, he silently recited an ancient incantation. His fingertip danced as fast as lightning.
He wrote eight characters in blood.
The top four: Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow.
The bottom four: Universe, Space, Flood, Desolation.
Once the eight characters were complete, the blood-inscribed immortal talismans radiated golden light. The youth swept his sleeve and shouted a single word.
"Go."
The eight golden talismans landed in the eight directions. Xu Xian's fingertip moved again as he uttered another word.
"Rise!"
The golden talismans dispersed, and golden light gathered to form a formation instantly. The formation wasn't large, only about ten feet wide. Standing within it, the golden radiance was so brilliant it felt like being in a divine palace.
Yao Xiaoxiao's eyes were full of admiration.
Lu Yuan also showed a look of surprise. To an outsider, this small isolation formation might not seem like much, but Lu Yuan was different. He recognized this formation.
Used on a small scale, it could isolate a single area and imprison a location—those inside couldn't leave, and those outside couldn't enter.
Used on a large scale, it could lock down an entire realm, making it forbidden even to gods.
This formation had a domineering name: the Heaven-Sealing Trapping Formation.
What did it mean? It meant this formation was powerful enough to seal the heavens. Although Xu Xian's version lacked some heat, the fact that he could use it at the soul transformation stage in a barren place like Fanzhou in the lower realm was enough to be stunning and extraordinary.
Lu Yuan gave a rare word of praise. "You've got some skill!"
Xu Xian smiled without speaking. With a wave of his sleeve, a cauldron ten feet wide crashed to the ground, standing firmly in the center of the formation.
This cauldron had been forged by Ruan Hao at Xu Xian's request. The workmanship wasn't particularly fine, but the material was actual rare immortal gold. It was incredibly tough.
Using telekinesis, Xu Xian poured spirit spring water into the cauldron and summoned a great fire. In an instant, the water was brought to a boil, and he placed all the medicinal herbs into the cauldron.
Finally, he looked at Yao Xiaoxiao and said, "Xiaoxiao, you can enter the cauldron now."
Yao Xiaoxiao blinked and said something shocking. "Little Grand-Uncle, are you going to boil me?"
It was supposed to be a serious moment, but the little girl's words left Xu Xian at a loss for words. "Uh..."
Even at a time like this, she still had the heart to joke.
Lu Yuan couldn't help but roll his eyes, thinking to himself that this girl not only had bad eyesight but also seemed a bit simple-minded.
Xu Xian didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He put on a stern face and said, "Be serious."
Yao Xiaoxiao secretly stuck out her tongue. "Just a joke!"
With that, she leaped and jumped into the water with a splash.
The fire roared, and the water surged. Yet, Yao Xiaoxiao felt no discomfort at all, her expression unchanging. She had been plagued by cold poison for nearly thirty years; she knew neither cold nor heat.
Xu Xian slowly rose into the air, hovering above the cauldron. He looked down at the girl and instructed again, "It will be very painful and will take a long time. Don't think about anything; just circulate your qi and guard your heart."
Yao Xiaoxiao nodded, hurriedly sat cross-legged in the water, and closed her eyes.
With a wave of his hand, Xu Xian summoned the Sword Tower. Because of the isolation of the Heaven-Sealing Trapping Formation, the tower appeared only thirty feet tall and wasn't detected by the outside world.
From the second floor of the Sword Tower, Xu Xian drew Yellow Spring Burial for the second time.
Instantly, the flames died down. The water that had been boiling just a moment ago froze into frost, and a faint mist rose.
"Go."
Yellow Spring Burial shot through the air and suspended itself directly above the cauldron. Under Xu Xian's control, thick death qi sank into the cauldron.
The youth sat cross-legged in the air, and the fire beneath the cauldron flared up again. He maintained the connection to Yellow Spring Burial while reciting incantations to keep the alchemical fire burning.
Upgrading a constitution and undergoing a complete transformation was like refining a pill. He relied on a special cultivation technique to condense a unique spirit fire to temper her body, while using death qi to nourish it, ultimately completing the advancement of her constitution.
She would undergo a metamorphosis through this long process.
Not long after they began, Yao Xiaoxiao, who was inside, already had her brows furrowed in a look of pain.
Seeing that the time was right, Lu Yuan also slowly rose into the air and came to the mouth of the cauldron. First, he yanked off his upper garment, revealing a fair but not particularly robust torso. Then, he extended a finger, which transformed into a sharp claw, and slashed across his chest without hesitation.
A wound opened, and blood gushed out. It dripped and splashed into the cauldron, making a sizzling sound. For a moment, blood mist, black mist, and white mist churned and mixed within the cauldron.
The fire grew more intense, and the surroundings became even colder. Yao Xiaoxiao began to let out low groans of pain...
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