After all, Kong Zhengping was an Eighth-Grade Alchemist. Following Yun Xiange's guidance, he produced eight pills in a single batch.
Six were high-grade, and two were mid-grade.
He picked one up and tasted it, finding that the medicinal efficacy of this pill was only eighty percent of a normally refined one, and the pill toxins were also slightly higher than usual.
But the pill had successfully formed.
This was merely a direction provided by Yun Xiange. This method of pill refinement could be further optimized until the quality matched those refined by normal alchemists!
The sect had a large population, with even more low-level cultivators. The pills refined most frequently on Pill Peak were not high-level ones, but rather the most basic ones like Rejuvenation Pills.
If this method proved feasible and they popularized it, those low-level disciples could open their own cauldrons to refine pills. Not only would it save them spirit stones, but it would also save the time of the Pill Sect's alchemists!
Furthermore, if those disciples went out for experiential learning and ran out of pills, they could refine their own to get through their difficulties!
Kong Zhengping thought of many things in that short moment. Looking at the young girl before him, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion, “Beili has taken a good disciple!”
Receiving praise, Yun Xiange couldn't hide the smile on her face.
Kong Zhengping continued, “I will report this method to the Sect Master. For the time being, stay on Pill Peak. I will teach you the knowledge of the Dao of Alchemy, and the two of us can study this new refining method together, how about it?”
“If this succeeds, the sect will surely reward you handsomely!”
Yun Xiange bowed to Kong Zhengping in excitement and said, “Thank you, Peak Master Kong!”
Three months later, as soon as Wen Jingshu emerged from her secluded cultivation, she heard Luo Yunting come to report, “Miss, your Third Senior Sister has been studying alchemy during this period.”
Luo Yunting briefly explained the details of the matter, then added, “Your disciple entered Pill Peak under the identity of Luo Yunting to assist them with their experiments.”
“Miss, your feelings were correct. There is indeed something fishy about your Third Senior Sister. The aura of the Heavenly Dao emanating from her soul is different from that of the Jiuhua Continent.”
Different?
Then that meant... another continent?
In the memories of the talisman cultivator Wen Jingshu, she came from the Northern Dark Continent, so she could easily accept this outcome.
However, Luo Yunting had not sensed any abnormality on her own body, which meant that the Northern Dark Continent and the Eastern Azure Continent still belonged to the same Heavenly Dao, the same continent.
Luo Yunting continued, “To put it simply, her soul might not belong to this world.”
Although the Heavenly Oracle Spirit Constitution was close to the Heavenly Dao, it was still inferior to those who calculated heavenly secrets. It could not precisely see through Yun Xiange's identity and could only judge by feeling.
Wen Jingshu nodded in contemplation.
A visitor from another world had even less reason to target her specifically.
“Miss, when did you first sense that something was wrong with her?”
Wen Jingshu thought for a moment and said, “From the very first moment I laid eyes on her.”
This time, it was Luo Yunting's turn to frown.
Who would hate a stranger for no reason at all?
Wen Jingshu also thought of the Hunyuan Bead and the incident in Jiangyuan Valley.
She had originally gone to the trading street with a casual, leisurely mindset, but Yun Xiange was also there, and she seemed to be looking for the Hunyuan Bead as well.
Then during the incident in Jiangyuan Valley, her original route would have passed by that legacy site, yet Yun Xiange had headed straight for it...
Was Yun Xiange... snatching her opportunities?
Wen Jingshu found this somewhat bizarre, or perhaps it was just a coincidence.
But there was plenty of time ahead. She would eventually have the chance to unearth the secrets within her.
The most important thing right now was to go to Talisman Peak to formally take a master.
Beili knew of her talent in talismans. Seeing that Zhou Fantong wanted to accept her as a personal disciple, he couldn't help but feel a bit proud.
Even if it was just a second master, he still gave Wen Jingshu the status of a personal disciple. His last disciple was just that outstanding!
Before she went, Li Xunzhi paid a special visit. Knowing Wen Jingshu's background, Xu Haoguang had specially given Wen Shuyi a sect token.
Li Xunzhi relied on the token to enter the sect in a low-profile manner.
“Young Mistress, this is the apprenticeship gift the Eldest Miss prepared for you, along with some artifact refining materials. She said this is only a portion, and there will be more later.”
Wen Jingshu excitedly took the storage bag and swept her gaze over it.
Seven Luminaries Stone, Five Dragon Bone, Thunderous Dark Iron, Ten-Thousand-Year Pei Wood... These were all treasures that money couldn't buy. If she had to collect them herself, who knew how long it would take, yet Wen Shuyi had delivered them in less than half a year?
Having a backer was so satisfying! Being a second-generation cultivator was so amazing!
As for the apprenticeship gift Wen Shuyi had prepared for Wen Jingshu, it was still an unadorned, simple pill.
“Let's go.”
Wen Jingshu changed into a formal robe and brought Li Xunzhi to Talisman Peak.
Zhou Fantong had long prepared the apprenticeship feast. To show respect, he had even called back all his personal disciples who were out for experiential learning.
Aside from Zhou Yuanshen, the other three personal disciples were all somewhat curious about Wen Jingshu.
“Is Little Junior Sister really only nine years old? He's just her second master, so why is our master making such a grand deal out of this?”
“No matter how high her talent is, can it be higher than Second Senior Brother's? I don't believe it anyway.”
“Could Master's and Junior Brother's words be false? Just come since you're told to. Remember, disaster comes from the mouth. The less you say, the fewer mistakes you make.”
Reprimanded by Eldest Senior Brother Gongsun Jiayu, Bai Wenxuan and Rong She shut their mouths, though they still felt deep down that Wen Jingshu was unworthy.
Zhou Fantong heard their discussion, snorted coldly, and said:
“What I do is not for you to criticize. Once the ceremony is over, you two get lost and draw five thousand third-grade high-rank talismans to compensate your Little Junior Sister.”
Zhou Yuanshen chimed in, “Little Junior Sister has a lightning spiritual root. If you want high-grade Thunder-Attracting Talismans in the future...”
Zhou Yuanshen only said half of it, but the moment Bai Wenxuan and Rong She heard the words ‘Thunder-Attracting Talisman,’ they instantly had no more objections.
After all, what cultivator wouldn't want to furiously throw a stack of Thunder-Attracting Talismans to blow people up!
Bai Wenxuan: “Aha, that was just a joke! How could five thousand talismans be enough? It has to be eight thousand!”
Rong She: “What I meant just now was that our Little Junior Sister's talent will definitely crush Second Senior Brother's!”
Zhou Fantong knew exactly what kind of people his disciples were. He snorted coldly and said nothing more.
When Wen Jingshu arrived, her senior brothers were standing perfectly straight, looking as if they were being lectured.
Zhou Fantong had assumed Wen Jingshu would come alone, or perhaps accompanied by Beili, but he hadn't expected an unfamiliar cultivator to be following her.
That cultivator's spiritual energy was deep and rich, carrying an imposing air without even trying. Zhou Fantong didn't even need to probe; based on intuition alone, he could sense that this person's cultivation was above his own.
Yet such a high-level cultivator was standing respectfully half a step behind Wen Jingshu, making the distinction between master and servant perfectly clear!
The cultivator Wen Jingshu brought along suddenly threw Zhou Fantong for a loop.
Recalling some of the cryptic things Beili had said, Zhou Fantong temporarily dismissed Zhou Yuanshen and his three senior brothers.
Seeing the four of them depart, Li Xunzhi casually set up an isolation barrier. Only then did Wen Jingshu revert to her true appearance—a delicate and adorable five-year-old toddler.
“Disciple Wen Jingshu greets Second Master.”
After Wen Jingshu bowed, she presented a white jade bottle with both hands.
Looking at the apprenticeship gift Wen Jingshu offered, Zhou Fantong was thrown for a loop once again.
Wasn't this little disciple of his just the younger sister of a Second-Grade Alchemist? How did she have the resources to prepare an apprenticeship gift for him?
Zhou Fantong looked suspiciously at the little child before him. He took the pill half-skeptically, and the moment he opened it, he sprang to his feet.
“An Eighth-Grade Barrier-Breaking Pill!?”
The very Barrier-Breaking Pill that could allow him to break through immediately upon consumption?
She didn't sell her brother to get this pill, did she??
Rate on N.U.
