"Since Eldest Senior Brother has said so, we will naturally follow your lead," Feng Qingping was the first to voice her agreement.
Supporting his chest, Duan Xianxing patted it firmly. "Rest assured, Eldest Senior Brother! I guarantee I'll even drag Second Senior Brother along when I sleep!"
Zhu Yinxi’s jade flute nearly slipped from his hand. "..."
Li Nanzhu looked at Duan Xianxing with a complicated expression. "Seventh Senior Brother, the way you put that..."
"I’m serious!" Duan Xianxing’s face was earnest. "After all, I can’t sleep with Eldest Senior Brother right now. Other than Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother has the highest cultivation. Staying with him is the safest!"
Zhu Yinxi replied, "...I refuse."
To prevent him from saying anything else, Zhu Yinxi quickly shifted the topic. "Anyway, about tomorrow's Refining Great Competition..."
Everyone’s gaze turned simultaneously toward Jiang Yifan.
"Fourth Junior Brother," Mu Wenyan spoke up, "are you confident?"
Jiang Yifan nodded expressionlessly. "Top three."
That brief answer made everyone laugh.
They all knew that Jiang Yifan’s attainments in the dao of refining were so high that even their master, Feng Yi, was full of praise for him.
"Fourth Senior Brother will definitely take first place!" Duan Xianxing was full of confidence. "When the time comes, he’ll show those people what’s what!"
Feng Qingping, however, seemed lost in thought. "I heard that all the materials for this Refining Great Competition are provided by the Sword Heart Sect?"
"That’s right." Li Nanzhu’s eyes lit up, and she tugged on Jiang Yifan’s sleeve. "Fourth Senior Brother, this is a great opportunity!"
A hint of confusion flashed in Jiang Yifan's eyes. "A great opportunity...?"
Li Nanzhu gave a sly smile. "I remember the rules saying that contestants can take their finished products with them."
"How about..."
"Taking more materials," Jiang Yifan caught on. "Taking as much as I can carry."
"Exactly!" Li Nanzhu clapped her hands excitedly. "The Sword Heart Sect isn't on good terms with us anyway. It would be a waste not to take what we can!"
Zhu Yinxi coughed lightly. "Keep a sense of proportion."
"Don't worry, Second Senior Brother." Li Nanzhu winked. "We aren’t stealing or robbing; we’re just following the rules openly."
Feng Qingping’s eyes also brightened. "In that case, for the auxiliary competitions like alchemy and talismans..." She exchanged a look with Li Nanzhu, and both girls shared a knowing smile.
Jiang Yifan silently pulled a stack of blank jade slips from his storage bag. "I’ll make a list of materials first." Spiritual light flickered at his fingertips. "I heard the Sword Heart Sect recently acquired a batch of new materials..."
Mu Wenyan watched his juniors discuss things so enthusiastically, a slight smile curving his lips.
In the quiet of the night, Li Nanzhu sat alone by the window, sketching something on paper. Suisui crouched on the table, its soul fire reflecting the lines on the page.
"Fourth Senior Brother should like this design..." she murmured to herself, her pen gradually outlining an exquisite device.
The next morning, the competition grounds were already bustling with people.
As a highlight of the auxiliary category, the Refining Great Competition attracted many cultivators to watch.
On the field, three hundred standardized refining furnaces were arranged in neat rows. When Li Nanzhu entered, she saw a Water Moon Sect elder leading disciples to inspect each furnace.
"All the furnaces have restrictions placed on them," Feng Qingping whispered. "One can only use a basic Fire Control Technique."
Duan Xianxing clicked his tongue. "That makes the difficulty quite high!"
Li Nanzhu, however, breathed a secret sigh of relief—while uniform furnaces eliminated the possibility of cheating, they also brought contestants who relied on high-grade cauldrons to improve their success rates back to the same starting line.
This is the true meaning of the competition, Li Nanzhu thought.
Stripping away those flashy external aids and letting refining return to its purest essence—it tested a refining master's control over heat, their understanding of materials, and the intuition honed over years of practice.
Duan Xianxing leaned in and whispered, "Those sects that rely on spending spirit stones to buy high-grade furnaces are going to have a headache now."
Only such a trial was worthy of the word 'refining.'
Li Nanzhu glanced around and saw Liu Qingyang winking at her.
"Li Nanzhu!" Seeing that no one was paying him attention, Liu Qingyang quickly sneaked over. "This time, it’s all about the basics, for real!"
At some point, he had naturally stopped calling her 'Junior Sister.' Li Nanzhu actually found it more comfortable; those formal titles always made her feel awkward.
Li Nanzhu couldn't help but tease him, "What’s this? Is the great Young Sect Leader Liu actually nervous?"
"Nervous?" Liu Qingyang puffed out his chest. "We Water Moon Sect disciples have been using standardized furnaces since we were kids! As for your senior brother..."
"I believe in Fourth Senior Brother," Li Nanzhu said confidently.
Hearing this, Liu Qingyang suddenly looked left and right before lowering his voice. "Li Nanzhu, let's talk privately."
Li Nanzhu's heart skipped a beat, thinking he had important intelligence. She quickly followed him to a corner. "What is it?"
"That..." Liu Qingyang rubbed his hands together, looking uncharacteristically sheepish. "Could you do me a favor?"
"What favor?" Li Nanzhu asked, puzzled.
Liu Qingyang stole a glance at Jiang Yifan not far away, his voice dropping even lower. "Could you give me Senior Brother Jiang's contact information for his communication jade slip?"
Li Nanzhu gave him an odd look. "What do you want Fourth Senior Brother's contact info for?"
"The refining techniques of the Northern Territory Jiang family are famously unique!" Liu Qingyang's eyes shone, his speech quickening unconsciously. "I’ve wanted to ask for guidance for a long time, but never had the chance... You know, even though our Water Moon Sect is called the top refining sect, in certain special techniques..."
"You can ask him yourself, can't you?" Li Nanzhu was confused. Fourth Senior Brother was right there; why did Liu Qingyang have to come to her for contact details?
"I don't dare," Liu Qingyang said with a bitter face. "Senior Brother Jiang looks a bit too fierce..."
Li Nanzhu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It seemed Fourth Senior Brother’s brutal methods from before had truly intimidated everyone.
"Please! We have a life-and-death friendship!" Liu Qingyang began to act shamelessly, grabbing her sleeve. "I’ve provided you with so much intel! For the sake of that..."
"Business is business." Li Nanzhu gently pulled her sleeve back and shook her head. "This matter requires Fourth Senior Brother’s consent. I can’t just give out his contact info behind his back."
Liu Qingyang immediately deflated. "But..."
"You know," Li Nanzhu explained patiently, "if I were to give you his contact info rashly, it wouldn't be good for either of you..."
"I know, I know." Liu Qingyang sighed. "I just feel it’s a pity..." Suddenly he perked up again. "How about you ask him for me? Just say Liu Qingyang from the Water Moon Sect wants to ask for guidance in the dao of refining?"
Li Nanzhu was about to answer when Jiang Yifan’s voice suddenly rang in her sea of consciousness.
"Give it to him."
Li Nanzhu was startled, then realized Fourth Senior Brother had seen her predicament.
She gratefully sent a transmission back: "Thank you for your understanding, Fourth Senior Brother."
"What's wrong?" Liu Qingyang looked at her expectantly.
Li Nanzhu smiled slightly and passed Jiang Yifan’s jade slip imprint to him. "Fourth Senior Brother agreed."
"Really?!" Liu Qingyang almost jumped for joy before quickly lowering his voice again. "Thank Senior Brother Jiang for me! I promise I won't disturb him unnecessarily!"
After a few more words of thanks, he took his leave.
Seeing that no one else was paying attention to this spot, Li Nanzhu quickly returned to Jiang Yifan’s side and pulled something out.
Rate on N.U.
