During her breakthrough, Xiao Mengyao couldn’t help but picture a great bird bathing in blazing flames, being reborn in fire, and finally soaring high into the sky—
Just like when she broke through to the thirteenth layer of Qi Refining.
Immediately, surging spiritual energy flooded through her body, and as expected, Xiao Mengyao had broken through.
These past ten days had been nothing short of torment for Xiao Mengyao. Not to mention other hardships, even food was a struggle. Due to the terrifying heat, everything she ate felt dry as dust in her mouth.
If it weren’t for the promise of a grand feast from Ningyue-jiejie tempting her on, Xiao Mengyao would never have forced herself to eat that rock-hard dried wolf meat.
Otherwise, she might have starved to death.
However, for some reason, after breaking through, Xiao Mengyao felt as if something new had appeared in her mind.
Yet, it was as if this thing had settled deep in the recesses of her consciousness, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recall it. This left Xiao Mengyao stunned.
After all, she was still a child. After trying for a long time to no effect, she simply gave up.
Fortunately, Xiao Mengyao had succeeded in the end.
She didn’t linger a moment longer in this heat that could kill a person, and hurriedly ran out of that scorching place.
Silently watching Xiao Mengyao leave, a hidden will in the shadows seemed to hesitate, wondering whether to step forward and call out to the petite figure moving closer and closer to the cave entrance.
In the end, even after Xiao Mengyao’s figure vanished from the Mountain Cave, that will did not stop her.
Because, although this will sensed a faint trace of someone it was searching for on that figure, the aura was still different.
It wasn’t sure if this person was the one it sought—or if she was still the same person it had been searching for.
In its current state, a single mistake would mean losing its life. After much deliberation, the will decided to give up, to wait until it had more strength before investigating again.
Once Xiao Mengyao had completely left the Mountain Cave, the will lost its chance to intervene.
It then fell into slumber once more.
“Shixiong, I finally broke through.” After walking out of the Mountain Cave, Xiao Mengyao immediately spotted her senior brother and Ningyue-jiejie approaching. She dashed straight into Ye Ping’an’s arms.
“Xiao Mengyao, well done.” Ye Ping’an praised her without reservation.
Although her talent was off the charts, being able to break through to the thirteenth layer of Qi Refining meant that Xiao Mengyao’s willpower had reached a certain level—otherwise, she could never have endured that terrifying heat.
“Shixiong, now that I’ve broken through, is there any reward?” Seeing Ye Ping’an so excited, Xiao Mengyao’s eyes sparkled as she asked.
“Well then… what does Xiao Mengyao want?” Ye Ping’an was equally generous.
***
After thinking for a moment, Xiao Mengyao’s eyes suddenly lit up. Clinging to Ye Ping’an’s arm, she said excitedly, “Mm! When we get back, how about Shixiong shares a bed with me tonight!”
Ye Ping’an’s face instantly went rigid. Why does shimei still have such thoughts? Isn’t this putting my life on the line?
‘Ahem ahem’—but before Ye Ping’an could explain, Ningyue beside him coughed lightly, her expression turning unpleasant.
Ye Ping’an felt a surge of relief inside. Thankfully there’s Ningyue—she’ll surely put a stop to Xiao Mengyao’s nonsense.
Yet before Ye Ping’an could rejoice, Xiao Mengyao spun around and threw herself into Ningyue’s arms, acting spoiled as she said, “Of course, Ningyue-jiejie too!”
“Is… is that so!” In an instant, Ningyue’s unfriendly expression melted away like a spring breeze. The smile on her face was as warm as the sun in spring.
She patted Xiao Mengyao’s head, her voice brimming with joy, “Alright! Tell me what you want to eat—Ningyue-jiejie will make it all for you when we get back.”
“Hooray! I want steamed lamb, steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail, roast duck, roast chick, roast goose, marinated pork, marinated duck, soy sauce chicken…”
In just a few moments, Xiao Mengyao rattled off dozens of dish names, and showed no sign of stopping.
As for Ningyue, a sweet smile crept onto her lips as she murmured softly, “Hehe, now I have every reason to stay by Young Master’s side. Heehee.”
Seeing the harmonious scene between the two, Ye Ping’an had nothing left to say. After all, their next destination wasn’t home, but back to that Mountain Cave, to cultivate for a while longer before returning.
By the time they finally went home, two months would have passed. Ye Ping’an felt that by then, the two girls would be too busy eating to remember what they’d just said anyway.
Thus, Ye Ping’an didn’t object.
After Xiao Mengyao and Ningyue had clung to each other for a while, Ye Ping’an didn’t plan to stay any longer. He hurriedly called out to the two of them, “Alright! There’s no time to lose—let’s set off now!”
With that, the three of them once again boarded Xiao Mengyao’s flying sword and soared toward the Mountain Cave brimming with spiritual energy.
***
Just like that, by the time Ye Ping’an brought Xiao Mengyao and Ningyue back, another two months had passed.
Upon returning to the Xuanxing Sect, Ye Ping’an hadn’t even had a chance to rest before Ye Lingtian took him to his room. Then, he produced an exquisitely crafted Yuping and handed it to Ye Ping’an.
Seeing his father’s serious expression and the beautiful Yuping, Ye Ping’an couldn’t help but ask in confusion, “What’s this?”
“Zhujidan!” Ye Lingtian replied proudly.
After all, even in all of Moyou, even top sects like the Xuanxing Sect had only a pitiful number of Foundation Establishment experts.
It could be said that everyone in Moyou had set their sights on the Zhujidan.
Because as long as one broke through to Foundation Establishment, their lifespan would double—they could live to two hundred years.
To be able to obtain a Zhujidan in such difficult times—of course Ye Lingtian was proud.
“Dad, you actually managed to get one? That must have cost a lot of Spiritual Stones, right?” Ye Ping’an was stunned.
After all, the lower regions were at war, and even if you sought pills from other places, their sects would take the chance to jack up the prices.
Plus, Ye Ping’an had given most of his Spiritual Stones to his junior sister earlier, so he couldn’t help but worry about Xuanxing Sect’s finances.
Ye Lingtian waved his hand dismissively, acting as if it was nothing.
“It didn’t cost that much. This time, what they wanted was the medicinal ingredients for refining Zhujidan.”
“Though they asked for ten times the amount, compared to Lianhua Sect’s old prices, it wasn’t much higher. The Spiritual Stones were only used to buy the ingredients!”
As for where to buy them from, of course, it was from those sects who didn’t plan to go to the Feng Family.
Those sects had spiritual herbs, but not enough to request the Feng Family to act—so they could only sell them.
“Medicinal ingredients?” Ye Ping’an asked, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.
“That’s right. Lianhua Sect is right next to the Feng Family, and this time we went to the Feng Family for the ingredients.”
“They had a third-grade Dan Dao Master personally refine it. Once I finished, I came straight back.”