“Sir, your righteousness!”
The Yellow Chicken hopped around excitedly, flapping its wings and bowing again in a rather comical manner.
“Cut it out, I’m not going to be your caretaker.”
“Of course not. Leave everything else to me. As long as you’re willing to help, anything can be arranged.”
Yun Liu stroked his chin, inexplicably transformed into the new generation of the Crouching Dragon.
But this didn’t seem to conflict with his original plan at all.
Knowing when to retreat, knowing when to lay low—he hadn’t forgotten his original intention.
With that in mind, his strategy became much clearer.
Two paths: one overt, one covert.
Ji Shiyu and Xiao Xinran were undoubtedly high-growth, high-star SSR characters, each excelling in their own fields.
Ao Tian would find a way on his own.
Meanwhile, Senior Sister Qin and Junior Sister Jing were the economical and practical war gods of the early game—balanced in ability and full of cultivation potential.
Through the Path of Alchemy, they could be upgraded to even higher levels.
They were ideal candidates to be recruited into his neutral lying-flat faction, ready to wait and watch.
As for his master…
Yun Liu felt a headache coming on.
She was probably the only wild card uncontrollable by either side, a truly frightening factor.
At that moment, the Three-Leaf Dhura fruit in the boy’s arms emitted a faint glow, blooming and bearing fruit like a coiling dragon spitting pearls.
Yet Qin Xing was still focused, cultivating quietly.
“Uh!?”
No time left…
Yun Liu opened the Fangcun Object and immediately deployed the Spiritual Source Array on the spot.
The Five Elements rotated, converging the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, supporting a small Pill Tower at the center.
Plans had changed; the refining had to be completed here.
He had been preparing for this day for a long time, considering every detail thoroughly.
Success or failure would be decided in this moment!
The only problem was the emptiness in his Qi Sea.
Even with a powerful Divine Soul, it was like a skillful cook trying to make a meal without rice.
The Qi Sea reserves at the Qi Refining stage were simply too low.
He needed to prepare a large amount of Spirit-Summoning Liquid to replenish it at any time.
To achieve the effectiveness of a Third-Grade Alchemist would require an astronomical amount.
“I don’t know if I’ve prepared enough, I can only try!”
Originally, the hamster faction had intended for Senior Sister Qin to complete a series of complicated operations for safety.
But there was no time to think about that now. Even awakening her was beyond his capability.
“No worries, with Ao Tian here, just be bold and go for it!”
The Yellow Chicken flapped its wings, stretched its body, then silently dissolved, transforming into a streak of golden light that merged into the boy’s body, becoming the source of his spiritual energy in place of the Qi Sea.
Right, there was this trick too!
With this backup, Yun Liu’s spirit surged.
He swiftly placed the Three-Leaf Dhura into the furnace.
Sun rose and set, stars shifted.
What was supposed to be a few days’ work stretched into half a month at Canglang Gorge without him noticing.
Throughout this time, Qin Cha had been guarding the place, pacing back and forth.
When Senior Sister finally awoke, all she saw was the Pill Tower and instantly guessed that the Three-Leaf Dhura had prematurely fruited—there was no time to wait for her.
Early arrival was not as good as arriving at the right moment.
Qin Cha was worried sick, helpless, not daring to enter and disturb, yet afraid her Junior Brother wouldn’t make it through.
Her divine sense couldn’t penetrate the sturdy walls of the alchemy room.
What if Xiao Yun fainted inside?
Three more days.
Three more days waiting.
She had to take a look inside!
Night fell over the cold river.
A full moon hung high, the water reflecting silken white, turbulent and surging.
Qin Xing suddenly opened her eyes, as if sensing something.
Countless particles of light scattered like fireflies, gathering above the Five Elements Spiritual Source Array, where strange phenomena began to manifest.
The mighty river’s flow shifted from its original path, no longer bound by the earth, floating upward, surging into the sky.
Numerous fish swam through it, following a celestial path straight to the moon, creating a spectacular and unbelievable scene.
This abnormality triggered a drastic change in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
The effect gathered in the western borders of the Zhusheng Dynasty, and the entire East Pole Province could sense the emergence of a Heaven-Tier Treasure Material.
Given the scale, it had to be a Third or Fourth Grade Heaven-Tier Spiritual Treasure.
“Did it succeed?”
Qin Yao covered her red lips, bursting with joy.
Just as Senior Sister rejoiced, a ray of moonlight descended from the sky, like a sword’s edge slicing through the white water pathway, sharply intercepting the flow.
The river’s water fell in midair, crashing with a roar onto the ground, shattering into waves that washed the riverbanks.
“How could this happen?”
Qin Xing’s face turned deathly pale as the phenomenon abruptly ended. Was the last step a failure?
At the same time, the Pill Tower opened, and the white-clad boy strolled out, growing thinner, his eyes bloodshot, stubbled and haggard, utterly exhausted. Without care, he retracted the array and alchemy room.
The small bird on his shoulder yawned, sleepy, burrowing into the boy’s hair.
The two had been worn out these days.
“Junior Brother, are you… alright?”
Qin Xing stepped forward to support him, her expression gloomy, more pained than he looked.
Yun Liu’s spiritual aura had completely vanished, worse than before, as if all his cultivation had been exhausted and he had become mortal.
“I’m fine. It’s not suitable to stay here long. The birth of Heaven-Tier materials will attract many unnecessary troubles, even fanatical Demonic Spirits.”
Looking around, the boy could almost foresee all factions swarming to Canglang Gorge soon.
Qin Cha nodded, drawing her sword to fly away from this sorrowful place.
This time, the green light slowed its pace.
Yun Liu sat in front, Qin Xiang behind, wrapping her arms tightly around her Junior Brother, seemingly trying to offer some warmth.
Yun Liu said nothing, but inside, he must have felt very sad.
They were so close to success—such a pity!
Originally, he had agreed to help refine the Reversion Pill, but in the end, he was useless.
If she had been just a bit stronger, perhaps this Heavenly Dao Pill Refining would have succeeded.
Thinking of this, Qin Yao almost cried, heart aching terribly.
“Victory and defeat are common in war. Junior Brother, don’t be discouraged. We still have several Dhura fruits left. Next time, we will surely succeed!”
Senior Sister forced a smile, gently comforting the boy.
A Third-Grade Heavenly Dao Alchemist only one step away—at this age, it was worthy of pride in the world.
Qin Cha quietly planned: even if it meant going broke, she would help Yun Liu find more spiritual materials at Little Gold Grotto to refine the Reversion Pill again.
With the experience of failure, next time would definitely succeed.
“Ah? Hmm, okay.”
Yun Liu was stunned for a moment, thinking Senior Sister must have misunderstood.
He smiled knowingly and pulled a dark pearl from his pocket, pressing it to the Yellow Chicken’s beak.
The bloodstained pearl emitted a strong aura of water and wind demonic energy.
It was the Black Serpent Core, a peak Third Realm demonic pill—an excellent tonic for Spirit Beasts.
“Is this okay?”
While saying that, Ao Tian the lord was unapologetically greedy, swallowing the Half-Dragon Core whole and patting his belly, completely satisfied.
“If it weren’t for you, this would’ve been a total disaster. I’m not an ungrateful person.”
Ao Tian nodded and squinted his eyes, going back to sleep.
He really needed to rest well in Shiyu’s Jiwo.
Yun Liu looked at the peaceful girl resting on his shoulder, his gaze growing softer.
Her eyes were slightly red, holding him tightly, still worried for him.
It made her even more moving, and he couldn’t help but want to look at her a little longer.
After waking, many things filled his mind, as if he had gained a second prophetic vision.
It was chaotic, so he kept viewing the world from a god’s-eye perspective.
But until today, after repairing his broken body, he had completely rewritten the shadow of the “future.”
Yun Liu’s mindset also changed—he was suddenly awake, freed from his demonic delusions.
To Senior Sister Qin and the others, this was no game, but a real world.
They had blood and flesh, joys and sorrows, living people—not cold tasks waiting for discovery, nor should they be measured by their value.
Just like his former self…
Even without a protagonist’s halo, they could be the heroes of their own stories, walk their own paths, and refuse to be stepping stones for others.
“Qin Sister.”
“Hm?”
“What do you think of me?”
“Eh? Why do you ask that?”
Qin Cha rubbed her eyes, dumbfounded for a moment.
She gently ruffled the boy’s hair and said softly, “Junior Brother, you’re the best boy I’ve ever met. Don’t be discouraged or belittle yourself over a moment’s mistake.”
Yun Liu blinked and teased, “Then… if someone as good as me invited you to join me in a very important task, a big life event! Would you agree?”
Ehhhhh!?
High above, the green-clad girl’s heart raced, inexplicably nervous, her lovely face flushed bright red.
Could it be… this kind of thing… at a time like this!?
“Y-you say it.”
Yun Liu gazed at the night sky but was thinking of his own grand dream.
He nodded, then shook his head.
“Never mind. You probably wouldn’t say yes. I won’t put you in a difficult position.”
Asking a Golden Core stage Senior Sister to abandon her master and sect to elope with him would be unjust, no different than cruel parents.
“You haven’t asked yet! How do you know I wouldn’t say yes?”
Usually calm and composed, Clear Mist Peak’s Senior Sister suddenly grew anxious and hurriedly pressed him.
Say it!
Say it quickly!
Ahhh, I hate when people speak halfway!
“I won’t say it now. When things settle down, I’ll invite you again. In this state, I really have no face to ask.”
Yun Liu referred to the perfect resume he was about to submit.
The Radiant Heaven Tower of Shanhai Pavilion strictly followed the Game Rules, making it the most rigorous and safest place in the Misty Realm.
Once accepted, an offer would surely come.
He would wait until he got promoted, raised his salary, and reached the peak of Background NPC status before inviting the adorable Senior Sister to join his faction… it wouldn’t be too late.
If he couldn’t even offer the treatment of Rosy Fragrance Pavilion, wouldn’t it be embarrassing to poach the Lady Boss?
“Hmph, teasing your sister? Asking for a beating, huh!”
Qin Cha pretended to hit him but secretly felt sweetness bloom.
She had a thousand, ten thousand “I’m willing”s ready to burst out.
What’s wrong with looking like this?
What’s bad about it?
After all, he was a boy.
The stubborn pride of a Junior Brother was quite endearing too.
“Little Junior Auntie always has very high expectations for disciples of the Heavenly Phenomenon. Although it’s for your own good, she often scares people away for no reason. I think you’re already excellent.”
“You don’t have to put so much pressure on yourself all the time. If healing doesn’t work out, there are other paths. Your achievements in the Path of Alchemy are unmatched by others!”
Qin Xing bowed her head to her chest, softly encouraging, hinting for Junior Brother to be brave.
But Yun Liu shook his head, curling his lips.
“Who said I failed?”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.