Chapter 103: Zhou Yun'e Visits

Xiao Zhangqing has already figured out the system's rules.

Its criteria for recording equipment don't depend on the artifact's or treasure's grade, but on aligning with "history"—what experiences it has had, how many cultivators' lives it has been stained with.

The items he has equipped so far range from the Symbol Master's Handbook to the Enlightenment Mat, Dragon‑Cage Bracelet, Immortality Stone…

These items vary in material and grade, some high, some low, and many are broken or incomplete, far from the pinnacle.

Yet they share a common point: a strong "karmic" link with certain cultivators! So this Jade Tablet, which records the third‑tier Pill Master inheritance, because Zhu Youlong and his master never studied it deeply, treating it as a treasure, it is effectively a "brand‑new" artifact, and the system naturally cannot extract anything from it.

Of course, this Jade Tablet is not useless to Xiao Zhangqing either.

With the information recorded in the tablet, he cannot forge pills in a short time; even the most basic Unranked pills require slow learning, but he can broaden his knowledge.

For example, if he later encounters corpse‑rummaging and finds some pills or spirit medicines, he won't need to ask others for identification; he can roughly recognize them himself.

"Alchemy notes? Handbook?" Zhu Youlong was startled by the words, then laughed, "Symbol Master Xiao, don't mock me. I'm only a First‑Tier Superior alchemy practitioner; even if I have some insights, they're far inferior to the inheritance in this Jade Tablet, which is far more sophisticated and detailed. If Symbol Master Xiao is interested in alchemy, just studying the inheritance in the tablet is enough…"

Xiao Zhangqing could only give up.

Leaving the complete third‑tier Pill Master inheritance untouched while letting a First‑Tier alchemist teach him insights makes little sense.

But at that moment, Zhu Youlong suddenly said, "However, I do have an alchemy furnace that my master passed down to me years ago; its grade has reached First‑Tier Supreme, almost on par with some Second‑Tier inferior furnaces. I'll give it to Symbol Master Xiao as a keepsake."

Xiao Zhangqing felt a surge of joy and said, "How can I accept… Should I just buy Spirit Stones instead?"

Zhu Dan Shi's master was a Second‑Tier Pill Master of great renown throughout Liyang Immortal City; the furnace he passed down, used by Zhu Dan Shi himself for many years, is such a Magic Treasure that the system will most likely allow it to be equipped!

"I have little time left, I'm about to be unable to refine pills; keeping this furnace serves no purpose, and I have nowhere to spend Spirit Stones… So I'll give it to Symbol Master Xiao; perhaps it'll be useful later."

Zhu Dan Shi said, and took from his storage bag a furnace about a person's height, engraved with intricate formations; without magical energy to drive it, the furnace still gave off a faint scorching aura.

"Inside this furnace is sealed a strand of Azure Flame Spirit Fire, a component only found in Second‑Tier furnaces. Actually, when my master commissioned a forge master to craft this furnace, the goal was Second‑Tier, but flaws and mistakes in the process left it short of that grade," Zhu Youlong explained.

Xiao Zhangqing nodded.

No wonder he sensed something extraordinary inside the furnace—it was indeed sealed with a strand of spirit flame.

If the spirit flame were more abundant, it could be used as an offensive Magic Treasure to slay foes!

The Azure Flame Spirit Fire, when sufficiently abundant and properly controlled, can even burn a Foundation Establishment cultivator to death! Zhu Youlong removed his own seal from the furnace; after Xiao Zhangqing refined it, as expected, the system reacted immediately.

【First‑Tier Alchemy Furnace】

【Craftsmanship is mediocre, even crude; the only merit is that the furnace seals a strand of Second‑Tier spirit flame, giving a certain boost to pill refinement. It was once occasionally used by a Second‑Tier Pill Master, later passed to a disciple, and over decades produced hundreds of batches of First‑Tier pills…】

【Equipment Requirement: None】

【Equipment Effect: Spirit Medicine Identification, Minor First‑Tier Alchemy proficiency】

Seeing the system's description, Xiao Zhangqing was satisfied.

Minor First‑Tier Alchemy proficiency is roughly the skill of a First‑Tier Inferior alchemy practitioner.

It seems that although Zhu Dan Shi hasn't advanced to Second‑Tier in alchemy, he is already top‑notch at First‑Tier.

When Symbol Master Lu Qiu advanced to Second‑Tier Symbol Master, he gave Xiao Zhangqing his frequently used Dual‑Wing Tiger‑Hair Brush; besides boosting Symbol Path talent, its attached skill also raised Xiao Zhangqing to a First‑Tier Inferior Symbol Master.

By this logic, Zhu Dan Shi's talent in Pill Path is far weaker than Lu Qiu's in Symbol Path, but his accumulation in Pill Path is not lacking.

If his master had not been maimed by the Blood‑Crow True Person back then, and could have instructed him more, perhaps he would have already advanced to Second‑Tier Pill Master.

Moreover, this furnace, while not enhancing Pill Path talent, does grant a Spirit Medicine Identification skill.

This skill is also extremely useful for Xiao Zhangqing.

"Thank you, Zhu Dan Shi, I shall not decline your generosity."

Xiao Zhangqing placed the furnace into his storage bag, which had been upgraded recently, taken from the White‑Haired Elderly Evil Cultivator a few days earlier.

The interior space of this bag measures nearly fifteen meters in length and width, five meters in height, a capacity more than ten times that of Xiao Zhangqing's previous tiny bag; storing this person‑high furnace takes hardly any room.

"Symbol Master Xiao, you're welcome. After you return, if you try researching alchemy during this period and encounter difficulties, feel free to consult me anytime."

Zhu Youlong clearly dared not, nor had the right, to take Foundation Establishment Xiao Zhangqing as a disciple; he only hoped that the secret‑bearing Xiao Zhangqing would pass his master's line of alchemical art onward.

……

……

In the following days.

Xiao Zhangqing secluded himself in the Jia‑Yi Cave Residence, studying the newly obtained third‑tier Pill Master inheritance, and also had Lin Ziyu purchase a batch of spirit medicines, attempting to forge several batches of Gathering Spirit Pills.

Gathering Spirit Pills are the most common and popular pills among Lian Qi cultivators, used to accelerate cultivation speed.

They are also famed for low tolerance and minor side effects; taking many does not diminish efficacy nor cause negative effects such as reduced potential or increased difficulty in Foundation Establishment.

The only drawback is that they are relatively expensive.

Only a small fraction of wealthy Late Stage Lian Qi cultivators can afford to use Gathering Spirit Pills as daily medicine.

For early‑ and mid‑stage lower‑tier cultivators, even a modest household can afford one Gathering Spirit Pill per month.

For example, the previously destitute Hu Youquan, a native of Nanshan Fang with a shop front, displayed his strength in courting Zhou Yun'e by being able to consume at least one Gathering Spirit Pill per month…

After a few attempts, Xiao Zhangqing found that First‑Tier Inferior alchemy was insufficient; the Gathering Spirit Pills he produced were of mediocre quality, let alone higher‑grade pills that could aid his cultivation, so he quickly lost interest.

He now lacks the time to devote to alchemy; with that energy he would rather improve his Talisman Script craft to Second‑Tier Middle‑grade.

If he could produce Second‑Tier Middle‑grade Talisman Scripts, he could earn more Spirit Stones and it would also benefit him.

One day.

Xiao Zhangqing was in good spirits, the Lin sisters were also at home, so the three of them indulged in a carefree romp.

The sisters took the front line.

The two sisters fought side by side, taking turns.

Lin Zixi, before each battle, liked to vie for affection, full of fighting spirit, determined to win over their master Xiao Zhangqing.

As a result, she always gave up early, finishing half‑heartedly, shouting the loudest, begging for mercy the fastest, unable to endure the beating.

In contrast, elder sister Lin Ziyu was silent before the match, gentle as water, appearing weak but able to tolerate all; after Lin Zixi faltered, she took the baton, endured her temper, and let Xiao Zhangqing have his fill.

Moreover, afterwards, Lin Zixi liked to cling to Xiao Zhangqing, letting him embrace her, enjoying the post‑match warmth, showing a few coquettish gestures.

Lin Ziyu rarely did so.

Afterward she would regain her dignified demeanor, help clean up, tidy the room that had become messy from the intense battle, and the damaged furniture.

Lately the two sisters have been studying cultivation with great diligence, especially the younger sister Lin Zixi, who is determined to the point of neglecting sleep and food, hoping to soon break through the Late Stage of Lian Qi.

Afterwards, Lin Zixi curled up like a kitten in Xiao Zhangqing's arm, enjoying the warmth while recounting her recent cultivation gains and some confusions, and Xiao Zhangqing would occasionally give her a few pointers.

Although most of Xiao Zhangqing's strength comes from the skills granted by the system, his cultivation level has been genuinely improved bit by bit.

Of course, the system also gave a buff, raising his low‑grade spiritual root quality to an Earth Spirit Root! Otherwise he wouldn't have progressed so quickly, nor could he have successfully established his foundation.

Nevertheless, it was ultimately his own step‑by‑step cultivation; he also has some experience with the techniques and sensations of breaking through each layer of the Qi Refining Realm.

But whenever Lin Zixi listens to Xiao Zhangqing's "experience", it dents her confidence, and she mutters to herself: How can cultivation be so easy, improving and breaking through casually? It's clearly supposed to be death‑hard.

If she hadn't seen with her own eyes how her master's cultivation advanced step by step so rapidly, hearing someone else say that, she would surely think the person was speaking recklessly and unrealistically in front of her.

Buzz— Suddenly, the formation emitted a faint movement; someone was visiting the cave dwelling. Xiao Zhangqing's spirit sense instinctively projected outward, trying to glimpse who was visiting.

When he saw the silhouette standing outside the door, he was momentarily stunned, then let out a dry laugh: "So you finally came?"

Standing outside the cave was no one else but the very culprit who caused his previous self to be abandoned after his former companion, having grown tired of poverty and seeking wealth, found a new patron and left him—Zhou Yun'e! With a brief inference, Xiao Zhangqing understood what purpose this woman had in coming to the Jia‑yi Cave.

He still knows Zhou Yun'e fairly well.

This woman truly is akin to a high‑class green‑tea girl in the Cultivation World, or perhaps a gold‑digging woman.

Nevertheless, she is still a 'decent person', not completely without a sense of face.

Or rather, she is actually a sufficiently clever woman.

Back then at the Mu family, during Mu Renjie's birthday banquet, Mu Chunfeng deliberately staged a scene to make Xiao Zhangqing emit a burst of foul Qi, achieving a sudden insight.

At that time Zhou Yun'e realized that Xiao Zhangqing's timing was perfect, surpassing her carefully selected patron Hu Youquan.

Later, after Xiao Zhangqing became a First-rank Talisman Master, he rose to fame in the Lingfu Pavilion, his reputation soaring, gaining great renown in Nanshan Fang, worshipped by countless Scattered Cultivators as an idol, and becoming an unattainable figure for Zhou Yun'e and Hu Youquan.

Now, with Xiao Zhangqing's successful foundation establishment and his Second-rank Talisman Master status spreading, he moved into the Jia‑yi Cave and is regarded by many as the top master of Nanshan Fang.

Even though some think the head of the Cao family is the top master, it does not hinder Xiao Zhangqing's transcendental standing in Nanshan Fang.

For Zhou Yun'e, who has always wanted to make a name for herself in the Cultivation World and be adored as in the Mortal World, her inner regret is understandable.

But over the years, Zhou Yun'e managed to endure without ever mentioning it.

This shows she clearly knows Xiao Zhangqing is unlikely to change his mind, and she wishes to preserve some face for herself.

Until now, she finally did come looking for him.

The reason she finally couldn't resist coming is easy to analyze: she was at a dead end, or could no longer bear her current life and wanted something better.

Just as back then she couldn't stand being with Xiao Zhangqing, constantly scheming to find a new patron to escape the 'sea of suffering'.

"Who could it be?" Lin Zixi asked curiously.

Her spirit sense is very weak; at most she can sense within a single room, far from reaching beyond the cave dwelling.

"Someone you don't know, but your sister knows."

At the beginning of his transmigration, Xiao Zhangqing's hatred toward Zhou Yun'e and Hu Youquan was extremely intense; countless times he fantasized in his mind about how, once he became powerful, he would repay them, making the two kneel and beg for mercy…

As time passed, he gradually shifted his focus to his own strength and cultivation, paying less attention to that grudge.

Of course, he still does not cease hating.

That feeling is impossible to vanish, let alone forgive.

It's just that the gap between them is too great; he has no interest in specifically seeking revenge on the two.

As he once told Mu Chunfeng, revenge need not involve killing; destroying the heart is even more painful.

He originally intended, before leaving Nanshan Fang, to find time to thoroughly understand this hatred.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Yun'e eventually couldn't hold back and took the initiative to come to his door.

"I don't know?" Lin Zixi looked at Xiao Zhangqing's amused expression, then her mind raced, weighing the differences between the two sisters and Xiao Zhangqing's social circle…

A conclusion came quickly.

She doesn't know him, but her sister does, meaning that before she arrived at Nanshan Fang, her sister and the master were both in Peng Hu Qu, still neighbors, sharing an old acquaintance.

And that old acquaintance, which explains the master's expression and why he would come to the door, can only be…

"Master, shall I go handle it for you?" Lin Zixi said eagerly.

Xiao Zhangqing shook his head, saying, "Your sister has already gone, let her handle it."

Lin Zixi tried to get up and dress, saying, "Or let me go. I think my sister's temperament might be a bit soft, and she may not handle it well."

Xiao Zhangqing held her back, smiling, "Let your sister handle it first."

……

After the pleasure, Lin Ziyu tidied the messy room, feeling too shy to compete for affection with her sister afterwards, and went outside to tend the courtyard's spirit medicines and spirit beasts.

Sensing someone visiting the cave dwelling, she immediately went out to investigate.

When she lifted the cave's restriction and saw the figure standing outside the door, she was instantly stunned…

In a daze, she felt as if she had returned to over ten years ago, when she still lived in Peng Hu Qu.

More than ten years have passed.

Although Zhou Yun'e's years have not been good and her heart has been tormented, as a cultivator her appearance has changed little, still considered in the prime of her beauty, an icy beauty.

Even the long dress she wore was one that Lin Ziyu had seen her wear many times back in Peng Hu Qu and liked very much.

Of course it couldn't be the original, because after Zhou Yun'e left Peng Hu Qu she never returned; she was too lazy to retrieve her old belongings, all of which Xiao Zhangqing destroyed.

In an instant, Lin Ziyu thought of many things, her thoughts drifting.

When she came to herself, looking at Zhou Yun'e's cold eyes, she felt subconsciously a bit shy.

How to put it…

It felt… like being caught in the act? After all.

Back then, Zhou Yun'e and Xiao Zhangqing were Dao Partners; she was merely the beautiful neighbor's female cultivator.

Now, she has become Xiao Zhangqing's concubine, and Zhou Yun'e has become an outsider.

"How… is it you?" Lin Ziyu, after a startled awkwardness, quickly calmed down and asked.

Zhou Yun'e stared at Lin Ziyu and sized them up for half a moment.

Seeing the splendid robe Lin Ziyu wore, it was a limited‑edition from Baibao Lou, the most expensive, even the cheapest one required several hundred Spirit Stones!

After she was with Hu Youquan at the best of times, she had only bought two of Baibao Lou's most basic robes; such a limited edition was something she didn't even dare to think of, let alone try on.

There was also the hairpin on her head, also a first‑tier superior artifact, valued at several hundred Low‑grade Spirit Stones…

Boots, bracelets, necklace, even the brooch… each was a masterpiece, each something she only dared to covet in dreams.

Originally, all this should have been hers! Hers! Now, it has been stolen by this woman!

Thinking of this, Zhou Yun'e couldn't help but feel endless regret and jealousy, so her inner shame and unease were greatly dispersed.

"I want to see Xiao Zhangqing." Zhou Yun'e, after calming her complex emotions, said coldly.

She refused to let her gaze focus on the other's expensive artifacts and robes.

She didn't want to show weakness, striving to maintain the demeanor of the lady she once was in Peng Hu Qu.

Now, even the most basic robe has been taken by creditors as repayment; she can't afford a counterfeit robe, so she painstakingly made a long dress she once loved most in the Mortal World to meet Xiao Zhangqing.

"Are you looking for the master… any business? Whatever it is, I can relay it for you," Lin Ziyu, inexplicably lacking some aura, deliberated as she asked.

"I need to talk to him alone; you can't relay it!"

Zhou Yun'e's eyes widened as she stared at Lin Ziyu; at that sight she became forceful, inexplicably with a few overbearing airs, as if she were Xiao Zhangqing's person, her status higher than Lin Ziyu's.

(End of chapter)