After swallowing the Spirit Recovery Pills, she felt her spiritual power restore by half—but it was still nowhere near enough.
While pondering the problem, Nan Sining absently fiddled with her storage ring. Her senior sister and third senior brother used ordinary storage pouches, yet they had given their little junior something more precious—a storage ring. The thought made her feel both touched and bitter.
Inside the ring was a mess of belongings: clothes, food, and daily necessities. Clearly, they had worried their foolish little junior might go hungry or cold.
After rummaging for a while, her hand landed on a booklet. She pulled it out and read the cover—The Heaven and Earth Five Elements Formula. It was a basic cultivation technique.
Zhou Lixing, while channeling some of his spiritual power to Qin Sangyue, explained, “This was chosen for you by Master. You’re a five-element root. It’s hard to enter the path, and harder still to progress. Master searched long and hard before finding this method.”
Nan Sining nodded and began flipping through it.
The technique wasn’t difficult, and her master had even left revisions and notes in the margins. Such painstaking care made her heart ache. Sadly, the original Nan Sining had been a fool, only scratching its surface, and so she was still stuck at Qi Refining level two.
After studying for a while, Nan Sining slapped her thigh in excitement—she realized that if she followed her master’s revisions properly, the technique could circulate on its own!
She immediately devoured the text, reading faster and faster, until she closed her eyes on the spot and began meditating with five hearts upward.
Soon, Zhou Lixing and Qin Sangyue sensed the surrounding spiritual energy surging toward their little junior.
When she opened her eyes again, a strange glimmer shone in their black depths—she had found a solution to her lack of power!
She tossed the booklet back into the ring and said eagerly, “Third Brother, come! Let’s refine the pill again!”
Zhou Lixing admired her perseverance, though he still doubted their chances. But when he glanced at Qin Sangyue, who was barely clinging to life, he thought struggling was better than sitting idly by and watching her die.
The small furnace was set up again. Nan Sining guided the process more carefully this time, and Zhou Lixing obeyed her instructions for the fire.
When the crucial condensation stage arrived, Nan Sining inhaled deeply, closed her eyes, and sent her consciousness into the furnace. Her fingers flew through seals, her lips silently recited the pill chant, and her spiritual power poured into the mixture.
Soon, she was drained again. But this time she immediately activated the Heaven and Earth Five Elements Formula. Spiritual energy rushed into her body from all directions, racing through her meridians before flowing into the furnace through her hands.
The herbal essences fused together, pressed and reshaped by wave after wave of energy. A single clump began to take form.
It wasn’t enough yet—she had to refine further, catalyze harder. Nan Sining gritted her teeth, pouring out spiritual power without pause. Small vortices of energy even formed around her, leaving Zhou Lixing dumbfounded.
The Five Elements Formula spun wildly, greedily devouring every scrap of surrounding energy. Her aura climbed rapidly.
Zhou Lixing’s heart clenched—she was breaking through! And not just one level—she jumped three, reaching Qi Refining level five!
As the spiritual vortices faded, her body still demanded energy. Remembering the previous furnace explosion, Zhou Lixing dared not hesitate. He grabbed his storage pouch, dumping all his spirit stones around her.
The stones dissolved into powder in an instant.
He gritted his teeth only a moment, then pulled Qin Sangyue’s pouch as well, spilling every stone it held around Nan Sining.
Finally, after every last stone was spent, her draw on energy slowed.
When the resonance faded, Nan Sining slowly opened her eyes, whispering, “It’s done.”
Zhou Lixing blinked, only then noticing the dense fragrance curling around them—richer and purer than any pill he’d ever known, intoxicating to the soul.
Even Qin Sangyue, half-unconscious, stirred at the scent. In her hazy mind, she marveled: Can such a pill truly exist in the mortal realm?
Nan Sining didn’t rush to open the furnace. Instead she said, “Third Brother, bring Senior Sister here.”
Zhou Lixing carefully carried her over.
Qin Sangyue’s head lolled, unresponsive to his voice. Only the thinnest thread of life remained.
Seeing one foot already in the grave, Nan Sining wasted no time. With a flick of her hand, she lifted the lid.
Fragrant waves burst forth. From the battered little furnace floated a single gleaming pill, white and lustrous, haloed by light. Two tiny dragons of radiance coiled around it, playing like “two dragons chasing a pearl.”
Zhou Lixing stood frozen in awe.
But Nan Sining didn’t admire it. With her last strength, she flicked the pill into Qin Sangyue’s mouth.
It melted instantly, its power spreading at once.
Radiance bloomed across Qin Sangyue’s body, bathing her in a holy glow. Slowly she lifted from Zhou Lixing’s arms, sitting cross-legged in midair, serene like a celestial goddess.
Zhou Lixing gaped. Even Nan Sining was stunned—Was the pill she made really this powerful?!
At that moment, beastly roars echoed from outside. Zhou Lixing jolted back to himself and smacked his forehead. “I’ve heard—good pills don’t just attract cultivators. Even spirit beasts and demons will fight for them. That fragrance must’ve drawn many. I’ll guard outside. Little Junior Sister, you’ve exhausted yourself. Rest!”
He shoved a bottle of Spirit Recovery Pills into her hand and hurried out.
Nan Sining truly felt drained, ready to faint. But when she turned and saw Qin Sangyue glowing in sacred light, she couldn’t bear to close her eyes.
Her very first attempt at alchemy—this was the result. How could she not admire it?
If only I still had my phone—I’d record it for proof. Otherwise, who would believe me when I bragged later?
Meanwhile, Qin Sangyue’s back wound was visibly healing. The black rot faded, fresh bone and tender flesh regrew with an audible sound that made Nan Sining’s teeth ache.
Watching this miracle, Nan Sining’s heart surged with awe and pride. For the first time, she felt she had gained a true pillar of strength at her side.
Her body ached unbearably. She flopped down on the ground. As her joy and pride faded, her hatred for Luo Qingyao’s schemes returned to the forefront of her thoughts.
While we’re still in this secret realm, I must take back what’s mine. Once we leave, she’ll have protectors. Revenge won’t be so easy.
Dare to plot against me, Nan Sining? Wash your neck and wait for me!