Chapter Fifty-Two: The Closure of the Taifeng Residence

In a moment of utmost urgency, Liu Junhuai, submerged beneath the water, activated his minor teleportation technique. In the blink of an eye, as light and darkness shifted before him, he found himself in the outermost cave. Without pausing to use his celestial sense to scout for pursuers, he teleported again, arriving beside Bian Jizhong.

There was no time for words; he grabbed Bian Jizhong and raced out of the cave. Just as they reached the entrance, Liu Junhuai’s celestial sense detected the Soul-Eating Bats closing in. Pulling Bian Jizhong with him, he leapt off the cliff, plunging into the surging current of the great river below.

Once in the water, both men desperately dove deeper, feeling stabs of pain in their spiritual seas. Only when the discomfort faded did they find respite behind a large submerged rock. After regaining a bit of strength, they swam further downstream. Who could say how far they went before daring to surface again? Within the range of Liu Junhuai’s celestial sense, the Soul-Eating Bats were nowhere to be found, so they quickly swam to the riverbank.

Finally reaching the shore, Liu Junhuai collapsed, utterly spent. Bian Jizhong hurriedly hoisted him up and ran toward the entrance to the ninth level. The bats never caught up. Gasping for breath, Bian Jizhong asked, curiosity piqued, “Brother, what did you steal from them to make them chase you so relentlessly?”

Liu Junhuai laughed, taking out several jade boxes and tossing them to Bian Jizhong, then struggled upright and began to channel his true essence.

Bian Jizhong opened one of the jade boxes—a few feet square—and was greeted by a dense wave of spiritual energy. Inside, the box brimmed with thick, viscous spiritual liquid. Hastily closing the lid, Bian Jizhong spoke with trembling voice, “This is spiritual liquid! And so concentrated, it doesn’t even need refining—you could absorb it directly. We’ve struck it rich. Junior brother, you’re incredible!” As he spoke, he gave a thumbs-up.

After two teleportations and a desperate escape, Liu Junhuai’s essence was depleted. He waved a hand, too tired to speak, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.

More than an hour later, Liu Junhuai opened his eyes to find Bian Jizhong staring intently at him, practically nose to nose.

Liu Junhuai forced a wry smile and said, “What is it, senior brother? Are you trying to scare me, being so close?”

Bian Jizhong kept his gaze fixed. “Brother, in my life, I admire only two people—my grandfather and you. To snatch treasure out from a horde of thousands of beasts and survive, you’re the first I’ve ever heard of.”

“It wasn’t a heist, just a bit of pilfering. Sigh, I was discovered too early. Such a vast pool of spiritual liquid—what a pity,” Liu Junhuai rued, grinding his teeth.

“Enough, brother. Be content! This is plenty for us to cultivate to the Grand Completion stage. This is a treasure. The elders say ten drops can be traded for a low-grade celestial artifact,” Bian Jizhong said excitedly.

“How much is this, really? I have more. These jade boxes are all yours—if you need more, just ask,” Liu Junhuai boasted.

Bian Jizhong was astounded, then his eyes filled with deep gratitude. “Since we met, you’ve helped me from the ninth level’s stairs onward—you even saved my life. It’s my fortune, and proof that knowing you is fate. If you don’t mind, I wish to become your sworn brother, life and death bound. What do you say?”

Liu Junhuai immediately sat upright. “Senior brother, from now on you’re my eldest brother, and I’m your second.”

“Good!” Bian Jizhong said, deeply moved, grasping Liu Junhuai’s hands. “Second brother, cultivators value their word above all. Today, we swear brotherhood—if we betray, let Heaven’s thunder punish us!”

Liu Junhuai swore as required, and thunder rolled overhead—the oath was sealed.

The two sat on the ground, conversing happily.

Bian Jizhong was twenty-nine, more than twice Liu Junhuai’s age. He hailed from Bian Family Town by Mount Leshou, in Shangyu City of the Great Wan Nation. The clan was large, but few cultivators; only his grandfather was a mid-stage Nascent Soul practitioner, while his parents did not cultivate.

Bian Jizhong had grown up with his grandfather in the deep mountains, the old man gathering every resource to nurture him to the late Foundation stage.

Upon learning Liu Junhuai’s background, Bian Jizhong was indignant and vowed to join him in vengeance, but Liu Junhuai gently declined.

In truth, during their time in the cave, Bian Jizhong had tried to shield Liu Junhuai with his artifact, and Liu Junhuai had decided then he was a trustworthy companion. Twice, Bian Jizhong had willingly protected Liu Junhuai, so their mutual recognition and oath of brotherhood came naturally.

As their understanding deepened, so too did their bond.

Seeing the time for the manor’s closure approach, they made another promise to meet, and two beams of white light enveloped them, vanishing from the spot.

After teleporting out of Taifeng Manor, Liu Junhuai found himself beneath a wild mountain. Using his celestial sense, he scanned dozens of miles—no sign of people. He then flashed into Myriad Phenomena Tower.

The old steward and Mo Sitong were waiting at the door.

Seeing Liu Junhuai, Mo Sitong shyly linked arms with him.

Liu Junhuai gently stroked her hair, prompting her to scold him playfully, “You little rascal, don’t call me sister and yet dare to touch my head!” But her eyes were full of tenderness.

The old steward smiled at Liu Junhuai, “What good things did you bring back this time?”

Liu Junhuai replied, “Not many good things, but plenty in quantity!”

With a wave, a pile of jade bottles and boxes appeared before them.

The old steward opened a bottle, his expression mirroring Bian Jizhong’s earlier shock.

Excited, the steward asked, “How much spiritual liquid is there in total?”

“I don’t know—I was too busy fleeing to check!” Liu Junhuai said, pulling out the Mountain and River Gourd.

“Wow, how beautiful! Such a delicate jade gourd—is this a treasure too?” Mo Sitong reached over to snatch it.

“Come, let’s take a look inside.” Using his celestial sense to envelop the two, Liu Junhuai led them into the Mountain and River Gourd.

As soon as their feet touched the ground, the three were stunned by the sight before them.

The Mountain and River Gourd had absorbed so much spiritual liquid that it had formed a small lake dozens of yards across.

The dense spiritual energy emanating from the lake could not merge with the chaotic energy within the gourd; instead, it marked out a distinct space, projecting a pale blue dimension in midair above the lake.

This small space floated in the void, its blue hue contrasting with the gray of the chaotic energy, dividing the interior into two realms. The interplay of colors painted a surreal landscape, soothing to the soul.

“How beautiful! Junhuai, is this one of your secret spaces? How many secrets do you have?” Mo Sitong said, entranced.

Liu Junhuai was still recovering from his astonishment. He hadn’t expected the Mountain and River Gourd to absorb so much spiritual liquid in so short a time. Yet even this abundance was but a fraction of the pool in the cave; if only he’d managed to absorb it all—he was still greedily imagining it.

The old steward’s face was radiant, his smile blooming like a flower, wrinkles cresting his forehead and gradually spreading across his face. Looking at him, Liu Junhuai was reminded of an ancient tree a thousand years old.

“Steward, do you think this spiritual energy will dissipate? Should we set up a barrier array?” Liu Junhuai worried about losing the spiritual energy.

“Don’t fret, master. The chaotic energy is fiercely proud—it won’t allow the external energy to merge so easily. Besides, this is your domain; once your cultivation advances further, you can partition this space entirely. There’s no immediate concern. The important thing is to establish a spiritual herb field quickly,” the steward advised.

“That’s right! I can bring Uncle Huan to tend the herb field. He’s a healer and loves working with medicinal plants. And since he doesn’t cultivate, living here would extend his lifespan,” Liu Junhuai said joyfully.

“An excellent idea. I’d planned to help myself, but if your Uncle Huan comes, all the better. By the way, master, you should refine a few jade access tokens for easy entry and exit. Myriad Phenomena Tower only allows you to bring one person at a time, but the Mountain and River Gourd is ideal for more,” the steward said, thinking quickly.

“So, with spiritual liquid, we can cultivate inside the gourd?” Liu Junhuai asked.

“Of course, but only within the area covered by the spiritual energy. You’ll need to build pavilions and arrange a simple spirit-gathering array,” the steward replied, ever thorough.

Liu Junhuai took Mo Sitong’s hand, “Sitong, would you like to cultivate here in the future?”

“No! It’s too lonely. Myriad Phenomena Tower is much more complete. I’ve been training in the trial space these days—a bit dangerous, but far more interesting than here,” Mo Sitong answered.

“Let’s go back, then. I have more treasures to show you.” With that, the three returned to Myriad Phenomena Tower.

In the storage room, Liu Junhuai took out the golden skeleton.

The old steward examined it solemnly. “I can’t say for certain what level this golden skeleton represents, but it surely exceeds the mid-tier of the cultivation realm. Typically, only immortals have golden bones like this, but there is a heavenly restriction between the cultivation world and the immortal realm—they belong to different spatial interfaces, so an immortal could never reach here. The only explanation is that this person cultivated a unique method, thus forming golden bones.

Even so, this skeleton is extraordinarily rare. It contains intense murderous energy, and the bones are incredibly hard—excellent material for forging a puppet.

However, the puppet requires a precious activation core, and the consumption is immense. Its power is likewise formidable, depending on the skill of its maker.

The activation core can be replaced by Gold Essence Stone. When your artifact-forging skill reaches level seven or higher, you can incorporate even harder Three-Star Stone. The Three-Star Stone is the hardest substance known, though legend says only a few have ever melted it. But with your Heavenly Lotus Heart Flame, you might be able to melt a few drops.

Don’t underestimate those drops—even a small amount can double the hardness of your creations!”