"A little more! More, you frost-blooded brat!" Elder Huo's voice crackled like burning wood.
Hanyuan didn't waste his breath replying. He gritted his teeth, digging into his Dantian to pull out a thicker stream of Qi. He guided the energy into the cooling runes, creating a barrier of ice that hissed and steamed as it fought back the azure flames.
Elder Huo moved like a madman, his hands weaving a complex sequence of alchemy signs. He slammed his palms against the central hull of the furnace, Boom!
"Now! This is the moment! Give it everything you've got!"
Hanyuan exhaled, a long trail of frost mist leaving his lips. He funneled his remaining Qi into a final, concentrated surge. For ten minutes, he pushed past the threshold of his exhaustion, his body vibrating with the effort.
Suddenly, the pressure within the cauldron stabilized. The lid popped open with a high pitched hiss. Three sapphire-blue pills drifted out, hovering in the air. Around each pill, tiny, misty white patterns in the shape of clouds began to swirl.
"Hahaha! Success!" Elder Huo cackled, plucking the pills from the air with trembling, soot covered fingers. He looked at Hanyuan and gave a rare, hearty slap to the boy's shoulder. "You're my lucky star, brat! That idiot who tried to help yesterday couldn't even keep the temperature steady for five seconds. You've got the focus!"
Huo tossed Hanyuan a small wooden token. "Here is your reward. Fifteen merit points. Be sure to stop by the hall to collect."
Fifteen points... Hanyuan calculated. Combined with his previous seventy stones and the bits he had saved, he now had exactly eighty five Spirit Stones in total."
"Come back here in three days," Huo barked, already beginning to sweep the discarded herbal dregs from the floor. "I'm going to refine another batch, and you're the only one on this island with ice Qi that isn't as weak as a spring thaw."
"I will be here, Elder," Hanyuan replied, bowing low.
As he left the bronze building, the cool air felt like silk against his scorched skin. He walked through the main plaza toward his stone hut. His Dantian was nearly empty again, yet unlike his first visit to the forge, his vision was clear and his legs were steady. His meridians had been tempered by the extreme heat, becoming more resilient.
The plaza was unusually quiet. Many disciples were away on dangerous missions to pay for their cultivation, and others were still recovering from the brutal injuries sustained in the competition. As Hanyuan walked past a group of younger disciples whispering by a stone fountain, a name caught his ear.
"Did you hear? That bastard Zhu Feng is dead."
Hanyuan slowed his pace, his ears perking up.
"Seriously?" another disciple replied, wide eyed. "The guy who peeked at Senior Sister Mu? What happened?"
"A work disciple found his corpse in the outskirts of the forest this morning," the first one whispered, looking around to ensure no Elders were listening. "Apparently, he ate a toxic mushroom by mistake and died in the freezing cold. His body was half covered in frost."
"Is he a complete moron?" the second youth laughed darkly. "A 5th layer cultivator who doesn't know which mushrooms are safe? That's pathetic."
Hanyuan didn't join in the conversation. He continued walking, but his obsidian eyes were pensive. A poisonous mushroom? he thought skeptically. Zhu Feng was an idiot, yes, but he had survived in the sect for years. And "half covered in frost" in a forest where Mu Rongbing often trained?
He sighed, pushing the thought away.Whether by a monster, an accident, or by Mu Rongbing, a name like Zhu Feng was just a ripple on a pond.
He reached his stone hut and barred the door.He picked up the Cold Cloud Spear, the blue metal cool against his calloused palms.
With a sharp thwack, the training dummy felt the first strike of the evening.
A week of seclusion had passed. Hanyuan stepped out into the crisp morning air, his aura now as stable as the mountain beneath his feet. To his surprise, a familiar figure sat beneath the shade of a nearby willow tree.
Qin Yu looked far more vibrant than he had on the medical stretcher. He was engrossed in a book, but the rhythmic, high pressure pulse of his Water Qi signaled a full recovery.
"Brother Yu, you're finally out of the blankets?" Hanyuan called out with a smirk.
Qin Yu looked up and grinned, closing his book. "Those internal injuries were quite severe, Hanyuan. I woke up two days ago and had to spend twenty merit points on a high grade restorative pill. My Dantian finally feels like it isn't made of cracked glass."
"I was planning to ask you to return to the Myriad Herb Forest," Hanyuan said, glancing toward the misty horizons.
Qin Yu's expression turned solemn, and he shook his head. "Don't you know the news? The forest is strictly off limits to Outer Disciples for now. A Tier 3 Spirit Beast,an Ivory-Crowned Manticore,emerged from the deep zones. It's reached the Nascent Soul realm. The Sect is sending an Inner Sect Elder from the Soul Transformation stage to hunt it down soon. If we even step near the treeline, we'd be vaporized by the shockwaves."
Hanyuan's eyes widened. A Soul Transformation expert?
"I see... I suppose my luck is as bad as ever," Hanyuan sighed. "Then let's head to the cafeteria. I've been living on dry rations for days."
As they walked toward the dining hall, the chatter of other disciples filled the air. The main topic was Kong Xuan, who had successfully reached the Mortal Core stage two days prior. He had already vacated his stone hut and ascended to the Inner Sect peaks, leaving the Cloud Jade Isle behind forever.
"Today's menu: Stir-fried Spirit-Gathering Grass," the server announced.
Hanyuan handed over a spirit stone and took his portion. The dish was bright green and radiated a crisp, floral energy. When he tasted it, the flavors of sharp mint and citrus exploded on his tongue, cooling his throat and sending a steady stream of revitalizing Qi into his meridians.
"Actually," Qin Yu said between mouthfuls of food, "I'm leaving the island for a week. My clan sent a messenger. The successor to the Qin Clan is being officially declared next Wednesday."
Hanyuan paused, his chopsticks halfway to his mouth. "Family politics? I assume it's your eldest brother?"
"Most likely my second brother," Qin Yu admitted with a shrug. "He's a genius in his own right, but the Clan Patriarch requires all sons and daughters to be present for the ceremony. It's a bore, but I have no choice."
Qin Yu looked at Hanyuan, an idea striking his blue eyes. "Why don't you come with me? You've been training like a madman since we arrived. A change of pace in the Qin Clan might actually help your Mind. Besides, there's nothing but guard duty and basic drills happening here for the next month."
Hanyuan pondered for a moment. "You know... you might be right. I could use a change of scenery."
"Of course you can come!" Qin Yu beamed, then suddenly leaned in, his voice dropping to a panicked whisper. "But Hanyuan... a warning. If you meet my elder sister, be careful. She has a... 'habit.' If she sees something she considers pretty,a weapon, a jade pendant, or even a handsome face,she tries to get her hands on it, no matter the cost. She's incredibly spoiled."
Hanyuan chuckled, picturing a feminine version of Qin Yu. "Don't worry, Brother Yu."
"You say that now," Qin Yu muttered, finishing his tea. Anyway, let's go tomorrow at dawn."
They separated at the courtyards. Hanyuan entered his room, but instead of packing immediately, he picked up the Spear.