The yard remained quiet beneath the pale moonlight.
Cold wind drifted softly through the grass while distant night insects chirped beyond the village houses.
Lian still sat beside the heavy basket of spirit beast meat, breathing unevenly from exhaustion.
Yet his eyes remained fixed on the ground where the enormous clam had disappeared.
No trace remained.
Nothing.
As though the giant spirit beast had never existed at all.
Then—
the earth shifted slightly.
A faint ripple spread across the soil.
And slowly—
the white lizard emerged upward from beneath the ground once more.
Completely unharmed.
Completely calm.
Moonlight reflected softly across his white scales while loose traces of dirt slid harmlessly from his body.
Lian stared blankly.
"…You really just went underground…"
The lizard floated slightly higher before answering calmly,
"It is hidden now."
Lian blinked.
"…That's it?"
The boy looked toward the earth again.
Then toward the floating lizard.
Then back toward the ground.
His thoughts became increasingly chaotic.
Lizarius truly felt capable of almost anything.
Invisibility.
Flight.
Control over water.
Blue flames beneath an underground lake.
Moving giant monsters through the air.
Splitting apart spirit beasts effortlessly.
And now—
burying entire creatures beneath the earth as though sinking stones into mud.
Lian muttered quietly beneath his breath,
"…Just how strong are you…"
The lizard tilted his head slightly.
"Stronger than you."
Lian's face twitched immediately.
"…I already figured that part out."
His mother stood nearby silently watching the two of them.
Even now—
she still struggled to fully comprehend everything she had witnessed tonight.
To her—
the white lizard truly resembled an immortal creature from ancient legends.
Meanwhile—
Lian's thoughts continued spinning wildly beneath the moonlight.
Techniques.
Abilities.
Elements.
The more he thought about everything Lizarius had displayed—
the less human the creature seemed.
Not merely powerful.
But fundamentally different.
As though the world itself behaved differently around him.
Then—
without warning—
the white lizard suddenly vanished.
No flash.
No sound.
No distortion.
One moment he floated there beneath the moonlight—
the next—
only empty air remained.
Lian blinked.
"…Huh?"
His mother instinctively looked around afterward.
"…Where did the immortal go?"
Lian quickly straightened before calling out softly,
"…Master Lizarius?"
No answer came.
He tried again.
"…Lizarius?"
Still nothing.
Only cold wind drifted quietly through the yard.
Silence.
Lian awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.
"…Looks like he already left."
His mother slowly nodded.
"…Of course."
"To beings like that… they probably have important matters beyond remaining in a small village."
Lian laughed faintly.
"…Yeah."
Though somehow—
the silence afterward felt strange again.
Empty.
Like something familiar had suddenly disappeared.
The realization itself made him pause briefly.
Then he quickly shook his head.
"…Anyway."
His gaze immediately shifted around the yard nervously.
"We should go inside before somebody notices anything."
His mother finally seemed to remember the enormous basket beside him.
"…R-Right."
Lian bent down with a grunt before lifting the heavy basket of spirit beast meat once more.
Dense spiritual energy leaking from inside made the surrounding air feel faintly cold.
"…This thing is ridiculously heavy…"
His mother quickly moved over to help steady it while the two hurried back toward the house together.
Soon afterward—
the wooden door shut quietly behind them.
Outside—
the yard returned to silence beneath the pale moonlight.
Wind drifted softly through the grass.
Night insects chirped somewhere beyond the distant village homes.
Nothing moved.
Nothing spoke.
Only darkness remained.
Then—
far beyond the small house—
hidden within the shadows between nearby trees—
a pair of eyes slowly narrowed.
Watching.
Silent.
Patient.
The figure had seen everything.
The floating creature.
The glowing treasures.
The giant clam.
And the impossible disappearance beneath the earth itself.
Moonlight briefly reflected across the figure's eyes before darkness swallowed them once more.
Inside the small wooden house—
warm lantern light flickered softly against the walls while cold night wind whispered faintly beyond the windows.
The heavy basket of spirit beast meat now rested near the corner of the room, still releasing traces of dense spiritual energy into the air.
Lian carefully lowered it onto the floor with a tired exhale.
"…Finally."
His arms still ached from carrying it.
His mother stood nearby watching nervously.
Even after everything—
her eyes still occasionally drifted toward the windows, as though expecting another impossible creature to appear outside at any moment.
Lian noticed immediately.
"…Mom."
She looked toward him.
"You should rest."
Her expression tightened faintly.
"…What if that immortal returns?"
Lian scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"…Then he returns."
"He's not dangerous."
Mostly.
Probably.
His mother still looked uncertain.
But exhaustion had already begun catching up to her heavily.
Three months of grief and sleepless fear could not disappear instantly.
Eventually—
after several quiet moments—
she slowly nodded.
"…Alright…"
"But don't disappear again while I'm asleep."
Lian softened slightly.
"…I won't."
She hesitated one final moment before finally lying down upon the bed.
Exhaustion claimed her quickly afterward.
Within minutes—
her breathing gradually steadied.
Asleep at last.
Lian quietly watched her for a moment beneath the dim lantern light.
Then slowly turned away.
His expression shifted immediately afterward.
Serious now.
Careful.
He crouched beside his bundled coat and slowly removed the glowing Condensed Water Pearls hidden inside.
Blue light immediately spilled softly across the room.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then the Water Essence Stones followed afterward.
Cold spiritual energy spread faintly through the house.
Lian swallowed slightly.
"…These things are terrifying…"
Not because they looked dangerous—
but because of their value.
Enough to destroy the entire village.
Even now—
those words still echoed inside his head.
Carefully—
he glanced toward his sleeping mother.
Then toward the door.
Then the windows.
Still closed.
Still quiet.
Only afterward did he finally move.
Lian quietly dragged a wooden chair beneath the center of the house.
Then carefully climbed onto the table, trying not to make noise.
The wooden ceiling above consisted of rough beams and narrow storage gaps occasionally used for dried herbs or winter supplies.
Not perfect.
But hidden enough.
"…This is the only place I can think of…"
Carefully—
he pushed the wrapped pearls and Water Essence Stones upward into the dark space above the ceiling beams.
The blue glow vanished into shadow afterward.
Lian slowly exhaled in relief.
"At least for now…"
Then he carefully climbed back down before returning everything to normal.
Chair back in place.
Table straightened.
No visible traces left behind.
Only after checking everything several times did he finally relax slightly.
The boy moved toward the far corner of the room afterward before slowly sitting down against the wall.
Silence settled quietly around him.
For the first time since returning home—
he finally had a moment to think properly.
First Stage Spirit Refining.
Even now, the realization still felt unreal.
Lian slowly looked down at his hands.
He could feel the difference clearly now.
Subtle—
but undeniable.
His body no longer felt constantly exhausted.
His breathing felt lighter.
His senses sharper.
Even the lantern flame across the room appeared clearer than before.
The faint sounds outside—
the wind.
The insects.
Even distant footsteps somewhere within the village—
all felt far more noticeable now.
Lian quietly circulated spiritual energy through his body once.
A faint warmth spread through his meridians immediately.
Stable.
Real.
He had truly become a cultivator.
Even if only at the lowest stage.
The boy lowered his gaze quietly afterward.
Village Head Wa Shi's granddaughter had cultivated for years just to reach this realm.
Meanwhile—
he had reached it in only three months.
His fingers tightened slightly.
Not because his talent was extraordinary.
He already understood the truth clearly.
Without Lizarius—
he might truly have needed years.
Perhaps even longer.
The dense spiritual lake.
The cultivation environment.
The spirit beast meat.
The guidance.
Even the pills.
Everything had come from that strange white lizard.
Lian slowly exhaled.
"…I'm really lucky I met him…"
The words came quietly.
Honestly.
Then he paused slightly afterward.
Because somehow—
thinking Lizarius had truly left earlier had genuinely bothered him.
That realization felt strange.
The creature constantly terrified him.
Yet…
the thought of never seeing him again had felt unexpectedly empty.
Lian leaned his head back against the wall afterward.
His eyes slowly drifted toward the ceiling.
"…Master…"
he muttered absentmindedly.
Then softly laughed to himself.
"…Even though he keeps denying it…"
The room remained quiet beneath the flickering lantern light.
Outside—
the night slowly deepened around the sleeping village.
---
## The Next Morning
Morning sunlight filtered softly through the wooden windows of the small house.
The cold heaviness that had lingered there for months felt noticeably lighter now.
Lantern smoke drifted lazily upward while the rich aroma of cooked spirit beast meat filled the room completely.
Lian sat near the table eating rapidly.
Far too rapidly.
His mother watched from nearby while carefully stirring another pot over the fire.
"…There's still more left."
Lian barely looked up.
"That's good."
He stuffed another piece of clam meat into his mouth before speaking through it.
"We should eat as much as possible."
His mother sighed helplessly.
"…Slow down first."
But Lian immediately shook his head.
"My master said the longer spiritual meat sits around, the weaker the effect becomes."
He swallowed quickly before pointing toward the pot.
"So we should eat it while the spiritual energy is strongest."
His mother hesitated slightly afterward.
Then quietly pushed most of the remaining bowl toward him instead.
"…Then you should eat more."
"It'll help your cultivation."
Lian immediately frowned.
"…What about you?"
"I don't need it."
"You do."
His mother blinked slightly.
Lian continued seriously.
"There's still a lot left."
"And once Master Lizarius comes back, he can probably just get more anyway."
The confidence in his voice sounded completely unreasonable.
Yet somehow—
after everything she had witnessed—
it no longer felt impossible.
Lian pointed toward the bowl again.
"And he said it'll help your body too."
"So eat."
His mother looked conflicted for a moment.
Then finally smiled faintly before taking another piece herself.
"…Alright."
Lian nodded in satisfaction before immediately returning to devouring food again.
The spirit beast meat truly tasted incredible.
Rich.
Tender.
Warm spiritual energy spread through his body with every bite.
Even his mother's complexion already looked healthier after only a single meal.
Time passed quietly afterward.
Eventually—
Lian dramatically collapsed backward onto the bed.
"…I'm dying…"
His stomach bulged slightly beneath his clothes while spiritual warmth spread heavily throughout his body.
He could barely breathe properly.
"I think I ate too much…"
His mother nearly laughed while cleaning the bowls nearby.
"I told you."
"But you kept eating."
Lian groaned weakly.
"…It was too delicious…"
His mother smiled helplessly.
"…At least now I understand why immortals fight over treasures."
Lian stared at the ceiling while breathing heavily.
"…If all cultivation food tastes like this…"
"…I understand too…"
Several moments passed quietly afterward.
Then slowly—
Lian's expression changed.
The spiritual energy inside his body had become far denser now.
Too dense.
He could feel it spreading continuously through his limbs.
Warm currents flowed beneath his skin.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Oh."
The boy slowly sat upright.
Cross-legged now.
Serious.
His mother immediately noticed.
"…What's wrong?"
Lian slowly closed his eyes.
"…The spiritual energy."
"It's spreading too fast."
His mother became nervous immediately.
"…Is that bad?"
"No."
"…I think."
That answer did not comfort her at all.
Lian slowly exhaled afterward.
"I need to cultivate now."
"If I waste this much spiritual energy, it'll disperse naturally."
His mother immediately nodded.
"…Then do it."
Lian carefully straightened his posture atop the bed before speaking again.
"…Don't let anyone inside."
"I don't want to be interrupted."
His mother answered seriously without hesitation.
"I won't."
Lian gave a small nod afterward.
Then—
he fully closed his eyes.
Silence gradually settled over the room once more.
Outside—
villagers moved through the distant pathways normally beneath the morning sun.
But inside the small wooden house—
spiritual energy slowly began stirring.
Lian focused inward carefully.
He could feel it clearly now.
The spirit beast meat contained far more Qi than ordinary food.
Warm streams of energy flowed continuously through his stomach and veins.
If left alone—
most of it would naturally disperse.
Wasted.
But through cultivation—
he could absorb it.
Guide it.
Refine it.
Lian slowly began circulating his cultivation technique.
Spiritual energy moved carefully through his meridians.
One cycle.
Then another.
The warmth inside his body immediately responded.
Dense Qi surged forward eagerly like water rushing through an open river.
Lian's breathing gradually steadied.
His senses sharpened further.
And slowly—
faint traces of spiritual energy began visibly gathering around his body beneath the morning light.