The Hehuan Sect cultivates alchemy; my senior sister helps me refine alchemy throughout the world.

The hall was silent for a full three breaths, then it exploded.

"A Foundation Establishment stage youth, appointed as a guest elder?"

"Master, were you drugged?"

"Who is this kid?"

The Grand Elder's face darkened completely. He stared at Shen Yifei for a few moments, then turned to Yin Wuxie: "Sect Leader, this boy's origins are unknown, and his cultivation is weak. What makes him worthy of being a guest elder? Please rescind your order, Sect Leader."

"Because he can refine top-grade pills," Yin Wuxie said calmly. "The pills he refines alone are equivalent to all of yours combined. Any more questions?"

The Grand Elder was momentarily speechless. The Blood Soul Sect was desperately short of alchemists; the sect's few alchemists combined weren't enough, and the quality of their pills was poor. If this young man could truly refine top-grade pills, he would indeed be qualified to be a guest elder.

But he always felt that something was wrong.

The cult leader is behaving very strangely today. He destroyed the Blood Furnace, changed the cult rules, and brought in a random guest elder. This isn't like the cult leader's usual style; it's more like he's being forced to speak with a knife to his throat.

The Grand Elder scrutinized Yin Wuxie closely. The sect leader's complexion was indeed not good; her lips were pale, and a fine layer of sweat glistened on her forehead. Although she stood ramrod straight and exuded an imposing aura, a closer look revealed that her hands, hanging at her sides, were trembling slightly.

something wrong.

The Grand Elder had a plan in mind, but he didn't show it on his face. He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said, "The Master is wise; this subordinate has no objections."

Yin Wuxie nodded: "Since there are no objections, everyone may leave."

More than 300 people filed out, and the hall quickly emptied.

The Grand Elder walked at the back, pausing as he passed Shen Yifei. He turned his head and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Boy, whatever you've done to the Sect Leader, I advise you to stop now. The affairs of the Blood Soul Sect are not for you to meddle in."

After saying that, he strode away without waiting for Shen Yifei's response.

Shen Yifei watched his retreating figure, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

That old man has a sharp eye.

Ah Qi was the last to leave. She walked up to Shen Yifei and looked him up and down.

"You planned this all along, didn't you?"

"What are you planning?"

"From beginning to end." Ah Qi stared into his eyes, "From the day you were kidnapped, you were planning it. The alchemy was a lie, the surrender was a lie, even the medicinal fragrance you let me smell was all pre-arranged."

Shen Yifei neither denied nor admitted it. He reached out and patted A-Qi on the shoulder: "A-Qi, you're overthinking it. I'm just an alchemist, what kind of plans could I possibly have?"

Ah Qi shook off his hand, turned and walked away. After a few steps, she stopped, looked back at him, her lips moved, but she ultimately said nothing and quickly left.

Only Shen Yifei and Yin Wuxie remained in the main hall.

Yin Wuxie descended from the platform, her steps unsteady. She missed the last step and fell forward. Shen Yifei reacted quickly and caught her.

Yin Wuxie leaned against him, her eyes closed, her forehead covered in cold sweat. That struggle had exhausted all her remaining strength.

"You did a good job just now." Shen Yifei helped her walk out of the hall. "It's just that the fall at the end was a bit embarrassing."

"Isn't it all your fault?" Yin Wuxie cursed weakly.

Shen Yifei helped her through the corridor and back to Yin Wuxie's residence.

Yin Wuxie's residence was behind the main hall, a spacious stone chamber, not much better furnished than the alchemy room. There was a stone bed, a stone table, several futons, and a blood-red skull flag hanging on the wall; nothing else.

Shen Yifei placed her on the stone bed and then moved a futon to sit on the edge of the bed.

Yin Wuxie lay there for a while, then opened his eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling of the stone chamber.

"Were the things you said today sincere, or were they just to appease me?"

Shen Yifei thought for a moment: "Half and half."

Which half is true?

"It's true that I don't refine blood pills. I won't do something like refining pills from living people."

Yin Wuxie turned her head, her blood-red eyes fixed on him: "Why didn't you say this when you wanted to use me to refine pills?"

"You're different," Shen Yifei said matter-of-factly. "You wanted to kill me, so I used you to refine pills—that's called reciprocity. But those rogue cultivators you captured had no grudge against you, and you used them to refine pills—that's called indiscriminate killing."

Yin Wuxie stared at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

"Shen Yifei, you're really something. You're doing the same thing yourself, but you always have to find a legitimate reason for yourself."

"Isn't that how people are?" Shen Yifei leaned against the stone wall. "They do bad things with a clear conscience, and they always have to find an explanation for it."

Yin Wuxie didn't speak again, closed his eyes, and his breathing gradually calmed down.

Shen Yifei thought she was asleep and was about to get up and leave when Yin Wuxie suddenly spoke.

"The Grand Elder will not let this go."

"I know."

Yin Wuxie lay on the stone bed, her eyes closed, her blood-red robe spread out like a withered flower. Her breathing was light, but her brows were furrowed, and cold sweat kept seeping from her forehead.

Shen Yifei sat on the futon and stared at her for a long time.

A cultivator at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, after suffering a soul injury, is no different from an ordinary person. They will feel pain, fear, and cold sweats.

"Have you seen enough?" Yin Wuxie suddenly opened his eyes, his blood-red pupils staring at him.

"I haven't had enough," Shen Yifei said honestly. "I could look at the cult leader's face all night and not get tired of it."

"You've got a sweet tongue." Yin Wuxie propped himself up on his elbows, leaned against the stone wall, and took a couple of breaths. "It's a pity I don't have the strength to deal with you right now, otherwise I would have torn your mouth apart."

"Tear my mouth apart, then who will help you deal with the Grand Elder?"

Yin Wuxie fell silent.

The Grand Elder had been with her for two hundred years; he was an elder from her master's generation.

His cultivation at the peak of the Golden Core stage was second only to hers within the Blood Soul Sect. He was usually extremely respectful to her, but she knew in her heart that the old dog had been waiting for his chance.

Wait until she's injured, wait until she's weak, wait until she falls from that high platform. Then pounce on her and bite her throat.

"In your current state, let alone the Grand Elder, even a Foundation Establishment disciple could easily defeat you." Shen Yifei stood up, walked to the stone bed, and looked down at her. "What do you plan to do?"

Yin Wuxie raised his head, his blood-red eyes meeting his gaze.

"What are you trying to say?"

I wanted to say that I could help you.

"Help me?" Yin Wuxie sneered. "What can a Foundation Establishment stage kid like you do to help me? Your Myriad Things Cauldron? That thing can only devour the Blood Furnace because the Blood Furnace was unprepared. The Grand Elder won't just stand there and let you devour it."

"Who said we were going to use the Cauldron of All Things?" Shen Yifei sat down beside the stone bed, moving closer to her. "I meant to help you restore your strength."

Yin Wuxie's brow twitched slightly.

"How to recover?"

"Dual cultivation".