I'll make you the furnace and the cauldron, so you can refine Yin and Yang and prove the Great

The prosperity of the main sect of the Hehuan Sect far exceeded the expectations of Hua Nongying and the other girls.

As they passed through the golden light barrier of the protective mountain array, the intense spiritual energy, almost tangible, enveloped everyone like an invisible hand. Hua Nongying paused slightly in her pipe, instinctively taking a deep breath. The sweet and mellow spiritual energy surged into her lungs, causing her internal spiritual power to circulate more rapidly. Her fingers tightened slightly around the pipe, and a genuine tremor flashed in her captivating eyes.

"The concentration of spiritual energy here... is at least dozens of times that of the Northern Wilderness." Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undisguised astonishment.

Liu Ruoxue stood beside her, her white robes fluttering gently in the morning breeze. For the first time, a clear look of surprise appeared on her usually icy face. She raised her head, her gaze passing over Li Hanshan's shoulder, and saw the five towering peaks rising into the clouds, standing tall in the morning light. Each peak was shrouded in layers of spiritual mist, and on its slopes, one could vaguely see palaces and pavilions with upturned eaves, like a watercolor painting slowly unfolding before her eyes. Her lips moved, but no words came out. Only in her icy blue eyes surged a tremor that she tried so hard to suppress but which still betrayed her.

Yun Shuyue's gaze fell on the streaks of light flying through the distance. These streaks of light crisscrossed the air, each exuding an aura no weaker than that of a Nascent Soul cultivator. She tilted her head slightly, her voice filled with undisguised感慨: "Just from what we've seen, there are at least dozens of Nascent Soul cultivators. In the Northern Wilderness, Nascent Soul cultivators are already overlords of their own domain." Jiang Nianwei followed at the back of the group, her light green robes fluttering slightly in the spiritual breeze. Her gaze swept over the protective light patterns between the palaces, then returned to Li Hanshan, her eyes brimming with a sense of reassurance that had been carefully considered.

Second Elder Wu Xinyue brought up the rear, her red robes fluttering in the wind. She lazily surveyed her surroundings, a half-smile playing on her lips: "Such a grand display, certainly befitting the reputation of the Joyful Union Sect. I just wonder if we can all get used to living here." Xu Lingxi peeked out from behind her, her emerald green robes billowing slightly in the spiritual energy, her bright eyes fixed on the streaks of light flying overhead, her small face filled with curiosity.

Li Hanshan walked ahead, sensing the subtle fluctuations in the auras of the women behind him—surprise, shock, and a hint of suppressed tension. He didn't turn around, but slowed his pace, his voice neither too loud nor too soft as it carried behind him: "Don't worry, I've prepared a place for you. The spiritual energy is no less than that of the main peak, and it's quiet too." As he spoke, he led the group along the stone path, turning towards the southern foothills. In the spiritual fields on both sides of the stone path, several purple Ganoderma lucidum were emerging from the soil, their leaves shimmering with a fine luminescence in the morning dew. The air was filled with the unique bittersweet aroma of medicinal herbs, mingled with the steam rising from the distant spiritual spring.

Just as they passed through the entrance to the bamboo forest on the southern slope, a gray figure silently appeared atop the tallest stone pillar at the edge of the forest. The Ninth Elder stood with his hands behind his back, the hem of his gray robe fluttering gently in the morning breeze. His gaze, lowered from his height, was like a pool of cold water that had been stagnant for many years, so calm that it revealed no emotion. He didn't speak, didn't release any pressure, and didn't make any gesture of obstruction; he simply stood there, quietly watching Li Hanshan lead the unfamiliar figures into the depths of the bamboo forest.

The moment Li Hanshan sensed that gaze, he didn't stop or even look up. He simply continued walking along the stone path, his purple-gold robes gleaming warmly in the morning light, his steps as steady as ever. The gaze upon him was heavy, but he knew that the Ninth Elder wouldn't act in this situation—the Sect Leader's words before his seclusion were still echoing throughout the sect, and even if the Ninth Elder harbored deep hatred, he wouldn't give others ammunition to criticize him in front of everyone.

The gaze lingered on their retreating figures for a few moments, then slowly receded like a tide, disappearing completely as the gray figures silently departed. Li Hanshan sensed the disappearance of the oppressive feeling, and the tension that had been building in his heart finally eased slightly. He didn't turn around, but simply said to the women behind him, "We've arrived."

The stone steps in front of the southern cave dwelling were bathed in a warm, golden-white light. The purple bamboo grove rustled in the breeze, and a few withered bamboo leaves swirled and fell onto the steps. Li Hanshan raised his hand and cast a spell, and the stone door of the cave dwelling slid open silently. A warmth that had been nurtured by spiritual herbs and alchemical fire for years emanated from it, making the cool morning air slightly warm. Hua Nongying was the first to enter, looking around at the stone chambers illuminated by luminous pearls. Soft animal hide carpets covered the bluestone floors, several ancient paintings hung on the stone walls, and a few jade bottles and bamboo scrolls were displayed on a sandalwood shelf in the corner. She turned to Li Hanshan, raising an eyebrow slightly: "Is this where you've lived in the Hehuan Sect all these years?"

"Not bad, I suppose." Li Hanshan walked into the cave and pointed to the side passages. "There are a few empty stone chambers here; choose one yourself. The spiritual energy is sufficient, and the restrictions have been set up; outsiders can't get in." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group. "Settle in first, and let me know if there's anything that needs changing."

Liu Ruoxue chose an east-facing stone chamber. Pushing open the stone door, she could see the purple bamboo grove swaying in the morning breeze outside the window, dewdrops on the leaves reflecting tiny golden specks of light, like a flowing painting. Standing by the window, gazing at the distant palaces and eaves faintly visible in the morning mist towards the main peak, she remained silent for a long time before whispering, "Much better than the Northern Wilderness." Hua Nongying chose the next room, tapping her pipe on the corner of the table after entering; the dust swirled and rose in the morning light before settling down. Yun Shuyue and Jiang Nianwei each chose two adjacent rooms, while the Second Elder chose the innermost one. Pushing open the stone door, he glanced at the spiritual spring veins at the top of the cave and nodded in satisfaction.

Xu Lingxi stood in the stone hall in the center of the cave, watching the other women disperse. She then looked at Li Hanshan and whispered, "Grandpa Li... will we be living here from now on?" Li Hanshan patted her head, feeling her body relax slightly as his palm touched the top of her head. "Yes, we'll be living here from now on."

Meanwhile, in the cave at the northern foot of the main peak, Yan Qingsong stood before the Ninth Elder, his lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes surging with barely suppressed anger and resentment.

"Uncle-Master, why didn't you intervene at the sect gate today?" Yan Qingsong's voice carried a restrained intensity. "He brought so many outsiders back to the sect without even going through the proper reporting procedures with the External Affairs Hall. Even if you had stopped him in front of the entire sect, it wouldn't have violated any rules."

The Ninth Elder sat on the stone couch, holding a cup of spiritual tea but not drinking it. His gaze lingered on the slightly rippling surface of the tea. After a moment of silence, he spoke: "Make a move? In front of thousands of disciples, attack a junior at the third level of the Nascent Soul stage? Do you think I would do something so foolish?"

"But—" Yan Qingsong stepped forward, his knuckles clenched so tightly they turned slightly white, "He already knocked me flying in public today. A third-level Nascent Soul cultivator against a seventh-level Nascent Soul cultivator—clearly a four-level difference—yet he only used one palm strike. Uncle-Master, do you know what this means? It means his true combat strength can no longer be measured by cultivation level. Only a little over a decade has passed, and he's already advanced from the first to the third level of Nascent Soul. If he were given a few more decades…"

The Ninth Elder finally raised his eyelids and glanced at him. His gaze was calm yet scrutinizing, like examining an object slowly taking shape. "You know he's only cultivated for a few decades before breaking through to the third level of the Nascent Soul stage." The Ninth Elder's voice was neither loud nor soft, but carried a chilling undertone. "That's precisely why we can't rush things. No matter how solid his foundation or how strong his combat power, he's still only at the early Nascent Soul stage. During the time the Sect Leader is in seclusion, no matter how capable he is, he can't cause any major trouble. On the contrary, you—your loss to him today has already been witnessed by many disciples. Who do you think would be more disadvantaged if news spread that a seventh-level Nascent Soul cultivator was sent flying by a third-level Nascent Soul junior?"

Yan Qingsong's expression stiffened. The spiritual energy fluctuation he'd generated when forming his palm print in the plaza wasn't his full strength, but he knew those present wouldn't care about that detail. The disciples would only see him being sent flying by a single palm strike, crashing into a stone pillar, and wouldn't concern themselves with whether he'd used his full power. His lips twitched slightly; the long-suppressed hatred surged, threatening to erupt, but a final layer of reason held it back deep in his throat.

The Ninth Elder put down his teacup, stood up, and walked to the stone wall. Engraved on that wall was a map of the entire Hehuan Sect's terrain, with the spiritual veins flowing within it like a living painting. He extended his finger and gently touched the area in the center of the map densely covered with golden dots—the core node of the Dragon Spine Spiritual Vein—before withdrawing his hand. With his back to Yan Qingsong, he spoke: "The opportunity won't be far off. The Sect Leader is in seclusion attempting to break through to the Dao Integration Realm. This time, her seclusion lasted much shorter than expected. Forcing herself to emerge before her foundation was solidified has expended far more energy than you imagine. Her next attempt at breaking through to the Dao Integration Realm will have an even lower chance of success than before. If she fails—" He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear enough. Yan Qingsong's breath hitched slightly; he understood the unspoken implication.

"But that's for later." The Ninth Elder turned around, his gaze fixed on Yan Qingsong, his expression serious and unyielding. "Right now, your most important task is to improve your cultivation. Being sent flying by a single palm strike from a third-level Nascent Soul cultivator at the seventh level isn't because Li Hanshan is so strong, but because you've been complacent all these years. For the next ten years, don't go anywhere. Stay in your cave and cultivate to break through to the eighth level of the Nascent Soul realm. Once you break through your bottleneck, then go find him; that will be the true end."

Yan Qingsong's lips moved, as if he wanted to say something. He turned his head and glanced at the southern foothills, faintly visible in the twilight outside the cave. The outline of the purple bamboo forest was like a silent shadow in the mist, and the purplish-gold figure seemed to be standing somewhere in that bamboo forest, so composed that it made Yan Qingsong's teeth itch. But in the end, he didn't say anything more, only clasped his hands in a salute to the Ninth Elder, and turned to walk out of the cave. The stone door closed behind him with a deep, muffled sound, separating the twilight outside the cave from the glow of the night-shining pearl inside, creating two separate worlds.

He returned to his cave and sat cross-legged on the stone bed. The severed wound on his right arm still throbbed faintly; it was the lingering sword intent from the deepest part of the wound left by the Crimson Sun Sword. Although it had mostly healed over the years, it would always cause a slight stagnation when his spiritual energy reached that spot, like an old scar that had been repeatedly scraped and would ache faintly on a rainy day. He closed his eyes, suppressing the surging resentment deep within his dantian, and his spiritual energy began to slowly circulate in his meridians. Ten years of seclusion—he was going to break through to the eighth level of the Nascent Soul stage. When that time came, he would show Li Hanshan what it meant for the chasm between cultivation realms to be insurmountable.

Night crept in from the crevices of the rocks on the northern slope of the main peak, swallowing the entire outline of the Hehuan Sect into a deep, dark blue. Warm light emanated from the windows of the newly lit cave dwellings on the southern slope, like candle flames quietly lit after being broken up and pieced back together by the night mist.