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

Li Hanshan stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the deepening twilight outside, pondering Shen Qingyue's words over and over in his mind.

The words "stay" sounded easy, but given his current identity—a rogue cultivator who had escaped from the territory of the Central Continent Demon Sect—a hasty agreement would seem deliberate. He showed a perfectly measured hesitation, remaining silent for a moment before speaking: "Fellow Daoist Shen, my cultivation is not high, and I am new here. Even if I stay, I'm afraid I won't be of much help."

Hearing his words, Shen Qingyue laughed instead. She closed the window, turned around, walked back to the table, and sat down, placing her hands clasped on the table: "Senior Li, you are too modest. More than twenty years ago, you single-handedly fought three Nascent Soul cultivators and rescued me from the Yinquan Sect. I witnessed that combat prowess with my own eyes. At that time, you were only at the early Nascent Soul stage, weren't you? Now your cultivation has advanced even further; with such combat power, you would be qualified for an important position in any small sect within the Immortal Alliance."

She paused, her tone becoming serious: "Besides, large sects have their own rules. Rogue cultivators who want to join often have to start from the bottom. With your cultivation level, if you go to a place like the Azure Cloud Sect or the Cloud Hidden Pavilion, you can only become an inner disciple at best. But if you join a smaller sect, you can directly enter the core circle."

Li Hanshan understood the underlying meaning in her words and followed up, "Fellow Daoist Shen, do you mean...?"

"My sect is called Purple Thunder Pavilion." Shen Qingyue stood up, walked to a map hanging on the wall, and pointed to a location in the eastern part of the Southern Ridge Mountains. "It's not a large sect, with only about a thousand members, but our tradition is very special—we specialize in talismanic arts, especially lightning-based talismans. Although we're not among the top three in the Immortal Alliance, when it comes to Purple Thunder Talismans, all the major sects look at us with respect."

She turned around, her gaze sincere: "Senior Li, if you're willing to join the Purple Thunder Pavilion, with your cultivation and experience, you could at least become an outer sect elder. While the treatment might not be as good as those of the major sects like the Azure Sky Sect, it's much quieter, and no one will use you as a pawn. Moreover, with your combat strength, you could practically walk around the Purple Thunder Pavilion with impunity; no one would dare look down on you."

Li Hanshan remained silent for a moment. Joining a small sect was indeed safer than infiltrating the Biluo Sect or the Yunyin Pavilion. The screening system of large sects was strict, making it almost impossible for a rogue cultivator of unknown origin to sneak in; but a small sect like the Zilei Pavilion had simpler interpersonal relationships, and the higher-ups would pay much less attention to him. This suited him perfectly.

"Okay." He nodded. "I'll join the Purple Thunder Pavilion."

Shen Qingyue's eyes lit up, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly. She strode to the door, picked up a light purple outer robe hanging by the door, put it on, and turned to wave at him: "Then I'll take you to see my mother now! It just so happens that my mother is currently stationed in Qingyun City. If we wait a few more months, she will return to the mountain sect, and then we'll have to make a special trip."

As she spoke, she pushed open the door, and the afterglow of dusk seeped in through the crack, gilding her silhouette with a warm golden edge.

"Who is your mother?" Li Hanshan asked.

"It's the sect leader of the Purple Thunder Pavilion!" Shen Qingyue said.

Li Hanshan's heart skipped a beat. Shen Qingyue was actually the daughter of the Purple Thunder Pavilion's sect leader; this was indeed a good thing. He didn't ask any more questions and simply followed her out the door.

The two walked along the bluestone streets of the western part of the city, passing through several alleys. Along the way, Shen Qingyue would occasionally stop to greet fellow disciples she passed, her tone light and cheerful, clearly in a good mood. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two stopped in front of a mansion surrounded by spirit trees in the city center. Above the gate hung a dark purple plaque, blank except for a faint arc of light that shimmered in the twilight.

When Shen Qingyue pushed open the door, the leaves of the spirit trees in the courtyard rustled in the evening breeze. A lamp was lit in one of the main rooms, and the door was half-open, revealing several scrolls of drawings and scattered talisman-making tools on the table. A woman in a dark purple dress stood with her back to the door in front of the table, holding a talisman brush dipped in spirit ink, carefully drawing something on the talisman paper spread out on the table.

She was tall and slender, her long hair tied up with a purple jade hairpin, from which a delicate tassel dangled, swaying gently with her brushstrokes. From behind, she resembled Shen Qingyue quite a bit, only with an added layer of composure and serenity honed by time.

Shen Qingyue stopped at the door, her tone respectful yet affectionate: "Mother, I've brought an old friend to see you. It's Senior Li, the one who saved me in Crimson Flame Valley more than twenty years ago."

Shen Yun put down the talisman brush and turned around. Her face was seven or eight parts similar to Shen Qingyue's, with willow-leaf eyebrows, almond eyes, and fair skin like jade. She looked to be no more than thirty years old, like a ripe peach, full and plump with a calm charm.

However, her brows also carried the focus and decisiveness that had settled from years of immersion in the Dao of Talismans. When her gaze fell on Li Hanshan, her almond-shaped eyes held a scrutinizing sharpness, like a bowstring being drawn. She did not deliberately release any pressure, but it made people involuntarily tense up.

Li Hanshan stood at the door, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Junior Li Hanshan greets Sect Leader Shen."

Shen Yun nodded slightly, her gaze lingering on him for a moment before she moved. Without warning, she raised her hand, and a wisp of dark purple spiritual energy, formed into a lightning serpent, shot out from her fingertip with incredible speed, like lightning tearing through the night, aiming straight for Li Hanshan's chest. Li Hanshan's heart tightened instantly, almost automatically detonating his Nascent Soul level defenses, but he forcibly suppressed his instinctive reaction, only mobilizing the spiritual energy of his mid-Nascent Soul stage to condense a thin golden light shield in front of him.

The lightning bolt struck the light shield, exploding into a shower of tiny sparks. A ripple spread across the shield's surface, but it didn't shatter. Li Hanshan was jolted back half a step by the impact, his foot leaving a shallow imprint on the bluestone ground. He steadied himself and raised his head, his expression unchanged. The entire process, from Shen Yun raising her hand to the lightning bolt dissipating, took only a breath. The sparks flickered briefly in the twilight before completely extinguishing, and Li Hanshan's golden light shield vanished as well, as if nothing had happened.

Shen Yun withdrew her hand, the sharpness in her gaze softening slightly. Her tone was calm, yet tinged with guilt: "I'm sorry, your origins are unknown, so I had to test you. If you were a demonic cultivator, that attack just now would have been enough to force out your true nature." She paused, re-examining him, "However, your spiritual energy is very pure, not the insidious methods of the demonic path."

Li Hanshan clasped his hands and said, "This junior understands. Sect Leader Du's cautious actions are beneficial and harmless to the Immortal Alliance."

Shen Yun turned around, picked up a celadon teacup from the table, poured a cup of spiritual tea, and personally presented it to Li Hanshan, her tone filled with sincere gratitude: "I was very rude earlier. Fellow Daoist Li saved my daughter's life in Crimson Flame Valley back then. This cup of tea is a token of my thanks." She handed the teacup to him, her almond-shaped eyes filled with earnestness, "Qingyue is my only daughter. Over the years, I've always thought that if it weren't for your help back then, I fear I would have had to bury my daughter. The Purple Thunder Pavilion will remember this kindness."

Li Hanshan took the teacup, the warm porcelain against his palm, feeling the spiritual energy flowing within, carrying a refreshing scent of herbs and trees. He took a sip, put it down, and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Sect Leader Shen, you flatter me. It was merely a small act of kindness to help someone in need."

Shen Yun shook her head slightly, not dwelling on the topic, but her sincere gratitude was evident in her eyes.

She turned and walked back to the table, rolled up the half-finished talisman and placed it aside. Just as she was about to say something, Shen Qingyue stepped forward first, took her mother's arm, and said in a light but earnest tone, "Mother, Senior Li has been wandering in the Central Continent for many years without a place to settle down. Now that he has come to the Immortal Alliance, I would like to invite him to join our Purple Thunder Pavilion. With his cultivation and experience, staying with our sect will definitely be of great help."

Shen Yun glanced at her daughter, a hint of helplessness in her almond-shaped eyes at her daughter's enthusiasm, but she didn't interrupt her. She turned back to Li Hanshan, her gaze sweeping over him as if reassessing his worth: "Qingyue speaks so earnestly, it seems she genuinely wants you to stay. What do you think?"

Li Hanshan clasped his hands and said, "This junior has wandered throughout the Central Continent for many years, unable to find a place to settle down. Now that the Immortal Alliance is about to head north, this junior is willing to contribute. If Sect Master Shen does not mind, this junior is willing to stay."

Shen Yun pondered for a moment, then walked to a row of wooden shelves by the wall, took down a dark purple storage bag from the top shelf, and handed it to Li Hanshan: "With your mid-Nascent Soul cultivation, you're more than qualified to be an elder in the outer sect. This is your initiation gift—ten thousand spirit stones, two bottles of third-grade pills, and an elder token from the Purple Thunder Pavilion. If you wish, you will be an outer sect elder of the Purple Thunder Pavilion from today onwards."

Li Hanshan accepted the storage bag and bowed solemnly, saying, "Thank you, Sect Master."

Shen Yun waved her hand and turned to Shen Qingyue: "How are the Purple Thunder Talismans coming along? Are we getting enough?"

Shen Qingyue's expression softened slightly, and her tone became serious: "We've already produced over 1,300 sheets, ranging from Tier 1 to Tier 3, and more than 20 Tier 4 sheets. But we're still quite a distance from your initial target."

Shen Yun frowned slightly. She walked back to the table, picked up the rolled-up blueprints that had been put away, unfolded them again, and looked at them. Her voice carried a hint of serious contemplation: "Thirteen hundred sheets aren't enough. The beast tide is likely to come again, which will definitely delay the talisman-making progress. Relying on you alone to keep an eye on things probably won't be enough." As she spoke, her gaze turned to Li Hanshan, as if reassessing his value. "Now that you've joined the Purple Thunder Pavilion, you can help with talisman-making if you have time. Qingyue will teach you the techniques for drawing Purple Thunder Talismans; how much you learn depends on your skill."

Li Hanshan nodded in agreement. Shen Yun didn't try to keep him any longer, waving her hand to signal Shen Qingyue to take him downstairs to settle in. Shen Qingyue understood and led Li Hanshan out of the main house. As the courtyard gate closed, he could hear the sound of Shen Yun unfolding the blueprints again from inside the house. The sound was exceptionally clear in the twilight, like a taut string.

Shen Qingyue led him through two alleys and stopped in front of a small courtyard surrounded by spirit bamboo. As she opened the door, the bitter scent of spirit herbs drying in the yard filled the air. She turned and smiled at him, her eyes still carrying the relaxed intimacy she had shown with her mother earlier: "This used to be my place. It's been empty since we moved to the Outer Affairs Hall. If you don't mind, you can stay here for now. The conditions are simple, but it's quiet." She then took a spare key from her sleeve and handed it to him. "I'll come find you first thing tomorrow morning and teach you how to make the Purple Thunder Talisman."

"Thank you." Li Hanshan took the key and watched her figure disappear into the twilight before pushing open the door and entering the courtyard. The courtyard was small, with a wooden bed, a table, and several pottery jars in the main room. Several bundles of dried spiritual herbs were piled in the corner, and the air was filled with an old smell that was a mixture of grass and dust.

He sat down at the table and opened the dark purple storage bag Shen Yun had given him. The spirit stones were neatly stacked, the pill bottles were tightly sealed, and there was a palm-sized dark purple token with an arc-shaped pattern engraved on the front and the words "Purple Thunder Pavilion - Outer Sect Elder" on the back. He put the token away, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes to meditate for a moment, then opened them, gazing at the gradually brightening starlight outside the window, and began to plan his next move.

He had no intention of rushing to inquire about the Immortal Alliance's military deployment or the origins of the newly cultivated Dao Integration cultivator. Given his current status, rashly seeking out these core secrets would only risk exposing him.

The best approach is to first establish a firm foothold, stay at the Purple Thunder Pavilion for a while, and gather information through daily contact and observation, gradually infiltrating the area. Moreover, the personalities of this mother and daughter are more genuine and approachable than he had anticipated—Shen Qingyue's frankness and Shen Yun's composure revealed an unguarded nature in their brief interaction just now, which lessened his burden of pretense.