In the end, it was the bird that bore it all.

Ye Qian's initial thought of protecting her purse quickly faded; after all, she wasn't a stingy person.

Since she had offered to treat them, it was only natural to be generous.

Without her junior sister, she wouldn't have earned this money in the first place. Without hesitation, she sent another message to the Golden Fortune Pavilion and arranged for an additional feast.

By the end, the trio—one person, one cat, and one bird—were all stuffed to the brim. The little black cat and the little black chicken, in particular, sprawled lazily under the sunlight, their glossy fur and feathers gleaming like satin, utterly stunning.

Ye Qian's heart itched as she asked, "Junior Sister, may I pet them?"

Ji Wushuang chuckled, "You'll have to ask them."

Surprisingly, the two little ones eagerly extended a paw and a wing, placing them on Ye Qian's hand.

While the black cat seemed oblivious, the black bird suddenly opened its eyes, staring directly at Ye Qian.

Ye Qian thought it was showing affection and was overjoyed, unable to contain her delight. She kept pulling treats from her storage pouch for the two little ones until Ji Wushuang stopped her.

"Don't spoil them too much."

"They're so adorable; a little spoiling won't hurt."

"…"

Ignoring the admonishment, Ye Qian rummaged through her pouch again and unexpectedly pulled out a jade box, which she handed to Ji Wushuang. "Junior Sister, this is for you."

Ji Wushuang recognized the box immediately—it was the "apology gift" Mo Lanyi had sent to Wu Neng.

"Senior Sister, didn't you open it?"

"No, I intended to give it to you anyway." Ye Qian, though soft-hearted, remained clear-headed.

The gift was meant for Wu Neng, not her. Since it wasn't a sincere apology, she had no desire to keep it.

Ji Wushuang hesitated briefly before accepting the box and opening it.

The moment the box was unsealed, a familiar aura enveloped Ji Wushuang—a hint of celestial energy? Could it be from the Immortal Realm?

It seemed Mo Lanyi's spatial treasure not only contained a spiritual spring and could house living beings but also held traces of celestial energy.

How remarkable.

As the celestial energy dissipated, a jade-green pill emitting a faint fragrance lay quietly on a bed of silk.

Ye Qian, curious, asked, "A pill? What kind of pill is this?"

Ji Wushuang recognized it at a glance. "It's a Longevity Pill."

Though not an alchemist, Ye Qian had heard of many pills but never of a Longevity Pill. "What does it do?"

Ji Wushuang calmly closed the box and handed it back to Ye Qian. "Regardless of cultivation level, this pill grants an additional hundred years of life upon consumption."

Ye Qian's hands trembled as she held the box. "You… you… is this real?"

"Of course." Seeing Ye Qian's hands shaking uncontrollably, Ji Wushuang teased, "Senior Sister, you'd better hold it tightly. If you drop it, that would be a problem."

Ye Qian clutched the box tightly to her chest, her expression a mix of bewilderment and anxiety. "This is too valuable. Why would you give such a precious thing to… me?"

Before she finished, she realized something.

This item was originally intended for Wu Neng, not her.

Ji Wushuang explained, "Though Wu Neng is in the Integration Stage, he has been unable to progress further. His lifespan must be nearing its end. If Mo Lanyi successfully gave him this pill, she would become his greatest benefactor."

Ye Qian fell silent, staring at the "treasure" in her hands. After a long pause, she said, "I understand now. Thank you for the reminder, Junior Sister."

Her gaze was clear and steady, untouched by the allure of immense wealth.

Ji Wushuang smiled, stood, and placed the two little ones back on her shoulders. "Thank you for the meal, Senior Sister. We'll be on our way."

"Wait!"

"Hm?"

Without the Longevity Pill, Ye Qian might have let it slide, but now she couldn't help but ask, "Mo Lanyi has returned to the Mo family. Is she trying to mend relations with the Wu family?"

The Yunlan Sect had seized the Wu family's spiritual vein, making them sworn enemies. As a disciple of Yunlan Sect, Mo Lanyi shouldn't be so invested in the Wu family.

Ji Wushuang nodded. "Noted. Thank you for the warning, Senior Sister."

"Be careful," Ye Qian urged sincerely. "The Wu family must despise you."

"Don't worry."

Reluctantly, Ye Qian saw off the trio. Upon returning to her cave, Little Phoenix suddenly cried out and clawed a wisp of black mist from its wing.

"Little Wushuang! Look at this!"

Though faint, the aura emanating from the mist made both Little Phoenix and Little White Night bristle in alarm.

Ji Wushuang was startled. "Oh no, that's Yin Immortal Qi! Where did it come from?"

"From the good person's hand."

To Little Phoenix, anyone who fed it delicious food was a good person. It had sensed the ominous aura when Ye Qian touched it and instinctively extracted it.

"How could there be Yin Immortal Qi? Could it be… Mo Lanyi has a Ghost Immortal assisting her? Judging by its strength, it must be at the True Immortal level… Tsk tsk, she truly is the favored child of fate."

Ji Wushuang's doubts were finally resolved. Mo Lanyi, impulsive and quick to anger, always managed to maintain control at critical moments, and her cultivation progressed astonishingly fast.

Even Ji Wushuang had to admit that Mo Lanyi's growth in this realm was staggering.

If she had the help of a True Immortal-level Ghost Immortal, everything made sense.

Truly extraordinary.

The black cat and the black chicken retreated as far as possible, huddling together. "Little Wushuang, what should we do with this?"

Ji Wushuang wasn't sure. In her past life, she would have destroyed it without hesitation.

But now…

She glanced at her slender hand, hesitated briefly, then drew the jade hairpin from her hair and struck the Yin Immortal Qi with it.

The Qi dissipated instantly but reformed just as quickly, unharmed.

Unwilling to give up, Ji Wushuang struck again.

The result was the same.

Using sword intent might destroy it, but the backlash would severely harm her. It wasn't worth the risk.

Ji Wushuang: "…"

The two little ones: "…"

Awkwardly, Ji Wushuang tucked the hairpin back into her hair, coughed lightly, and said, "Since Little Phoenix discovered it, let Little Phoenix handle it."

The black cat raised a paw. "Agreed!"

Little Phoenix's eyes widened in disbelief. "???"

In the end, the trio decided to hide the Yin Immortal Qi under Little Phoenix's wing once more.

After all, it had carried it all this way without anyone noticing, right?

Little Phoenix: "Chirp chirp chirp…"

In the end, it bore the burden alone.