The Water Spirit Crystal

Since Ryan started learning brewing from Erin, he hadn't taken any more gold coins from his mother. He didn't want to add any more burden to his family, and in his heart, he felt a sense of guilt and inferiority toward his family.

However, after a year as an apprentice, he hadn't earned much gold. Most of the materials for brewing the "Spirit-Nourishing Wine" were stolen from the brewery, barely sustaining his cultivation. Now, he had no money left to buy the "Mind-Loss Lotus."

He knew that this wine wasn't intended for his cultivation, so he didn't think much of it. The "Mind-Loss Wine" was essentially a poisonous drink—anyone who consumed it would lose themselves, forget everything, and become insane. From this, it was clear that Silver Moon didn't brew it for him.

Silver Moon saw through Ryan's thoughts and knew that he had no financial means at the moment.

She spoke slowly, "Although the Mind-Loss Wine doesn't seem useful for your cultivation right now, you might need it in the future. Both of us have secrets, and brewing this wine is just a precaution. So, think it over carefully."

Ryan nodded slightly, "I understand."

Silver Moon's reminder made him pay more attention to the Mind-Loss Wine. No one knew about his cultivation yet, and he couldn't guarantee that their secret would remain hidden forever.

He thought to himself, Looks like I really have to get this matter on the agenda... I guess I'll have to figure something out with Leah.

In the end, Leah didn't disappoint him. She generously extended a helping hand without asking any questions, which deeply moved Ryan.

From that point on, Ryan's cultivation became even more diligent. Every day, he would train to the point of exhaustion before resting. He knew that he couldn't keep relying on others for help. His agility also grew at a visibly rapid pace. Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Now, not only had his cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds, but his brewing skills were also on par with Erin's. In fact, when it came to the combination of raw materials, he had already surpassed his teacher, all thanks to The Compendium of Rare Herbs and Elixirs.

After dinner, Ryan returned to his room, intending to call on Silver Moon to begin their training for the day. But instead, Silver Moon appeared on her own from the pendant, marking the first time in half a year that she had proactively shown herself.

"Why did you decide to show yourself today?" Ryan asked, curious.

Silver Moon didn't answer his question. With a flick of her sleeve, she sealed the room off from the outside world.

Ryan furrowed his brows. "What's going on? Didn't you say that ordinary people can't feel your presence? Why are you being so cautious today?"

Silver Moon gave him a sideways glance. "Why are you asking so many questions? You're going to train in your room today. Do you want to alert anyone to what's going on here?"

Ryan's eyes lit up. "You mean…?"

"Exactly," Silver Moon confirmed. "The space you've been training in before has become almost the same as the outside world. The only difference is that the space only had basic elemental energy, while the outside world is a mix of all kinds of elemental attributes. You need to adapt to this environment, and there's no need to train in that space anymore."

Ryan's excitement grew. Without hesitation, he immediately began practicing Phantom Step in the room. At first, as Silver Moon had said, the mixed elemental attributes of the outside world affected his body's sensitivity. But as he continued experimenting, he gradually adapted to the changes in his surroundings. By the end of the night, he was able to perform Phantom Step with a fair level of proficiency.

Silver Moon watched him from the side, nodding approvingly. Ryan, filled with excitement, showed no signs of exhaustion. It was Silver Moon who eventually called him to stop.

"Alright, don't get too full of yourself. You're happy with such a small achievement? Pathetic."

Ryan didn't mind, a silly grin on his face. Though to Silver Moon, it wasn't much, to him, it marked a brand new beginning.

He paused and looked at her seriously. "Thanks."

Silver Moon gazed deeply at him, then waved her hand. "You're not really ready to thank me yet. Didn't you want to cultivate elemental power?"

Upon hearing this, Ryan was stunned. "I… can I really start cultivating elemental power now?"

Silver Moon smiled gently. "Heh, don't get too excited. Not yet, but soon. I'll give you three days to master this technique. For the next three days, you don't need to go to the brewery. Your brewing skills have reached the initial threshold. There's no point in learning more from that old man now."

"Initial threshold?" Ryan thought, I've worked so hard, and in Silver Moon's eyes, it's just the initial threshold? This old guy really is insane. However, Ryan kept his thoughts to himself and didn't say anything.

"Alright, I'll go tell Erin that I'm quitting the brewery," Ryan said. Over the years, Erin had treated him well, teaching him everything he knew about brewing. Ryan didn't want to leave without saying anything, as it would hurt his teacher's feelings.

"There's no need for that. Just take a few days off. It might not be long before..." Silver Moon trailed off, simply telling him to follow her instructions.

Though Ryan was confused by her words, he knew that when Silver Moon didn't want to explain something, asking was futile. So, he didn't press the issue further.

Three days later, in a remote valley outside Sweet Spring Town, a figure moved back and forth, weaving through the area in a seemingly erratic pattern—sometimes fast, sometimes slow, with no apparent regularity. While the speed wasn't excessively fast, it gave off an eerie, unpredictable aura.

Sitting on a nearby rock was a stunningly beautiful woman, watching with great interest. It was Silver Moon, observing Ryan.

At this point, Ryan had already mastered the technique. Due to the intensity and complexity of the outside world's elemental mix, his speed wasn't as fast as in Silver Moon's training space, but he was very satisfied with his progress.

Ryan stopped and looked at Silver Moon, asking with a grin, "So, how was that?"

Silver Moon looked at him with disdain. "How was it? Like I said, any technique only counts if it can be effectively used in practice. No matter how well you can perform in the air, if it's not useful, it's just for show."

Ryan's excitement built up. "You're not suggesting I find someone to spar with, are you?"

Silver Moon let out a light laugh. "Not exactly. There's a Water Spirit Crystal in the heart of Blade's Edge Cliff. If you can get it, not only will it test the results of your hard training, but it will also open the door to elemental cultivation for you."

She continued with a playful smile, "The main reason I taught you this technique was so you'd have the ability to retrieve the Water Spirit Crystal. As for the rest... well, we'll see."

Ryan wasn't foolish; Silver Moon's expression made it clear this wouldn't be easy.

"Alright, tell me what to do. And what exactly is the Water Spirit Crystal?"

Silver Moon didn't keep him in suspense. "The Water Spirit Crystal is a naturally formed gem in this world. It releases a dense, tangible water element. It's a treasure birthed by the forces of nature, a rare, earth-shattering item. With it, you can cultivate the water element, but..."

"But what?" Ryan asked, already suspecting it wouldn't be easy to acquire.

Silver Moon shrugged. "Oh, there's a big worm that's using the Water Spirit Crystal to cultivate its power."

"A worm?" Ryan was confused.

"Ugh, I mean a demon beast," Silver Moon said impatiently.

At the mention of demon beasts, Ryan's expression changed. He wasn't the naïve kid he'd been three years ago.

Demon beasts were creatures capable of cultivating elements, and they were divided into levels based on combat strength, not cultivation stages like humans. The higher the rank of the demon beast, the smarter it became. The highest-ranking demon beasts were at level ten, with intelligence on par with humans. Most people would avoid such beasts at all costs.

Of course, there were those who made a living hunting demon beasts. The higher the level of the beast, the more valuable it was, and this gave rise to the demon beast hunter profession.

However, no matter what rank the demon beast was, Ryan wasn't ready to take one on.

He swallowed hard and stuttered, "So... what rank of demon beast is it?"

Silver Moon smiled mischievously. "From what I can sense, it's likely a type of Jiaolong."

"Jiaolong? You mean a flood dragon?" Ryan gasped. Jiaolong were known for being solitary, vicious, and incredibly brutal. Even most elemental cultivators would avoid them. To fight one for its treasure? Insanity.

"Please, it's just a slightly stronger worm. What's so scary about it?" Silver Moon said dismissively.

Ryan paused, then remembered, "Right, with you around, no matter if it's a worm or a flood dragon, it doesn't seem that scary."

Just as he was about to agree to the challenge, Silver Moon intervened. "Don't expect me to handle it for you. I'm here to guide your training, but your life or death is your own matter. For certain reasons, I cannot intervene. I'm only asking you to steal the Water Spirit Crystal. Don't confront the beast head-on. And don't forget, an early-stage level eight demon beast? Forget killing it—no one in Sweet Spring Town could even come close to defeating it."

Silver Moon's words left Ryan feeling a little cold. He wasn't sure just how strong an early-stage level eight demon beast was, but he knew if he crossed paths with it, he'd likely be wiped off the map in an instant.

Silver Moon didn't say more, waiting for his response.

Ryan gritted his teeth and said, "Riches are found in dangerous ventures. I'll do it!"

"Ha! Good!" Silver Moon laughed. "But don't worry too much. If there's no chance of success, I wouldn't send you. It's getting late. Go rest and get your strength back. Tonight, I'll take you to steal the Water Spirit Crystal."

The two of them walked in silence until late at night. Ryan snuck out of House Stark.

Silver Moon appeared, guiding him to the base of Blade's Edge Cliff, where they stopped in front of a thick patch of brambles. She pointed and said, "This is it."

Ryan struggled through the dense thorns before finally finding a narrow opening.

The entrance was hidden and narrow, so narrow that only one person could pass through at a time, sideways.

Ryan squeezed through with great effort, advancing deeper into the mountain's core. As he went further, the cave began to widen. The dark surroundings made it difficult to see, so he proceeded carefully.

Silver Moon had told him that the Water Spirit Crystal wasn't in such a gloomy place, so he pressed on, determined.

After what felt like a long time, Ryan noticed a faint light ahead. The air became more humid, and he could feel that he was getting closer to his goal. His caution increased as he neared the location.

He definitely didn't want to run into that level-eight beast by accident.