Yuan Yao Returns

______

Half a year had passed quietly since Yuan Yao returned.

Qi Yuan purchased several elixirs suitable for cultivation at the Jindan stage in Tianxing City—Houde Dan, Peifeng Dan, and Wuxing Dan. Among them, the Five Elements Pill had the best effect, providing significantly greater improvement than the others.

He refined five yellow flying knives as ancient treasures and created an additional magic harp as a backup. This soul-attacking weapon was indeed useful. As for the meteor flying needles, they were not particularly outstanding, making them unworthy of using yin and yang energies.

The Five Elements True Spirit Tree was further cultivated, growing toward the ten-thousand-year mark. Qi Yuan stopped when it reached fifteen thousand years, then chopped it down to harvest the Ten Thousand Year Old Five Elements True Spirit Fruits and the Five Elements Trunk.

The Holy Mountain was beyond his control, and if the Star Palace ever discovered it, he would be in trouble.

In terms of spiritual consciousness, he had reached the late Jindan stage, but his actual cultivation remained at the early Jindan stage. After entering this realm, he realized that ordinary elixirs could no longer advance his cultivation significantly. He would need special elixirs to make noticeable progress.

The Five Elements Golden Elixir had been divided by the Chaos Cauldron into independent elements—gold, wood, water, fire, and earth—before being recombined. Essentially, his Five Elements Golden Pill was a fusion of five golden pills, requiring far more spiritual power than usual. It was no surprise that ordinary elixirs had little effect.

The Blood Lotus secret technique made it easy to condense lotus seeds at the Jindan stage, allowing him to produce them in large quantities. The golden sword talisman and the blue dragon talisman could be nurtured when he had time—there were already around thirty of them.

He also prepared extra bottles of Dust-Reducing Pills and Jade Pills for Yan Ruyan, just in case. While her natural spiritual roots made it easier for her to form a pill, it was always best to be prepared.

Qi Yuan made up his mind—he would force the breakthrough to ensure he successfully formed the pill in one go.

Meanwhile, he had been preparing for an expedition to the Fire God Sect ruins.

A young Confucian scholar had once explored the ruins and seen the Five Elements Earth Fire deep inside. However, the area was fraught with danger. Though the treasures were rare, they did not align with his cultivation path, so he chose not to risk his life.

The Fire God Sect had once been home to a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, and after countless years of refining its defenses, it was filled with hidden arrow mechanisms and forbidden formations. The risk was undeniably high.

Over the centuries, many Jindan cultivators had searched the ruins, clearing most of the dangers in the outer and inner areas. However, the deeper restrictions remained intact, and every Jindan cultivator who ventured in perished. The formations were unshaken.

There had been a Nascent Soul stage immortal who, with great skill and courage, had dared to go deep into the ruins—only to never return. The cultivators of Luanxinghai were so terrified that they no longer attempted to venture inside, leaving the deeper treasures untouched.

The Fire God Sect had been a powerful sect, specializing in fire techniques. It possessed top-tier mental techniques, secret fire arts, magic weapons, and rare heavenly flames—ideal for those with fire spiritual roots. Some speculated that if a fire cultivator obtained these treasures, they could reach the Nascent Soul stage in one fell swoop.

Qi Yuan, however, had no interest in these treasures or techniques. His sole objective was the Five Elements Earth Fire, necessary for refining the Five Elements Futian Tower. He had also commissioned the four major chambers of commerce to locate other Five Elements treasures.

After half a year of searching, Yuan Yao and Yan Li should have gathered some information by now.

"Senior, what are you thinking about?"

Xiaomei approached, carrying a tray of spiritual tea and delicate pastries she had made herself. She was now responsible for managing the cave affairs.

Qi Yuan sat at a coffee table near the large open-air patio. In the yard stood a tree of unknown name, its leaves yellowing and drifting down with the wind. It was a picturesque sight.

Looking up at the distant fairy mountains, he felt a sense of peace.

"Thinking about you," Qi Yuan joked.

Xiaomei smiled charmingly, setting the tea and snacks on the table. Pleased with herself, she teased, "Senior, you always know how to sweet-talk girls. How could any beauty escape your grasp?"

She wore a light yellow dress that accentuated her tall figure, her hair styled in a high bun with a silver hairpin. Star-shaped earrings sparkled against her lightly powdered face, making her look both elegant and enchanting.

Qi Yuan pulled Xiaomei into his arms, inhaling the scent of orchids. "You make me sound like a playboy. That damages my reputation—I deserve a punishment..."

Xiaomei bit her lip, feigning grievance as her body trembled slightly. "Senior, Xiaomei knows she was wrong."

"No, that apology doesn't sound sincere enough." Qi Yuan's face was serious as he reached for his robe's buttons.

Xiaomei, flustered, quickly grabbed a dessert and tried to feed it to him, but her delicate hands trembled, causing the treat to fall to the ground.

Qi Yuan sighed. "Xiaomei, you're a Foundation Building cultivator, yet you can't even hold a light snack? It seems your magic power has declined too much. Fortunately, I have time—I'll personally guide you through an intensive training session to help you recover your strength."

Xiaomei's mind was in a daze, unable to fully grasp his words. She only managed a soft hum in response.

Beside the terrace, only the wind rustled through the leaves.

Outside Tianxing City, two beautiful women flew toward the entrance. After paying the spirit stone fee, they entered the city together.

Yuan Yao's enchanting eyes scanned her surroundings as she murmured, "Senior Sister Yan, take out the sensing talisman. Let's see if the senior is in the city."

Yan Li patted her storage bag, retrieving a purple talisman. Injecting mana into it, the talisman emitted a faint glow. Her eyes were filled with warmth, and her delicate face showed a hint of longing. "We spent half a year traveling across seven major islands to gather information on the Fire God Sect. Hopefully, we'll get the chance to stay by the senior's side as we wish."

"Senior Sister Yan, let's fight for the opportunity—even if it means becoming his maids," Yuan Yao said firmly.

Yan Li nodded. "The talisman has been lit for a while, but the senior hasn't responded yet. Let's find a teahouse and wait."

The two entered a teahouse, waiting for several hours. Yet Qi Yuan did not appear, and their expressions grew anxious.

Tianxing City's cost of living was high. Although Qi Yuan had left them plenty of spirit stones, they didn't want to waste them and leave a bad impression.

Yuan Yao frowned, gripping her teacup. "Did the senior break his promise?"

"Who said I broke my promise?"

Qi Yuan's voice came from nearby just as his figure appeared.

"Yuan Yao, Yan Li, greet the senior," the two women said, immediately standing and bowing joyfully.

Qi Yuan's gaze swept over them. "How did it go? Tell me everything."

He gestured for them to sit down and discuss the matter.

(End Of Chapter)