Chapter 19 – Preparations for Breakthrough (2)

The quiet rustle of pine needles underfoot was a soothing contrast to the cacophony of Dragon Tale City. Ren Moxi walked at a calm, unhurried pace, black robes brushing the stone road like drifting night mist. Behind him followed Bing Yue, her white dress embroidered with silver ice phoenix patterns fluttering in the evening breeze.

Their journey back from Black Starmoon Alchemy Division had been silent until now. Bing Yue finally spoke, her voice cool yet tinged with curiosity.

"Master… that girl from earlier… was she… sick?"

Ren Moxi's golden eyes flicked sideways, faint amusement dancing within them.

"Not sick. She carries a Phoenix Constitution. Such a trait is both a blessing and a curse for mortal flesh."

As they neared the pavilion, a familiar loud, enthusiastic voice echoed across the clearing.

"Master! Senior Sister Bing Yue! Welcome back!"

Jian Tian came rushing down the stone steps, broom in hand, his dark hair tousled and streaked with pine sap from his morning cleaning duties. However, as he leapt down, his foot caught the edge of a stone slab. He flailed in panic.

"Waaah—!"

A light flick of Ren Moxi's sleeve released a subtle wind qi, stabilising Jian Tian mid-fall and placing him gently on his feet.

Jian Tian blinked, feeling the sudden support under his boots. He flushed with embarrassment, scratching his head sheepishly.

"Hehe… thank you, Master…"

Ren Moxi merely walked past without a word. Bing Yue chuckled softly behind her sleeve at his foolish disciple before following her master into the inner pavilion.

Earlier That Afternoon

Before they left Black Starmoon Alchemy Division, the bustling alchemy hall rang with the pounding of bronze cauldrons and bubbling spiritual liquids. Pill smoke drifted like clouds across massive shelves lined with glowing jade bottles and metal pill boxes.

As Ren Moxi finished paying for his ordered spirit plants, a faint, pitiful whimper reached his sharp ears.

Turning, he saw an elderly man kneeling beside a young girl in a crimson dress embroidered with golden phoenix feathers. Her face burned bright red as tears pooled in her lashes, her slim body trembling violently. Hot steam-like spiritual qi drifted from her exposed nape and wrists, carrying a faint scarlet glow.

"Grandfather… it burns… my veins… are burning again…"

The old man's hands shook as he pressed his palm to her forehead, his eyes filled with helpless despair.

Ren Moxi approached without a sound. His golden gaze swept across her meridians, reading the chaotic surges of innate fire qi within.

"Scarlet Phoenix Constitution," he murmured under his breath. "A rare trait… dangerous if unrefined."

Bing Yue looked on with mild pity, whispering softly.

"Her spiritual veins are being corroded by her own constitution's heat…"

The old man noticed Ren Moxi's towering presence and quickly bowed, forehead touching the tiled floor.

"Honoured One… please… forgive this old man… my granddaughter… she…"

Ren Moxi flicked his wrist. A small white jade bottle appeared, glowing with faint blue frost light.

"Feed her this within half an incense stick. Her meridians will stabilise temporarily. However—"

He looked directly into the old man's eyes.

"Without a phoenix-attributed cultivation manual to harmonise her constitution, her inner heat will consume her dantian within three years. Seek a Phoenix Manual Cultivation. Only then can her Scarlet Phoenix Constitution become a blessing rather than her death sentence."

The old man's eyes widened, tears streaming down his wrinkled cheeks as he immediately uncorked the bottle and fed the glowing pill to the girl.

Within seconds, her trembling ceased. Colour returned to her lips, and her breathing steadied as faint frost qi threaded through her meridians, quelling the rampant fire qi.

When he looked up again to thank Ren Moxi, the black-robed man had already turned away, robes billowing behind him as he strode for the exit with Bing Yue quietly following.

Back at the pavilion, the twilight sky painted streaks of orange and rose across the pine forest. Jian Tian was still sweeping fallen needles from the stone steps, muttering under his breath about squirrels dropping pine cones on his head all morning.

He straightened quickly as Ren Moxi appeared in the courtyard, Bing Yue trailing behind with a soft smile.

"Master, what did you buy today? More spirit plants? Cultivation pills? New demon beast jerky—?"

Ren Moxi ignored his barrage of questions. With a flick of his sleeve, two formation flags appeared midair, humming with embedded jade runes and etched talisman scripts.

"Jian Tian. Place the Emerald Dragon Gathering Array formation flags around the inner cultivation courtyard. Bing Yue, set up the Sevenfold Celestial Shielding Array along the outer perimeter."

Jian Tian's grin froze as he gingerly accepted the flag, feeling the powerful spiritual force vibrating within it.

"M-Master… what if I place it upside down like last time…? Will… will my qi flow backward again…?"

Ren Moxi didn't even turn his head.

"Your meridians will collapse inward and you will die instantly."

Jian Tian blanched, his knees trembling.

"Hah… hahaha… then… I will definitely not place it upside down, Master…"

Bing Yue stifled her laughter as she took her flag with graceful poise, snow-white sleeves billowing with faint frost as she walked past him.

"Junior Brother… focus. Or Master really might bury you along with the array stones…"

"Don't jinx me, Senior Sister…!"

Three Days Later

On the dawn of the third day, with the arrays stabilised and spiritual qi in the courtyard reaching dense emerald hues, Ren Moxi returned to Black Starmoon Alchemy Division to finalise the pill refinement ingredients.

As he entered the grand alchemy hall, lined with golden phoenix columns and steaming cauldrons, the pungent medicinal scent filled his senses. Dozens of alchemists bustled about, attending to glowing pill cauldrons.

From behind the main jade counter emerged the elderly man from before, clad in gold-lined grey robes with the manager insignia of Black Starmoon Alchemy Division.

He bowed deeply, forehead brushing the polished marble floor.

"Honoured One… you grace our division once more…"

Ren Moxi looked at him calmly.

"You are the manager here."

The old man nodded quickly, eyes glistening with gratitude.

"Indeed, Honoured One. I must thank you for saving my granddaughter that day… Please… allow me to formally introduce her to express our gratitude."

He beckoned lightly. From behind the counter emerged the young girl in the red phoenix robe. Her eyes, once dull with pain, now gleamed with life. She bowed deeply, her long black hair tied with a phoenix jade clasp.

"Senior… thank you for saving my life."

Ren Moxi regarded her calmly.

"Your name."

"Feng Xue, Senior. I carry the Scarlet Phoenix Constitution… My fire qi often runs rampant and burns my meridians…"

Ren Moxi hummed softly.

"Seek a Phoenix Manual Cultivation. Such manuals are designed to refine innate phoenix qi into pure yang flames, harmonising with your constitution's core. Without it, your inner heat will remain unbalanced and destroy your spiritual foundation."

Feng Xue's eyes widened in awe and hope.

"Senior… do you… do you perhaps have such a manual…?"

Ren Moxi shook his head faintly.

"Seek it yourself. Only with determination can you awaken the full potential of your bloodline."

The manager wiped tears from his eyes and clapped his hands. Two inner disciples carried out an ornately carved wooden box, placing it before Ren Moxi with utmost reverence.

Inside, fresh spirit plants glowed with abundant spiritual energy:

Cloudsea Ginseng Root (100 years)Ninefold Fire LotusDragon Bone GrassScarlet Mist Orchid

Their dew-like condensation sparkled under the torchlight.

"Honoured One, please accept these spirit plants as repayment. And… for saving my only granddaughter's life…"

Ren Moxi closed the box softly, his golden eyes reflecting their radiant glow.

"Very well."

He turned to leave, robes swirling behind him like silent storm clouds.

Feng Xue bowed deeply, eyes shimmering with determined light as she watched his tall, dark figure vanish beyond the pill smoke haze.

Back at the Pavilion

The sun dipped low beyond the western ridges, casting the pine forest in golden shadows. Jian Tian sat cross-legged in the courtyard, panting as he forced the turbulent qi back into his dantian. Sweat poured down his bare chest, muscles quivering from hours of formation placement.

Bing Yue approached gracefully, her frosty aura cooling the surrounding stones as she laid down the final Sevenfold Celestial Shielding Array flag.

"Junior Brother… your array placement is finally correct. Congratulations. You might survive today after all."

Jian Tian forced a weak grin.

"Thanks… Senior Sister… My knees are numb… my arms are numb… even my brain is numb…"

She hid a smile, shaking her head softly as she returned to the veranda where Ren Moxi sat, opening the wooden box of spirit plants. His golden eyes glowed faintly under the dimming sky.

"Jian Tian."

The young man immediately crawled up and bowed deeply, ignoring his wobbling legs.

"Yes… Master…!"

Ren Moxi closed the box.

"These plants will refine the Foundation Establishment Pill for your breakthrough. Rest tonight. The refinement begins tomorrow at dawn."

Jian Tian's eyes sparkled with anticipation despite his exhaustion.

"I will not let you down, Master!"

Ren Moxi regarded him silently before turning his gaze to Bing Yue.

"Prepare the auxiliary array runes for the pill refinement tomorrow. Bing Yue, your frost talismans will stabilise the cauldron's inner temperature fluctuations."

"Understood, Master."

The night breeze swept through the pine forest, carrying the faint scent of spirit plants and wild lotus from the nearby ponds. Stars blinked awake across the black heavens as the pavilion's lanterns glowed to life.

Within the quiet mountain halls, a subtle current of destiny began to weave itself ever tighter around Ren Moxi, Jian Tian, and Bing Yue – silent threads preparing for the storms soon to descend upon them.