"Are you satisfied with this little meeting gift?"
asked the green-robed woman with a smile.
"Very satisfied! Senior Azure, your meeting gift is simply amazing."
Abbess Yvonne spoke excitedly, feeling not just awe for the mysterious Senior Azure, but a deep sense of gratitude as well.
By now, everyone had surely guessed that the green-robed woman was actually Ian Song in disguise.
That's right.
This green-robed woman was none other than a female persona sculpted by Ian Song using the Transformation Divine Art. Once completed, the transformation made him a true woman in every sense.
"Alright, let's head down now!"
With a thought, the Silverglow Skiff carried the Jade Maiden Sect group back to Jade Maiden Peak. Afterward, Ian Song explained the incantations for controlling the Guardian Mountain Formation and taught them how to craft jade talismans that allow safe movement within the array, but do not grant control over it.
Once everything was settled, Ian Song was about to take his leave when Abbess Yvonne suddenly invited him to stay a while longer at the Jade Maiden Sect.
Ian Song understood her intentions and, after a brief hesitation, agreed.
To show respect for Senior Azure, the Jade Maiden Sect arranged for him to reside in a lavishly decorated palace and assigned four young, beautiful third-generation disciples to serve him—including Leah Ling, whom he knew fairly well.
Seeing Leah Ling and the other three girls standing there, looking nervous yet curious, Ian Song waved his hand. "Wait outside for now. I'll call you if I need anything."
"Yes, Senior." the four girls replied in unison.
"Hold on."
Just as they turned to leave, Ian Song called them back.
The four girls turned around, puzzled.
"This is my gift to you. Take it."
Four jade bottles landed in their hands, surprising the girls and prompting them to hurriedly thank him.
"Go on now. Unless I summon you, don't come in. Otherwise, you'll be severely punished!"
"Yes, Senior!"
Once outside the palace, the four girls couldn't contain their curiosity any longer—they had to know what kind of pill Senior Azure had given them.
"What do you think Senior Azure gave us? What kind of pill is it?" one of them asked.
As she spoke, one of the girls uncorked her jade bottle and poured a pill into her palm. The fragrant, emerald-green pill made her eyes widen with excitement. "Oh my god, it's a Qi-Nurturing Pill!"
The Qi-Nurturing Pill is a very common cultivation pill in this world, mainly used by Qi-Refining cultivators. Taking one is worth at least three months of training.
Even though Qi-Nurturing Pills are common, their price is far beyond what Leah Ling and the other junior disciples can afford. Each pill costs three low-grade spirit crystals.
The Jade Maiden Sect only gives them two low-grade spirit crystals per year—barely enough for cultivation, let alone buying pills.
"Quick, count how many are inside!" another girl urged.
So the girl poured out all the Qi-Nurturing Pills from her bottle and counted them—there were twenty in total.
She cried out again, even more excited, "Oh my god, Senior Azure is so generous! She actually gave us twenty Qi-Nurturing Pills! With these, I can at least reach the sixth layer of Qi-Refining!"
All four girls were at the fourth layer of Qi-Refining.
Leah Ling and the others quickly poured out their pills and counted—twenty each. Their faces lit up with joy, and their opinion of the cool, aloof Senior Azure soared.
Splendor Palace.
Ian Song slowly withdrew his clairvoyant power. He had observed Leah Ling and the others' reactions—both kindness and sternness had been shown, so they likely wouldn't dare disturb him in the palace.
As for the Qi-Nurturing Pills he gave them, they were casually refined using his Pill Condensation Technique. As long as he had enough ingredients, he could make as many as he wished.
With a thought, he teleported into the wooden hut halfway up the mountain, recalled Huang Yan—who had been pretending to be sick in bed—and lay down himself.
About an hour later, light footsteps sounded outside.
A moment later, someone pushed the door open and walked in.
It wasn't Ling Yan—it was Leah Ling.
"Second Fool, I heard you were hurt, so I came to check on you," Leah Ling said with concern.
"It's nothing, just a minor injury," Ian Song said with a dismissive smile. "By the way, my Dao name is Skyler Ling now, so you shouldn't call me Second Fool anymore, Leah."
"I know, but I just like calling you Second Fool!" Leah Ling giggled.
Ian Song's face darkened instantly.
"Alright, I'm just teasing you. Look, what's this?" Leah Ling pulled out a jade bottle and stuffed it into Ian's hand.
"What's this?" Ian Song asked, feigning curiosity. In truth, he already knew—they were three Qi-Nurturing Pills, the same ones he'd given Leah Ling earlier.
"Guess!" Leah Ling said with a triumphant grin.
"No idea," he replied.
Leah Ling grew even prouder. "So silly! I'll tell you—these are Qi-Nurturing Pills given to me by a great senior. Since you always cook for me, I'll give you three. But when you're better, you have to keep cooking for me, okay?"
Using the gifts I gave her to bribe me?
Ian Song couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time, but he still nodded in agreement.
Leah Ling wasn't scheming—she was kind-hearted, just a little greedy when it came to food.
After chatting for a while, Leah Ling left.
Soon after, Lana Snow, Jade Snow, and others came to visit Ian Song. Even Yara Snow, who never liked him, showed up and gave him some low-grade spirit crystals, urging him to rest and recover.
As for Ling Yan, Abbess Yvonne took her to where the first-generation disciples lived in seclusion. With abundant spiritual energy and the benefits received from Senior Azure, they planned to repay the favor by helping Ling Yan with her cultivation.
From Yuyang Commandery toward Huangyuan County, a black treasure-ship sped toward the Jade Maiden Sect.
At the prow, Justin Su stood with his sword in hand.
Before Skye Miao adopted him, Justin was already a famous swordsman in the mortal world, his swordsmanship nearly peerless. But no matter how skilled, a swordsman couldn't match a cultivator's magic treasures and Dao arts. Once, he offended a cultivator and was hunted down; though he escaped, his entire family of eighteen was slaughtered.
He swore vengeance against that cultivator.
After much searching, he arrived in Yuyang Commandery and joined the Miao Clan. His extraordinary talent caught Skye Miao's eye, and he was adopted as a son and taught advanced cultivation methods.
Over the years, he grew from a worldly swordsman to a peak late-stage Golden Core expert. He never gave up on revenge, and the cultivator who massacred his family was eventually slain by his own sword.
To Justin, it was Skye Miao who gave him the power to avenge his family. His loyalty to his adoptive father was absolute—he would die for him without hesitation.