The tension eased, and our meal continued with lighter conversation—discussions of the upcoming tournament, speculation about which disciples would advance to the inner sect, gossip about various sect elders.

As we finished eating, Lin Mei stood and began preparing the purification bath, adding additional herbs to the water and activating the formation stones with precise bursts of spiritual energy. The array came to life, pale blue light tracing complex patterns across the courtyard stones.

She looked up at me, a hint of uncertainty in her expression. "Ke Yin, I know you're studying formations with Elder Chen Yong. Would you... would you mind checking my work? I've never handled demonic energy this pure before, and I want to be certain the purification array is properly configured."

I nodded, surprised but pleased by her request. It was rare for cultivators to openly ask for assessment of their work, especially from someone at a similar cultivation stage. It spoke to both her humility and her genuine concern for Wei Lin's safety.

"Of course," I replied, approaching the array. I circled it slowly, examining each component with both physical and spiritual senses, tracing the energy flows with my perception.

"Your basic structure is excellent," I began, stopping at the northeastern pillar. "The five-element balancing is precisely calibrated for Wei Lin's Merchant's Path. I particularly like how you've incorporated these water-aspect amplifiers to boost the purification efficiency."

Lin Mei nodded, following my analysis. "I was concerned about the counter-flow here," she said, pointing to where two energy streams intersected. "With demonic energy, the corruption tends to resist standard purification methods."

I knelt beside the point she indicated, studying the energy patterns. "You're right to be concerned. Demonic qi this concentrated could potentially overload this junction." I traced a small modification in the air, using a wisp of spiritual energy to demonstrate. "If you adjust the angle here and add a secondary release valve... like this... the system becomes self-regulating."

Lin Mei watched closely, her eyes widening slightly as she grasped the implication. "That's brilliant," she said. "It creates a feedback loop that intensifies purification in proportion to corruption levels."

"Exactly," I confirmed, pleased by her quick understanding. "I'd also suggest strengthening the containment barrier around the perimeter. Not because your design is flawed," I added quickly, "but because demonic energy from an Eighth Stage cultivator might behave unpredictably."

I showed her a simple reinforcement technique that I had read about at the library, one that created overlapping layers of protection rather than a single stronger barrier. Lin Mei implemented the changes immediately.

"Other than those minor tweaks, it's remarkably well-designed," I concluded. "You have a natural talent for formation work, especially the integration of herbalism principles. Most traditional formation masters overlook the potential of organic components."

Lin Mei seemed genuinely pleased by the compliment. "Thank you. That means a lot coming from someone who studies with Elder Chen Yong. I've only read about his formation innovations in the sect archives."

Sometimes I forgot how others viewed Elder Chen Yong—as a formation prodigy, a Life Realm expert whose innovations were studied in hushed tones by aspiring disciples. To them, he was a legendary figure, distant and awe-inspiring.

To me, he was just my drunk master, powerful and eccentric, yes, but also the man who belched after downing too much spirit wine, who sometimes dozed off mid-lesson when the afternoon sun hit just right, and who pretended to be a crippled mortal running a modest shop when he could have commanded respect with a mere glance.

The contrast between public perception and my daily reality with him was sometimes jarring.

"You should consider formal formation training," I suggested, pushing aside these thoughts. "With your foundation in herbalism and water arts, you could develop a unique approach. Specialized formation masters are always in demand."

Our discussion was interrupted as Wei Lin began removing his torn outer robes, revealing several minor wounds across his torso and arms, nothing life-threatening, but certainly painful. Lin Mei clicked her tongue in disapproval as she assessed the damage.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Into the bath," she directed. "The herbs will cleanse your meridians while I treat these cuts."

As Wei Lin settled into the glowing water, I excused myself to the room I'd been assigned, deciding to give them privacy. The small chamber was exactly as the landlady had described: clean but simple, with a sleeping mat, a low table, a single cushion, and a basin of wash water.

I closed the sliding door behind me and activated a basic privacy formation, nothing that would alarm Mrs. Chow, just enough to ensure I wouldn't be disturbed. From my storage ring, I extracted a small portion of Zhao Xun's withered remains, specifically focusing on collecting the demonic blood that remained.

"Are you certain about this, Master?" Azure's voice spoke in my mind.

"Not entirely," I admitted silently. "But the potential benefits outweigh the risks."

"The Celestial Trade Nexus could provide resources we can't obtain elsewhere," Azure acknowledged. "Still, blood arts are not to be taken lightly."

I nodded, carefully transferring the dark, viscous liquid into a jade vial. Even nearly drained of spiritual essence, Zhao Xun's blood retained an unsettling quality, too thick, and too dark.

"Ke Jun's method requires demonic blood from a cultivator at my current stage," I said, studying the vial. "Zhao Xun was Eighth Stage, same as me. It's ideal."

"And you trust Ke Jun's guidance?" Azure asked, the question gentle but pointed.

I laughed softly. "Trust is a strong word. Let's say I'm calculating the probabilities. He wants me to eventually free his Main Body, which means he needs me alive and functioning. It's not in his interest to give me false information about this ritual."

I set the vial aside and began arranging the other materials I'd need: formation flags, purified spirit stones, a silver needle for blood letting, and writing materials for the necessary talismans. The ritual wouldn't be particularly complex, Ke Jun had been very specific about keeping it simple to avoid detection, but precision would be critical.

"I'll perform it tomorrow night," I decided. "For now, I should rest and prepare my mind."

Through the thin paper door, I could hear Wei Lin and Lin Mei's muffled voices from the courtyard. Their tones had softened, the earlier tension giving way to something more intimate. I smiled slightly, happy for my friends despite the complications their relationship might face in the cultivation world.

Relationships between cultivators were rarely simple. The pursuit of immortality demanded focus, sacrifice, and often solitude. Those who formed deep attachments risked having those bonds exploited by enemies or tested by the heavens. Yet many still sought connection, unwilling to walk the lonely path of cultivation without at least trying to bring someone alongside them.

I settled into a cross-legged position on the sleeping mat, allowing my awareness to expand. The town around us hummed with ordinary life: merchants closing shops, families gathering for evening meals, children being called in from play. Above, the night sky revealed a tapestry of stars, each one representing possibilities, other worlds, other paths.

My thoughts drifted to Wei Lin's breakthrough. The jump from Eighth to Ninth Stage of Qi Condensation was significant, the final step before attempting to break through to the Elemental Realm. For most cultivators, this transition took months or even years of preparation, yet Wei Lin had accelerated the process dramatically through his encounter with Zhao Xun.

Was it luck? Destiny? Or simply the chaos that seemed to follow cultivators of Beyond Heaven-rank methods?

The World Tree Sutra had brought similar unexpected developments to my own path. When I'd first awakened in this world, in this body, I could never have anticipated where the journey would lead: inner worlds with dual suns, connections to other realms, encounters with ancient blood cultivators and mysterious masked enemies.

A soft knock at my door interrupted my musing.

"Ke Yin?" Lin Mei's voice called. "Wei Lin is ready to attempt his breakthrough. He wanted to know if you'd like to watch."

I rose and slid the door open. Lin Mei stood there, her earlier anger apparently resolved. Her robes were damp in places from helping Wei Lin with the purification bath, and she carried a small pot of what smelled like medicinal salve.

"Yeah, sure," I replied.

She led me back to the courtyard where Wei Lin sat in the center of the purification array, the water now drained from the tub. In its place, the jade container of demonic qi rested on a small stand, its dark contents swirling with malevolent energy.

Wei Lin himself had changed into clean meditation robes, his wet hair tied back from his face, his expression one of focused anticipation.

I noticed that Lin Mei had implemented all of my suggested modifications to the formation, plus added a few clever flourishes of her own. The containment barrier now pulsed with layered protection, and the energy flow junctions had been recalibrated to handle the demonic qi more efficiently. She'd even added a small pressure-release subsystem that hadn't been in my original suggestion, an elegant innovation that would prevent energy buildup in the critical pathways.

"Final preparations?" I asked, nodding appreciatively at the enhanced formation.

She nodded. "The demonic qi is potent. These secondary formations will help filter any corrupt influences while allowing the pure energy to flow into his ninth stall." She gestured to the modifications we'd discussed. "Your suggestions improved the efficiency by at least thirty percent. Thank you."

“If we're right, I could breakthrough to Stage Nine Qi Condensation tonight,” Wei Lin smiled.