Smuggling into the Kang Kingdom was a plan Wei Tu had set decades ago, even before forming his Golden Core.

Therefore, he was well-acquainted with the cultivation forces within the Kang Kingdom.

The Condensing Moon Palace was one of the "Three Divisions, Two Mountains, and One Palace" of the Kang Kingdom's cultivation forces, holding a status equivalent to the Three Great Immortal Sects of the Zheng Kingdom.

—Among the seven-nation righteous alliance, the three border nations were considered small compared to the four inland countries.

Thus, in terms of cultivation forces, the border nations were inferior to the inland ones.

"Two years later?" Wei Tu chuckled upon hearing this. "If it's two years later, perhaps by the time I successfully smuggle into the Kang Kingdom, your Mirror Water Pavilion would have already been residing within the Condensing Moon Palace for quite some time."

In truth, with his Golden Core realm, if he sought refuge with a sect like the Mirror Water Pavilion, he might secure a spot in their relocation to the Kang Kingdom.

However—

Firstly, it would be challenging to explain the source of his information.

Secondly, sects weren't charitable organizations; they wouldn't allow him to come and go freely. The conditions they imposed would undoubtedly be stringent.

They might even employ methods to restrict personal freedom, such as soul contracts.

This was something Wei Tu found hard to accept.

Therefore, smuggling into the Kang Kingdom became his best option at present.

After discussing the matter of leaving the Zheng Kingdom, Wei Tu brought up Kou Hongying's Golden Core formation.

"Back then, within the Cloud Ze Secret Realm, it was I who secretly killed Si Qing," Wei Tu initiated the topic.

Through Bai Zhi, he had already learned about the Heavenly Maiden Sect's bounty on him.

Thus, concealing Si Qing's death was no longer necessary.

Upon hearing this, Kou Hongying's face revealed an expression of realization.

Clearly, after Wei Tu formed his Golden Core, she had suspected there was more to the events of that year.

Only if Wei Tu had killed Si Qing could it explain why he possessed a complete Golden Core opportunity for his own core formation.

"It seems that decades ago, my master suspected Uncle Wei, and she wasn't wrong," Kou Hongying smiled teasingly.

It was precisely because Wei Tu had "suspicious points" that her master remained fixated on him. Even after losing her memory, she still tested Wei Tu.

Speaking of Qin Yuling, Wei Tu also felt fortunate. That crisis was arguably the greatest he had faced since entering the cultivation world.

Because the crisis was unpredictable.

If Qin Yuling hadn't consumed the inferior "Mortal Shedding Pill" swapped by Shen Yunqiu during her Golden Core breakthrough, resulting in a thirty-year memory loss—

Otherwise, facing a sudden targeting by a Golden Core True Lord, he would have been hard-pressed to cope.

"I've already used most of the Golden Core opportunities from the Cloud Ze Secret Realm... However, I still have a few Golden Core spiritual materials on hand. I can lend you two..." Wei Tu pondered and said.

"Two Golden Core spiritual materials?"

Kou Hongying was astonished upon hearing this.

She never expected that even after forming his Golden Core, Wei Tu still possessed two Golden Core spiritual materials.

Kou Hongying couldn't help but wonder how many Golden Core spiritual materials and opportunities Wei Tu had obtained back in the Cloud Ze Secret Realm.

From Wei Tu's words, it wasn't hard to discern that he had more than just two Golden Core spiritual materials at present.

"Thank you, Uncle Wei," Kou Hongying expressed her gratitude but didn't ask Wei Tu for more.

Wei Tu hadn't explicitly stated he only had two; he said "several," not just two, indicating his trust in her.

—Two was the maximum number Wei Tu could spare for her.

Asking for more would be inappropriate.

Moreover, with the two Golden Core spiritual materials Wei Tu lent her, she now had four in total, just one short of a complete Golden Core opportunity.

And obtaining that one wasn't too difficult for her.

By spending some time and paying attention at major merchant guilds and auctions, she could acquire it.

Seeing Kou Hongying's attitude, Wei Tu showed an appreciative expression. He took out the prepared Golden Core spiritual materials from his sleeve and handed them to her.

Having known each other for many years, it was precisely because Kou Hongying and he acted with propriety that their relationship hadn't grown distant but had become closer over time.

At this moment, saying he was lending her two Golden Core spiritual materials was practically the same as giving them.

With everything settled, Wei Tu didn't linger in the Mirror Water Pavilion. He took hold of Qiu Buchen's arm and bid farewell to Kou Hongying.

"Uncle Wei, take care on your journey."

Kou Hongying sighed softly, her brows filled with worry.

Smuggling into the Kang Kingdom wasn't an easy path; it was fraught with danger.

She feared this farewell might be their last.

Over a hundred and sixty years ago, her father, Kou Liang, had also bid farewell in this manner, but once he left, he passed away.

"Immortal Master Wei, take care on your journey."

Qiu Haisu didn't understand why her master, Kou Hongying, was so sorrowful, but she still followed suit in bidding farewell.

"Sister, you should change your address and call him Immortal Master Wei... Grandmaster Wei," Qiu Buchen, standing behind Wei Tu, softly reminded.

However, Qiu Haisu didn't heed this. She glared at Qiu Buchen and didn't change her address.

Qiu Buchen didn't realize that his sister, Qiu Haisu's way of addressing Wei Tu, actually concealed a young girl's little thoughts.

Five days later, Wei Tu brought Qiu Buchen to the temporary residence of the Beastmaster Sect in the Zheng Kingdom.

Unlike the warm welcome he received at the Mirror Water Pavilion, the passing Beastmaster Sect cultivators hardly recognized Wei Tu.

After sending out a token, about half a day later, Wei Tu met with Nan Zi.

"True Lord Wei," Nan Zi flew out from the mountain gate with a joyful expression, but upon seeing Qiu Buchen behind Wei Tu, her smile gradually faded.

This time, she thought Wei Tu had come specifically to find her. Unexpectedly, he had another purpose.

Nevertheless, Nan Zi didn't dare offend Wei Tu. She invited him to the Beastmaster Sect's guest hall.

“This child is a mortal from Jing Kingdom with a top-grade spiritual root. I have ties with his ancestors. I wonder if Miss Nan could make an exception and accept him as a disciple?”

After taking a seat, Wei Tu stated his purpose.

While sects valued talent when accepting disciples, they also checked backgrounds and wouldn’t accept just anyone carelessly.

That was why he mentioned the word “exception” when recommending Qiu Buchen to the Beastmaster Sect.

“Top-grade spiritual root?” Nan Zi looked Qiu Buchen over a few times.

As one of the proud talents of the Beastmaster Sect, she too possessed a top-grade spiritual root.

“Matters of accepting disciples must be reported to my master first for approval,” Nan Zi replied seriously.

It wasn’t that she was being difficult with Wei Tu.

Only Golden Core True Lords had the authority to take in disciples outside of the official recruitment period.

“Much appreciated.” Wei Tu cupped his hands in thanks.

After Nan Zi left, Wei Tu patiently waited in the guest hall.

“Good thing I didn’t insist on bringing my sister along to the Beastmaster Sect,” thought Qiu Buchen quietly as he watched the scene unfold.

At Mirror Water Pavilion, Wei Tu had friendly relations with Qin Yuling’s faction and was treated as an honored guest. They had agreed to accept his recommendation right away.

But here at the Beastmaster Sect, Wei Tu clearly hit a wall.

From this, it was clear that his experience here wouldn’t be as smooth as his sister Qiu Haisu’s at Mirror Water Pavilion.

But this was something he had already expected.

Wei Tu had no idea what Qiu Buchen was thinking. Even if he did, he wouldn’t care.

Connections could be broad or narrow—that was just how things were. There was no use forcing it.

While waiting, Wei Tu secretly conversed with Bai Zhi, bringing up a matter that had puzzled him for a long time.

“Miss Bai, are you familiar with the Myriad Spirits Demon Infant of the Myriad Spirits Sect?”

The Myriad Spirits Demon Infant had been a lingering mystery in his heart for quite some time.

However, after advancing to the Golden Core stage, this issue had gradually been pushed to the back of his mind.

After all, the “Celestial Spirit Dew” secreted by the Myriad Spirits Demon Infant was only useful for beasts and cultivators below the third tier. It wasn’t very useful to him anymore.

Now, being at the Beastmaster Sect had reminded him of the matter.

“Myriad Spirits Demon Infant?” Bai Zhi responded in surprise upon hearing the name.

Clearly, she knew a thing or two about it.

“The Myriad Spirits Demon Infant was a type of ‘Nascent Infant Pill’ secretly developed by the Myriad Spirits Sect a thousand years ago. Unfortunately, the pill was a failure,” Bai Zhi explained after carefully choosing her words.

“Nascent Infant Pill?” Wei Tu was puzzled. From the appearance and size, the Demon Infant didn’t look like a pill at all.

After all, it was the size of a fist.

Bai Zhi seemed to read his thoughts and chuckled softly. “Wei Daoist, do you think pills only come in round shapes? In this world, pills come in many forms. As long as it’s refined from spiritual materials, it’s considered a pill.”

“That makes sense.” Wei Tu nodded, finding her explanation reasonable.

Although the Demon Infant was fist-sized and didn’t seem easy to consume, that was only true for mortals. Cultivators merely needed to refine its medicinal essence; swallowing it whole wasn’t necessary.

“So, it’s a failed Nascent Infant Pill after all,” Wei Tu remarked with a hint of disappointment.

He had thought the Demon Infant was some kind of treasure, but it turned out to be nothing more than a failed alchemical product.

There were many types of breakthrough pills like the Foundation Establishment Pill, Mortal Shedding Pill, and Nascent Infant Pill, even though they all shared the same name due to their intended effect.

According to Wei Tu’s knowledge, some cultivation realms used demon cores from spirit beasts as primary ingredients in their pills rather than relying solely on spiritual herbs.

Alchemical formulas were not set in stone.

Major sects like the Myriad Spirits Sect regularly had alchemists working on new types of Nascent Infant Pills.

“It seems like you’ve already obtained one of these Myriad Spirits Demon Infants, haven’t you?” Bai Zhi asked.

Wei Tu nodded and didn’t bother hiding it. He revealed the secrets of the Demon Infant and the Celestial Spirit Dew.

By now, Bai Zhi already knew about the Heaven-Mending Bowl. Compared to that, a failed pill like the Demon Infant wasn’t worth mentioning.

After explaining everything, Wei Tu asked if Bai Zhi had any methods to help his Wind-Cleaving Eagle avoid the side effects of consuming the Celestial Spirit Dew.

The Wind-Cleaving Eagle had been a major asset during his Foundation Establishment stage. But now that he had reached the Golden Core stage, its usefulness was dwindling.

Given some more time, once he mastered the Profound Nether Yin Fire, the eagle would become even less relevant.

“The Celestial Spirit Dew you mentioned is likely the medicinal essence secreted by the Demon Infant. While this essence can enhance the cultivation of beasts and cultivators, it also builds up pill toxins in their bodies…”

“To resolve this, you’d either have to cleanse the toxins from the eagle’s body—which is more trouble than it’s worth—or you could simply obtain another Wind-Cleaving Eagle from the Beastmaster Sect or Blood God Sect and raise it anew.”

“Another method is to enhance the potency of the Celestial Spirit Dew, making it strong enough to help the Wind-Cleaving Eagle break through to the third tier,” Bai Zhi suggested.

“Enhance the potency?” Wei Tu raised an eyebrow.

The only way to do that would be to have the eagle directly consume the Demon Infant.

But even a failed Nascent Infant Pill was still a Nascent Infant Pill. Its medicinal strength was something a late second-tier beast couldn’t possibly endure.

“Have you forgotten about the Heaven-Mending Bowl? That spirit treasure possesses the Heaven-Mending Divine Ability, which can elevate the grade of spiritual items,” Bai Zhi reminded him with a smile.