“The water of the Falling Sun Spring can also enhance the physical body? It’s a body-tempering treasure?”

Wei Tu was both delighted and troubled by this discovery.

His body-tempering cultivation was a hidden trump card. He couldn’t reveal it in public.

If he exposed it now, it wouldn’t take much for someone to link Daoist Wolfslayer’s “disappearance” back to him.

That would cause more harm than good.

So, he could only obediently use his magic power to capture the sacred spring water from the spiritual mist and refine it. He couldn’t reveal his body-tempering cultivation by directly absorbing it with his flesh.

He wanted both the fish and the bear’s paw.

“Unless I can store the sacred spring water and refine it later after returning to the Fen Shan Tribe…”

At this thought, Wei Tu’s eyes lit up.

The sacred spring water was a special kind of spiritual liquid. It couldn’t be stored in ordinary containers like pill bottles or jade boxes. But with the Heaven-Mending Bowl in his possession, storing sacred spring water wasn’t a problem.

The “Heaven-Mending Effect” of the Heaven-Mending Bowl also had the ability to seal spiritual energy from items.

It was the best storage vessel possible.

No sooner thought than done.

Wei Tu didn’t hesitate.

As long as he didn’t use his physical body to absorb the sacred spring water, no one present—neither cultivators nor Divine Masters—would pay much attention to how much water he captured with his magic power.

After all, cultivators were different.

With varying foundations, the amount of magic power they could contain also differed.

Some cultivators had secret techniques that allowed them to absorb more spring water than others.

As long as Wei Tu didn’t go overboard, no one would interfere.

…

Time passed slowly.

While refining the sacred spring water with his magic power, Wei Tu also stored the excess water in the Heaven-Mending Bowl for future use.

After two years, his cultivation had improved significantly, advancing from Minor Accomplishment in the early Golden Core stage to Major Accomplishment.

With a bit more progress, he would soon reach the peak of the early Golden Core stage.

“Solid foundation,” Divine Master Donglai observed when he noticed Wei Tu, but didn’t think much of it. He simply assumed Wei Tu had a strong foundation and therefore absorbed more spring water for cultivation.

According to the rules, high priests could only bathe in the sacred spring for three years.

When the third year ended, the high priests from all three tribes left the stone hall one after another.

But because Wei Tu had joined the Cangkun Alliance and held status equivalent to a senior mage of the royal court, he was allowed to remain in the hall for one more year.

In the second half of the fourth year, while seated in meditation, Wei Tu’s aura suddenly surged, and his cultivation broke through from Major Accomplishment in the early Golden Core stage to its peak.

Within his dantian, his once fingertip-sized golden core had now grown severalfold, swelling to the size of a pigeon egg.

“In no more than ten years, I’ll be ready to break through to the mid-Golden Core stage.”

Wei Tu’s eyes sparkled with spiritual light.

Cultivating in the Golden Core stage was unlike the Qi Refinement or Foundation Establishment stages. One couldn’t simply break through in a single leap—it required steady, cumulative cultivation.

For him to reach the mid-Golden Core stage in just seventy years would already count as rapid progress.

Many cultivators were stuck at this stage for over a hundred years before making a breakthrough.

If he hadn’t spent so much time studying alchemy back at the Fen Shan Tribe, perhaps he would have already broken through to mid-stage now.

Still, Wei Tu didn’t regret it.

Without the support of alchemy, relying solely on talismans, he would’ve ended up like a bigger version of Che Gongwei. His cultivation in the middle and later stages of Golden Core would’ve been slow and difficult.

After all, Tier Three pills were hard to come by.

…

When the four years were up, Wei Tu left the Falling Sun Spring with Yuan Jie and the other royal court mages under Divine Master Donglai’s lead.

Once outside the city, Divine Master Donglai took his two disciples—the twin brothers—and departed from the royal court party, returning to his cave residence.

Only Wei Tu and the cultivators who had come from the Ying Ding Tribe to Falling Sun City remained.

“Priest Wei, Alliance Leader Yuan, and Fairy Baohua—why don’t the five of us travel together?”

“It’d be safer that way on the road.”

Second Prince approached with a smile, bringing along Yue Qian, a Golden Core rogue cultivator.

“Travel together?” Wei Tu raised an eyebrow, wondering what trick the Second Prince was playing.

He didn’t believe the prince was just trying to build friendship with Yuan Jie.

Even a fool could see something was off.

“Could it be a setup to ambush Yuan Jie?”

Wei Tu’s gaze flickered.

Other than that, he couldn’t think of any reason why the prince would want to travel with Yuan Jie and Fairy Baohua. There was no tangible benefit.

“I still need to stay in Falling Sun City to digest what I gained from the sacred spring. I won’t be returning to the Ying Ding Tribe just yet.”

Having reached that conclusion, Wei Tu quickly declined.

He had no intention of getting himself involved in danger.

Although Wei Tu was on good terms with Yuan Jie and Fairy Baohua, it wasn’t to the extent that he would risk his life for them.

If the Second Prince truly intended to have Yuan Jie assassinated, the killers he’d hire would certainly not be ordinary.

At the very least, they would be late-stage Golden Core cultivators.

And quite possibly, more than one.

Of course, when Wei Tu declined the invitation, he still secretly transmitted a message to Yuan Jie, warning him to be wary of the Second Prince.

“Jinzhang election?” Yuan Jie’s eyes briefly flickered with a hint of coldness.

But on the surface, he remained as composed and gentle as ever, his expression calm and courteous.

“That’s a pity. I had hoped… to travel together with you this time, Daoist Wei,” Yuan Jie said with a soft sigh.

His words seemed to agree to the Second Prince’s request.

Watching this, Wei Tu couldn’t help but feel curious—what card did Yuan Jie have up his sleeve that made him confident enough to face such a deadly trap?

Soon after, Yuan Jie, Fairy Baohua, Yue Qian, and the Second Prince left Falling Sun City together, heading back toward the Ying Ding Tribe’s Hujie Immortal City.

Wei Tu returned to the inn.

While cultivating, he kept a close eye on news from outside Falling Sun City—especially anything related to Yuan Jie and his group.

After waiting for around two months, Wei Tu finally received word from the Wufu Merchant Guild’s outpost.

A month and a half ago, when Yuan Jie’s group was traveling through the Hanhai Desert, the Sand Bandit Society suddenly attacked them.

During the battle, the Second Prince and Yue Qian turned traitor, ambushing Yuan Jie and Fairy Baohua and seriously injuring them.

Fortunately, Yuan Ping and the leader of the Cangkun Alliance, the rogue cultivator Rogue cultivator Qian Yue, appeared at the last moment. They crushed the Sand Bandit Society’s assault, killed the Second Prince and the bandit leader, and rescued Yuan Jie and Fairy Baohua.

“Yuan Ping? Rogue cultivator Qian Yue?”

Wei Tu instinctively felt this report was heavily distorted.

Back when he took Daoist Wolfslayer’s treasure, he had accidentally learned of Yuan Ping’s ties with the Sand Bandit Society.

There was no way Yuan Ping would destroy his own organization just to save Yuan Jie and Fairy Baohua.

“It was probably Rogue cultivator Qian Yue who rescued them, then discovered Yuan Ping’s betrayal and changed the narrative… to give Divine Master He Di some face.”

Wei Tu came to a logical conclusion.

“But this Rogue cultivator Qian Yue is always elusive. How did Yuan Jie contact him in such a short time? Could it be… Rogue cultivator Qian Yue was secretly following him the whole time?”

Wei Tu frowned. He was beginning to realize Yuan Jie was far more complicated than he appeared.

Rogue cultivator Qian Yue, like himself, was a rogue cultivator of the Immortal Dao—considered a ‘foreigner’ by the people of Kang Ju.

Normally, no matter how strong he was, Rogue cultivator Qian Yue would never have become the leader of the Cangkun Alliance...

“But if he supports Yuan Jie as the figurehead, then yes... he could absolutely hold that seat.”

Wei Tu took a deep breath.

He even suspected that Rogue cultivator Qian Yue, like Bai Zhi in his own case, had become Yuan Jie’s servant.

…

Suppressing his doubts, Wei Tu packed up his belongings at the inn. After disguising himself as a burly man with a purplish face, his figure slipped quietly out of Falling Sun City.

This time, he wasn’t in a rush to return to the Fen Shan Tribe. Instead, he made a detour to the Moon Condensation Palace.

Just a few days earlier—

From the mouth of a priest from the She Ri Tribe, he had caught wind of news regarding “Earth Essence Ganoderma.”

A few years ago, in the Jade River Marketplace under the Moon Condensation Palace’s jurisdiction, there had been an auction featuring this rare spiritual herb.

If it were just a single plant, it wouldn’t be worth Wei Tu’s trouble.

After all, whoever bought it likely needed it and would not give it up easily. Even through trade, it would be difficult to acquire—let alone through robbery.

But if that were the case, that priest would never have told Wei Tu in the first place. It would’ve been meaningless and risky, not worth the reward.

—According to that priest, the auction back then had offered not one, but three Earth Essence Ganodermas at once.

Three plants...

There was a good chance at least one could be bought through negotiation.

…

Traveling from Falling Sun City to the Moon Condensation Palace wasn’t a short journey.

To avoid revealing his identity, Wei Tu had to take a detour.

Because of that, it took him nearly half a month to reach the region governed by the Moon Condensation Palace.

“Mu Li Merchant Guild?”

Inside the Jade River Marketplace, Wei Tu stopped in front of an elegantly designed building. He glanced at the plaque hanging above the entrance and nodded quietly.

The Mu Li Merchant Guild was the one that had held the auction a few years ago and sold the Earth Essence Ganoderma.

He stepped into the building.

Not long after, the guild’s manager, looking both respectful and nervous, hurried out to greet him.

The reason was simple—when Wei Tu entered, he hadn’t concealed his presence. He let his pressure as a high-stage Golden Core cultivator spread out freely.

The Mu Li Merchant Guild was only backed by a minor Golden Core power. They dared not risk offending a Golden Core True Lord.

“This junior’s surname is Tian. May I ask how to address you, Senior?” Manager Tian bowed deeply, serving tea as he carefully asked.

Normally, it wasn’t unusual for Golden Core cultivators to visit the Mu Li Merchant Guild, but this was the first time Manager Tian had encountered someone like Wei Tu—an unfamiliar Golden Core cultivator.

“I’ve heard that your guild once auctioned off three Earth Essence Ganodermas a few years back?” Wei Tu didn’t beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

“Earth Essence Ganoderma?” Manager Tian looked surprised. He thought for a moment, and then understood Wei Tu’s intention.

Another cultivator seeking rare pills and herbs.

The guild had seen plenty of such people over the years.

“Please wait a moment, Senior Shi. I’ll go check the records.” Manager Tian bowed respectfully.

He wasn’t just stalling—there were too many types of spiritual goods involved in the guild’s business. Though he was familiar with Earth Essence Ganoderma, he couldn’t recall the exact transaction details off the top of his head.

Half an hour passed.

Manager Tian returned to the private room after going through the records.

“Senior Shi, I’ve confirmed the matter. There indeed was such a transaction. However, that batch of Earth Essence Ganoderma was acquired through an unexpected channel. The Mu Li Merchant Guild doesn’t have a regular supply chain for it,” he replied with a bitter smile.

He had initially thought he might get to do some business with this esteemed Golden Core cultivator.

But to his disappointment, Earth Essence Ganoderma turned out to be so rare that the guild didn’t even have a record of its origin.

This response didn’t surprise Wei Tu. If even the Wufu Merchant Guild didn’t have a supply, then a smaller guild like Mu Li certainly wouldn’t.

“The buyer acquired three Earth Essence Ganodermas. I wonder… would your guild happen to know this cultivator’s name or background?” Wei Tu’s gaze was sharp and unwavering.

“This…” Manager Tian hesitated, clearly troubled. “Senior Shi should understand—our guild strictly protects our customers’ identities. Disclosing that information could ruin our reputation…”

Wei Tu didn’t press with words. Instead, he placed a pouch of spirit stones on the table.

“There are five thousand spirit stones in here.”

The words were light, but they hit Manager Tian like thunder. His eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and his breath became ragged. His chest rose and fell erratically.

Five thousand spirit stones—he’d need to work for half a lifetime to earn that much.

And now, it could all be his with a single decision.

“Fairy Shuang of the Moon Condensation Palace!” Manager Tian gritted his teeth and blurted out the name as fast as he could.

After speaking, he stared eagerly at the pouch on the table, waiting for Wei Tu’s response.

“The Moon Condensation Palace?” Wei Tu’s brow twitched slightly. If the item had fallen into the hands of that sect, acquiring it would indeed be a lot more troublesome.

“Make sure you plan an escape route early.”

Wei Tu stood up, casually tossed the spirit stone pouch to Manager Tian, then flicked his sleeve and vanished into the sky in a streak of green light.

“Thank you, Senior!” Manager Tian was overjoyed. After tucking the pouch into his storage bag, he slipped away from the Jade River Marketplace without hesitation.

That amount of spirit stones was enough for his son to cultivate all the way to Foundation Establishment.

…

After leaving the Jade River Marketplace, Wei Tu made his way to Yuping Mountain, which was near the Moon Condensation Palace. There, he sent a message talisman to Kou Hongying, who was currently residing at the mountain.

The Moon Condensation Palace had a long-standing alliance with the Mirrorwater Pavilion.

After the Mirrorwater Pavilion withdrew from Zheng Kingdom, the Moon Condensation Palace lent them this tier-three spiritual land at Yuping Mountain for temporary refuge.

Naturally, Kou Hongying, a Golden Core True Lord of the Mirrorwater Pavilion, had been cultivating here ever since.

Not long after—

A woman in a green dress descended from the sky on an embroidered handkerchief and landed in front of Wei Tu.

“Uncle Wei, why did you suddenly come here?” Kou Hongying spoke with a hint of pleasant surprise.

They hadn’t seen each other since leaving Zheng Kingdom. Although they had corresponded by letter, that was hardly the same as meeting in person.

Hearing her words, Wei Tu felt a tinge of guilt. Had it not been for the Earth Essence Ganoderma, he likely wouldn’t have come to the Moon Condensation Palace himself.

This meeting, too, served a purpose.

“When weak, we huddle together for warmth. When strong, we drift apart to survive.”

Wei Tu sighed silently in his heart.

Still, he didn’t hide his reason from Kou Hongying. He told her truthfully that he was searching for Earth Essence Ganoderma.

“Fairy Shuang?” Kou Hongying’s brows furrowed slightly. “She’s one of the Twin Fairies of the Moon Condensation Palace. It won’t be easy to acquire the Earth Essence Ganoderma from her.”

If this were just a straightforward transaction, a Golden Core cultivator like Wei Tu offering a high price would make Fairy Shuang hesitant to refuse—even if she held a prestigious status.

But the problem was that Wei Tu had obtained this information through questionable means…

A typical cultivator might let that slide.

But someone like Fairy Shuang—a prodigy of a major sect—was unlikely to be pleased. She might even hold a grudge and refuse to sell no matter the price.

“I’ve met Fairy Shuang a few times. If I present this as an introduction to a tier-three alchemist and arrange a meeting under the pretense of discussing pill-making…”

Kou Hongying quickly came up with an idea.