Time flows like water, slipping away quietly.

Year 45. You are now sixty years old.

You called Bai Chen and Jiao Mingxu over for a small gathering in your courtyard.

Nowadays, Bai Chen and Jiao Mingxu rarely stayed at the Danxia Sect.

Jiao Mingxu had to manage his martial arts school and had taken up long-term residence in his house in Youtong County.

Now in his fifties, Jiao Mingxu had long shed his simple and honest demeanor, transforming into a benevolent and steady man.

Bai Chen was over twenty years older than Jiao Mingxu, already eighty-one this year.

You could clearly see Bai Chen's energy wasn't what it used to be.

Though his old reckless spirit still lingered, it had mellowed considerably.

Bai Chen had already transferred ownership of his Mingchun Court, no longer having the energy to manage it, though his personal wealth was more than sufficient.

"Come, junior brothers, let's get drunk one more time!" You raised your wine cup.

Jiao Mingxu steadily lifted his cup with a smile, "A toast to senior brother!"

Bai Chen also raised his cup, though without the brashness of his youth, offering a gentle smile, "Drink!"

That night, you all got thoroughly drunk in the courtyard.

Drunk, you slept right on the ground, waking only to drink heartily again.

No one pressured anyone to drink, yet you all got drunk over and over.

Only when the morning sun rose and dawn broke did you gradually part ways,

promising to drink together again next time.

Three days later,

you went to the breeding grounds deep in the back mountains.

Once again, you drew blood from each of the smaller animals there.

This time you fused forty-eight new beast blood types, bringing your total to sixty-four.

Unlike the physical enhancement that came with realm advancement, fusing beast blood purely strengthened the body - it had a certain "overwhelming force crushing all techniques" quality to it.

You roughly compared your current state:

The strength gained from fusing sixty-four beast blood types was equivalent to the physical power of early-stage Skin Refining.

Though the enhancement wasn't tremendous, accumulation would eventually lead to qualitative change.

What you noticed most distinctly was the reduction in pain after overusing Source Power, indicating your body was growing tougher.

Through fusing beast blood, you discovered even minor differences between animal species counted as new blood types.

For instance, though Flint Tigers and Crimson Flame Tigers lived nearby, fusing both blood types strengthened your body.

This gave you an idea: "If I ever run out of new animals, could I crossbreed them to create new species that the Guarding Gate Body Technique would recognize as new blood sources?"

After all, horses and donkeys could produce mules, while lions and tigers could even bear ligers.

The more you thought about it, the more excited you became - it seemed entirely feasible.

But for now, you didn't need such measures, as collecting new animals was still easy.

You decided to wait until gathering new beast blood became difficult before playing animal breeder.

"Who knows what kind of monsters I'll create then..." you murmured to yourself.

That day, Hu Zhongxuan came from the capital to see you.

After brief pleasantries, he asked about your progress with eighth-grade pill refining.

This time, clear worry showed in Hu Zhongxuan's eyes.

You studied him and asked, "Uncle, is there a problem with the Earth Source?"

Hu Zhongxuan hesitated before answering, "The Earth Source may dissipate in three to five years."

"That's not very decent of Li Anlong - giving you an expiring Earth Source?"

Hu Zhongxuan looked at you in surprise, "How did you know His Majesty provided the Earth Source?"

"Just a guess. Not too difficult to figure out."

Hu Zhongxuan nodded, "I didn't expect you to be so perceptive despite burying yourself in cultivation."

"Uncle, you're not here to pressure me, are you? I've only reached Initial Achievement in eighth-grade pill refining - there's no way I'll reach Great Achievement in three to five years."

Hu Zhongxuan sighed softly, "I know that's unrealistic. I came to say that when you reach Minor Mastery, help me refine the Reviving Yang Pill!"

You frowned slightly, "Uncle, that would only give a fifty or sixty percent chance - it'd be a complete gamble."

"That Earth Source can't wait any longer." Hu Zhongxuan's brows remained furrowed.

"Can't Li Anlong get you another Earth Source?"

"He doesn't have any more Earth Sources either."

You were speechless, "Great. That blocks all possible paths."

Hu Zhongxuan paced anxiously around your courtyard, hands clasped behind his back.

After all, having finally obtained an Earth Source only to face this gamble - anyone would be troubled.

"Uncle, stop pacing. I'll go refine pills like crazy starting now." You rose from the stone bench.

Hu Zhongxuan smiled bitterly, "That's not what I meant."

"I know. I'm saying worrying won't help. Spend time with Auntie first - no use fretting over uncertainties."

Hu Zhongxuan looked at you, then at Deng Wanshu in the cold jade coffin beside him.

He shook his head with a wry smile, "No wonder Elder Brother always says you have a good attitude. I believe you can successfully refine the Reviving Yang Pill!"

"I'll certainly do my best."

After a deep nod, Hu Zhongxuan flew away with Deng Wanshu.

You allocated more time to pill refining after that.

But you hadn't refined for many days when Lin Mo came to find you again.

Before you could show off your Ultimate Path Essence Refining to Lin Mo, he came to you first.

Standing in your courtyard, you beckoned Lin Mo at the gate, "You, come here!"

Lin Mo jogged over, "What is it, Uncle Yu?"

You clenched your fist, expression fierce, "Have you witnessed the mighty power of an Ultimate Grandmaster?"

"I have. I killed one just a few days ago."

Your neck shrank back, "What the hell? You killed an Ultimate Grandmaster?!"

"Mhmm, yes." Lin Mo's expression was utterly sincere.

"You mean the kind that can fly, use Source Power, and live two hundred years?"

"Mhmm, yes."

You double-checked, "Listen carefully Lin Mo - the terrifyingly powerful kind... forget it. How the fuck did you kill one? Aren't you at late-stage Grandmaster?!"

Lin Mo answered honestly, "Uncle Yu, I'm at Grandmaster peak now!"

You gnashed your teeth, "I forgot - another year passed, right? You're truly talented, advancing a minor realm every year! Do you ever let anyone else live?!"

"But Uncle Yu, I got injured fighting that Ultimate Grandmaster too."

You immediately perked up, "Quick, show me so I can feel better!"

Lin Mo rolled up his sleeve, revealing a shallow scab about finger-length.

You feigned shock, "Oh no! Such a severe injury! Wait two more days and it would've healed on its own, you bastard!"

Lin Mo nodded sincerely, "Pretty much."

"Pretty much my ass! Get out of here!"

"Uncle Yu, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm going to sleep."

"But you just woke up this morning?"

"I love going back to sleep. Out of my courtyard!"

Lin Mo scratched his head, utterly confused, "Then... I'll go, Uncle Yu?"

"Go on, you little genius. Back to your Heavenly Dao Alliance."

Lin Mo shot into the sky, calling back from afar, "I'll visit again when I have time, Uncle Yu!"

Watching Lin Mo fly away, you muttered, "A minor realm every year - truly heaven-defying!"

Just as you'd speculated, Lin Mo had indeed reached Grandmaster peak at thirty-six and gained the ability to single-handedly kill an Ultimate Grandmaster.

You stood in the courtyard a while longer,

then turned back to the pill refining room to continue your work.

Two years passed in the blink of an eye.

Year 47.

Over these years, you'd nearly worn out Deng Rusong's True Explanation of Pill Refining from constant study.

You could recite its contents backwards by now.

Though you hadn't yet reached Minor Mastery in eighth-grade pill refining,

your diligent practice had brought considerable progress - you weren't far from it.

One day, Jiao Mingxu came rushing over, shouting frantically outside your courtyard, "Senior brother! Come out quick! Come with me!!"

You instantly appeared in the yard, frowning, "What's wrong?!"

The normally steady fifty-something Jiao Mingxu looked panicked, "Hurry, senior brother! Bai Chen... he's not going to make it!!"