[Two months later]

[Your eighth-grade pill refining skills have advanced further. You can now consistently produce six eighth-grade pills, firmly establishing your proficiency at the minor mastery level]

[During this period, you learned that Great Qian's army had crossed the Cangwang Desert and invaded Jin Yue Nation's territory]

[However, it appears Great Qian hasn't demonstrated combat capabilities significantly superior to before since launching the war]

[They only capitalized on the element of surprise, catching Jin Yue Nation off guard]

[But after Jin Yue Nation adjusted their battle formations, they resisted Great Qian's offensive, and Great Qian gradually lost their surprise advantage]

[You shake your head and stop paying excessive attention to the war between the two nations]

[You suspect Hu Zhongxuan will come looking for you soon]

[Sure enough, three days later, Hu Zhongxuan arrives]

[As an Ultimate Path Essence Refining practitioner, your heightened senses detected Hu Zhongxuan flying from afar]

[You stride into the courtyard and stand with hands clasped behind your back]

[A man and a coffin slowly descend. Hu Zhongxuan looks astonished: "I saw you come out from far away. Were you waiting for me?"]

["Uncle-Master, just a coincidence. Shows our master-disciple nephew connection is strong."]

["You know that phrase usually isn't used to describe pure master-disciple relationships, right?"]

[You smile slightly: "Same difference."]

[Hu Zhongxuan studies you, silently takes a step back, then asks solemnly: "How's your pill refining coming along?"]

["Minor mastery. Six pills."]

[Hu Zhongxuan's eyes suddenly blaze with wild joy: "He Yu! You damn! Really amazing!!"]

[Hu Zhongxuan looks exhilarated. He clenches his teeth and gazes at the sky, his eyes reflecting an unusual brightness]

[It's as if he's making eye contact with someone across space: "Senior Brother Xie, I've never said thank you in my life, but thank you for taking in such a good disciple!"]

[You chuckle, then extend your hand: "Uncle-Master, no time for jokes now. Give me the Earth Source to refine the Reviving Yang Pill."]

[Hu Zhongxuan solemnly produces a fist-sized Earth Source bowl and places it in your hands with both hands]

[You can feel Hu Zhongxuan's hands trembling slightly. Even this Ultimate Grandmaster's eyes show traces of fear]

[You take the Earth Source bowl and pat Hu Zhongxuan's shoulder: "Be good, Uncle-Master. Trust me."]

[Hu Zhongxuan forces a smile: "Don't get cocky, kid. If you fail, I won't let you off!"]

[As he speaks, his expression darkens momentarily as if remembering something]

[But he quickly adjusts his mood and looks at the peacefully sleeping Deng Wanshu beside him]

[Hu Zhongxuan's tender gaze, like moonlight at night or a mountain breeze, gently sweeps over Deng Wanshu's entire body, as if to illuminate her life]

[He turns to you, speaking gravely: "He Yu, I'm leaving Wanshu at Danxia Sect. Feed her the Reviving Yang Pill immediately if you succeed!"]

[Your faint smile turns to shock: "Wait, Uncle-Master, hold on. Why all this life-and-death drama? You're not planning to die, are you?!"]

["You little brat, wishing for my death?!" Hu Zhongxuan feigns anger]

["With all this tender affection and last will talk, hard not to think that way!"]

[Hu Zhongxuan gives you a deep look and grows serious: "I just want Wanshu to wake up as soon as possible."]

["Then why not just wait here?"]

[Hu Zhongxuan looks conflicted: "I must immediately join the campaign against Jin Yue Nation. That was one of two conditions the Emperor set for giving me the Earth Source."]

[You frown deeply: "Why do I keep feeling you won't come back?"]

["Can you shut your crow's mouth? Can't you say something nice?!"]

["Can't blame me when you're setting such a gloomy atmosphere."]

[Hu Zhongxuan shakes his head with a wry smile. After one last reluctant look at Deng Wanshu, he finally leaves]

[After Hu Zhongxuan departs, you move Deng Wanshu to your pill refining chamber]

[The Rou Sheng Pill has been improved by you—now just one pill can sustain Deng Wanshu for a month]

[Since refining the Reviving Yang Pill will take about a month, Deng Wanshu won't disrupt your progress]

[You don't immediately start refining but spend three days quietly adjusting your state]

[You take this Reviving Yang Pill refinement equally seriously]

[This represents not just Hu Zhongxuan's hopes, but also your master Xie Huide's dying wish]

[On the fourth day, you reach peak condition]

[You bring Deng Wanshu into the very stone chamber where Xie Huide and Deng Rusong once attempted refining the Reviving Yang Pill]

[You sit cross-legged, muttering: "Where you fell, stomp twice."]

[You instruct Ruan Bai not to disturb you unless your master comes back to life]

[You settle into meditation in the stone chamber, activating Divine Micro-Vision and Mind Awakening Technique]

[As an Ultimate Path Essence Refining practitioner, you can directly perceive Earth Source]

[Now Divine Micro-Vision only serves to enhance your insight]

[The pill furnace is arranged before you, with various rare supplementary materials spread out]

[You place the Earth Source bowl beside the furnace. With a wave of your slender hand, you extract a mist-like strand of Earth Source and directly feed it into the furnace]

["Light the fire, begin refining!"]

[Flames suddenly erupt, illuminating the dim stone chamber]

[The flickering light plays across your solemn face]

[The dancing flames make your shadow on the stone wall sway wildly]

[Occasional faint crackling sounds come from the furnace]

[Beside it, the gently sleeping Deng Wanshu awaits rebirth]

[...]

[One month later]

[BOOM—]

[The heavy stone door slowly opens]

[You step out expressionlessly]

[Deng Wanshu's cold jade coffin floats behind you, its occupant still peacefully asleep]

[Hu Zhongxuan stands opposite you, his gaze locked onto you, body trembling slightly]

[About five days ago, you sensed Hu Zhongxuan's arrival outside the chamber]

[Since coming, he's stood motionless, staring fixedly at the stone door awaiting its opening]

[Now, Hu Zhongxuan looks at the sleeping Deng Wanshu, then up at you]

[His Adam's apple bobs as he rasps: "Did... did it work?"]

[You say: "Uncle-Master, you wanted Auntie to wake up immediately, right?"]

[Hu Zhongxuan's emotions fluctuate wildly before finally answering: "Right."]

["But I don't think that's appropriate. I believe it's more fitting for you to wake her personally."]

[As you speak, your slender, well-defined right hand extends]

[Your fingers slowly unfurl to reveal a light green pill the size of a pinky finger resting in your palm, its medicinal fragrance refreshing and uplifting]

["The eighth-grade Reviving Yang Pill refinement is complete. Mission accomplished!"]

["Hahahaha... good! Excellent!!" Hu Zhongxuan erupts in earth-shaking laughter, tears glistening at his eyes]

[After his manic laughter, Hu Zhongxuan, utterly exhilarated, instantly flashes before you and reaches for the pill]

[Just as Hu Zhongxuan's hand is about to grasp the pill—mere inches away—]

[A sudden anomaly occurs!]

[Hu Zhongxuan's outstretched right hand freezes mid-air]

[His face twitches spasmodically twice]

[Then his gaze toward you shifts from wild joy to bone-chilling indifference]

[Your scalp instantly prickles as you violently retreat]

[But Hu Zhongxuan, without warning, transforms his palm into a claw and smashes toward your head]

[Accompanied by a soul-shaking tiger's roar]

[The attack comes so suddenly you don't even have time to summon your Soul Awakening Blade before taking the full blow]

[Because you dodged diagonally upward, the claw doesn't strike your head]

[But it tears across your waist. The Source Power within the tiger claw phantom erupts, instantly severing your upper and lower body!]

[THUD—]

[Your lower half crashes to the ground]

[Your upper body hovers in mid-air]

[Your pupils quake violently, completely shocked by this sudden development]

[The excruciating pain contorts your face as you glare at Hu Zhongxuan: "What the fuck?!"]