The matter of returning or not could be considered later. At the very least, the next few months would be spent at the Bixuan Pavilion.
Teaching alchemy technique was not an easy task. Pill formulas could be bought and sold, steps could be explained, but the precautions to be taken during pill refining were not something that would be clearly recorded on a pill formula. Every alchemist had their own unpassed-down secrets—those were the key points to successful pill refining.
Furthermore, how to form hand seals during pill refining was also not clearly explained on pill formulas. Generally, basic pills did not require hand seals, but some special pills needed the coordination of hand seals to perfectly mix the various materials together. These hand seals had unique variations for each alchemist, different from those on the pill formulas. Only when these variations were fully combined with the timing and pill fire during refining could the best effect be achieved.
Fortunately, Xia Qing had extremely high talent in alchemy and grasped things quickly. Mo Tiange felt that her talent was much higher than her own; it was just that she didn't have many good materials to practice with, which was why her alchemy level couldn't rise.
Mo Tiange then taught Xia Qing bit by bit how to discern material compatibility and what aspects to pay attention to when forming hand seals.
She wasn't afraid that after teaching Xia Qing, Wei Haolan would not fulfill her promise. Upon entering the Bixuan Pavilion, she had revealed that she had descended the mountain on her master's orders. With Wei Haolan's experience, hearing this should have made her realize that Mo Tiange was an elite disciple of the Xuanqing Sect. Even though the Bixuan Pavilion was isolated in Linhai, ten thousand miles away from the Xuanqing Sect, major sects always had some special methods to track their disciples' whereabouts. If she were detained at the Bixuan Pavilion and an investigation were to be launched, a small sect like this would be utterly doomed by just one Nascent Soul cultivator.
Every day, she studied alchemy technique with Xia Qing. Occasionally, when she had free time, she would also discuss cultivation with other cultivators of the Bixuan Pavilion. Several months passed in a flash.
"Fellow Daoist Xia," Mo Tiange called out, watching Xia Qing who was practicing and pondering material measurements.
If anyone else called her at this moment, Xia Qing would certainly not even lift her head. But the person calling her was Mo Tiange, so Xia Qing immediately looked up. "Fellow Daoist Ye, did I do something wrong?"
"No." Mo Tiange smiled, took out several jade slips from her bosom, and handed them over. "It's precisely because you're already doing very well that I have nothing left to teach. Here are some pill formulas, on which I've recorded some precautions I've summarized."
Hearing this, Xia Qing's eyes lit up. She hurriedly took the jade slips, immersed her divine sense, and began reading with great relish.
"These are all my tricks; I've already taught them all to you. From now on, you can ponder them yourself. Given time, your alchemy technique will certainly surpass my current level."
Mo Tiange felt she had too many things to do. Cultivation was the priority, the Dao of formations was the foundation, and only then came alchemy. Xia Qing, however, was wholly devoted to alchemy. Mo Tiange thought that even if she had countless high-grade spiritual medicines at her disposal, her future achievements in alchemy might not necessarily surpass Xia Qing's.
Xia Qing hurriedly withdrew her attention from the jade slips. "That's it? Fellow Daoist Ye, there's still so much I haven't learned, and I can't do it like you..."
"Fellow Daoist Xia, my alchemy technique isn't much higher than yours; this is all I can do. Moreover, alchemy requires constant experimentation and pondering; it's not something you can achieve just by being told. I can only help you avoid some detours; the rest depends on you doing it slowly yourself."
Xia Qing, who was also quite knowledgeable about alchemy technique, couldn't help but nod upon hearing this. "That's true..."
Mo Tiange smiled. "Alright, you practice slowly. I'll head back first."
"Okay." Xia Qing couldn't wait to continue her research. After bidding farewell to Mo Tiange, she hurriedly buried her head in the jade slips again.
Seeing her like this, Mo Tiange shook her head and slowly walked out of the alchemy room.
Outside, Yiliu and Yiqiu were already waiting for her. Seeing her come out, they curtsied. "Senior Ye."
The two of them had gained many benefits from Mo Tiange during this period, so their address of 'Senior' had become increasingly respectful.
Unlike usual, Mo Tiange did not head directly back. Instead, she said to them, "I wish to have an audience with your Sect Leader."
Yiliu and Yiqiu exchanged a glance. Yiliu said, "Then, Senior, please wait here for a moment. This junior will go notify the Sect Leader."
Mo Tiange nodded. "Very well."
Yiliu bowed and hurried off.
Yiqiu said, "Senior, it's quite a distance from here to the Sect Leader's main hall. Yiliu's trip might take a while. Shall this junior accompany Senior for a stroll first?"
"Alright." Mo Tiange responded casually.
Yiqiu then exchanged a few words with the alchemy room manager and led Mo Tiange to the garden.
The Bixuan Pavilion had many female disciples, and great care was taken with the scenery. Besides the medicinal gardens that other sects would have, they had even arranged a garden with many exotic flowers and plants from the East Sea, vying in splendor and beauty, extraordinarily lovely.
Yiqiu led her to a small pavilion beside a rockery and said, "Senior Ye, look at these flowers and plants. Although they aren't very rare spiritual medicines, you can't see them elsewhere!"
Mo Tiange looked at the flowers and plants before her and also inwardly praised the skillful hands of the Bixuan Pavilion's female disciples. She had never seen such a beautiful garden before. Among the cultivation sects of the cultivation world, besides the Bixuan Pavilion, who had the mind to arrange something like a garden?
It was already the twelfth month, almost New Year's, the coldest season. Yet, protected by formations, this garden remained as warm as spring, with a hundred flowers in full bloom.
"Huh?" Yiqiu suddenly let out a sound. "It seems to be Uncle-Master Tang?"
Mo Tiange followed Yiqiu's gaze. Wasn't that the universally adored Young Master Tang Shen, Tang Gongzi? Why did he seem to be peeking at them furtively?
Seeing that they had already noticed him, Tang Shen's face instantly flushed crimson. Mo Tiange secretly found it amusing. This Tang Gongzi truly resembled a young lady from a noble family, blushing so easily. But why was he looking at them?
Just as she was thinking this, Tang Shen gritted his teeth, as if having made a decision, and walked towards them.
Mo Tiange grew even more puzzled. Yiqiu whispered beside her, "Uncle-Master Tang is..."
Before she could say more, Tang Shen had already arrived before them. Still somewhat shyly, he looked at the two, finally fixing his gaze on Mo Tiange, and said in a low voice, "Ye... Fellow Daoist Ye..."
During these few months at the Bixuan Pavilion, apart from going to the alchemy room, Mo Tiange had only occasionally been invited by Wei Haolan to exchange some cultivation insights. She had met Tang Shen only a handful of times, never talking much, at most exchanging greetings.
So now, Mo Tiange merely nodded faintly. "Fellow Daoist Tang, what a coincidence."
Tang Shen hummed in agreement, somewhat uneasily rubbing his hands. He then glanced at Yiqiu again.
Yiqiu was somewhat baffled, but after Tang Shen looked at her several more times, she suddenly seemed to understand something. Inwardly surprised, her face remained unchanged as she curtsied to the two. "Senior Ye, Uncle-Master Tang, this junior still has some matters to attend to. Please talk slowly. I'll take my leave for a moment."
Before Mo Tiange could respond, Tang Shen had already eagerly said, "You may go."
Hearing Tang Shen say this, Mo Tiange had no choice but to swallow her words and watch as Yiqiu slowly retreated from the garden.
It was already evening. There were neither people enjoying the garden nor laboring miscellaneous disciples working, leaving only the two of them alone together.
Mo Tiange suddenly felt it was somewhat amusing. If this scene were seen by this Tang Gongzi's admirers, she would probably become the public enemy of the Bixuan Pavilion tomorrow. She wondered what this Tang Gongzi wanted to say.
Even after Yiqiu left, Tang Shen still appeared hesitant, rubbing his hands one moment, wiping his palms the next.
Mo Tiange genuinely disliked a man making such gestures, so she spoke first. "Does Fellow Daoist Tang have something to say?"
"Ah, oh!" Tang Shen was startled back to his senses by her, swallowed, as if calming his emotions. "Fellow Daoist Ye, let's sit and talk."
Mo Tiange glanced over. There was only one small table in the pavilion. No matter how they sat, it would look too intimate. So she said, "It's the same standing up if you have something to say."
Her words were clearly a refusal, not wanting to appear close to him. Tang Shen looked at her somewhat surprised, but his emotions actually calmed down. Since childhood, he had had many admirers. The Bixuan Pavilion was a female cultivator sect. The senior and junior sisters he grew up with always tried every means to get close to him, and he had always thought all female cultivators were the same. But now he could see that this Fellow Daoist Ye did not wish to be overly intimate with him. This relaxed him and made what he wanted to say next seem easier to voice.
"I heard that Fellow Daoist Ye is about to return to Kunwu, is that right?"
Mo Tiange nodded. "Correct. I have already taught all the alchemy technique to your sect's Fellow Daoist Xia Qing. I will be leaving soon."
"Then..." Tang Shen cautiously glanced at her. "Could I... leave with Fellow Daoist Ye?"
Upon hearing this, Mo Tiange was taken aback. She stared at Tang Shen for a while, until his face flushed red again, before saying faintly, "Fellow Daoist Tang, as the beloved great-grandson of Elder Qingxi, wanting to leave Linhai shouldn't be a problem, right? Why must you leave with me?"
Tang Shen glanced at her awkwardly and said in a low voice, "Although I can leave at any time, my Great-Great-Grandmother isn't at ease with me going alone. But the senior and junior sisters in the sect... are too clingy, and the senior and junior brothers aren't very friendly towards me. I..."
Mo Tiange frowned, not understanding. "Wouldn't your ancestor worry that I have ill intentions?"
"I think Fellow Daoist Ye isn't a bad person." Tang Shen looked up at her. "I'm not afraid of Fellow Daoist Ye laughing at me. Since childhood... since childhood, I've been surrounded by a group of senior and junior sisters. I don't like interacting with women... But our Bixuan Pavilion is like this; it's all female cultivators. I heard my Great-Great-Grandmother say that Kunwu isn't like this, so I thought..."
"Fellow Daoist Tang." Mo Tiange interrupted him. "Please also forgive my bluntness. If you have never left Linhai before, and your ancestor dotes on you greatly, then I especially cannot leave with you. If something were to happen to you, I couldn't bear the responsibility."
"That's not it." Hearing her refusal, Tang Shen quickly said, "I'm just unfamiliar with Kunwu, and Fellow Daoist Ye is a disciple of a famous sect. I just wanted to follow Fellow Daoist Ye to Kunwu to take a look. I don't expect Fellow Daoist Ye to take any responsibility."
"That's what you say, but will your ancestor think the same?" Although not afraid of the Bixuan Pavilion's Core Formation cultivators, Mo Tiange also didn't want to bring trouble upon herself. "Has Fellow Daoist Tang mentioned this to your ancestor?"
Tang Shen immediately fell silent, stammering for a while before shaking his head. "I thought... after Fellow Daoist Ye agreed, I would go tell my Great-Great-Grandmother..."
Seeing him like this, Mo Tiange couldn't help but sigh. "Fellow Daoist Tang, I don't want to be misunderstood by your ancestor as abducting her beloved descendant. You should discuss it with your ancestor first. Moreover, to be honest, with your personality and way of handling things, it would be better to have sect companions accompany you. No matter how your sect companions treat you, they are always more reliable than an outsider like me."