After collecting their rewards from the Deacon Hall, Mo Tiange and Liu Yidao returned to their residence, chatting and laughing along the way.
Senior Brother Zhou had returned a bit earlier than them and was currently tending to the spirit herbs he had neglected for several days beside his house. Seeing them, he smiled and nodded. Senior Brother Zhou, named Zhou Jin'an, had actually taken first place this time, receiving two rewards that were truly enviable. Because they had journeyed together in the Mist Valley, his attitude towards them was different from before.
Mo Tiange and Liu Yidao quickly returned the courtesy before heading back to their own rooms.
Qin Xi and Xu Jingzhi were still waiting for them in the small common area. From Jiang Shanghang's room, there was already an aura of spiritual energy, indicating he had likely returned and was cultivating. The blow this time must have been significant for him, but since none of them were particularly close to him, there wasn't much to say.
The four of them talked for a while before dispersing. Seeing them all return to their rooms, Mo Tiange hesitated for a moment, then went to knock on the door of the neighboring room.
The door opened, revealing Qin Xi standing behind it. "Junior Brother Ye, is there something else?"
Mo Tiange glanced at his hand holding the door and raised an eyebrow. "Senior Brother Qin, aren't you going to invite me in?"
Qin Xi smiled faintly, released the door, and turned to enter the room.
This room... was different from all the others. She hadn't seen Jiang Shanghang's room, but she had seen Xu Jingzhi's and Liu Yidao's. Xu Jingzhi's room was similar to hers, with bedding and meditation cushions replaced by personal items, along with tea sets and other things brought from home. Liu Yidao hadn't added much, having nothing beyond what was necessary for cultivation. The room before her now was unlike either of theirs. The meditation cushion was not a standard sect item; she could sense it was no ordinary piece. On the table sat a celadon jade tea set, crystal clear with restrained spiritual energy, clearly also not a common object. In the center of the room stood a cauldron furnace, seemingly an alchemy furnace, and around the room were array formation tools. Meditation cushion, tea set, alchemy furnace, array formation—only these four items had been added, but not a single one was ordinary! She couldn't discern the nature of the other three items, but she could see some clues about the array formation. It was a composite array, integrating defense, spirit gathering, spiritual sense restriction, and isolation of spiritual energy leakage. Within this array, the concentration of spiritual energy was actually comparable to the North Peak! She privately speculated that with her and Second Uncle's level of array formation expertise, they absolutely could not create such an array. This must have been crafted by a cultivator at the Core Formation stage or above. On the market, it would cost no less than several thousand Spirit Stones.
She turned her head and saw Qin Xi looking at her with a faint, knowing smile. Realizing her lapse in composure, she said, "Senior Brother Qin, the rewards have been collected. Let's divide them now."
As she spoke, she pulled a cloth bag from her Qiankun Bag. "There are seven hundred Spirit Stones here. The token you gave me can be exchanged for two hundred Spirit Stones. As for the other reward, I urgently need the Qi Gathering Pills. Senior Brother, your cultivation is already at the tenth level, so you probably don't need them as much. Therefore, I thought the Spirit Stones should go to you, and the Qi Gathering Pills to me."
Qin Xi only glanced at it and said, "Since I said it was compensation for you, I naturally won't ask for it back. Keep it for yourself."
"Even though Senior Brother doesn't want it, I think it's better to settle accounts clearly. After all, I don't want to attract attention either. Leaving early wasn't solely because of you."
Qin Xi pondered for a moment, took the cloth bag, pulled out a handful of Spirit Stones, and tossed the rest back to her.
Mo Tiange was puzzled. "This is..."
"There are about two hundred Spirit Stones here. Consider it as you repaying me for the token. As for the reward, since you went to collect it, you bore part of the risk, so I won't take it. Besides, do I look like I lack Spirit Stones?"
To this question, Mo Tiange could only smile wryly. Looking at the few items in this room, this Senior Brother Qin probably didn't care about a few hundred Spirit Stones. She had no choice but to say, "Alright, I'll accept your favor today."
Qin Xi nodded and asked, "Is there anything else, Junior Brother?"
"No..." Mo Tiange paused, then said helplessly, "Then I'll take my leave."
A hint of a smile appeared on Qin Xi's face, clearly pleased with her tact. "As you wish, Junior Brother Ye."
Saying 'as you wish' but really just wanting her to leave? Mo Tiange's sense of helplessness grew stronger, but since she didn't want to stay either, she complied with his unspoken wish and pushed the door open to leave.
Returning to her own room, she first washed up, then lay on the bed, staring blankly.
This time, she could be said to have gained a lot: a thousand Spirit Stones, a bottle of Qi Gathering Pills, plus another bottle she already had. It was enough to not worry about Spirit Stones for two years, allowing her to focus on cultivation until Qi Refining Level 10. However, thinking about Qin Xi, she couldn't help but feel perplexed. In truth, she had only probed a sentence or two and didn't really know he harbored secrets, yet this person seemed completely unafraid of her discovering he had ulterior motives, as if certain she wouldn't reveal them. Why was he so sure? As she thought about it, a chill ran down her spine. Could it be that her secret had been discovered, which was why he was so confident? Upon careful consideration, this Senior Brother Qin did treat her slightly differently from others, though she couldn't quite pinpoint exactly how. After turning it over in her mind without reaching a conclusion, she shook her head and decided to sleep first. Tomorrow, she would go down the mountain to ask Second Uncle. With his rich experience, he would surely be able to tell her what to do.
Closing her eyes, she soon fell into a deep sleep, but today she kept dreaming. First, she dreamed of her childhood, when her mother was still healthy, cooking in the kitchen. She was only three or four years old, sitting on a small stool watching. Then she dreamed of that Li Yushan. What she hadn't understood as a child about 'cauldrons' she now knew full well, making her even more terrified. Next, she dreamed of Ye Jingwen, of her and Second Uncle being taken back to the Xuanqing Sect to face judgment. Then it was the Yunwu Sect, her secret exposed, kneeling before the Sect Master in the True Treasure Hall, awaiting punishment...
She woke up covered in cold sweat, feeling weak. It seemed yesterday's scare had really gotten to her. She patted her forehead, fetched water from outside, washed up, and prepared to go down the mountain.
First, she went to the sect shop to collect the Spirit Stones from selling her array formations on consignment, exchanged them for healing pills, and then returned to the small courtyard where she used to live with Second Uncle.
Opening the array formation and entering the courtyard, before she could knock on the door, she heard Second Uncle's voice. "Xiao Tian?"
Mo Tiange pushed the door open. "Second Uncle, it's me."
A smile appeared on Ye Jiang's aged face, but Mo Tiange was stunned. After a month apart, the weariness on Second Uncle's face had deepened. His complexion was ashen, his hair completely white, appearing utterly decrepit. Only now did she realize that without her knowing, Second Uncle had become like this. With Second Uncle's cultivation level, even if forming a Core was hopeless, he could have originally found a small sect and lived out his remaining years in peace and stability. But for the past seven or eight years, Second Uncle had taken her, moving from place to place to avoid the Xuanqing Sect, exhausting his mind to earn Spirit Stones, and finally ending up severely injured...
"Second Uncle..." Her eyes stung, and she said softly, "Has your injury worsened? Why didn't you tell me?"
Ye Jiang looked at her and smiled gently. "Xiao Tian... Tian Ge, Second Uncle estimates that my lifespan is not long now, which is why this injury hasn't been healing. We cultivators, though we have lifespans exceeding mortals, still face life and death in the end. Don't be sad; this day will come for everyone."
"But..."
Ye Jiang waved his hand, stopping her words. "I can feel it. At most, I have two or three years left. Even if the injury heals, it won't change things. Now you've reached the eighth level of Qi Refining. Second Uncle hopes that before I pass on, I can see you advance to the Foundation Establishment stage. Then, even in death, I can rest content."
Tears fell involuntarily. Hearing this, she quickly wiped them away, took out her Qiankun Bag, and poured out the Spirit Stones and pills. Smiling at him, she said, "Second Uncle, look. I defeated many people in the Mist Valley and got these rewards. They're enough for me to cultivate to Qi Refining Level 10."
Ye Jiang smiled warmly. "Second Uncle always believed you could do it. Don't worry, Second Uncle will definitely hold on until that time. So, you must cultivate diligently, understand?"
Mo Tiange nodded, but her heart felt sour and bitter. She knew this day would come eventually. Ever since Second Uncle was injured, he had been reminding her that his lifespan was limited. As cultivators, they were supposed to view life and death with detachment. Though she understood this in her mind, she couldn't help but feel sorrowful. Ten years ago, it was her mother who left her. Now it was Second Uncle... The most important people by her side always had to leave her.
"Alright, tell me about your trip to the Mist Valley. Second Uncle can still offer you some guidance."
Mo Tiange calmed her emotions and recounted the events of the Mist Valley in detail, one by one, ending with Qin Xi.
Ye Jiang remained silent for a long time before speaking. "This person's origins are certainly extraordinary. Based on what you've said, his combat experience is so rich, and he lacks neither wealth nor treasures. He truly doesn't seem like a Qi Refining cultivator. Unless... he is not a rogue cultivator but has a high-level cultivator as an elder, or he himself has had some extraordinary encounter. You don't need to worry too much. His actions clearly show he has no designs on you. Just have less contact with him in the future."
Mo Tiange felt slightly relieved. "I understand. I won't interfere with whatever he does and will just interact with him as before."
"Good. You should go back and continue your cultivation. Second Uncle doesn't have much time left and needs to make the most of it."
Mo Tiange fell silent but ultimately heeded his words. "I know, Second Uncle."