After meeting Zhang Jingmo, Lu Guijiu began diligently practicing the Water Extension Scripture day and night. Although he was only a four-year-old child, he already knew right from wrong. After practicing the Water Extension Scripture every day, his entire body felt extremely refreshed, as if all the meridians in his body had been thoroughly nourished by spiritual energy.

At the same time, Zhang Jingmo accelerated the progress of his plan. While explaining the parts of the Water Extension Scripture that Lu Guijiu didn't understand, he also began preparing materials to refine elixirs.

The more Zhang Jingmo learned about Lu Guijiu, the more shocked he became.

Theoretically, a normal four-year-old child should still be at a naive age, and it should be extremely difficult for him to focus on cultivation. However, Lu Guijiu seemed to be born for this path. Some issues that took Zhang Jingmo a long time to figure out, he grasped with just a hint. Not only that, he could also draw inferences about other cases from one instance.

In the end, Zhang Jingmo became numb to Lu Guijiu's abnormalities in cultivation and treated them as ordinary matters.

The Water Extension Scripture can not only open the meridians but also make the water spiritual energy in the body become thick and rich. This water spiritual energy is a powerful tool for healing scars. If this book can be practiced to the tenth level, then this is equivalent to having an indestructible golden body - but Zhang Jingmo had never been able to practice to the tenth level despite being reborn so many times.

The Water Extension Scripture cannot be considered a powerful technique because it mainly focuses on defense and has no offensive means. Zhang Jingmo planned to take Lu Guijiu into the secluded cave to find the Blood Hell Heaven Scripture, which should have belonged to him but was once taken away by Zhang Jingmo, when Lu Guijiu reached the fifth level of Qi Refining.

Speaking of this technique, Zhang Jingmo's memories were all terrible. If he died twice because of the previous python, then he had exhausted all his efforts for this Blood Hell Heaven Scripture - he died at least five or six times before finally obtaining this book. However, while practicing, he went into qi deviation several times due to this book and had to be reborn three more times.

Things don't happen more than three times. Zhang Jingmo quickly discovered that this book was really tailor-made for Lu Guijiu. Not only that, even the extremely dangerous environment in the secluded cave for others was absolutely a unique advantage for Lu Guijiu.

At that time, Zhang Jingmo, who had figured everything out, had to admit the existence of fate. Even if he took away the items and opportunities that belonged to Lu Guijiu, he was just like a clown, ending up with a ridiculous outcome.

So Zhang Jingmo realized that he should no longer force himself to follow the same path as Lu Guijiu but start looking for his own way of cultivation...

According to the original development, Lu Guijiu should have gone to explore the secluded cave after attending the Xuanwu Conference and obtained the Blood Hell Heaven Scripture.

But Zhang Jingmo decided to advance the time of entering the cave. He was afraid that Lu Guijiu would have an accident at the Xuanwu Conference, and all his plans would go down the drain.

As for Cen Zheng, who threatened him, Zhang Jingmo originally wanted to let him die, but now he decided to use other methods to help him ascend early.

Speaking of which, Cen Zheng was also strange. He had to take the elixirs refined by Zhang Jingmo every month, but he still dared to offend Zhang Jingmo and even threaten him. It seemed that he had assessed his cultivation and felt that Zhang Jingmo could do nothing to him.

If Zhang Jingmo had never been reborn, he would indeed be helpless against this person, but now... Zhang Jingmo had countless ways to make him die without a trace.

In the second month after Cen Zheng's visit, Zhang Jingmo went into seclusion again to refine elixirs.

Before going into seclusion, he repeatedly instructed Lu Guijiu to practice well. If there was anything he didn't understand, he could directly go to Zhang Jingmo's friend Yu Fen.

Lu Guijiu obediently agreed to everything, then watched Zhang Jingmo enter the stone door. After the stone door closed, completely blocking Zhang Jingmo's figure, Lu Guijiu clenched his little fists, thinking that he must give his master a surprise.

This time, Zhang Jingmo's seclusion was to refine an elixir called "Void Transformation Pill", which was a necessary item for the trip to the secluded cave. That secluded cave was full of miasma and demon beasts from birth. If he didn't make full preparations, going there with Zhang Jingmo's current cultivation level was simply seeking death.

The furnace fire burned slowly, and Zhang Jingmo entered a state of self-forgetfulness. He closed his eyes, silently urging and controlling the spiritual fire, then carefully added the medicinal materials one by one in order and quantity.

Since his rebirth, Zhang Jingmo had become more and more proficient in alchemy. When he was doing well, there was not even a single piece of waste elixir in a furnace, and when he was doing poorly, there were no more than three pieces at most.

However, only he himself knew about this. The number of elixirs supplied to the sect every year did not increase.

After refining some other necessary rare elixirs, by the time Zhang Jingmo came out of seclusion, two years had passed.

Alchemy was time-consuming and laborious in the first place. If Zhang Jingmo hadn't been calculating the days, it wouldn't be strange even if he spent three or four years in seclusion for alchemy.

The stone door in front of him opened. After walking a few steps, he saw Lu Guijiu waiting at the door.

The six-year-old Lu Guijiu had grown taller, but his appearance hadn't changed much. He was still soft and chubby, like a cute New Year's doll.

Seeing the stone door open, Lu Guijiu ran over excitedly and hugged Zhang Jingmo's thigh, shouting in a tender voice, "Master, you finally came out. I've been waiting for you for a long time..."

Zhang Jingmo thought to himself that this couldn't be considered long. In the future, when he went into seclusion for breakthroughs, it would be normal even if he didn't come out for decades. But he didn't say it out loud. Instead, he picked up Lu Guijiu and checked his meridians.

With this check, the shock on Zhang Jingmo's face could no longer be concealed. He said, "Guijiu, you're at the late stage of the second level of Qi Refining?"

Lu Guijiu proudly puffed out his little chest and said, "Master, I reached the second level of Qi Refining before my fourth birthday!"

A faint smile appeared on Zhang Jingmo's face upon hearing this. How could he not be happy? According to the current progress, they would have a better chance when entering the secluded cave in a few years.

Zhang Jingmo said, "Good disciple, how do you want your master to reward you?"

Lu Guijiu lowered his head and thought for a while before saying softly, "Guijiu... Guijiu wants to go home and take a look..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingmo pondered for a moment. He had already planned to visit the Lu family recently. According to his calculations, the Lu family's calamity was approaching. He didn't intend to add a roadblock on Lu Guijiu's cultivation path with this matter.

So Zhang Jingmo agreed.

Lu Guijiu's eyes lit up. He never expected Zhang Jingmo to agree to his request so easily, given how strict his master was about cultivation, as if wasting a moment on other matters was wrong.

Zhang Jingmo calculated the timing of the Lu family's calamity again. With his golden core intact this time, the calculation was much more accurate. He said, "Guijiu, pack your things. In three days, I will take you back to the Lu family."

Lu Guijiu nodded happily and sweetly said, "Thank you, Master."

Zhang Jingmo stored the refined elixirs properly and rested for three days before taking Lu Guijiu out of the mountain gate.

It had been several decades since Zhang Jingmo last left the mountain. His previous outing was to break through to the foundation establishment stage and reach the golden core realm. He had not left the mountain since successfully forming his golden core.

Lu Guijiu had also been at the Lingxu Sect for two years and missed his father and brother back home.

In fact, if it weren't for the Lu family's impending calamity, which would become a difficult heart demon for Lu Guijiu to overcome later, Zhang Jingmo would not have agreed to Lu Guijiu's request so readily.

In Zhang Jingmo's eyes, once one embarked on the path of cultivation, worldly affairs should be severed. Since he began cultivating, he had never contacted his family. It was only two hundred years later when he happened to pass by his home again, only to find that everything had changed, and his family was long gone.

But if Lu Guijiu's family still had deep affection, Zhang Jingmo would not forcibly sever it, but he would not be so supportive either. Because everyone's path of cultivation is different. The heartless way, the affectionate way, as long as it suits oneself, it is the right way.

In less than half an hour, Zhang Jingmo brought Lu Guijiu to the town where the Lu family resided.

As soon as Lu Guijiu landed, he saw the familiar streets. Although there were some changes, he could still recognize them. He asked curiously, "Master, how do you know where my family lives?"

Zhang Jingmo said indifferently, "I also know you have a round birthmark on your bottom."

Lu Guijiu's little face turned red and puffed up. Zhang Jingmo couldn't help but reach out and poke it, saying, "Hurry up and go. Weren't you the one who kept saying you wanted to go home every day?"

Lu Guijiu let out an "ah" and took Zhang Jingmo's hand, walking forward.

While passing through the streets, Lu Guijiu was attracted by the candied hawthorns on the roadside.

Zhang Jingmo knew what this little kid was thinking. He sighed in his heart, thinking that children are so fickle. He should be focused on going home, but he can't move on after seeing the snacks on the roadside...

He didn't expose him, but took out two copper coins and bought two strings of bright red candied hawthorns.

Lu Guijiu's smile was so wide that his eyes narrowed. He happily took the candied hawthorns, one in each hand, and asked Zhang Jingmo if he wanted to eat.

Zhang Jingmo pretended to scold, "Hurry up and go home. Look at your greedy appearance. You should be locked up for a few more years."

Hearing that he would be locked up for a few more years, Lu Guijiu immediately became anxious. He ran all the way to the Lu Manor's entrance with his short legs, then looked at Zhang Jingmo with hopeful eyes.

Zhang Jingmo: "..." Even knocking on the door requires him to do it?

Forget it, forget it. Since they were already here, there was no need to haggle with a kid.

Zhang Jingmo stepped forward and knocked on the Lu family's door. After a moment, a middle-aged gatekeeper opened the door. Seeing Zhang Jingmo, his eyes showed a wary look.

"Uncle Chen!!!" Lu Guijiu's figure appeared behind Zhang Jingmo. Hearing this call, the gatekeeper was stunned. "Young Master?"

Lu Guijiu darted from Zhang Jingmo's side into the gatekeeper's arms, shouting loudly, "Uncle Chen, I'm back!!!"

The gatekeeper hugged Lu Guijiu, his eyes instantly filling with tears. He said in a trembling voice, "Young Master, you're finally back. If you didn't return..."

Lu Guijiu also sensed that something was wrong. He asked, "What happened at home?"

Uncle Chen said sorrowfully, "The master... the master... is about to... pass away."

Upon hearing this, Lu Guijiu showed a look of astonishment, and the candied hawthorns in his hands fell to the ground.