After dealing with the Lu family's affairs, Zhang Jingmo and Lu Guiju returned to the Lingxu Sect.

Following these events, Lu Guiju seemed to have matured significantly. After returning to the Lingxu Sect, he began practicing cultivation day and night, as if trying to make up for lost time.

Meanwhile, Zhang Jingmo continued preparing what he needed. The time wasn't right yet, but when it came, he planned to take Lu Guiju out of the Lingxu Sect and then go to the Dark Cavern to find the "Blood Hell Heaven Scripture" that belonged to Lu Guiju.

While Zhang Jingmo was waiting, his senior martial brother emerged from seclusion.

Zhang Jingmo's master was a Nascent Soul cultivator who had passed away a hundred years ago. He didn't have many fellow disciples, only one senior martial brother and one junior martial sister.

His senior brother was named Bai Lingxiao, and his junior sister was named Yue Fuqu.

After their master passed away, his junior sister disappeared into the demon realm beyond the great formation, her whereabouts unknown since then.

Thus, Zhang Jingmo's closest person in the cultivation world was only his cold and aloof senior brother.

In those hundred and twenty or so lifetimes, his senior brother had many different endings - sometimes becoming a great cultivator who ascended to immortality, sometimes dying while defending against demon tribes, and sometimes falling into demonic cultivation, becoming an evil cultivator...

Because of this, Zhang Jingmo's experience in judging people wasn't very useful, as he didn't know what would become of his senior brother in this lifetime.

Bai Lingxiao was several hundred years older than Zhang Jingmo and had already reached the early Nascent Soul stage. He had gone into seclusion to break through, and his sudden emergence probably wasn't a good sign.

After coming out of seclusion, Bai Lingxiao found Zhang Jingmo. He got straight to the point: "I need the Fire Fusion Pill." The Fire Fusion Pill was a medicine that could help Nascent Soul cultivators break through.

This wasn't the first time Zhang Jingmo had heard this request from Bai Lingxiao; he had heard it in almost every lifetime. Sometimes he agreed, sometimes he refused.

Zhang Jingmo said, "Senior Brother, I have a favor to ask."

Since he had a favor to ask, it meant he was agreeing to Bai Lingxiao's request for the Fire Fusion Pill.

Bai Lingxiao said, "Speak."

Zhang Jingmo said, "I recently took a disciple, named Lu Guiju."

When Bai Lingxiao heard this name, his eyes darkened slightly. He said, "Guiju?" This name, like Zhang Jingmo's "Jingmo," was the name of an herb.

Zhang Jingmo said, "Yes."

Bai Lingxiao said, "You want me to teach him swordsmanship?"

Zhang Jingmo nodded. Across the entire continent, those whose sword skills surpassed his senior brother numbered no more than three.

After pondering for a moment, Bai Lingxiao said, "Fine, but you must give me the Fire Fusion Pill within ten years."

Zhang Jingmo nodded again and said, "Agreed."

Bai Lingxiao nodded slightly and left directly after reaching an agreement with Zhang Jingmo.

Zhang Jingmo watched his senior brother's retreating figure and fell into deep thought.

The Fire Fusion Pill - if it were the first-lifetime Zhang Jingmo, forget ten years, even a hundred years might not be enough to successfully refine it. This medicine required numerous ingredients and extremely high demands on the pill master. The slightest error in timing or ingredients could lead to complete failure. Zhang Jingmo had failed countless times before finally mastering the technique.

Practice makes perfect - this saying had truth to it.

Ten years was an extremely long time for mortals, but for cultivators like Zhang Jingmo, it was merely the blink of an eye.

He planned to send Lu Guiju to Bai Lingxiao to practice swordsmanship, while he would go out to search for medicinal ingredients and refine the Fire Fusion Pill.

If Bai Lingxiao wasn't in such a hurry to break through, he would never have so easily agreed to take Lu Guiju as a student. This senior brother of his had never tolerated even the slightest flaw in cultivation.

The most important ingredient in the Fire Fusion Pill was a fire seed called Zhu Yan, which only grew in extremely cold places. Finding it was difficult enough, let alone extracting it.

Who knew where Bai Lingxiao's confidence in Zhang Jingmo came from, believing that his junior brother could refine this pill that the entire cultivation world coveted.

But Bai Lingxiao's confidence was well-placed—at least for now—because Zhang Jingmo dared to agree precisely because he knew where to obtain the Zhu Yan fire seed. His hundred and twenty some lifetimes hadn't been lived in vain.

The most important problem now was that Zhang Jingmo didn't know how to tell Lu Guiju that he was preparing to travel far away and leave him with Bai Lingxiao.

Since the Lu family incident, Lu Guiju had become extremely obedient, doing whatever Zhang Jingmo said, seemingly terrified that Zhang Jingmo would treat him as coldly as he had that night.

Zhang Jingmo didn't want any barriers to form between him and Lu Guiju.

But no matter how hesitant he was, it had to be said. Two months later, after Zhang Jingmo had prepared everything he needed, he called Lu Guiju to him.

He said, "Guiju, how is your cultivation progress lately?"

Lu Guiju obediently reported that he was about to break through from the second level of Qi Refinement to the third level.

Zhang Jingmo had already grown accustomed to Lu Guiju's heaven-defying speed. He said, "In cultivation, the most important thing is to build a solid foundation. Don't rush recklessly for speed."

Lu Guiju lowered his head and agreed.

Zhang Jingmo was silent for a while before finally speaking what was on his mind. He said, "Guiju, your master is preparing to go on a journey."

Lu Guiju was stunned, then said, "Master, this disciple will wait well at home for master's return."

Zhang Jingmo said, "No, your martial uncle has just come out of seclusion. While I'm away, you should go train with him."

A look of confusion appeared on Lu Guiju's face, and within that confusion was a hint of tears about to fall. He said, "Master, are you abandoning me?"

From the moment he entered the Lingxu Sect and took Zhang Jingmo as his master, Lu Guiju seemed to be constantly surrounded by this fear, always feeling that Zhang Jingmo would abandon him.

Zhang Jingmo said, "How could your master abandon you?" He wanted to explain something but felt words were so inadequate. After a long silence, he said, "Your master is going to search for spiritual herbs. After I return, I'll bring you back to the cave dwelling."

Lu Guiju bit his lip without speaking. From his expression, he was clearly very unwilling but didn't dare to speak what was in his heart.

Zhang Jingmo sighed and said, "Your martial uncle's sword skills are unmatched on this continent. Your master had to work hard to get him to teach you, why aren't you happy?"

Lu Guiju said, "Why can't master teach me himself?"

Zhang Jingmo: "..." Because your master practiced for more than thirty lifetimes just to barely fight your martial uncle to a draw, and it took more than forty lifetimes to achieve a difficult victory using magical tools and cultivation—these words Zhang Jingmo naturally couldn't say. He couldn't tell his own disciple that his skills were inadequate.

Seeing Zhang Jingmo's silence, Lu Guiju's mood became even more downcast.

Zhang Jingmo said, "Guiju, when your master returns, how about I bring you a gift?"

Lu Guiju said sullenly, "I don't want gifts, I just want master."

Hearing Lu Guiju's willful words, Zhang Jingmo's brows finally furrowed. He said, "You kept saying you wanted to protect your master, but now you're acting like a spoiled girl. How can your master trust you?"

Lu Guiju felt extremely wronged. The way he looked at Zhang Jingmo was like looking at a heartless betrayer.

Zhang Jingmo felt uncomfortable under Lu Guiju's gaze. He rubbed his temples in slight headache and waved his hand, saying, "You may go now."

Lu Guiju stood still, and just when Zhang Jingmo thought he was going to argue further, he squeezed out a small word: "Fine."

Zhang Jingmo's brows relaxed.

Lu Guiju said, "If that's what master wants, this disciple will do it."

Zhang Jingmo silently watched Lu Guiju as he stood up from the ground and turned to leave. This was the first time Lu Guiju had left without paying respects to Zhang Jingmo; he was truly upset.

At this moment, Zhang Jingmo also felt some regret. He wasn't regretting putting Lu Guiju in Bai Lingxiao's hands, but rather regretting that he had been too indulgent, causing him to lose the dignity of being a master.

If this were the first lifetime, Lu Guiju would never dare to show such attitude towards him.

Zhang Jingmo rubbed his temples in frustration, not knowing if this was good or bad. However, since the decision had been made and Lu Guiju had agreed, he didn't plan to change it.

Because of Lu Guiju's resistance, Zhang Jingmo went to see his senior brother again, bringing wine.

Bai Lingxiao hadn't expected Zhang Jingmo to visit and showed some surprise. He said, "What brings you here?" Like his sword, he was always straightforward in speech and action.

Zhang Jingmo sighed and said, "It's about my immature disciple."

Bai Lingxiao said, "What's wrong?"

Zhang Jingmo said, "He's afraid I'll abandon him here and never take him back."

Hearing this, Bai Lingxiao laughed and said, "I, Bai Lingxiao, haven't stooped to stealing others' disciples yet."

Zhang Jingmo remained silent, and only after taking a sip of wine did he say softly, "Guess what his current cultivation level is?"

Bai Lingxiao casually guessed, "I guess he just started cultivation." He was already being very generous to Zhang Jingmo, after all, a six-year-old starting cultivation was already very rare in the Lingxu Sect. Even he, a sword genius, only started at age six.

Zhang Jingmo shook his head.

Bai Lingxiao asked doubtfully, "Could he already be at the first level of Qi Refinement?" He thought he had found the reason for Zhang Jingmo's drinking visit and teased, "I see it's not the disciple who can't bear to part with you, but you who can't bear to part with your disciple. Although reaching Qi Refinement at six is remarkable, I, Bai Lingxiao..."

He couldn't finish his words because Zhang Jingmo held up three fingers to him.

Bai Lingxiao looked at Zhang Jingmo as if looking at a monster and said, "This joke is a bit too exaggerated."

Zhang Jingmo said, "I hope senior brother keeps his promise and doesn't steal my disciple..."

Seeing Zhang Jingmo's serious expression, Bai Lingxiao finally realized that his junior brother indeed wasn't joking. He drained the wine in front of him in one gulp and said, "Qingyuan—if this is true, your senior brother really... can't make any guarantees."

Six years old and at the third level of Qi Refinement—even the word "prodigy" couldn't describe Lu Guiju anymore.

Zhang Jingmo smiled. The first time his senior brother had intimately called his name since coming out of seclusion wasn't because of him, but because of his disciple who had given him the cold shoulder...