The days of living together were uneventful. Although Yun Zong was a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, Zhou Yin never inquired about his background or origins.

Every day, he drew talismans and meditated on his own, not disrupting his rhythm in the slightest because of the addition of another person. This extreme lack of curiosity was even reflected when Yun Zong took out the White Jade Smoke Gauze Grass, as he didn't show any signs of surprise.

When facing immeasurable things or a power stronger than oneself, even if one remains calm, it's impossible not to reveal a trace of it. However, in Yun Zong's eyes, Zhou Yin was too calm, which instead made him seem suspicious.

He was not without the intention to investigate this strange Foundation Establishment cultivator, and took every opportunity to secretly observe him.

The result of the observation was that apart from being more handsome, expressionless, and speaking even less than him, there was really nothing to dig into about Zhou Yin. The only thing that Yun Zong found strange was that with his mere Foundation Establishment cultivation, he could actually draw many high-level talismans that even Nascent Soul cultivators might not necessarily know how to draw.

"How do you know how to draw these talismans?" Yun Zong couldn't help but ask.

"I've seen others draw them." Zhou Yin didn't stop his brush and didn't avoid him. In fact, for some talismans, due to their age and blurry memory, he often needed to draw them many times to confirm if his memory was accurate, and he wasn't always successful in drawing them out, resulting in many wasted talisman papers.

This was also the reason why he always had to buy a lot of talisman paper and cinnabar. Moreover, if some talisman scripts were too confidential and easy to expose, Zhou Yin would not take them out to sell, at most keeping them for his own use.

One should know that some high-level talismans, especially those passed down from ancient times with special marks or secret techniques, are not usually circulated by sects.

Unless someone familiar with talisman making specifically teaches them, or during a battle, when the person fighting against them can see the contents of the talisman at the moment the opponent uses it in combination with spiritual power, but there is only a blink of an eye to see it, making it difficult to remember.

So who did this person in front of him see drawing them?

If there was such a great talisman-making cultivator teaching him, how could he be just an unknown rogue cultivator?

Many thoughts flashed through Yun Zong's mind, but in the end, he didn't ask.

No matter how many unexplainable mysteries there were about him, this person was temporarily not a threat. At least from Zhou Yin's performance, he had always abided by the agreement between the two, showing the greatest sincerity of a collaborator.

So Yun Zong decided to temporarily let down his guard and take out the White Jade Smoke Gauze Grass to heal his injuries.

Because he could no longer wait.

Before coming to Luzhou City, Yun Zong already had old injuries that would act up from time to time. Although they didn't threaten his life, the injuries' subtle obstruction of spiritual power made it impossible for him to break through to the late Core Formation stage. Over time, it even formed a heart demon, causing his cultivation to stagnate with no hope of advancement.

So when he saw the White Jade Smoke Gauze Grass at the treasure appraisal conference, he had already made up his mind to obtain it.

Killing Sima Liang was just an unexpected episode in the process.

They met by chance and weren't close. To avoid Zhou Yin coveting the treasure, Yun Zong only told him about killing Sima Liang and didn't mention that he also took the White Jade Smoke Gauze Grass.

However, as the day to break through the city gate formation approached, his injuries didn't show much improvement. Without using the White Jade Smoke Gauze Grass, their chances of escape would be low.

"I have White Jade Smoke Gauze Grass on me, but now I need that thing to heal my injuries, otherwise with our current strength, the two of us won't be able to break through that formation." Yun Zong paused and said, "I didn't say it before because I didn't want to cause more trouble, but if you want it now, I can give you two of the fruits."

There were six fruits on the branches and leaves, each no larger than a pearl. Yun Zong's injuries were severe, so giving out two was already the limit.

This thing could not only heal injuries but also increase cultivation, a rare treasure.

But unexpectedly, Zhou Yin refused.

"No need." Zhou Yin had seen the tribal priest secretly draw this Golden Cocoon Silk Talisman once in the southwest border in his previous life, but that was already a matter of the past. He slightly frowned, searching his distant memories, and tried to draw a few strokes. Feeling it was wrong, he destroyed the talisman paper and started drawing again.

Yun Zong said, "Do you know the value of this White Jade Smoke Gauze Grass? It can directly promote you from mid Foundation Establishment to late stage now."

Zhou Yin impatiently raised his head and sneered, "You don't need to test me. I have no interest in your treasures. If one's state of mind is not complete in cultivation and only relies on spiritual medicines, even if it goes smoothly in the early stages, there will be great suffering later on. People covet momentary convenience, disregarding the natural way of heaven, and will eventually reap what they sow."

Cultivation is arduous. Cultivators in the world are no more than one in ten million compared to mortals, and among this small number of people, very few can ultimately reach the Heavenly Dao.

On the path of cultivation, there are many obstacles - talent, spiritual nature, state of mind - all are tests for cultivators. Once one fails in any of these, what often awaits cultivators is the fate of falling.

Under these circumstances, many people regard cultivation as extremely important, and thus rare spiritual medicines in the eyes of cultivators are equivalent to increasing cultivation.

As the spiritual energy of the continent becomes less and less, and resources become more and more scarce, the status of spiritual medicines becomes even more critical. Not to mention top-grade spiritual medicines like White Jade Smoke Gauze Grass, even medicines slightly inferior to it are sought after by many people who will use all kinds of methods to obtain them.

Only valuing external forces and not focusing on internal factors, the result is that fewer and fewer people on the continent can advance to become high-level cultivators. After all, when faced with temptation, not everyone can hold fast.

Yun Zong pondered for a moment and said, "The way of the Heavenly Dao that you mentioned, many people no longer take them to heart now, because they feel that even if they seize treasures and kill people, they can still successfully transcend tribulations in the end and will not suffer retribution."

Zhou Yin looked at him a bit surprised, not expecting the other party to be interested in this aspect. He had also been troubled by this question for many years, even causing a great obstacle in his state of mind.

In ancient times, all things were based on cause and effect. Figures like Pangu and Nuwa were able to be canonized as saints because they had established great merits. But as time passed and races changed several times, the concept of cause and effect gradually faded.

Some cultivators who saw hunting as a pleasure seized treasures and killed people, and in the end could still advance to the Nascent Soul stage.

Gradually, cultivation and state of mind became separated. Many people believed that without cultivating the state of mind, one could still become a high-level cultivator, and as long as one had an endless supply of spiritual medicines, one could forge ahead unhindered and look down upon the world.

In his previous life, Zhou Yin had traversed nearly every corner of the continent and witnessed countless changes in people and events. In the end, he could only rely on his own guesses and speculations to ponder this eternally unsolvable riddle of the Heavenly Dao.

Zhou Yin said, "What I believe about cause and effect is that it should relate to the karma of a certain group, not specifically manifested in a particular individual."

Yun Zong thought for a moment, "You mean that the so-called Heavenly Dao is the relative balance between heaven and earth. If a person is extremely evil and does whatever they want, sowing evil causes, there may not be immediate retribution, but their actions have already affected the balance of the Dao. As this accumulates day after day, it will eventually erupt."

Zhou Yin: "That's right. It's like in a country, if the ruler is corrupt and indulgent, the nation won't collapse immediately. Only after several years or decades, when the national treasury is exhausted and the people can't make a living, will the consequences caused by the past causes erupt. This is the so-called fate and fortune."

Yun Zong smiled faintly, "Some people think they shouldn't commit too many evil deeds, so as not to leave behind inner demons. But more people feel justified when sowing evil causes, so there are no inner demons to speak of. Therefore, they believe that cause and effect don't exist, not knowing that both understandings are wrong. The Heavenly Dao and karma will not be fulfilled on certain individuals. If it accumulates to a certain extent, everyone will inevitably share in it, and no one can escape."

Zhou Yin said, "In ancient times, the demon beast race was revered and ruled the continent, oppressing and enslaving other races. So later, the entire race was overthrown and replaced by the immortal race. Isn't this the result of the cycle of cause and effect?"

Yun Zong suddenly laughed, "I've had this question buried in my heart for a long time. I searched through all the classics but couldn't find an answer. I never thought I would meet someone here to freely discuss the Heavenly Dao with me."

His smile was completely different from before. Once that layer of cold mockery was shed, it was like flowers and leaves brushing the face, lush mountain colors, handsome and pure, making one forget the mundane world.

This smile seemed to sweep away all the barriers between the two, and even if they hadn't reached the point of complete trust, at least they were no longer calculating and guarding against each other like before.

Although Zhou Yin didn't smile along, his eyes softened slightly, and he was no longer as unwilling to say an extra word as before.

Yun Zong thought that if it weren't for his shallow cultivation, based on this person's insights alone, there would be few people in the world who could match him, except for those great masters.

He also realized that for such a person, pride was in his bones. His gaze was on the entire continent. Let alone the White Jade Smoke Gauze Grass, even if more precious spiritual medicines were placed in front of him, he might not even glance at them.

He had spent sixty years advancing to the mid-stage Golden Core, becoming the earliest cultivator to form a Golden Core on the Taichu Continent, and his name was also renowned throughout the world due to his genius.

Many people flocked to him because of his status and position, surrounding him like stars around the moon. Some even harbored ulterior motives and schemed behind his back. As a result, he looked upon everyone and everything with a cold, detached attitude. When he could avoid speaking, he was too lazy to even open his mouth. Over time, in the eyes of others, Yun Zong was indifferent, arrogant, and didn't even take others seriously.

However, this Foundation Establishment cultivator in front of him had repeatedly broken his habits.

The milky white fruit lay in Yun Zong's palm, surrounded by wisps of light smoke, like silk cocoons.

The effect of the White Jade Smoke Gauze Grass was not in oral consumption.

Yun Zong tightened his hand, and the ruptured fruit flowed out white juice, but the moment it touched his skin, it was absorbed. The entire room was instantly filled with an indescribable fragrance, more mellow than sandalwood, but with a hint of sweetness that wasn't cloying, making one feel refreshed in all internal organs.

Gathering his thoughts and focusing his energy.

In the room, one person stood tall in front of the table, pondering talisman strokes, while the other sat cross-legged on the bed, eyes closed, healing.

No one spoke, and the atmosphere was so quiet it was nearly silent, but there was an inexplicable harmony.

Two hours later, Yun Zong opened his eyes.

Zhou Yin: "How is it?"