Since the Yang Family previously lacked sufficient spiritual crystals, Chen Yang’s talisman-drawing tools had been merely exceptional mundane items.

The scholar’s spiritual brush, ink, and inkstone, however, were all Gathering Qi-level spiritual items.

The brush in particular stood out—a high-quality spiritual treasure from the mid-stage Gathering Qi.

“Just like the saying: a pillow arrives when drowsiness strikes,” Chen Yang mused.

No sooner had his Talisman Technique shown progress than someone delivered this complete set of tools.

With these, his future talisman-crafting success rate would rise significantly.

After sending a Thought Transmission to Yang Lingqing, the set became Chen Yang’s.

Lingqing even placed a storage bag beside him for convenient access, keeping the items neatly stored.

Beyond these spiritual tools, the scholar carried numerous human skin masks.

A full count revealed thirty-six masks—male and female, all bearing youthful faces around twenty years old.

The sight chilled Lingqing and Yang Lingrui to the core.

Thirty-six masks meant thirty-six victims. Even if they hadn’t died immediately, their fates would’ve been living nightmares.

“With such evil deeds, death was deserved,” Yang Lingqing declared.

They later uncovered over a hundred spiritual crystals in the scholar’s second storage bag—standard for a late-stage Gathering Qi practitioner. His hidden cave likely held more, but its location remained unknown.

The three masked cultivators’ storage bags proved far poorer.

After purchasing intel on Yang Lingrui from Tiangong Pavilion, their combined crystals totaled under a hundred. Most remaining items were superior-quality early-stage Gathering Qi Healing Elixirs and an unused inferior divine movement talisman.

Just as they thought nothing else would surface, they discovered a cultivation method and a technique in the Huanghua Valley female cultivator’s bag.

The Perfected Gathering Qi cultivation method, *Fragrant Bloom Search Technique*, and the late-stage Gathering Qi technique *Yellow Sand Scripture*.

“These must be Huanghua Valley’s Mobei region methods. A fine addition to our library,” Yang Lingrui remarked.

Yang Lingqing skimmed the method. Its cultivation required low skill and minimal barriers but demanded environments rich in floral scents—similar to how bamboo forest loose cultivators relied on the clear air of the bamboo forest.

Though currently impractical, future Yang Family efforts to create such a space could broaden training options for juniors.

“Sister Qing, take this.”

After cataloging the spoils, Yang Lingrui handed Yang Lingqing his earth-attuned magic disc.

Excluding Chen Yang, this marked Yang Lingqing’s first spiritual treasure use. Clutching the disc, she willed three earthen pillars to erupt from the ground.

Then, under her control, the earthen pillars kept transforming into various shapes.

“What a marvelous treasure! It boosts spellcasting speed, control, and power all at once!” Yang Lingqing cheered.

“If it serves Sister Qing well, all’s good. I’ve also prepared an Arm Guard for Brother Hu and should deliver it now.”

“Wait. There’s urgent business at home first.”

“What matter?”

“Wu Tong has opened all Twelve Qi Nodes. Today she’ll attempt to condense her Qi Palace.”

Wu Tong had trained in the Yang Family’s Forbidden Area branch courtyard for three years since being brought up the mountain.

She never left the forbidden grounds during this time – rising before dawn to practice daily, only resting when moonlight touched the treetops, maintaining this relentless routine for over a thousand days.

Her father Wu San at the mountain’s foot suffered greatly, not seeing his daughter for three years.

After hearing Zhao Qi mastered the immortal method, he climbed his roof nightly to stare at Misty Mountain, endlessly muttering “Ni’er… Ni’er…”

“Wu Tong pays respects to both Masters!”

Until achieving Gathering Qi, she remained unaccepted as Old Yu’s disciple, still addressing Yang Lingqing and Yang Lingrui as Masters.

“Your three years of relentless effort will finally bear fruit today,” Yang Lingqing stated. “We’ll safeguard your breakthrough. Follow the cultivation methods precisely to condense your Qi Palace.”

“Gratitude, Masters!”

Wu Tong steadied her breathing after thanking them, assuming the posture for cycling heavenly energy toward her dantian.

Initially smooth, spiritual energy flowed through her Twelve Qi Nodes into the Qi meridians, coursing toward her lower abdomen.

But when energy reached her dantian, Wu Tong’s face twisted violently.

A rending agony burst forth, making her teeth chatter and body convulse.

Yang Lingqing and Yang Lingrui exchanged worried frowns, quietly channeling spiritual power as they’d never witnessed such reactions during Qi Palace formation.

This wasn’t caused by flawed technique. Paradoxically, the excruciating pain confirmed she was proceeding correctly.

As noted before, Wu Tong possessed abysmal cultivation aptitude.

Her deficiency showed not just in narrow Qi meridians, but crucially in her dantian’s size –

Too small.

Too cramped to hold sufficient energy for forming a Qi Palace.

Success required forcibly compressing spiritual energy into the tiny dantian, slowly stretching its capacity.

This meant enduring unimaginable torment.

“Sister Qing… Is this normal?” Yang Lingrui whispered, watching Wu Tong’s contorted face.

Yang Lingqing hesitated. Neither Yang family members nor Zhao Qi had experienced this during their breakthroughs, leaving her uncertain.

The two individuals watched as Wu Tong’s face grew paler and her lips lost their color, realizing something was wrong. They prepared to activate their cultivation methods to help.

But a transmitted thought halted their movements.

“It’s the Immortal Master!”

“The Immortal Master forbids our intervention.”

They immediately withdrew their spiritual power.

Though trusting Chen Yang’s judgment, their hearts ached seeing Wu Tong’s suffering.

Chen Yang observed Wu Tong without emotional fluctuation.

Condensing Qi Palace couldn’t be assisted by others – this trial belonged solely to the little girl. Having watched her for three years, he knew her stubborn determination could overcome this challenge.

“Having chosen this path means no retreat. Now’s the crucial moment to forge her resolve,” Chen Yang mused.

As minutes crawled by, Wu Tong’s lips progressed from pale pink to blue then purple. Three of her seven orifices showed bloody marks. The sight made Yang Lingqing and Yang Lingrui avert their eyes, yet she persisted!

Chen Yang nodded imperceptibly at the swirling energy forming in her dantian.

*Cough…*

Blood sprayed as Wu Tong swayed dangerously. Hours of relentless pain had stripped her mind of coherent thought.

“Can’t… endure…”

“Father… Mother…”

Her parents’ faces surfaced in her fading consciousness.

Meanwhile in Yang Family’s separate courtyard, Wu San staggered while doing chores, clutching his chest.

“Steward Wu! What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m fine,” he lied, disturbed by unfamiliar anxiety gripping his heart. His eyes darted toward Misty Mountain.

Though seeing nothing, he suddenly knew – this concerned Wu Tong!

Abandoning his tasks, he scrambled onto his Residence’s roof.

“Immortal Master protect her! Immortal Master protect…”

Wu San kowtowed repeatedly toward the mountain, forehead striking tiles until bloodied.

Far above, Wu Tong drifted into dreams of her parents.

In her dream, her mother returned with fresh flowers, and her father wove them into a flower crown.

This mother wasn’t the agonized figure from recurring nightmares, but the warm-smiling parent Wu Tong remembered from childhood.

“Little Tong, this crown matches your beauty. Take it now.”

Mother lifted the flower crown toward Wu Tong.

Wu Tong struggled to reach for it, her body feeling heavy as stone.

“Mom… I’m too tired… hurts everywhere… can’t move…”

“You can do this! My brave girl! Try harder, just a little more!”

Fueled by her mother’s words, Wu Tong gathered her remaining strength, forcing her arm upward inch by inch until fingers closed around the blossoms.

“Mom!”

Instantly, her bodily burdens vanished along with the lingering pain.

Her mother’s radiant smile faded with them.

Yang Lingqing caught Wu Tong as she crumpled unconscious.

After scanning with divine awareness confirmed the successful condensing of Qi Palace, the cultivator exhaled in relief.

Chen Yang’s attention shifted westward across Song Mountain to the burial grounds below.

Monster tide victims rested there – including Wu Tong’s mother.

During Wu Tong’s final moments of Condensing Qi Palace, Chen Yang had detected two forces intervening.

The first power of wishes ascended from the mountain’s foot, circling him briefly before streaking toward Wu Tong with his consent.

The second wispy energy drifted from western graves to hover above the branch courtyard before settling on the struggling girl.

Now with Gathering Qi accomplished, this mysterious energy solidified into dense power of wishes within Wu Tong’s core.

“So such wonders truly exist,” Chen Yang mused while contemplating the wish energy. “You gave your life once, then surrendered your afterlife’s peace – twice shielding your child. A mother’s love conquers all.”

In this world of mystical dangers, mortal lives tear easier than rice paper.

Disaster snuffs them out like candle flames in storms.

Most cultivators view common folk as expendable livestock beneath notice.

Yet today Chen Yang witnessed fragile mortals wielding power transcending flesh and mortality itself.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep