Bai Meiling seemed to be coming home from work earlier every day and no one knew if it was because Fu Xiuxiu had been home these past two days.

After returning, she would either drag Fu Xiuxiu out shopping or chat with her in the courtyard, occasionally letting out clear and soft laughter. Of course, she would also occasionally wander into Luo Chen's room for no particular reason.

Watching Luo Chen meticulously build his pill room bit by bit, a hint of admiration appeared in her eyes.

"With your craftsmanship, even if you can't make it as an alchemist, you could get a job at Ai Lao Mountain."

"Ai Lao Mountain? What does it do?"

"A Golden Core sect in the Jade Cauldron Domain, known for its mineral resources. They're also famous for building houses. Didn't you get these bricks from Immortal Build Residence, their official shop?"

Immortal Build Residence was Ai Lao Mountain's enterprise?

Luo Chen honestly hadn't known.

Or rather, he didn't know much about Ai Lao Mountain as a sect.

Bai Meiling casually explained, and only then did he realize that Ai Lao Mountain was thriving in the Jade Cauldron Domain.

Rogue cultivators didn't care much about where they lived, a wooden house or a cave sufficed, and they were content.

However, wealthy sect cultivators weren't so easy to please. Their residences and abodes were often meticulously designed. From lighting and ventilation to medicine gardens and pill rooms, everything required the best locations and materials.

Large structures, in particular, involved even more intricate considerations. From massive sect gates to simple market buildings, it wasn't just about constructing walls and floors or completing formations.

The arrangement of spirit wood, the mineral's ability to gather and channel spirit energy, and the feng shui orientation's long-term effects on cultivators were all factors. [1].

Even whether the flooring could accommodate large airships taking off and landing had to be taken into account.

Some famous formations were even designed to integrate with the mountains and rivers, seamlessly merging with the architecture to complement each other.

Over the past three hundred years, after the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect established dominance in this region, a wave of extensive development and construction ensued.

Ai Lao Mountain took on numerous projects during this massive wave of development, earning immense wealth.

"The early constructions in Dahe Market, from layout to execution, were entirely handled by Ai Lao Mountain."

"Rumor has it that in Ai Lao Mountain's Divine Craft City, even the simplest abodes start at a hundred thousand spirit stones and are only leased for seventy years."

After hearing Bai Meiling's explanation, Luo Chen was utterly stunned.

The real estate business in the cultivation world is this lucrative? No, when I have enough spirit stones, I must hire experts from Ai Lao Mountain to redesign my home.

"By the way, is there some kind of conflict between Sister Xiuxiu and Sister Caiyi?" Luo Chen asked, curiously prying for gossip.

Conflicts between women could be troublesome, and he had no intention of getting involved. But gossip about them? That was always entertaining.

Bai Meiling tilted her head. "Not at all! Sister Xiuxiu is very gentle, always amicable, and rarely gets into conflicts with anyone."

Luo Chen paused and asked, "Then why does Sister Xiuxiu seem uncomfortable when I mention Sister Caiyi?"

"Oh, that!" Bai Meiling clicked her tongue and waved her hand dismissively. "It's just about Sister Xiuxiu's Dao companion."

Luo Chen was immediately intrigued.

Fu Xiuxiu used to have a Dao companion?

Bai Meiling continued, "Sister Xiuxiu’s Dao companion was an inner disciple of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect. But after failing to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, he was reassigned to the outer sect as a steward.

"Outer sect stewards can't dedicate themselves fully to cultivation and are often sent to various places to manage sect businesses. When he came to Dahe Market, he met Sister Xiuxiu, who was still a rogue cultivator at the time, and the two became Dao companions."

As Bai Meiling spoke, she shook her head before continuing, "But after failing to establish his foundation, his Dao heart was damaged, and he became indulgent. Even with Sister Xiuxiu by his side, he frequently spent the night at Tianxiang Tower.

"One morning, he was found dead in a private room at Tianxiang Tower. Senior Sun Shou personally went to retrieve his body."

Dying under the dress of a woman. What a romantic way to die?

Luo Chen couldn't help but applaud inwardly.

A true role model for people like me.

Bai Meiling continued, "Since then, Sister Xiuxiu has been cold toward anything related to Tianxiang Tower. And since Sister Caiyi works there, Caiyi likely reminded her of the past and this is why Sister Xiuxiu dislikes Caiyi."

Only now did Luo Chen fully understand.

Hating someone and extending that hatred to anything associated with them—so that’s how it is.

After satisfying Luo Chen's curiosity, Bai Meiling remembered her own question and asked, "Can the Fire Hound Whip really be used to refine top-grade fasting pills?"

Luo Chen quickly ushered her out. "I'm busy now, and it's going to get very smelly in here soon!"

"Ugh, don’t forget to turn on the Gentle Smoke Sparse Rain Incense, or I’m filing a complaint!" Bai Meiling pinched her nose and ran off in disgust.

Casually sending out a strand of spirit power, Luo Chen activated the ventilation talisman before pulling out the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace from his storage bag.

Clang!

"The space of a one-cubic-meter storage bag is still too small. If only I had a three, five, or even a hundred-cubic storage bag…"

After all, it was just a first-tier low-grade enchanted artifact—it couldn’t adjust its size at will. The Purple Cloud Copper Furnace alone took up nearly 80 percent of his storage bag’s capacity.

Previously, he had no choice but to stuff the medicinal materials inside the furnace itself. If he didn’t take them out soon, the ingredients would start affecting each other’s properties.

Carefully, Luo Chen placed the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace above the fire pit and added water. Then, he fetched a bundle of yellowish Green Steel Wood, stuffed it underneath, and cast a Fireball. The firewood slowly began to burn.

With his new pill refining equipment, his previously used peach wood and red cedar were no longer suitable. Their firepower was too weak, and heating the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace would take forever.

Thus, Luo Chen had specially purchased the expensive Green Steel Wood. This first-tier spirit wood contained natural oils and could release substantial heat when ignited.

"Rumor has it that high stage cultivators refine pills using either internal pill fire or earth fire and sky fire from the world around them. I wonder when I'll be able to do that?"

Muttering to himself, Luo Chen checked the fire pit’s insulation before leaving the pill room.

First, he had to heat the furnace, warm it up, and burn out any residual medicinal odors inside. These were all tried-and-true techniques.

When Miss Xiangxiang sold him the furnace, she had specifically written these instructions in the manual she left behind.

Heating the furnace was just the first stage. Next came testing it, and only after familiarizing himself with it could he safely begin refining.

For the next two days, he decided to focus entirely on preparing the medicinal ingredients.

***

Crackle!

Crackling sounds echoed loudly!

"What's that sound?"

A lazy, puzzled voice came from outside. Luo Chen opened the stone door of the alchemy room and stepped out, his face covered in ash.

Gu Caiyi took one look at his disheveled appearance and immediately burst out laughing.

"What were you doing in there? And why did you partition a room in your house?"

Huff! Huff!

Luo Chen waved his hand, casting a cleanse on himself.

With a loud pop, all the dust on him scattered in every direction, making Gu Caiyi quickly step aside.

He walked to the water tank, scooped up a large ladle of cool water, and drank it down before finally catching his breath.

"Damn, no wonder famous pill refiners always have assistants to tend the fire. This alchemy room is no place for anyone to stay for long," Luo Chen muttered to himself.

Then, he finally had the chance to explain to Gu Caiyi, "This is my newly built alchemy room. What do you think? Not bad, huh?"

Gu Caiyi waved her hand to brush off the dust around her.

"It's fine. I suggest you stay inside it every day."

Luo Chen’s face darkened, but he didn’t argue. “I was testing the furnace and roasted some celestial beans. Want some?”

"Celestial beans?"

Without waiting for her response, Luo Chen went back inside and quickly returned with a plate of golden beans.

The beans still had their shells, but the high-temperature roasting had caused them to crack open. A gentle peel revealed the white kernels inside.

“These are bitter hazelnuts!” Gu Caiyi picked one up skeptically. “They’re really bitter—are they even edible?”

"Just try it and see."

Luo Chen was already peeling the shells and popping several into his mouth.

Gu Caiyi peeled off the golden shell and placed the tender white kernel into her mouth. Her rosy lips moved slightly, and her eyes slowly lit up.

"Oh wow, not bad! How did you roast these? They're fragrant and crunchy, with a hint of spirit energy."

Luo Chen grinned smugly. “It’s a secret recipe—can’t share it!”

Gu Caiyi rolled her eyes and snatched the entire plate of celestial beans.

Luo Chen didn’t mind. He grabbed a bucket of water, poured it into the Purple Cloud Copper Furnace, then took a small watering can and walked out.

In the courtyard, Gu Caiyi sat on the child-sized swing that Xiaohu usually used, holding a plate of celestial beans in her hands, peeling and eating them one by one.

Opposite her, Luo Chen carried a small watering can, carefully tending to each potted plant in a row.

"These are Xiuxiu's plants, right?"

Luo Chen hummed in agreement as he inspected the two spirit plants that Sister Xiuxiu had specifically instructed him to look after, ensuring there were no issues.

“You sure get familiar quickly. You just met her, and you already managed to swindle those plants from her,” commented Gu Caiyi.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Hey, don't say it like that! It's just neighborly help, how is it swindling?"

“Tch, I saw you just now. You put that Moonlight Herb by your bedside. Bet you’ve been secretly using it for cultivation every night!”

Luo Chen's face turned red.

Why is this woman so sharp-eyed?

But he couldn’t deny it—the Moonlight Herb was indeed effective. Though it couldn’t compare to calming incense, it still provided about a tenth of its efficacy.

Over the past two nights, the maximum capacity for his Long Spring Art had increased by one cycle.

Every morning after cultivation, he woke up feeling invigorated!

His daily spell practice had also progressed rapidly, with several reaching new levels of mastery.

Not wanting to dwell on it, Luo Chen quickly changed the subject. “Why haven’t I seen you around the past few days? Wait, hold on. Your cultivation realm?"

Gu Caiyi pursed her lips and smiled. The narrow swing pressed against her plump hips, , creating a stark contrast with her slender waist—a dramatic visual effect.

"You noticed, didn't you? I've reached the ninth stage of Qi-Refining!"

1. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice focused on harmonizing individuals with their surrounding environment. It emphasizes the flow of qi (energy) and balances the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) to promote prosperity, health, and well-being ☜