Hi, Katy, thanks for the ko-fis, was shocked and glad to have received them. Glad you enjoy this story as much as I do. In thanks, there are ten bonus chapters waiting for all of you! Thank you again for the support!

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━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

When Qin Zhou awoke again, Wen Jue had already finished watering the entire plot of land on the back mountain.

Tossing the bucket aside by the well, Wen Jue smoothed his robes and brushed off the dust. He remained the dreaded demonic master who struck terror into the hearts of the cultivation world.

Spotting Qin Zhou sitting by the door, his eyes fixed intently on him, Wen Jue cleared his throat. “The fields on the back mountain… I’ve watered them for you.”

“Thank you for your trouble,” Qin Zhou nodded.

“I did it for the sake of the Core Stabilizing Pill.”

“Very well.”

Wen Jue snorted lightly and walked over, finding Qin Zhou rummaging through chests by the doorway.

The chest Qin Zhou was handling contained quite a few pieces of equipment—weapons and armor.

“What are these?” Wen Jue could tell at a glance that these items were imbued with varying degrees of spiritual energy.

“Gifts from old friends.” Qin Zhou picked up a piece of armor to examine it—mediocre quality.

“You still have friends?” Wen Jue muttered, picking up one of the items. Inside the armor was engraved a symbol both unfamiliar and strangely familiar—a soaring dragon spreading its wings mid-air.

Wen Jue’s expression changed. This was the emblem of the Thousand Machinery Divine Sect.

Wen Jue casually tossed the armor back.

“…So what are you planning to do now?”

Surprised that Wen Jue had deliberately skipped the topic, Qin Zhou glanced at him several times. “Leave. I’m missing one key ingredient for the pill needed to break through to Foundation Establishment—Fire Phoenix Feather.”

Fire Phoenix Feathers didn’t refer to actual phoenix feathers, but rather a spirit herb that grew in the Flaming Lands, where fire spirit energy was abundant. It earned its name because it resembled feathers and was entirely vermilion in color.

“You’re going to look for it?”

“Yes.”

“Fire Phoenix Feathers grow in the Flaming Lands, where fire spirits burn year-round. If you go, you’ll need to boost this armor’s fire resistance a bit more.” Ordinary gear couldn’t withstand the scorching of the Flaming Lands.

Qin Zhou prided himself on being a master craftsman. The village had a blacksmith’s shop, and he could find all the tools he needed—the only thing missing was his forging hammer.

This was one reason Qin Zhou initially chose to establish himself through alchemy.

A forging hammer was even more precious than the alchemy furnace in his lab. When he left the game, he had stored his forging hammer in the warehouse. Now, he had no idea where to retrieve it.

He wondered if ordinary hammers could even forge these spirit-infused weapons and armor.

Lost in thought, Wen Jue suddenly spoke—

“Spiritual energy is scarce in the lower realms. The flames of the Flaming Land burned out long ago. What’s the point of adjusting fire resistance?”

Wait. Wen Jue narrowed his eyes. “You know how to forge artifacts?”

“No.” Qin Zhou answered without hesitation.

Wen Jue: “…”

He had clearly heard this man say he wanted to modify the armor’s fire resistance.

Qin Zhou’s approach was simple: whenever Wen Jue asked, he claimed he couldn’t do it—he couldn’t do anything.

“The Flaming Land is gone, but what about the Fire Phoenix Feathers…” Snapping back to reality, Qin Zhou frowned slightly.

“Didn’t you befriend those pill merchants from the provincial capital? Spend some spirit stones, and they’ll deliver right to your door.” Materials for pills that break through Foundation Establishment were scarce, but surely not impossible to find.

He had to admit, Wen Jue’s suggestion made Qin Zhou’s heart flutter.

In the past, he’d always hunted down pill ingredients himself. Now, there was this kind of ‘delivery’ service.

 ━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Thus, when the Snowflake Pavilion delivered the two hundred pills as payment, Qin Zhou casually inquired about the Fire Phoenix Feather.

The next day, Zhou Shilin replied.

The gist of the letter was that the Fire Phoenix Feather was hard to come by. Even the Snowflake Pavilion didn’t have any in stock.

Zhou Shilin seemed to understand Qin Zhou’s purpose for seeking Fire Phoenix Feathers and recommended an alternative ingredient instead.

“Fire-Scented Grass.”

According to Zhou Shilin, while Fire-Scented Grass wasn’t as potent as Fire Phoenix Feathers, its effects were comparable. Both served as substitute materials for refining Foundation Establishment Pills.

Of course, due to its scarcity, it was also perpetually sold out.

Therefore, he had to find it himself.

However, Fire-Scented Grass was much easier to locate than Fire Phoenix Feathers.

It grew along the border between the Upper and Lower Realms. That area, however, was a habitat for spirit beasts. To venture there, one needed protective gear or a team of guards capable of ensuring their safety.

After all, most alchemists were inferior in combat strength.

Qin Zhou had no plans to hire guards. He possessed the equipment sent by Shisi and had Tunfeng.

He was merely going to gather herbs.

 ━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

The farthest Qin Zhou had ever ventured in this world was the provincial capital.

But this time, the border between the two realms lay at the edge of the nation, in the southeastern corner of the entire continent.

Even Tunfeng took a full day to reach it.

Upon reaching the frontier, a vast, relatively flat grassland stretched before him. But further inland lay towering mountains and dense forests. Gazing into the distance, he could see lofty peaks piercing the clouds, their summits dusted with snow. Below these mountains lay forests that encircled the entire lower realm like a coiled dragon.

And hidden within those dense forests lay the true border between the Upper and Lower Realms.

Looking up, one could even see the massive barrier stones suspended in the sky, like the ‘cat’s eyes’ through which the laws of heaven and earth gazed upon the mortal world. The scattered light from those triangular stones formed a luminous screen, its radiance ever-shifting. This very screen was the barrier separating the two realms.

The Fire-Scented Grass Qin Zhou sought lay within the dense woods at the barrier’s edge. Thanks to the barrier stones, this area remained nourished by spiritual energy. Precisely because of this, many spirit beasts from the lower realm chose to dwell here.

To gather the Fire-Scented Grass, he had to enter this forest.

Arriving at the forest’s entrance, Qin Zhou found it surprisingly bustling.

People stood in small groups, each seemingly part of their own ‘team,’ while others appeared decidedly professional. Without exception, all were equipped with top-notch gear.

Qin Zhou, alone, stood out like a sore thumb.

Some noticed him, but only glanced his way—curious glances, dismissive looks.

Qin Zhou pushed through the crowd to the entrance.

An inexplicable thought struck him: this really felt like running a dungeon in an old game.

Just as he was about to step inside, someone called out to him.

“Young Master Qin?”

Qin Zhou turned to see a group of five approaching him. Nearly all were clad in armor, wielding a variety of weapons, yet their attire was uniformly silver-white.

“It seems so,” the leader smiled. “Young Master Qin, we are cultivators from Snowflake Pavilion. Our master instructed us to await your arrival here.”

“We’ll handle your search for Fire-Scented Grass. Not only will we ensure your safety, but our herbalist also knows some common locations for the herb.”

Qin Zhou hadn’t expected Zhou Shilin to arrange things so meticulously. Zhou must have known he’d come here when he sent that letter inquiring about the Fire Phoenix Feather.

But Zhou Shilin’s excessive attentiveness… Qin Zhou understood it likely stemmed from his successful completion of those two hundred orders for the Yaoshan Sect.

That single order had probably brought Snowflake Pavilion considerable profit, convincing Zhou Shilin that partnering with him was a surefire win.

Qin Zhou nodded. “Then please lead the way.”

Qin Zhou wasn’t overly concerned about safety, but the fact that they knew common locations for Fire-Scented Grass would save a lot of trouble.

 ━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Entering the woods felt like stepping into a more humid environment. Dew-like moisture hung in the air, nourishing yet not oppressive.

Qin Zhou recognized this as spiritual energy.

This place felt like a different dimension from the outside world.

“Young Master Qin hasn’t been here before, has he?” the guard remarked with a smile. “Though the barrier separates the upper realm from the lower realm, this area still holds abundant spiritual energy.”

“This is the habitat of numerous spirit beasts. They regard any cultivator who trespasses as an enemy. This dense forest is divided into an outer perimeter and an inner layer. The deeper you venture, the more powerful the spirit beasts become. The Fire-Scented Grass grows in the outer perimeter, so we won’t be going further in.”

“However, even though the Fire-Scented Grass is in the outer layer, there are still many spirit beasts active nearby. When the time comes, we’ll handle the spirit beasts, but you’ll have to gather the Fire-Scented Grass yourself, Young Master Qin.”

Qin Zhou nodded.

“Young Master Qin, there’s no need to worry. We know the situation around the Fire-Scented Grass very well. You just need to follow behind us.”

Qin Zhou: “Alright.”

Just then, a spirit beast resembling a small squirrel suddenly darted past Qin Zhou’s feet. Its cheeks were bulging, and though unafraid of humans, it seemed in a great hurry, its short legs scurrying at breakneck speed.

Noticing his gaze, the more lively young man among the guards chuckled. “We were all about to head back when we unexpectedly received orders. It’s fortunate Young Master Qin chose this moment to gather Fire-Scented Grass. Had you come any later, you likely wouldn’t have found any.”

“After all, in just a few more months, that day will arrive.”

Qin Zhou looked at him. That day?

“A-Qi.” The leader of the guards frowned.

The youth named A-Qi chuckled. “Leader, it’s a long journey anyway. Just treat it as some light entertainment.”

“It’s really nothing,” the youth suddenly grew serious. “It’s just that every thousand years, the spirit beasts living at the edge of this barrier erupt into chaos.”

A riot?

“This knowledge comes from our ancestors. Though we’re cultivators too, none of us has lived a thousand years, so we can’t verify its truth. But it’s true—that time is approaching soon. We’ve seen many low-level spirit beasts preparing to migrate.” Like that little squirrel earlier.

“The cause of these spirit beast riots is connected to the upper realm. It seems every thousand years, a great battle erupts there between the Immortal and Demon realms. Mountains overturn, rivers flow backward, the heavens grow dark… In short, when gods fight, mortals suffer. Though the lower realm is protected by barrier stones, shielding us from the chaos, the spirit beasts along this border find no peace.”

“Truthfully, we’ve only heard about it. We don’t know if the ancient ancestors of the upper realm are actually fighting. But usually, this border area is full of cultivators gathering herbs or collecting spirit beast materials. Lately, there have been fewer and fewer. So, this legend might not be entirely false.” The young man chuckled.

Qin Zhou listened, his expression thoughtful.

“So, Young Master Qin, if you need much of this Fire-Scented Grass, remember to gather several extra plants later. Better not to have to come back a second time. In another two months, this area won’t be peaceful anymore.”

“Thank you.”

 ━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Snowflake Pavilion, Pill-Hiding Hall, Provincial Capital.

Zhou Shilin was entertaining a guest.

The visitor wore a mask, a sword resting across the table—no ordinary blade. Even Zhou Shilin felt compelled to gauge its weight.

“What might this senior seek at Snowflake Pavilion?”

“Information about a person,” the visitor replied succinctly.

Zhou Shilin smiled. “Esteemed guest, Snowflake Pavilion deals solely in elixirs. We handle no other…”

The other tossed a box onto the table.

Zhou Shilin’s smile faded as he opened the box.

Inside lay a fifth-tier elixir—a precious-grade item. Its quality wasn’t exceptional, but the words “fifth-tier” alone were enough to make Zhou Shilin’s expression change.

A fifth-tier pill was indeed a grand gesture.

Yet in his many years as head of Snowflake Pavilion, Zhou Shilin had never once seen anyone use pills to conduct business with him.

Even Zhou Shilin, upon seeing this fifth-tier pill, couldn’t help but ask, “Elder, who are you seeking?”

“A Qi Cultivation-stage pill master.”

Zhou Shilin waited a moment, but the other party offered no further details.

The atmosphere in the room grew slightly awkward.

“You seek a Qi Cultivation-stage alchemist?”

No name? No distinguishing features?

“I know not his name,” the figure replied in a deep voice. “But he is unique.”

“Specifically… in what way?” Zhou Shilin’s mouth twitched. He’d long heard that sword cultivators tended to be straightforward, but this description was like asking him to find a needle in a haystack without even knowing its length or size.

“Perhaps… he has powerful patrons. In any case, he’s very special.”

Zhou Shilin offered a warm smile as he pushed the box back. “Senior, the Snowflake Pavilion likely doesn’t have the alchemist you describe.”

The man didn’t retrieve the box. Instead, he said, “The Snowflake Pavilion maintains connections with alchemists throughout the lower realms. Finding someone shouldn’t be difficult.”

Zhou Shilin frowned.

“Contact me if you find anything. The pills will serve as a deposit. If you locate him, give me one more as payment.”

“My surname is Fang.” The man produced a whistle. “If you find him, use this to summon me.”

The deal seemed settled just like that.

Zhou Shilin had no room to refuse. The other party left immediately after speaking.

He sank back into his chair, gazing out at the evening glow with an inscrutable expression.

A pill master at the Qi Cultivation stage, seemingly backed by powerful patrons, and exceptionally unique at that.

Zhou Shilin closed his eyes.

He actually knew him.

But how could Qin Zhou possibly know someone from the upper realm?

And what were this man’s intentions—good or bad?