The next day.

  After resting well in his territory for a night and completing his travel plans, Xia Li visited Lin Ye before departing.

  In the bamboo cottage, tea fragrance filled the air. This time Lin Ye brewed a cup of Mind-Calming Tea for Xia Li—something Xia Li could finally tolerate.

  "Speaking of which, Brother Xia, why do you suddenly need so many spirit stones? Of course, if you don't want to say, pretend I didn't ask. The spirit stones are here."

  Lin Ye produced a storage pouch from his pocket. Xia Li took it and sent his divine sense inside, discovering a full one hundred fifty thousand spirit stones.

  Lin Ye had said he could only produce a hundred thousand, yet just overnight he'd managed an extra fifty thousand.

  "I'm preparing to visit Huang Continent and Man Continent."

  "What? Going that far? Huang Continent is one thing—it's vast and sparsely populated, and with the Buddhist sect in charge, it's relatively safe. But Man Continent is contested territory between humans and demons..."

  Both humans and demons were overlords of this world. In terms of absolute strength, demons were actually somewhat stronger—it was just that internal competition among demons was also fierce.

  And contested territory meant areas where both races claimed sovereignty. Both humans and demons declared that Man Continent had always been their territory.

  "I have reasons I must go."

  After saying this, Xia Li took out a spirit cigarette and lit one up. After a deep drag, he exhaled a wisp of herb-scented mist.

  He knew this trip would be fraught with danger, but he had no choice. He was beginning to understand that feeling of throwing caution to the wind for advancement, for so-called opportunities.

  Earth's prefabricated Golden Core path wasn't just about this step. When breaking the core to form Nascent Soul in the future, the Golden Core's power could be absorbed. Therefore, forging a sufficiently excellent prefabricated Golden Core was also laying groundwork for Nascent Soul stage.

  "Brother Xia, what is that thing you have?"

  Lin Ye watched Xia Li puffing away and felt an indescribable sense of ethereal elegance. It made him very curious.

  "This isn't anything good..."

  In Xia Li's era, cigarettes killed and robbed. In this era, cigarettes no longer killed—they were even beneficial—but were equally addictive and wallet-draining.

  A pack of spirit cigarettes typically cost one to ten spirit stones. Not something ordinary people could afford.

  Of course, there were also trash spirit cigarettes where one spirit stone bought dozens of packs. Those were the highest-volume products—harmless but without much benefit either, a profiteering industry.

  "May I try one?"

  "Go ahead."

  Xia Li tossed one to Lin Ye. Lin Ye copied him, igniting the spirit cigarette with finger-generated fire. But after one drag...

  His gaze suddenly became vacant, his face showing a strange smile, as if meeting his great-grandmother.

  A full ten breaths later, his eyes finally cleared again. He looked at Xia Li with something like fear.

  "The demonic path has a pill called the Ascending Immortal Pill. Called ascending immortal, but actually descending into demonhood. Once tainted, it's nearly impossible to quit—one of the demonic path's methods for controlling others."

  "And I... was once unfortunately made to taste the Ascending Immortal Pill. It truly made me restless and uncomfortable. But this thing of yours, Brother Xia... hits even harder than the Ascending Immortal Pill!"

  "Does it?"

  Xia Li felt it was just okay—quite refreshing and invigorating. It even restored some soul-force. Another kind of pill, in a way.

  "Then it must be a constitution issue..."

  Seeing Xia Li take drag after drag with no problems, looking more energetic by the puff, Lin Ye knew this was probably exclusive to Xia Li's lineage.

  Anyone else who tried it would be meeting their great-grandmother.

  "Probably. Like the Enlightenment Tea from before—I don't dare touch that stuff."

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  Even now, thinking of Enlightenment Tea gave Xia Li lingering fear. Fortunately he'd only sipped a little. If he'd downed it in one gulp...

  "Brother Xia, since you're traveling far, have you made all the preparations? Such as the most important transportation artifact?"

  "You mean a flying boat?"

  "Having your own flying boat is important. It can serve as transportation, defensive equipment, and a temporary cave dwelling."

  "I don't have one. Could you recommend one? I'll go buy it."

  "No need. I have spare transportation artifacts. Consider this Cave Heaven Gourd a farewell gift."

  Lin Ye quite generously produced a gourd and placed it before Xia Li. The gourd was quite small, only thumb-sized, but Xia Li's divine sense detected it was no simple item.

  This was a phase container with high stability. In other words, its internal space could permit living beings to enter.

  Phase space stability determined whether it could accommodate living people. Ordinary storage treasures generally lacked sufficient stability.

  "Thanks."

  Xia Li didn't ask the price and directly pocketed the item. Some feelings were better kept in the heart. No need for excessive flowery words.

  Next time he returned to Earth, he'd be more thoughtful about finding Lin Ye some good things.

  "Wishing Brother Xia a safe journey."

  "Same to you."

  Xia Li knew Lin Ye was next heading to that herb garden place, then immediately attempting foundation establishment. Having stagnated at Qi Refining for so long while constantly tempering his foundation, the heavenly tribulation he'd face would certainly be formidable.

  After all, Lin Ye cultivated three paths simultaneously.

  Bidding farewell to Lin Ye, Xia Li took a teleportation array to the sect plaza, then walked directly toward Lingxu Peak.

  Lingxu Peak was Lingxu Cave Heaven's entrance and exit.

  However...

  While walking along perfectly fine, Xia Li was stopped by an unfamiliar disciple.

  "Hello, Junior Brother. Someone invites you for a chat."

  "Can I refuse?"

  "Of course you can, but afterward there won't be any opportunity for dialogue."

  The other party was being quite clear. Refusing meant losing the last chance for peaceful coexistence. Refusal meant declaration of war.

  "Lead the way."

  Xia Li didn't want trouble, and he knew who this was from. After joining Lingxu Cave Heaven, he had direct conflict with only one person—Zhao Yunji.

  If this was just competing for Lin Ge out of jealousy, going to explain...

  Oh wait, going to mock the other party would also work. Let them take their issues to the Third Elder.

  "This way, Junior Brother."

  The person who'd stopped Xia Li clearly didn't want trouble either—he was just delivering a message. Seeing Xia Li so agreeable, his attitude improved considerably.

  One incense stick of time later.

  Xia Li was brought to a restaurant in Lingxu Cave Heaven and directly led to a third-floor VIP room.

  Two people were already waiting inside the room. The table held beautiful food that seemed carved from jade, alongside fragrant wine.

  One of the two was powerfully built, over two meters tall, his blood energy extraordinarily strong. Xia Li could even hear the sound of blood energy circulating through his body.

  Blood energy surging like rivers and streams!

  This was the hallmark of Body Tempering Fourth Realm—Body Resonance Realm—corresponding to Nascent Soul stage. Capable of shattering mystic weapons with bare hands.

  And mystic weapons ranked above spirit artifacts.

  Xia Li's demon blade Night Cutter, in terms of quality, was barely an extreme-grade spirit artifact—not yet reaching mystic weapon level.

  "Senior Brother Zhao, I presume? Hello. And this gentleman is?"

  Xia Li looked at the other person beside Zhao Yunji.

  "He is Lin Yu. Sit!"

  Zhao Yunji pointed at a stool, indicating Xia Li should sit before they talked.