In the territory of the Upper Dan Sect lay a famous mountain called White Frost.

This mountain range was the second tallest in Zhongzhou. From afar, it looked like a giant reclining between heaven and earth.

The summit was home to White Frost Trees, which were unique to the southern part of Hu Mountain Country. When viewed from below, it looked as if the entire peak was cloaked in a layer of snow.

However, the Upper Dan Sect’s main gate was not here. This mountain was their cultivation base for Spirit Medicine. Two monster tribes, three human tribes, and a few smaller, mixed tribes lived within the mountain.

The sole purpose of these tribes was to help the Upper Dan Sect cultivate Spirit Medicine. On the mountain, an ordinary tribe member was worth less than a single stalk of Spirit Medicine from the fields.

The Upper Dan Sect’s main gate was situated on an active volcano east of White Frost Mountain. They controlled the fire spirits within the volcano and had built a colossal Alchemy Furnace on the summit.

After a six-day journey, Wang Ping had taken in the sights and customs of Hu Mountain Country and now stood before the main gate of the Upper Dan Sect.

The gate faced due east and was coated in vermilion lacquer. The lacquered surface was etched with fine patterns that connected deep into the ground below.

’This place is just like Feng Miao’s Dao Field. It makes me really uncomfortable.’

Yu Lian communicated irritably to Wang Ping.

Wang Ping disliked the place as well. It was excessively hot and dry; standing there felt like being roasted over a furnace.

While they were communicating, an outer sect disciple walked out from inside. He swept his gaze over the two of them, his expression immediately turning haughty. Noticing that Wang Ping didn’t bow to him, he even snorted.

Wang Ping paid him no mind. He had encountered this sort of thing far too often while traveling under his current identity.

’You really don’t care anymore?’

’Why should I care?’

’You’ve matured, but you’re no fun anymore.’

Wang Ping didn’t respond. His attention shifted to an Inner Sect Disciple within the gate, for the moment the disciple appeared, his eyes locked onto Wang Ping.

The Inner Sect Disciple strode out of the gate. After sizing Wang Ping up, he asked uncertainly, "Liu En?"

"Yes, I am." Wang Ping nodded.

As soon as Wang Ping nodded, the disciple’s face instantly broke into a wide smile. "Young Hero Liu, my grandmaster has invited you."

"Please lead the way."

...

Yuan Zheng Taoist’s Dao Field consisted of a series of caves interconnected by a large Fire Spirit Array. Fire crystals were embedded all over the Array.

At that moment, he was in the central cave. In the very middle of the cave stood a massive Pill Furnace, about twenty feet tall. Flames, drawn up from deep underground, perpetually licked at its base. Some disciples stood nearby recording the furnace’s metrics, while others tended to the intensity of the fire.

They weren’t actually performing Alchemy but were familiarizing themselves with the furnace’s flames—a crucial step on their path to mastery.

Yuan Zheng Taoist watched from the side, periodically striding over to rap a disciple on the head and mutter a few curses.

When he saw Wang Ping, he was visibly stunned for a moment. After scrutinizing him, he finally spoke. ’You kid... just as cautious as your master, and just as much of a pain in the neck.’

"You flatter me, Senior..."

"It’s just the two of us. No need for all the formalities."

Yuan Zheng waved his hand dismissively. "It’s dreadfully boring here. Come to my place for tea. I just got a new batch of black tea roasted with Spirit Medicine. It’s that method of yours—can you believe it? It’s even spread all the way to us."

He finished speaking in a rush and began pulling Wang Ping toward the exit. As they stepped out of the cave, Yu Lian poked her head out from the front of Wang Ping’s robes. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"It was so uncomfortable in there!"

"I hate this place just as much, but there’s nothing to be done about it. Oh, right! When you’re finished with your business, help me set up a Wood Spirit Array in my courtyard. I want to have a garden too."

Yuan Zheng Taoist spoke as quickly as he walked. He rounded a narrow path carved along the cliff face and stepped onto a barren platform. Nestled against the mountain was a small courtyard that, like the cave, was completely bare, devoid of any greenery.

"Here! Right here! Help me plant a tree. I don’t care what kind."

Yuan Zheng strode into the courtyard and pointed to an empty patch of ground to the left of the gate. "I’ve been staring at this bare courtyard for centuries. The sight of it makes me want to vomit."

Wang Ping’s fingers brushed lightly through the air. "A tree won’t survive here," he cautioned. "With my power, I could keep it alive for a decade at most, but it would disrupt the structure of the Spiritual Qi in this place."

"Ten years is enough! And I don’t care about the Spiritual Qi structure. I don’t need the Spiritual Qi here to cultivate."

Yuan Zheng Taoist urged, "Well, get on with it."

Wang Ping nodded. He took a banyan seed, a species native to the south, from his storage pouch and tossed it onto the ground. Then, he brought out a few common Spirit Medicines to serve as a spiritual catalyst and arranged a simple Spirit Gathering Array around the seed.

Next, Wang Ping connected with his Spirit Communication Talisman, channeling a stream of Wood Spirit into the Array before pressing the seed into the dry earth.

Just then, Yu Lian wriggled out of Wang Ping’s robes. With a flick of her tail, she sent ripples of water essence sinking into the dry earth.

"Looks like you’ve grown up too, you clever little thing."

Yuan Zheng Taoist reached out, intending to tease her as he had when they first met. But Yu Lian let out a HISS and whipped her tail at his hand.

CRACK

As the sharp crack echoed, a spray of water essence exploded in midair.

"Still the same bad temper as always!"

Yuan Zheng Taoist snatched his hand back just in time. "Time really does fly," he remarked with a sigh.

The words had barely left his lips when, in the empty patch of ground to the left of the gate, a banyan tree sprouted and grew at a visible rate. In the blink of an eye, it had become a massive tree, its trunk so thick it would take three people to wrap their arms around it.

"Wonderful!"

Yuan Zheng Taoist was absolutely delighted. "Come on, over here for tea."

He moved the Stone Table and stone stools from the front of his cottage to the shade of the banyan tree, inviting Wang Ping to take a seat.

As Wang Ping sat down with Yu Lian, Yuan Zheng took out a small alchemy furnace, lit it, and placed a kettle on top.

The moment the kettle was set down, the water within began to boil. Yuan Zheng then produced a brocade-wrapped packet of tea leaves.

As he opened the packet, a delicate fragrance instantly wafted out, making both Wang Ping’s and Yu Lian’s eyes light up. Yet, when they tried to focus on the aroma, it became elusive, a tantalizing sensation that was almost maddening.

"Now this is something special."

Yuan Zheng Taoist retrieved a tea set from his storage pouch and expertly washed the cups and brewed the tea. As he poured the first infusion, he chuckled. "Your timing is both perfect and terrible."

"What do you mean?"

"Recently, one of the grandmasters from that gang of old coots at the Celestial Water Sect tried to form his Primordial Spirit. He ended up getting nearly driven mad by the consciousness of the Inspiration Realm, and now they desperately need a massive quantity of Holy Heart Grass."

Yuan Zheng Taoist quickly poured a cup of hot tea and explained, "They have their schemes, and naturally, we aren’t going to sit idly by. The Lord himself has given the word: we can’t let the Celestial Water Sect get what they want, even if it means giving away all our Holy Heart Grass as a reward."

"I’ve got a mission for you. The reward is four stalks of Holy Heart Grass, whether you succeed or not. Interested?"