Chapter 75: Meeting a New Fellow Cultivator

Within the quiet chamber, a fierce blaze suddenly erupted, its ferocity as bright as the sun, engulfing Cao Chengyu entirely. From his chest came the brittle sound of something shattering—a pearl at his heart seemed about to break apart.

A thunderous crack followed, startling his heart. The thousand-year Fire Spirit Pearl exploded. From his chest, a figure nearly corporeal emerged, identical in appearance to himself. It wore a scarlet crown, a robe of fiery feathers, its hair glimmering like molten lava, and at the center of its brow was a divine flame sigil.

Cao Chengyu understood at once—this was the Fire God of his heart, named Dan Yuan, styled Shou Ling, who wielded the power of the Fire God, majestic and oppressive as a prison.

Looking rather like a little red man, Cao Chengyu curled his lip and guided the being back into his heart to continue nurturing it.

Meanwhile, cracks had appeared on the Wood Spirit Pearl within his liver; before long, the Wood Organ God would be born as well. These twenty-one high-grade second-tier Mystic Spirit Pills had granted him half a month's progress that others would require years to achieve.

The acceleration brought by resources was evident, and innate talent could not be overlooked either. Exhaling a turbid breath, Cao Chengyu willed open his personal status sheet to examine the changes in detail.

[Cao Chengyu]
Age: 15.9
Cultivation: Dao Body Stage, Early (39%)
Techniques: Scripture of the Yellow Court, Azure Dragon Yin-Yang Dao Canon
Skills: Mysterious Yin Pill Scroll (Third Tier, Low), Hao Sun Artifact Scroll (Third Tier, Low 1%)
Spells: Azure Flood Sleeve (High Grade 34%), Five-Wheel Departed Fire Method (High Grade 39%), Yuan Heavy Water Shield (High Grade 23%), Cloud Riding and Mist Traversing Technique (High Grade 29%), Extreme Ice Shadowless Sword (High Grade 27%), Hundred Beasts Thunder Roar Body Forging Method (High Grade 28%)
Secret Arts: Secret Poison Eye (High Grade 21%), Burning Body Blazing Fire Art (High Grade 49%), Little Six Ren Palm Technique (Mid Grade 89%), Qi-Locking Still Body Technique (Mid Grade 50%), Yin Script Sword Condensation Method (High Grade 1%)
Divine Power: Law Derivation (?)
Magical Artifacts: Profound Ice Sword (Second Tier, Mid), Bamboo Leaf Wanderer (First Tier, Low), Jade Pure White Lotus Platform (Second Tier, High), Jade Pearl Zither (First Tier, Mid), Yin-Yang Dragon Needle (Second Tier, High)
[Evaluation]: Oh, the joyful life of an ancestor is about to begin. I can hardly wait to try the Yin-Yang Harmonizing Pill...

The pill scroll was close to complete comprehension; the artifact scroll and Yin Script Sword had both reached full mastery and were being developed toward the transcendent grade.

The Profound Ice Sword had been crafted using the Maple Leaf Sword as a base, fused with millennium-old Profound Ice—barely passable.

As for the subconscious evaluation, he rarely paid attention to it; he refused to admit those were his true thoughts.

He was already quite satisfied with his progress over the past month.

The next step was to find a way to approach Lou Lan, to use her identity to solidify his own as a "good person." As for whether dual cultivation would occur, Cao Chengyu truly didn't care. If it worked, fine; if not, he wouldn't force it. Dual cultivation didn’t have to be with someone from the rankings. It was merely that combining the two would benefit him more.

Having secluded himself for a month, he went out once more.

Getting acquainted with Lou Lan and Xiao Yan became his first priority. He also planned to take some pill-refining commissions to earn a bit of pocket money—he was running out of funds.

North Bank, Qi Ming Tower.

Commonly known as the "Sect Mission Acceptance Office," it bustled with disciples, at least a thousand by rough estimate, and that was only what the eye could see. Counting those out on missions, in closed cultivation, or holding sect positions, a conservative estimate put the Five Elements Sect's numbers at over ten thousand cultivators.

Such numbers were staggering—if each wielded a spell, the destruction of a city would be but a snap of the fingers.

As he walked, Cao Chengyu once again became the most striking figure in the crowd.

The mission acceptance process was straightforward. He could easily select a few alchemy tasks, usually opting for private commissions. These typically offered generous rewards, and he had the chance to withhold some materials—a perfect fit for someone with his high alchemy success rate.

Another type of alchemy mission was for the sect itself, which usually allowed him to acquire many pill formulas for free, though the rewards were much less, mostly contribution points.

Cao Chengyu chose several high-tier second-grade pill-refining tasks. After collecting the materials prepared in advance by the clients from the management disciples, he set off for home.

Along the way, he paused frequently, eavesdropping on conversations to gain further insight into the customs and behavioral patterns of the Five Elements Sect.

He also took the opportunity to inquire about this person, Lan Lou of the Water Branch.

However, most disciples looked utterly perplexed; they had never heard of such a person, not even the name.

Even the disciples of the Water Branch had no knowledge of this Elder Steward at the early Violet Palace stage. This was exceedingly strange.

It made Cao Chengyu reluctant to ask too conspicuously.

Logically speaking, someone who held the position of Elder Steward ought to be known by at least some of the branch disciples. It was like the Black and White Daoist—every disciple of the Hidden Branch knew him.

Cao Chengyu furrowed his brow, rubbing his chin, muttering under his breath, "That can't be right..."

Just as he was deep in thought, he unexpectedly collided with a soft shoulder. A faint, refreshing fragrance lingered in the air, exceptionally pleasant.

"Can't be right? What business do you have with me?"

“?!!”

Startled, Cao Chengyu looked up to see a gentle woman in a water-blue brocade robe, standing sideways to him. She was a head taller than he—a fact that lent her a certain air of lofty superiority.

Goodness, ever since he began body cultivation, Cao Chengyu had grown rapidly, standing at least 1.79 meters tall by now, yet this woman towered a head above him.

Combined with her recent words, her identity was unmistakable.

He found himself momentarily tongue-tied, wholly unprepared.

“How did you know about me?”

Lan Lou pressed further, her tone aggressive.

Cao Chengyu’s mind spun rapidly. He hurriedly replied, “Disciple has something important to ask you, Elder, but this is not the place. Is there somewhere private we might speak?”

At his words, Lan Lou fell silent. Despite her gentle appearance, her arrogance was barely concealed, almost identical to that of the golden-robed guiding disciple. One might think the two were relatives.

After a moment’s contemplation, she finally replied coldly, “Come with me. I’m curious to see what you wish to ask.”

With that, she soared into the air. Cao Chengyu hastened to follow, riding a golden cloud—his Cloud Riding and Mist Traversing Technique derived from the Yellow Cloud Technique, its color fitting some unseen principle.

He followed Lan Lou to a mountain beside the Five Elements Water Peak. Only a few seven-story pavilions stood here, clearly her personal domain.

After disabling the mountain’s protective formation, the two landed on a sprawling terrace atop the seventh floor. The terrace was engraved with the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, with a meditation cushion at its center—likely her usual spot for stargazing or cultivation.

Directly ahead lay the Five Peaks of the Five Elements Sect, with a sweeping view of the central courtyard and both north and south banks—a truly magnificent vantage point.