I long to return home!

"What a stupid habit!" Xue Wu sighed, then put on his Ruogu robe and rushed out the door. He hadn't experienced the beauty of Luoyun Sect for a year, and he was determined to see it properly this time. He was already at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining and had no need to cultivate further. As for Foundation Establishment, he had no way to do so at the moment, so he might as well take it one step at a time and deal with Foundation Establishment later.

He wandered around the Luoyun Sect, causing quite a commotion. Among the rumors heard by the other disciples, a small portion said that Xue Wu was in seclusion, while the majority said that Xue Wu and Jin Lingjiao had unfortunately died while preventing the criminals from Chishui Cave from escaping. Combined with the fact that some disciples saw Lin Mubai looking sad and gloomy all day, most disciples were inclined to believe the rumor that he had died.

"Is this Elder Lin's disciple? Wasn't he rumored to be dead?"

"I don't know either. Nobody has confirmed it. Aren't there rumors that he's just in seclusion cultivating?"

"Who said Elder Lin was heartbroken over this disciple and neglected all important matters of Yunfeng? Besides, he's only been a disciple for two years and is only at the Qi Refining stage. What kind of seclusion would he go through that would last a year?"

"..."

The residence of Huang Jun on the main peak of Luoyun Sect.

"What?! He's not dead?!" Huang Jun crushed the teacup in his hand, his face contorted with rage, veins bulging.

"Yes, some disciples saw him strolling around the sect, and he looked perfectly fine," Yang Fan said tremblingly.

"Go back."

"Yes," Yang Fan replied.

After Yang Fan left, Huang Jun used his spiritual power to smash a vase next to him and muttered, "Impossible, he was only at the seventh level of Qi Refining at the time, how could he possibly defeat Qian Hai?"

"Qian Hai couldn't possibly have not killed him, could he? He hasn't been seen in the entire Luoyun Sect for a year. It's impossible, absolutely impossible..." He pondered again and again but still couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation. So there was only one possibility: Lin Mubai had hidden Xue Wu away. But that didn't make sense either. Why would Lin Mubai go to the trouble of hiding him away for a year before releasing him? And why would he be so sad and distressed all the time?

"Lin Mubai, Lin Mubai, I really can't figure you out..."

At this moment, Xue Wu had already arrived at the territory of Xiafeng. Unlike Yunfeng, the trees here were more lush, and all kinds of unfamiliar plants grew in different areas, as if a plant convention was being held.

The air here is filled with the aroma of alchemy at all times, and the further you go in, the stronger the aroma becomes. Sometimes you can even see some disciples of Xiafeng practicing alchemy in the forest.

They sat quietly in front of the enormous alchemy furnace, calmly controlling the heat, much like experienced traditional Chinese medicine doctors adding the appropriate elixir at the right time.

Xue Wu blinked, watching the alchemy process intently. Was this alchemy? He'd seen it in novels; powerful alchemists could create top-grade pills, attracting fierce competition from powerful figures. Some good pills could even prolong life and elevate one's cultivation level...

"Want to learn?"

Su Yifeng's voice suddenly came from behind, which really startled Xue Wu, who was concentrating, and he took a few steps back.

"Elder Su, you scared me to death." Xue Wu took a breath to calm his beating heart and then said, "Of course I want to learn, but... I am a disciple of Yunfeng, so it seems I can't learn the skills of other peaks, right?"

"That's true, but it's not impossible. As long as you tell me the location of the spiritual vein, I'll call you. How about that?" Su Yifeng said with a smile.

"Then let's forget it. Master said we can't tell anyone about the spiritual vein," Xue Wu shook his head and refused.

"I am one of the few sixth-grade alchemists in the entire Wuji Empire. Aren't you going to consider it?"

"Not consider."

"Are you really not going to consider it?"

"Not consider."

"really?"

"real."

"real?"

"real."

"..."

Pills are divided into three levels: mortal, divine, and immortal. Each level is further divided into nine sub-levels, from first to ninth grade. The purity of pills is also divided into low-grade, medium-grade, high-grade, and top-grade.

Alchemists are corresponding to three levels of pills, with titles of Mortal, Divine, and Immortal. Each major title is further divided into minor titles from first to ninth grade. To refine higher-grade pills, one must not only have profound alchemy skills but also sufficient cultivation to support them.

In the human realm, there are only mortal-level alchemists. If one wants to become a high-level alchemist, one must possess a wood or fire spiritual root within their body; otherwise, it will be difficult to reach a level above the fourth grade even if one spends their entire life doing so.

"Alright, alright, if you cook me a good meal, I might teach you some alchemy techniques, how about that?" Su Yifeng knew he probably couldn't win against Xue Wu, so he found a way to back down. After all, Xue Wu possessed pure fire and powerful cultivation, and his future cultivation was limitless. If he were to refine pills, he might reach unimaginable heights.

"Okay..." Xue Wu nodded in agreement. His gaze swept over the lush green bamboo and some fresh bamboo shoots, and a delicious dish immediately came to mind. He then said, "How about stewed chicken with bamboo shoots?"

"Bamboo shoots are edible? You want me to gnaw on bamboo?" Su Yifeng asked in surprise.

“Of course, it smells wonderful,” Xue Wu said decisively.

Upon hearing this, remembering that Xue Wu's stir-fried pig liver was even more delicious than this, she dispelled her doubts and with a wave of her hand, pulled up four or five bamboo shoots by the roots and put them in Xue Wu's arms. Then she took Xue Wu to the disciples' canteen.

"Go ahead, I'll wait here." Su Yifeng looked around the deserted cafeteria, found an empty seat, gave instructions to the cook inside, and then began to wait patiently.

Xue Wu also entered the kitchen smoothly. After pondering the bamboo shoot stew with pork he had eaten at home, he concentrated on making it. He washed and cut the bamboo shoots into pieces, added seasonings and water, brought it to a boil over high heat, and finally added the bamboo shoots and fresh pork to stew.

To achieve tender, flavorful meat, precise control of heat and cooking time is essential, much like a delicate dance that requires perfect coordination between the dancer and the music.

Soon after, the aroma of stewed meat, like an invisible hand, grabbed people's noses and attracted many sect disciples to come and watch. Su Yifeng smelled the aroma and was so captivated that he couldn't wait to taste the delicious food, his mouth practically watering.

Upon seeing Su Yifeng, the disciples all bowed politely and stood at a distance behind him, watching the aroma wafting from the kitchen as if it were a mysterious radiance drawing them in. At that moment, Jin Lingjiao and Mo Yuchen also arrived, drawn by the fragrance. Seeing Su Yifeng sitting there, they were like two joyful little birds, immediately sitting down beside him.

"Yifeng, what smells so good?" Mo Yuchen asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

"What kind of bamboo shoot stew with meat is Old Lin making for me?" Su Yifeng wiped his drool, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"Ah, Xue Wu is cooking inside?" Jin Lingjiao exclaimed in surprise, her voice filled with disbelief.

"Yes, it's good that you came early. You're in for a treat. This smells delicious to me," Su Yifeng said with a smile, his laughter full of satisfaction.

Half an hour later, Xue Wu brought a large bowl of steaming bamboo shoot stew with meat to Su Yifeng and said, "The meat is here." His gaze swept over the crowded disciples in the canteen, his brows furrowed slightly, and then he said, "Why are there so many people? Should I get some more bamboo shoots to make something?"

"Ignore them, they're too busy cultivating to even think about eating meat?" Su Yifeng looked at the delicious-looking stewed meat, his eyes gleaming with greed, as if it were a precious treasure.

Su Yifeng's words struck the sect disciples hard. They really wanted to eat it, but they were too embarrassed. They could only stare longingly at the delicious bamboo shoot stew with meat, feeling as if countless ants were crawling inside them, making them itch with desire.