Li Qingshan brought his hand over the mixture. It shone with blue light, and the white paste began to twist and surge. In the end, they became round pills that followed the standard.

  He did not know how to forge artifacts, but moulding the shape of objects was nothing difficult.

  Ru Xin personally split the newly-refined pills into two portions, amounting to sixty in total. She smiled. “This is for the mission. Extend your hand.” Afterwards, she picked up a single Qi Condensing pill and placed it into Li Qingshan’s hand. “This is yours!”


  Li Qingshan stared at the fruits of his labour from going three days and nights without a wink of sleep before raising his head and looking at the smiling Ru Xin. He felt deep spite. She just loved to see him in a bad mood.

  There were no additional rewards to the alchemy mission. It purely depended on the person’s mastery over alchemy. As a new alchemist, the only reason he had managed to finish this without costing himself was all thanks to the mid grade spiritual artifact cauldron and Ru Xin.

  Ru Xin appreciated Li Qingshan’s expression in satisfaction. She felt like her three days of labour had finally bore fruit.

  Only afterwards did she say, “Your ability for splitting pills is absolutely horrid.” She brought her hand over the sixty Qi Condensing pills. White light surged out, and some of the white paste was pulled away, forming another three Qi Condensing pills, while the remaining pills were completely the same size, reaching the standard of the mission perfectly, no more, no less.

  Li Qingshan casually thanked her before lowering his head and stowing the sixty Qi Condensing pills into an embroidered box. As for the four remaining Qi Condensing pills, he directly tossed them into his mouth.

  Ru Xin had already grown accustomed to this. “Your battle with the school of Painting is coming up in a few days. The school of Miscellany has already begun taking bets. Tell me some of that insider information. Do you think I should bet on your defeat or your victory?”


  Li Qingshan rolled his eyes at her. “Whatever you want.”


  “Alright then. I’ll bet on your victory. Though, if I end up losing, you’ll have to compensate me for my losses!”


  “Keep dreaming.” Li Qingshan left through the door. He saw the blazing clouds in the west that had been dyed red by the setting sun reflected in the lake. It was absolutely beautiful. Sure enough, Han Qiongzhi was standing right in front of the background of the setting sun. Looking over, she seemed like a beautiful silhouette. Seeing Li Qingshan, she smiled resplendently and rushed over.

  Before Li Qingshan could even speak, Ru Xin smiled. “Junior sister Han, your man tried to touch my foot earlier. You’d better keep an eye on him.”


  Han Qiongzhi stopped and glared at Li Qingshan. She said in exasperation, “Understood!”


  Li Qingshan’s gaze landed on Ru Xin’s white, slender neck. He became very serious.

  Ru Xin raised her hand to shield her neck, as if she was afraid, but she continued to smile.

  ……


  A small boat floated across the lake freely. The water and sky merged as one as both waterfowl and the glow of the setting sun filled the air.

  Han Qiongzhi sat diagonally to the nose of the boat, looking over quietly. The breeze of a midsummer’s night ruffled her clothes.

  Li Qingshan broke the silence. “Don’t listen to her. You know that she loves spinning lies the most.”


  Han Qiongzhi looked over. “How dare you say you haven’t?”


  “I absolutely haven’t!” Li Qingshan said seriously.

  Han Qiongzhi smiled. “It’s not like I’m angry. What’re you so nervous for?”


  Li Qingshan frowned. “Who are you? What did you do to Qiongzhi?”


  Han Qiongzhi was taken aback. She grabbed him by the ear and said in irritation, “Am I really that mean?”


  Li Qingshan smiled. He conveniently pulled her into his arms. “Yep, our Qiongzhi is very forgiving.” His other hand had already landed on her proud chest. Through the thin summer dress, it seemed to tremble in his hand.

  “Don’t move about!” Han Qiongzhi grabbed his hand, but she allowed it to remain there.

  After a few months together, this level of closeness had already become normalised. As she would describe it, I’ll let you take some advantage of me seeing how pitiful you are.

  “I’m just curious.” Li Qingshan was bewildered. Ru Xin was definitely much more charming than that female cultivator of the school of Miscellany from the other day!

  Han Qiongzhi said, “Senior sister Ru Xin is a very proud person.” The female disciples of the school of Miscellany all possessed mediocre talent. Their heads were filled with material gain. All they wanted to find was a strong male to depend on. They were not worthy of being called cultivators. Ru Xin, however, was different. She was a true cultivator.

  Li Qingshan said, “Proud? How come that’s not what I feel?”


  “Because you’re even prouder!” Han Qiongzhi propped herself up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed deeply at this man she loved. The closer she was to him, the more she was drawn to him by his charm, and she began to wonder why she had actually failed to notice this the first time she had seen him. And, the aspect of him that enchanted her the most was the deep sense of pride hidden within his heart.

  It was as if he possessed the determination to climb and traverse mountains no matter how precipitous they were, the courage to challenge enemies no matter how strong they were.

  “I have even less of an impression of that!” Li Qingshan placed his hands on her waist. The curve of her body would suddenly pull in there, forming a thin, straight waist. He could not help but become glued to her plump, red lips. Even the pale gully that sometimes peeked out from her clothes were unable to make him shift his attention. He could not help but move his head towards them.

  Han Qiongzhi tilted her head and avoided him. She hugged him firmly, kissing his ear firmly and apologising, “Not yet.” Although they had already grown so close that many places were no longer forbidden, she still refused to accept a relatively normal kiss like that.

  The woman in Li Qingshan’s arms right now had already become his beloved, so he obviously had to respect and protect this peculiar tendency of hers.

  “I want to wait- wait until we’re married. If I let you kiss me right now, I’m afraid that I won’t be able to hold back and end up giving you e- everything!” Han Qiongzhi stuttered shyly. Originally, she had never taken the business between man and woman so seriously. Wasn’t it just stripping themselves naked, embracing each other, and going at it?

  When she carried out missions alone in the past, she had even secretly broken into houses and peeped on people out of curiosity. Apart from being slightly embarrassed in the beginning, she grew bored of it very quickly. What were those groans and moans all supposed to mean? As cultivators, it was impossible for them to be engrossed by carnal pleasures. It was impossible for their immovable wills to waver over something like this. Otherwise, she would have never been able to put up with the pain of being slowly torn apart in Altar Lord Black Lotus’ formation back then.

  Only when it was actually time for her to go through with all of this did she realise it was not so simple. Every instance of contact was imbued with another meaning, enough to bring her joy or make her tremble, as her heart would be affected too.

  What else could Li Qingshan say? He held her enchanting figure firmly. “I might as well just propose the marriage tomorrow. Your father has quite a good impression of me.”


  It was not like this was some sh*tty story where a poor scholar was abducting a wealthy young miss. There obviously would not be too many obstacles. With the talent, strength, and desire to advance he had displayed, he believed no one could find any issues with him. This had always been his reason for maintaining a high profile. If he constantly tried acting modest and discreet, let alone any disapproval from father-in-law Han, even the entire academy would object. But right now, was there still anyone who could say that he was not worthy of her?

  “Don’t be so hasty. Wait a little longer.” Han Qiongzhi suddenly changed the topic. “Little Hua hasn’t emerged yet, has he?”


  Li Qingshan said, “He hasn’t. Why did you mention him all of a sudden?”


  Han Qiongzhi smiled. “I just thought of something.”


  Li Qingshan said, “Let me hear about it.” Han Qiongzhi originally refused to tell him, but under Li Qingshan’s “interrogation”, she gave in.

  As it turned out, when Hua Chengzan was infatuated with Gu Yanying in the past, Han Qiongzhi was the one who found it most deplorable as a good friend of his. She scolded him fiercely, “She’s just a woman. Do you have to be like this?” Back then, she did not treat herself as a woman.

  However, he said, “You just haven’t met someone who can steal your heart. Otherwise, you’d definitely marry yourself off eagerly.”


  Li Qingshan held her chin. “Then are you eager right now?”


  Han Qiongzhi said stubbornly, “Not at all. Though, I can understand him a little now.” Although they had still been very unfamiliar with one another a few months ago, she could no longer imagine how she would be without him.

  Gazing at her eyes that were deeply in love, Li Qingshan felt like his heart had melted into water. Even Gu Yanying no longer seemed important. That was just half of an obscure dream, yet right now, there was a real lover in his arms.

  “You’re much luckier than him. You met me early enough.”


  Han Qiongzhi said, “How come I beg to differ? You should cultivate faster. We’ll see after your cultivation surpasses me. I wouldn’t want to marry a man who’s not even as great as me.”


  However, the posture they were currently in made that seem utterly unconvincing. Back then, she had just said she would give him the opportunity to pursue her if his cultivation surpassed her, yet right now, she was in his arms. He was taking full advantage of her.

  “Well I’m eager.” Li Qingshan bent over. He could not kiss her on the lips, but it was fine elsewhere. He kissed her slender neck firmly. The corner of his lips curled into a smile, and he licked her gently.

  “Are you a dog?” Han Qiongzhi trembled as she said with gritted teeth. Once her mental defences were gone, her senses for everything were much finer and sharper than regular people.

  “How dare you call your man a dog! You need to be punished!” Li Qingshan raised his hands and placed them on her breasts, kneading them.

  In the past, she would probably cry out in surprise and stop him from going overboard. But this time, she kept her arms around his neck, without reacting at all.

  Li Qingshan was surprised. His smile grew wider, and his hands moved slower. His fingers dug deeply into the two tender breasts, moulding them as he wished. Han Qiongzhi’s breathing became slightly ragged. Her eyes were as clear as water as she allowed him to continue.

  Li Qingshan searched for two small nodules. He pinched them between his fingers gently and fiddled with them.

  Han Qiongzhi suddenly embraced him firmly, and Li Qingshan stopped. He gently kissed her neck, caressing her back. Only a while later did she let go of him, allowing him to continue enjoying the wonders of her body that no one else had ever touched.

  Only when Li Qingshan had completely imprinted their exact size in his head did he let go reluctantly.

  Before they knew it, the sky had already darkened. Stars stretched across the sky.

  Han Qiongzhi grumbled with a flushed face, “Satisfied now?” She already knew he was fixated on this part of her body, so she just gave him what he wanted for once today.

  “I’m not.” As he said that, Li Qingshan had already extended his hand past her undergarment, making contact with her soft, tender skin.

  Han Qiongzhi grabbed his hand in a hurry and prodded his forehead. She scolded, “Be patient.” At that moment, she seemed like the older one. Actually, it would not even matter if she gave it to him. Love between a man and woman was ordinary. She did not care about her so-called purity as much as those regular women. She was just afraid that she would give it away too easily, such that he would not treasure it. She had to make sure to keep this measly man around her.

  “It’ll be mine anyway.” Li Qingshan was in no hurry.

  “It’ll be yours right now, it’ll be yours forever.”


  The next few days passed by in a blur. In the blink of an eye, the battle with Chu Danqing of the school of Painting had arrived.