The next morning.
Xiao Mei's wooden house was still wrapped in the calm of early dawn when Gu Qinghe arrived as promised.
A thin layer of mist hung low, drifting across the small yard in front of the house and making the air feel colder than usual.
From the doorway, Gu Qinghe immediately saw Xiao Mei sitting cross-legged on the floor. Her back was straight, her posture steady, both hands resting calmly on her thighs.
Her eyes were tightly closed, her breathing even and rhythmic, as if she had already merged with the flow of energy around her.
Gu Qinghe paused for a moment. The look in his eyes changed.
He raised his right hand and activated his cultivation vision.
In an instant, the world before him shifted.
Streams of qi that were once invisible now appeared clearly, moving like threads of light flowing in from all directions toward Xiao Mei's body.
The qi was neither wild nor chaotic. On the contrary—it was stable, pure, and absorbed in a consistent rhythm.
A soft blue glow radiated from Xiao Mei's body, a clear sign that the Basic Qi Refining Method had been fully grasped and properly executed.
Gu Qinghe nodded faintly.
She's only learned the first method.
In truth, Gu Qinghe had given Xiao Mei two cultivation techniques.
But from the very beginning, he knew the first method was the most suitable for her condition after consuming the Spiritual Root Activation Pill yesterday.
The second technique was not yet the right choice. Using it too early would only damage her foundation.
With this rate of absorption, if Xiao Mei stayed focused and diligent, she had a chance to break through to the fourth level—perhaps even the fifth—before encountering her second bottleneck.
That's more than enough for the early stage, Gu Qinghe muttered inwardly.
He did not disturb her. Letting her remain immersed in cultivation was the best decision.
Gu Qinghe stepped away, his thoughts shifting to the one thing that had been gnawing at his mind since yesterday.
The Ice Meridian Curse.
The curse afflicting his mother was no ordinary one. Its core was simple yet cruel—every bit of qi Wang Yunxi absorbed was forcibly redirected to nourish the yin element within her body.
The imbalance kept accumulating, causing the yin energy to become dominant, violent, and eventually erode her meridians bit by bit.
A curse like that… could not have been created by an ordinary cultivator.
When it came to the understanding of Yin and Yang, no Dao lineage surpassed the Yin-Yang Sect.
Could it be that she had once offended an elder of that sect?
Gu Qinghe stopped beneath a large, shady tree not far from Xiao Mei's house. Its roots ran deep, its trunk solid, and the natural qi around it felt noticeably denser.
He sat cross-legged and tapped his bag of holding. A red glow appeared before him.
The Red Lotus Furnace.
Before coming here, Gu Qinghe had collected three main ingredients for the Yin-Yang Balancing Pill, ten of each.
That amount would be enough to provide Wang Yunxi with a temporary supply—if every refinement succeeded perfectly.
A black bottle appeared in Gu Qinghe's hand. Muyan Demon Flame.
One of the demon flames known for being extremely difficult to control, even for Foundation Establishment cultivators. But difficult did not mean impossible.
For Gu Qinghe, it was simply a matter of control and experience.
He tossed the ingredients into the furnace one by one without hesitation. One refinement, one pill.
To obtain ten pills, he would have to repeat the process ten times. There were no shortcuts.
The bottle containing the Muyan Demon Flame cracked, then shattered. Black-red flames burst out, surging violently.
Gu Qinghe immediately restrained them with his right hand, qi pouring out from his body and supplemented by the tree behind him.
His hand trembled slightly as he first grasped the flames. But compared to yesterday, the turbulence was far more controlled.
Gu Qinghe began the refinement.
Waves of qi pulsed outward, spreading through the surroundings. Heat and cold intertwined, forming a pressure that made many members of the Gu clan turn toward the source.
Several people stepped out of the mansion, shock written across their faces.
Gu Yanxue also emerged.
From a distance, she saw Gu Qinghe sitting beneath the tree, the red lotus furnace blazing in front of him.
Unlike before, this time she could clearly observe every stage of Qinghe's refinement.
"Gu Qinghe has become someone with real promise," an elder said in a low voice.
"Indeed," Gu Yanxue replied. "This change will shock many people. Including Father and Brother Yanxing."
A sudden boom of qi erupted from within the furnace. Gu Qinghe's body jolted.
The backlash slammed into his soul, shaking the primordial spirit dwelling within him. Blood sprayed from the corner of his mouth.
But Gu Qinghe had already anticipated this.
His left hand moved swiftly, taking out a small bottle containing a Qi Essence Pill.
Without hesitation, he swallowed it. A warm current spread instantly, soothing the damage and restoring his condition.
The refinement continued.
Previously, it took him six hours to refine a single pill. This time, it was different.
With greater experience and deeper understanding, Gu Qinghe completed one Yin-Yang Balancing Pill in less than three hours.
The furnace lid opened. A red pill floated out, radiating perfectly balanced yin and yang aura.
Gu Qinghe clenched it in his hand.
One isn't enough… I need many.
Without resting, he proceeded to the next refinement.
Backlash struck again and again. He spat blood more than once. Yet each time it happened, a Qi Essence Pill immediately sealed the damage, forcing his body to regenerate rapidly.
Wang Yunxi stepped out of the mansion, accompanied by her maid. Her gaze locked onto Gu Qinghe.
Her chest felt tight.
Tears welled at the corners of her eyes as she watched her son sitting beneath the tree, enduring pain for her sake.
This was the first time Wang Yunxi had seen such determination from Gu Qinghe.
As a mother, she felt relieved at her son's growth. Yet her maternal instincts ached—she did not want Qinghe to bear all of this alone.
On the other side, Xiao Mei stepped out of the wooden house.
Her system panel opened before her eyes. The amount of qi required to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining was still far from sufficient.
The Basic Qi Refining Method improved efficiency, not absolute speed.
She sensed another surge of qi. Turning her head, she saw Gu Qinghe beneath the tree, flames roaring from the furnace, qi explosions shaking the air.
As she drew closer, strong winds swept across the area.
Gu Qinghe opened his eyes.
With a single motion, he opened the furnace and caught the red pill shooting out. He immediately stored it in a white ceramic bottle.
Five is my limit, he thought. If I continue, my soul will be damaged.
He took a deep breath, calming his body. The remaining qi was used to recover his stamina.
Xiao Mei looked at him with eyes full of admiration.
She had watched Gu Qinghe refine pills, watched massive streams of qi pour into his body. The golden light slowly faded, signaling the end of the absorption process.
"What was that just now?" Xiao Mei asked.
"Pill refinement," Gu Qinghe replied briefly. "Used for healing and aiding cultivation."
"Like the pill I took yesterday?"
"Yes."
Gu Qinghe stood up, stored the furnace, then began correcting Xiao Mei's qi absorption method.
"The qi supply will be greater if you cultivate under this tree."
Xiao Mei glanced at the tree. "I'll try it tomorrow."
"What kind of pill was that red one?" she asked again.
"You don't need to know," Gu Qinghe cut her off coldly. "Your only focus is cultivation."
Xiao Mei nodded, though curiosity settled deep in her chest.
That day, she truly cultivated beneath the tree.
Meanwhile, Gu Qinghe arrived at Wang Yunxi's room. Her condition looked significantly better.
He handed her a bottle containing five Yin-Yang Balancing Pills.
"You refined pills without stopping?" Wang Yunxi's voice trembled.
"I'm fine," Gu Qinghe replied. "My qi is just depleted."
"You must recover, Qinghe."
Wang Yunxi smiled gently. "As long as you're here, I'll be fine."
Gu Qinghe examined her condition with golden qi. The pills' effects would last one week. Six weeks of temporary relief—but it was only a stopgap.
These pills were not enough. The curse had to be destroyed.
As he was about to take his leave, Wang Yunxi's voice stopped him.
"You're different from the son I once knew."
Gu Qinghe halted and turned back, his expression serious. "What do you mean?"
"Tell me," Wang Yunxi said softly, staring at him deeply. "Who are you?"