“Patriarch Sun, our Alchemist Association is actively inviting Alchemist Bai to join. If you go back on your word, then the Sun family will be blacklisted by the Alchemist Association from now on,” someone nearby said, following up.
Patriarch Sun was stunned.
He couldn't understand how things had turned out this way in just the blink of an eye.
But he was responsible for the entire Sun family, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to continue as their patriarch.
Thus, Patriarch Sun’s expression shifted numerous times. He begrudgingly changed his tune, “My dear sirs, I have no intention of going back on my word, absolutely not. It’s just that the Sun family’s business has been poor recently, and I’m afraid we don’t have that many spirit stones readily available.”
He didn’t believe Bai Shengyi could forcibly seize them.
Patriarch Sun planned to drag his feet, unaware that Sun Ling had already anticipated this and had people prepare.
Sun Ling felt embarrassed for her father. She said, “Father, the spirit stones have already been fetched.”
Seeing Patriarch Sun’s face darken and about to unleash his anger, Sun Ling frowned and reminded him, “Several Venerables are present.”
As Sun Ling spoke, she personally stepped forward and handed the spirit stones to Bai Shengyi. She said with a sigh, “Forgive Alchemist Bai for witnessing this farce. Thank you, Alchemist Bai, for your treatment. In the future, if I, Sun Ling, can be of any assistance to Alchemist Bai, please do not hesitate to ask.”
“You’re too kind,” Bai Shengyi replied, acting as if she were unfamiliar with Sun Ling.
Having received her payment and with the matter settled, Bai Shengyi no longer wished to stay.
“Senior Sister, where is Master?” Bai Shengyi glanced around, noticing that Venerable Qinglan had left at some point.
Qian Ying replied, “She went to greet the Venerables in the main hall. Do you want to go take a look? It’s a good opportunity to recognize some people, and Senior Brother is also there.”
Bai Shengyi shook her head, “No, I’m a bit tired.”
“Ah, that’s right. You should go back and rest well.”
As Qian Ying spoke, she brought out the Crescent Moon Cat she had somehow stored away earlier and placed it into Bai Shengyi’s arms. Then, she stuffed a pile of high-grade elixirs into Bai Shengyi’s embrace.
“Meow!”
The Crescent Moon Cat was still a little dazed, its fur bristling. Bai Shengyi stroked its fur comfortingly, then leaped onto her flying sword, preparing to depart. The cultivator from the Alchemist Association rushed to stop her.
“Alchemist Bai! I am one of the executives of the Alchemist Association. Venerable Feng asked me to give you this.”
Bai Shengyi reached out, and a gilded invitation card, radiating a maple leaf red hue, landed in her hand.
The cultivator continued, “We at the Alchemist Association sincerely invite you to join. Please consider it carefully. We look forward to your membership.”
“I will consider it carefully,” Bai Shengyi replied.
Winter had arrived, but perhaps due to her cultivation, Bai Shengyi was wearing a single layer of clothing and didn’t feel the cold. However, as the wind rustled, she took out the Peacock Feather Robe her Senior Sister had mentioned and put it on.
Soon, she returned to her courtyard. The plum blossoms planted by the Qingmeng Vine had actually bloomed, filling the air with fragrance.
Bai Shengyi placed the Crescent Moon Cat on the ground, “Be good, play by yourself for a while. I’ll bake you some fish later.”
“Meow~”
Er Gou obediently rubbed against Bai Shengyi’s hand, as if asking, “You’re not leaving again, are you?”
The soft, furry touch truly made her feel happy, and the fatigue Bai Shengyi felt from the main peak seemed to have lessened considerably.
“I’m not leaving. When Qingmeng Vine wakes up, I’ll have it take care of you,” Bai Shengyi said, unable to help but sigh. Without Little Teng Ye, she couldn’t understand Er Gou’s words.
After pacifying the Crescent Moon Cat, Bai Shengyi returned to her room and began to meditate, her consciousness sinking into her dantian.
Within Bai Shengyi’s dantian, various spiritual lights of myriad colors shone. Even she herself almost thought she had entered a KTV in the 23rd century.
Thinking of this, she suddenly realized that it had been a long time since she had recalled events from her past and past-past lives.
If the philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine hadn’t permeated her spiritual healing techniques, and if her spiritual healing techniques hadn’t been firmly etched in her mind, she might have almost believed that her experiences in the 23rd century and the Federation were merely a dream…
“Bastards! You mongrels! Trash! Useless! Perverts! Release me at once!”
Bai Shengyi, lost in thought for a rare moment, was quickly pulled back by the sharp curses emanating from her dantian.
Since being suppressed by the Reincarnation Brush, the Earthly Fire Radiance had been restless, constantly cursing and threatening.
“My master is the Daughter of Destiny of this world. She became a sixth-tier artifact refiner at such a young age, with boundless prospects. If you continue to trap me, be careful she retaliates against you!”
“Daughter of Destiny?” Bai Shengyi uttered doubtfully, “Is that the kind of person who has good luck in everything they do and finds everything they do smooth sailing?”
“Of course…”
Earthly Fire Radiance said proudly. It was about to boast further when it heard Bai Shengyi say, “Wow! If that’s true, then the fact that I could snatch the Earthly Fire Radiance from her means I’m incredibly powerful!”
“You! How can you be so shameless!”
“You’re the shameless one! Both you and your master are shameless!”
Before Bai Shengyi could say anything more, the Reincarnation Brush couldn’t help but retort furiously, “My master is amazing, she is extraordinary. What can you do to her?”
As it spoke, a surge of pure spiritual essence welled up from the center of the Reincarnation Brush’s shaft and flowed into the Earthly Fire Radiance. The flame, which had been intent on causing trouble, immediately withered.
“Well done! Little Reincarnation!” Bai Shengyi snapped her fingers and logically arranged, “Little Reincarnation, didn’t you mention before that you needed the Nine Divine Fires? Does this fire still need to be subdued to be useful?”
“No, this fire can only temper my brush shaft. It’s of the least use to me.”
The Reincarnation Brush gestured for Bai Shengyi to look at its shaft.
Only then did Bai Shengyi notice that the broken part of the Reincarnation Brush’s main body not only had a visible phantom tip but also a circle of exquisite Myriad Lotus patterns had now grown around the break.
The patterns were lifelike, with lotuses half-open, fully bloomed, or shyly peeking, as if one could smell the faint fragrance of lotus flowers.
“It’s truly beautiful,” Bai Shengyi praised generously.
The Reincarnation Brush said smugly, “Brush Brush has always been beautiful! By the way, you can say the word ‘Yan Zhen’ again!”
As it spoke, it became a little aggrieved, “Ever since you turned my main body into a sword, you’ve used me less and less. You’ve been using the sword all the time. Are you perhaps tired of Brush Brush?”
In the Reincarnation Brush’s view, using a sword and using a brush were two different things. It had always considered itself transformed into a long sword as a separate entity. If it weren’t for the purpose of improving Bai Shengyi’s combat effectiveness, it would never have been willing to transform into a sword!
“No, no, why would you think that? I still rely on you the most, Little Reincarnation. Look, if you hadn’t acted this time, how could we have captured Earthly Fire Radiance so easily?” Bai Shengyi quickly comforted the Reincarnation Brush.
She truly hadn’t expected that her unconscious actions would have hurt the Reincarnation Brush.
However, she also reflected on herself. Indeed, in recent times, she had become increasingly fond of fighting opponents with the style of a sword cultivator, while her exploration and use of the Reincarnation Brush had slackened.
The Reincarnation Brush was clearly her natal spiritual artifact, yet she had neglected it.
“I’m sorry, Little Reincarnation. Before entering the academy’s secret realm for training, I will go into seclusion and continue to familiarize myself with you,” Bai Shengyi, who always dared to admit her mistakes, apologized to the Reincarnation Brush immediately upon realizing her oversight.
The Reincarnation Brush, however, became coy, “Oh, Brush Brush was just saying, it’s not angry. By the way, Brush Brush no longer needs this fire, what do you plan to do with it? Do you want it?”