238 - Mistress, I Was Wrong

**Chapter 238: The Alchemy Furnace** As Qian Ziyan and the others were practicing in a pit to avoid the wind and snow, a loud crash was heard, as if something had collapsed. The pit they were in also felt the aftershock, shaking violently and causing chunks of snow to tumble down from above. Based on past experiences, this usually meant an avalanche or a landslide somewhere nearby. The group exchanged glances. Qian Ziyan was the first to leap out of the pit, followed by Mu Sheng and the others who poked their heads out, only to see a sharp, awl-like object emerging from the direction where Qian Wanyu and Dongfang Minghui were. Everyone held their breath for a long moment. Finally, Mu Sheng whispered, “This thing looks like a weapon, but the patterns on it are identical to those on the Longevity Cauldron. Could it be that Sister Wan Yu and Minghui found another treasure below?” “No, that is the Longevity Cauldron,” Qian Ziyan interrupted Mu Sheng's speculation. The sharp object jabbed about for a bit before retracting. Qian Yiling looked worried and anxiously said, “Wasn't the Longevity Cauldron supposed to be with Yu'er and Xiao Jiu as they seek the inheritance? Now that it's emerged, has something happened to Yu'er below?” Just as she finished speaking, a pale hand appeared from the pit, reaching up to grip the edge. Then, with two hands helping, someone tried to stand up. “Hands, hands—” Mu Sheng stammered nervously. “It’s them.” Lien quickly stepped to the edge of the pit and saw Qian Wanyu with Dongfang Minghui below. He reached out to give them a hand, but Qian Wanyu effortlessly pushed off with both hands, leaping out and giving him a cold glance before helping Dongfang Minghui up. Lien felt an instinctive fear under her icy stare, but it lasted only a moment. When he looked back at the two, they were warmly speaking to Dongfang Minghui, sharing a harmonious atmosphere as if no one could come between them. “Yu'er, Xiao Jiu, you're finally back.” “Hmm, Mother, Uncle.” Qian Wanyu's gaze briefly paused on each of them before stopping on Xiao Miao. Xiao Miao, as usual, was nearly invisible, hiding behind Mu Sheng with just a furry head peeking out. “I came up to bring Xiao Miao down.” Xiao Miao, in disbelief, pushed out most of his body. “Yes.” “What happened down there?” Qian Ziyan asked with a frown. Qian Wanyu didn’t have time to explain much. “There's a Yin-Yang Spring below, a rare treasure, but now the springs are unbalanced. The fire spring is weak, and the ice spring has covered the area for tens of miles. Most importantly, Toothless is trapped at the bottom of the Yin-Yang Spring and needs Xiao Miao's help.” Although Xiao Miao didn’t know what the Yin-Yang Spring was, upon hearing that Toothless was trapped, he slowly emerged from behind Mu Sheng, nervously approaching Qian Wanyu, his eyes unsure where to look. In truth, he was a bit afraid of Qian Wanyu. Together, the three descended using the Longevity Cauldron again. Ding Ding continued to hold the Longevity Cauldron high, wary that the sky it had poked might close again. It also made some noise to hinder the fierce beasts that were planning to sneak away. Annoyed, it kicked the Longevity Cauldron with its little feet, “Run, will you? Run!” When the three of them came down, Ding Ding quickly dropped the act, blinking cutely at Dongfang Minghui, then looked at Xiao Miao with excitement, “Wow, a fire person.” Xiao Miao was the child of flame; when his nature was unrestrained, flames enveloped him completely. Qian Wanyu instructed, “In a moment, you and Little Fatty will need to resist the encroaching ice. It's very dangerous, so be careful.” “Okay.” Xiao Miao nodded vigorously. As he climbed down from the Longevity Cauldron, he felt the chill of the area, even colder than the frozen world above. Qian Wanyu led Xiao Miao quickly toward the place where Little Fatty and the others were, seeing that the ice had moved another meter as they progressed. “Ah, Xiao Jiu, wait for me.” Ding Ding packed away the Longevity Cauldron, and the blackened sky rapidly closed up again. The tear in the blue canopy also mended seamlessly, as if the earlier events were just an illusion. Dongfang Minghui supported her waist, walking at the rear. Ding Ding mimicked her, flapping its wings and supporting its waist too, leaving her both amused and exasperated. “Ding Ding.” “Xiao Jiu.” Ding Ding’s waist-holding gesture mirrored hers perfectly, yet Dongfang Minghui couldn’t help but laugh, “What have you been up to while I was away?” That stumped Ding Ding. It scrunched its face, wrinkling its small nose, and tried hard to remember the instructions Toothless had given: under no circumstances should it mention destroying the flower and herb beds! Ding Ding nervously glanced up, then down, finally fixating on its little toes, occasionally sneaking a peek at Dongfang Minghui, “Uh, not much.” Its shifty eyes darted around, nervously fiddling with its fingers. Dongfang Minghui squinted slightly, wondering what sort of mischief was going on. She sidestepped Ding Ding, observing Xiao Miao and Little Fatty working together to unleash massive fireballs, melting large portions of the ice that Seventh Sister had retreated. Following step by step, the retreating ice revealed revived vegetation, though still sluggish from the icy chill. Dongfang Minghui walked slowly, trying to coax out more from the little creature, “Ding Ding, in my absence, have you been with Little Fatty more or Toothless?” “Toothless, Toothless.” Ding Ding, relieved that she didn’t press further on its mischievous deeds recently, quickly regained its energy, flitting behind her one moment and in front the next, its fluttering wings sending a cool breeze across her face. Dongfang Minghui, with a thoughtful expression, knew that despite Toothless's initial simplicity, it was incredibly clever. She continued to inquire, “Has Toothless taken you to hunt for treasure at the river bottom recently?” “No, Toothless took me to find spiritual herbs,” Ding Ding blurted out. The riverbed wasn’t fun; it didn’t like it there. “I see.” Dongfang Minghui pressed her lips thinly, then smiled as she continued her questioning, “Where did it take you for that?” She had spent a long time in this place without realizing there were spiritual herbs to be found. Ding Ding, eager to showcase, said, “Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu, I’ll take you there!” “Sure, but isn’t my herb garden full of spiritual herbs? What did Toothless want with more?” “Ah—” Ding Ding was dumbfounded, not knowing how to reply. It spun in a circle, distressed, and then zoomed away, disappearing in a flash. Dongfang Minghui chuckled at its hasty retreat, knowing that when something was out of the ordinary, it often meant trouble. She quickly returned to the herb and flower gardens to check. Though newly planted, the spiritual herbs appeared as if they had been well-cared for, though they were not the original batch. When she looked over the flower gardens, the planting seemed haphazard and crooked, clearly done by someone inexperienced with plants. The spiritual herbs, however, were meticulously tended, suggesting the person was more careful with them. That left only Little Fatty and Toothless. Ding Ding had claimed to have only been with Toothless, so the one who replanted the herbs and flowers could only be Toothless. “Well done.” Ding Ding, frightened, flew to the top of Qian Wanyu's head, flitting its little wings nervously, feeling as if it had just exposed something. Qian Wanyu sensed the weight on her head and the cool breeze brushing her scalp, feeling quite irritated. She reached up and caught the little intruder, “Why aren't you with Ninth Sister? What are you doing here?” Ding Ding fluttered its wings twice, then collapsed weakly in her palm, despairing, “I killed Xiao Jiu’s herbs and flowers.” Qian Wanyu's eyes darkened as she held up the pretending-to-be-dead little creature, “And then?” Ding Ding completely ignored Qian Wanyu’s fierce expression, helplessly beating its wings and sighing, “I replanted some.” Qian Wanyu’s lips curled into a slight smile, cheering up a bit. If it were anyone else, this might have been enough to fool them, but to deceive Ninth Sister? Even if they were replanted to look exactly the same, the different characteristics of the herbs would still reveal the truth. Let alone… they definitely weren’t the same ones. “Ding Ding!!!” Dongfang Minghui's shout startled Ding Ding into a jump, and it shrank into a ball, hiding in Qian Wanyu’s sleeve like a turtle retreating into its shell. Qian Wanyu could feel the little thing inching up her sleeve, trying to crawl elsewhere. She gently knocked it with her finger, and Ding Ding froze, playing dead, like a rock. Little Fatty and Xiao Miao carefully focused on melting the frozen areas, proceeding with utmost caution. When Dongfang Minghui hurriedly caught up, she noticed something bulging at Seventh Sister's sleeve and asked quietly, “Seventh Sister, how long will it take Xiao Miao and Little Fatty to melt all of it?” Qian Wanyu glanced at the frozen area. “I don't think it will take much longer to melt it all.” “That fast?” “Don't forget, Toothless holds a dragon core, which contains substantial fire energy. Although I'm not sure how exactly they caused the Yin-Yang Spring to become unbalanced,” Qian Wanyu remarked, not truly believing that foolish dragon was stuck under the ice but rather had been mesmerized by some treasure it couldn't resist. Toothless had quite the history of treasure-hunting mischief, an impressive record book, especially since it once dared to trespass into the Royal Academy's forbidden grounds as a tiny creature. The thought sparked a swift idea in Qian Wanyu’s mind that eluded her capture. “Let's hope so.” Dongfang Minghui felt deeply exhausted dealing with the little creatures and considered holding a ‘family meeting’ once all was settled. Round Toothless, a meter's range saw ice melting and refreezing into thick layers, as she guarded the weakly glowing fire spring bead. “Had I known you'd react so when we absorb, I wouldn’t have done it.” If her mother found out about this incident, she’d most likely get scolded. Toothless watched ice layers crawl back like predatory claws and hurled a dragon core, positioning it right at the boundary line. It lit up their demarcation like a beacon, keeping the frosty culprit at bay. Ice turned to water and back again in a constant, unending cycle with every passing breath. Fortunately, the fire spring bead behind her showed no further sign of shrinking. “Hmm, I suppose I must first deal with the ice spring bead.” Little Fatty and Xiao Miao pressed forward cautiously, melting away the retreating tide of ice, rescuing the Little Gold False Dragon, long frozen. Awake and somewhat disbelieving its survival, the Little Gold False Dragon blinked, its limbs still numb from the cold. The words it tried to speak came out as chattering gibberish, unintelligible to all. Dongfang Minghui, noticing the little thing peeking out from Seventh Sister's sleeve, mirrored the loose, chattering teeth with little noises reminiscent of a mouse nibbling, and decided to tease it. “Seventh Sister, have you seen Ding Ding around?” The little critter froze immediately. Qian Wanyu feigned ignorance as she noticed Ninth Sister eyeing her sleeve, asking coldly, “Why are you looking for it?” Dongfang Minghui, biting back frustration, smiled sweetly. “I checked on my flower and herb gardens earlier. Ding Ding took excellent care of them, but vanished before I could express gratitude.” Qian Wanyu responded with a meaningful “Oh.” Instantly, Ding Ding popped its little head out from her sleeve, flying excitedly before Dongfang Minghui. “Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu, reward, reward, I want grilled fish!” Laughing, Dongfang Minghui caught the unguarded Ding Ding with a quick grab, pinching its wings between her fingers to stop it from wiggling away. “Grilled fish? Ding Ding, tell me truthfully, who ruined all the flowers and spiritual plants in my garden?” Ding Ding: “…” Wishing to flee. “Was it Toothless, Little Fatty, or—was it you?” “No, not me,” Ding Ding shook its head frantically, looking pitifully up, its eyes pleading. If it had ears, they’d be drooping in dismay. “It was that big one, accidentally let out from the Longevity Cauldron, and I only chased it around two or three times.” Only that!!! Dongfang Minghui couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Should one of the fierce beasts get loose, flattening gardens and even a house was very possible. It was miraculous nothing was destroyed. “Is that all?” “Xiao Jiu, is there no grilled fish?” “…” This little thing certainly had a grim sense of self-awareness. “Yes, you can grill Ding Ding.” Seeing Ninth Sister wasn’t truly upset with the creature, Qian Wanyu spoke at the right moment, “Since Ding Ding caused the mishap, it will be responsible for the flower and herb gardens. If any plant dies, it loses three hours of metal spiritual energy absorption.” Ding Ding blinked at Qian Wanyu, bewildered. Internally, it quickly calculated—having absorbed Qian Wanyu’s metal energy before, it knew a single hour was quite pleasurable; losing three hours meant three days without it! Dongfang Minghui thought the punishment was perhaps a bit harsh but wanted Ding Ding to understand the importance of owning up to mistakes rather than evasion. It was carrying an immense cauldron, oblivious to its reckoning like a child wielding a giant weapon, perfectly poised for disaster. “Very well, Ding Ding, you will manage the gardens henceforth.” “…” Unexpectedly, Xiao Miao withdrew his fire energy, observing the waves of retreating ice. “The ice layer is melting on its own.” Little Fatty nodded, “At the riverbed.” Little Bean Sprout peeked from her clothes, whispering into Little Fatty's ear, “Little Fatty, the crisis is over.” Qian Wanyu drew her gaze back from them and walked forward decisively, reaching the riverbank. The grass was damp as if freshly rained upon in the winter, trembling slightly before straightening up. She released a strand of wind spiritual energy, spreading it to dry out the moisture left by the ice, allowing it to seep into the soil. “It must be Toothless.” The Little Gold False Dragon, gaining feeling, stumbled to the riverbank and looked around. When the river changed, creatures leaping from within the water were enthusiastic to dive back once the ice melted, eager to embrace the long-missing duality of fire and ice. Splashing joyously— Everyone watched the river happily as the Little Gold False Dragon clutched Dongfang Minghui’s hand, urgently saying, “Master, the master is still down there.” Dongfang Minghui, seeing his anxious face, gently reassured, “Toothless will be fine, she—” Before she could finish, water surged up, soaking everyone at the edge. She shivered violently as Toothless emerged, spitting water toward Qian Wanyu and Dongfang Minghui, and the others, saying through clenched teeth, “I see you’ve finally finished your retreat.” The Little Gold False Dragon, previously worried now thrilled, rejoiced upon seeing her, “Master, I’m so glad you’re alright. I wouldn’t know what to tell Lord Dragon if something happened.” Toothless first looked over Qian Wanyu, then noticed the variety of expressions on the gathered faces, “Xiao Miao, how come you’re here?” Xiao Miao whispered, “I’m here to help.” Qian Wanyu cast a stream of spiritual energy softly over her and Ninth Sister’s clothes, partially drying them before addressing Toothless, “Get up here and explain to us why the Yin-Yang Spring erupted.” Toothless, having prepared for the worst while guarding the fire spring bead, brought up the ready explanation to answer Qian Wanyu's question, “The Yin-Yang Spring ran out of control because we were cultivating at the riverbed.” “Cultivating?” Dongfang Minghui’s eyes widened, “You and—” she glanced around, considering everyone except Little Fatty. The Yin-Yang Spring, weren't there two outlets, one hot, one cold?” Everyone: “…” “To trace it back, this begins a hundred years ago; no one knows who brought these waters here. One has fire spiritual energy, the other ice—originally incompatible, but over time, each claimed its side, etching a subtle boundary in the middle. Far deeper in the river, water and fire clashed intensely, but further up, the currents’ swirling gradually merged them above, creating a whirlpool that spurred evolutionary change in riverbed species. Crucially, these sources have each consolidated a bead: one of fire, one of ice. Likely because they only just formed, when we absorbed them, the equilibrium tipped.” One side grew stronger as the other weakened, their balance effortlessly unraveled. Qian Wanyu paused thoughtfully, reflecting on recent experiences while inheriting half the legacy that deepened her understanding of Qian Ying. There was no way that woman left a Yin-Yang Spring by the inheritance without some purpose. “Over a century, the Yin-Yang Spring was nourished by half of Qian family’s legacy, so its eventual beading makes sense. Toothless, take me to see those two spring beads.” Toothless hesitated slightly before truthfully relaying the riverbed’s situation to Qian Wanyu. “The Yin-Yang Spring is temporarily stable because I left the predecessor’s dragon core there to suppress it, but there’s no guarantee it won’t suddenly erupt again. Going down now is very risky.” “No problem.” “Well, alright then.” Dongfang Minghui, fully confident in Qian Wanyu, nodded. The reason was that Seventh Sister had successfully advanced to Spirit Sovereign, the youngest five-element Spirit Sovereign in the history of the Seven-Colored Continent. Thus, she could only watch as the two of them leaped back into the river. Being unable to swim, she remained at the riverbank. Ding Ding fluttered its wings and tilted its head, not quite grasping the arrangements between Qian Wanyu and Dongfang Minghui, and looked dully at Dongfang Minghui. “Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu, is there still grilled fish?” “Seeing as you destroyed the flower and herb gardens once, and even though you fixed it, you didn’t honestly report it afterward. Plus, you tried to replace them with other spiritual plants to cover up your actions. Because of this, you’re banned from having any grilled fish for a while.” Ding Ding only understood the last six words. No grilled fish! “Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu.” “Stop whining or you’ll be banned from eating for a whole year.” Dongfang Minghui was already fatigued from everything that had happened. Without a chance to rest, more troublesome events ensued. She found a patch of grass, sat down, leaned against a large tree, and checked on Little Color and the Pig Immortal Grass in her soul sea. Little Color’s main body seemed a bit withered, but since it devoured the ice lotus, it had fallen into a slumber. As for the Pig Immortal Grass, it was unharmed but unusually silent. “Pig Immortal Grass, without you and the others, Seventh Sister and I wouldn’t have survived,” she said. She thought she was doomed, but she didn’t expect Seventh Sister to save her by passing a small portion of her inheritance through dual cultivation, not only preserving her life but also helping her advance. The Pig Immortal Grass stayed silent, yet they both understood the reasons behind it. It idly toyed with its curled tail and finally spoke in her soul sea, “Minghui, if one day you truly find yourself in an unavoidable situation, don’t struggle. Each person’s fate is predetermined, and sometimes letting go can be better.” Her heart was suddenly filled with a bittersweet feeling, eyes tinged red. Dongfang Minghui looked up at the fiery sun, a defiant glimmer in her gaze. “How will I know it’s not possible if I don’t try?” Once the sour feeling in her eyes faded, she sat quietly with her legs hugged to her chest, staring intently at the golden river surface illuminated by sunlight. Little Fatty and Little Bean Sprout sat quietly beside her. Noticing her low mood, they wisely chose not to disturb. But Ding Ding, inquiring curiously about the duration of a year with Little Fatty, let out a sudden wail upon hearing, and began to cry. “Ah.” Little Fatty pointed to what was falling from Ding Ding’s eyes. “Bean.” Little Bean Sprout thought Little Fatty was calling it until noticing what her finger pointed to—the transformation of Ding Ding's tears—gloatingly remarked, “Those are gold beans.” Ding Ding bawled, tears streaming uncontrollably, each drop turning into shiny, round beans that rolled about the grass. Dongfang Minghui, having had quite a headache, turned to the sound of Ding Ding’s cries, surprised enough to check closer, poking its tear-filled eyes. “Ding Ding, other people say they shed gold beans. Today, I actually witnessed you cry out so many gold! Beans!” Ding Ding pursed its lips, clutching her big hand, “Xiao Jiu, hiccup, Xiao Jiu, Jiu, hiccup.” “Oh, you little ancestor, truly troublemakers, all of you.” Dongfang Minghui quickly wiped its tears away and gathered the glistening gold beans from the grass. Each bean, slightly larger than a red bean, held a surprising weight. She touched them; they were warm. “In another era, these might fetch a lot of money, but, Ding Ding, these must be formed from your spiritual energy, right?” With that cry, who knows if it had exhausted the metal energy absorbed from Seventh Sister over the past days. “No more crying.” “Hiccup—” Dongfang Minghui gently caressed the little creature. “It’s just grilled fish, I’ll get you some.” Ding Ding’s face lit up with joy, but the crying couldn’t stop immediately, taking several prolonged hiccups to settle down. Dongfang Minghui supported her head, watching, then softly petted Ding Ding’s head once it calmed. “Ding Ding, don’t cry so easily in the future. As the artifact spirit of the Longevity Cauldron, you should stand proudly across the world, not tear up over a few grilled fish.” Ding Ding widened its eyes, rebutting, “It’s not for the fish, but because I was scared Xiao Jiu wouldn’t want me anymore.” Dongfang Minghui didn’t understand Ding Ding’s logic. “How could that be? When did I ever say such a thing?” Ding Ding clutched her hand, resting obediently in her palm, hugging her fingers. “I accidentally destroyed your flower and herb gardens. Toothless said you’d be mad if you found out.” And indeed, she had been very upset. A furious Xiao Jiu was terrifying, not to mention denying its grilled fish. Dongfang Minghui twitched her fingers, occasionally tickling the little thing’s belly, playing around for a while. “I was angry, true. You know how long I spent growing those herbs, preparing for pill refining. Now that they’re ruined, I can’t make the pills.” Ding Ding lay motionless, eyes fixed on her, sprawled out in a humorous position. “But what upset me more is your attempt to conceal it. Aren’t we friends, Ding Ding? Shouldn’t friends be honest?” “Yes, friends with Xiao Jiu.” Seeing its innocent face, Dongfang Minghui sighed softly, “It’s alright; Ding Ding did do a couple of good things.” Hearing this, Ding Ding’s eyes sparkled, awaiting praise with a proud expression. “Thanks for replanting the spiritual herbs and taking good care of them. Ding Ding is quite the capable helper.” She had checked; whether it was due to the long watering by the Yin-Yang Spring or because the previous batch was destroyed by the pressure, this batch Ding Ding replanted flourished better than the last. Moreover, the variety of spiritual plants had increased, each holding significant value. Ding Ding joyfully took flight, flitting up and down, accidentally soaring to the river’s center. Splash— Qian Wanyu and Toothless emerged simultaneously from the river, splashing water that dampened Ding Ding’s wings. Ding Ding immediately flew back to Dongfang Minghui, displaying its drenched wings. Resigned, she used a cloth to dry them before focusing her gaze back on Qian Wanyu. Standing there soaked, clothes clinging to her, Qian Wanyu’s curvaceous silhouette was accentuated. Long, strong legs stood straight, her graceful waist visible, and further up - Having just emerged from the inheritance, her body was highly sensitive. Dongfang Minghui couldn’t control her wandering eyes, trying to focus on drying Ding Ding’s wings but failing to stop her gaze from trailing after her. Qian Wanyu’s lips curled, clearly in a good mood. Toothless remained oblivious to the fleeting glances exchanged, innocent and fresh-like first love. Unfortunately, never having experienced first love, Toothless didn’t understand the silent communication between Qian Wanyu and Dongfang Minghui. “Will you wait for the spring beads to stabilize before making your move?” “Yes.” Qian Wanyu didn’t use spiritual energy to dry her clothes this time, effortlessly moving closer to Dongfang Minghui, entrusting her hair to the latter’s care. Earlier exploration at the riverbed revealed it to be flowing water. Where there’s flowing water, there must be a source and an outlet. Thus, Qian Wanyu discussed her ideas with Toothless, wanting to trace the roots and destroy the Yin-Yang Spring formed over a century. Dongfang Minghui kneeled on the grass, carefully drying each strand of hair while listening intently. When their conversation ended, she softly inquired, “Seventh Sister, did you discover anything after going down?” “Yes.” Qian Wanyu intended to determine if the Yin-Yang Spring was a natural phenomenon or a deliberate setup by Qian Ying, and why such a thing was left here. Though she couldn’t yet fathom Qian Ying’s intentions, she knew that the woman often orchestrated unforeseen events. Qian Wanyu briefly shared her plan with Ninth Sister. Dongfang Minghui didn’t quite grasp the complexities, but since everyone agreed to stay temporarily, she let Ding Ding lead her in search of spiritual herbs daily, always returning with a bounty. Ding Ding also carried water from the Yin-Yang Spring to water the plants over several dozen miles. Little Fatty and Little Bean Sprout continued their interactions, watering during the day and exchanging essence with saliva by night till one day, as Dongfang Minghui sat grilling fish, a sudden hand extended towards her, startling her to fall back on the ground. “Mother.” “Little Bean Sprout.” It took Dongfang Minghui a moment to realize that the long arm was an extension of Little Bean Sprout’s body. She looked again in surprise, “Little Bean Sprout, you have an arm now?” Little Bean Sprout swiftly snatched the grilled fish from her hands and eagerly handed it to Little Fatty, making the gift on borrowed merit quite well-received. Qian Wanyu helped her up from the ground. “Be careful, you’re always so clumsy.” Dongfang Minghui didn’t argue back. Little Bean Sprout had matured so suddenly—it felt like she had missed its childhood and was witnessing its maturity instead, leaving her somewhat unsettled. “At this rate, in a few months, Little Bean Sprout might grow another arm, and then two legs?” In the future, she might see a walking Little Bean Sprout. Why did she feel like, once they grew up, kids wouldn’t be so close anymore? Seeing her high expectations, Qian Wanyu had to break her fantasies. “Today, Toothless and I went to the riverbed to investigate. The fire spring bead has resurged. In a few days, Toothless will retrieve the dragon core. If the Yin-Yang Spring remains stable, we might need to make preparations.” Dongfang Minghui paused for a moment before understanding, “Alright. The spiritual plants are growing well. I’ll collect them with Ding Ding soon. What I can’t take, I'll turn into pills.” Holding onto the principle of making full use of resources, she planned to waste nothing. A potionologist only regrets not collecting more spiritual herbs when scarce, and she was in that regretful stage now. Meanwhile, Little Fatty and Little Bean Sprout exchanged glances, took a short break, and started cultivating again at a pace that almost matched Seventh Sister’s days as a cultivation fanatic. “Ding Ding, let’s go.” “To find spiritual herbs?” Ding Ding had been living well lately, diligently taking care of the spiritual plants, following Dongfang Minghui around to find herbs. Curious and full of questions, it frequently bombarded her with endless queries, nearly wearing her out. “Yes, we’ll gather more spiritual herbs and then make pills.” “Okay.” Dongfang Minghui set aside a space dedicated to holding spiritual herbs. Afterward, she immersed herself in harvesting the planted herbs and turning them into pills. Watching from the side, Ding Ding initially flitted around in the air. Finding Dongfang Minghui unresponsive, it settled down to quietly observe her pill-making. Having learned to recognize basic herbs enabled it to memorize her sequence. Seeing the herbs in the medicinal garden, Ding Ding mimicked Dongfang Minghui, gathering some and preparing a set of materials. After watching in puzzlement for a moment, instinctively it tossed the herbs into the Longevity Cauldron. Inside the Longevity Cauldron, Toothless’s flames still burned, and as soon as the herbs entered, they were automatically fed to the fire. The ferocious beast, exhausted and gasping on the ground, only wanted to rest for a moment. But within that moment, the cauldron opened and closed again. Seeing the flame reignite at the bottom of the cauldron, the beast pounded its chest in regret. “Hmm.” After crafting several pills, Dongfang Minghui poured the squeezed herbal juice into a porcelain bottle. Suddenly catching a whiff of a delightful fragrance, like a dog sniffing around, she discovered it emanated from Ding Ding, who was napping in the flower bed. “Ding Ding.” “Xiao Jiu.” “Do you smell this fragrance on you?” Ding Ding sniffed as well. They searched the flower bed, only to find nothing. Dongfang Minghui furrowed her brow, flaring her nostrils, lifting Ding Ding by the scruff and smelling it intensely. “Ding Ding, this fragrance is coming from you. It’s refreshingly pleasant. What did you do?” “Ah.” After a long pause to recall, it suddenly remembered the pill in the Longevity Cauldron. It quickly opened the cauldron, letting a lustrous green pill fly out and land in Dongfang Minghui’s hand. “Xiao Jiu, here’s a gift for you.” “What?” Stunned, Dongfang Minghui placed the still-warm pill under her nose, sniffing twice. It was the same refreshing scent she’d detected earlier, with a potency far superior to her own pills. She stared at it, suddenly recalling something she’d overlooked. Ding Ding was the Longevity Cauldron, the cauldron was Ding Ding, and this Longevity Cauldron was, in fact, an alchemy furnace... She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten something so important.