Qin Shu took the token her master handed her, noticing the two characters "Ling Xu" engraved on it. She immediately understood—this was basically a VIP card, and a personalized one at that!

"Master, does this token come with a discount at the medicine hall?" Qin Shu asked expectantly, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

Ling Xu Zhenren chuckled at her eager expression. "You don't need spirit stones or contribution points to collect medicinal ingredients, but you do need to exchange them for pills."

Qin Shu's eyes lit up. "That's great! If there's one thing I have plenty of, it's pills!"

Ling Xu Zhenren thought of how she had managed to pay off Wen Chi's sixty-year debt in just six months, and how every batch of pills she refined was perfect. She must have stockpiled quite a few.

Cheng Yan, standing beside them, felt a wave of envy. He still had outstanding tasks left to complete, unlike Wen Chi.

A sudden thought struck him, and he turned to Ling Xu Zhenren. "Master, in two days, I'll be heading to the Transmission Hall to answer questions. Why not have Wen Chi help our junior sister with her pill refining? That way, it might go faster."

Ling Xu Zhenren nodded slightly. "Very well, let Wen Chi assist her."

He immediately sent a transmission talisman to Wen Chi, who, upon hearing that he had been assigned to help refine pills, assumed it must be for some high-tier elixir requiring two alchemists to work together.

But when he saw the actual pill formula, he leaned back in his chair, holding the jade slip between his slender fingers with an incredulous look.

"Senior Brother, a fifth-grade pill needs my help?"

Cheng Yan shook his head. Just as Wen Chi was about to relax, he heard Cheng Yan continue, "No, not to help me—you'll be refining it yourself."

Wen Chi glanced at Qin Shu, who was standing beside him, looking as guilty as a quail. From head to toe, she radiated one emotion—**guilt.**

Realization dawned on him. He turned back to Cheng Yan and asked, "Senior Brother, that's not what Master said, is it? If you can't give me a good reason, I'm not helping you."

Cheng Yan leaned back in his chair, looking at Wen Chi with an air of grievance. "I still have sixty years of alchemy tasks to complete with no one to help me..."

Hearing this, Wen Chi burst into laughter. "Good, good! In that case, as your junior brother, I should lend a hand. Don't worry, Senior Brother, go do your refining tasks. Junior Sister's pills are on me!"

Turning to Qin Shu, he asked, "What do you need this pill for?"

Qin Shu answered honestly, "For body refinement."

Wen Chi looked at her small frame, struggling to imagine her engaging in hand-to-hand combat like those burly body cultivators.

The more he thought about it, the more concerned he became. Finally, he said earnestly, "Junior Sister, are you lacking a suitable magical weapon? I have a **Tianzhu Lan Yin Ling**—it's a soft silk artifact, and it's in a lovely lotus pink color. Isn't that what young immortals like?"

As he spoke, he sifted through the five storage rings on his fingers, pulling out various artifacts. "Oh, and there's also this **Chi Lian Tian Qing Bracelet**, a **Yue Hua Chuan Xin Lantern**... Take your pick."

Seeing an entire table covered with high-grade magical artifacts, Qin Shu was momentarily overwhelmed.

She was deeply tempted—who wouldn't be?

But after a moment, she hardened her resolve, suppressing her desires. She bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you, but..."

Before she could finish, Wen Chi interrupted, "Don't throw your life away for body cultivation! In Beizhou, most cultivators follow the body refinement path. Their fists are bigger than your head, and their thighs are thicker than your waist—"

Qin Shu turned to Cheng Yan, who nodded in agreement. "Your second senior brother is right."

Qin Shu understood that they were concerned for her. However, the path of cultivation was about moving forward without hesitation. If she wavered now, she feared that next time she faced a heart demon, it would manifest as a group of muscular men challenging her to arm wrestling.

"Senior Brother, why compare myself to others? Cultivation has always been a journey of surpassing oneself."

Wen Chi: "..."

Something felt off.

His junior sister seemed... way too mature for her age.

Even their master didn't lecture them like this!

Cheng Yan pondered for a moment before nodding. "You've made up your mind?"

Qin Shu nodded firmly, forcing herself to look away from the dazzling array of magical artifacts.

"I have. Whether it's silk ribbons, lanterns, or swords—these are all external tools. If one relies too much on them, how can they ever truly surpass their limits?"

Cheng Yan's expression turned introspective. He murmured, "External tools...?"

A moment later, his eyes regained their focus. He nodded in approval. "Well said, Junior Sister. If this is your decision, then I support you."

Wen Chi scoffed. "Now you want to play the supportive senior brother? Fine. Since it's her decision, I'll refine the pills."

Qin Shu felt genuinely touched. On a whim, she blurted out, "Senior Brothers, why don't we train together?"

Cheng Yan raised an eyebrow. Wen Chi, on the other hand, widened his eyes in shock.

"Train... together?"

Qin Shu nodded earnestly. "They say alchemists are the weakest. But what if we weren't? Imagine the surprise in a battle if we could actually fight back."

Cheng Yan, as a sword cultivator, found this idea quite reasonable.

Wen Chi, however, stared at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Junior Sister, it's truly a shame you didn't join the Sword Sect."

He was just making an offhand remark, but Qin Shu's eyes suddenly brightened.

"Wait—could I still join? Senior Sister Chi Yu is a Sword Sect disciple, but she trains in our Alchemy Sect. Wouldn't it be possible for me to study swordsmanship there as well?"

Her words seemed to strike a chord with Cheng Yan, who also looked thoughtful.

Seeing that neither of them could answer her question, Qin Shu simply pulled out her transmission jade and sent a message to Chi Yu.

*"Senior Sister, can someone who isn't from the Sword Sect learn swordsmanship there?"*

Chi Yu's reply came swiftly.

*"Are you planning to go?"*

Before Qin Shu could respond, another message followed.

*"Most people wouldn't be allowed... but you can."*

Qin Shu: "?"

Why *her* specifically? Was there something special about her?