Page 97

The **Taiqing Dustless Glazed Robe** floated lightly on the water's surface as the warmth of the bath and the medicinal herbs slowly soothed the soreness in Qin Shu's legs. Taking a deep breath, she submerged her entire head into the water.

The entire mountain was covered by Xie Shiyuan's divine sense, allowing him to monitor Qin Shu's every movement with perfect clarity.

At first, he found her running up and down the mountain puzzling, but when he saw her boiling herbs in an iron pot, he realized what she was trying to do.

**This little thing has such a weak constitution.** Getting this exhausted from such a short distance—she truly needed proper training.

Just as he closed his eyes again, his eyelashes fluttered slightly.

**Something felt off.**

His eyes snapped open.

**No... this isn't right. Why is there no breathing?**

In an instant, Xie Shiyuan's figure disappeared from his chambers and reappeared beside Qin Shu's bathtub.

Without hesitation, he reached in and pulled her out of the water.

Droplets splashed, soaking the sleeve of his black robe, the damp fabric clinging to his toned forearm, revealing its defined contours.

Qin Shu had just begun to feel the nourishing effects of the medicinal bath when, the next moment, she was abruptly yanked into the cold air.

She blinked in confusion, scanning her surroundings before locking eyes with a pair of magnified golden pupils.

Startled, she quickly regained her senses and realized—it was Xie Shiyuan who had fished her out.

**"What... are you doing?"** Qin Shu asked, utterly baffled.

Thankfully, she had left her clothes on while bathing. Otherwise, wouldn't this be beyond humiliating?

**"You weren't breathing,"** Xie Shiyuan stated seriously, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Qin Shu: **"......"**

Was he having an overreaction because of what happened last time when she nearly drowned in the lake?

She sighed. **Did she really look like the kind of person who could drown in her own bathtub?**

After a brief silence, Qin Shu finally struggled in his grip. **"Let me down."**

Xie Shiyuan loosened his hand, and Qin Shu plunged straight back into the bath with a loud **splash**—right as a massive water droplet smacked her forehead.

Wiping the water from her face, she resigned herself to explaining, **"No breathing doesn't mean death. No heartbeat doesn't mean you can't come back. Only brain death is irreversible."**

**"Brain death?"** Xie Shiyuan frowned, considering her words. **"You mean, the collapse of the Sea of Consciousness?"**

Before Qin Shu could respond, he murmured to himself, **"No, that's not right. You shouldn't even have a Sea of Consciousness yet."**

Qin Shu: **"......"**

Some snakes were nice to look at when silent. But once they started talking, why did they instantly become so insufferable?

**"Brain death means the consciousness is gone,"** she explained patiently.

**"Gone... you mean soul dispersal?"** Xie Shiyuan asked.

Qin Shu had originally wanted to counter with her firm disbelief in ghosts and the supernatural.

But just as she opened her mouth, she hesitated.

This was a **cultivation world.**

People could ascend to immortality, become wandering spirits after death, or cultivate as ghost cultivators.

Of course, **souls existed.**

Feeling slightly conflicted, Qin Shu sighed and conceded, **"I suppose you could put it that way."**

Her thoughts drifted to the calamity she would have to face in eight years, and her mood grew heavier.

But before she could dwell on it, Xie Shiyuan's voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts:

**"There is no need to worry. You are bound to me by contract—no one here can make your soul disperse."**

Qin Shu froze.

**What... was this overbearing declaration?**

She absentmindedly nodded, but in her heart, she dismissed it.

**This guy seemed a little too confident.**

Did he forget he was still **injured**?

**Big talk for someone in recovery.**

Besides, from what she could tell, he had **a lot** of enemies. If anything, she was **more likely to be dragged into his troubles** than fall into her own.

Xie Shiyuan noticed the doubt in her eyes, and his expression darkened.

She didn't believe him?

He had personally assured her that her soul would remain intact, yet she still didn't trust him? **What a short-sighted little brat.**

With a single thought, Xie Shiyuan's figure slowly faded from view until he completely vanished.

Left alone in the bath, Qin Shu relaxed against the wooden tub, letting the warm water soothe her muscles once more.

She took a deep breath and submerged herself again, blowing bubbles into the water.

After repeating the process several times, the bathwater finally cooled, and the medicinal properties had fully seeped into her body. Climbing out of the tub, she used a bit of spiritual energy to dry herself instantly.

Stretching her limbs, she glanced at the still-bright sky. It felt like a waste to rest now—**maybe she should go to the library pavilion?**

Just as she was about to leave, a familiar golden butterfly appeared outside her barrier. Qin Shu lifted the restriction, allowing the butterfly to enter.

As soon as it landed before her, it **burned into golden ashes**, revealing a voice transmission:

**"Shu'er, come to my chamber."**

Great.

**The library visit would have to wait.**

She had initially planned to use **Shrink the Ground to an Inch**, but after some thought, she dismissed it and **ran** instead.

After all, she was training her body—**the more she ran, the better.**

At **Lingxiao Peak**, Master Lingxu had already finished an entire pot of spirit tea but still hadn't seen any sign of Qin Shu.

**"What has Shu'er been busy with lately? Why is she taking so long?"** Master Lingxu asked.

Cheng Yan thought for a moment before replying, **"She has been refining a lot of pills. Right now, we have a surplus of Spirit Replenishing Pills and Windstride Pills."**

**"She's been making pills for months?"** Master Lingxu looked surprised.

**"Indeed. She's even developed a method to refine two furnaces simultaneously,"** Cheng Yan added with a trace of admiration.

Master Lingxu, an **eight-rank alchemist**, had refined pills for centuries. He could also refine multiple furnaces of low-grade pills at once, but that was **after centuries of experience.**

**Qin Shu, on the other hand, had been practicing for less than a year.**

**"She's a genius,"** Master Lingxu murmured.

Then he suddenly asked, **"What about Chiyu? She's not making pills too, is she?"**

Cheng Yan clasped his hands together. **"Actually, Master, you guessed correctly. Chiyu has been staying in the alchemy room for the past two months as well. She and Qin Shu even devised a task system where they refine pills for other disciples—for a commission, of course."**

Master Lingxu: **"......?"**

**"This was Shu'er's idea, wasn't it?"**

Chiyu was far too **prideful** for something like this. **Only Qin Shu could come up with such a scheme.**