“Threading the path of immortality will teach one to be cautious at all times. Even if one has to act, he would have to wait for the best possible opportunity.”

The sudden change in Shu Liang’s look did not go unnoticed from Qai’s keen senses.

In his mind, something was definitely amiss.

Murderous aura!

Although he was not afraid, he felt it would be a waste to fight her at this point.

If indeed he eventually ended up in the Precious Tree Sect, he would obviously need some connections from someone inside—and Shu Liang somehow qualified with his standards.

Qai thus immediately approached and cleared his throat.

“Senior sister, I have no interest in any of these herbs and plants except for that one.”

Apparently, the cautious mentality in him taught him a lot how to properly handle such situation.

As Qai pointed his finger into a specific direction, Shu Liang’s eyes immediately turned and saw the Cornelia Flame flower.

“I can feel a resonance with that flaming thing.”

Qai said it nonchalantly.

Meanwhile, Shu Liang took a deep breath.

She felt a bit relieved at how Qai gave up on the garden as she paused for a moment. Then she thought about the Soulflame.

Yes, it was indeed precious. In an auction, it would amount to quite a fortune if sold. But the most important part of her consideration was the fact that, as a doted Pill apprentice, she already possessed her own Fire-type Soulflame—so technically, she had not a need for it.

Shu Liang looked carefully at Qai and remembered that this country bumpkin’s fighting ability was like a cockroach.

Qai wasn't particularly powerful, but he was definitely hard to kill.

“Alright, I agree. Come I will help you absorb this Soulflame. It’s because you have a Wood elemental affinity that you feel a resonance with it.”

The two approached the area and carefully picked the Soulflame.

“This one is called Cornelia Flame flower. It is one of the few rare Wood-type flames. The most popular was, of course, the Flame Lotus, but this one does not really fail in comparison.”

Shu Liang then told Qai to sit in meditation and instructed him to swallow the Soulflame.

According to her, Qai only needed to guide the Soulflame towards his dantian and let it reside in there. Once it became stable, he had to refine the Soulflame with his spiritual Qi energy until it was somehow able to recognize him as its master.

And from then on, the Soulflame would be under his control.

“A soulflame has many uses, if you get interested someday in Pill alchemy or treasure refinement, then you won't be needing a furnace to create a flame since you can just summon your own. This is truly a fortune for you.”

After absorbing the Cornelia Flame flower, Qai continued to meditate on one side of the garden to complete the process.

On the other hand, Shu Liang collected all of the herbs and stored them into her storage pouch. But when she noticed that Qai was still in meditation, she summoned a cauldron and wasted no time to concoct some pills.

When Qai finally opened his eyes, Shu Liang told her that already a week had passed and it was time for them to go back to the Teleportation Array.

Qai agreed and just decided to investigate all his acquisitions sometime later.

Before they even got far on their way back to the inner ring, they agreed to go separate ways. However, Shu Liang suddenly handed Qai some Spirit Pills.

Apparently, she concocted batches of Spirit Pills out of the bed of Spirit Grass she hoarded back in the hall. And she used the entire time while waiting for Qai to hone her alchemy achievements.

Qai, of course, felt overjoyed and shamelessly accepted the medicinal pills. He recalled that they were the same kind of pills Elder Li rewarded him barely a couple of months ago.

They separated their ways because Qai had to pack properly all his belongings and only bring what was necessary.

Also, Qai wouldn't want to be seen warmly hanging out with one of the sect disciples lest it might cause any of them—especially the unreasonable Ao Tian—to feel offended. So it was for the best that he went back on his own.

Since he could still not use Old Bu's storage pouch, he would have to settle using a mortal-crafted sling leather bag. When he was done, it looked bulky, but he couldn't do anything about it.

Apart from the sling leather bag, Qai also hanged on his back two weapons separately wrapped on leather skins—they were Old Bu's flying sword and his own Guandao.

However, when he saw all the rest of the many materials he dismembered from hundreds of Spirit Beasts, he felt his heart ached knowing that he would leave them. He was certain they were valuable even for cultivators because they can also be used as refining materials.

It was a good thing that Shu Liang promised to divide the materials from the Scorpion equally once they got back to the sect, or so she said. In the meantime, they are kept in her storage pouch together with Qai's share of Spirit Stones.

Qai could only hope that Shu Liang would honor her words. The 2 of them made a pretty good team but he was also aware that there were no eternal friends in the path of cultivation—a friend today may be a foe tomorrow.

As he was about to give up on all his collections, he suddenly thought of an idea.

Thus, he picked up a beast skin, wrapped everything in one go and went to a clearing near the Transportation Array.

Of course, the Transportation Array was the very area with 5 boulders arranged like a pentagon.

Qai recalled that Old Bu mentioned it once and he was smart enough to deduce that the old cultivator was referring to the same thing.

When he arrived, it was still a few days early to leave. But there were already 4 cultivators which included Elder Li. Shu Liang apparently was not yet there.

Qai greeted them all respectfully before he went to one side of the clearing and rolled his beast skin open.

His smart idea was apparently to open a makeshift store!

Elder Li and the 3 other disciples were actually seated in meditation when Qai came.

When Qai offered his greetings, the disciples sneered for having disturbed them but when Qai laid out his beast skin and revealed the precious refining materials, the disciples were shocked.

Even Elder Li twitched his face when his Spiritual Sense swept over the materials.

Most were refining materials from level 1 to 3 Spirit Beasts but there are also few items from level 4 Spirit Beasts. Of course, those were what his giant Ant colony collected in his stead.

The disciples could not believe that Qai could have such possession.

Their logic dictated them that the servant boy must have scavenged them from the remains of dead Spirit Beasts for years since they were convinced that Qai had no way to kill them himself. That was because not even them—with their much higher cultivation bases—could collect such a number of refining materials.

Greed and murderous intent instantly filled the disciples' hearts. Their initial reaction was to forcefully take the items but when they realized that Elder Li was present, they suppressed such thoughts.

Thereafter, Qai uttered some words which completely dumbfounded them.

“Senior brothers, come, come. I am trading these precious refining materials for a promise!”

“A what!?”

‘Did he say promise!?’

The disciples were obviously confused.

‘What does he mean by a promise?’

“You heard me right, dear seniors. As you can see, Elder Li allowed me to join the sect as an outer disciple. Since I don't know anyone in there, I can only rely on everyone here. If you want any item here you can have them but you will have to owe me once. Only one favor and that's all. However, in order to ascertain the transaction, you will have to personally place your names in this leather parchment.”

“Ah!?”