Although it took some time, the True Samadhi Fire eventually finished the refinement. It seemed as though Fang Xing’s cultivation level had decreased as well, but this was normal and not something he was concerned about—an increase in a foundation’s quality would almost always come with a decrease in cultivation level. Improving the quality of a foundation was far more important than incrementing one’s cultivation level, so this was a trade most people were more than willing to make.

　　“It is indeed effective,” Fang Xing sighed with relief and joy while observing what was happening within his Sea of Consciousness. “As long as I continue tempering my foundation with the True Samadhi Fire, there shouldn’t be too much of a problem improving my purple foundation….”

　　After leaving the Sea of Consciousness, Fang Xing counted and realized he’d already swallowed over thirty of the forty or so Foundation Cleansing Pellets he’d obtained from the immortal’s garden. This was equivalent to two full gourds and most certainly the act of a wastral at its peak, but exchanging thirty of these pellets for one of the True Samadhi Fire’s spirit flames wasn’t a bad trade at all; Fang Xing even felt he’d gotten the better end of the bargain.

　　After discovering the proper use for both the golden pellet and the Foundation Cleansing Pellets, Fang Xing felt very refreshed and was in an excellent mood. He finished up his cultivation and called for the golden crow, Xu Linyun, and the blue-clothed bandit before explaining the nature of the golden pellet. Everyone was similarly surprised, especially the blue-clothed bandit—even his teacher hadn’t known the golden pellet had such a use and believed all it did was improve the quality of other pellets.

　　After a moment of shock, the blue-clothed bandit sighed and pondered. “Esteemed Shifu said those with low aspirations would only see the Mysterious Domain as a place full of treasures, but those with greater aspirations would see it as a place where traditions and inheritance could be passed down. These words were indeed proven to be correct! These golden pellets are so mysterious and so different from the pellets and alchemy of all the four continents in Tianyuan. If someone were able to study, thoroughly understand them, and then reproduce them in large enough quantities, it could possibly resolve the issues of innate talent that have been plaguing the entire cultivation realm for the past tens of thousands of years….”

　　The golden crow showed an excited smile and asked Fang Xing if there were any left, but Fang Xing just looked at him with disdain and replied, “There are two left, but that is nothing you need to worry yourself over. One of them is going to be given to Shijie Linyun!”

　　The golden crow was struck speechless for a moment, but there was no way he’d argue over it. Xu Linyun was someone who’d wanted to help and protect Fang Xing even when it put her life at great risk; for someone like her, let alone a single golden pellet, the crow wouldn’t blink even if Fang Xing gave her all of his treasures. Regardless, the crow’s eyes shifted back and forth as he grinned and asked, “Isn’t there one more? Why not give me the last one? I can use it too, after all….”

　　Fang Xing smiled. “I cannot give you that one either; it’s for someone else!”

　　The golden crow turned his eyes back to Fang Xing and glared at him with anger, but Fang Xing simply took out a golden pellet, retrieved the young leader of the Fiery Cloud Tribe who’d been frozen by the Sense Suspension Talisman, put them both in a storage sack, and threw it all over to the blue-clothed bandit.

　　The blue-clothed bandit was surprised to see such generosity from Fang Xing.. “Since when are you so willing to give me so much?”

　　Fang Xing smirked. “I will give these to you of course, but I also have two favors to ask of you!”

　　The blue-clothed bandit was surprised but replied, “The first favor you don’t need to ask. You want me to take Miss Linyun back to Videha, right? I knew this ever since you had her give me the Stellar Grass. As for the second—”

　　“No one is bullying Xiao Mahn, right?” Fang Xing suddenly interrupted after taking a breath.

　　Xu Linyun was shocked to hear the words “Xiao Mahn” and looked at Fang Xing with confusion.

　　The blue-clothed bandit was equally surprised. After some time had passed, he showed a smile and asked, “You’ve guessed it?”

　　Fang Xing rolled his eyes. “I’m not stupid! You came from Videha so there shouldn’t be any relation between you and me, yet you just happen to know me. This means someone must have told you about me, but I—your little grandpa—have never had any contact with anyone from Videha except that woman named Xuan Si’nyang of the Fuyao Palace. However, that woman is extremely arrogant and a little insect like me wasn’t even worth killing back then, so it’s incredibly unlikely she’d send you out for me. Thinking through it, the only possibility… would be Xiao Mahn….” Fang Xing paused at that for a moment before continuing on, “When Shijie Linyun helped me craft the pellets yesterday, she also unintentionally mentioned you already knew her name. Hah, aside from that damn girl Xiao Mahn, who else knows the two of us?”

　　“You’ve finally thought it all through. It must have been difficult for you!” the bandit laughed after a moment of surprise.

　　“It’s only because I thought you were a man at first, so I didn’t consider the possibility you’d be tied to Xiao Mahn,” Fang Xing yelled back. “She certainly wouldn’t get close to any man behind my back. If it’s a woman, however, it’s another story….”

　　The blue-clothed bandit was shocked. “Who said I’m a—”

　　“Ahahaha….” Fang Xing and the golden crow both started laughing before she’d even gotten the opportunity to finish her objection. The laughs were so loud and filled with so much scorn that the blue-clothed bandit’s face even turned a bit red.

　　The golden crow’s laugh was particularly ear-piercing and shrill. “You sway your hips and *ss when you walk, but you say you’re not a woman….”

　　The blue-clothed bandit let out a cold snort and a blue waterdrop began to form just above her palm.

　　Caught off guard, the golden crow instantly smiled and said, “I’ll… I’ll take a walk outside…” before skulking outside like a thief.

　　The bandit tilted her head and looked to Fang Xing. “You found out I’m female the same way the bird did?”

　　Fang Xing sighed. “Not really. Although I did see you swaying while walking at first, I thought you were just an effeminate man or something. It wasn’t until you rescued Shijie Linyun that I realized….”

　　The blue-clothed bandit and Xu Linyun both turned their heads to look at Fang Xing in confusion.

　　Fang Xing laughed. “When Shijie Linyun was falling from the sky, you actually went up to her and grabbed her by the arm before landing with her…. Given how beautiful Shijie Linyun is, someone who doesn’t grab her entire body in that situation is either an idiot or a woman, and you don’t seem like an idiot!”

　　The blue-clothed bandit was left speechless—she hadn’t expected Fang Xing’s reason to be even more wretched than the golden crow’s. Even Xu Linyun was blushing brightly now as she made a random excuse and left.

　　“Well, whatever. If you know, you know. I didn’t want to hide it for too long anyway.” The blue-clothed bandit no longer tried to deny it and directly admitted she came because of Xiao Mahn, and her story caused an inexplicable tightness to form in Fang Xing’s chest. According to her, Xiao Mahn had become an official disciple at the Fuyao Palace after showing off her talent in alchemy. This blue-clothed bandit had met Xiao Mahn through pellet crafting, and after getting to know each other much better throughout the days, they could now be considered very close friends.

　　News that the Mysterious Domain had fallen inside Jambu was something Xiao Mahn was aware of thanks to the blue-clothed bandit. Xiao Mahn understood Fang Xing well enough to know all too well that her young master would definitely take this chance to join in on such high-profile fun, so she’d begged the blue-clothed bandit to come see him and send him a message. It was because of Xiao Mahn’s request that the bandit had traveled towards the Jambu cultivators while searching for the herbs she wanted. Just who was it that had fascinated her best friend to the point she wouldn’t pay any attention to even the young palace master of the Fuyao Palace? The enmity she’d initially showed towards Fang Xing had been caused by this as well.

　　“How is Xiao Mahn over there?” This was the question he was most concerned about. The mere mention of this girl felt like a thorn in his heart. This was Fang Xing, the mighty uncle Fang, the person who was so powerful, had such a thick skin, and was so utterly shameless he wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted. It was only Xiao Mahn who’d shared her life with him when he was at his lowest point that he considered one of his own people, yet she’d been taken away from him over and over again. She was taken to become someone else’s concubine and he hadn’t been able to stop it. He was utterly powerless and couldn’t even struggle, so he’d been forced to watch it happen right before his eyes….

　　The blue-clothed bandit naturally couldn’t tell what was on his mind, so she calmly watched him and replied, “It was going to be smooth sailing for her. Xiao Mahn is extremely clever, kind-hearted, and talented. Although she is a Mahn and therefore half human, half beast, it is rare for anyone to look down on her because of it. If she had followed the path set for her, perhaps her future would be without limits, and yet….”

　　As her voice turned, Fang Xing felt as though his heart had been tugged upwards as well.

　　The blue-clothed bandit let out a soft sigh. “At the most critical moment, however, Xiao Mahn made the worst decision! The traditions of the Fuyao Palace are rather special, and I imagine you’ve heard of them as well. Elite disciples such as Xiao Mahn have a chance to be promoted to study alongside the young palace master of the Fuyao Palace. Being promoted is like reaching heaven with a single step and carries a future without limits, and yet….” The blue-clothed bandit paused for a moment before continuing, “A Mahn-blood like her would not normally have the chance to study alongside the young palace master at all, but one of the seniors took a liking to her and fought for her to have the opportunity. Despite her senior helping her gain such a great opportunity, however, Xiao Mahn refused it so casually and said she’d rather not have any of those resources and opportunities.” At this point, the blue-clothed bandit turned and looked at Fang Xing with a light smile. “Don’t you think she’s been incredibly foolish?”

　　Fang Xing’s face was expressionless. “How is she now?” he asked in a deadpan tone. “Is anyone bullying her?”

　　“She and I are very close friends, so there aren’t many who dare to bully her. Still, she is quite likely the only person amidst all the Fuyao disciples who doesn’t want to serve the young palace master, so it’s inevitable she’ll run into petty people who do things beneath the surface. Heh, she told me in private that she is your servant and doesn’t serve two masters, and that she wouldn’t serve another man even if it meant her death….” The blue-clothed bandit looked directly at Fang Xing. “When I first entered the Mysterious Domain, I wanted to kill you to get such unrealistic ideas out of her head and remove any potential problems that might come from it! Refusing to serve the young palace master might only be met with a cold shoulder for now, but when the young palace master takes the crown in a hundred years’ time, continuing to disobey would be doing nothing but seeking death….”

　　Fang Xing quietly listened without speaking a word, and neither joy nor anger could be seen on his face.