177: Chapter 177 Warmth in the Herb Garden, Gift of Books and Transmission of Skills

After bidding farewell to Elder Tianshu, Ye Tian did not immediately head to the back mountain to observe the Star Sword Wall.

While cultivation was important, there were certain people he needed to check on.

He first returned to the new Immortal Cave assigned to him.

The Immortal Cave was located on the mountainside of a secondary peak. Although the Spiritual Qi was not as dense as that of the main peak, it was far superior to the outer sect courtyards. The interior was spacious, fully equipped with a quiet room, a pill room, a Spirit Beast room, and more.

He simply set up a small defensive and warning Formation, tidied up a bit, and then left the Immortal Cave.

Next, he planned to return to the outer sect to visit the herb garden that had once given him much warmth, to see Elder Xie and that diligent "little brother," Su Wan.

After advancing to the True Martial Realm, Ye Tian's speed far exceeded what it had been. He swept across the mountains and soon arrived at the familiar outer sect area.

The herb garden was still shrouded in dense Spiritual Qi.

Ye Tian slowed his pace and restrained his aura, quietly stepping into the garden, not intending to disturb anyone else.

His Divine Sense spread out slightly, easily sensing two familiar auras.

One strong and one weak—it was Elder Xie and Su Wan.

The source of the auras pointed toward the pill room.

Ye Tian arrived outside the pill room and, through a crack in the door, saw Su Wan focused intently on the bronze Pill Furnace. Fine beads of sweat stood out on her nose, and her gaze was incredibly concentrated.

Elder Xie stood to the side with his hands behind his back, watching calmly.

Inside the Pill Furnace, the medicinal liquid was churning. Ye Tian recognized that she was refining a second-grade Medicinal Pill called the "Jade Condensation Pill," which was beneficial for Ningyuan Realm Cultivators to stabilize their cultivation. The refining process required significant control over the heat.

He did not speak to disturb them, waiting quietly outside the door to avoid affecting Su Wan's focus.

After about the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, the medicinal liquid in the Pill Furnace had completely fused, emitting a refreshing medicinal fragrance.

Su Wan skillfully performed the pill-collecting hand seal. The furnace lid opened, and six round, full, emerald-green Medicinal Pills flew out, landing in the jade bottle she had prepared.

"Success!"

Su Wan breathed a sigh of relief, a joyful smile of relief appearing on her pretty face.

Elder Xie stepped forward, took the jade bottle, and looked closely. He picked up a pill to observe its quality, a satisfied expression appearing on his face as he nodded and praised, "Mhm, not bad! The color is round, the medicinal power is contained within, the fragrance is pure, and the heat was controlled just right."

"Wan'er, your Alchemy skills have improved once again."

Having received her Master's affirmation, Su Wan smiled even more happily, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

Just then, Ye Tian clapped his hands and walked in from outside with a smile: "Congratulations, Junior Brother Su!"

"Your talent in Alchemy is truly amazing."

"At this rate, I'm afraid it won't be long before even I, your Senior Brother, can only watch from afar!"

Hearing this familiar and slightly teasing, hearty voice, both people in the pill room stiffened and turned their heads abruptly!

When they saw the tall, green-robed youth at the door, Elder Xie and Su Wan's faces instantly showed completely different expressions!

Su Wan's pupils dilated suddenly. Once she saw clearly that it was indeed Ye Tian, she even forgot to put down the jade bottle in her hand and forgot that her Master was right beside her. She instinctively lunged forward, buried her head in Ye Tian's chest, and tightly hugged his waist!

"Ye... Brother Ye! It's really you! You're back!"

Su Wan's voice was choked with emotion, and tears poured out uncontrollably.

She held him very tightly, her petite body trembling slightly, fearing that if she let go, the person before her would vanish.

This sudden "throwing herself into his arms" caused Ye Tian to freeze. His hands hung awkwardly in mid-air, not knowing whether to embrace her or not.

Although he was close to Su Wan and viewed her as a younger brother, this was the first time they had such intimate contact.

He could feel the irrepressible sobbing of the body in his arms. He felt both amused and helpless, and a stream of warmth flowed through his heart.

He could only laugh dryly and gently pat Su Wan's back, comforting her: "Alright, alright, Junior Brother Su, haven't I returned safe and sound?"

"You're a grown person now, why are you still crying?"

"You're making Elder Xie laugh at you."

Meanwhile, after his initial surprise, Elder Xie's gaze froze as it landed on Ye Tian, and a shock he couldn't hide appeared in his eyes!

Although his cultivation was not as high as those Sea Transformation Realm Inner Sect Elders, his vision was sharp!

Right now, Ye Tian's aura was profound, the True Yuan in his body was as vast as the sea and incredibly condensed, and his whole body seemed to faintly blend with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. This was clearly... the aura of the True Martial Realm!

"You brat... you've broken through to the True Martial Realm?"

Elder Xie cried out in shock, nearly dropping the jade bottle in his hand.

Although the Outer Sect Grand Competition was a grand event, the herb garden was located in a remote area. Furthermore, he had always been obsessed with the Dao of Alchemy and ignored worldly affairs, so he hadn't paid attention.

Seeing Ye Tian's change now, how could he not be shocked?

How long had it been?

From when Ye Tian left the herb garden to participate in the competition, it hadn't been many days at all!

This cultivation speed was simply unheard of!

Ye Tian finally managed to push Su Wan off him slightly, then quickly gave a respectful salute to Elder Xie, smiling: "I was lucky enough to make a Breakthrough. Please don't laugh at me, Elder."

Elder Xie recovered from his shock. Seeing Ye Tian's casual manner and thinking that this brat had probably forgotten his "Alchemy mentor" after going to the inner sect, he couldn't help but glare, laughing as he scolded: "You little rascal!"

"Your wings have grown strong, haven't they?"

"Now that you're an Inner Sect Disciple, have you forgotten about this old man and the herb garden entirely?"

"Have you already thrown the craft of Alchemy to the back of your mind?"

Hearing this, Ye Tian quickly offered a conciliatory smile and scratched his head, his tone apologetic: "Elder, what are you saying!"

"How could I dare forget your teachings and the herb garden's kindness in taking me in?"

"It's just that I've just entered the inner sect, things have been complicated, and I needed to stabilize my cultivation. I didn't have time to come back and pay my respects earlier. It's my fault, I was wrong!"

As he spoke, he took out an item carefully packaged in a spiritual sandalwood box from his storage ring and respectfully presented it to Elder Xie with both hands, smiling: "This is 'Cloud Mist Spirit Tips' that I specially sought out for you. It's produced at the peak of a ten-thousand-foot snow mountain, and only a few ounces are produced a year. It's best for clearing the heart, moistening the lungs, and extending life. I hope you'll let go of your anger."

Elder Xie had wanted to scold him a few more times, but as soon as he heard the name "Cloud Mist Spirit Tips," his nose instinctively twitched. Seeing the exquisite wooden box, he could no longer maintain his "angry" expression.

He snatched the wooden box and opened a small crack. An elegant and refreshing tea fragrance immediately drifted out, making his spirit feel refreshed.

"Hmph! At least you still have some conscience!"

Elder Xie huffed, but his expression had already cleared up. He put away the wooden box, and the way he looked at Ye Tian softened significantly.

He was actually quite gratified in his heart. Ye Tian was now a favored child of the True Martial Realm and surely held a significant status in the inner sect, yet he could still be so respectful and sentimental toward an outer sect Elder like him. This Heart-Nature was truly rare.

Seeing that Elder Xie's anger had dissipated, Ye Tian breathed a sigh of relief.

It was then that he carefully observed Su Wan beside him.

After not seeing her for over half a year, Su Wan seemed to have grown a bit taller. Her figure was still slender, but her originally somewhat pale face was much rosier, and her eyes were brighter and more spirited.

What surprised him most was that Su Wan's cultivation had actually reached the Ningyuan Realm Second Stage!

"Yuan Condensation Second Layer?"

Ye Tian raised an eyebrow slightly, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

He remembered that when Su Wan first came to the herb garden, she was only at the fourth or fifth stage of the Qi Gathering Realm. This cultivation speed was a bit too fast!

Even if the herb garden's Spiritual Qi was dense and she had the help of Medicinal Pills, it shouldn't be this rapid, right?

He smiled and rubbed Su Wan's hair: "Not bad, Junior Brother Su. Your cultivation has progressed rapidly; it seems you haven't been lazy."

Su Wan's cheeks turned slightly red at Ye Tian's affectionate gesture. She lowered her head shyly and whispered, "It's all because Master taught me well, and... the Medicinal Pills you left behind, Brother Ye..."

Ye Tian smiled and stopped teasing her.

His expression turned serious as he took two items out of the qingxuan ring.

One was a well-preserved thread-bound booklet with the words "Flowing Light Dual Blade Art" written on the cover.

The other was a pair of short spikes about one foot two inches long, with narrow blades that shimmered with a cold, moon-like luster. Exquisite cloud patterns were carved on the handles, making them look light and sharp.

"Junior Brother Su,"

Ye Tian handed the booklet and the short spikes to Su Wan and said seriously, "This 'Flowing Light Dual Blade Art' is a Profound Rank low-grade dual-handed short blade Martial Skill. Its Moves are strange and swift, suitable for close-quarters combat."

"This pair of short blades is called 'Moon Rhombus Spikes.' They are a matching Yellow Rank peak-grade Spiritual Artifact, light and sharp."

"I see that your movements are agile and your mind is meticulous. Cultivating this technique should complement you well and can be used for self-defense."

Su Wan stared at the Moon Rhombus Spikes emitting a soft light and the Martial Skill Secret Manual, stunned. For a moment, she didn't reach out to take them.

A Profound Rank Martial Skill!

A Yellow Rank peak-grade Spiritual Artifact!

And they were a matching set?

To her, these were unimaginably precious gifts!

"Brother Ye, this... this is too valuable! I..."

Su Wan quickly waved her hands, wanting to refuse.

She knew the value of these things; she couldn't afford them even if she sold herself.

"Take them!"

Ye Tian brooked no argument and stuffed the booklet and Moon Rhombus Spikes into Su Wan's hands. "You call me Brother Ye, so it's only normal for me to give you something."

"Although the outer sect is relatively peaceful, people's hearts are unpredictable. It's better to be prepared."

"With these, I can also feel more at ease."

Su Wan gripped the Moon Rhombus Spikes and looked up at Ye Tian's concerned gaze, the softest part of her heart deeply touched.

Tears once again welled up uncontrollably in her eyes. She nodded vigorously, hugged the items tightly to her chest, and said in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "Thank you... thank you, Brother Ye."

Watching this scene from the side, a flash of gratification appeared in Elder Xie's eyes.

He naturally saw that the Moon Rhombus Spikes and the Cultivation Technique were extraordinary, and Ye Tian's protective heart toward Su Wan was even more precious.

At this moment, Ye Tian looked at Su Wan again, his expression becoming even more solemn.

He held his fingers together like a sword, and a wisp of pure, gentle, light purple True Yuan condensed at his fingertip.

"Junior Brother Su, close your eyes and concentrate. Let down your Sea of Consciousness defenses."

Ye Tian said in a deep voice.

Although Su Wan didn't understand why, she had absolute trust in Ye Tian and immediately did as she was told.

Ye Tian's fingertip lightly touched her brow, and a stream of True Yuan containing profound information slowly flowed into Su Wan's Sea of Consciousness.

It was the complete formula and circulation route of the Mind-Cultivation Technique "Nine Revolutions Purple Heart Art" that he had obtained from the Ye family's Secret Realm Legacy!

The transmission process lasted about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

When Ye Tian withdrew his finger, Su Wan slowly opened her eyes, her beautiful eyes filled with shock!

She clearly sensed a profound Cultivation Technique formula in her mind, its level of sophistication far exceeding the ordinary technique she was currently practicing by many times!

"Brother Ye... this... this technique?"

Su Wan's voice trembled, and she was too excited to speak.

Although she didn't know its exact rank, she could feel how extraordinary this technique was!

"This technique is called the 'Nine Revolutions Purple Heart Art.' Its attributes are balanced and peaceful, long-lasting and deep, with a particular focus on nourishing the Foundation and Divine Soul. It suits you perfectly."

Ye Tian smiled slightly and explained, "I now have a more suitable primary Cultivation Technique, so this art is no longer useful to me. It's just right for you."

"Remember, Cultivate it well and do not show it to others."

Su Wan nodded heavily, etching Ye Tian's instructions into her heart.

She looked at Ye Tian, her heart filled with endless gratitude.

Cultivation Techniques, Martial Skills, Spiritual Artifacts... giving her such a heavy Opportunity—this kindness was heavier than a mountain!

Elder Xie watched silently from the side, his heart surging even more.

He could feel that the technique Ye Tian had passed to Su Wan was anything but ordinary; its aura even gave him a slight sense of palpitation!

What on earth had this kid experienced in the outer sect?

What kind of amazing Opportunity had he obtained?

However, he knew this was Ye Tian's secret and did not ask further.

This boy was definitely not an ordinary person!

It was Wan'er's good fortune to receive such care from him.

He lingered in the herb garden for a while longer, drinking tea and chatting with Elder Xie, and pointing out the key points for Su Wan to begin practicing the Nine Revolutions Purple Heart Art. Seeing that it was getting late, Ye Tian rose to take his leave.

Elder Xie walked him to the herb garden gate, patted his shoulder, and said earnestly, "Kid, the inner sect is not like the outer sect."

"I am very gratified by your achievements."

"But remember, take it one step at a time, keep your wits about you in everything, and protect yourself."

"I will keep your teachings in mind, Elder!" Ye Tian bowed respectfully.

Su Wan reluctantly saw him out of the garden, her eyes full of lingering attachment: "Brother Ye, you... you must be careful."

"Don't worry, I will."

Ye Tian smiled at Su Wan, cupped his hands to Elder Xie, turned, and after a few flickers of his figure, disappeared into the twilight.

Looking in the direction Ye Tian had left, Su Wan was unwilling to withdraw her gaze for a long time, silently vowing in her heart: Brother Ye, Wan'er will definitely Cultivate hard and never let down your expectations!

One day, I will become someone who can stand by your side and fight alongside you!