59: Submit the task

"Revered Master!" Upon seeing Wu Yan, Chen Lin's tears welled up again, and she rushed forward.

With sobs choking her voice, she recounted the entire experience: encountering the Blood Demon Mongoose, the tragic death of Tang San, the bloody battle they all fought, Yao Delong covering their retreat, and their eventual narrow escape.

She particularly emphasized the heroic feat of Yao Delong stepping forward to turn the tide.

After listening, Wu Yan's expression turned sorrowful, and he let out a heavy sigh: "Tang San... alas!"

He then turned his gaze toward Yao Delong and the others, his eyes filled with gratitude and lingering fear:

"Thank you! Thank you all for your righteous assistance in saving my Disciple's life! Otherwise, I would have been filled with endless regret! Pill Cloud Peak will remember this favor!"

With a wave of his hand, a ray of spiritual light struck the identity jade plates of Liu Bai, Luo Miaomiao, and Yao Delong.

"Four hundred contribution points for each of you, just a small token of my appreciation!"

Wu Yan looked at the three and said, "Given your cultivation levels, you surely have no need for a foundation establishment pill."

Liu Bai and Luo Miaomiao nodded in gratitude; this was a quite generous amount of contribution points.

Wu Yan's gaze finally fell upon Liu Rumei, whose cultivation was the lowest, and a gentle smile appeared on his face:

"Little girl, although your cultivation is still shallow, you must have contributed significantly on this trip. I happen to have a newly refined 'five-turn foundation establishment pill' here of excellent quality. Would you be willing to accept this as your reward?"

As he spoke, he flipped his palm, and an exquisite jade bottle appeared with its stopper slightly ajar.

A pure, gentle, and vibrant medicinal fragrance instantly filled the air.

It was indeed the five-turn foundation establishment pill, which held immense allure for any Cultivator at the Qi Condensation Perfection stage!

Liu Rumei's large eyes lit up instantly, and her breathing quickened. Subconsciously, she was about to agree: "Disciple..."

Before the words could leave her lips, a steady hand gently rested on her wrist.

Yao Delong took half a step forward, pulled her to the side without drawing attention, and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

In a voice so faint that only the two of them could hear, he said: "This five-turn pill is decent, but I have something better. Choose the contribution points, and I will exchange with you later. I guarantee your chances of Foundation Establishment will far exceed what this pill can offer."

As he spoke, his warm breath brushed against Liu Rumei's sensitive ear.

Her delicate body trembled imperceptibly, and her ears turned crimson instantly.

She looked up sharply, locking eyes with Yao Delong's deep, confident gaze.

Despite the immense doubt in her heart, the miracles Junior Martial Uncle Yao had created time and time again, along with his unreserved assistance, allowed her to make a decision in an instant.

She took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in her heart, turned to Elder Wu Yan, and bowed gracefully.

With an apologetic yet firm tone, she said: "Thank you for your kindness, Elder Wu! Disciple... Disciple would still prefer the contribution points! I implore you to grant my request!"

"Hmm?" Elder Wu Yan was clearly taken aback, a flash of astonishment crossing his eyes.

He had brought out the five-turn foundation establishment pill thinking it would be an irresistible temptation for this little girl at the Qi Condensation Perfection stage, but he had not expected to be rejected.

He turned his head to glance at Yao Delong standing to the side.

Then, looking at Liu Rumei's shy yet exceptionally firm expression, he seemed to understand something.

He stroked his beard and smiled, not pressing for an explanation, and readily agreed:

"Very well! Since you have chosen the contribution points, I will naturally not go back on my word."

Another ray of spiritual light struck Liu Rumei's identity jade plate.

"The mission is concluded; you may all return now. I still need to tend to the injuries of my two Disciples."

Wu Yan rose to see them off.

Everyone bowed once more and took their leave.

Upon walking out of Pill Cloud Peak, Liu Rumei immediately sidled up to Yao Delong, her large eyes shimmering with curiosity and anticipation.

She lowered her voice: "Junior Martial Uncle..."

Yao Delong looked at the eager yet restrained appearance and smiled slightly: "Rest assured, you will get your foundation establishment pill. We'll talk when we get back."

He swept his gaze over Liu Bai and Luo Miaomiao, who both wore different expressions, and said, "Return to your peaks to heal and rest."

Liu Bai glanced at Yao Delong's blood-stained yet still upright and steady back.

With a complex look in his eyes, he mounted his Flying Sword and soared into the sky.

Luo Miaomiao also steered her Flying Sword and departed.

"Let us go as well." Yao Delong summoned his Flying Sword.

Liu Rumei hurriedly followed.

This time, as she stood on the sword, her hands no longer just clutched his robes; instead, she carefully and gently wrapped her arms around Yao Delong's waist.

Back at Luoxia Peak, in that ramshackle thatched cottage that was little more than a ruin, Yao Delong set up a simple sound-dampening Restriction.

Only then did he retrieve a warm, white jade vial from his storage ring—a vial that appeared ordinary but actually contained a universe within.

He casually pulled out the stopper.

Hum!

An indescribable, wondrous medicinal fragrance instantly filled the room.

This fragrance was far superior to the gentle scent of Elder Wu Yan's five-turn foundation establishment pill.

It was purer and more majestic, carrying a wondrous rhythm that pointed directly to the Origin of life and cleansed the soul.

Even more shockingly, as the medicinal fragrance wafted out, nine distinct, vibrant rays of light—each a different color—faintly flowed from the mouth of the vial, condensing without dispersing.

Liu Rumei's breathing stopped instantly!

Her bright, large eyes were locked onto the Medicinal Pill quietly floating within the small vial.

"Nine... nine pill patterns?!"

Liu Rumei's voice trembled with extreme disbelief.

"Nine-turn... foundation establishment pill?!"

She looked up sharply at Yao Delong, her eyes filled with pure shock.

It was as if she were truly seeing this man before her for the first time.

"This... how is this possible?! Such a treasure is rare even in the Sect's Treasure Pavilion!"

She came from a secular merchant family.

Although she had never lacked for food or clothing, in the cutthroat world of Cultivation, such a background only forced her to be cautious.

After joining the Yin Yang Sect, she deeply understood the hardships of the path of Cultivation and realized the importance of resources.

A five-turn foundation establishment pill was already a treasure she dared not even dream of.

But this nine-turn one... it only existed in legends.

It was a Divine Pill that perhaps even her Revered Master, an Inner Sect Elder of Heavenly Sword Peak, had never seen!

"Junior Martial Uncle..."

Her voice choked, and a mist of tears quickly clouded her beautiful eyes.

The look she gave Yao Delong was complex to the extreme.

"This... this is too precious! It weighs as heavy as a mountain! I... how can I ever repay this? You have already saved my life several times; I have nothing left to repay you with. This... this Medicinal Pill... Disciple absolutely cannot accept it!"

As she spoke, she actually moved to return the jade vial, her expression resolute yet filled with trepidation.

Yao Delong looked at the grateful and bewildered young girl before him, and his heart stirred.

He reached out gently—not to take the jade vial, but to press his hand upon the back of her cool hand, passing the warmth of his palm to her.

"What silly things are you saying?"

His voice was steady, carrying a power that soothed the heart.

"It is just a Medicinal Pill; no matter how precious, it is merely an external object. Besides..."

He paused slightly, the corners of his mouth curling into a meaningful arc.

"Who said I am giving this to you for free? Your Junior Martial Uncle is making a long-term 'investment'."

"Investment?"

Liu Rumei blinked her tear-filled eyes, bewildered.

"Indeed."

Yao Delong's tone held a hint of playfulness, yet he was incomparably serious.

"I believe in your potential. Today, I gift you this nine-turn pill to help you forge a supreme dao foundation. When you achieve great success in the future and attain the Dao, if you do not look down upon my meager cultivation at that time and are willing to lend me a helping hand, that will be the best return."

"Junior Martial Uncle..."

Liu Rumei's tears finally could not be held back, rolling down her cheeks.

This trust and expectation stirred her heart far more than the Divine Pill itself!

She forcefully wiped away her tears, straightened her slender back, and looked directly into Yao Delong's eyes.

With every word, she spoke with ironclad resolve, delivering the most sincere oath of a young girl:

"Junior Martial Uncle, Rumei will engrave your great kindness in her heart! Today, I swear upon my Dao Heart! In the future, should I achieve any success, I will never fail to live up to your high hopes and kindness today! If I violate this oath, may my path of Dao be severed, and may I fall into Reincarnation forever!"

Yao Delong looked at the burning flame in the young girl's eyes and that pure determination, and a sense of gratification arose in his heart.

"Haha, do not put too much pressure on yourself. Cultivate well and achieve Foundation Establishment soon!"

Immediately, she took out her identity jade plate without hesitation and injected spiritual power with her fingertips, causing the jade plate to emit a soft glow.

"Junior Martial Uncle, you mentioned earlier that you wanted contribution points."

She handed the jade plate to Yao Delong.

"Disciple has eight hundred points here; please, you must accept them!"

Her tone was resolute; only in this way could she slightly soothe the sense of indebtedness in her heart.

Yao Delong knew this was her way of expressing her sincerity, so he did not act coy.

He produced his own identity jade plate and gently tapped it against hers.

A faint light flashed, and the eight hundred contribution points were transferred instantly.

By this time, the sky outside the window had turned completely dark, and the stars and moon were dim.