Nine days later.
Yun Ze refined all the remaining Casting Qi Pills.
The remaining nine ordinary Casting Qi Pills, the first four expanded his Qi Sea tenfold, but the latter five only had half the effect, expanding it by only three times, ultimately reaching thirteen times the Qi Sea.
However, a single three-turn Casting Qi Pill directly expanded his Qi Sea to twenty times!
The effect was about fourteen times that of an ordinary Casting Qi Pill!
As for the six-turn Casting Qi Pill, it was even more terrifying, directly raising Yun Ze's Qi Sea to forty-three times, almost emptying him and causing him to fall in cultivation!
He now understood why the price of three-turn and six-turn Casting Qi Pills was so much higher than ordinary ones.
The effect of that six-turn Casting Qi Pill was at least a hundred times that of a one-turn Casting Qi Pill!
Yun Ze now felt his Qi Sea extremely empty, his internal spiritual energy superficial, his face pale, and even lifting his Qi was extremely uncomfortable.
This was a side effect of greatly expanding his Qi Sea.
He was originally at the peak of the third level of Qi Refining, but now he had directly fallen to the initial stage, with a subtle momentum to fall to the second level of Qi Refining.
To reach the peak again, Yun Ze had to fill the extra thirty-seven times of Qi Sea!
Filling the Qi Sea was simple, it just required time, but breaking through to the fourth level of Qi Refining would be much more difficult than before!
There was still one day left in the secluded cultivation room, so he would consolidate his cultivation first!
During the remaining day, Yun Ze continuously cultivated in silence, but until the time in the secluded cultivation room ended, he had not returned to the middle stage of the third level of Qi Refining, still remaining at the initial stage of cultivation.
Even though it was the initial stage, his current spiritual energy capacity was already comparable to that of an ordinary cultivator at the sixth level of Qi Refining!
If he returned to his peak, it would be no problem to rival the seventh level of Qi Refining.
It was just a pity…
This secluded cultivation room was too expensive, and he had other uses for his spirit stones, so he couldn't waste them!
As soon as the ten days were up, he stepped out of the secluded cultivation room.
As soon as he opened the door, Yun Ze saw a familiar figure appear before him.
That was… Wei Lanshu?
Had she also been in seclusion?
As Yun Ze looked at her, she was also looking at him.
They looked at each other, neither speaking first, until Tie Shan walked up from behind Yun Ze.
He did not see Wei Lanshu in front of Yun Ze.
"Yo, Junior Brother Yun is out? Want to extend for a few more days?"
Before Yun Ze could speak, Wei Lanshu took a step to the side and glanced at Tie Shan…
"Uh… you guys chat first, I'll go out and watch the door!"
Tie Shan quickly fled!
These ten days had made him truly understand what a legend was!
Every time he came to this secluded cultivation room, he could sense a faint sword energy lingering, especially when he approached Wei Lanshu's secluded stone chamber, that sword energy was particularly obvious!
It was as if if he lingered for another moment, a gap would open somewhere on his body!
How could he dare to provoke such an existence?
Seeing Tie Shan leave, Yun Ze hurriedly chased after him: "Hey, Senior Brother Tie, wait for me!"
He did not want to be alone with this terrifying person!
What if he angered her and she killed him with a sword, and the Supreme Elders of Guiwu Sword Sect would applaud and praise her for her decisive action!
"Wait, don't go yet."
A clear voice rang out, and a sharp aura swept over!
Yun Ze heard this and instinctively turned his head to look behind him, feeling a sharp aura slash towards him!
He had no time to dodge and could only resist head-on.
The sword energy entered his body and was completely absorbed by the immortal jade he held, not harming Yun Ze.
A flash of surprise flickered in Wei Lanshu's eyes, and she directly leaned forward, reaching out to grab Yun Ze's hand!
Yun Ze, unable to avoid it, quickly withdrew his hand and retreated!
Fortunately, Zhu Ying was fast enough to dodge in time, otherwise…
Those below the Foundation Establishment stage, if touched, would be killed!
"Hey, Junior Sister Wei, men and women should not touch each other. It's better if you don't get too close to me!"
Wei Lanshu's pretty face turned red, and she lowered her arm, trying to speak, "I, I just wanted to try."
Another wave of sword energy attacked!
Yun Ze knew it wouldn't hurt him, so this time he didn't dodge and felt a little strange.
This Junior Sister Wei spoke with sword energy, no wonder she hadn't spoken in front of the Supreme Elders before. Her speech was also a bit unclear, likely because she hadn't spoken much.
"Try?"
Yun Ze felt she had no ill intentions and curiously asked, "What do you want to try?"
"I… I want to touch you, is that okay?"
"Huh!?"
Yun Ze's eyes widened!
Although he came from the countryside, he had attended private school. Mr. Zhang had taught him the principle of men and women not touching each other countless times!
Especially when he was playing with his daughter, he had mentioned it so many times.
No, that's not right!
This was not about men and women not touching!
If someone else touched him, it would at most be rude, but if she touched him, he would lose his life!
"This…"
Yun Ze, fearing she would force him, could only force a smile and ask, "May I ask why?"
"I, I can't say yet."
Wei Lanshu stepped forward again, extending her hand: "Let me confirm first, and then I'll tell you."
"No!"
Without any explanation, how could Yun Ze risk it? He immediately prepared to retreat!
Wei Lanshu became anxious upon hearing this. Thinking of her mother-in-law's way of handling things, she instinctively said, "I have spirit stones! I'll give you spirit stones, and you'll let me touch you!"
Yun Ze frowned and stopped.
He turned to look at Wei Lanshu, his brows furrowed: "Junior Sister Wei, I am not a male prostitute selling myself in the marketplace. Please do not speak such words!
You and I are fellow disciples. This time, let it pass. If there is a next time, do not blame me…"
"One thousand each time!"
One thousand each time!?
Touching her once would allow him to cultivate in the secluded cultivation room for a hundred days! Touching her seven times would be enough for a Foundation Establishment Pill!
Yun Ze was tempted!
But not enough to act.
Compared to wanting to collect spirit stones, he feared death more!
"Cough, cough."
Yun Ze coughed lightly, his tone softening considerably: "Junior Sister Wei, this is not about money."
"Two thousand!"
"Um… pay in advance?"
Two thousand spirit stones per touch!
As long as his life was safe, not agreeing now would make him a scoundrel!
"Pay in advance!"
Wei Lanshu was also excited and was about to step forward.
But Yun Ze took a step back!
"Hey! Let's be clear first, it's just touching, no other activities! That's a different price!"
"I will only touch."
"You also have to guarantee that I won't get hurt!"
"I promise."
"How long will each touch take?"
This time, before Wei Lanshu could answer, she directly grabbed Yun Ze's right hand!
Instantly!
Yun Ze felt a sharp aura surge from his palm, piercing through his skin and flesh, entering his muscles, and reaching his bones, as if it were about to tear him apart.
This is bad, this is bad!
He was caught!
The immortal jade couldn't dissolve this sword energy! He was going to be torn apart!
Yun Ze's heart trembled, and he wanted to shake off Wei Lanshu's hand, but the sword energy had already flowed into his body through his blood vessels, entering his heart and lungs, and then into his Qi Sea.
The sword energy belonging to Yun Ze collided with Wei Lanshu's own sword energy!
Although they were from the same sect, their origins were different, so they could not merge into one.
When sword energies collide, there are only two outcomes: either the stronger sword energy shatters the weaker one, or… they cancel each other out. There is no third possibility.
But no matter which possibility, the result would be the same… destruction!
Yun Ze's originally dormant Qi Sea instantly churned!
"Pfft!"
Yun Ze felt a sweetness in his throat, spat out a mouthful of blood, and heard a buzzing sound in his ears.
He turned to look at Wei Lanshu and found that she was also frowning, her eyes slightly closed, her left hand still tightly gripping his right hand, as if she hadn't noticed him spitting blood.
Perhaps… she had noticed but didn't want to care?
Yun Ze didn't know. He only knew that if she kept holding his hand, he would die!
"Let go!"
Facing Yun Ze's roar, Wei Lanshu remained motionless, as if she hadn't heard him. Sword energy even continued to pour into Yun Ze's body.
"I said, let go!"
Yun Ze spoke again, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. At the same time, he drew out his Shan Xiao sword with his other hand!
If you don't let go, don't blame me for using my own methods to make you let go!
He aimed at Wei Lanshu's arm and slashed down with his sword!
This was a last resort.
Yun Ze remembered how Ji Kun had introduced her to him, saying that she could not be harmed by anything below a third-tier spiritual artifact!
However, there was no other way now, so he had to try.
But just as Shan Xiao was about to fall, Wei Lanshu opened her eyes.
She quickly withdrew her hand and let go of Yun Ze, but it was still a step too late. The blade of Shan Xiao grazed the back of her hand.
On her originally smooth, jade-like hand, a sword mark instantly appeared. Blood beads seeped from the wound, slowly dripping down…
Wei Lanshu remained still, silently watching the crimson liquid slide to her fingertips, gather into beads, and slowly drip onto the ground.
It was as if she were admiring a breathtaking scene.
Crazy woman!
Yun Ze cursed inwardly, but he dared not move rashly. Instead, he quickly sat cross-legged and sank his consciousness into his Qi Sea.
Now the two streams of sword energy had separated, one strong and one weak, occupying opposite ends of his Qi Sea.
The weaker one was the sword energy Yun Ze had cultivated himself, while the stronger one… belonged to Wei Lanshu, as if something was mediating between them, separating the two.
Yun Ze frowned, but he also breathed a sigh of relief.
At least for now, he was not in mortal danger.
He didn't know why, but he hadn't exploded and died upon contact with Wei Lanshu as Ji Kun had said. Instead, this situation occurred after the sword energy entered his body.
However, having an external sword energy in his Qi Sea was not a good thing, and he needed to think about how to resolve it.
Yun Ze reopened his eyes and looked at Wei Lanshu.
The woman was still staring at her injured hand, a smile on her lips. He wondered if she was foolish or mad.
"Hey."
Yun Ze's tone was not good: "Wei Lanshu, is that right? What do you mean by sending sword energy into my body? Do you want to kill me?"
Upon hearing the word "kill," Wei Lanshu immediately looked up, her eyes full of innocence mixed with a hint of excitement.
"No, I won't kill you! I… I just… I just couldn't control it."
"Couldn't control it?"
Yun Ze frowned and retorted, "That's your sword energy, and you can't control it?"
"No… I, I am… sigh, give you this first, and you'll understand."
Wei Lanshu was anxious and didn't know how to explain, so she raised her hand and drew a line across her forehead.
A drop of golden-red liquid flew out from her brow and slowly flew towards him.
Yun Ze didn't know what it was and instinctively took a step back, then heard a gasp from behind him.
"Miss, no!"