"Congratulations, Senior Sister, on becoming a Grade III Alchemist!" Shen Mo accepted the jade box, congratulating her with a smile.

Zhao Lingyin could concoct Grade IV Elixirs. Undoubtedly, she had taken another step forward in the Alchemy Path, advancing to the Grade III level.

"However, a Grade IV Elixir is quite valuable. I can't accept this favor from you for nothing."

Although Zhao Lingyin spoke nonchalantly, Shen Mo, having thoroughly read manuals like the *King of Medicine's Guidebook* and the *Detailed Explanation of the Path of Alchemy by Tortoise Crane Sect*, was well aware of the preciousness of the Dragon Tiger Formless Pill. This Elixir had comprehensive effects and was extremely potent, equivalent to an upgraded and improved version of the Grade III Madness Heart-devouring Pill. Taking a Dragon Tiger Formless Pill on the verge of death could instantly revitalize a person, making them as vigorous as a dragon and tiger, without any of the adverse side effects of the Madness Heart-devouring Pill. Many Spirit Sea Realm powerhouses would spend a fortune to stock up on one or two of these as ultimate life-saving Elixirs.

If put up for auction in Jiyun Town, even an ordinary Dragon Tiger Formless Pill could fetch a high price of four to five hundred low-grade Spirit Stones. And in the jade box Zhao Lingyin had given him, there were two bottles, each containing five pills, bringing the total value to a staggering four to five thousand low-grade Spirit Stones! Moreover, it was a case of 'price but no market'—money couldn't necessarily buy them. Furthermore, even if Zhao Lingyin gave him the elixir recipe for this pill, he couldn't concoct it at his current level. Just gathering the spiritual medicinal materials would take at least four to five months of preparation.

With the Tianshan Mountain Grand Ceremony fast approaching, Zhao Lingyin's gift of the Dragon Tiger Formless Pill truly put Shen Mo in a difficult position to refuse. But when he considered a return gift, Shen Mo was once again at a loss. Although he possessed many treasures, none seemed suitable to give away. The items most appropriate as a return gift for Zhao Lingyin were the Nether Fire and the Fire Chi Cauldron. But setting aside whether Shen Mo was willing to part with his Earthly Fire and cauldron, Zhao Lingyin's Master was a Grade IV Alchemist, and she herself had gained many benefits from the Alchemy Tower. She possessed no fewer than five types of Earthly Fire alone, and the cauldron she commonly used was of profound level, top-grade. A genuine little rich young lady of the Alchemy Zone. Even if Shen Mo reluctantly parted with his treasures, she might not necessarily fancy them.

After mulling it over for a long time, Shen Mo simply took out fifty low-grade Spirit Stones and placed them before Zhao Lingyin. "I don't have any particular treasures to offer. Senior Sister Lingyin, please accept these Spirit Stones. Consider it as me buying these ten Dragon Tiger Formless Pills from you."

To his surprise, when Zhao Lingyin heard his words, her eyes, which had held a hint of anticipation, instantly dimmed. She pouted and frowned, her small face falling as she looked utterly dejected. When Shen Mo spoke to her, she adopted an indifferent attitude.

"What's wrong with Senior Sister Lingyin?"

This was the first time Shen Mo had seen Zhao Lingyin display such a girlish demeanor. While finding it somewhat novel, he was also completely bewildered. After pondering for a moment, he roughly guessed that his action of offering Spirit Stones to buy the Elixirs had upset Zhao Lingyin, though he was clueless as to the specific reason. Helpless, he reluctantly took back the Spirit Stones.

It wasn't just Shen Mo; even Zhao Lingyin herself didn't quite know why she was angry. She just felt that she had kindly and thoughtfully concocted a batch of Dragon Tiger Formless Pills for Shen Mo. She didn't need him to return any heavy gift; a few sincere compliments would have sufficed. Now, not only had she received no praise, but he had also treated it as a mere transaction, negating her good intentions.

Zhao Lingyin continued to sulk. No matter how Shen Mo tried to amuse her, she kept a sullen face and refused to acknowledge him.

In desperation, Shen Mo had to leave a message via Sound Transmission Talisman in his friends' group chat, seeking advice. He, of course, omitted critical information like "Zhao Lingyin," "Cuizhu Elixir Room," and "Grade IV Elixir," giving only a general outline. He explained that a female fellow daoist had given him a valuable gift. When he tried to reciprocate with Spirit Stones of equal value, it upset her, and he was wondering how to rectify the situation.

The first to reply was that fellow, Cao Ren. "You're doing well for yourself, kid! Hooked up with a Senior Sister from Stars Peak already? Spill the beans, which Senior Sister has such bad taste?"

"Screw off!" Shen Mo didn't hesitate to jokingly curse back at this friend whom he knew from humble beginnings. They also agreed to meet for drinks after returning from the Tianshan Mountain Grand Ceremony.

As Shen Mo's Cultivation Realm steadily advanced, his interactions with Cao Ren had gradually lessened. It was predictable that with Cao Ren's Talent and cultivation speed, their paths would only diverge further. But before that happened, Shen Mo would try his best to maintain this bond of friendship.

Then came Guo Zhao's reply. "Junior Brother Shen, this female fellow daoist you speak of… don't tell me it's Junior Sister Chen?" He clearly wasn't trying to help; his only concern was whether Chen Mengze was the one who had given Shen Mo the gift.

Before Shen Mo could explain, Chen Mengze, who was in the same group, replied curtly, "It has nothing to do with me."

Guo Zhao then tried to shower her with flattery, but Chen Mengze didn't respond at all. Instead, she sent a private message directly to Shen Mo, saying, "Just say more nice things and coax her a bit…"

From the way Shen Mo interpreted her words, he couldn't shake the feeling that Chen Mengze had misunderstood something, yet he found it difficult to explain.

Lu Ming also sent a sound transmission. "Junior Brother Shen, the rankings in the Tianshan Mountain Grand Ceremony determine the sect's allocation of benefits for the coming year. Don't let romantic entanglements distract you from what's important!" Lu Ming had become even more dedicated to his cultivation after his elder brother, Lu Yao, had died. He had prepared meticulously for a long time for this event, aiming for a good ranking in the ceremony.

Shen Mo felt a bit dejected. None of his friends offered any sensible advice. Only Chen Mengze's suggestion seemed somewhat reliable.

Putting away his Sound Transmission Talisman, Shen Mo glanced at Zhao Lingyin, who was still silent. Even her gloomy expression was pleasing to the eye. After pondering for a moment, he took the jade box from his robes, opened an Elixir bottle, and tipped out a Dragon Tiger Formless Pill. The Elixir was the size of a jujube pit, its texture like jade marrow. Though not a peerless-grade Elixir, it was still of superior quality. Using his sense, he could vaguely perceive the Elixir's spirit light manifesting as a dragon and tiger locked in combat. A tiger's roar seemed to echo through mountain forests, while a dragon soared through the Nine Heavens—images that further accentuated this Elixir's extraordinary nature!

"This Elixir... its spirit light is introverted, and its pill-aspect is superb."

"What's truly remarkable is the perfect fusion and tempering of the spiritual medicines within, handled so perfectly..."

"No wonder, Senior Sister, your talent is truly exceptional! Having just reached Grade III, you can already refine such high-quality Grade IV Elixirs."

"Even if I reach Grade III in the future, I doubt I could refine anything beyond ordinary quality."

"It's no surprise that so many senior and junior brothers in the Alchemy Zone regard you as a Fairy descended to the mortal world! You're not only beautiful, but your skill in the Alchemy Path..."

As Shen Mo lavished praise on both the Elixir and Zhao Lingyin, her expression visibly brightened.

Seeing this, Shen Mo found it hard to suppress his amusement. Yet, he was once again reminded: Although Zhao Lingyin was the foremost prodigy of the Alchemy Zone, and he himself called her Senior Sister, she was, after all, a young lady still shy of twenty!

"Refining a Grade IV Elixir is indeed quite difficult. When I was fusing the main spiritual medicines..." Zhao Lingyin couldn't help but start sharing her experiences and insights on refining the Dragon Tiger Formless Pill with Shen Mo.

After their discussion, she excitedly took out her cauldron, intending to refine a batch of Grade V Qi Restoring Pills. She mentioned she had improved her refining speed for this Elixir slightly and wanted to demonstrate it for Shen Mo, asking him to see if there were any areas for further improvement.

Zhao Lingyin. She still hadn't given up on breaking Shen Mo's refining record!

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