Far from enough.

The middle-aged man spoke clearly, “Shuang’er, that’s enough mischief.” He stepped forward and pulled the little girl back.

The little girl pouted, unyielding, pointing at the necklace hanging from Guo’er’s neck, and complained angrily, “Father, the necklace I just mentioned is that one. She took my thing!”

Hearing the commotion at the door, Xu Yun, the manager of the Treasure Pavilion, hurried out. When he saw the middle-aged man, his face lit up with a smile. “Ah, isn’t this Hall Master Lu of the Fire Refining Hall? What brings you to the Treasure Pavilion today?”

Lu Yan replied, “It’s a rare occasion for me to visit Longling, so I thought I’d stroll around the market with my daughter.”

He then turned his gaze to Li Miao, cupped his fists, and said, “My surname is Lu. May I know your name and which sect you hail from?”

“No sect, no master. I am Li Miao, a wandering cultivator,” Li Miao replied blandly. Although a little helpless, he was not angered by the little girl’s rudeness.

Lu Yan smiled. “Ah, so you are Fellow Daoist Li. My daughter’s earlier mischief was offensive, I hope you can forgive us.”

Having apologized, he continued, “You must have heard what my daughter said just now, Fellow Daoist. The child is quite fond of that yellow jade necklace. She’s pestered me about it several times. Would you consider parting with it?”

To give away a gift, only to snatch it back later and sell it—it simply made no sense.

Li Miao didn’t even hesitate, shaking his head outright. “I’m afraid I cannot comply.”

Lu Yan quickly added, “If you agree, I’m willing to pay double the price for it.”

Xu Yun, the shopkeeper, felt a stab of pain in his chest. With this back-and-forth, the price had just doubled—an increase of a hundred lower-grade spirit stones, enough for an ordinary Condensation cultivator to live on for several years.

But Li Miao showed not the slightest hint of temptation; instead, a trace of annoyance crept into his expression. Frowning, he said, “Hall Master Lu, if I offered twice the price for a gift you gave your daughter, would you agree?”

Lu Yan looked as though he were being perfectly reasonable, but his words were nothing short of an attempt to exert pressure.

Offering a high price—did he see him as a greedy merchant, or a beggar?

Faced with this question, Lu Yan’s expression stiffened, and he replied awkwardly, “You misunderstand, Fellow Daoist. I have no intention to coerce you, it’s just that—”

Before he could finish, his daughter Lu Yingshuang shouted, “If twice isn’t enough, then three times! If three times isn’t enough, four times! Father, I want that necklace!”

At such a young age, she demonstrated the art of being willful to perfection.

Xu Yun, as the shopkeeper, didn’t want to offend either side, nor did he wish to see his customers arguing in his store. So he stepped forward to mediate. “Miss Lu, please don’t be upset. We have many beautiful necklaces in the store—why don’t you come inside and pick one at your leisure?”

But Lu Yingshuang ignored him completely, her eyes fixed sharply on the necklace around Guo’er’s neck.

Guo’er hadn’t been particularly fond of the necklace at first. What she cared about was the Golden Scale Break that could make her stronger.

But after being targeted so rudely twice, a flare of indignation rose in her heart. She grasped the pendant tightly in her small hand, let out a soft snort, and glared back at Lu Yingshuang.

That glare changed everything.

Lu Yingshuang had been pampered and spoiled since birth, had never suffered the slightest grievance. Now, in her anger, she stamped her foot and cried, “Father, look, look! That wild girl is being mean to me! Please, get the necklace back for Shuang’er—it’s mine! I don’t want anyone else’s dirty hands touching it!”

Meanwhile, the cosmic primal energy surged ceaselessly into Li Miao’s body, transforming into raw vitality, gradually remaking the very structure of his being.

The two great battles at Qianyuan Mountain and with the Sun family had been both an ordeal and a stimulus. With each breath of primal energy, his strength grew at a pace visible to the naked eye. His blood flowed faster, his muscles trembled minutely, as though cheering for his own growth.

He could not yet break through all at once to the middle tier of the Mountain and River Rank, equal to a mid-stage Condensation cultivator, but the speed of his progress already filled him with joy.

He sensed that if he kept fighting, his strength would increase rapidly. Coupled with the abundance of cosmic energy in this world, his cultivation would soon reach an astonishing level.

In the past, advancing from the Mountain and River Rank to the Sky Rank might have taken over twenty years of bitter cultivation.

But now, perhaps only three or four years would suffice.

Once he reached the Sky Rank, with the might of his gene primal energy and the unparalleled power of the Milky Way Sacred Body, even facing late-stage Return to Origin cultivators, he would have a fair chance of victory.

The afternoon slipped by quickly, dusk fell, and night arrived.

Li Miao, eager to grow stronger, wasted no time. After having dinner with Guo’er and nourishing her body with his energy, he promptly returned to his cultivation.

Liu Xuanfeng had also entered seclusion, hoping to recover from his wounds and strengthen himself before the tournament began.

Consort Qi left the small courtyard as night fell, returning to the inn where she was lodging.

She had not come to Longling alone, but had brought several sisters from the Lesser Yin Sect, and could not stay here too long.

Day by day, time slipped away. In the county seat of Longling, undercurrents were surging. More than five hundred cultivators had gathered, with many journeying from distant counties just to join the excitement.

As the tournament drew near, all sorts of rumors began to circulate.

Some minor factions clashed, emotions running high and resulting in brawls. Several were injured and could no longer compete.

Others quietly withdrew from the contest, perhaps bribed or threatened by stronger forces.

Even worse, some young talents—favorites to win the under-thirty division—were found dead in nameless alleys under mysterious circumstances.

Longling had become a hidden battlefield. On the surface, the great powers called each other friends, but beneath the veneer, plots and schemes abounded. Many had already become innocent sacrifices, their young lives snuffed out.

And all this was just the prelude to the true struggle.

During these days, Li Miao went nowhere, remaining in seclusion. Aside from sharing three meals a day with Guo’er, nearly all his time was spent on cultivation.

Guo’er was very sensible, understanding that he needed to consolidate his strength before the coming battles. She stayed quietly in the courtyard, practicing on her own without a single complaint.

The small courtyard was not entirely peaceful, however.

Several times, faint presences lingered outside the gate, clearly coming to gather information. Li Miao deliberately released his aura to scare them away, preventing any disturbances.

During this period, Consort Qi returned once, saying that her sisters had been harassed by many cultivators, making it impossible to focus on their training or preparations. After much deliberation, she sent them all back to Wu’an Town, lest they become casualties like those who died in the dark alleys—a sacrifice to the rise of sects.

Thus, the Lesser Yin Sect essentially withdrew from the novice division, leaving only the contest among the strong.

Liu Xuanfeng was already forty, appearing young only due to his cultivation. Consort Qi, though seemingly youthful and beautiful, was also over thirty.

Li Miao was slightly younger, just twenty-eight. But he had no intention of entering the novice division to bully cultivators whose best only reached early Condensation.

Victory in the novice division had little bearing on the ultimate reward. Since he had agreed to help, he was determined to be of genuine use, not toiling in vain.

On the fifth night, just after dinner, Li Miao was channeling his gene energy into Guo’er to nourish her body.

She sat silently before him, accepting the flow of energy without resistance, only trust.

Suddenly, her delicate face froze, then broke into elation.

In the darkness, it was as if a wave of energy flickered past.

“I—”

She parted her lips, uttering a single sound.

Li Miao had not heard her speak in days, nor seen her smile like this in a long time. Curious, he asked, “What is it? Why are you so happy?”

Joy surged from the little girl’s eyes, and for the first time ever she brushed aside his guiding hand, stood up, and threw her arms around him.

“I can cultivate now,” she whispered tremulously in his ear. Her thin shoulders quivered, and her bright eyes brimmed with tears.

She could cultivate.

Li Miao was stunned, then overjoyed.

“Wonderful!” After more than twenty days of nurturing, he had finally helped her lay the foundation, giving this frail, delicate girl the stepping stone to the path of immortality.

“Our efforts weren’t wasted. Soon you’ll become strong,” he said, unable to contain his happiness.

“Mm, mm.” Guo’er hugged his neck, her voice shaking. “Now I can protect myself. And Master’s wish will come true.”

Xuan Zhenzi had two wishes: for Guo’er to become a cultivator, and to restore the Endcloud Mountain Sect.

Now the first was within reach; the second, perhaps not so distant.

Li Miao was genuinely glad, so much so that he momentarily forgot what to say.

Guo’er wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and said to him, “Thank you, Li Miao. In the future, I’ll protect you too.”

With those words, she released him, sat back down, and adopted a meditative posture.

She clearly intended to begin practicing the Reincarnation Lotus Mystical Method immediately.

“Wait, don’t—” Li Miao, uneasy, wanted to stop her and let her calm down first.

But Guo’er gave him no chance. She closed her eyes and began to absorb the spiritual energy around her.

She had long yearned to cultivate, and the secret teachings of the Reincarnation Lotus Mystical Method were embedded in her mind, rehearsed countless times. Now, finally having completed the foundational step, she crossed the threshold and entered meditation with astonishing ease.

Li Miao, worried for her safety, dared not stray far and kept silent watch by her side.

Soon, wisps of spiritual energy surged from all directions, converging on the small figure.

“What a powerful energy sense,” Li Miao murmured, moved by the sudden intensity of the surrounding spiritual energy.

Ji Lingyu listed fact after fact, leaving Li Miao dumbfounded.

Even Xuan Zhenzi hadn’t known these things, yet Ji Lingyu had laid them all bare in one breath.

“How do you know so much?” he couldn’t help asking.

Ji Lingyu smiled mysteriously, plucked a pear, tossed it to him, and replied with a gentle laugh, “Who do you think I am? I’m the Peach Fairy’s only true disciple—there are few things in this world unknown to me.”

Who was the Peach Fairy, truly?

Li Miao stared at the unripe pear, full of doubt.

Ji Lingyu shook her head in exasperation. “You Eastern cultivators have such narrow horizons—don’t even know my master. No matter, there’s no use talking about it. I came tonight mainly to see who was causing the spiritual disturbance. Now that I’ve seen your little girl, I’m quite interested. I want to discuss something with you.”

“What is it?” Li Miao immediately grew wary. “If you wish to take Guo’er away, I won’t agree.”

Ji Lingyu looked at him quizzically. “What is she to you? You don’t seem like father and daughter—why are you so protective?”

Anyone else would have bowed and scraped before a master of profound arts, but Li Miao stood firm, even wary—all because of that extraordinary little girl. Ji Lingyu could not fathom the reason.

Li Miao himself wasn’t sure what relationship he had with Guo’er. They were neither kin nor old friends, and had only known each other for less than a month.

Yet, all they had been through had made them the most trusted people in each other’s lives.

“I won’t let anyone take her or harm her,” Li Miao declared.

Ji Lingyu’s brows furrowed slightly.

Indeed, she wanted to take Guo’er away—the girl’s talent was so rare that even she, the Peach Fairy’s personal disciple, was tempted to teach her some extraordinary skills.

But Li Miao’s attitude made her reconsider.

“Don’t you want her to become truly powerful?” she asked.

“Of course I do,” Li Miao replied without hesitation. “But as you said, the Reincarnation Lotus Mystical Method is already an extraordinary ancient art. With that, I think it’s enough.”

“No, not nearly enough,” Ji Lingyu refuted. “A true master isn’t made by a cultivation method alone. Secret arts, treasures, unique skills, nurturing the soul, insight into the laws, even wisdom of the heart—all are essential. If she stays with you, she might seem strong for a while. But think—what can you teach her? What you know may not suit her. When you leave Pangshan County, leave Dragon Spring Prefecture, and see the wider world, you’ll realize you’ve held her back.”

She looked at Li Miao earnestly, her tone sincere.

Li Miao fell silent.

He knew she was right. True strength wasn’t built on a single method.

It was just like himself—if all he had was the Heart of the Universe, at best he could use his powerful body to defeat cultivators of the same rank, but he would never have overcome Liu Xuanfeng at mid Condensation, nor survived among the monsters of Qianyuan Mountain.