Qingfeng pursed his lips, his face full of grievance.

"Last time my hair came loose, I wanted to borrow her jade hairpin for a moment. She absolutely refused and even chewed me out. Said it was a gift from Elder Sun and couldn't be touched."

Mingyue set down her teacup heavily.

"That's a token of faith!"

She glared at Qingfeng, her small face tense.

"That was specially given to Guiding Peak by Elder Sun to thank Master for guidance on alchemy techniques! Bringing it to Pill Cauldron Peak to request medicine can save a lot of tedious formalities."

Mingyue pointed at Qingfeng's hair in exasperation.

"What were you going to use it for? As a hairpin? Do you have any idea that jade hairpin was carved from Extreme Cold Jade Marrow? It's extremely brittle!"

Qingfeng retorted unconvinced.

"Is it wrong for me to tie up my hair? I was just going to borrow it for a bit, it wouldn't get damaged."

"And what's your hair worth?" Mingyue struck ruthlessly. "You're jumping around all day long. If it falls and shatters, what are you going to use to pay Pill Cauldron Peak back?"

Qingfeng was choked silent.

He sullenly picked up his cup and downed the remaining half cup of honey water in one gulp.

Su Ming sat nearby, quietly listening to the two bicker.

He didn't interrupt.

This kind of innocent, scheming-free argument was absolutely impossible to see anywhere else.

He looked at the golden ripples gently shimmering in his cup.

He suddenly understood why he had gone to such lengths to establish standards, why he had risked his life to take on the Border Defense True Seal.

Immortality was indeed the ultimate goal.

But if the path to immortality was filled with nothing but deceit and treachery, nothing but blood and storms, then that kind of immortality would be far too lonely.

He wanted to survive. And he wanted to do it with dignity and stability.

He wanted to protect the peace of this Purple Bamboo Sea. To protect these friends who would offer him a bowl of medicinal porridge when he was down on his luck.

The night grew deeper.

The chirping of insects in the Purple Bamboo Sea gradually grew louder.

The coarse clay pot on the stone table was resealed by Mingyue with beeswax and properly stored away in her storage pouch.

The water in the teapot was nearly empty.

Qingfeng and Mingyue both fell silent. They both seemed a bit drowsy. The calming effects contained within the spirit honey began to take hold.

Su Ming stood up.

He smoothed his purple Daoist robe. There wasn't a speck of dust on the hem.

"It's getting late. I should be going back."

Su Ming's tone was gentle.

Qingfeng rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"You're leaving already? Not staying a bit longer?"

Mingyue also stood. The young girl looked at Su Ming, a hint of gratitude in her eyes.

"Su Ming, thank you for today. Not just for giving me the spirit honey, but also…"

She glanced at Qingfeng, not continuing further.

Su Ming smiled faintly.

"You're too kind, Senior Sister. I'm now formally a disciple of Formation Peak. If you ever have any trouble with formations in the future, feel free to come find me."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Qingfeng and Mingyue.

"Or, if anyone bullies you, you can also come find me."

These words were spoken extremely softly. Yet they carried an unshakable firmness.

Qingfeng was stunned. Mingyue was stunned too.

They suddenly realized that the youth in the purple Daoist robe standing before them was no longer the menial disciple who had needed their covert protection.

His shoulders might not be broad yet, but they were already strong enough to bear some burdens.

Su Ming didn't linger.

He turned and walked along the cobblestone path, out through the wicker fence.

The night wind blew. The Purple Bamboo Sea rustled.

Su Ming's figure gradually merged into the night. He didn't look back, his steps steady and firm.

"This kid, when he puts on an act, he really looks the part."

...

The next morning, the rising sun just peeking over the horizon.

Su Ming changed into a set of inner disciple casual robes, forgoing that eye-catching purple True Disciple robe, and headed straight for the Outer Sect Repair Hall.

The gate of Bing Character Seven Courtyard was half open.

From within the yard came Wang Defa's vigorous voice.

"Engraving formation lines requires a steady hand. Your hand's shaking like a sieve, how are you supposed to guide spiritual energy into the formation?"

"Do it again! This scrap material comes out of your monthly salary!"

Su Ming stepped over the threshold.

The furnace fire in the courtyard was blazing fiercely. Over a dozen apprentices were heads down, grappling with the broken formation plates in their hands.

Wang Defa paced with his hands behind his back, passing by a row of wooden tables.

From the corner of his eye, he caught the figure by the doorway and whipped his head around.

Upon recognizing who it was, Wang Defa's round face instantly bloomed with smiles.

He scurried over in three quick steps, bending at the waist deeply.

"Hall Master! You've arrived!"

Wang Defa sidestepped, making a 'please enter' gesture. "Please, come in. I'll have some tea prepared inside!"

The apprentices all stopped their work and looked up.

Several familiar faces straightened up and bowed in salute upon seeing Su Ming.

Su Ming waved his hand, signaling for everyone to continue.

He walked straight towards the conference hall in the back courtyard.

The interior furnishings were still the same.

Su Ming walked to the main seat and sat down, lightly tapping his fingers on the table.

Wang Defa brought over a freshly brewed pot of hot tea.

The tea water steamed with white vapor, emitting a faint scent of spirit herbs.

"How are the hall's recent earnings?" Su Ming lifted the teacup, brushing aside the floating leaves.

Wang Defa immediately drew a ledger book from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

"Thanks to the Hall Master's good fortune, business has been booming lately."

Wang Defa flipped open the ledger. "Repair orders sent in from all the peaks are already booked solid until the end of next month."

Su Ming took the ledger, his gaze sweeping over the series of figures.

The incoming and outgoing accounts were clear, and the material wastage rate was controlled to a very low level.

"What about Old Li and Zhang Asheng?" Su Ming closed the ledger.

As soon as the words left his mouth, a burst of hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door.

Old Li, holding a palm-sized copper plate in his hands, bustled eagerly over the threshold.

Zhang Asheng followed closely behind, carrying a wooden box in his hands.

"Hall Master!" Old Li scurried over to the table in three steps.

He placed the copper plate on the table. "That water-cooling formation line you suggested last time? I've modified it and completed it!"

Su Ming's gaze fell upon the copper plate.

The surface of the copper plate was engraved with three ring-shaped patterns. A low-grade water spirit stone was set into the formation core.

Su Ming extended his index finger. A faint blue light glowed at its tip.

A single drop of water condensed at his fingertip and dripped into the formation core.

The copper plate emitted a soft chime.

The three ring-shaped patterns lit up in sequence, and a wave of coolness instantly radiated outward.

"Spiritual energy flow is smooth, but there's a blockage at the flow-split node."

Su Ming withdrew his hand. "The third rune on the left. It's carved half an inch too deep."

Old Li leaned in for a closer look, then slapped his thigh.

"Ah! You're right! I'll take it back and redo it right now!"

Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Asheng pushed the wooden box in his hands towards Su Ming.

The box opened, revealing a pile of gray-white powder inside.

"Hall Master, I followed the method you instructed, mixing Sinking Star Iron slag with three medicinal herbs."

Zhang Asheng rubbed his hands together. "This powder can replace Red Essence Copper for use as the heat-conducting base in low-grade fire-type formation plates."

Su Ming pinched a pinch of powder and brought it to his nose to sniff.

"There are still too many impurities. Add one round of the water washing process."

Zhang Asheng nodded repeatedly, holding the wooden box as he retreated to the side.

Zhao Tiezhu and Qian Xiaofan poked half their heads in from outside the door.

"Come in." Su Ming spoke.