Chapter 1: Lending You a Stem of Dragon's Blood Herb

The night was as dark as ink.

In the backyard of the Alchemy Hall of the Mysterious Star Pavilion, a shadow slipped silently over the wall and landed without a sound.

The figure was none other than Chu Xing.

Chu Xing brushed the dust off his hands and grinned. Tonight’s goal was crystal clear: the century-old Dragon’s Blood Grass stored in the Alchemy Hall’s warehouse.

Everyone at the Mysterious Star Pavilion knew Chu Xing was an outright mediocre talent. Three years since joining, his cultivation was stuck at the third stage of Body Tempering, unable to condense any elemental force. Among the outer disciples, he was infamous for being the dead last.

Such a precious spirit herb would never be allocated to him according to sect rules.

But Chu Xing had recently discovered a secret remedy in some ancient texts. It wasn’t that he lacked talent; his bloodline was naturally dormant, requiring a powerful herbal force to shock his meridians and condense elemental power!

Dragon’s Blood Grass was just the perfect thing.

Begging for it was hopeless. So, Chu Xing decided to take matters into his own hands and “borrow” a stalk for himself.

He skillfully avoided several patrolling disciples and crept to the window beneath the warehouse.

Soft light glowed from inside.

Chu Xing’s heart skipped a beat. Who would still be here at this hour?

Carefully inching closer to the window, he moistened his fingertip and pierced the paper window screen, peering inside.

There, a young girl in a pale purple long dress stood with her back to him, counting herbs before the medicine cabinet.

Her figure was slender and graceful; even just her silhouette radiated an otherworldly aura.

Chu Xing’s eyes flickered as he recognized her.

Mu Wanqing.

A direct disciple unusually accepted by the Alchemy Hall elder, renowned for her mastery of fire control techniques and famed throughout the inner disciples as a genius alchemist. Beautiful, but with a cold temperament, she always wore a scowl as if everyone owed her spirit stones.

Chu Xing cursed under his breath. What on earth was she doing here so late, pretending to be diligent?

With the Dragon’s Blood Grass just a short distance away in the jade box before her, a flicker of caution stirred within Chu Xing.

Forcing his way in was out of the question; he had to try another approach.

Clearing his throat, he imitated the voice of the law enforcement captain: “Senior Sister Mu, still not resting at this hour? The Pavilion Master requests your presence—an elder from the Qingyun Sect has arrived.”

The girl inside trembled imperceptibly.

Slowly turning, she revealed a face as cold and flawless as jade, her brows knitting slightly, eyes calm like a still well but tinged with a hint of suspicion as she glanced toward the door.

“I understand.”

She responded softly, replaced the herbs, and stepped toward the warehouse door.

Now was the moment!

As Mu Wanqing turned to open the door, Chu Xing suddenly surged forward like an arrow, leaping through the open window with his gaze fixed on the jade box containing the Dragon’s Blood Grass.

But just as his fingertips were about to touch the box, a fierce gust of wind struck from the side!

Chu Xing’s scalp tingled. Without hesitation, he twisted his waist and stopped his forward momentum, rolling clumsily to the side.

A dull thud sounded as the medicine cabinet where he had just been was struck by a slender jade hand, causing it to shake thrice.

Chu Xing’s heart sank as he looked up into a pair of icy eyes.

Mu Wanqing had already returned, her beautiful face frosted with coldness, staring at him with disdain.

“Chu Xing, you have some nerve!”

How did she find out? Chu Xing was startled inwardly but kept a carefree expression and stood up boldly.

“Oh, isn’t this Senior Sister Mu? What a coincidence—I must have sleepwalked here. You go ahead, I’ll just sleepwalk back.”

He made to slip toward the window.

“Stop right there!” Mu Wanqing commanded coldly, stepping in front of him with a flicker of movement. “Sleepwalking? That’s quite a purposeful sleepwalking.”

Her gaze landed on the jade box holding the Dragon’s Blood Grass.

Chu Xing cursed silently, knowing he couldn’t bluff his way out. He spread his hands in surrender.

“Fine, I admit it. I have my eye on this herb. Senior Sister Mu, just pretend you didn’t see it, do me this favor?”

“A favor?” she laughed bitterly. “Chu Xing, a third-stage Body Tempering mediocre stuck for three years, what use have you for such a domineering herb? With your blocked meridians, aren’t you afraid it’ll burst them? What a waste of resources!”

“If I were afraid, would I even bother borrowing it?” Chu Xing retorted sharply, casting her a sideways glance full of faint provocation. “Maybe I just like living on the edge, risking my life for a beauty’s sigh.”

Mu Wanqing’s face flushed red with a mix of anger and embarrassment. She had never seen such shamelessness!

“Nonsense!” she stamped her foot angrily and instinctively took a step back to create distance. “Today, I’m taking you straight to the law enforcement hall!”

Before she finished, her hand shot out to grab Chu Xing.

Though a woman, she had reached the Qi Sea realm, her strike swift and fierce—far beyond what Chu Xing at Body Tempering third stage could handle.

Chu Xing’s heart tightened as he retreated hurriedly. In the chaos, he failed to dodge in time; Mu Wanqing caught his arm while his other hand clutched the jade box containing the Dragon’s Blood Grass.

They struggled, one trying to snatch, the other refusing to let go, locked in a stalemate.

“Let go!” Mu Wanqing scolded sharply, channeling her elemental force and suddenly pulling hard toward herself.

At that instant, a crisp crack was heard. The fragile jade box couldn’t withstand the tug between the two forces and shattered!

A small, glowing crimson grass dropped from the broken box.

“No!” Mu Wanqing’s expression turned pale.

The Dragon’s Blood Grass possessed a fierce medicinal power; once freed from the jade box’s seal, it could ignite the surrounding herbs!

A scorching, violent energy burst forth instantly from the herb!

At that moment, with the box’s resistance gone, Chu Xing’s forward momentum spiraled out of control! He cried out as his body swayed unsteadily and lunged toward her.

Before Mu Wanqing could react, Chu Xing crashed onto her, his chest pressing firmly against hers!

The soft fragrance enveloped him as he pressed tightly.

Chu Xing was stunned; his nose nearly brushed her hair, a cool yet captivating scent filling his nostrils. He even felt her body stiffen beneath him.

Mu Wanqing was completely blank-minded, pinned beneath him, her heart pounding against his chest, cheeks burning crimson.

In this intimate moment, an inconspicuous black stone bead hanging under Chu Xing’s chest suddenly heated up!

The crimson, wild medicinal power unleashed by the Dragon’s Blood Grass, as if drawn by a black hole, transformed into a red thread and crazily pierced between their tightly joined chests!

In less than a breath, the once ferocious power was completely absorbed.

Only the withered and gray root of the herb, stripped of all essence, drifted to the ground.

Chu Xing felt a scorching torrent explode inside him, releasing a muffled low moan. The warm current was converted by the black stone bead into a pure and gentle energy, fiercely cleansing his long-blocked meridians!

Boom!

It felt as if some barrier had been shattered.

The three-year stagnation in cultivation shattered in response! Inside his dantian, once scattered qi sensations rapidly condensed into a real, tangible elemental force!

Fourth stage of Body Tempering! He had done it!

“How is this possible...?”

Mu Wanqing stared at Chu Xing in disbelief, her lips slightly parted, utterly stunned.

She had witnessed with her own eyes the Dragon’s Blood Grass’s power that could overwhelm even those at the Qi Sea realm being absorbed by Chu Xing… and he had broken through on the spot?

The sudden change jolted Chu Xing awake. Realizing he was still pressing on her, he quickly stood up and stepped back to create distance.

Before either could speak, urgent footsteps and calls from law enforcement disciples sounded outside the yard.

“What’s that noise?”

“Hurry, check the warehouse!”

Chu Xing snapped back to reality, cursing inwardly. He shoved the still-dazed Mu Wanqing aside and without hesitation darted toward the window.

“Stop!” Mu Wanqing finally regained her senses, both embarrassed and angry, instinctively reaching to grab him.

Chu Xing had already half his body out the window. He turned back and lowered his voice.

“This stays between us tonight. If you dare tell anyone, I’ll say we were on a midnight date in the warehouse. Your call!”

With that, he pushed off with his legs and vanished into the darkness of the night.

Mu Wanqing stood there, stomping her foot in fury, her cheeks flushed bright red.