Volume One, Chapter 15: Beyond the System

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Su Haoming’s expression stiffened. “No… I only gave out one copy, right? How did they end up fighting over it?”

“That’s exactly the problem,” Lin Feixue said. “Someone noticed that the two copies you gave to Chu Tianhe and Duan Yuanba have slight differences at several key points. Chu Tianhe suspects Duan Yuanba tampered with his version, while Duan Yuanba insists his is the real one. Now both sides are at each other's throats, causing panic throughout Fengling City.”

Liu Ruoxi glanced at Su Haoming coldly. “Looks like the ‘identical’ copies someone gave were far from perfect.”

Sweat beaded on Su Haoming’s forehead as he cursed the system silently. He had been too excited at the time and had simply copied and pasted without a second thought. Who would have thought this would backfire?

“Ahem, it’s not that serious, right? Just two little fish squabbling—it won’t cause a big stir…”

“It’s no small matter,” Lin Feixue interrupted him. “The Golden Spirit Sect and the Qingyun Sect may seem small, but they each have powerful backers. Qingyun Sect relies on the City Lord’s Mansion, while the Golden Spirit Sect is cozying up to the Northern Wind Domain’s largest independent cultivator alliance, the Cold Moon Pact. If this escalates, the entire Fengling City will be dragged into chaos!”

“Then… we just won’t go to Fengling City,” Su Haoming said, still a bit bewildered.

“Idiot.” Liu Ruoxi was blunt. “Have you forgotten what we need for Foundation Establishment? Materials! Pills! Spirit Stones! Formation Arrays! Which of these can we get without going to Fengling City? If the city gets sealed off or thrown into turmoil, where will we get anything? Planning to wait for the northwest wind to bring us Foundation Establishment resources?”

Only then did Su Haoming realize, his face flushing. “Then… what do we do?”

Lin Feixue pulled a gilded invitation from her sleeve and slapped it on the stone table. “Three days from now, the City Lord of Fengling is hosting a Pill Refining Fair, inviting cultivators from all over. This is our chance to solve our urgent problems.”

“‘Pill Refining Fair’?” Liu Ruoxi picked up the invitation and examined it. “A competition among pillmasters to showcase their refining skills. Winners receive rewards from the City Lord’s Mansion and can secure orders from various sects… definitely a promising opportunity.”

Su Haoming scratched his head. “But, who among us is a pillmaster?”

Liu Ruoxi and Lin Feixue exchanged a glance.

“I know a little,” Liu Ruoxi said casually.

“I’ve studied some as well,” Lin Feixue added. “I had some exposure back in the Golden Spirit Sect—not enough to be outstanding, but enough to get by.”

“What! You two have been hiding this?” Su Haoming was stunned, feeling like a fool. “You’re both experts!”

“Don’t get your hopes up too soon,” Lin Feixue poured cold water on him. “The Pill Refining Fair will be filled with masters, many of them veteran Foundation Establishment pillmasters. We’re only at the Qi Refining stage; our cultivation level is a hard limit. Winning won’t be so easy.”

Liu Ruoxi tapped her fingers lightly on the stone table, pondering. “I have an idea… since the three of us train well together, maybe when refining pills, we could…”

“You mean… the three of us refine together?” Lin Feixue’s eyes lit up.

“Exactly,” Liu Ruoxi continued. “I’ll handle the fire timing, you manage the medicinal properties, and as for Su Haoming…”

She paused and looked at him.

“His spiritual power is unique—it can serve as a conduit to harmonize the process.”

Su Haoming’s mind went blank.

“Wait, wait! What are you talking about?”

“I’m almost forgetting what the pill furnace even looks like!”

“You don’t need to understand,” Liu Ruoxi shut him down with a single sentence. “Just act like a ‘socket,’ like when we train together.”

Lin Feixue nodded. “This method could work.”

“Three days will be enough for us to get in sync.”

When did these two suddenly become a team?

Su Haoming had a whole bunch of things he wanted to say but swallowed them back.

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“Fine, whatever you say.”

He nodded obediently but was already calculating in his mind: the three of us working together, the affinity must skyrocket! System rebates, hehe, guaranteed!

Just as the thought formed, a sharp sting pierced his mind!

His vision blurred as several lines of blood-red text flashed before his eyes:

[Warning: Significant fluctuation in soulmate relationship]

[Warning: External interference detected]

[Warning: Soulmate rebate function obstructed]

What the hell?

Su Haoming’s heart skipped a beat. He tried to focus on the text, but it vanished as suddenly as it appeared.

“Su Haoming, what’s wrong?” Liu Ruoxi’s voice sounded in his ear.

He snapped back to reality, wiping sweat from his forehead.

“Nothing, nothing,” he stammered. “Just got distracted, probably tired from practicing.”

He forced a calm smile and even lied, “By the way, I think I made some new breakthroughs in my cultivation method just now. Let’s try them out during training tomorrow.”

Lin Feixue said nothing but gave him a look that felt like she was scrutinizing something.

Liu Ruoxi didn’t press further either. She exchanged a glance with Lin Feixue, and the feeling between them… was a little strange.

“It’s late, I’ll head back first,” Lin Feixue stood up. “I’ll bring the pill furnace over tomorrow morning.”

After seeing Lin Feixue off, only the two of them remained in the courtyard.

Liu Ruoxi walked to the door but paused and turned around.

“Su Haoming.”

“Hmm?”

“Have you… encountered something unusual recently?”

Su Haoming’s heart skipped.

“No, same as always. Why?”

Liu Ruoxi stepped closer, lightly touching his wrist with her fingertip before quickly withdrawing.

“The aura around you… has changed.”

She hesitated. “Before it was chaotic; now… it’s smoother, but strange.”

“Uh, must be from practicing, haha.” Su Haoming hurriedly pulled back his hand. “You should rest early too. We have hard labor tomorrow.”

Liu Ruoxi said nothing more. She gave him a deep look, as if trying to see through him.

Then she turned and disappeared behind the door.

Su Haoming stood frozen, his heart pounding wildly.

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Back in his room, he slammed the door latch shut.

System! System!

He called out frantically in his mind.

No response.

Damn it!

Is it really broken? No rebates? Then what was all his hard work for?

Just as he scratched his head in frustration, the screen suddenly lit up again.

Not a warning this time, but a new message:

System upgrading… current progress: 5%… estimated completion time: unknown.

[During upgrade, some functions may be limited.]

[Upgrade reason: detected fluctuations in the host world’s laws.]

Su Haoming was dumbfounded.

“Up… upgrading?”

“Fluctuations in the laws? What the hell is that?”

The system interface was silent except for the progress bar, crawling slowly like a snail, moving from 5% to 5.1%.

“Damn! Couldn’t pick a worse time to upgrade!” Su Haoming groused, ruffling his hair.

Laws fluctuating… could it be the aura change Liu Ruoxi mentioned? Or something to do with Lin Feixue?

He lay back on his bed, tossing and turning.

Tonight’s events felt off, as if something sinister was at play.

Liu Ruoxi practicing swordsmanship to the point of madness in the middle of the night, Lin Feixue delivering news right on time, and then the coincidence that both of them know pill refining, acting with such perfect coordination as if rehearsed.

“These two definitely have secrets they’re hiding from me,” he muttered.

The Pill Refining Fair, pill refining, Fengling City… what are they really planning?

He touched the soulmate relationship enhancement pill still warming in his pocket.

Should he give it to Lin Feixue now? Secure the bond first?

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than another sharp pain stabbed his head!