Liu Qingchan lowered her head, stirring the porridge with a spoon: “A few days ago, I asked Second Aunt to teach me…”
Qin Guiya felt a warmth in his heart.
Although hundred-flower cakes were common snacks on Thousand Eye Island, they were rare for a branch Family residing on Peach Forest Island.
Liu Qingchan must have put in a lot of effort to learn how to make them.
“It’s delicious.”
He praised her sincerely, and seeing the sparkle in Liu Qingchan’s eyes, he suddenly felt the cake in his mouth become even sweeter.
After breakfast, Qin Guiya changed into a blue Magical Robe.
This was the standard attire for a Qin Family Golden Core cultivator, with three silver lines embroidered on the cuffs, representing his Golden Core cultivation.
As Liu Qingchan tied his belt, her fingers brushed against his waist, and both of them paused simultaneously.
“I’ll be back by evening.”
Qin Guiya held her wrist and placed a Jade Slip in her palm.
“This is the 《Basic Alchemy Formulae》; take a look first. If you don’t understand anything… I’ll teach you when I return.”
Liu Qingchan clutched the Jade Slip tightly: “This concubine will definitely study it diligently.”
Stepping out of the Immortal Cave, Qin Guiya summoned his flying Spiritual Artifact—a three-foot-long azure jade boat.
This was a mode of transport bestowed by the Family when he advanced to Golden Core, merely a Rank 2 High Grade Spiritual Artifact.
Its speed was neither fast nor slow, perfectly suited for a collateral Disciple like him.
【The Ranks of weapons used by Cultivators: Rank 1 Magical Artifact, Rank 2 Spiritual Artifact, Rank 3 Magic Treasure, Rank 4 Spirit Treasure, Rank 5 and above are Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures. Each Rank is divided into Low Grade, Medium Grade, High Grade, and Peak Grade.】
Peach Forest Island gradually receded into the morning mist.
Qin Guiya stood at the bow of the boat, looking down at the scattered small islands below.
Within the thirty million li sea area controlled by the Qin Family, there were over twenty secondary islands like Peach Forest Island, each guarded by a Soul Transformation Elder and inhabited by three to five collateral Bloodlines.
“The three branches of Peach Forest Island…”
Qin Guiya calculated in his mind.
Aside from their branch, led by his Second Uncle Qin Faha, a Nascent Soul Late Stage Cultivator, there were two other branches led by Family Elders.
The three families combined had over eight hundred people, with no more than fifty Golden Core Cultivators; the rest were mostly juniors in the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement Stage.
The azure jade boat passed through layers of clouds and mist, and the outline of an island gradually appeared in the sea ahead.
This island was specifically for teleportation, as the Qin Family controlled an area thirty million li in circumference.
Over such a vast area, only Soul Transformation Cultivators could arrive within one or two hours.
More than ninety-nine percent of the Qin Family’s low-level Cultivators naturally needed internal teleportation arrays.
After a series of teleports, he finally arrived on a giant island.
Thousand Eye Island—the location of the Qin Family’s three Main Branches and also the retreat of the Void Refining Old Ancestor.
The entire island was shaped like an open eye, with the central mountain range as the raised pupil, and over a dozen Spiritual Veins radiating outwards like the Texture of an eye.
Standing on the teleportation array, a rich Spiritual Qi assailed him, at least ten times stronger than on Peach Forest Island!
“As expected of the Main Family…”
Qin Guiya took a deep breath.
Thousand Eye Island had strict rules; non-Main Branch Disciples and non-Soul Transformation Cultivators were not allowed to fly freely on the island.
Stepping onto the Main Island, Qin Guiya clearly felt the gazes from all around.
The Magical Robes of those Main Branch Disciples were more luxurious, with shining golden threads on their cuffs. When they looked at collateral branches like him, their eyes always carried a subtle sense of superiority.
“Senior Brother Guiya?”
A slightly surprised voice came from behind him.
Qin Guiya turned and saw a delicate-looking female Cultivator, dressed in a Magical Robe similar to his, with three silver lines on her cuffs—Golden Core Middle Stage.
“Junior Sister Qin.” He nodded in greeting.
Qin Muqing was a Genius from another branch on Peach Forest Island. She reached Golden Core at sixty and was already in the Middle Stage of cultivation at just over a hundred years old, making her quite famous among the collateral branches.
Within the Qin Family, if two Cultivators were from the same branch, they would use titles like Old Ancestor, Grandfather, Uncle, or Elder/Junior Brother/Sister.
If they were from different branches, they would use terms like Senior Brother, Junior Martial Uncle, Grandmaster, or Old Ancestor, similar to how a Sect operates.
Qin Muqing looked at him curiously: “Senior Brother rarely comes to the Main Island, is it for…”
“To exchange for some Pill Formulae.”
Qin Guiya did not wish to elaborate.
“Pill Formulae?”
Qin Muqing’s eyes lit up, “Senior Brother is interested in the Dao of Alchemy? Coincidentally, I’ve also been studying it recently…”
Qin Guiya’s heart stirred.
The branch Qin Muqing belonged to had a Rank 3 Alchemist, who was highly respected on Peach Forest Island.
If they could exchange some pointers… “After I finish my business, perhaps we can converse.” He said politely.
Bidding farewell to Qin Muqing, Qin Guiya went straight to the Scripture Pavilion.
It was a seven-story pagoda-shaped building, constructed entirely of azure jade.
At the entrance sat a white-haired Old Man, meditating with his eyes closed.
“Disciple Qin Guiya, requests an audience with the Elder guarding the Pavilion.”
Qin Guiya bowed respectfully and presented his identity Jade Token.
The Old Man didn’t even lift his eyelids:
“Collateral Disciples may enter the first three floors. Each Cultivation Technique exchanged requires corresponding Contribution Points.”
“Disciple understands.”
Stepping into the Scripture Pavilion, the vast sea of Jade Slips made Qin Guiya’s breathing hitch.
The first floor contained various miscellaneous studies, the second Cultivation Techniques, and the third held Legacy of skills such as Pill Formulae and Talismans.
He headed directly to the third floor, stopping in the “Pill” section.
“《Collection of Rank 2 Pill Formulae》, three hundred Contribution Points…”
“《Water-Fire Alchemy Art》, five hundred Contribution Points…”
“《Experience in Refining Perfect Pills》, two hundred Contribution Points…”
Qin Guiya checked his identity Jade Token, which contained one thousand two hundred Contribution Points.
These were all the Contribution Points he had left.
Previously, to exchange for the Golden Cloud Barrier-Breaking Pill, he not only spent tens of thousands of Contribution Points left by his father but also added two hundred thousand Spirit Stones he had accumulated.
After a moment of hesitation, he chose 《Collection of Rank 2 Pill Formulae》 and 《Essence of a Hundred Herbs》, which specifically recorded the processing of Spirit Medicine, costing a total of five hundred points.
“Seven hundred left…”
Qin Guiya gritted his teeth and exchanged for another Divine Sense Fire Control Art》.
The most crucial aspect of Alchemy was fire control. Although this technique was expensive at six hundred points, it was absolutely worth it in the long run.
After the exchange, the Elder guarding the Pavilion suddenly opened his eyes:
“Few collateral Disciples study the Dao of Alchemy. Are you sure?”
“Disciple is sure.”
Qin Guiya replied firmly.
The Old Man said no more, simply waving his hand to copy the contents of the three Jade Slips into blank Jade Slips, while the original copies flew back to the bookshelf.
Qin Guiya took the copied Jade Slips and put them into his storage ring.
The next stop was Danxia Hall.
Danxia Hall was also a top priority for the Qin Family.
This was where Qin Family Alchemists accepted Alchemy tasks and exchanged for Medicinal Pill resources, located in a cluster of red buildings on the west side of Thousand Eye Island.
The Spirit Plant Hall that Qin Guiya had visited before was merely a collateral branch hall on Peach Forest Island.
As soon as he stepped in, a rich medicinal fragrance assailed him.
The hall was bustling, with many Alchemists exchanging tasks.
Qin Guiya walked to the “Rank 1 Task” area and checked the hanging water screen:
“Refine thirty furnaces of Nourishing Qi Pills, with at least six pills per furnace, reward sixty Contribution Points…”
“Long-term acquisition of Qi Gathering Pills, two Contribution Points per five to ten pills depending on quality…”
“Seeking perfect quality Blue Sprout Pills, eight Contribution Points per pill…”
(One Contribution Point is worth at least ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones, occasionally one or two more.)