Monsters also need to cultivate immortality scientifically (15): Crazy money!!

After leaving the secret realm, Si Qi, who had thoroughly outsmarted the Son of the World, returned to Lingxiao Sect with Chu Feng. There, he met the gathered masters of alchemy, artifact forging, and array formations who had been waiting for him.  

The masters were delighted that Si Qi had returned so quickly and eagerly crowded around him, urging, “Hurry, hurry! Help us figure out how to integrate these different crafting methods.”  

When Si Qi had first left for the secret realm, the masters had been somewhat displeased, thinking, What good could possibly come from a Nascent Soul-level secret realm? Any random treasure we give him would be worth more than whatever he could gain from this trip.  

But after seeing the luxurious attire Si Qi was now wearing, they couldn’t bring themselves to say such things out loud—after all, no matter how many treasures they gave him, could they even compare to a fraction of what his master had bestowed upon him?  

Besides, Si Qi had only entered the cultivation world a few months ago. It was perfectly normal for him to be curious about secret realms, so they hadn’t discouraged his adventurous spirit and reluctantly bid him farewell.  

They had assumed that losing the core initiator of their “research team” would only slow their progress slightly, not bring the entire project to a grinding halt.  

Yet after Si Qi left, what had once been a smooth and rapid development process suddenly became riddled with obstacles.  

On one side, the array master would say, “I need a space that facilitates the activation of the vessel array.” On the other side, the artifact-forging master would scratch his head in confusion, only understanding after much back-and-forth that what was needed was “a custom-shaped carrier that is soft in texture for easy irregular installation, blocks spiritual energy, and has an inner circle and outer square.” It took ages just to decipher what this convoluted description even meant. After spending a whole day forging it, the array master took one look and immediately shook his head. “No, no! The purpose of the vessel array is to reduce or cut off the spiritual energy supply inside the cauldron at specific times to adjust the flame intensity. How is the fire supposed to burn if it’s completely sealed? There needs to be a gap.”  

The artifact-forging master wore an expression that screamed Are you messing with me? His burly frame radiating indignation as he retorted, “First, you told me the array had to be perfectly intact, not missing a single corner, and now you’re saying it needs ventilation holes? Do you even know how to set up an array?!”  

The array master, a scholar at the mercy of a brute, could only sigh in exasperation. “Isn’t this exactly what you’re supposed to figure out? I design the array, and you forge the necessary components—”  

The artifact-forging master grumbled, “But how am I supposed to know what components you need? I don’t understand the rules of array formations… If only Young Friend Si were here—he knows both forging and arrays. He’d definitely come up with the perfect solution.”  

Hearing this, the array master nodded in heartfelt agreement.

Back when Si Qi was around, no matter what issue they discussed, even though the three groups were masters of entirely different fields and understood nothing about the other two disciplines, Si Qi acted as their interpreter, clarifying things in the middle. As a result, their work progressed incredibly smoothly, with inspiration bursting forth effortlessly. Every moment felt like a craftsman’s blood was boiling with excitement.  

But now? It was like a chicken talking to a duck—communication was a struggle, and the constant friction led to one mishap after another. Forget making progress; at one point, they nearly destroyed the half-finished prototype furnace just because they misunderstood each other’s intentions.  

Now, they missed that young man more than ever. No matter what they said to him, he always understood—and even offered countless suggestions, refining their ideas into versions better suited for alchemy or artifact forging. He was practically the perfect collaborator.  

After two miserable days, they finally realized that expecting to overturn the cultivation world’s millennia-old practices overnight and create something that combined alchemy, artifact forging, and array formations was inherently difficult. If they wanted to achieve this unprecedented innovation on their own, they needed a core figure—a soul who could guide everyone to perform at their best.  

And that person was undeniably Si Qi.  

With so many grandmasters of arrays and alchemy gathered at Lingxiao Sect, not only did the sect swell with pride over having Si Qi in their ranks, but the outside world also buzzed with speculation. Lingxiao Sect really was extraordinary—first, they mass-produced supreme-grade pills, then they allied with the Beast Taming Sect, and now, even the most revered masters from the three wealthiest (spirit stone-rich) factions in the cultivation world have all taken up residence there.  

Something world-shaking must be happening in Lingxiao Sect.  

All eyes turned toward them, eager to uncover the truth.  

And what they saw was those esteemed masters visiting the sect leader three times a day, asking, “Has Young Friend Si returned yet?” “Still not back?” “When will he be back?”  

The sect leader could only laugh helplessly. “Secret realms are unpredictable—he could return in days or years. How should I know?”  

Thus, intelligence reports circulating among those investigating the situation clearly noted the masters’ sighs: “Ah, we can’t do this without Si Qi. We’ll just have to wait for him here.”  

Instantly, interest in the name “Si Qi” skyrocketed. People scrambled to gather information about him—how he met Immortal Venerable Chu Feng, how he modified Lingxiao Sect’s thousand-year-old cultivation techniques in just a month, how he devised a method to reliably refine supreme-grade pills, how he earned the fervent admiration of grandmasters from major sects, and how his absence left them utterly lost without him…  

Finally, they discovered that after completing the secret realm in just two days and clashing with a certain Zhou cultivator (who had gained some notoriety recently), Si Qi was now on his way back to Lingxiao Sect.

Everyone perked up and immediately ordered their subordinates to keep a close watch on Lingxiao Sect’s next moves. They thought that since that young cultivator named Si Qi had returned, those grandmasters would surely be overjoyed—and once they were, they would undoubtedly rush to do something extraordinary.  

And indeed, they did plenty…  

The moment Si Qi returned to the sect, he was swarmed by groups of renowned grandmasters, each chattering in terms utterly incomprehensible to outsiders. Si Qi listened, pondered, analyzed, and then calmly responded.  

Those who received his answers leapt with excitement, muttering to themselves while scribbling and sketching furiously.  

The sect leader watched in amazement as these previously gloomy-faced grandmasters, just from the appearance of one young man, had their frustrations swept away in an instant. Work that had been stalled for so long suddenly roared back to life. He couldn’t help but marvel inwardly: Immortal Venerable Chu Feng really struck gold with this disciple.  

This was undoubtedly a figure whose future achievements would rival even Immortal Chu Feng’s. With him, Lingxiao Sect’s position as the cultivation world’s top sect would remain unshaken for millennia to come.  

In just ten short days—thanks to the united efforts of grandmasters who fearlessly worked overtime, pushing themselves to the limits—the “fully automated pill furnace” of Si Qi’s vision was finally completed.  

It boasted over a dozen meticulously designed arrays by the array masters, effortlessly adapting to any alchemical condition. The forging masters had poured their all into crafting the perfect vessel, ensuring that no matter how many arrays operated simultaneously, they wouldn’t interfere or collapse. And the alchemy masters had guided the entire process, contributing the new pill formulas Si Qi had taught them, bringing the project to a flawless conclusion!  

Everyone eagerly gathered around the small furnace, eyes shining with anticipation as they looked at Si Qi.  

With a faint smile, Si Qi didn’t disappoint. He stepped forward, took the materials for the most familiar pill—the Spirit Recovery Pill—and placed them into the pre-prepared “input chamber,” neatly sorted. Then, after inserting enough spirit stones, he activated the arrays that automatically lit up once powered, setting parameters like timing and heat intensity.  

Finally, he pressed the “start” button.  

And just like that—it was done.  

The entire process took no more than a few breaths.  

Even with ample mental preparation, the grandmasters couldn’t help but widen their eyes. The blunt forging master blurted out, “That’s it? It’s that simple?! I always thought alchemy was some ultra-precise, brain-melting work—who knew…”  

“Alchemy is an extremely precise craft requiring vast knowledge!” The alchemy masters, perhaps the most exhilarated of them all, flushed with excitement, their voices rising. “But now it’s different! With this furnace, alchemy will never be difficult again!”  

The forging master glanced at them and couldn’t resist asking, “Aren’t you worried this furnace might undermine your status?”  

The question was somewhat delicate. The alchemy masters fell silent for a moment before shaking their heads with wry smiles. “Even if we tried to stop it, do you really think this furnace wouldn’t have been created anyway?”

“Moreover, to witness—and even participate in—such a revolution in my lifetime is an honor. Every alchemy master, past or future, would surely envy my fortune! If I were them, I’d be green with envy—after all, this is a monumental breakthrough that will redefine the entire history of alchemy!”  

“Exactly! And even with this furnace, our status won’t necessarily decline. We remain the foremost authorities in alchemy. Future formula refinements, research, detoxification methods, and custom pill formulations will still require our expertise.”  

“Right, right!”  

Seeing the alchemy masters so unbothered, the others shared knowing smiles, relieved for their collaborators. None of them wanted their joint creation to ruin their colleagues’ livelihoods.  

But just as they thought this, the previously noble and selfless alchemy masters suddenly let out soft, gleeful chuckles, muttering to themselves:  

“I helped invent this furnace—I get a 0.5% royalty on every pill it produces. From now on, I can rake in spirit stones without even lifting a finger… Hehehe, hehehe…”  

Everyone: “………………”  

So that’s what you were really thinking!!!  

The idea of earning mountains of spirit stones passively was so intoxicating that the masters’ faces flushed even redder than when the furnace was first completed—their excitement now eclipsed even that milestone!  

Half an hour later, a “beep—” sounded from the furnace—a modified sonic array designed by the formation masters to signal completion.  

Snapped out of their daydreams, the group turned their attention back to the furnace. Si Qi stepped forward, placed a jade vial at the “output” slot, and pressed the “eject” button. A series of crisp “ding-ding” chimes followed as pill after pill rolled into the vial.  

Everyone crowded around as Si Qi lifted the bottle. The familiar medicinal aroma already told them what to expect, but they needed to see it with their own eyes to believe it.  

Si Qi poured the contents into his palm. The moment they saw it, the room erupted in triumphant laughter.  

—  

A few hours later, the sect leaders and elders of Lingxiao Sect, Beast Taming Sect, Bloodburn Sect, and others rushed to the mountain where Si Qi and the grandmasters had gathered.  

Under the agonized scrutiny of external spies, they debated deep into the night.  

By dawn, the elders returned to their respective sects, mobilizing every disciple and craftsman—forgers forged, formation masters carved arrays, and alchemists prepared ingredients in a frenzy of activity.  

A week later, the three sects finally paused, their faces glowing with satisfaction. Anyone could tell something extraordinary had happened.  

The world burned with curiosity: What were these sects up to? Why such a grand, secretive operation?  

Then, the next morning, disciples of Beast Taming Sect fanned out across the cultivation world’s major cities. Before stunned crowds, they unveiled tens of thousands of supreme-grade pills in one go.  

—Tens. Of. Thousands.  

It was debatable whether the entire history of the cultivation world had ever produced so many supreme-grade pills in total—yet here they were, flooding the market overnight, in every variety imaginable, from the most common to the rarest!  

Auction house staff nearly fainted. Cultivators lucky enough to witness the event lost their minds. Buyers who’d once struggled to obtain even a single supreme-grade pill now emptied their savings, terrified this might be a one-time liquidation.  

Ironically, instead of prices dropping due to the surplus, the frenzy drove them higher—each pill sold for an average of 100+ spirit stones more than before!  

The four sects were drowning in profit.  

While Beast Taming Sect, Bloodburn Sect, and the formation-focused sect had handled production and sales, Lingxiao Sect’s contribution seemed minimal—at least on the surface.  

All they’d done was send one person: Si Qi, who spent half a month brainstorming with the grandmasters.  

And now? Rivers of spirit stones flowed endlessly into their vaults—a golden age that would last for centuries, even millennia.  

The sect leader and elders were beside themselves, laughing so hard they couldn’t even meditate. Joy radiated from every peak of Lingxiao Sect, and the disciples could feel the prosperity in the air.

After a quick inquiry, everyone learned that the flood of supreme-grade pills in the cultivation world was the result of their martial uncle Si Qi collaborating with other sects. Thanks to Si Qi’s efforts, Lingxiao Sect now had an inexhaustible “spirit stone mine,” ensuring the sect would never face financial woes again. Overjoyed, the disciples couldn’t stop praising Si Qi’s brilliance to their peers, boasting how they’d always known their martial uncle was extraordinary—destined to become the sect’s pride and glory. Their admiration poured out endlessly!  

Si Qi spent the next few days resting at the sect, clinging to Chu Feng like a spoiled kitten, demanding kisses and cuddles to “make up for their painful separation.”  

“Chu Feng, look! You didn’t kiss me earlier, and now I cut my finger while holding a cup!” Si Qi frantically rushed over, fearing the tiny wound would heal before he could milk it for sympathy.  

Chu Feng, having indulged his disciple’s physical affection a bit too much lately, was starting to feel it might be… inappropriate. So now, when Si Qi made especially bold requests, he’d awkwardly refuse.  

This displeased Si Qi greatly. They were already in a relationship! How could Chu Feng still be so shy, avoiding even the slightest intimacy? If he didn’t take the initiative, would they spend the next century stuck in chaste, hand-holding purgatory?!  

Pouting, Si Qi pointed at the already-healed “wound” and the single droplet of blood: “Ten fingers are connected to the heart! My heart aches—shattered by your coldness!”  

Chu Feng: “…………”  

This little rascal’s dramatics knew no bounds.  

Chu Feng straightened, adopting a stern tone. “I understand you’re young and clingy, so I’ve allowed holding hands and embraces. But kisses… those are reserved for the most intimate bonds. You—”  

Si Qi’s eyes widened. “What?! Aren’t we intimate enough?!”  

Weren’t they already boyfriends?!  

Did Chu Feng seriously expect them to wait until they’d formally sworn a Daoist oath before kissing?! Ugh, these prudish cultivation world customs! The demon realm would never tolerate such nonsense!  

Chu Feng rubbed his temples. “Our (master-disciple) bond is indeed close, but this is different…”  

Si Qi grumbled, “It’s just a ceremony…”  

So stubborn.  

Chu Feng blinked. “Ceremony?”  

Si Qi nodded. “Mhm. But since we’re master and disciple, holding one so soon might seem improper, no?”  

Many cultivation worlds had an unspoken rule: once a cultivator reached the Void Tribulation stage, they could establish their own lineage and address their former master as an equal. By then, whether they became friends or Dao companions hardly mattered—anyone reaching that realm was millennia-old, their past relationships long faded into irrelevance. No one would dare gossip about such lofty figures anyway.  

Chu Feng tilted his head, utterly lost: “?”  

Si Qi mirrored the gesture, equally confused: “?”  

For a while now, their interactions had been hilariously misaligned. One thought they were behaving as proper lovers; the other rationalized the clinginess as “petting an affectionate spirit beast.”  

Now, staring at each other in mutual bewilderment, a creeping realization dawned: Something was very, very off.  

Si Qi blinked away the odd feeling and casually asked, “Oh right, Chu Feng—what cultivation level do I need to reach before I can marry my master in this world?”  

Rules varied across realms, so he wasn’t sure.  

Chu Feng jolted as if struck by lightning, his voice cracking: “WHAT?!”  

Si Qi: “Huh?”  

He stated matter-of-factly, “Become Dao companions, obviously. Don’t tell me you don’t want to marry me?”  

Then, bonelessly draping himself over Chu Feng’s rigid frame, he looped his arms around the man’s waist and peered up with puppy-dog eyes, pouting:  

“You’ve taken so many liberties with me already—you can’t just ruin me and abandon me, understand?”  

Chu Feng’s lips parted. His soul left his body.  

When—when had he ever “taken liberties”?! If anything, he was the one being harassed daily by this sticky little menace! Who was the victim here?!

Si Qi traced idle circles on Chu Feng’s chest with his finger: “Otherwise, I’ll be heartbroken. And not just heartbroken—I’ll haunt you for life, clinging to you until you learn how terrifying the price of abandoning me can be!”  

Then, with exaggerated theatrics, he bared his tiny fangs at Chu Feng, mimicking a fierce (but utterly adorable) tiger’s growl: “Rawrr~!”  

Objectively speaking? It was ridiculously cute.  

Chu Feng: “………………”  

Chu Feng was stunned.  

He’d just… taken in a disciple. How had his entire future marriage been decided without his consent?!  

Si Qi, putting on the perfect act of a wronged yet understanding lover, sighed: “I’ve wanted to sleep with you for ages, but you always bundle yourself up like a mummy and won’t let me touch you. Tsk, human cultivators are so stiff—what’s the big deal anyway~?”  

Chu Feng short-circuited.  

He’d genuinely thought his little disciple was just clingy—a former spirit beast who didn’t understand human boundaries, innocently seeking comfort at night. Sure, the restless groping had been… problematic, but he’d chalked it up to childish mischief!  

Had Si Qi actually been trying to seduce him this whole time?!  

Chu Feng would never look at their shared bed the same way again.  

His neck stiff, he glanced down at the creature nestled in his arms—lips rosy, teeth pearly, grinning up at him with saccharine sweetness. It felt surreal, like a dream, his mind a tangled mess.  

And just as his thoughts spiraled, the boy cheerfully launched into a detailed discussion: how to cultivate faster to marry him sooner, how to “bend the rules a little” before the ceremony for some mutually enjoyable activities…  

Even Chu Feng’s ascetic resolve crumbled under such brazen talk, his ears burning crimson.  

“I—you—” He wanted to explain that he’d never considered them more than master and disciple—that no improper thoughts had ever crossed his mind.  

But two words in, Si Qi saw right through him. The boy’s eyes narrowed: “If you didn’t like me, why’d you always pet and hug me? Even a three-year-old knows that’s not normal! Do you think I’m dumber than a toddler? You groped me all over, took advantage of me—and here I am, a fresh young beauty, willing to overlook your advanced age, yet you dare think of ditching me?!”  

Chu Feng hung his head, utterly defenseless.  

Si Qi huffed. “Not like you’d have the guts to scam me anyway. Fine, fine—I get it, you’re just shy~ Don’t worry, I’ll court you from now on~~~”  

Not his first rodeo, after all!  

Every world’s innocent Chu Feng inevitably fell prey to the seasoned hunter Si Qi!!  

The moment “courting” was mentioned, Chu Feng’s heartbeat stuttered. Watching the boy’s vibrant expressions—pouting, grinning, alive with emotion—a strange heat pooled in his chest, his throat parched.  

For a fleeting second, an indescribable urge surged through him, mirroring the day they’d first met: Take him. Keep him. Never let go.  

The thought of a future together… didn’t seem unpleasant.  

In fact, the more he reflected, the more he realized—his usual aversion to touch had never applied to Si Qi.  

Hadn’t he been the one to initiate their closeness in the first place…?  

Chu Feng’s ears burned hotter. As Si Qi chattered away, brimming with life, the corners of his lips curled—just slightly—into a helpless, happy little smile.