119 Enlightening Dew of the Path

For several days, the two lingered close together in the cave abode, chatting about everything under the sun, sharing experiences from their journeys outside and insights on cultivation, completely unaware of the passage of time. Yet, throughout, Pei Luanjing never realized that, after a certain parting, her senior apprentice brother had already changed.

It was only on the fifth day that she reluctantly bade farewell to Pang Yue and returned to her own cave to continue her cultivation. Meanwhile, Pang Yue set out to visit Cao Jingzong, the true disciple at the Enforcement Pavilion. The two enjoyed a lively conversation.

Cao Jingzong invited him to attend a pill banquet one year later, hosted by Murong Shao, one of the Ten True Disciples of Tianjian Sect. There, Pang Yue would be introduced to many prominent figures within their circle. Pang Yue gladly accepted and then returned to Yunxiao Peak to resume cultivation.

The Taibai Gengjin Gourd Sword Technique and the Minor Cultivation Xuanyuan Dao Fruit Scripture were both time-consuming arts. Additionally, he continued to refine the Dingxuan Mirror, making his days full and rewarding.

Pei Luanjing often visited his cave, bringing various spirit delicacies and sweets she had personally prepared, inviting him to taste them. Accompanied by this beautiful junior sister, and drawing on the energy of Taibai Gengjin and high-grade spirit stones, Pang Yue’s cultivation soared rapidly!

...

Five months later, he brazenly entered the sixth realm of the Dao Foundation stage!

Eleven months later, he broke through once more to the seventh realm of Dao Foundation, officially becoming a late-stage Dao Foundation cultivator!

The mid-to-late stage barriers that once troubled his original self were like a thin membrane to his clone—easily pierced.

He had already refined nearly half of the Taibai Gengjin energy, forging ninety-nine streams of Gengjin sword qi, all comparable to top-tier magical flying swords, some even surpassing them. The Dingxuan Mirror had been refined into a superior magical artifact and would soon break through to an exquisite one.

After such arduous training, his strength had transformed dramatically compared to when he first returned to Tianjian Sect.

Fortunately, his original self’s cultivation with Ye Xue also progressed smoothly, with no falling behind.

One day, sitting cross-legged in his cave, Pang Yue suddenly felt an unusual stirring in his body’s Heaven and Earth acupoints.

Diving into his consciousness, he saw a strange tree slowly sprouting and swiftly standing tall.

The curious tree stood about thirty feet high. Its lower half was covered in blue-green scales like iron, with a thick, rough bark. The upper half bore no branches but was crowned with dense clusters of long, broad, banana-like emerald leaves stretching nearly twenty feet.

In the center of the foliage grew a golden stalk about a foot tall, topped with several snow-white spirit flowers.

Beneath one of the blossoms, astonishingly, hung a golden, elongated hexagonal fruit about the size of a fist!

“Could this be the Dao Fruit produced by cultivating the Minor Cultivation Xuanyuan Dao Fruit Scripture?” Pang Yue’s mind stirred. A shard of his divine sense flew out, enveloping the golden fruit, gently plucking it down.

Within the cave, a radiant light shimmered before him as the golden fruit slowly materialized.

The fruit seemed both real and illusory, imparting an uncanny sensation.

Pang Yue opened his mouth wide and swallowed the golden fruit.

A chill arose, his sea of consciousness cooling slightly, and a profound thought surfaced.

With a slight meditation, this thought transformed into an extensive article of tens of thousands of words within his consciousness: The Method to Brew Enlightenment Jade Dew!

The entire treatise detailed the brewing of a spiritual wine called Enlightenment Jade Dew, using thirteen kinds each of spirit fruits, spirit rice, and spirit flowers as raw materials, aided by a mysterious formation to carry out the fermentation.

This wine had a single purpose: to comprehend the Heavenly Dao!

Pang Yue rose and paced within his cave, deep in thought.

To comprehend the Heavenly Dao was far beyond his reach—even for a Great Golden Core cultivator, it remained unattainable.

Only a Nascent Soul expert could begin to grasp the Heavenly Dao, borrowing its power to nourish themselves.

These insights he had gleaned from countless tomes and secrets within the Demonic Illusion Realm.

Ordinary Dao Foundation cultivators could not even conceive of such truths.

“This wine might sell well in the You Tian market...” Pang Yue suddenly stopped, murmuring to himself.

...

In Pei Luanjing’s cave, within an antique and elegant study, the charming and statuesque junior sister stood before a wide desk. Tilted slightly, she lifted her delicate face and smiled as she painted.

“Senior brother, how do you find my painting?” she asked.

Pang Yue stepped closer and saw that she had painted “Mist-Shrouded River Mountains.”

The painting depicted a vast, empty river enveloped in mist, stretching far and wide. At the left riverbank, layers of towering mountains rose. The expansive river’s calmness contrasted sharply with the towering, profound mountains.

Her brushwork was gentle, clean, and clear. After outlining with ink, she applied light ink washes, followed by green-blue tinting, then heavier strokes for texture, and finally touches of moss.

Pang Yue noticed that her technique contained a subtle and profound sword intent, evoking a return to simplicity amid infinite transformations.

Originally intending to inquire about the spirit fruits, rice, and flowers needed to brew the Enlightenment Jade Dew, Pang Yue could not resist stepping closer, wrapping a hand gently around her slender waist from behind.

Their hips pressed together; Pei Luanjing’s fair cheeks flushed slightly as she chided, “Senior brother...”

Pang Yue took the brush from her hand and sketched a solitary boat on the river in the painting’s center, atop which sat an old fisherman.

Then, at the scroll’s edge, he wrote:

“Mountains without bird flights,
Paths without human traces,
A lone boat, a straw-clad old man,
Fishing alone in the cold river snow.”

Between the lines and strokes flowed a lofty, ethereal sword intent, perfectly complementing the poem’s mood.

Pei Luanjing’s bright eyes grew serious as she stared at the painting, then finally turned to ask, “Senior brother, when did you learn to write poetry?”

Pang Yue’s expression remained calm. “A fortunate inspiration.”

At last, he produced a jade slip and pressed it to Pei Luanjing’s smooth, fair forehead.

“Junior sister, do you know where to find these materials?”

Held in his embrace, Pei Luanjing felt shy yet warm. Using her divine sense to scan, she replied curiously, “These spirit materials aren’t rare... I have some here, and the rest should be available in the sect’s market. What does senior brother plan to do?”

Knowing her fondness for tinkering with spirit flowers and fruits during cultivation, Pang Yue was glad he came to her first.

What surprised him was how unremarkable the spirit ingredients for brewing Enlightenment Jade Dew were. It seemed the true secret lay in the formation that assisted the brewing.

Releasing her, he smiled. “I intend to brew a spiritual wine. If you have free time, care to accompany me to the sect’s market?”

Pei Luanjing’s almond-shaped eyes shimmered like water as she smiled brightly. “I won’t accompany you for nothing—you must treat me to the spirit delicacies at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.”

Pang Yue chuckled. “Senior brother has plenty of spirit stones; I only worry you won’t know how to enjoy them.”

Pei Luanjing snorted, turning and leaving the study. “I’ll change clothes; wait for me a moment.”

Pang Yue’s face twisted into a strange expression as he watched her disappear, then after a moment’s thought, followed her out.

...

Two hours later, a pair of figures soared from Yunxiao Peak, merging their light into one, heading straight toward the Tianjian Sect’s market.

On the horizon, the sun was setting.

The evening glow stained the sea and sky with crimson clouds, resembling a magnificent and beautiful painting.

Amid this radiant interplay between sea and sky, their light streaked like a bright, slender thread, gliding smoothly and leisurely with an air of calm ease.