Chapter 128

Chapter 128: Wind Moves Without a Trace

Back in the room, after Lin Xin left, Zhou Luo pasted spiritual symbols on the windows for extra security, preventing eavesdropping.

"You truly are meticulous."

Wang Yu Wei rested her chin on her right hand, beautiful eyes gleaming as she watched him.

Ever since their first encounter, his caution had been evident.

Including during their subsequent meetings.

He struck her as someone who never acted without absolute confidence or substantial gain.

"Without vigilance, you’d die without knowing how."

Sitting opposite her, Zhou Luo spoke with grave seriousness.

In this world of survival of the fittest, a mere Qi Refinement cultivator like him faced a monster that devoured bones whole.

To survive required playing it safe.

After all, with his extended lifespan, if he couldn’t defeat others, he could simply outlast them.

Wang Yu Wei smiled faintly and slid a jade slip across the table.

"I’ll trade this movement technique this time," she said softly.

"What grade?" Zhou Luo inquired, eyeing the jade slip.

"Upper-grade Qi Refinement," Wang Yu Wei replied truthfully.

Zhou Luo’s eyes brightened; an upper-grade technique was acceptable.

He took the jade slip and unsealed it.

Four radiant characters were imprinted inside:

"Wind Moves Without a Trace"

Light burst forth as a miniature figure appeared, demonstrating the entire technique.

After a glance, Zhou Luo resealed it and drew a vial of Bi Shui Dan from his robe.

"Thirty pills—enough until our next meeting," Zhou Luo stated.

Wang Yu Wei’s face lit up. She swiftly stored the vial in her storage bag before lifting her gaze.

"The next Spiritual Pill Conference?" she asked.

"Approximately," Zhou Luo nodded.

Having gained a year’s cultivation unexpectedly, he estimated reaching the fifth layer of Qi Refinement in about a year.

Hearing these words, Wang Yu Wei looked astonished.

His willingness to leave implied achieving the fifth layer.

Yet she recalled him being only at the fourth layer of Qi Refinement before departing the Immortal Sect.

Such rapid progress?

Didn’t Lin Xin say he had a Ninth Grade spiritual root?

"Good, earlier is better. But what if someone finds the Dragon Blood Grass first?" Wang Yu Wei pressed.

"So what if it’s found? There are always other clues to pursue." Zhou Luo said with an air of nonchalance.

These words made Wang Yu Wei’s eyes light up. She stared at him, a slight smile curling her lips. "So you did find many clues on the fourth level. Care to share?"

Zhou Luo raised an eyebrow slightly. "And what will you offer in exchange?"

Wang Yu Wei’s smile froze, replaced by acute embarrassment.

"Aren’t the odds better with more people?" she ventured, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

"If I need your help, I’ll say so. Let the Third Young Lady in, will you?"

Zhou Luo dropped the subject.

He had indeed discovered many clues on the fourth level. Some he couldn’t verify immediately and would have to revisit later.

Soon, Lin Xin entered the room, her gaze sweeping intently between the two of them.

"Third Young Lady, we have decided to leave one year from now. We won’t attend the next Spiritual Pill Conference either," Zhou Luo stated seriously.

"As you wish."

For Lin Xin, however, the unspoken secret between them mattered far more.

Yet if Wang Yu Wei remained silent, Zhou Luo would certainly reveal nothing.

Besides, he was eager to return and study that manual on Upper-grade Qi Refinement.

"If that’s all, I shall take my leave first."

Zhou Luo did not linger. Having obtained what he came for, he departed.

After all, this was the Third Young Lady’s private chamber. Staying too long could arouse suspicion.

The moment he was gone, Lin Xin couldn’t hold back. "What were you two discussing just now?"

Wang Yu Wei offered a placid smile. "Patience. I’ll explain everything in time."

…

Outside the manor, a figure waited silently in the shadows.

At last, Zhou Luo reappeared. The watcher observed him retracing his steps but did not follow.

It continued waiting.

Finally, when members of the Wang Family emerged from the manor, a strange glimmer of light flickered in the watching eyes.

"Zhou Luo," murmured Lin Xuanfeng from the gloom. "Just what are you plotting?"

He had sent people to tail Zhou Luo ever since the young man began procuring body refinement materials.

Thus, the moment Zhou Luo entered the core district, Lin Xuanfeng was alerted and stationed himself here.

Regrettably, this was the Tenth Elder’s residence, protected by formidable barriers—impossible to infiltrate.

Still, he caught a critical hint.

At such a pivotal moment, Zhou Luo meeting with people from the Wang Family… there must be a significant secret behind it.

Lin Xuanfeng didn’t yet know their plan. But it had ignited his intense curiosity.

Watching Wang Yu Wei leave, he quietly followed behind.

Elsewhere, upon returning to Zhou Garden, Zhou Luo immediately retrieved that movement technique.

It was a wind-attribute cultivation technique.

Unrolling the jade slip, the miniature figure reappeared and began its demonstration.

Zhou Luo watched intently, aiming to familiarize himself with the technique’s oral formulas first.

As an Upper-grade Qi Refinement level technique, fully mastering it would require considerable time.

After all, it didn’t grant effortless mastery like those obtained through rewards; it demanded diligent practice.

There was nothing to be done.

One couldn’t expect reward draws to always be favorable or yield what one desired.

Since some things could be obtained directly, there was no need to waste draw opportunities.

It was crucial to remember that each reward draw opportunity came with significant difficulty.

A few days later, the Spiritual Pill Conference commenced as scheduled.

Members of the Five Great Long-Life Families and countless loose cultivators began vying for the places to attend the Immortal Sect.

Surprisingly, the Lu Family also appeared, seemingly unconcerned about their bitter rivals, the Lin Family, targeting them.

This was primarily due to the Immortal Sect’s influence.

Since the Spiritual Pill Conference was organized by the Immortal Sect, if the Lin Family attacked the Lu Family during this time, they would face severe punishment from the sect.

Therefore, not only could the Lin Family not move against the Lu Family, they were obligated to ensure their safety.

For this Spiritual Pill Conference, the Lin Family sent Lin Nian, the disciple who previously accompanied Lin Zhi Shou.

Before Zhou Luo appeared, Lin Nian had been the disciple by Lin Zhi Shou’s side for cultivation.

Unfortunately, Lin Zhi Shou later favored Zhou Luo for his superior talent.

As for Lin Nian, he possessed talent. Through years of quiet hard work, he still became a middle first-level Pill Master.

Because it was only the second year, the competition wasn’t as fierce, but Lin Nian still didn’t make the top five.

What astonished everyone most was.

The top five spots weren’t wholly claimed by members of the long-life families this time. An eighteen-year-old, young Pill Master unexpectedly appeared in the rankings.

For decades, the places to study at the Immortal Sect had never gone to anyone outside the long-life families.

The emergence of this young Pill Master immediately drew everyone’s attention.

The Five Great Long-Life Families extended olive branches, seeking to recruit him into their families.

Ultimately, that young Pill Master chose to join the Lin Family.

This led the other four long-life families to cry out in disbelief.

The Lin Family already had a rare alchemical prodigy in Zhou Luo, and now they gained another wildly talented individual.

In alchemy alone, the Lin Family would likely dominate the other four families in the future.

This instilled a profound sense of crisis in the four long-life families.