After seeing off Lin Shimeng, Qin Xiao took the Sect Competition reward given by the sect and came to Yun Man's door.
"Disciple, it's me, your master is bringing you some cultivation resources."
Qin Xiao held the Storage Bag in his hand, but since he could not examine its contents himself, he simply handed it over to Yun Man.
"Master, disciple has been waiting for your summons all along. If that Lin Shimeng had dared to act presumptuously, disciple would have stepped in."
Yun Man had not actually entered Secluded Cultivation because she sensed Lin Shimeng's arrival and had been watching from inside her room.
"Ah, it's fine. Your master is known for his low-key demeanor; why would Senior Sister Lin make things difficult for me? This is the reward from the recent Sect Competition, take it all. Oh, by the way, there is also a Nascent Formation Pill inside, which should prove quite useful to you."
With that, Qin Xiao handed the Storage Bag to Yun Man.
"Master, all of this is for me?"
Yun Man was somewhat overwhelmed by the gesture. These items were of considerable value, and combined with the items from the previous auction, she hardly knew how she could ever repay Qin Xiao.
"Take it all. You are my only disciple and the Senior Sister of Seven Stars Peak. If I don't give it to you, who else would I give it to? Your master has no use for such things. I can only truly rest at ease once your cultivation realm rises."
Seeing Yun Man hesitate to accept, Qin Xiao spoke reassuringly.
"Disciple will certainly not disgrace the sect or fail Master's expectations."
At that moment, Yun Man could only drop to her knees and kowtow to pledge her loyalty, as she had nothing else with which to repay him.
"Hurry and get up. We are master and disciple, there is no need for such formalities. Naturally, your master trusts you."
Qin Xiao pulled the half-kneeling Yun Man to her feet and spoke dismissively.
"Moreover, given your current cultivation speed, the usual allocation of Spirit Liquid is likely no longer sufficient. This time, your master is increasing your share tenfold. Here are five hundred drops of Spirit Liquid and one thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones. Take them for your use, and come to Master if you need more."
With a wave of his hand, Qin Xiao produced a large jade bottle alongside one thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones, covering the ground before her.
"Master, with these provisions, if disciple fails to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, I shall present my head to you."
Yun Man was utterly lost for words; her emotions choked off any further speech, leaving her with only her life to vouch for her pledge.
"Enough of that talk. Your master has no use for your head. Just cultivate with peace of mind and do not grow impatient. Success is ideal, but do not force it; proceed with steady and solid steps. There is nothing else, go begin your cultivation."
Cutting off her solemn oath, Qin Xiao urged her away so she could focus.
"Disciple obeys."
Knowing that further words were superfluous, Yun Man understood that only her breakthroughs could repay her master.
Returning to his own room, Qin Xiao found his personal stock of Spirit Stones nearly depleted, leaving him with less than three hundred thousand, as one million had been converted into Middle Grade Spirit Stones for Yun Man.
It was during their return journey that Yun Man had explained the distinctions between different grades of Spirit Stones and their varying efficacy in cultivation, prompting him to exchange the lower-grade stones for his disciple.
Fortunately, Qin Xiao still retained some Spirit Liquid. Although much had been consumed previously, he still maintained a reserve of over forty thousand drops.
The spirit spring produced one thousand four hundred and forty drops daily, and while his personal consumption hovered around one thousand, his previous surplus meant he was still adding to his reserves rather than running a deficit.
"No matter, I must continue my cultivation. Body Refinement is immensely powerful, allowing a mortal physique to contend with true cultivators. I cannot afford to slacken."
Without further thought, Qin Xiao immersed himself once more in Body Refinement.
Meanwhile, upon returning to her own quarters, Lin Shimeng still found it hard to believe she held five precious drops of Spirit Liquid in her possession. Just where had Qin Xiao acquired such a treasure?
"Dreamer, what has you lost in thought?"
Learning that his daughter had once again visited Seven Stars Peak, Lin Tiancheng had hurried over to ensure no new conflict had erupted.
"Ah, Father, you are here. It is nothing."
Snapping out of her thoughts at the sound of her father's voice, Lin Shimeng quickly composed her expression and replied.
"Dreamer, Seven Stars Peak is the sole legacy left behind by the Seventh Elder, and Qin Xiao is his only disciple. The sect owes a heavy debt to the Seventh Elder; you must not go looking for trouble there. The Seventh Elder doted on you greatly when you were a child."
Though Lin Tiancheng did not know the exact cause of their friction and chose not to press, he hoped to discourage his daughter from stirring up trouble.
"Father, I understand. I did not go to pick a fight, but to offer an apology. How did Grandpa Qin actually die in battle?"
Three years prior, Lin Shimeng had been deep in Secluded Cultivation and remained unaware of the specifics. When she finally emerged, she was merely told the Seventh Elder had fallen in battle, while the sect maintained a vague and ambiguous silence on the matter.
"You need not concern yourself with these past events. Simply avoid making trouble and focus on consolidating your foundation; the sediment required for the Nascent Soul stage is no less demanding than the Golden Core stage."
With those final words, Lin Tiancheng turned and left.
Seeing that her father was unwilling to speak, Lin Shimeng refrained from pressing further. After sending him off, she too resumed her cultivation.
Lin Tiancheng's reluctance to speak of events three years ago was not out of stubbornness, but because the truth was difficult to utter. Back then, a Demon Beast at the late Body Integration stage had inexplicably appeared and charged directly at the sect's grand formation.
The Supreme Elder, Yao Zhan, had stepped forward to intervene but found himself unable to suppress the beast. Possessing identical late Body Integration cultivation, the Demon Beast's combat prowess slightly surpassed that of a human cultivator. To prevent devastation to the sect grounds, the Seventh Elder, Qin Changqing, who had only recently broken through to the Body Integration realm, proposed drawing the beast away.
Together, the Supreme Elder and the Seventh Elder lured the creature deep into the Demon Beast Forest, where a cataclysmic battle broke out. The various sect elders deployed surrounding formations to prevent the beast from fleeing.
Against a beast of that caliber, only attacks from fellow Body Integration experts held any efficacy. However, a sudden misstep by the Supreme Elder at the height of the crisis prompted the Seventh Elder to rush to his defense. Knowing his cultivation fell short of holding the beast indefinitely and seeing the Supreme Elder injured, Qin Changqing bought a critical window of time, allowing the Supreme Elder to unleash his most devastating technique.
That strike was executed without reservation, enveloping even the Seventh Elder within its lethal radius.
Predictably, the Seventh Elder took the brunt of the attack from behind, leaving him entirely exposed before the Demon Beast swallowed him whole in a single snap of its jaws.
Fortunately, the beast also suffered the full brunt of the Supreme Elder's heavy blow. Wounded and infuriated, it shattered the surrounding formation arrays and fled into the depths of the wilderness.
Although the crisis was averted, the Seventh Elder had been devoured. Upon returning to the sect, the leadership offered no detailed explanation, simply declaring that the Seventh Elder had died for the sect.
It was precisely because of this hidden guilt that the sect quietly permitted Qin Xiao, a mortal lacking cultivation, to reside on Seven Stars Peak for three years, and why Lin Tiancheng consistently offered him firm support.
Yet, the cultivation world was rarely governed by sentiment alone. Three years had passed, and the initial guilt harbored by the elders had long since faded, reigniting their covetous eyes toward Seven Stars Peak. Only Qin Xiao's stubborn defense had kept the peak secure until now.
While the truth was known only to the higher-tier elders, the Supreme Elder had issued a strict injunction forbidding any further mention of the incident, effectively burying the matter.
Qin Xiao had been well aware of the initial beast attack, having been accepted as a disciple by Qin Changqing just three days prior. Sensing the overwhelming terror of the incoming beast, Qin Changqing had entrusted him with numerous parting instructions before departing, never to return-leading eventually to the sect's announcement of his death.
Though Qin Xiao had once pressed for answers, he unearthed nothing of substance. Ultimately, as a mere mortal, he could do nothing but let the matter rest, remaining stranded on Seven Stars Peak. Three years slipped by, and the disciples who once resided there successively transferred to other peaks.
After all, none of them were willing to submit to a mortal Peak Master placed above them. While the Seventh Elder lived, they dared not voice their discontent, but with his fall, Seven Stars Peak held no further value for them.
Powerless and devoid of cultivation or resources to retain them, Qin Xiao had simply let them leave, reducing Seven Stars Peak to a command without troops.