A minor spell with no proper system to it was, in the end, relatively easy to cultivate.

With the Qingqiu Old Ancestor's help—

Shen Yi brought the Moon-Devouring Spirit-Gathering Art to Perfection in a little over a hundred years.

Next came alchemy.

He rose to his feet and looked at the pill furnace before him.

"My lord need not worry. One step at a time."

The Qingqiu Old Ancestor offered an encouraging look. "First light the fire and heat the furnace."

Shen Yi hesitated a moment, and the purple-gold flames instantly turned colorless, wrapping the furnace entirely.

"The Parting Flame! The Parting Flame is rather too much!"

The Qingqiu Old Ancestor hopped about beside him and hurried on: "First take a length of Jade-Sun Branch."

Shen Yi moderated the flames somewhat, then looked at the pile of herbs, rather dazzled.

"..."

The Qingqiu Old Ancestor was silent a long while, then forced out a loyal smile. "My lord, alchemy is a minor art. Let us start from the most basic foundations."

It truly could not imagine a cultivator who wouldn't recognize even so famous a precious herb.

Had he genuinely required no pills at all this entire journey?

And while master and servant began studying the way of alchemy from the very beginning, things outside the door were growing steadily livelier.

Shen Yi's return was, without question, the most important event in Great Qian.

Even the Lizhou General had sent word to the Imperial Capital's War Temple at the first opportunity.

As time passed, familiar divine spirits began descending upon the place one after another. One could see that, ever since the formations — and the shelter of Shen Yi's fearsome name — their days had grown steadily easier.

"Have you all nothing to do? No affairs of your own to see to?"

Wu Dao'an frowned and swept a glance across them, barring them at the foot of the mountain.

Faced with a crowd of divine spirits' resentful looks—

he cleared his throat. "I have the matter of the martial academies to discuss with Junior Brother Shen. Naturally I stand…