Five months had passed since the battle in the Drowned Mist Mangrove Forest.
Time, within the quiet isolation of Lu Clan Mountain, flowed differently slow, heavy, and steady, like the breathing of the mountain itself.
Inside her cave dwelling, silence reigned.
No footsteps.
No voices.
Only the faint, rhythmic circulation of spiritual qi echoes softly through the enclosed space.
The pills she once relied upon for cultivation had long since been depleted. In their place, she survived on simple fasting pills, using them only to sustain her body. After all, only cultivators who had reached the Divine Pill Realm could truly abandon the need for food. She was not there yet.
Lu Yanshi sat cross-legged upon a flat stone platform, her posture straight as a spear, her breathing deep and even. Around her, thin strands of qi drifted like invisible threads, slowly gathering from the surroundings before converging toward her body, where they were carefully refined and absorbed.
Three months.
She had already healed completely three months ago.
Every wound, internal and external had vanished without a trace.
Her meridians flowed smoothly, unobstructed and resilient.
Her dantian brimmed with stable, well-refined spiritual qi.
Even the subtle, hidden injuries left behind by reckless overexertion had been patiently nourished away through her disciplined cultivation.
Yet
She did not leave.
Instead, she chose to remain.
To stabilize.
To consolidate.
To deepen her foundation.
During the long months of recovery, as her body gradually healed and her strength returned, Lu Yanshi came to a quiet yet profound realization: among all the cultivation paths she had explored, the method of body refinement resonated with her the most. It was as though her very flesh and bones responded eagerly to the tempering of spiritual qi, adapting and strengthening with each careful cycle.
Recognizing this natural affinity, she devoted the remaining three months of her healing period entirely to this path. Since she did not have a body refining technique, Lu Yanshi proceeded with deliberate patience, guiding threads of spiritual qi through her meridians and into every part of her body. She allowed the energy to seep into her muscles, bones, and organs, tempering them bit by bit, like a blacksmith forging steel through repeated refinement.
Although each session was slow, she did not force progress, understanding that reckless advancement could damage the very foundation she sought to build. Instead, she nurtured her body with steady precision, allowing the spiritual qi to gradually cleanse impurities and reinforce her physical form.
Over time, subtle yet undeniable changes took place. Her muscles became more resilient, her bones denser, and her endurance far surpassed what it had once been. Even in stillness, a quiet strength now lingered beneath her skin, a testament to the countless hours spent refining herself.
At last, the stillness broke.
Lu Yanshi's eyes slowly opened, a faint glimmer of light passing through them like the first ray of dawn piercing through a long night. The flow of spiritual qi around her gradually calmed, returning to the quiet, natural rhythm of the cave.
Her gaze shifted forward.
There, not far from the stone platform, lay her contracted spirit beast the Golden Blood Tiger.
Its massive body rested low against the ground, yet even in stillness, it exuded a faint, oppressive aura. Compared to before, its physique had clearly changed. Its once sleek frame had grown broader, more defined, with muscles coiled beneath its golden fur like tightly wound steel. The faint crimson patterns within its coat had deepened, pulsing subtly like flowing blood, giving it an even more regal and dangerous presence.
It had grown.
Not just in size, but in strength.
The tiger seemed to sense her awakening. Its ears twitched slightly before its eyes opened sharp, fierce, yet carrying a trace of familiarity and loyalty. It lifted its head, letting out a low, rumbling growl that echoed softly within the cave, more a greeting than a threat.
Lu Yanshi studied it quietly, her calm gaze reflecting a hint of satisfaction.
During these months of seclusion, it had not remained idle either. Bound by their contract, it had benefited from the ambient spiritual qi within the cave, steadily absorbing and refining it in its own way. The connection between them had deepened, becoming more stable, more harmonious.
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Seems like… You didn't waste this time either."
The Golden Blood Tiger let out another low rumble, rising to its feet. As it stood, its presence filled the cave more fully, its golden fur catching the dim light, giving it an almost majestic glow.
One human.
One beast.
Both had changed in the silence of these passing months
Lu Yanshi smiled and rose to her feet in one smooth motion, her movements light yet steady, as if her body had been perfectly tempered into balance. The air around her shifted subtly with her motion, the lingering traces of spiritual qi dispersing like fading mist.
Without hesitation, she stepped toward the entrance of the cave and raised her hand. A faint glow gathered at her fingertips as she injected a thread of spiritual qi into the formation embedded within the stone walls.
With a soft hum
The cave formation activated, its invisible barrier rippling briefly before parting like water being drawn aside. The sealed entrance slowly opened, allowing a breath of fresh mountain air to flow in, carrying with it the scent of earth and distant forest.
As the barrier receded, her gaze fell to the side.
There, scattered near the edge of the cave entrance, lay a small pile of common Tier 1 communication talismans.
Some were neatly stacked.
Others were loosely arranged, as if they had been delivered over time and left undisturbed.
Each talisman bore faint inscriptions, their surfaces dull from prolonged inactivity, yet still carrying traces of residual spiritual energy silent messages waiting to be received.
Lu Yanshi's eyes narrowed slightly.
She had been in seclusion for five months.
For this many talismans to accumulate… it meant one thing.
A lot had happened.
Behind her, the Golden Blood Tiger stepped forward, its heavy paws landing soundlessly despite its size, its sharp gaze also settling on the pile. A low, cautious rumble escaped its throat, as if sensing the shift in atmosphere.
Lu Yanshi bent down and picked up one of the talismans, her expression calm, but her eyes turning sharper.