On the way back to Senluo Valley, Yuwen Cuojin examined the instant noodle recipe.

When the celestial being handed them the recipe, there was only one condition:

No matter the method—whether selling or gifting—it must bear the brand name "Celestial Venerable."

Yuwen Cuojin was finally starting to grasp the implications.

"If we succeed, wouldn’t a significant portion of the gathered faith be attributed to the Celestial Venerable?"

"Luo Yexian mentioned that the celestial being is usually elusive, yet today he just happened to be in Nanjiang, right at Sanshan Town—the very place where he first began spreading his teachings... waiting..."

"He was waiting for me! And this recipe was prepared in advance?! Using me to expand his influence?"

At this realization, Yuwen Cuojin couldn’t help but inhale sharply—along with a whiff of instant noodle seasoning.

What a profound scheme!

On the surface, it seemed effortless, as if everything had fallen into place naturally. Yet every step was meticulously orchestrated!

Even more terrifying was that what he saw was likely just the tip of the iceberg. The Wanxiang Immortal Sect, dormant for years, was suddenly preaching across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths—their ambitions must be vast indeed!

No wonder even the Cloud Dream Ancestral God willingly chopped scallops for him!

"Let’s deliver this recipe to the Blood Refining Hall first."

"See if they can produce the Celestial Venerable Sauce..."

......

Time passed, and the three suns gradually sank behind the Qingyuan Mountain Range.

The reluctant last glow of dusk fell upon the leaves of the great banyan tree in the courtyard, causing the final withered leaf to flutter down and land on a pair of slender, jade-like hands.

Yet, as if separated by an invisible veil, the leaf slipped away.

Ying Bing sat beneath the banyan tree, her skin not only pale but also shimmering with a jade-like sheen.

She had changed into a white bathrobe, but the silhouette of her body beneath was outlined in black. The robe was shorter than her usual moonlit dress, revealing a glimpse of her calf—wrapped in sheer black silk, its allure breathtaking.

Her expressionless face, bathed in twilight, was half-lit in serene beauty, half-shadowed with the hues of night.

Her gaze lingered faintly at the courtyard gate, as if waiting for someone...

Suddenly, footsteps echoed.

"Exhausted."

But it was Qin Yuzhi who entered. She glanced at Ying Bing’s attire and raised an eyebrow.

"Little Bing, have you been practicing body-refining martial arts?"

"Mm. Just a little."

"Just a little?"

Qin Yuzhi thought to herself—this was already mastery.

Who could refine their physique so effortlessly on the first day without even injuring themselves?

Studying Ying Bing’s outfit, she asked curiously,

"Why are you wearing a bathrobe?"

"Soaking in the hot springs after body refinement aids recovery."

"And underneath...?"

"Training clothes. Didn’t have time to change."

Qin Yuzhi blinked. "Then why haven’t you gone yet...? What are you waiting for?"

"I’ll go soon."

The ice block sipped her tea nonchalantly, insisting her reasons for visiting the springs were purely practical.

Qin Yuzhi stretched. "I heard the hot springs are great for relaxation. Perfect for today—Li Mo isn’t treating me like an employee, but a beast of burden!"

Her Dream Step technique couldn’t be used dozens, let alone hundreds, of times in a single day!

Who knew what method that kid used to teleport wherever he pleased? The only downside was he couldn’t bring others along.

"I’ll join you for a soak. Little Bing, shall we go together?"

"I prefer solitude."

"??"

Qin Yuzhi suddenly recalled Li Mo mentioning that the ice block was waiting for him to bathe.

Now Ying Bing claimed she liked being alone.

Which one of them was lying?

The sect master suspected Li Mo—after all, that kid could spin tales like no other.

"You go ahead. I’ll rest in my room for a bit."

Ying Bing tugged her bathrobe lower, slipped her silk-clad feet into her shoes, and headed upstairs.

She opened the window, where the misty Blossom of Eternity Spring’s artificial mountain steamed with rising heat.

......

Meanwhile, Li Mo remained blissfully unaware of the unintended consequences of his actions.

He had finished touring the remaining towns, though he skipped the live demonstration of cooking braised beef noodles.

Instead, he left the ingredients for the locals to prepare themselves.

By the time he wrapped up, dusk had fallen.

"Another layer?"

At the gates of Qiushui Pavilion, Li Mo retrieved the Empty Myriad Colors Pagoda, surprised by the unexpected gain.

But then it struck him.

The higher one’s cultivation, the more faith energy they contributed.

So this additional layer in the pagoda? Likely fueled by the disciples of the Summoning Demons Sect.

Another step closer to projecting the Great Dao’s divine form.

Pity the Summoning Demons Sect had to remain in the shadows. Otherwise, he’d have recruited them as Wanxiang Immortal Sect’s affiliates.

Shaking his head, Li Mo watched the mist disperse, revealing Qiushui Pavilion’s gates once more.

Yet in the courtyard, the ice block was nowhere to be seen.

Under the banyan tree, only Qin Yuzhi sat, carving bamboo slips with a knife—still unaccustomed to using a brush.

"Hey, the great swindler returns."

"???"

Li Mo cleared his throat solemnly. "Swindler? The Bamboo of Sincerity itself confirmed I’m a gentleman. Every word I speak is true."

"Oh really? You lied to me today." Qin Yuzhi huffed.

"What did I lie about?"

"You said Little Bing was waiting to bathe with you—used it as an excuse to rush me back here. Even your own people aren’t spared from your schemes. Outrageous."

"???"

Question marks floated above Li Mo’s head. "That’s true! We agreed to admire the moon at the Blossom of Eternity Spring."

"Then Little Bing lied to me."

"What did the ice block say?"

Qin Yuzhi gave him a knowing look. "She claimed she was soaking to recover from training and preferred solitude."

Li Mo pondered. "What was she wearing when you got back?"

"A bathrobe, with something black underneath... oh right, ‘training clothes.’"

Qin Yuzhi described the scene vividly—dreamers had a knack for details.

Li Mo leaned back slightly.

Training clothes...

Since when did training outfits include stockings?

"Based on my experience, the one you spoke to wasn’t the ice block."

"Then who was it?"

"The bad ice block."

"????"

Qin Yuzhi recalled the scenes she’d glimpsed in Ying Bing’s dreams.

So who was deceiving her? She couldn’t tell anymore—truly couldn’t!

Meanwhile, Li Mo headed upstairs.

Sure enough, Ying Bing’s room was empty.

But... the window was open.

If the ice block had returned to Qiushui Pavilion but wasn’t in the courtyard or her room, where else could she be?

"Shinji wa mou ichido!"

Li Mo smirked, adjusting imaginary sunglasses.

The bad ice block had pulled off her deception—she’d kept their rendezvous!

In that case...

He’d better sneak into the springs without a sound.

With that, Li Mo stepped onto the windowsill and leaped out, soaring toward the misty peak of the artificial mountain.