War is a great grinding stone, sifting out the weak while tempering the strong, forging them into something greater. Yan Ru was clearly one of those being tempered.
"Congratulations, Senior Sister Yan, on reaching the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining," Han Yi said with a smile.
Yan Ru's cultivation realm had indeed advanced to the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, and she was even a seasoned practitioner at that level. Han Yi was genuinely happy for her.
Yan Ru shook her head, offered no reply, and turned to lead Han Yi into the trading room.
Moments later, they emerged. Han Yi's pouch, lighter by several Medicinal Pills, now held more Spirit Stones.
"Oh, right, Junior Brother Han," Yan Ru said, "I must thank you. Your Breakthrough Pills saved my life during the Demon Cave War."
"I owe you a favor."
As she spoke, Yan Ru's usually icy expression softened slightly, and she even managed a rare, strained smile. It was clear she hadn't smiled much in the past three years, making the expression appear stiff and unnatural.
"You're welcome," Han Yi replied, shaking his head. "It was just a business transaction; there's no need for favors."
Yan Ru had paid for all the pills he'd sold her. Besides, he wouldn't give away pills for free, even to familiar women like Yan Ru or Chu Jinmo. At most, he might offer a small discount, but making money was still his priority.
The Breakthrough Pill was one of the six types of Medicinal Pills Han Yi frequently refined in recent years.
Despite its name, the Breakthrough Pill didn't grant a permanent advancement in cultivation. Instead, it contained violently potent spiritual energy that allowed one to temporarily shatter their current cultivation realm and advance by a minor stage.
It was a combat-oriented pill, but its side effects were severe.
Three years prior, before Yan Ru left, she approached Han Yi seeking to purchase some pills. Han Yi sold her a batch of standard-quality Breakthrough Pills he had just finished refining.
Strictly speaking, Yan Ru's claim of owing Han Yi a favor was justified.
Without that bottle of standard-quality Breakthrough Pills, Yan Ru would have perished in the Demon Cave.
Yet, Han Yi preferred to view it as a business transaction, avoiding the entanglement of romantic sentiments.
"By the way, Senior Sister Yan," Han Yi couldn't resist asking before she left, "what exactly is the Demon Cave like?"
Yan Ru tilted her head slightly, as if recalling something. Her face paled momentarily before regaining its composure.
"Terrifying," she said. "Utterly terrifying."
"Heavenly Demons originally have no physical form. But within the Demon Cave, all Heavenly Demons that possess cultivators manifest physical bodies. Once corporeal, these Heavenly Demons no longer rely solely on seduction; they possess genuine combat prowess."
"It takes three cultivators at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer to contend with a single Heavenly Demon of the same level," Yan Ru said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Dead bodies everywhere... cultivator corpses scattered like trash."
Yan Ru clearly didn't want to elaborate further, shaking her head. "Junior Brother Han, you should count yourself lucky you weren't chosen."
With that, she turned and ascended the mountain, leaving Han Yi standing alone. His eyes narrowed slightly as he pondered the deeper implications of what he had just heard, gaining a new understanding of what he had previously dismissed as mere rumors.
"The Immortal-Demon War is truly terrifying," he thought, "the most horrifying conflict in this world, far surpassing the carnage of sectarian warfare."
"In this war, cultivators have no retreat. If we fail to eradicate the Heavenly Demons, the entire Cultivation World risks being gradually infiltrated and transformed into a Heavenly Demon farm."
Han Yi descended Little Sea-Viewing Peak and headed to Overturning Sea Peak.
Among his acquaintances, Ma Yu, whom he had met on Vermilion Bird Peak three years prior, had perished in the Demon Cave.
Chu Jinmo, originally from Little Sea-Viewing Peak, had broken through to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer three years ago and relocated to White Tiger Peak, one of the Inner Peaks. She had remained within the sect and had not joined the expedition.
Guan Di, a close friend and half-acquaintance, had been selected for the expedition. He had returned alive half a month earlier and, as he had hoped, had successfully broken through to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.
After returning to the Sect, Guan Di moved from Little Dragon's Whisker Peak to Overturning Sea Peak, one of the Nine Inner Peaks of the Profound Pill Sect.
The Nine Inner Peaks were ranked as follows: Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, Zhurong, Golden Court, Crimson Sun, Overturning Sea, and Sword Pill.
Among the hundred-odd Outer Peaks, Han Yi had only visited about twenty. Besides Little Spirit Void Peak, Little Sea-Viewing Peak, Little Boulder Peak, and Little Dragon's Whisker Peak, he had only ventured to the Outer Peaks where the markets were located.
At the foot of Overturning Sea Peak, Han Yi met Zheng Hai, who was already waiting for him, and they began their ascent together.
When they encountered Guan Di, an awe-inspiring pressure radiated from him involuntarily, a blend of gentle yet piercing sword intent and chilling murderous aura. The force made every hair on Han Yi's body stand on end.
Zheng Hai fared even worse. Still at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, he paled instantly under the unconscious pressure emanating from Guan Di, now at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.
"Senior Brother Guan, please suppress your Late-Stage Qi Refining aura," Zheng Hai pleaded, his voice trembling. "It's terrifying!"
Guan Di blinked, immediately reining in his aura. "My apologies," he said sincerely. "I wasn't paying attention."
Only then did Zheng Hai begin to feel more at ease.
Smiling, Han Yi clasped his hands in congratulations. "Senior Brother Guan, congratulations on finally achieving your goal! You've advanced to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining and moved to the Inner Peak."
"From here, you'll soar to new heights—the Eighth Layer, the Ninth Layer, even Immortal Foundation Establishment—it's no longer a dream!"
Han Yi added his congratulations at the appropriate moment.
Guan Di nodded, genuinely pleased that Zheng Hai and Han Yi had come to celebrate with him.
"How have you two been these past three years?"
"Hmm, Junior Brother Han, your progress is astonishing! You're already nearing the peak of the Fifth Layer and closing in on the Sixth. Just be careful not to overindulge in pills and damage your foundation—that would be a terrible loss." Guan Di immediately discerned Han Yi's current cultivation realm and couldn't help but offer a word of caution.
"Junior Brother Zheng, your cultivation seems remarkably solid."
Zheng Hai gave a wry smile. Guan Di's comment about his "solid" progress meant his cultivation hadn't advanced significantly.
In truth, this was the normal pace for Mid-Stage Qi Refining. Someone like Han Yi, who frantically cultivated by consuming Spirit Stones, was the exception, not the rule.
Those who followed such a path were undoubtedly the privileged second- or third-generation heirs of wealthy immortal clans.
"By the way, Senior Brother Guan, did you reach the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining during the Demon Cave War?" Han Yi asked the same question he had posed to Yan Ru.
"What exactly is the Demon Cave like?"
Zheng Hai was clearly intrigued, his eyes wide with eager curiosity as he stared at Guan Di.
For disciples who had never ventured into the Demon Cave, it represented the most terrifying battlefield imaginable, a slaughter so horrific they could only reconstruct it in their minds. Now that they finally had someone who had experienced it firsthand, they were naturally eager to hear his perspective.
"The Demon Cave..." Guan Di's voice trailed off, a flicker of fear surfacing in his eyes. He fell silent, as if the mere mention of the place was enough to paralyze him. It was a long moment before he continued.
"When the Heavenly Demon manifests, cultivators perish. Even Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators are like ants in the Demon Cave War. Only Great Cultivators of the Golden Core Stage can make a difference."
"You... no, we... are far from ready. Focus on your cultivation." Guan Di shook his head, then abruptly changed the subject.
"By the way, the Sect suffered heavy losses this time. Over two hundred Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators fell, leaving many vacancies on the Inner Peaks."
"I suspect the Sect might allow Qi Refining Sixth Layer disciples from the Outer Peaks to move to the Inner Peaks early, to accelerate their cultivation using the third and fourth-tier Spirit Veins there."
"Junior Brother Han, this is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity—practically nonexistent. You must seize it."
Guan Di's words sent a jolt through Han Yi.
That's right. According to the Profound Pill Sect's long-standing rules, only cultivators who had reached the Late-Stage Qi Refining could reside on the Inner Peak.
But now, everything had changed.
The Demon Cave War had dealt the Profound Pill Sect a crippling blow. Over a hundred Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators from the Inner Peak had perished, leaving an equal number of courtyards vacant.
Beneath these courtyards flowed not mere First or Second-Tier Spirit Veins, but Third and Fourth-Tier ones. Even Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators could enhance their cultivation using Third-Tier Spirit Veins, let alone those in the Mid- to Late-Stage Qi Refining.
A once-in-a-millennium opportunity! Absolutely unprecedented!
Coming to Overturning Sea Peak today was the right decision.
Han Yi's heart surged with excitement.
Beside him, Zheng Hai felt a pang of envy. As a mere Qi Refining Fourth Layer cultivator, he was still some distance from the Fifth Layer, let alone the Sixth. This chance was utterly beyond his reach.
"Of course, Junior Brother Han, don't get too carried away," Guan Di cautioned. "While this opportunity is indeed unprecedented, the competition will be fierce."
"From what I understand, there are over 1,600 Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivators on the Outer Peak. That's roughly 1,600 competitors vying for just over a hundred spots—a ratio of about ten to one."
"Your immediate priority should be to break through to the Sixth Layer as quickly as possible."