Chapter 40

As the white light dissipated, a large tripod cauldron appeared before everyone, its lid tightly sealed. Lu Xiaodeng, however, was nowhere to be seen.

The sword spirits watched the large tripod in silence, a sense of irritation rising in their hearts. They found the thick-skinned spirit of the tripod extremely annoying!

"I hate tripods the most. They are so rugged and thick-skinned," Qi Qi suddenly said from the side.

With a click, the lid of the tripod was pushed open, and Lu Xiaodeng poked her head out, fuming. "What are you doing? How can you use spirit techniques so recklessly? It's so hard to cultivate a divine soul, how can you waste it?"

"If you hadn't hidden in the tripod, the spirit techniques wouldn't have been wasted," Qi Qi said, twirling a strand of hair with his finger and grinning. "It seems that using spirit techniques against you is a lose-lose situation, not worth it at all."

Upon hearing this, Bai Wu glared at him fiercely. He had already said that using spirit techniques wouldn't work, but Qi Qi insisted on making him do it. Now, saying such things, no spirit would use spirit techniques on each other!

Lu Xiaodeng didn't come out of the tripod, just showing her head and asked, "What do you want to do then? We are practically fellow disciples, don't force me, okay? I am actually quite useful."

Qi Qi asked with a half-smile, "What use do you have for the sword spirits of the Cloud Sword Sect?"

"Um..." Lu Xiaodeng was taken aback. Indeed, what use was she to the sword spirits? The pills she refined couldn't be consumed by them, and it seemed she really wasn't of much use. There were only a few drops of Spirit-Gathering Liquid, and she needed to give some to the stupid grass. Even if she gave all of it to the sword spirits, it wouldn't be enough.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she quickly said, "I am an expert in refining pills. You all have wasted the Spirit-Gathering Liquid. Let me refine it into a spirit medicine that you can take yourselves, okay?"

"What?" The sword spirits immediately frowned, looking at her with doubt. "Can you refine the Spirit-Gathering Liquid into a pill that can enhance our abilities?"

It wasn't that they didn't trust her, but this was too unbelievable. For spirits above the Spirit-Entry stage, the Spirit-Gathering Liquid was already ineffective. Otherwise, they would have consumed it themselves long ago. Now, they only produced a few drops when their sword masters were short on funds, and they wouldn't bother to condense it unless the sword masters really needed it.

This required effort and was of no benefit to themselves, so few spirits would bother with it. Giving other sword spirits a chance to enter the Spirit-Entry stage was something they had never considered. The effect was too slow, and they weren't related, so they didn't want to do it.

If the Spirit-Gathering Liquid could really be refined into something that could enhance the abilities of sword spirits, it would be like a self-sufficient method, similar to how cultivators absorb the essence of heaven and earth.

Their eyes were too fierce, so Lu Xiaodeng could only laugh awkwardly and say, "I'm still working on it, but give me some time, and I will definitely succeed. Anyway, you can't absorb the essence of heaven and earth, so waiting a few years isn't a big deal. And if it really works, you can teach the method to your sword masters, so they can refine it for you to consume."

She blinked and said, "I think they won't give up this opportunity to advance their sword spirits. Compared to hunting demon beasts and searching for heavenly treasures, this is something you can do yourselves, without any cost."

"That's called condensing, not 'pulling' or anything like that," a female sword spirit said irritably, finding her choice of words too awkward.

"It's the same thing. Let's agree on this. I won't run away anyway," Lu Xiaodeng said with a smile, seeing them frown and think deeply.

The sword spirits looked at each other and then gathered to discuss quietly. What they needed most now was something to enhance their abilities. If she could really refine it, it would be more beneficial than devouring her. Besides, they couldn't even bite through her, and giving up would be a loss of face.

In the end, they decided to give Lu Xiaodeng time to refine the Spirit-Gathering Liquid. If she failed, they would use spirit techniques to devour her.

Bai Wu then said, "We'll give you fifty years. If you can't refine it, you'll come to us to be devoured."

"Fifty years!" Lu Xiaodeng stared at them with wide eyes, angrily pounding the tripod. "What do you mean? Do you look down on me? Fifty years? I think five years is too long. Do you think I'm a fool with poor skills?"

The sword spirits were immediately furious. They had thought of giving her more time, but she had this attitude.

Qi Qi coldly asked, "Then give you five days."

"Uncle, can you be normal? If five days were enough, I would have refined it and consumed it myself long ago," Lu Xiaodeng said impatiently, sticking out her lower lip as if he were an idiot.

"Damn! How dare you call a handsome man like me 'uncle'!" Qi Qi gritted his teeth and said fiercely.

Lu Xiaodeng, hiding in the tripod, only showed half her face and held up a finger. "Give me a year, and that will be enough. Is that okay?"

Qi Qi just wanted to end the conversation with her as soon as possible. He really didn't want to see this spirit anymore; it was too annoying. Staying longer might make him lose control and want to devour her. He said irritably, "Fine, don't play any tricks, or I'll make you pay!"

"Okay, I won't. I never play tricks with pills. Who would do such a meaningless thing?" Lu Xiaodeng quickly shook her head and then extended her hand. "Give me the Spirit-Gathering Liquid."

"What!" The sword spirits looked at her in surprise, doubting if she knew what she was talking about.

Seeing how stingy they were, Lu Xiaodeng said pitifully, "I just entered the Spirit-Entry stage, and it takes me half a year to condense a drop of Spirit-Gathering Liquid. To figure out the refining method, I need the Spirit-Gathering Liquid to experiment. How can I refine it if it takes half a year for one drop?"

This girl was just at the initial stage of the Spirit-Entry stage!

Bai Wu and Qi Qi were very unhappy. This wasn't due to her strength but probably an accident. Taking a deep breath, Bai Wu said calmly, "Any spirit at the Spirit-Entry stage can condense a drop of Spirit-Gathering Liquid in a month. Why does it take you half a year?"

"Because my body is like this, it takes me half a year for one drop. Since there are so many of you, if each of you gives me a drop per month, I can figure out the refining method sooner. Besides, you don't usually condense this. And I only need a year, which is twelve drops in total," Lu Xiaodeng said sincerely, showing no intention of taking advantage.

This made sense. Without materials, how could she refine the pills? The sword spirits at the Spirit-Entry stage all looked at Bai Wu and Qi Qi. As long as they agreed, everyone would hand over a year's worth of Spirit-Gathering Liquid.

Qi Qi thought for a moment and said, "I live next to her. If she sells the Spirit-Gathering Liquid, I'll find out immediately. Let's give it to her. A year isn't too long."

"Alright, you better keep a close eye on her," Bai Wu agreed. With Qi Qi watching, he felt more at ease and could monitor her progress.

Now, none of them had Spirit-Gathering Liquid on hand, so they had to return to their sword bodies to condense it. They decided to go back and get the Spirit-Gathering Liquid, which Qi Qi would then give to her.

Qi Qi lightly swiped the sky, and the spirit realm disappeared, revealing the scenery around them. They were still on the Heavenly Pill Peak and then all returned. The poor sword spirits that Lu Xiaodeng had bitten would be discovered by their sword masters, and they didn't know how to explain it.

But this wasn't Lu Xiaodeng's concern. Seeing the sword spirits leave, she jumped out of the tripod, patted her chest, and muttered, "Scared me to death. They actually used spirit techniques. Luckily, my defense is strong. Sword spirits at the Spirit-Entry stage aren't that powerful, and the Spirit-Gathering Liquid can only increase a little, but it's different from mine. I wonder what will happen if the stupid grass eats it."

She had just said she could refine pills for the spirits on a whim, but getting so many different types of Spirit-Gathering Liquid made her want to try refining pills for the spirits.

The extra could be given to the spirit grass to help it enter the Spirit-Entry stage or start speaking. Spirit grass was different from demon beasts; its intelligence awakened too late, and sometimes it wouldn't speak even when transformed into an animal.

"This should be a blessing in disguise. I'll go back and refine the pills." She didn't plan to look for that sour red grass. She would first try with her own Spirit-Gathering Liquid. If she could really refine it, it would be great news for the spirits.

Lu Xiaodeng thought they would bring the Spirit-Gathering Liquid the next day, but unexpectedly, Qi Qi returned before she even started.

"Get something to put it in. I've brought all the Spirit-Gathering Liquid," he said, sitting imperiously at the table, like a lord waiting to be served.

"You're really quick. I thought you'd come tomorrow." These sword spirits were really impatient, condensing it so quickly. Lu Xiaodeng quickly dragged a box from under the shelf to the table, opened it, and Qi Qi saw it was full of small jade bottles.

She grabbed a handful of finger-high bottles and threw them on the table, not even looking up. "Trouble yourself to open them and put the Spirit-Gathering Liquid in. Don't mix the liquids from different sword spirits; they have different effects and need to be kept separate."

"Do you think I'm a fool?" This didn't need explaining. Qi Qi looked at the bottles on the table, reluctantly reaching out and pinching a jade bottle with two fingers, carefully pulling out the stopper.

Then, he flicked his right hand, and a drop of gray Spirit-Gathering Liquid flew out and gently landed in the bottle. He pulled the stopper from another bottle, and it flew to the bottle's mouth, sealing it again. He placed the bottle on the table and picked up another one, continuing to put the Spirit-Gathering Liquid from the sword spirits into the bottles.

Lu Xiaodeng watched him from the table. There were enough bottles, just waiting for the Spirit-Gathering Liquid to be filled.

"Done. All the Spirit-Gathering Liquid is here. You can take it to refine. But I'll be watching you to make sure you don't slack off," Qi Qi said, putting the last drop of Spirit-Gathering Liquid in the bottle and stopping.

"Not enough," Lu Xiaodeng said, leaning on her arm and looking at him. "You're missing your Spirit-Gathering Liquid."

Qi Qi lifted his chin, looking at her with a dangerous gaze. "How do you know it's not in there?"

Lu Xiaodeng smiled and said, "Because there's no black Spirit-Gathering Liquid in there."