After a night of reorganizing and refining, Jiang Yuebai integrated all the Spiritual Energy within the Lotus Platform Cave Heaven that could be categorized by the four seasons. However, some energies she couldn’t fully comprehend and categorize yet remained distributed on other lotus platforms.

The four seasons are also within the Five Elements.

Spring belongs to wood, summer belongs to fire, autumn belongs to metal, winter belongs to water, as earth gives birth to all things and thus flows through the four seasons, combining to form the Five Elements.

The Five Elements represent the Great Dao. Beneath them are the four seasons, which contain profound elements like the alternation of day and night, the cycle of time, and so on.

Her master also gave her a Jade Scroll, recording his insights and experiences from understanding the Reincarnation Path of the four seasons over the years, allowing her to gradually deepen her comprehension of the seasons.

At this moment, Jiang Yuebai stood in the center of the Lotus Platform Cave Heaven. The original ten acres of land had been expanded to around fifty acres.

The east, belonging to wood, represents spring, featuring a small forest where vibrant flowers bloom and vegetation thrives.

The south, belonging to fire, represents summer, with land radiating a reddish heat and magma simmering underground.

The west, belonging to metal, represents autumn, with a hill made from scraps she created during her artifact refining practice over the past two years, which were thrown into the lotus platform to decompose and absorb.

The north, belonging to water, represents winter, with a pond filled with lotus, where the Ice Armor Beetle King sleeps within a budding flower, progressing for over two years and seemingly nearing completion.

The central land represents earth, and over the years, whenever she encountered soil with some Spiritual Energy, she would grab a handful to toss in.

Jiang Yuebai squatted to inspect; this soil’s Spiritual Energy was decent, though it’s uncertain if it’s suitable for cultivation.

"Master’s way of the four seasons is centered on earth. I should bring two mountains next time to strengthen the earth element here."

The Thirty-Six Peaks of Heavenly Cry Sect are abundant in Spiritual Energy, and she had envied this for a long time, but she never dared to steal one.

"Besides mountains, Earth Vein Spiritual Energy will surely help. Once the earth element is strengthened, the four seasons will no longer merely surface, enabling the Five Elements Rotation Method, making cultivation possible!"

Jiang Yuebai was eager to try, planning her journey to the Demon Clan territory to find wild Spiritual Mountains and obtain some Earth Vein Spiritual Energy.

As the Golden Crow rose, it broke free from the darkness with the first light of day. Jiang Yuebai quickly summoned her Lotus Platform and rushed to the highest point of Heavenly Cry Peak.

The Lotus Platform hovered above her head, absorbing the Golden Crow’s Spiritual Energy.

This was taught by the Supreme Elder; without sun and moon within Lotus Platform Cave Heaven, and lacking Xihe Divine Fire and Moonlight Flowing Cup, she could only gradually absorb the essence of sun and moon when the Golden Crow and moon are at their peak daily.

Xihe Divine Fire is virtually impossible to find within Earth Spiritual Realm, and Moonlight Flowing Cup is said to be born once every sixty years from the moon, but each time it emerges, it’s coveted by thousands of demons, making competition extremely fierce.

"Nurturing a small world is indeed difficult."

Jiang Yuebai sighed, sitting cross-legged on the mountaintop, she took out her booklet and continued designing the method for refining the Eight Arrays Plate.

The most challenging aspect was the sixty-four Array Signs; each must perfectly match the Eight Arrays Plate, a task she’s been designing for over half a year, intending to start when she becomes a Seventh-Grade Refiner.

Yet artifact refining is both lucrative and costly. Over the years, her practice led to expenses exceeding her earnings and her Spirit Stones were nearly depleted for buying materials. If this continued, she would have to accrue debt within the Sect again.

Rumble!

Distant muffled thunder echoed, faintly carrying the intent of slaughter. Jiang Yuebai glanced upwards, finding the eastern sky dense with tribulation clouds and rolling thunder.

The dawn radiance of the Golden Crow was absorbed by the tribulation clouds, merging within.

"Seems like Xie Jingshan’s tribulation this time has unexpected gains, though why did mine finish within half a day while his unfolds so gently over the night?"

Feeling indignant, Jiang Yuebai buried herself in planning the refining of talisman arrays.

*

Xie Jingshan’s tribulation lasted three full days, enduring nine bolts of Heavenly Thunder.

The night he succeeded in crossing the tribulation, the Black Dog Huo Dou devoured the moon in the sky, thousands of Sword Aura pierced the night, and the light of Golden Crow illuminated the earth, eventually converging into one, the sword emitting cries that astonished the thunder.

Such celestial phenomena shocked the whole Heavenly Interence Sect, reigniting the rumors of Xie Jingshan’s reincarnation as a Sword Immortal.

Even Sword Lord Guanghan noted that Xie Jingshan’s tribulation celestial phenomena was the first he had seen in his life and remarked that despite only just achieving Core Formation, he established a Nascent Soul Cultivator’s Sword Heart, and even birthed the Sword Spirit Huo Dou within his Lifebound Sword. His future in Sword Dao seemed boundless.

With Jiang Yuebai prominent first, followed by Xie Jingshan, Heavenly Interence Sect’s fame was unmatched for a while.

Little did they know, within the Netherworld Sea Ashura Domain, there was Lu Nanzhi. At the time of her Core Formation, ghosts wailed, demons bowed.

The entire Netherworld Sea transformed into an icy field overnight, with neighboring Baishui Domain’s eastern sea experiencing descending black snow, lasting three months.

Jiang Yuebai was unaware of the Netherworld Sea Ashura Domain events. These days, she was pursued by many, receiving invitations like snowflakes daily.

Initially, the invites were internal sect matters, but soon expanded to nearby sects, requesting her presence at various spring forums and sparring events.

Sect Master Wenn Ci also invited her several times, asking if she would participate in various events from other sects.

Luckily, Jiang Yuebai had prepared, deliberately disrupting her Spiritual Energy in front of others to appear to be struggling with her cultivation recently and in need of rest.

In reply to the Sect Master, she didn’t outright refuse but mentioned her intention to soon align her Spiritual Energy.

This continued for a month until Xie Jingshan finally emerged and sought Jiang Yuebai at Heavenly Cry Peak.

Jiang Yuebai invited him inside, noting his face was a bit pale, his Sword Qi carried the heat of fire and the sharpness of wind, not entirely contained.

As soon as he sat down, a kitten-sized Black Dog emerged from his shoulder, eyes blazing, gazing fiercely at Jiang Yuebai.

"Is this your Sword Spirit Huo Dou?" Jiang Yuebai asked.

Xie Jingshan forcefully suppressed the Little Huo Dou, "I was truly worried you’d leave without waiting for me."

Jiang Yuebai poured a cup of tea for Xie Jingshan, "I was just planning that. Recently, too many people have been seeking me; I hardly have time for all these engagements. What’s your matter? Speak quickly, I’ll slip away tonight."

Xie Jingshan took a breath and asked, "Have you heard of Fufeng Mountain Master?"

Jiang Yuebai shook her head, "Who is Fufeng Mountain Master? I recall seeing Fufeng Mountain on a map of Extraordinary People Country, a nation of Feather Clan’s Extraordinary People."

"Yes, if Hongyan Building’s investigation is correct, Fufeng Mountain Master is indeed Shen Huaxi," Xie Jingshan said gravely.

Jiang Yuebai paused while drinking tea, scrutinizing Xie Jingshan, "You... haven’t lost your memory?"

"I’m immune to all poisons, didn’t you forget?"

Jiang Yuebai nodded, continuing her tea, surprised yet unsurprised. Seeing Xie Jingshan’s seriousness, she refrained from teasing him about the childhood days of sobbing with a snotty face.

"I’d like you to accompany me to Extraordinary People Country. Since five years ago, my Mountain and Sea Building suffered frequent attacks there. Losing goods isn’t important; the real concern is the heavy casualties. Intelligence from Hongyan Building claims Fufeng Mountain Master leads various Extraordinary People of different nations involved in this."

"I initially had no idea Fufeng Mountain Master was Shen Huaxi; my grandfather concealed this, fearing I’d act impulsively. Some time ago, I sneaked out of Sword Washing Pool out of boredom and visited the workshop below Primordial Sword Sect for intelligence from Hongyan Building. Upon review, I found some sleuths."

"I suspect the attackers on Mountain and Sea Building aren’t him. He knows I’m its Young Master. In short, I don’t want my grandfather mistakenly killing him. I intend to investigate thoroughly, fearing my own soft-hearted nature, I need you to accompany me, keep an eye on me."

Jiang Yuebai put down her teacup, "What if it’s really him?"

Xie Jingshan clenched his fist, "I’ll personally resolve it."

Jiang Yuebai pondered, "Don’t you need to stabilize your cultivation? What about the tasks you owe the sect during Foundation Establishment Stage?"

Xie Jingshan replied indifferently, "With my grandfather’s Spirit Pill, stabilizing cultivation is fine. For tasks in the sect, I’ll pay with Spirit Stones if possible, those I can’t, I’ll pay others to complete for me. Why waste time on it?"

Jiang Yuebai:......

Why waste time on it?

Because I’m poor!!

"I won’t accompany you for free; you must pay!" Jiang Yuebai gritted her teeth.

"All expenses are on me during the journey, money? You’ll have plenty!" Xie Jingshan raised his teacup.

"Forget the tea, pack your stuff and let’s leave tonight."

Jiang Yuebai snatched the teacup from Xie Jingshan’s hand and hurried him to pack.

At midnight, Jiang Yuebai dragged Jixiang out of Danggui’s nest, left Jiangg Ziying with sufficient Foundation Establishment Elixir, left Shi Xiaowu her cultivation insights, and left a farewell letter for her master. She sneaked away from Heavenly Interence Sect with Little Monk Niankong and Xie Jingshan.

Arriving at the mountain gate, they surprisingly encountered Yun Shang and Ge Yuchan, also sneaking out for an adventure.

The four exchanged smiles and left together.