Han Yunxi's Phoenix energy completely quenched the celestial fire, so the Celestial Fire Qian Furnace soon turned back to normal. Only by getting external boosts could it shorten the time needed to create pills. For the past few days, Long Feiye and Gu Qishao's internal injuries had been too severe to continue, so Pill Furnace Master had to teach Xu Donglin the method for refining internal energy into fire. However, Xu Donglin's reserves were limited and Pill Furnace Master didn't dare to act out, so he only taught the guard the most basic technique that could be started and stopped at any time.

Han Yunxi had suffered through the Phoenix Baptism by Fire, but her internal injuries weren't as serious as the two men. However, she didn't dare try anything rash without a better understanding of the Phoenix energy. Now that everything was cleared up, she wanted to think of ways to finish the Returning Dragon Pills faster. There were plenty of other important tasks awaiting them outside.

Pill Furnace Master nodded prudently. "Naturally, the Phoenix energy is capable of a.s.sisting celestial fire to quickly attain your goals. However, you…"

Before he could finish, Long Feiye gave him a cold look. "What are the terms?"

Gu Qishao was serious as well. "Old man, you better make things clear. Otherwise, this old man will make your entire furnace pay for it!"

"The Phoenix energy not only speeds up refinement of pills, but is also capable of nurturing my Celestial Fire Qian Furnace. Naturally, this old man will tell you everything! There's no limits to what Phoenix energy can trans.m.u.te to, but it'll use up a lot of internal energy." Pill Furnace Master leveled Han Yunxi with an earnest look.

"La.s.s, if you're still injured and haven't a.s.sumed full control of the Phoenix energy, it's not guaranteed that you'll learn this technique." At last, he'd spoken sincerely. 

Han Yunxi didn't push the issue, but asked, "Then what about after my injuries recover?"

"If they do, there's no harm in trying it once," Pill Furnace Master replied.

Now Han Yunxi felt at ease. The past ten days of recovery, combined with the help from dual cultivation, had more or less healed her internal injuries. She only needed a few more days to make a complete recovery. Even if she couldn't use the Phoenix energy then, she could still use common methods to change energy into fire. With her and Xu Donglin combined, they'd shorten the refining time for sure!

"What time is it now?" Long Feiye asked.

"Your Highness, today is the first day of the eleventh lunar month," Xu Donglin replied hastily.

"Then there's only two months until the new year!" Gu Qishao exclaimed while heading for the pill furnace.

"What are you doing?" Han Yunxi asked doubtfully. Long Feiye didn't speak, but stared at Gu Qishao, too. Unexpectedly, Gu Qishao actually somersaulted to the top of the furnace and started to show off his skills.

"Are you seeking death?" Han Yunxi demanded angrily. Between the three of them, Gu Qishao had suffered the most serious injuries!

"Get down!" Long Feiye's icy tones were especially stern.

"This old man doesn't want to pa.s.s the new year's at a c.r.a.ppy place like this! The earlier we finish the Returning Dragon Pill, the sooner we can leave!" Gu Qishao said impatiently.

"I don't want to drag a cripple back for the new year. We still have things to do after that. You get down this instant!" Han Yunxi rose to her feet. Although they only had two months left--or rather, one and a half months when one factored in travel time--she refused to allow Gu Qishao to keep persisting. The three of them still had to go to Tiger's Den for a rescue upon returning to Three-Way Black Market. Besides poisonous tigers, there were probably other poisonous beasts hiding in ambush.

No matter how expert her poison skills were, a single person couldn't fend off all eventualities. Moreover, one of their rescue targets was even pregnant. Gu Qishao was a mandatory member of their rescue team. Because Han Yunxi had no idea regarding Gu Qishao's undying body, she a.s.sumed he was fooling around!

Long Feiye didn't say anything beyond one look. In response, Xu Donglin flew up to the furnace and exchanged a few blows with Gu Qishao before the latter lost and was forced to fly down. Although Gu Qishao couldn't die, he could still be injured. Despite almost burning to death a few days ago, he'd forgotten it at the back of his head. With his current condition, even Xu Donglin could best him in a fight. 

After Long Feiye used actions to make Gu Qishao behave, the latter went to sit resentfully in a corner. Han Yunxi couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Even Pill Furnace Master chuckled a few times. Over the past few days, he'd discovered that Gu Qishao was very much like a child. 

Soon enough, everyone went back to mending their injuries again. Despite the mistake a few days ago, none of them had truly gone on to accuse Pill Furnace Master for his wrongs. Because of that, Pill Furnace Master became "perfectly willing" to go along with them. While the trio healed, he would join Xu Donglin in refining the pills. Although his reserves were average at best, his refining skills were peerless. 

When night fell, Long Feiye brought Han Yunxi to rest before leaving her in the rooms. Pill Furnace Master had arranged for their room to be next to Gu Qishao's, so Long Feiye saw him sitting cross-legged at the entrance as soon as he went out. Currently, he was flipping through a codex of poisons.

Looking down at him, Long Feiye asked, "What are you doing?"

"Searching for the Earthly Fire Kun Furnace. That stuff's for making poison pills, so the codex must have a record of it," Gu Qishao muttered back.

Long Feiye stood around for awhile before he ended up sitting next to Gu Qishao. The latter ignored him, his head buried in the thick book. But after a while, Gu Qishao looked up at him and asked, "You need something?"

What's he doing sitting out here in the middle of the night?

Long Feiye only remained silent, staring at the pill furnace where Xu Donglin was still giving it his all. 

What's he doing sitting next to me if he's got nothing else to do? Gu Qishao only felt suspicious and even a little guarded. Still, he didn't ask and returned to studying the book of poisons. When it came to one thing Long Feiye and Gu Qishao had in common, it was their ability to keep quiet and not talk to anyone for days and nights on end. Still, it was impossible for Gu Qishao to concentrate with someone next to him, especially when that man was Long Feiye.

Very soon, he spoke up again. "Long Feiye…"

Long Feiye ignored him. Gu Qishao waited a while, then tried again. "Long Feiye, there's something…"

Still, Long Feiye ignored him.

Meanwhile, Han Yunxi was sitting with her back against the door. She could heard everything outside as clear as day. As soon as Long Feiye's arm left her waist, she knew he had gotten off the bed. At first, she was worried he'd go off and try to help Xu Donglin with the furnace again, so she'd gone to eavesdrop on the outside. Instead, he ended up sitting with Gu Qishao, so she didn't make a peep. Although Han Yunxi didn't like listening in on other people's conversations, she comforted herself with the thought that this was simply by chance. Thus, she ended up sitting against the door with no qualms.

In truth, Gu Qishao didn't know what he wanted to tell Long Feiye, either. Frankly speaking, he rather liked talking with Long Feiye, but now that they had a chance to chat, he grew tongue-tied. 

Meanwhile, Long Feiye's sole motive for coming out was just to wait for a secret missive expected for delivery tonight. The reason he sat down by the entrance was because he didn't want the shadow guards to knock on the door and wake up Han Yunxi. He had long treated Gu Qishao as air in his mind.

When Gu Qishao still failed to elicit any response from Long Feiye, his beautiful eyes narrowed into slits. With a chuckle, he said, "Long Feiye, there's something I won't tell Poison la.s.s but just you. I'll only say it once, so listen up. Actually…"

When he reached this point, Gu Qishao trailed off again. As expected, Long Feiye was now looking at him, while Han Yunxi had grown tense inside the room as her ears perked up. What's something about me that Gu Qishao knows and Long Feiye doesn't? Why don't I have any idea?

If it was anything Gu Qishao knew but not Long Feiye, it couldn't be anything good. Is he tattling on me behind my back? So dishonest!

When Gu Qishao saw that Long Feiye was finally paying him some attention, he gave him a satisfied grin and buried his head into his book again without a word. Long Feiye's lips quirked into a cold smile before he said icily, "There's something I know and you know, but Han Yunxi doesn't."

Immediately, Gu Qishao's head whipped up as warning shone in his eyes. Long Feiye gave a snort of contempt and prepared to rise when Gu Qishao hastily cried, "I'll talk!"

By this time, the shadow guard had arrived. Long Feiye gestured to him to wait on standby. Gu Qishao saw the letter in the shadow guard's hands and finally realized why Long Feiye was sitting in front of the door. He rose to his feet as well and remarked, "You better remember this well. I'm only saying it once."

Long Feiye thought Gu Qishao was just fooling around, but never expected the fellow to actually say something. Inside the rooms, Han Yunxi had rose to her feet as well, her heart hanging in the air.

But Gu Qishao didn't tattle about anything. Instead, he grew serious and said, "Long Feiye, I hope you'll keep a better eye on Han Yunxi in the future. Don't let her do so many stupid things!"

Instead of "Poison la.s.s," Gu Qishao had said "Han Yunxi." He really was dead serious! 

If Long Feiye had kept a better eye on Han Yunxi, she wouldn't have flown to the top of the furnace or had all this other chaos happening. Although she gained the Phoenix energy, Gu Qishao would rather suffer by himself then have her take such huge risks! 

Long Feiye's gaze grew complicated. Before he could reply, Gu Qishao cut in again.

"Don't make this old man remind you thrice!" So speaking, Gu Qishao stalked off into his own rooms.

Han Yunxi was surprised as she broke into a helpless smile. She was looking forward to the day she completed dual cultivation with Long Feiye and a.s.sumed control over the Phoenix energy. Perhaps then, they wouldn't worry about her so much. 

Of course, Han Yunxi was having an idiotic moment again. She forgot the fact that she still worried and fretted over Long Feiye despite the fact that he was many times stronger than herself. Even not seeing him for a day made her uneasy. Things like worrying about the other had nothing to do with their individual strength, but only whether they were on one's heart.

Long Feiye stared at Gu Qishao's shut doors with knitted brows for a long time. It was unclear what he was thinking. Finally, he turned to receive the secret missive, which was supposed to come from Chu Tianyin. This was the only reason he'd stayed up so late to wait for it. Back at Hundred Poisons Sect, Western Zhou's Emperor Kangcheng had behaved strangely, but he still didn't know the cause. Thus, he asked Chu Tianyin to investigate. Like Tianan, Western Zhou had grown weary of the constant battling in the past few years. Its nation was weakened and its finances critical, so it wouldn't withstand another blow. At least Tianan still had the Mu Clan troops to protect them. Western Zhou's Chu Clan troops had long changed masters.

If Emperor Kangcheng's activities at Hundred Poisons Sect hadn't propelled him to attention, Long Feiye wouldn't be bothering with the man at all. As he opened up Chu Tianyin's letter, he realized it didn't mention the incident at Hundred Poisons Sect, but another strange affair…