Who let him join the Sword Sect?!

"Senior Brother, is this really okay?"

"What's not okay? Come, let me touch... Hmm, it's soft."

"Stop touching, hurry up."

"Don't rush, you can't eat hot tofu if you're impatient."

After reassuring Junior Sister, Zhang Ze continued pressing with his hand.

He was using inner strength to process the beast meat in the basin. An icy blue flame ignited in his hand, and after confirming the size and temperature were appropriate, he wrapped the marinated beast meat with the flame.

It's quite amazing that the techniques from the Beast Taming Sect mainly have blue flames.

"This step is called low-temperature slow roasting, it keeps the meat tender and juicy. Junior Sister, could you handle those rabbits?"

"But the rabbits are so cute..."

"Are you going to eat or not?"

"I will."

This routine had been going on for almost a month. After Chen Qin confirmed her visits wouldn't affect Zhang Ze's cultivation, she came by twice a day, staying half the day each time.

In the morning, they played cards, fished, and cooked.

In the afternoon, Zhang Ze discussed cultivation insights and the experiences of breaking through the Golden Core with Chen Qin.

During this process, as the first pioneer of the Thousand Mechanism Heart Method, Zhang Ze indeed discovered aspects that could be improved.

Overall, life was very fulfilling.

As for Li, she seemed to have awakened her primordial bloodline and had transformed into a vigorous beast, happily roving through mountains and forests all day.

Today, before dawn, she donned a tiny black outfit, slung a small rifle, and went out hunting, saying not to wait for her to eat.

Though she said so, it's still necessary to save some food for her.

After saving a large piece of meat for Li, Zhang Ze sliced and arranged the remaining half, then went to help Junior Sister with the rabbits.

Junior Sister's technique was inexperienced, so the rabbits found their passing a bit restless.

...

After lunch, the senior and junior brewed tea and started discussing the arrays related to Stone Pills.

From the beginning in Cold City to the discovery of Dan Dan, one array after another related to Stone Pills was found continually.

Currently, those responsible for researching this matter are Xiaoxuan and several Big Head Taoists, essentially researching their own kind.

As the number of arrays increased, the analysis and research of these arrays were gradually advancing.

It's largely confirmed that these arrays and Stone Pills are related to the Primordial times.

Though their exact origins remain unknown, some insights into the miraculous properties of these arrays have been uncovered.

These things are better described as puzzles or building blocks than arrays.

Similar to the Thousand Mechanism Rune Array that Lily devised, yet with simpler and purer operation principles, all functions revolve around the Stone Pill and its essence.

Using the special Spirit Gathering Array that charges Xiaoxuan as the basic unit, different arrangements and combinations can produce various effects.

Relying on the cleverness and diligence of Xiaoxuan, Big Head, and their connected team, the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion has made preliminary analyses of the arrays in Cold City.

With only the special Spirit Gathering Array, they can already replicate the illusion realm occurring in Cold City.

But the range is much smaller, limited to the size of half a room at most.

There's no other way; copying the expansive space of the Cold City Illusion Realm would likely require Li or Aunt Niao's family, or maybe even Dan Dan, to be thrown into the mix — but it's too dangerous, as based on Ling Liu's recollections, this act is akin to burning one's life force.

So this aspect of research is temporarily shelved.

Xiaoxuan and the team are currently fully engaged in researching the array at Dan Dan's home.

Just like Zhang Ze speculated, this array is related to the Summoning Stone Pill.

However, given the severe damage to the array core and the failure of the outer array due to time, the restoration work progresses slowly.

"I wonder when it will be fixed; I want a spirit pet to take care of too," Chen Qin said, sipping tea in the deckchair.

"It might not necessarily be a spirit beast," Zhang Ze replied to Junior Sister, "Li is a spirit beast, Aunt Niao's family belongs to the demon race, and we don't even know what Dan Dan is."

"These Void Stone Pills are different from those with owners; who knows what will emerge from them, maybe a bunch of Dan Dans..."

Chen Qin imagined a scene with double-yolked eggs flying all over the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion and quickly shook her head.

"That's terrifying."

"Indeed."

Afterward, the two fell into silence, and after enjoying a moments peace, Zhang Ze remembered something.

"By the way, how's their Artifact Refining Art research going?"

Chen Qin put down her teacup and shook her head, "Not well."

"Our human race's way of understanding and utilizing spiritual qi is different from Dan Dan's. Trying to forcibly control those magical artifacts is not impossible, but it's like brushing hair with your feet or walking with your nose... very uncoordinated."

"However, Dan Dan's experience is quite useful regarding refining materials and handling metals. The Artifact Refiners and elders at Sword Casting Peak have benefited greatly."

"Lily is also delighted because Dan Dan's processing method saves money," Chen Qin said a long list, seeming tired, she leaned back and swayed with the rocking chair.

Zhang Ze's attention, however, was drawn to odd detail.

"Who can walk with their nose?" he asked.

"Li can, didn't you know?" Chen Qin appeared surprised.

Zhang Ze shook his head; he indeed didn't know this.

Speaking of Dan Dan and those Artifact Refiners, Chen Qin remembered another matter, "Oh, I heard from Lily that the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion seems to be haunted recently."

"We have ghosts here?" Zhang Ze found this somewhat amusing.

The Thousand Mechanism Pavilion was confirmed by Tang to be an excellent location in terms of feng shui, not far from the Seventh Sword Pavilion, with the bustling aura of demon race fireworks flourishing in Thousand Mechanism Town right outside.

Ultimately, within a hundred miles of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, the weakest cultivators are at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining.

Little ghosts can't survive for half a day, and big ghosts would run as far away as possible with any sense.

"I don't really know, I'm just relaying what Lily said, apparently some Artifact Refiners saw ghostly figures at night."

After joining the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, those Artifact Refiners entered a tense and stimulating learning state.

Yet, Dan Dan's character changes between day and night, and daytime Dan Dan is evidently not suitable as an instructor.

Thus, Dan Dan teaches and solves problems for these Artifact Refiners mostly at midnight.

In short, due to Dan Dan's influence, their mental states have indeed been suffering lately, and it's normal to misinterpret what they see.

"Probably just not adjusted to life at the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, saw things wrong," Zhang Ze didn't take it seriously.

"Maybe," Chen Qin nodded.

...

Night.

Zhang Ze lay in bed, comfortably sleeping under a small blanket.

Although cultivators don't really need sleep, it's okay to sleep if one wishes, since sleeping is quite pleasant.

Half-awake, Zhang Ze suddenly noticed something sitting on him, assuming it was Li returning from hunting, he casually embraced it and pulled it into his arms.

But when squeezed, the texture felt somewhat off.

Why so soft?

Zhang Ze opened his eyes, realizing the person in his arms wasn't Li, but Junior Sister.

Chen Qin's face was flushed red, her breath blowing onto Zhang Ze's face.

"What are you doing?" Zhang Ze, still a bit dazed.

Chen Qin was a bit excited.

"Come on, Senior Brother, let's go catch ghosts!"

Zhang Ze crawled out of bed, dazedly listening to Junior Sister talk about ghost hunting.

"The ghosts appeared?" Zhang Ze inquired.

"No, but my intuition says they definitely will tonight; come on Senior Brother, hurry, hurry, hurry."

"Alright, wait~ I'll leave a note for Li first."

...

In the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, Zhang Ze and Chen Qin were perched on a tree, chatting with walnuts.

[What are we eating tomorrow?]

[Whatever.]

[Don't say whatever, fish?]

[Not eating.]

[...]

Growing bored, Zhang Ze suddenly heard commotion from afar, accompanied by several Golden Core cultivators releasing their auras.

Soon, Zhang Ze saw several white figures floating toward him and Chen Qin.

"It's real?"