Before leaving Verdant Peak, Su Bai had learned a handful of highly profitable recipes. He spent a some hours forging three Transcendent-Grade Golden Marrow Cleansing Pills.

These pills were an absolute goldmine in the sect’s marketplace. Wealthy mortal families and lower-tier cultivators would bankrupt themselves to buy them, as they perfectly flushed a child’s meridians and guaranteed a smooth entry into Qi Refining.

Su Bai handed the three flawless pills to Liu Meng to give to Elder Qin for auction, securing his future funding.

Now, back in the quiet safety of his hut on Clear Cloud Peak, Su Bai sat at his desk and opened his notebook.

He neatly wrote down the name of his earlier system reward, followed by the terrifying intelligence Liu Meng had gathered from Elder Qin regarding it.

[Item: The Nine-Severing Frost Pill]

[Standard Effect: Violently targets the nine major meridian gateways in a human body. When swallowed, it releases a burst of absolute-zero Yin energy that flash-freezes these gateways, literally snapping them in half.]

Su Bai gulped as he wrote the next part.

According to Elder Qin, this wasn’t a medicine. It was the signature execution method of the Glacial Abyss Clan. A terrifying, ancient demonic faction that had been eradicated centuries ago.

Once consumed, the victim’s cultivation was instantly and permanently wiped out. Because their internal energy had nowhere to flow, it stagnated and froze their blood. The victim was turned into a conscious, living ice sculpture. If the executioner tapped them with the flat of a blade, the victim would shatter into a thousand frozen pieces.

It was horrifyingly cruel.

But as Su Bai stared at the description, a wide grin spread across his face.

To him, it was the ultimate hardware upgrade. The only problem was the supply chain. The ingredients required for the Glacial Abyss Clan’s execution pill only grew in extreme, frozen wastelands. He had no way of acquiring them on the sect’s temperate grounds.

He closed the notebook, deciding to table the issue for later.

Just then, the door to his hut creaked open. Lu Canghai stepped inside. His usual boisterous demeanor was replaced by a heavy, grave seriousness.

"My disciple," Lu Canghai sighed. He took a seat opposite Su Bai. "Starting today, you are not to descend into the mortal city. It has become far too dangerous."

Su Bai sat up straight. "Master, did something happen?"

"Not yet," Lu Canghai shook his head. "But the rival sects are beginning to catch on. The official story is that Ji Ruyue’s Golden Core breakthrough caused the Dao Manifestation. The commoners believe it. But the intelligent executives from rival factions? They see the inconsistencies."

Lu Canghai paused. "The Sect Master has not returned yet. Dealing with these geopolitical politics without him is a massive headache."

Su Bai sighed heavily. The corporate espionage was escalating.

"What exactly are they planning?" Su Bai asked.

"Schemes and calculations," Lu Canghai grumbled. "Some factions want to find the true source of the anomaly and assassinate them before they can mature. Some want to headhunt the genius, or worse, steal whatever ’Supreme Artifact’ they falsely believe caused the phenomenon. Everyone wants to profit from, or cripple, the Radiant Sky Sect’s sudden rise."

Su Bai’s expression turned grim.

For the last six years, he had treated the sect like a quirky corporation. But sitting here, listening to his master detail the very real threat of legal, state-sponsored assassination, the reality set in.

’This isn’t a deregulated market,’ Su Bai realized coldly. ’This is a war zone. If they find out I am the anomaly, they will erase me to protect their market share.’

Seeing the heavy realization weigh on his disciple, Lu Canghai’s expression softened. He smiled gently and stood up.

"That is why," Lu Canghai declared, "It is time I taught you more ways to survive."

Su Bai looked up, surprised.

Then, Lu Canghai led Su Bai out into the courtyard.

"Do you know why I named this peak ’Clear Cloud’?" Lu Canghai asked as he lookied up at the sky.

"Please enlighten me, Master," Su Bai bowed.

Lu Canghai stroked his white beard. "Because clouds hold no karma, no grudges, and no fixed shape. They drift, they adapt, and they simply exist above the chaos. I want you to be like that. Do not let the heavy karma of this world anchor you down."

He turned to Su Bai. His eyes shone with pride. "Although my realm has fallen from its peak, my foundation remains. I am the perfect mentor for you."

Su Bai listened attentively as Lu Canghai revealed a secret.

Lu Canghai possessed a mutated Water Spirit Root. When he was still developing in his mother’s womb, a catastrophic Heavenly Hurricane had swept over their region. The sheer, violent radiation of that Wind energy pierced the womb and collided with the unborn baby’s forming Water Root.

When Lu Canghai was born, his Water Root behaved like Wind. It became a supremely rare Mutated Formless-Cloud Root.

"In the Five Elements, Water nourishes Wood," Lu Canghai explained warmly. "Because my Qi is a hybrid of nurturing water and formless wind, I intrinsically understand how to feed, grow, and manipulate plant-based Qi. I can teach you how to use your Root." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

And so, the ultimate onboarding training began.

The first skill Lu Canghai demonstrated was the [Weeping Willow Binding].

"It is a gentle, non-lethal crowd-control spell," Lu Canghai explained. He guided Su Bai’s hands through the proper seals. "You summon soft, flexible green vines to gently wrap around an opponent’s wrists and weapons. They are incredibly difficult to break because they simply bend and stretch with the attacker, peacefully exhausting them until they give up."

To a Wood Root cultivator, this spell was instinctual. Su Bai flawlessly rerouted his Qi according to the instructions and slammed his hand onto the grass.

CRACK!

Instead of a gentle green vine, a massive, pitch-black root violently erupted from the earth. It lashed out like a spiked whip, wrapping around a nearby boulder with terrifying, bone-crushing force. The rock instantly shattered into a dozen pieces.

Su Bai blinked. Lu Canghai sweated profusely.

"Well," Lu Canghai coughed as he stared at the terrifying demonic vine. "Your... unique constitution alters the aesthetic. But your learning speed is flawless! Next skill!"

The second skill was called [Falling Leaf Substitution].

"When struck by a lethal blow, the cultivator’s body turns into a single, gently falling autumn leaf, while the real body safely reappears twenty feet away," Lu Canghai instructed. "It is meant to avoid conflict without harming the attacker."

This was incredibly difficult. It required splitting one’s consciousness and manipulating spatial Qi. Su Bai’s corporate brain struggled to find the "Alt-Tab" shortcut for his physical body. He failed repeatedly, stumbling and tripping over his own feet.

However, after a few hours of intense, focused guidance from his master, Su Bai finally vanished in a puff of cold mist, leaving behind a single, black, frost-covered leaf as he reappeared safely by the courtyard wall.

Su Bai sighed in frustration, thinking he was too slow. But Lu Canghai was internally screaming in shock. It took normal geniuses months to grasp the concept of substitution. Su Bai did it in a single afternoon.

"Excellent!" Lu Canghai beamed. "Now, for the final technique. This one is called [Forest Canopy Breath]."

Lu Canghai became serious. "This is a purification technique. Just as trees breathe in toxic miasma and exhale fresh air, you will use your Wood Qi to aggressively filter out poisons, hallucinogens, and negative killing intent from the surrounding air. You will create a safe, breathable sanctuary for your allies."

Su Bai’s eyes immediately widened, glowing with intense, suppressed excitement.

’Wait,’ Su Bai realized. ’Can this technique allow me to actively, purposefully inhale deadly, airborne toxic chemicals?’

Because of his Reversal Body, inhaling poison didn’t kill him. It healed him and boosted his Qi! This "purification" technique was literally just an excuse for him to aggressively vacuum up highly toxic biological weapons and turn them into free stat buffs!

Lu Canghai stroked his beard, and watched the delighted gleam form in his disciple’s eyes. The old master slowly realized what he had just done. He had just taught a boy who ate poison for breakfast how to actively inhale chemical warfare.

Despite the terrifying implications, a profound sense of satisfaction washed over the old man. As he watched Su Bai eagerly practice the purification technique, Lu Canghai felt like he was truly passing the torch to the next generation.