’s fondness for gardening was indulged; having something to occupy her was certainly better than letting her idle mind wander into all sorts of troublesome speculations. Although she still milled about under his watchful eye all day, her presence was less grating than before. With her powers sealed, Hua Yi couldn't cause as much mischief, and she spoke to Ye Wen with a degree more propriety now.

Though Ye Wen’s initial suggestion was merely born of a playful whim, once the morning glories began to climb his window frame, his mood genuinely brightened. A glimpse of vibrant blossoms was far more comforting than staring at an empty view.

“I noticed, Sect Master Ye, that you have quite a preference for purple. I specifically chose this color for the vines!”

Morning glories come in several hues, the most common being purple and pink. The fact that Hua Yi had deliberately selected the purple variety showed a surprising amount of thoughtfulness.

However, Ye Wen merely happened to have an unfortunate affinity with the color purple—all his martial arts were tied to the character zi (purple). For reasons unknown, he could only reply, “I don’t have any particular preference for colors; it’s just that the cultivation techniques I practice have this particular characteristic.”

Upon hearing this, Hua Yi laughed, “To think I went to the trouble of buying several purple gowns and skirts, hoping to please you, Sect Master Ye!”

At these words, a sudden wave of killing intent surged. Turning his head, Ye Wen saw Ning Ruxue, her eyes still closed, but the pale green sword energy emanating from her hand was now subtly aimed at Hua Yi.

“Stop talking now, Sister Ning is getting jealous again!”

The past few months had been remarkably peaceful for the entire Shu Mountain Sect. Regarding Hua Yi’s house arrest, the Tianle Gang seemed either genuinely unaware or simply too indifferent to intervene, allowing her to remain at Shu Mountain.

Ye Wen had initially expected someone from the Tianle Gang to inquire about her situation within two or three months. He never imagined there would be complete silence. This lack of contact prompted Ye Jian to inadvertently ask, “Are you truly an Elder of the Tianle Gang?”

As for whether Hua Yi had somehow managed to transmit messages, or if her residence had been constantly monitored—if she truly could have sent word out, Ye Wen could only offer his admiration and let it be.

Regardless, since no one from the Tianle Gang appeared, Hua Yi stayed put. Over time, Ye Wen grew accustomed to some of her routines.

In the mornings, she would engage in light physical activity, then wander about, always ensuring she was shadowed by at least two watchers. Occasionally, she would sneak glances at the open training grounds where the outer disciples practiced. Fortunately, she understood martial world etiquette—she would only observe briefly and then leave, never lingering during actual instruction.

This saved a lot of trouble. Ye Wen hadn't minded her watching the outer disciples practice the basic techniques. Given Hua Yi’s high cultivation level, observing those shallow methods would be meaningless; a few sparrings would allow her to mimic the basics well enough. She certainly couldn't discern the profound techniques for directing internal energy.

Interestingly, Ye Wen noticed Hua Yi was least interested in watching specific martial arts demonstrations. She seemed most engrossed when people performed basic movements or simple fist and footwork drills. She would watch with keen enjoyment, yet when it came to his junior sister’s sword energy techniques, she offered only a brief compliment before looking away.

“Your interests are truly unique!”

“Are they?” Hua Yi would typically respond with an odd smile at this point, before steering the conversation back toward Ye Wen. The ensuing development could be summed up in one word: derailed!

Since Hua Yi clearly didn't wish to elaborate, Ye Wen stopped asking. He continued his own cultivation, making sure to check on the fruit in Jue Valley whenever he went there to practice.

On his previous visits, the fruit looked no different than before—mostly green, with only hints of pink. He concluded that the fruit was far from ripe and only spared it a few cursory glances before moving on.

But today, after finishing his internal energy practice, he noticed the fruit seemed slightly redder than before. Furthermore, next to the plant, a single, emerald-green fruit rested quietly on the ground.

“Did this one fall before it ripened?”

He couldn't recall when it might have dropped. He hadn't looked closely upon entering. If he hadn't stopped to examine the plant after his meditation, he might have missed the fruit lying on the ground behind it.

Bending down to pick it up, Ye Wen did something impulsive: he brought it to his nose and inhaled. A pure fragrance flooded his senses, traveling straight down his respiratory tract to his very core, creating a sensation of chilling refreshment. Ye Wen shivered, as if he had just inhaled a lungful of icy air during the deepest part of winter.

“Such potent, cold energy!”

Just from the scent, Ye Wen could sense the intense chill contained within this fruit, likely far surpassing the Small Cold Fruits they had consumed before. However, this contradicted what Ling Xuzi had written in his message.

“But Ling Xuzi explicitly wrote on the wooden plank that this Crimson Fruit is an object of Yin extreme giving rise to Yang—a fruit of ultimate heat and Yang!” Why, then, did this fallen green fruit possess such intense Yin and cold energy?

Puzzled, he turned the fruit over and over in his hand, scrutinizing it. As he pondered, there was a soft thud, and another jade-green fruit fell, landing precisely by his feet.

Ye Wen carefully picked up the two fruits, one in each hand, and turned his attention back to the tree. This time, he spotted something crucial.

The fruit that had been the reddest seemed to have deepened in color. Several others nearby shared a similar mixture of green and red, though not all were at the same stage. Ye Wen circled the tree, finally noticing a inconspicuous spot: one fruit had almost entirely lost its red hue, retaining only a faint, unremarkable blush, while its vibrant green color far outstripped the others, making it very similar to the two he held.

“Could it be…” Ye Wen stood up, looking at the two green fruits in his hands, a possibility forming in his mind: “That the Crimson Fruit, while being the ultimate Yang object born from Yin extreme, only allows one fruit to ripen at a time? And that it must absorb the entirety of the Yang energy from the others to do so?”

Ye Wen’s guess was entirely correct. The Crimson Fruit was indeed an object of supreme Yang and heat. A single plant would bear many fruits, but only one would mature into the true Crimson Fruit. The remaining green fruits were merely nourishment for that final fruit. These unripe fruits contained no Yang energy whatsoever; instead, they were saturated with intensely Yin and cold energies, mixed with inexplicable, chaotic substances.

Although these green fruits were also born from the essence of gathered cold energy, their attribute was utterly Yin and lethally poisonous! Their toxicity likely surpassed that of the Small Cold Fruits by a massive margin; even the Red-Lined Snake King dared not consume them, fearing the combined blast of cold and poison would instantly end its life.

Unsure of the full implications, Ye Wen left Jue Valley, clutching the two fruits and wrestling with deep thought. He wondered if he could somehow utilize these fruits. If possible, how much further could their cultivation levels advance? After all, the plant bore dozens of fruits! Even consuming one a day, it would take years.

Returning to his quarters with the fruit, he found Ning Ruxue just emerging from her room. Her current practice was purely for consolidating her recent breakthroughs; she visited the Cold Pool less frequently now.

However, having mastered sword energy, she had not abandoned her diligent practice of traditional sword forms and movement techniques. She usually walked around practicing with a long sword, treating her sword energy as a powerful trump card for emergencies. Seeing Ye Wen return, holding two fruits of unknown origin, she couldn't help but ask curiously, “Senior Brother, where did you pick these two fruits?” Then, noticing their vibrant green color, she added, “They’re even the fruits of the current season!”

Ye Wen tossed the fruits playfully between his hands like toys: “These are treasures, Senior Sister. Their internal reservoir of cold essence far surpasses the Small Cold Fruits that our junior siblings devoured!”

Mentioning the Small Cold Fruits made Ye Wen ache with regret. In their desperate rush to improve their strength, they had harvested them without restraint, and now not a single one remained. He wondered if the Cold Pool banks would regenerate such heavenly treasures again; otherwise, it would be a great pity.

“Really? Such a good thing…?” Ning Ruxue had benefited greatly from the Small Cold Fruits. Although the Cold Pool was far superior, it was thanks to those fruits that she had managed to step onto the threshold of the Minor Formless Art, which was the prerequisite for cultivating in the Cold Pool.

Thus, Ning Ruxue held a fond memory of those fruits, completely forgetting that they were, in fact, highly toxic objects! Hearing Ye Wen claim these were treasures even better than the Small Cold Fruits, she immediately desired one to test its effects.

But considering that Senior Brother found them and hadn't yet consumed any himself, asking for one seemed inappropriate. Moreover, Ye Wen was due to depart soon for the Martial Arts Assembly, a crucial time when improving strength was paramount. Such a fine resource ought to be given to Ye Wen first.

Ye Wen seemed to sense Ning Ruxue’s desire for the fruit, but he was currently wary. He said, “I haven’t tested this fruit yet. I don’t know if it’s harmful to people. Let me try it first! If it’s safe, I’ll give one to you, Junior Sister.”

Only then did Ning Ruxue realize the fruit’s toxicity was still unknown—her Senior Brother was clearly preparing to test poison on himself! Alarmed, she immediately protested, “Senior Brother, our Shu Mountain Sect is strong enough now. There’s no need for such a dangerous gamble! If the poison is incurable, wouldn’t that be disastrous?”

Ye Wen paused. It was true. He had been experimenting with dangerous items lately, perhaps overlooking the inherent risks of these substances. Cultivating with the Small Cold Fruits or drawing upon the Cold Pool’s power were both dangerous, but those dangers were known.

These two fruits in his hand carried unknown variables. Ye Wen had no idea how potent their effects might be. If his true qi couldn't suppress it, could it mean instant death?

“Have I become too complacent recently? My guard has dropped so low?”

With that thought, he dared not act rashly.

Yet, the fruits in his grasp felt incredibly cold, their potent chilling energy intensely tempting him. To discard such a sharp tool for boosting cultivation felt like a terrible waste.

“Sigh… What should I do?”

Ning Ruxue watched him for a moment, then took a deep breath and suddenly offered, “How about I try it instead?”

“You—!”

Ye Wen was startled but immediately shook his head repeatedly. “No. In terms of power, you still fall behind Junior Brother. If there is a severe toxin, it’s safer for me than you!”

Ning Ruxue countered, “Senior Brother is about to attend the Martial Arts Assembly; you absolutely should not risk your life now. Besides, considering all the aid Junior Sister has received from you, let me test this fruit’s efficacy first. If I’m fine, then you can take it!”

Ye Wen refused to listen. Seeing this, Ning Ruxue attempted to snatch one fruit and swallow it immediately. However, Ye Wen was anticipating this move. The moment she moved, he instantly concealed both fruits behind his back and stated firmly, “Junior Sister, don’t be reckless! At worst, we won’t eat these fruits and we’ll just leave…”

As he was speaking, he suddenly felt a lightness in his hands. Xu Xian sauntered out from behind him, “What are Senior Brother and Senior Sister playing at? This fruit looks so raw; I wonder if it’s even edible…” With that, Xu Xian bit down. As he chewed, a significant amount of juice flowed out, and even Ye Wen, who had stepped back slightly, could feel the cold energy emanating from it.

“Wow, so cold!”

The fruit was all flesh, with no pit. Xu Xian crunched down, devouring the entire fruit in a few bites. He suddenly shuddered, hugging his shoulders, and announced, “What kind of fruit is this? It’s too cold…”

Ning Ruxue rushed forward, asking, “What did it taste like… No—what do you feel?”

Xu Xian’s teeth were still chattering slightly. He replied, “It’s too cold; I couldn’t taste anything at all…”

Ning Ruxue nearly spat blood. “I meant, what sensation are you experiencing?”

“Uh… a little cold…” Saying this, Xu Xian activated his Supreme Pure Yang Art. His pure Yang zhenqi circulated within his body. A flash of red light briefly enveloped his form before receding. He then straightened up. “Much better now!”

Ye Wen was speechless. He had assumed that such an intensely cold fruit would certainly have some noticeable effect after consumption. To his surprise, Xu Xian merely circulated his internal energy and declared, “Fixed!”

“What kind of trash is this?”

Seeing this, Ning Ruxue was also quite disappointed. She had expected this fruit to be even better than the Small Cold Fruit. Instead, it seemed worse! She forgot that when their cultivation was weaker, they had needed considerable effort to dissolve the chill from the Small Cold Fruits. Now that they had all crossed the threshold into the Xiantian realm, eating such a fruit might result in the minor cold energy being instantly neutralized by their powerful true qi—rendering it good only for cracking teeth.

Seeing that the item had no apparent use, Ning Ruxue turned and returned to her room. Once she was out of sight, the red light around Xu Xian intensified dramatically, even causing his face to flush crimson. Ye Wen stood beside him, feeling a wave of supreme Yang force wash over him. Fortunately, his own cultivation was formidable, so he wasn't afraid, though he was shocked by Xu Xian suddenly exerting his full power.

“Was Xu Xian pretending just now?”

In truth, he had been. With Xu Xian’s skill level, how could he not hear Ye Wen and Ning Ruxue’s conversation? He had known from the start that the two fruits were of unknown origin and effect and shouldn't be eaten casually. A thought struck him: most of his current martial achievements were taught by Ye Wen, as were the resources that boosted his cultivation. Ye Wen always tested these things first, confirming the proper method of use before passing them on. Feeling gratitude for Ye Wen’s mentorship, Xu Xian directly used his lightness skill to snatch the fruit and swallowed it whole.

The moment the fruit entered his mouth, the icy chill pierced directly into his body. Xu Xian immediately activated his Supreme Pure Yang Art to barely suppress the cold, but he deliberately acted nonchalant to prevent Ning Ruxue from worrying.

After Ning Ruxue left, Xu Xian made no move to hide it from Ye Wen. He unleashed his full power, intending to suppress the ferocious cold energy.

Ye Wen had already figured out the situation. He immediately leaped behind Xu Xian, placing his palms against his junior brother’s back, circulating his Xiantian Violet Qi at full force. In the courtyard, half the space glowed with dazzling red light, while the other half surged with ascending purple energy. If anyone had witnessed such a spectacle, they would surely have been stunned.

Since both their powers were formidable, the strange phenomena dissipated quickly. Ning Ruxue, sensing the disturbance, rushed back, but she saw Xu Xian and Ye Wen chatting and laughing. She assumed they had merely sparred briefly and returned to her room.

“That was close; Senior Sister almost noticed!” Xu Xian’s complexion was far from good. If he hadn't had his back to Ning Ruxue just then, she might have spotted the anomaly. His lips were now blue-purple, his face deeply ashen, and his eyes ringed with gray—he looked like a reanimated corpse, having shed all pretense of the elegant scholar.

Ye Wen, however, was largely unaffected. He hadn't needed to exert much true qi to assist Xu Xian in suppressing the cold energy. This was largely because Xu Xian’s own cultivation perfectly countered the cold, making the process relatively easy for Ye Wen.

“How effective was the fruit?”

“The efficacy is strong, but although the cold energy is ferocious, it isn't perfectly pure. With my Pure Yang Art, I can only suppress the cold. I need Senior Brother to help me excise those chaotic energies so I can use my own power to simultaneously suppress the cold and melt down the essence of the fruit!” With the immediate danger passed, Xu Xian’s demeanor returned to his usual playful manner, despite his haggard appearance. “Once I assimilate this cold essence, my Supreme Pure Yang Art should advance yet again!”

Ye Wen was speechless. His junior brother had truly activated his protagonist template again; not only was eating the fruit free of major consequences, but it had provided a benefit.

As he considered this, Xu Xian suddenly coughed twice and added, “However, once I dissolve this cold energy, I won't be able to eat more of them! The cold energy is too strong, and it resonates with the single thread of cold energy already in my body. If I don't resolve this quickly, there could be endless trouble later! If I want to use this fruit for cultivation, I probably have to wait until my lung ailment is completely cured!”

Ye Wen nodded. After further inquiry, he used his Xiantian Violet Qi to help purify the impurities in Xu Xian’s body. In reality, Xu Xian could have dissolved the impurities with his Supreme Pure Yang Art, but having existing cold energy within him made it difficult to divide his focus against such overpowering incoming coldness, hence his request for Ye Wen’s help.

After analyzing the situation, they understood that the fruit wasn't unusable, but safe consumption required the cooperation of two people cultivating together.

One person would consume the fruit to suppress the cold energy with their own power, while the other would use their true qi to neutralize the chaotic energies within the first person’s body, allowing the consumer to then slowly digest the fruit’s essence.

This arrangement placed Ning Ruxue in a difficult position; her sword energy provided no means to help neutralize foreign energies, meaning she could only benefit but not assist others.

Ye Wen pondered for a moment and finally decided, “We’ll give the remaining fruit to Junior Sister first. I will handle neutralizing the impurities and suppressing the cold for her!” He did not currently need the fruit’s boost. Raising the strength of Xu Xian and Ning Ruxue would be more beneficial to Shu Mountain overall. After all, the difference between three high-level experts and one was substantial.

If circumstances allowed, he planned to let Huang Rongrong use the fruit for cultivation as well. With himself and Xu Xian protecting her, gradually absorbing and digesting the fruit’s essence shouldn’t be impossible. This way, she could quickly eliminate the Lei Jian Sect, resolving another potential threat.

“I just hope Xu Xian can neutralize that cold energy before we depart!”